Chapter 27

Time flies, fleeting and traceless!

Three days later, at Green Ridge Mountain.

North of Jingyun City, the Green Ridge Mountain stretches for hundreds of miles from west to east, with its towering peaks and dense forests teeming with wild beasts. Countless steep peaks and deep ravines are home to powerful demonic beasts, making it a desolate and uninhabited place.

However, this majestic and perilous land also nurtures precious natural treasures. Every year, a large number of hunters, martial artists, and treasure hunters venture deep into the mountains to gather herbs and hunt, risking their lives to earn the money needed to support their families.

Many people who enter the mountains never return.

A few lucky ones discover rare herbs that have been growing for hundreds or even thousands of years, becoming overnight millionaires. Stories of treasure hunters finding the remains of demonic beasts in the mountains have never ceased in Jingyun City and the open-air markets.

Now, Wei Changfeng has also become one of these treasure hunters.

The most important reason for his entry into the mountains is that he has run out of money; the silver he had earned is almost all spent.

If it were just about making money, with Wei Changfeng's ability to refine elixirs, he could easily become a venerated alchemist at the Ye Family Elixir Shop. However, that is not something he is willing to consider.

Therefore, apart from refining elixirs, the best way for Wei Changfeng to earn money is to go to Green Ridge Mountain.

At the same time, he needs to find medicinal herbs to treat Ou Yang Feng's internal injuries. Although the pharmacies in Jingyun City sell various materials, two of the herbs are extremely hard to find, and some do not meet his requirements.

Additionally, entering the mountains to hunt and seek treasures is also a form of training for martial artists. Among the many treasure hunters, the disciples of Jingyun Martial Academy are never lacking.

Stepping over the thickly carpeted forest floor, Wei Changfeng trudged along the narrow and rugged animal paths, constantly swinging his hunting knife to cut through the branches and vines blocking his way, while remaining constantly vigilant.

In the perilous mountains, any amount of caution is not excessive; even a small oversight can lead to fatal consequences.

His predecessor had also come to Green Ridge Mountain, but that journey was a nightmare, nearly costing him his life!

Fortunately, Wei Changfeng's experience in surviving in the wild is far beyond what his predecessor had. In his previous life, he was a medicine-gathering boy before becoming an alchemist, having experienced countless dangers in the wild.

His feet were clad in thick leather boots that could withstand the bites of venomous snakes, and his body and limbs were protected by well-crafted and sturdy leather armor, arm guards, and leg guards embedded with copper plates. His hands were also equipped with back-covering thorny gloves.

This set of equipment, custom-made at the Golden Full Tower in Jingyun City, used up the last silver note he had. If this trip into the mountains yields nothing, he won't even have the money to buy the ingredients for the Dragon Tiger Soup when he returns.

Of course, Wei Changfeng has the confidence to take this risk.

After cutting through the dense forest for about half an hour, the terrain suddenly opened up!

In the distance, the mountains stretched out, with steep peaks hidden in the mist. A natural canyon formed between two giant peaks, from which a stream flowed out, its water gurgling.

What a beautiful and auspicious place!

Wei Changfeng did not find this place by chance or luck; he had been observing the mountain's terrain and topography before entering, using the mountain's trends to locate areas where the earth's spiritual energy converges.

Such places are where the most precious natural treasures are likely to appear. Although he is certainly not the first treasure hunter to come here, if his luck is good enough, he might make some significant discoveries.

Many of these treasures are deeply hidden, making it difficult for wild beasts, demonic beasts, or treasure hunters to find them, thus allowing them to continue their life and reproduction.

To find them, keen eyesight, experience, and luck are all essential!

Wei Changfeng walked to the stream, bent down, and cupped the cold, clear water in his hands, splashing it on his face.

The icy water invigorated his skin, instantly dispelling the fatigue from his long journey through the dense forest.

It's time to get to work!

Whoosh!

He suddenly stood up, pursed his lips, and let out a low whistle.

Sss!

With a hiss, a golden light emerged from his leather armor and hovered in front of him.

A golden thread beetle!

This creature now looks very different from when Wei Changfeng first dug it out of the Sumeru Cauldron. Its body has grown much larger, and it is now covered in a shiny, golden glow.

It shook its tiny head and chirped joyfully at Wei Changfeng.

"Go on!"

Wei Changfeng smiled and pointed forward casually.

The golden thread beetle immediately changed direction, flapping its wings and flying off at a speed like an arrow!

