The Spirit Mist Great Gorge, after the swirling mists were swept away by the strong wind, appeared vast and empty, dotted with numerous spots of ** smooth, perfectly rounded boulders, amidst a jumble of rocks. A stream trickled and flowed through the valley.

Except for a few spots where towering ancient forests cast shadows of gloom, the rest of the area was open and bright, fresh and tranquil. Occasionally, wild beasts could be glimpsed moving about. It was neither the herb-laden paradise he had imagined nor the perilous den of horrors he had anticipated.

Xu Qing stood atop a massive rock, sword in hand, gazing into the distance as if contemplating their next direction.

Ye Qin meticulously observed his surroundings. The ground was damp, bearing over a dozen sets of fresh, disordered footprints—likely left by the smaller teams that had preceded them. The recent events on the ancient path served as proof: where others have trod is not necessarily safe; it might even be fraught with greater danger.

Ye Qin rapidly swept his Spirit Eye technique across the entire gorge. As far as his vision could reach, it was a field of hazy grey. Soon, on a boulder several zhang away, he spotted an extremely faint green luminescence—the glow emitted by a spirit object.

He felt a flicker of doubt. What spirit object could it be? Peering closer at the faint green light emanating from beneath the boulder, he identified it as a type of lichen: a small patch, plump and thick-leaved, glowing faintly green. It didn't look like any particularly valuable spirit herb; otherwise, the scouting teams ahead wouldn't have left this tiny patch untouched.

Ye Qin paused, shaking his head inwardly.

Every year, streams of cultivators descended into the Spirit Mist Great Gorge. Most areas had already been thoroughly scoured. How could one easily find valuable spirit materials? If they were so easy to come by, the cultivators of Immortal Fate City wouldn't be fighting tooth and nail for them.

Seeing Ye Qin’s curiosity about the lichen beneath the boulder, Xu Qing spoke with a hint of mockery, “That is Earth Cloud Grass, a first-tier low-grade spirit herb that grows abundantly in this gorge. It’s merely a secondary ingredient for refining Qi Nurturing Pills—utterly worthless. Don't waste your effort picking it.”

Zhang Zhe, Xia Lao Hei, Bi Lao Guo, Feng Man, and the other seven soon descended into the gorge, landing on the ground.

Ye Qin plucked a small stalk of the Earth Cloud Grass and toyed with it in his hand.

Once the group had assembled within the Great Gorge,

“The strong winds in the Spirit Mist Great Gorge will last nearly a month. How about we hunt demon beasts first, collecting spirit stones and medicinal herbs along the way?” Xu Qing proposed, his sharp gaze fixed on the others.

The group exchanged glances, all remaining silent.

Before descending, although they had agreed to travel together, they had not settled on an agenda. Each person’s assignment document required fulfilling different goals—some sought spirit herbs, others spirit stones, or capturing something else entirely.

Xu Qing carried the mission documents from the Great Luo Sect, which required all entry-level disciples to hunt and obtain at least three second-tier demon cores.

Xu Qing’s suggestion to hunt demon beasts first clearly meant having the others help him complete the Great Luo Sect’s task before he assisted them with theirs. Although he mentioned collecting stones and herbs incidentally, that was purely secondary.

Bi Lao Guo, Feng Man, Wu Qin Yi, and others, being seasoned veterans, were instantly displeased. They clearly understood the difficulty of the Great Luo Sect’s mission. While low-grade demon beasts were numerous in the gorge, those possessing demon cores were exceptionally rare, and each one was ferociously strong.

A first-tier demon beast was roughly equivalent in strength to a cultivator at the first to third level of Qi Refining. A second-tier beast generally matched a cultivator between the fourth and sixth levels of Qi Refining. A second-tier beast possessing a demon core would normally be at least at the sixth level of Qi Refining, possibly surging to the seventh or eighth level when enraged—making it exceptionally difficult to handle.

Their nine-person team was relatively weak; even exerting their full strength might not be enough to take down one beast with a demon core.

A month sounded long, but in reality, it was fleeting. If they were unlucky, hunting beasts for cores alone could consume the entire month, leaving no time to attend to anyone else's tasks.

Zhang Zhe, Fan Jia Sheng, Xia Lao Hei, and the others pondered whether they should prioritize helping Xu Qing with the demon core hunt.

This involved everyone's vital interests. For a cultivation sect mission, every year of delay meant a dimmer hope of stepping onto the Foundation Establishment path. The matter was significant; no one was willing to nod in agreement easily.

Xu Qing scrutinized every face, sensing their reluctance. He forced a smile. “I already possess one second-tier demon core. In this trip to the Great Gorge, I only need to hunt one more second-tier beast with a core. Missions like this usually can’t be finished in one or two years. I’ve entered and exited the Great Gorge more than ten times just to secure that single core. If I get one more this year, the final one will be easier, and delaying until next year won't matter.”

The expressions of the others remained indifferent; no one offered agreement. What did a demon core have to do with them? It wouldn't help them join a cultivation sect.

