Chapter 74

"Of course, in this world, mystic beasts are the targets of extermination by mystic cultivators, so there are very few left!" Long Buli's tone carried a hint of regret: "You're a bit too timid, you know. In all my years as a treasure hunter, I've only seen a mystic beast once."

So many years? Lu Buqi smiled inwardly and replied, "You saw a mystic beast and are still alive. You must be really lucky!"

"I am indeed lucky, because that mystic beast clearly discovered me but didn't kill me." Long Buli's eyes were filled with hope: "It was then that I realized mystic beasts aren't as cruel as humans imagine. They have their own values and sense of right and wrong..."

Lu Buqi narrowed his eyes: "It seems you are really lucky. However, no matter what kind of being, there is always good and evil, just like among humans, there are many like me who are evil."

"Are you an evil person?" Long Buli was surprised, but her eyes were full of smiles.

Lu Buqi replied calmly: "A butcher who is born to deceive the whole world and is destined to have blood on his hands, could he still be a good person?"

"Born to deceive the whole world and destined to have blood on his hands?" Long Buli pondered these words and suddenly fell silent.

In fact, after saying these words, Lu Buqi himself was stunned. He didn't know what was wrong with him today, to reveal such deep-seated self-awareness, almost to the point of revealing that he was a reincarnated being.

But since he had said it, Lu Buqi naturally had to bear the consequences. He didn't respond, but fiercely pulled out the heart core, which was already quite dark, and laughed strangely: "Do you regret teaming up with me now?"

"Do you think I'm as timid as you?" Long Buli laughed: "I trust my eyes and wouldn't misjudge a person. After all, sometimes lies can be well-intentioned, and killing can have reasons. Even a famous general is accompanied by the withering of a thousand years. Just this alone isn't enough to define you as evil."

Lu Buqi was surprised, stopped his work, and looked deeply at Long Buli. He didn't say anything and continued his task of skinning.

"Hey... What does that look mean?" Long Buli said angrily: "Why do I feel so shallow in your thoughts?"

Lu Buqi's lips curled: "I don't think so anymore..."

"Hey, you... Alright, considering you've helped me and we just met, I'll be magnanimous and won't hold it against you." Long Buli had a good ability to console herself and quickly got over her frustration.

Lu Buqi smiled: "I'll finish this beast skin soon. You might want to think about how we proceed next!"

"Uh..." After a moment of hesitation, Long Buli said: "Buqi, if I say I'm not very clear about the route, will you demand to split up?"

Now it was Lu Buqi's turn to be speechless: "Are you sure you're a veteran treasure hunter?"

Long Buli replied: "Of course... I have a treasure map to prove it!"

When Long Buli's so-called treasure map appeared before Lu Buqi, he couldn't help but feel a few black lines appear on his forehead: "Are you sure you weren't scammed by a street charlatan?"

Long Buli frowned: "What's wrong?"

Lu Buqi pointed to the treasure map in her hand: "Not to mention how fresh the material is, what treasure map would be labeled 'Treasure Map—Treasure in Dahuang Mountain' and then draw such a crude location?"

"This isn't the original map!" Long Buli waved the map, which looked suspiciously fake: "This is a copy of the original. The specific location is roughly in this area... How can it be so crude? I drew it much better than the original, with valleys, ponds, and caves!"

"Wait..." Lu Buqi took the treasure map from Long Buli and looked at it: "This place seems familiar to me."

"Familiar?" Long Buli perked up: "Have you been to this place before?"

Lu Buqi's mind flashed back to the red snake he had encountered a few days ago, which was shedding its skin and facing a thunderstorm. Although Long Buli's drawing skills weren't great, the small valley, pond, and cave matched the location and size ratio of that place.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Long Buli gently pushed Lu Buqi: "You know, there are treasures left by a wandering cultivator in that cave. If we could get a cultivation technique, it might save us decades of trial and error. If we could get a few high-quality magical patterns..."

Lu Buqi looked at the excited Long Buli calmly: "No matter what's in there, we need to have the means to take it!"

Sensing Lu Buqi's lack of enthusiasm, a glint of intelligence flashed in Long Buli's eyes: "What do you mean? You seem to know that place is dangerous?"

Lu Buqi looked at Long Buli: "A few days ago, I went to that place. There was a giant snake big enough to swallow ten of me shedding its skin. That cave is probably its den. I estimate it's at least an eighth-stage spirit beast, and it might even be the mystic beast you mentioned."

He called it a mystic beast because he suddenly remembered that the giant snake's eyes were so lively, like a human's, capable of expressing rich emotions.

"How could there be a mystic beast in Dahuang Mountain!" Long Buli looked disbelieving: "Besides, not all spirit beasts are more powerful the larger they are. There's a seventh-stage snake spirit beast called the Pan Mountain Python, which is over ten meters long and can coil up like a small mountain. You might have encountered a Pan Mountain Python!"

"You don't look your age, but your knowledge in this area is quite extensive!" Lu Buqi glanced at Long Buli, feeling somewhat surprised and more convinced.

Long Buli smiled: "Of course, as a treasure hunter who roams the three mountains and five peaks, the five lakes and four seas, I have to know these things to survive."

Lu Buqi smiled: "The strength of a spirit beast isn't fixed, right? Even if I encountered a Pan Mountain Python, after shedding its skin, its strength would have increased. I think it's likely an eighth-stage spirit beast. Do you think we can deal with an eighth-stage spirit beast?"

"It's not impossible, right?" Long Buli's tone changed: "Buqi, when a snake sheds its skin, it's very weak. Why didn't you take the opportunity to kill it? Were you scared and ran away?"

"You seem to think I'm very timid?" Lu Buqi wasn't someone who cared about others' opinions, but this Long Buli constantly calling him timid was getting to him as a man.

Long Buli raised her eyebrows: "When you saw me, a weak woman, being chased by a Black Jaw Ghost Tiger, you didn't take the initiative to help. When I invited you to seek treasure, you hesitated, afraid of this and that. Isn't that being timid? Don't tell me you didn't run away!"

"Alright, let's say I'm timid!" Lu Buqi pinched his nose: "Whether you believe it or not, I left without wanting to kill it, not because I'm timid, but because I felt it was like me."

After saying that, Lu Buqi rolled up the completely skinned tiger hide, tied it with grass vines to the scattered bag, and turned to look at Long Buli: "Miss Long, are you sure you still want to seek treasure?"

Long Buli seemed a bit lost: "Ah... Of course, why would anyone leave a treasure mountain empty-handed!"

Lu Buqi easily cut off a large piece of bloody tiger leg with his fish gut sword, tied it with a long grass stem, and held it in his hand: "Follow me..."

"What are you carrying that piece of meat for?" Long Buli asked in surprise.

"Didn't you say it tastes good?" Lu Buqi walked forward: "This is our dinner, fifty pounds... If your appetite isn't much bigger than mine, it should be enough."

Long Buli tilted her head and calculated: "Buqi, do you eat twenty pounds of fresh meat in one meal?"

"It's grilled meat!" Lu Buqi frowned.

Long Buli quickly replied: "Of course I know it's grilled meat. Do humans eat raw meat?"

"In the absence of conditions, you have to eat raw meat!" Lu Buqi said coldly, thinking of the days of being chased and the lack of fire, where bird eggs were easy to eat, but raw meat... was really not very tasty, though a bit sweet, it was too bloody.