Chapter 353 - 284: Seeing the Dark Stream Again (Part 2)

Chapter 353: Chapter 284: Seeing the Dark Stream Again (Part 2)

"But let me warn you upfront: Huishui Mountain is incredibly dangerous. You’d best stick close to me and not wander off. I’ll do what I can to protect you, but if your actions stir up some unnecessary trouble, I can’t promise I’ll be able to help you then."

Bai Zichen spoke tactfully, but his serious expression made his meaning perfectly clear.

"Understood. Of course."

Zhang Tianwen nodded, having no objections to this.

Li Minghan, upon hearing this, just gave a faint smile and shook his head without saying anything.

The five of them all had higher Cultivation than Bai Zichen, so they paid little mind to his talk of protection. At most, they saw him as a guide who knew the way and could help them avoid a few wrong turns.

With the instructions given, Bai Zichen didn’t delay any further and set off up the mountain.

The closer they got to Huishui Mountain, the more a faint mist began to rise, and the damp air of the wetlands grew increasingly dense.

Signs of human life grew sparse. As colossal trees towered into the sky, the clamor of the mortal world was gradually replaced by the sounds of birdsong and nature. The group of six pressed deeper into Huishui Mountain.

"Huishui Mountain is vast, stretching for more than eight hundred li. It is as much a treasure trove as it is a place of peril."

"We can only explore the outer regions for now; the deeper areas are not for us to enter. And even the periphery holds plenty of danger. You young masters may have astonishing Cultivation, but you cannot afford to be careless."

"I don’t know what specific medicinal ingredients you’re searching for, so I’ll just lead you on a circuit of Huishui Mountain’s periphery based on my experience. If we don’t find it, we’ll figure something else out then."

Bai Zichen walked at the front, speaking as he cleared away the undergrowth in their path.

"You should all stick close to me. If you want to split off, give me a heads-up first. Even in the outer regions, Second-stage Spirit Beasts are common. If you’re unlucky, you might even run into a Third-stage Spirit Beast, and that would be fatal."

Bai Zichen muttered, glancing at the five people behind him and slowly shaking his head.

"Another thing—the moisture in the air here is heavy and quite unusual. It has a powerful dampening effect on one’s Divine Sense. The terrain is also full of marshes you can fall into if you’re not careful, so be sure to watch your step."

"Beneath Huishui Mountain, Dark Streams are churning. If you’re accidentally swept into one of these marshes, you could be washed away to who-knows-where."

As the lead Medicinal Material Collector of his Medicine Gathering Team, Bai Zichen was very experienced and rattled on, laying out numerous precautions for the group.

"This is Spirit-Dispelling Powder. If you sprinkle it on yourselves, it can effectively ward off bites from poisonous insects and also has some effect in repelling beasts. Go ahead and apply it."

After speaking, Bai Zichen took five Jade Bottles from his Storage Pouch and tossed them to the five men.

The five caught them. Yu Changsheng gently opened his, took a light sniff, and after confirming with his knowledge of pharmacology that there was no issue, he nodded to the others. Only then did he sprinkle some on himself.

Seeing this, Bai Zichen’s expression remained calm as he said, "Don’t worry. It contains an ingredient unique to Huishui Mountain, one that the local Spirit Beasts and poisonous insects despise."

"So, when you apply the Spirit-Dispelling Powder, it gives off the fragrance of this ingredient, which makes the poisonous insects stay away on their own. It saves us some trouble."

"This stuff is a special blend from our Ancient Sun Medicine Gathering Team. You can’t get it anywhere else."

As he spoke, a look of self-satisfaction appeared on Bai Zichen’s face, and he lifted his head slightly.

"Good."

Zhang Tianwen smiled and offered a few casual words of praise, his gaze continuously scanning their surroundings, searching for their objective.

The group stuck together, walking and pausing along the way. With Bai Zichen to guide them, they truly didn’t run into much trouble. Even when a Spirit Beast occasionally leaped out, it was swiftly dealt with.

Fortunately, since they were in a group and could chat as they walked, the journey wasn’t lonely or boring. They hadn’t found any trace of Nascent Building Grass, but they had harvested some other Spirit Grasses, which put Yu Changsheng in a good mood. He felt this trip was not a waste after all.

