"There's one just ahead," Li Lin replied. He had discovered a mercenary stopover in a valley during his last outing.
"We'll find a mercenary group and ask them to escort us to the Ancient Realm," the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master said.
"Aren't you more likely to be discovered by your enemies if they're around here?" Li Lin asked, concerned about his unresolved poisoning and not wanting the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master to encounter enemies.
"They wouldn't expect me to be escorted by a mercenary group. Remember, from now on, you are my nephew, and I am your uncle, to avoid suspicion on the road," the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master instructed.
"You're taking advantage of me," Li Lin said, looking at the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master. He didn't like the idea of suddenly having an uncle.
"Nonsense, being your uncle is an honor for you," the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master retorted, glaring at Li Lin. "Once we reach the Ancient Realm, I will give you the antidote. But if you try anything along the way, you will die a terrible death. Your current strength is nothing; I could reduce you to ashes with a flick of my finger."
"I wouldn't dare. My life is precious. I just hope you keep your promise and give me the antidote when we get to the Ancient Realm," Li Lin said helplessly.
Crossing several mountain peaks, having the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master by his side meant Li Lin didn't have to be overly cautious traversing the forest.
They arrived at a lively valley, bustling with life and resembling a makeshift market. Merchants were bargaining, and items like low-grade demon beast furs and various herbs were on sale. Li Lin noted that this valley was busier than the mercenary gathering place he had visited with Lan Ling.
"Are you looking for lodging or food?" asked a waiter enthusiastically as Li Lin entered what seemed to be a tavern.
"Bring whatever's good to eat. By the way, is there a mercenary group heading to the Ancient Realm here? We'd like to hire them for escort," Li Lin asked, handing over twenty gold coins. Waiters like this were usually well-informed about mercenaries.
Seeing the gold coins, the waiter became even more eager. "There is a mercenary group here going to the Ancient Realm. I'll ask if they can take you, but it won't be cheap."
"That's not a problem. Get it arranged, and I'll reward you further," Li Lin told the waiter, who promptly left to make inquiries.
In the half-filled dining hall, the customers glanced at Li Lin and the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master but continued with their meals. In these mercenary rest areas, there was an unwritten rule: don't cause trouble, or face a united backlash.
Soon, another waiter brought over a variety of food. Li Lin, who hadn't eaten properly for days, started to feast. His cultivation level wasn't yet high enough to go without food for months.
"Aren't you eating?" Li Lin asked the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master, who showed no interest in the food, probably due to his advanced cultivation level.
"Call me Uncle," the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master glared at Li Lin and then said, "Grains, alcohol, and meat leave impurities in the body over time, affecting one's health. Eventually, they hinder physical capabilities and impede further advancement in cultivation. So, it's better to eat less of these."
"Is that true or false?" Li Lin was surprised, wondering if eating could actually harm his cultivation.
"Believe it or not, you'll understand when your cultivation is higher," the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master replied lightly.
Li Lin felt uneasy, thinking there might be some truth to the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master's words, though it also seemed a bit exaggerated. After all, who could live without eating?
Just then, Li Lin saw the waiter returning with a burly man carrying a large back sword, exuding a formidable presence.
"Gentlemen, this is the third commander of the Qingfeng Mercenary Group. He can take you to the Ancient Realm," the waiter introduced.
"What are you two doing, going to the Ancient Realm?" the man with the back sword asked, scrutinizing Li Lin and the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master.
"Commander, this is my uncle. We were attacked by a third-grade demon beast in the Misty Mountain Range and lost six people. We escaped and are unable to reach the Ancient Realm, so we want to hire your mercenary group for the journey," Li Lin stood up and explained, sensing the man's strong aura, guessing he must be at least an eighth-grade martial artist.
Remembering the woman who had poisoned him, Li Lin felt a surge of anger, vowing to settle the score with her someday.
"So that's the case. We're just resting here and can take you along, but the cost is 20,000 gold coins per person. If that's acceptable, we can leave now," the back sword man said.
"20,000 gold coins each," Li Lin thought the price steep, glancing at the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master. Paying 40,000 gold coins was a large sum, and Li Lin didn't want to spend that much needlessly.
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"I don't have gold coins, but I have two Hundred Spirit Grasses worth about 45,000 gold coins. I'll trade them for 40,000 gold coins. Is that okay?" the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master offered two green herbs.
"Hundred Spirit Grass," Li Lin was surprised. The old man had many valuable herbs, even more expensive than Dragon Beard Grass.
"Of course, that's fine. Come with me, we're about to head to the Ancient Realm," the back sword man said, happy to make an extra 5,000 gold coins on the deal.
Following the back sword man, Li Lin learned his name was He Qingshan, the third commander of the Qingfeng Mercenary Group, which had three commanders and 130 members. This time, only 30 were going to the Ancient Realm, including the chief commander Huang Qifan, a fifth-level Martial Spirit, and the second commander Li Feng, a ninth-level Spiritual Practitioner.
The Qingfeng Mercenary Group was escorting three people to the Ancient Realm, making five with Li Lin and his companion. The other three had paid 25,000 gold coins each for the journey from Wudu City. Although the trip was lucrative, it was risky, with dangers lurking deep in the Misty Mountain Range. The presence of flying beasts made travel relatively safer, but attacks from other flying beasts were still a threat.
Thanks to the Hundred Spirit Grasses, He Qingshan was quite polite to Li Lin and led them to a clearing behind the valley where three large flying beasts were waiting, each about two and a half meters tall and seven to eight meters long.
