The weather was gloomy, much colder than the day before. When the strong wind from the north howled down the long canyon, the heavy fog moved along with it. At these times, Yu Ci would imagine himself standing by a grand river, watching the grey waves crash and surge forward, his mood would then become expansive and open. Any minor frustrations or worries would be washed clean.
When one is focused on a task, regardless of the outcome, time always seems to fly by.
In the blink of an eye, Yu Ci has been staying in the Sky Rift Valley for nearly half a month. The weather was getting worse, and he suspected that the first snowfall of the year might be imminent.
The collection of Fish Dragon Grass had come to a standstill, or rather, there had been no progress in the past half month.
Only at this time did Yu Ci realize how fortunate he had been to discover the large medicinal field dedicated to Shrimp Whisker Grass and Fish Dragon Grass. Such a find was rare and unattainable.
In the Sky Rift Valley, the Shrimp Whisker Grass had inevitably withered. This peculiar type of Medicinal Grass would transfer its vitality temporarily to the parasitic trees, leaving behind dried stalks without any medicinal value. It would not recover until the following spring.
At this time, the parasitic locations of the Shrimp Whisker Grass were relatively easier to find. Experienced Herb Gatherers would mark these trees in hopes of a bountiful harvest the following year.
Yu Ci was doing the same thing, only he was interested in locations with large-scale parasitic traces. Only these places could potentially produce natural Fish Dragon Grass, which could be exchanged for Merit Points.
Everything would be revealed the following spring.
He was destined to spend this winter in the Sky Rift Valley.
The strong wind had passed, pushing the foggy river away. Yu Ci exhaled, slid down the cliff, and grabbed a nearly withered branch just before he exceeded the safety line. The branch groaned under his weight.
Yu Ci didn't move. Before watching the clouds and the waves, he had already identified his target. Hidden within a crevice ten feet away was a grey-brown "Hidden Skin," a famous poisonous snake of the Sky Rift Valley. It didn't hibernate and was highly aggressive. Even a giant beast like an elephant would die instantly if bitten by it. Very terrifying.
However, Yu Ci, staring at the snake, was not considering the danger but the reward: "The 'Hidden Skin' snake shed, thirty merits!"
Just as he had told Old Daoist Yu Zhou, Fish Dragon Grass was not the only thing that could be exchanged for Merit Points. Every year, the Lichen Sect Cultivator would release a large number of Merit Points news for collecting Medicinal Grass and minerals, many of which were found near the Sky Rift Valley. Although these scattered items were mostly worth one or two, or three to five Merit Points, and rarely more than ten, when accumulated, they could bring a considerable income - if you could find them.
The "Hidden Skin" before my eyes serves as an example.
The life span of the "Hidden Skin" is notably long, with some said to live beyond three hundred years. Their longevity is attributed to their peculiar habits. This serpent sheds its skin twice a year, and after each shedding, it buries the discarded skin underground. When the next shedding period arrives, it digs up and consumes the discarded skin, purportedly to accumulate energy for the ensuing shedding process. This cycle repeats year after year.
As a result, the shed skin of this serpent possesses significant medicinal value, especially those from "Old Hidden Skins" that have lived for over two hundred years. Their shed skin is considered a superior ingredient for refining elixirs and is highly valued. On the One Mind Hall Bulletin Board, a Sect's Mountain Gate Cultivator offered thirty Merit Points as a reward for collecting such "old snake skins". On a unit price basis, it is even higher than the naturally occurring Fish Dragon Grass, making it the highest Merit Points reward that Yu Ci has ever collected.
The "Old Hidden Skin" before Yu Ci has a lifespan of at least two hundred and fifty years. It is shrewd and cunning. When it is time to shed its skin, it moves from its usual habitat two thousand feet below ground to a crevice that is only a hundred feet from the top of the valley. This ensures that no predator can track it down.
Unfortunately, it is extremely unlucky, for every move it makes is under the surveillance of the "Divine Map". Yu Ci had accurately predicted the "Hidden Skin's" shedding season and had been observing its habitat with the Divine Map well in advance. He easily spotted this unfortunate creature climbing unusually high. From that moment on, the fate of this "Old Hidden Skin" was sealed.
The "Old Hidden Skin" had found a place to bury its shed skin. It wriggled its body, using the small protrusion on its head to turn over the soil layers. After digging half a foot deep, it finally saw the shed skin that had turned deep black. Yu Ci stared at the display on the Divine Map, silently calculating:
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"Including the snake skin, I have accumulated a hundred and forty merits. The harvest is good, but I've nearly exhausted the visible resources. Opportunities like this might not come again!"
With a sigh, Yu Ci sprang into action. He lightly touched the cliff wall and darted over the ten-foot distance. The "Hidden Skin" was known for its alertness, but this time, it only had time to twist its body before it was split in half by the Sword Energy emanating from the crevice.
Yu Ci ignored the writhing halves of the serpent. He took out the jade chisel gifted by Ye Tu and began to widen the crevice that was only two fingers wide. With a few sounds of crumbling rocks, the crevice widened to a foot. Yu Ci inserted the jade chisel, preparing to hook out the shed skin.