’Cyan Flower Seven-leaf Ganoderma, the main ingredient for refining the Third-Grade Cyan Ganoderma Pill. Nice, to think I’d find it here.’

’Water-Vine Star, an ingredient for the Second-Grade Ice Heart Clear Platform Pill. Excellent, excellent.’

’Spiritual Moisture Grass, a daily supplement for nurturing Spirit Beasts. And there’s such a large patch of it...’

...

Regardless of what the others thought, Yu Changsheng, at least, was reaping a decent harvest.

With his knowledge of herbs and plants as a Third Grade Alchemist, Yu Changsheng knew perfectly well which were Spiritual Medicines and which were valuable. Coupled with Huishui Mountain’s unique terrain, the Spirit Grass here was far more abundant than in the outside world. Although none of it was particularly precious, the total haul was quite encouraging.

"I never would have thought Young Master Yu would recognize so many. It seems you’re an Alchemist."

Watching Yu Changsheng periodically pluck Spirit Grass from near his feet, Bai Zichen couldn’t help but remark with a sigh after his initial surprise wore off.

There were some Spirit Grasses Yu Changsheng picked that even he didn’t recognize.

"I do know a bit about Alchemy."

Yu Changsheng said this after gently digging out a Water Sound Flower from under a large tree and placing it in his Storage Pouch, only then looking up at Bai Zichen with a slight smile.

"It seems Young Master Yu is being modest. I, a Medicinal Material Collector, don’t recognize as many as you do."

Bai Zichen looked abashed. A trace of respect appeared on his face as he cupped his hands in a salute toward Yu Changsheng and gave a wry smile.

"They’re all just inconspicuous little things. It’s easy to overlook them if you’re not paying attention."

Yu Changsheng chuckled, explaining softly. As he looked at Bai Zichen, a sharp glint flashed through his eyes, gone in an instant.

"I see you young masters are all well-dressed and have a refined bearing. You don’t look like Loose Cultivators, but rather like disciples from a great family. I wonder, if it’s not too much to ask, would you be willing to share your background?"

After some thought, Bai Zichen asked, a hint of hesitation on his face.

"Oh, that? We’re from the Yang Family. But we’re only from a branch family, so it’s nothing special."

Yu Changsheng spoke up first without hesitation, not waiting for the others to reply.

Hearing this, Zhang Tianwen and the others had their own private thoughts and speculations, but their expressions remained unchanged. They just nodded lightly, tacitly endorsing what Yu Changsheng had said.

"The Yang Family?" Bai Zichen was visibly stunned. His eyes narrowed for a moment before he exhaled. His attitude grew even more reverent, and he lowered his head. "So you are the young masters of the Yang Family. No wonder I thought you all seemed so extraordinary from the moment I saw you."

In the Southwest Land, there were quite a few families named Yang. But clearly, the Yang Family Yu Changsheng mentioned at this moment was the greatest of them all—the one with a Purple Mansion expert presiding over it, the one with Yang Pengju as its Patriarch.

One could say there were two main powers in the entire Southwest Land: one was the Profound Yin Sect, and the other was the Yang Family. Of course, the Yang Family certainly couldn’t compare to the Profound Yin Sect, one of the three great sects.

However, although the Profound Yin Sect was considered a power of the Southwest, its actual location was very close to the western regions, and its main sphere of influence was also in the west. Therefore, in some respects, its influence in the Southwest was even less than the Yang Family’s.

Thus, after Yu Changsheng claimed they were from the Yang Family, Bai Zichen fell silent for a moment. He nodded, his attitude becoming even more respectful, and as he looked at the group, a peculiar look flashed in his eyes.

And as for what Yu Changsheng had said, the others, of course, would not expose his lie.

"We’re just branch family disciples, not important enough to be on display. Master Bai, please don’t feel any pressure. Just do what you were doing. It doesn’t change anything."

Faced with Bai Zichen’s deference, Yu Changsheng maintained his smile and spoke in a very low-key manner.

"You jest, Young Master. Since you are honored guests from the Yang Family, I should serve you even better. Don’t worry. Say no more—here in Huishui Mountain, I, Bai Zichen, have my ways."

Bai Zichen patted his chest and spoke with conviction, looking at the five of them with a strange gleam in his eyes and a faint smile on his lips.