Xu Qing suppressed his rising anger. “Fine! I only need the demon core. Everything else obtained from hunting the beasts belongs to you. Is that acceptable?” He glanced towards the silent Ye Qin. “Little Brother Ye, what are your thoughts?”

In the entire team, Xu Qing ranked first in cultivation, and Ye Qin ranked second. Ye Qin’s strength and attitude were crucial.

Ye Qin rapidly weighed the situation in his mind. Xu Qing bringing up such a near-"unreasonable" demand immediately after entering the gorge was clearly an attempt to strong-arm everyone into compliance. If he were the first to oppose this suggestion now, he would effectively place himself in direct opposition to Xu Qing. Xu Qing's nature was inscrutable; no one knew what he might do. This would be highly detrimental to Ye Qin’s own venture into the Great Gorge.

Furthermore, his mission from the Azure Pill Sect required him to find thirty spirit herbs. These herbs had no fixed growing locations and largely depended on luck. If he was fortunate, he might stumble upon them simply by walking; if unlucky, he might scour the entire gorge and find none. Therefore, for him, the destination didn't matter much.

As long as it aligned with his own interests, he wouldn't mind agreeing.

Ye Qin stated calmly, “I agree to hunt the demon beasts. However, I have one small request. I don't want anything else, but any spirit herbs found along the way, regardless of who finds them, as long as they aren't required for someone else's sect mission, must be given to me. Of course, I won't take your herbs for free. You all know I am an alchemist. I will compensate you with equivalent Dew Reduction Pills. I don't carry many with me, but if it’s not enough, I will refine them for you upon our return.”

“Deal!”

Xu Qing agreed instantly, without a second thought. The two strongest cultivators in the team reached an agreement in the shortest time, establishing an exchange of interests. One was the captain, and the other was the team's sole alchemist. As the two most powerful members, their consensus inevitably influenced the other team members.

Seeing Ye Qin agree, Zhang Zhe could only nod in resignation. Zhang Qiao, who always deferred to her brother, naturally had no objection. Xia Lao Hei and Fan Jia Sheng, seeing everyone else agree, exchanged a look and reluctantly nodded.

Feng Man and Wu Qin Yi were unwilling to offend both Xu Qing and Ye Qin simultaneously. Even Bi Lao Guo, though dissatisfied, dared not voice dissent.

Seeing no opposition, Xu Qing was highly pleased. “Since everyone agrees, let’s go. Head into the gorge forest to search for demon beasts.” He took the lead, flying toward the dense woods within the valley.

Ye Qin followed behind.

Suddenly, a fragrant breeze swept past him from behind. Feng Man had drawn close, her fiery, full chest nearly pressing against his back. Her voice transmitted telepathically, laced with a playful laugh: “Little Brother Ye, I didn’t expect you to be so ruthless. You and Xu Qing have cornered all the benefits. But you’d best be cautious. Xu Qing isn’t a simple man, and he has many powerful friends. Yet, he specifically requested Bi Lao Guo, my sister, and me—three cultivators at the fourth level of Qi Refining—to come to the Great Gorge, clearly intending to take advantage. Don't let him use you, alright?”

After speaking, Feng Man floated away with a light laugh.

Ye Qin’s ears felt slightly hot, and he felt a burning sensation on his back. Recalling Feng Man's words, his heart stirred slightly. Xu Qing intended to take advantage of the lower-level members of the team; that was true. But weren't the others also trying to leverage Xu Qing's strength as a master to complete their own missions? Otherwise, why let him be the captain? It would be foolish not to seize the opportunity when benefits arose. Moreover, it now appeared that Xu Qing’s relationship with Feng Man and the others wasn't as smooth as imagined.

The nine scattered within the valley, moving quickly, conducting a net-like search, using their Spirit Eye technique to scan the gorge, hoping to discover traces of spirit materials or demon beasts.

No demon beasts were found, but various small items were discovered—Monkey Head Silk Fungus growing at the roots of ancient trees in damp shade, brown mushrooms shaped like simian heads and highly poisonous; Snake Saliva Grass growing near the swamp's edge. Most were first-tier poisonous herbs that grew within one or two years, which almost no one bothered to harvest.

“Ah! A spirit herb here!”

Zhang Qiao cried out in delight and lunged toward a small plant hidden in a thicket.

“Where?”

Bi Lao Guo, nearby, heard the noise and quickly flew over, only to find the small plant already clutched in Zhang Qiao’s hand. He turned away sulkily. “What’s the big fuss over nothing!”

Zhang Qiao presented the small herb to Ye Qin. It had thin, tender white sprouts, shaped like a golden needle, and its spiritual energy was not strong. “Brother Ye, this is Spirit Bud Grass, a first-tier spirit herb and a secondary ingredient for refining Qi Condensing Pills. It's worth—” Her sly eyes flickered. “—it’s worth three spirit stones!”

Ye Qin accepted it without pretense. “One Dew Reduction Pill for you!”

Zhang Qiao took the Dew Reduction Pill, scurried off happily, and continued searching for spirit herbs. (To be continued. For further developments, please visit www**com for more chapters, support the author, and support legitimate reading!)