Just then, his brows furrowed. The Divine Map that had been illuminating his path suddenly vanished. A moment later, the whooshing sound of flapping wings echoed from the clouds overhead.
"So fast!" was Yu Ci's first thought.
"Not this thing again!" was his second.
"Trouble's coming."
When the thought crossed his mind, a shriek echoed from above, "My snake!"
Surprisingly, the scream carried a hint of childishness, which startled Yu Ci. As he looked up, the gust from the flapping wings brushed his face, and the voice shouted again, "You owe me a snake!"
The words were now tinged with a sob.
The large bird circling above Yu Ci's head was a creature he was familiar with, a Blood Eagle that lived in the valley. It was a ferocious creature with considerable strength. This particular Blood Eagle, however, appeared to have been tamed, and Yu Ci was no stranger to it.
Before and after his arrival at the Sky Rift Valley, he had been observed from afar by two raptors controlled by humans. One was the grey hawk that "greeted" him, and the other was this Blood Eagle. But today, this creature was not here to observe. It carried passengers, more than one.
By the time the Blood Eagle completed its second circle, the passengers jumped off. One big, one small, the larger one holding the smaller, they descended as if weightless, landing on a protruding rock two zhang away.
Yu Ci studied the newcomers. The older one looked ordinary, not very tall, about thirty or forty years old, but he had a rugged look. Yu Ci already knew that this man's cultivation level was superb, far superior to his own, already at the Nature-Connecting Middle Stage or even higher, meaning he had already condensed his Yin Spirit.
This conclusion was based on the light waves he had seen spreading in the man's brain in the Divine Map, a sign of Yin Spirit Perfection. This bit of experience was gained from White Sun Mansion's Lu Yang and Kuang Zheng, two stewards, and later confirmed through extensive practice in the Still Heart Temple.
The difference between having and not having Yin Spirit Perfection was vast. Without a Yin Spirit, one's cultivation level would only deepen bit by bit over the years. But once one achieved Yin Spirit, the astonishing potential of the Hidden Consciousness within the Divine Soul would be rapidly stimulated, allowing one's cultivation to progress at a rapid pace. It wouldn't take long to leave a cultivator without a condensed Yin Spirit far behind.
Based on his recent experiences, Yu Ci was confident that he had at least a seventy percent chance of winning against a cultivator without a condensed Yin Spirit. However, against someone at the Nature-Connecting Middle Stage or higher, he had no confidence at all.
As he was observing the others, they were also observing him. Their eyes met, and the newcomer cupped his hands in greeting, "Greetings, Daoist friend."
The newcomer seemed rugged, but his words were polite and not at all offensive. Yu Ci responded with a smile, "You must be a Daoist friend from the Thousands Spirits Sect, greetings."
Caught off guard by Yu Ci's words, the newcomer paused, then quickly realized that Yu Ci was not to be trifled with. He promptly reintroduced himself, "I'm Cheng Rong from the Thousands Spirits Sect. May I ask for your esteemed name, Daoist friend?"
"I dare not presume, I am Yu Ci, a humble wanderer. Greetings, esteemed Daoist friend."
Despite his polite words, Yu Ci couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. When he had first heard of Cheng Rong, the name was not yet a household name, but it was already well-known. His position within the Thousands Spirits Sect was akin to Kuang Zheng of the White Sun Mansion, a powerful steward, and his status was highly esteemed.
Such a person taking action personally was both a blessing and a curse. Moreover, there was a little fellow by his side, glaring at him with puffed-up cheeks.
The so-called little fellow was actually a delicate little girl, her hair plaited in pigtails, no more than eight or nine years old. Dressed in a lake-green robe, her skin was as creamy as mutton fat jade. Her eyes, like lacquer, were misty with tears, making her look even more adorable.
Yu Ci couldn't help but smile, "And who might this be...?"
"This is..."
"Shi Xin!"
The little girl didn't want anyone to speak for her, she responded loudly. Then, she couldn't wait to accuse Yu Ci, "You killed my snake, you owe me!"
"Your snake? You raised it?" Yu Ci didn't mind engaging with the little girl before he understood Cheng Rong's intentions. He asked back with interest, "I didn't notice any collar or the like on it."
"This is my snake!"
The young girl from the Shi family emphasized again, quite righteously, "I cast a 'Soul Pulling Curse' on this 'Hidden Skin', I was waiting for it to lead me to shed snake skin, but you killed it without discrimination, you owe me!"
"Little Nine, you must not be disrespectful to your elders."
Cheng Rong stopped Shi Xin's pestering, and turned to Yu Ci with a smile, "This is the youngest granddaughter of my clan leader, the ninth in line. She is spoiled and sometimes forgets her manners, my Daoist friend, please don't take offense."
The little girl was reprimanded and hung her head in silence. When Yu Ci had heard the little girl introduce herself earlier, he guessed she must be of noble birth. Now confirmed, he was both amused and slightly surprised. Lu Yang, the Chief Steward of the White Sun Mansion, probably held a higher status than Cheng Rong in the Thousands Spirits Sect, but in dealing with Jin Huan's grandnephew, he was not as stern yet affectionate as Cheng Rong.
Both being influential officials from outside clans, this difference was likely due to their upbringing, and perhaps Cheng Rong's identity was also uncommon.
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e