Little Shadow darted away at a breakneck speed, arriving at the edge of a precipice in moments. Without the slightest hesitation, Shadow climbed straight down the cliff face, causing Zhang Yang and Long Feng, who were following, to freeze in place.
It was still nighttime; they had no idea how deep this chasm was. While both were masters of Neijin (Inner Strength), they weren't superheroes who could fly by donning their underwear.
If the cliff wasn't too deep, it would be fine, but if it plunged too far, they would meet the same disastrous end if they fell. Zhang Yang took out his lamp and peered intently into the darkness below.
The light couldn't even reach the bottom. It might be manageable during the day, but at night, both men hesitated.
“Jee-jee-jee!” Shadow suddenly poked its head back up from the cliff edge, chirping urgently at Zhang Yang a few times before turning and scrambling back down the sheer rock. “We killed the Golden-Crowned Python; what’s there to fear?
Let’s go down!” Zhang Yang gritted his teeth. He could sense a fraction of Shadow’s intent: a treasure was about to emerge.
Any treasure that could attract Shadow must be a true heavenly material, the very catalyst that lured the Golden-Crowned Python here. If they didn't see it, Zhang Yang would be deeply regretful.
Such a treasure wouldn't just attract the Python; it would also entice a spirit beast like the Treasure-Seeking Rat. Their initial goal for this expedition was precisely to find such rare materials.
Treasure itself is blameless, but it is fatally alluring—much like a beautiful woman in an environment devoid of law or restraint, who can only become a plaything for others. Zhang Yang had prepared some rope, which had fallen during the earlier fight but which he had since reclaimed.
He secured the rope around a large tree, and he and Long Feng began their descent one after the other. His hand still gripped his short knife, while Long Feng held his Snow Whip.
They had no idea what lay below the cliff face. Caution was essential.
Whenever a heavenly material appeared, it would invariably draw highly intelligent spirit beasts, such as the Golden-Crowned Python. Usually, only one such beast would be drawn to the area.
Any other spirit beast arriving would lead to conflict, with the strongest ultimately prevailing and claiming the prize. However, there are always exceptions.
The last time the Tri-Color Fruit ripened, it attracted both the Fox-Tailed Marten and the Black Iron Spider. Their subsequent battle allowed Zhang Yang to reap an unexpected benefit.
Now, Zhang Yang wasn't sure if any other spirit beasts lingered nearby, so he could only proceed with extreme care. Zhang Yang was utterly convinced that a heavenly material was present.
Shadow would not deceive him, nor would the Golden-Crowned Python have ventured here without reason. This location was quite close to human settlements.
Spirit beasts of high intelligence knew the danger of being discovered by humans and thus dwelled in remote, uninhabited places, never crossing paths with people. After climbing down a dozen meters, Zhang Yang finally spotted Shadow.
There was a cave midway down the cliff, where Shadow waited for him. Seeing Zhang Yang and Long Feng arrive, it quickly chirped a few times and then turned, disappearing back into the cavern.
Zhang Yang dropped from the rope into the cave mouth. Thankfully, the rope was long enough; otherwise, finding this spot would have been extremely difficult.
This was a cave opening carved into the side of a cliff—the kind that always struck Zhang Yang as strange. His first thought was whether some hidden master lived here, or perhaps left behind some relic.
He had seen such scenarios play out countless times in television shows and novels. The cave was large, and Zhang Yang noticed circular drag marks on the floor.
The Golden-Crowned Python must have been hidden here previously; it was only driven out after they trespassed. It was fortunate that it fled; fighting within the confines of this space would have placed them at a severe disadvantage.
After traversing about ten meters, Zhang Yang and Long Feng reached the end of the cavern. There were no signs of human habitation; the scenes from the screen and pages had not manifested in reality here.
Shadow was already inside, holding its small head up to gaze at a flower blooming on the wall. The mere sight of the flower rooted Zhang Yang and Long Feng to the spot.
It was a white flower that emitted a soft, inherent fluorescence, visible even without the aid of a lamp. The flower was not large, but within it nestled a tiny bud, which also glowed faintly, slowly unfurling.
The manner of its blooming was akin to a dancing celestial maiden—utterly pure, exquisitely beautiful, imparting a sense of something sacred and inviolable. “Saintess Flower!” Zhang Yang managed to gasp out the three words.
The Saintess Flower, legend held, grew only in rock crevices and would not reveal itself until it was time to bloom. Moreover, this bloom occurred only once in three thousand years.
After blooming for three millennia, the flower would transform into a flower fairy and ascend, vanishing forever from the mortal realm. Of course, this was merely legend, born from the extreme rarity of the Saintess Flower.
Its growing conditions were even more secretive than those of other heavenly treasures, making its appearance and flowering time entirely unpredictable. Only a powerful spirit beast, guided by its innate spiritual sense, could perceive the birth of such a treasure.
Zhang Yang quickly turned back. Thankfully, only the three of them were in the cave; no other spirit beasts had appeared.
He did not want to become entranced by the Saintess Flower only to have another spirit beast arrive, slay them, devour the flower, and leave him with nothing. That would be an immense loss.
“The Saintess Flower, Zhang Yang, it’s the Saintess Flower!” Long Feng finally snapped out of his stupor and shouted excitedly. There were many varieties of heavenly materials, but when it came to the most mysterious and the most beneficial for cultivators, the Saintess Flower was undeniably among the elite.
