Chapter 22: Poisonous Snake Ridge

Poisonous Snake Ridge.

Lin Yan stood at the entrance of the ridge. Looking at the scene before him, he gained a much clearer understanding of the term "forbidden land."

Two mountains sandwiched a long, narrow valley entrance. The cliff walls were completely bare, devoid of even a single blade of grass, leaving only layers upon layers of dark brown rock.

A layer of pale green mist permeated the entrance. This was the miasma unique to this place; without special countermeasures, touching it meant almost certain death.

Even the soil was dark red. God only knew what had rotted there to produce that bizarre stench—a cloying sweetness mingled with a coppery reek of blood.

Zhou Wanqing stood beside him, her gaze crossing the entrance to peer deeper into the valley.

"I've been here twice before," she said, her tone grave. "The first time, I followed my master here to gather a specific herb. I was only sixteen then, fearless to a fault. I didn't think it was nearly as dangerous as people claimed—I just thought it was a regular mountain ridge."

A hint of regret surfaced on Doctor Zhou's face.

"But on the very first day, we ran into an iron-thread snake. The snake was pitch-black and completely invisible as it lay hidden among the rotting leaves.

"My master nearly lost her life to it. She ended up bedridden for half a month before recovering, but it left her with chronic ailments and severely damaged her vitality, causing her to pass away prematurely."

Mei stood behind them. As she listened, her cold gaze continuously swept their surroundings.

Zhou Wanqing had grown accustomed to their silence and continued speaking on her own. "After that, I came here once more with a companion. That trip was even more perilous. We had barely made it halfway when we encountered three Gu People."

"What exactly are Gu People?" Lin Yan asked, his interest piqued.

He had heard the term more than once, but it still remained a vague concept to him.

Zhou Wanqing shook her head slightly.

"No one can say for sure. Some say they are descendants of the ancient Witch Race, while others claim they are refugees who fled from wars. The more exaggerated rumors suggest they aren't human at all, but rather the mountain's miasma that gained sentience."

With that, she raised her hand and pointed deep into the valley entrance.

"They roam freely in the miasma, using flute music to command venomous snakes and insects, and can even domesticate toxic creatures that wild beasts wouldn't dare approach.

"They never interact with outsiders. If anyone trespasses into Poisonous Snake Ridge, they will use the most brutal methods to kill them, and then..."

Her voice trailed off.

Lin Yan followed her gaze.

Amidst a pile of jagged rocks just outside the valley entrance, several pale, ghastly objects poked out. They were human leg bones.

The flesh on the bones had been gnawed completely clean, leaving only a few tattered strips of cloth wrapped around them.

"Over the years, who knows how many Medicine Gatherers have died here," Zhou Wanqing said, retracting her gaze and lowering her voice. "Yet, ironically, Poisonous Snake Ridge grows many medicinal herbs that have long gone extinct in the outside world. Those medicines can save countless lives."

"And they can also be exchanged for a lot of Silver Coins, right?" Lin Yan suddenly remarked.

Zhou Wanqing was taken aback, then nodded gently.

"If those Medicine Gatherers can make it out alive with precious herbs, they might not instantly become fabulously wealthy, but they certainly won't have to worry about food or clothing for a very long time."

Lin Yan said no more.

With his Max Level Vajra Invulnerability Divine Skill, he wasn't afraid of venomous insect bites. The miasma, however, was a nuisance.

Although his internal organs had also been strengthened, they were still relatively delicate. He wasn't sure if they could withstand such potent toxins.

Still, since Zhou Wanqing dared to come, she naturally had a solution.

Sure enough, after she finished speaking, she pulled a small cloth bundle from her waist.

Opening it revealed three fragrant sachets and a tiny porcelain bottle.

"These sachets contain a secret Insect-Repelling Medicine passed down from my master's sect. Wear them, and ordinary snakes and insects won't dare approach."

Next, she poured two grayish-green pills from the porcelain bottle, holding them in her palm and offering them to the two.

The pills were small, only about the size of a fingernail. They were grayish-green with a rough texture, exuding an indescribably strange odor.

"These are Antitoxic Pills I formulated myself. Keep them in your mouth, but do not swallow or chew them. They will neutralize the miasma's toxins."

Her expression turned solemn as her gaze lingered on Lin Yan and Mei respectively. "Once the pill completely dissolves, you must tell me immediately.

"I will give you a replacement. This is a lesson learned from the lives of veteran Medicine Gatherers; you absolutely cannot be careless."

Lin Yan took one and placed the Antitoxic Pill in his mouth.

The moment the pill touched the tip of his tongue, a spicy, bitter taste instantly spread, leaving the back of his tongue slightly numb.

But after a brief moment, that strange sensation slowly dissipated, replaced by a cool, refreshing comfort.

Mei also placed the pill in her mouth and tied the fragrant sachet to her waist.

Seeing that both had followed her instructions, Zhou Wanqing gave a slight nod.

She then drew a short bamboo flute from her sleeve. It was a Black Bamboo Flute, pitch-black and only the length of a thumb.

Extremely fine patterns were carved into the flute, resembling some kind of talismanic script.

"If the Gu People appear, I will have to rely on you two."

Mei pressed her hand against the hilt of her sword and said coldly, "Don't worry. I won't let them get near you."

Zhou Wanqing looked at Lin Yan.

Lin Yan didn't say much; he merely gave a slight nod.

Now that they were here, there was naturally no reason to back down.

Besides, with his current strength, as long as the enemy possessed a physical body, it should only take a punch or two to resolve the issue.

The three walked toward the valley entrance.

The moment they stepped in, the pale green miasma surged over them.

The air grew thick and clammy; every breath felt as if someone had stuffed a wad of wet cotton into their lungs.

The soil beneath their feet grew increasingly soft, and the surroundings were densely packed with vines covered in sharp thorns.

Every leaf was so green it looked nearly black—just looking at them was deeply unsettling.

Moreover, a rustling sound emanated from some unknown direction, like millions of insects gnawing on rotting wood.

Lin Yan walked at the rear, his gaze slowly sweeping through the dense fog.

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.

Not far ahead, coiled around the branch of a gnarled old tree, was a crimson snake.

The snake was as thick as a child's arm and had a triangular head. It reared up, flicking its tongue, its vertical, jade-green pupils locked dead onto the trio.

Zhou Wanqing saw it too. She immediately retrieved the Black Bamboo Flute from her sleeve, brought it to her lips, and began to play softly.

The flute's sound was exceedingly thin and light, barely audible, completely unlike the sound of an ordinary flute.

There had to be some special mechanism hidden inside it.

Upon hearing the sound, the crimson snake jerked as if struck by an unseen force. Its entire body stiffened violently before it slowly retreated into a crevice in the tree trunk, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Zhou Wanqing tucked the bamboo flute back into her sleeve. Without offering an explanation, she simply whispered, "Let's go."

The brief performance had left her face beaded with sweat, as if it had drained an immense amount of mental energy.

A hint of concern flashed in Mei's eyes, but she refrained from asking directly, opting instead to monitor their surroundings with even greater vigilance.

The three resumed their journey.

Behind them, the pale green miasma closed back up like a door, slicing Poisonous Snake Ridge off from the outside world.

At the same time, it felt as though something sinister was brewing within.