This golden thread beetle is the reason Wei Changfeng has the confidence to venture into the mountains alone to seek herbs and treasures.

With its help, Wei Changfeng can easily find the deeply hidden treasures and herbs, which is why he was willing to spend hundreds of silver taels to feed and care for it.

In the past, the disciples of Tianxin Sect traveled the world to heal people, and without the golden thread beetle to find herbs, they would have quickly gone bankrupt.

After flying for a distance, the golden thread beetle began to lower its altitude, circling close to the ground, sniffing for any possible treasures.

Its sense of smell is extremely sensitive, capable of detecting even the most deeply hidden treasures.

Wei Changfeng was not worried about it encountering any danger, as the golden thread beetle is intelligent and will hide or escape when faced with a strong enemy. Its shell is also highly resistant to blades and swords, providing excellent defense despite its lack of offensive capabilities.

After a short while, the golden thread beetle flew back, circling in front of Wei Changfeng, chirping incessantly.

To an ordinary person, this would only be a confusing spectacle.

But Wei Changfeng knew that the golden thread beetle was telling him it had made a discovery!

Without hesitation, Wei Changfeng followed the stream forward, with the golden thread beetle leading the way. It soon landed on a large rock by the stream and remained still.

The rock looked ordinary, with its lower half submerged in the water and covered in moss.

Such rocks of various sizes were common in the stream, and no one would notice anything special about them.

However, Wei Changfeng knew that the golden thread beetle would not land here without a reason. He carefully examined the rock, searching every inch of its surface.

Many herbs and treasures are small and can even camouflage themselves, making it easy to overlook them.

Finally, a faint green hue caught Wei Changfeng's eye near the water on the shaded side of the rock!

He found it!

Wei Changfeng was delighted and immediately took out his medicine spade, carefully inserting it into the crevice of the rock and digging out a herb with three tender leaves.

This was a Bichen Grass, a primary ingredient for refining the third-grade Bichen Pill. The three leaves indicated that it had been growing quietly for over twenty years, absorbing a significant amount of the earth's spiritual energy.

Wei Changfeng placed the Bichen Grass, roots and all, into his medicine box.

Although it was just a small herb, its value was considerable due to its age.

This was a good start, and Wei Changfeng was very pleased.

Chirp!

The golden thread beetle flew up and landed steadily on his shoulder, chirping joyfully as if claiming credit.

"You deserve some credit!"

Wei Changfeng laughed, put away his medicine spade and box, and headed toward the canyon.

The surrounding area had already been searched by the golden thread beetle. To find new herbs, he needed to expand his search, preferably by venturing deeper into the canyon.

The golden thread beetle is a unique spirit insect that will not stray far from its master. If it does not receive food from its master, it would rather starve to death than seek food on its own.

The canyon was tall and dense, with lush grass and no visible paths. Even the animal trails had been covered by rampant vines.

This canyon must have been visited by hunters and treasure hunters before, but the paths they cleared would disappear within days, as the power of nature is not something humans can resist.

Fortunately, there was a stream. As long as he followed the stream, he wouldn't have to struggle through the dense undergrowth.

Squeak!

Suddenly, the golden thread beetle, which had been perched on Wei Changfeng's shoulder, spread its wings and flew high, emitting a sharp, piercing chirp, as if startled by something!

At the same moment, a chilling sensation swept through Wei Changfeng's heart.

After reaching the third level of Body Refinement and completing the True Qi Circulation, martial artists have a greatly enhanced perception of their surroundings, even able to sense impending danger and react in time.

He instinctively turned to his right and saw a black shadow leap out from the tall grass, lunging at him from the air!

The attack was sudden, and Wei Changfeng had not sensed it coming.

Caught off guard, he had no time to dodge and could only raise his arms to protect his head and throat!

Thud!

The black shadow collided heavily with Wei Changfeng's arms, the impact forcing him to take two steps back, nearly falling into the stream.

Only then did Wei Changfeng see that the attacker was a black leopard!

It was a mature and fierce beast, with fur as smooth as silk, a lithe body, and emerald green eyes, making it look quite beautiful.

But Wei Changfeng knew well the danger hidden beneath its beautiful exterior!

His arm guards now bore two long scratches. If the equipment were not of high quality, his arms would have been torn open by the leopard's sharp teeth.

Roar!

The black leopard landed on the stream bank, growling in frustration. Its emerald eyes fixed on Wei Changfeng, ready to launch a second attack!

Wei Changfeng shook his slightly numb arms and took a deep breath.

He was also ready for the fight!

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