"These are second-stage late-phase Wind-type Black Headed Pheasants," Li Lin noted, surprised by the rare and fast-flying creatures.
On the clearing, Li Lin saw about thirty people standing around. He Qingshan, after talking to a man in short clothes and a middle-aged man in a white robe, took out the two Hundred Spirit Grasses.
"I am Huang Qifan, the chief commander of the Qingfeng Mercenary Group. Both of you will accompany us to the Ancient Realm. Our mercenary group will ensure your safety along the way," said the short-clothed man, approaching Li Lin and the Soul Ensnaring Poison Master.
"Thank you, chief commander," Li Lin replied.
"No need to thank us; we are being paid for this," Huang Qifan said. "Let's set off now."
A low whistle sounded, and the three Black Headed Pheasants flapped their wings, rising into the air. Their huge bodies unfolded wings spanning twelve or thirteen meters.
"Both of you can ride the middle beast. Three others are also traveling to the Ancient Realm with us. It should take us about a month and a half to reach there," Huang Qifan said.
Li Lin thanked him, and they all prepared to board the pheasants. The Soul Ensnaring Poison Master remained silent, his strength rendering him indifferent to speaking much with the mercenaries.
The Black Headed Pheasants circled overhead. Li Lin used his Qi to leap onto the back of the middle pheasant. The Soul Ensnaring Poison Master joined him silently, and soon eleven people, including Li Lin and the Poison Master, were seated on the pheasant's back, which was eight or nine meters wide, accommodating them comfortably.
Li Lin discreetly observed the other nine people. Six were from the Qingfeng Mercenary Group, including the white-robed second commander, Li Feng. The remaining five mercenaries were all martial artists. The other three passengers included a middle-aged woman, a young man in long robes and short hair, and a young man in ornate clothing with long hair.
The ornately dressed young man caught Li Lin's attention. He seemed unusually handsome, reminiscent of a character like Jia Baoyu from the literature. Noticing Li Lin's gaze, the young man glanced back, his eyes bright but carrying a 'keep away' aura.
"This guy is quite cold," Li Lin thought, then also sat cross-legged on the pheasant's back.
Everyone settled, and the three pheasants took off, flying towards the Ancient Realm over the mountains. The Soul Ensnaring Poison Master began to meditate, his aura faintly spreading as if he were regulating his breath.
Li Lin had taken two third-grade elixirs and began refining their energy into pure Qi for his dantian Qi sea.
The journey was silent except for the whistling of air as the pheasants flapped their wings. Everyone began to rest and meditate.
Seven days later, the pheasants landed in a valley, another gathering place for mercenaries, bustling with various teams.
After a meal and rest at a tavern, the group set off again. Huang Qifan shared that they were approaching the deeper parts of the Misty Mountain Range, where there were no mercenary resting points. Typically, mercenary groups did not venture further into this area.
Venturing further in, they would encounter numerous high-level demon beasts. Many mercenaries who dared to enter never returned.
Even though they were seated on the back of a Black Headed Pheasant, the group seldom spoke. Particularly, the young man in ornate clothing and long hair remained silent throughout, meditating cross-legged with his eyes barely open.
The Soul Ensnaring Poison Master was also focused on his breathing, paying no attention to Li Lin.
Five days later, Li Lin suddenly felt a slight movement in his arms, as the little dragon sleeping there began to stir. "Is the little dragon evolving?" Li Lin thought, opening his eyes. However, after a brief movement, the dragon settled and seemed to fall back asleep.
At that moment, the three Black Headed Pheasants in the sky suddenly became agitated, shaking as if encountering a formidable enemy, startling everyone.
The Qingfeng Mercenary Group calmed the pheasants, which eased the group's anxiety.
Li Lin's heart sank, realizing the little dragon had momentarily released an aura that disturbed the pheasants. If the little dragon evolved now and was discovered as a Spirit Emperor beast, it could cause trouble.
The little dragon continued to sleep, and Li Lin breathed a sigh of relief, hoping its evolution in the Ancient Realm wouldn't draw attention.
"What just happened?" people wondered.
"I thought we were under attack by a flying beast," someone else said.
"There was a strange aura that flashed by and then disappeared. Very odd," Li Feng, the ninth-level Spiritual Practitioner, commented, puzzled by the fleeting sensation he had felt.
Everyone resumed their meditation, but two days later, they were awakened by Huang Qifan's warning of an approaching flying beast.
The group looked up to see a thirty-meter-long giant flying beast approaching. It resembled a swallow but had the head of an eagle, its sharp talons and fierce eyes visible.
"It seems to be an early-stage third-tier Wind-type White Headed Eagle. Don't worry," Li Feng assured them.
Suddenly, Huang Qifan, standing on the back of the Black Headed Pheasant, enveloped both himself and the pheasant in a Qi barrier. He changed his hand seals and brandished an iron-blue spear, sending it hurtling towards the White Headed Eagle with immense force.
The spear's impact tore through the air, charging violently at the giant White Headed Eagle.
The White Headed Eagle screeched and flapped its wings, generating two hundred-meter-long turbulent air currents. One swept towards Huang Qifan's spear, while the other crashed towards him with ferocious wind pressure.
"Damn beast," Huang Qifan shouted, altering his hand seals. A water aura condensed, forming a massive water ball, which he pushed forward with surging Qi.
The water ball collided with the turbulent air current, causing an explosion in the sky.
The collision dispersed the air current storm, scattering droplets far and wide, which then vanished into the atmosphere as vapor.