Chapter 14

"Phew~ Finally made it."

Lin Xiao looked at the valley ahead and let out a light breath.

After several days of trekking through mountains and wading through rivers, he finally arrived at this valley, uneventfully. He recalled the journey so far.

They say that reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. In the depths of the desolate Taiyuan Mountains, Lin Xiao learned many things that could not be found in books.

Living in the carefree mountains and forests every day, forgetting the passage of time and the noise of the city, he immersed himself in the life of the mountains and forests.

In the morning, listening to the chirping of insects and the singing of birds, breathing in the fresh air, what kind of life could be more comfortable than this?

Lying on a tree, hands behind his head, legs crossed, a blade of grass in his mouth, watching the sunrise and sunset, living a leisurely life that others envied.

Occasionally teasing the little birds on the tree, chasing rabbits in the mountains for fun.

Whether it was running on the ground, flying in the sky, or swimming in the water, as long as he saw something new, the highly curious Lin Xiao would run over to tease it.

The carefree time passed quickly, and before he knew it, Lin Xiao had reached his destination.

He took a step forward and continued on.

The location of the Blood Orchid, as indicated on the map, was deep in the valley, steep and severe, making it very difficult to pick.

Lin Xiao named this valley Hu Lu Valley because its shape resembled a gourd.

The entrance to the valley was very small, blocked by a huge rock, which was not easily noticeable. Only when you got close could you see a crack in the middle of the rock.

The rock was split into two halves from the top, with a winding crack forming a narrow path that people could pass through.

After passing through the valley entrance, the view opened up, and it looked like a basin, with high sides and a low center. Connected to it was a larger basin, forming a valley shaped like a gourd.

The place where the Blood Orchid was located was the innermost part, the bottom of Hu Lu Valley.

At the bottom of the valley stood a tall peak, piercing the clouds. At the top, two blood-red plants were growing.

The peak was over a hundred meters high, with smooth rocks and no footholds, which was why Ye Ding couldn't get it before.

Lin Xiao also arrived at the foot of the peak. Up close, it was even more impressive, standing like a pillar, strong and unyielding.

He circled the peak once but found no footholds. Without footholds, climbing was unrealistic. The bottom of the peak was like a solid rock, smooth and without any edges, rejecting any attempts to climb.

What to do, what to do, what to do.

Lin Xiao thought for a long time, calculating his strength and speed, and simulating several plans in his mind.

After some time, Lin Xiao gave up, realizing that his plans were still far from reality. The first 30 meters were completely smooth, like a mirror.

"Huh~~ I see it, hahaha, there's always a way out."

Lin Xiao was so excited that he danced around.

After much thought, Lin Xiao accidentally discovered that there were still some small cracks between the rocks, not completely seamless.

He took out his crossbow and aimed at the cracks.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh*

The sound of the crossbow bolts rubbing against the air.

*Thud, thud, thud*

All three crossbow bolts hit the cracks, with less than 10 centimeters between them. It seemed that Lin Xiao's archery skills were quite good.

"Hahaha, the first foothold is secured."

Lin Xiao happily made a V sign.

Yes, at a height of 5 meters from the ground, the three crossbow bolts were embedded, quietly declaring that steel is always harder than stone.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh*

The crossbow bolts were continuously shot out, at 5 meters, 8 meters, 13 meters, 15 meters, 20 meters, creating footholds one by one.

To prevent the bolts from breaking when stepped on, there were at least three bolts in each crack. These special plastic arrows were light and flexible, capable of supporting at least 200 kilograms without breaking.

Finally, at 40 meters, Lin Xiao tied a rope to the crossbow bolt and shot it into a larger crack, securing it tightly. He pulled the rope to ensure it was fixed, then tied it around his waist for double safety.

With his excellent physical fitness and control, he passed the first 30 meters in one go.

He climbed bit by bit, 50 meters, 60 meters, 80 meters, getting closer to the Blood Orchid.

Looking at the two Blood Orchids in front of him, they displayed their resilience, growing in the cracks of the rocks.

He carefully took out a shovel and dug out the roots of the Blood Orchids, transplanting them into his spatial item.

After half an hour, the transplantation was complete, and Lin Xiao wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Looking at the vast Hu Lu Valley, he felt a sense of accomplishment.

After nearly a week of hard work, he finally achieved his goal. The two Blood Orchids were now growing vigorously in his spatial item.

Originally, Lin Xiao planned to consume one Blood Orchid to increase his energy, but since he was still in the mountains, he needed a relatively safe environment to do so, so he had to put that idea aside.

On the way back, it took him nearly an hour to descend the peak, truly experiencing the difficulty of going down after going up.

As the sky grew darker, Lin Xiao found a large tree and lay on it, watching the moon rise, the insect and bird sounds gradually fading away, and the coolness replacing the heat.

Lin Xiao, who grew up in an orphanage, had never had the opportunity to experience such an environment.

When he was a bit older and had his own thoughts, he faced the harsh realities of society, where survival was the main theme of his life.

This experience was something he had never had before. Accustomed to the deceit and intrigue of the city, the fragrance of flowers and the chirping of birds in the forest seemed even more precious to him.

This was a place where his heart could find peace. Despite the short time he spent here, compared to the oppressive and fast-paced life in the city, this was the kind of life Lin Xiao pursued.

A few days later, Lin Xiao safely emerged from the Taiyuan Mountains. He immediately found a hotel and took a hot bath for an hour.

For over a week, he had only wiped his body each day, and he didn't feel safe bathing in the wild, not knowing what might be in the mountain water.

"Oh~~~"

Lin Xiao let out a lustful and satisfied sound, and anyone who didn't know him might think he was having an orgasm.

After a satisfying meal, he lay in bed, moaning. If he had a woman to hold him, it would be better, but fantasizing alone was embarrassing.

The next day, Lin Xiao, feeling refreshed, took the high-speed train back to H City, eager to return to his rented apartment.

"Hey~ It's you, wow~ This time you can't run away, I've caught you."

Lin Xiao looked at the beautiful girl sitting opposite him, who pointed at him.

Staring at the beautiful but slightly unfamiliar face, his memory churned for several seconds.

"What a coincidence, how did you end up here?"

Lin Xiao already knew that this beautiful girl was Qi Meiwei, whom he had saved during his previous test of strength.

"I'm back from a trip to Taiyuan. You said last time, this time you should tell me your name, Mr. Expert."

Qi Meiwei clenched her teeth and playfully threatened Lin Xiao with her small fists.

"Since we have such a connection, let's get to know each other. My name is Lin Xiao." Lin Xiao smiled and said.