"Huh?! Could there be treasure?!"
Lin Feng's hesitation lasted only a moment before he dashed toward the cliff face.
Deep in the forbidden peaks of Lingyue Sect—a territory crawling with third-tier beasts—rare treasures often lay hidden. The Purple-Crowned Thunder Crane's presence here, locked in combat with the kangaroo beast, could only mean one thing: a high-grade spirit herb was nearby.
Such herbs were fiercely guarded by beasts as personal reserves, consumed only when the energy proved most potent. To cultivators, this was wasteful extravagance—proper alchemy could amplify their effects tenfold.
Whatever sparked this battle had to be at least third-tier. Half-eaten by the crane already? Lin Feng sprinted faster, rocks scattering under his feet.
Scaling the cliff in agile leaps, Lin Feng reached the ledge fifty meters up. There, the crane stood beside a waist-high shrub dotted with violet-white fruits, gulping them down one by one.
"Purple Frost Fruit!"
Lin Feng's eyes ignited with recognition. A dual-element ice-and-lightning herb! Perfect for refining third-tier Purple Frost Pills—priceless for ice/lightning cultivators.
A dozen fruits had hung from the branches. Now, only five remained.
"Stop! Don't eat them all!"
Though useless to him personally, their value made his heart ache. He rushed forward—
CRACK!
A bolt of purple lightning sparked in the crane's eyes. Lin Feng froze mid-step, raising his hands placatingly.
"Easy! I'm not stealing! But listen—you just battled frost venom. These fruits carry ice energy too. Overeating could harm you!"
The crane tilted its head, feathers ruffling skeptically. Its gaze sharpened: You covet these.
Lin Feng sighed. No fooling a spirit beast with human-level wit.
"Fine. I admit it. But swallowing them raw wastes their potential. You're Lingyue's guardian—you know alchemy magnifies their power." He leaned in, voice coaxing.
"Share some with me? I'll repay you with top-grade pills. Regularly."
The crane's eyes gleamed at "top-grade pills." It nudged the remaining fruits toward Lin Feng with its beak.
"Smart as a human... Thank the heavens it's only third-tier and can't speak or probe minds."
Muttering inwardly, Lin Feng collected the five Purple Frost Fruits into a jade case.
"Alright, time to head ba— Wait! Is that…?!"
As he turned, a cluster of white near the shrub snagged his attention. His breath hitched. Disbelief melted into euphoria.
"Snow Bud Flowers! No way! Am I dreaming?!"
Tucked in a rocky crevice grew two three-inch stems. Each bore three slender leaves and a tiny blossom—delicate as a snowflake.
The very herb he'd scoured markets for! The core ingredient for Snow Bud Pills—the answer to his stagnant cultivation!
Gently, he excavated the roots and stored them in his herb pouch. The crane watched, indifferent; the frost-attuned flowers held no allure.
To others, Purple Frost Fruit might be rarer. But to Lin Feng? These flowers were destiny.
After scouring the ledge for overlooked herbs (finding none), he faced the crane with his most persuasive smile.
"Brother Crane… Might we return now? And, ah… could I trouble you for a ride?"
The crane eyed him with palpable reluctance. But memories of healing pills and future "benefits" softened its stance. It dipped its back, beak gesturing: Climb on. Hurry up.
Lin Feng vaulted onto its broad back. The crane shuddered—clearly unaccustomed to riders—before launching skyward.
WHOOSH!
Wind screamed past Lin Feng's ears like knives. No protective barrier like the Cloud-Soaring Ship's—just raw, battering gusts. He clung to the crane's neck, eyes squeezed shut, cheekbones stinging from the force.
So much for savoring his first spirit-beast flight.
When the crane finally descended, dawn had barely brightened. Lin Feng blinked—they'd crossed mountains in under an hour. A journey that would've taken him half a day.
And this wasn't even its top speed, he realized. It slowed for my sake.
After bidding the crane farewell at its mountain nest, Lin Feng visited the other spirit beasts. Outside his usual pill-delivery hours, they were scattered—hunting, sleeping, or sparring. Distributing their daily pills took extra time.
By his return to the sect's outer quarters, the sun hung high past noon.
Relief washed over him.
No one had noted his absence. No inquiries. His secret下山 trip remained undiscovered.
He unpacked his haul with reverence:
Five Purple Frost FruitsTwo Snow Bud FlowersThe charred third-tier beast core (hidden beneath herbs)Assorted market-bought ingredients
Enough herbs to last months. His repair power would convert them into mountains of top-grade pills:
Some for the spirit beasts (ensuring smooth "work relations")Some for his own cultivationThe rest—to be sold covertly. A flood of spirit stones awaited.
And the Snow Bud Pills…
With ingredients finally complete, refining them was next. If successful, his frozen cultivation veins might thaw at last.
Later, in his secluded hut:
Lin Feng laid the Snow Bud Flowers on his desk. Moonlight bled through the window, glazing the petals in silver.
He touched a fragile blossom.
"Breakthrough… or another dead end?"
Outside, a night breeze hissed like a promise.