In the legends following its ascension, there was another tale: consuming the Saintess Flower could also allow one to ascend and become an immortal. These were exaggerated myths, mere fantasies spun by those who had only heard the name of the Saintess Flower without ever seeing it; they could not be taken as truth.
However, the Saintess Flower did possess one crucial function: it could aid in the breakthrough of one’s Neijin, facilitating an immediate step forward. Consider that many Neijin practitioners must spend extended periods, sometimes years, preparing for a breakthrough, proceeding with utmost care during the process.
A breakthrough attempt carried the risk of failure; failing the first time significantly reduced the chance of later success, sometimes leading to lifelong stagnation. This is why they consume spirit elixirs before attempting a breakthrough.
Spirit elixirs, imbued with potent spiritual energy, assist in the Neijin advancement and reduce the probability of failure. But even with elixirs, failure remained possible.
The Saintess Flower was different: it allowed for an unimpeded breakthrough—that was its greatest utility. This explained Long Feng’s intense excitement.
Zhang Yang’s ancestral Zhang family technique was somewhat unique, devised by the Medical Saint Zhang Zhongjing and subsequently revised by his descendants. The main advantage of the Zhang family technique was that its breakthroughs were inherently easier than those of other methods.
Combined with the spirit elixirs Zhang Yang possessed, he was not as agitated as Long Feng. However, this didn't mean the Saintess Flower was useless to him.
The Zhang technique made breakthroughs easier, not guaranteed. With the Saintess Flower, Zhang Yang would have no future worries when he eventually needed to push his own limits.
The flower continued its slow unfolding. Zhang Yang’s initial excitement had waned.
He maintained constant vigilance over their surroundings. The Golden-Crowned Python’s feigned death earlier, and the experience with Lightning, had taught him never to relax his guard until the very last moment, lest danger strike unexpectedly.
The cave grew brighter as the Saintess Flower slowly expanded, finally opening completely. The fully bloomed flower was about the size of a small plate.
Its natural luminescence lent it an air of profound nobility. “Jee-jee-jee!” Shadow suddenly leaped forward, clinging instantly to the underside of the flower, chirping ceaselessly.
“Shadow, don’t eat it!” Zhang Yang shouted urgently. The Saintess Flower was best used for compounding medicines, yielding far more spiritual elixirs than direct consumption.
Letting Shadow ingest it whole would be a total waste. Long Feng’s heart clenched too; he knew Shadow was the Treasure-Seeking Rat, and such creatures instinctively crave heavenly materials.
“I will process it into pills, and I promise you even tastier spirit medicine later!” Zhang Yang stretched out his hand again, speaking cautiously, as if coaxing a child. Little Shadow seemed hesitant but ultimately jumped down, landing on Zhang Yang’s shoulder and continuing to call out ‘Jee-jee’.
It seemed to be warning Zhang Yang not to cheat it; he had to deliver the promised pills later. With Shadow safely down, Zhang Yang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He slowly approached the cave wall, gazing at the newly opened Saintess Flower. Like many heavenly treasures, the Saintess Flower required prompt harvesting after blooming, or it would undergo other transformations—a form of self-protection inherent to such materials.
Anything imbued with spiritual energy behaved differently from the mundane. Zhang Yang reached out and carefully plucked the magnificent blossom.
The Saintess Flower had no strict preservation protocols; it could be used immediately after being picked. However, since Zhang Yang intended to compound medicine, he had to store it first to maximize its efficacy later.
Once detached, the flower lost its prior luminescence, fading into an unremarkable bloom that looked quite ordinary. “Shadow, be good, let’s go!” Having safely secured the Saintess Flower, Zhang Yang let out a breath of relief and immediately gestured to Shadow.
Calling for Long Feng, the two made their way back up the cliff face and retrieved the rope. Soon they were back at the spot where the Golden-Crowned Python lay dead.
The skinned carcass looked incredibly terrifying, especially its remaining exposed eye, which seemed to convey a lingering sense of resentment. Its gruesome state did not frighten Zhang Yang or his companion.
If they weren't afraid of it alive, they certainly weren't afraid of it dead—the Python’s miserable end was entirely their own doing. After checking the vicinity thoroughly and tidying up, Zhang Yang and Long Feng departed.
It was already past 3 AM; it wouldn't be long before Long Cheng and the others awoke, and their absence being discovered would cause trouble. They dashed back, and Zhang Yang and Long Feng quickly slipped into the camp.
Erhu and the others on guard duty were tightly gripping their weapons, staring tensely into the distance. Throughout the night, wolf howls and the cries of various wild beasts had echoed continually from the mountainside—a phenomenon unheard of previously.
Zhang Yang and Long Feng avoided detection, slipping quietly into their tents to sort through the bounty of the night. ………… 91 votes; nine short of one hundred—a small regret.
If Little Yu could have updated earlier, yesterday surely would have seen another century mark. Failing to achieve that is Little Yu’s fault.
Little Yu will keep working hard; this is the third update. Little Yu will strive to update again around 2 AM, bringing even more content before morning.
I intend to make up for yesterday’s disappointment today. Friends, could you grant Little Yu twenty more votes before 8 AM?
Twenty votes overnight would allow this all-night-working Little Yu to persevere with happiness. I beg of you all!
(To be continued)