Volume 1, Chapter 94 – Discovering a Treasure

Shi Lan sighed inwardly. It was more than just running into large beast tides. Twin Moon City had happened to be directly on the path of the demonic beast army’s advance and had been crushed flat.

Wang Ning and the others kept circling around the women’s unit, attentively trying to strike up conversation.

Unfortunately, the responses from these women were very cold. They said little and barely spoke at all, leaving Wang Ning and the others somewhat deflated.

“When did you step into the Innate Realm? How old are you this year?” Seeing that Shi Lan did not look very well, Wu Lingkong changed the subject.

Innate Realm martial artists had a lifespan of two hundred years, so they aged far more slowly than ordinary people. If one stepped into the Innate Realm before twenty, their appearance would not change much in ten years. Wu Lingkong was not very sure of Shi Lan’s age.

Shi Lan thought for a moment and said, “Two months short of twenty.” As for when she had entered the Innate Realm, Shi Lan glossed over it. She had not even been practicing martial arts for a full year yet. No matter how you looked at it, that speed was not normal.

Her fiancée, Lu Yueqing, was already the number one genius within a thousand li of Nine Skies City for reaching the Innate Realm before twenty, and Lu Yueqing had trained since childhood.

Thinking of this, Shi Lan felt a pang. She and Lu Yueqing had met only a little over half a year ago, yet recalling it now felt like a lifetime ago, as if it had been a very long time.

“Then your talent is much better than mine.” Wu Lingkong was not surprised by Shi Lan’s age, only a little envious. She could feel that Shi Lan was clearly stronger than she was, at least at the sixth stage of the Innate Realm, and still young. Her future was bound to be limitless.

As for Shi Lan’s aptitude, Wu Lingkong was envious but not shocked. In the Central Heaven Domain, geniuses were as numerous as rain. She had seen people even more monstrously talented than Shi Lan.

Never mind a sixth-stage Innate Realm martial artist at twenty; Wu Lingkong had even heard of twenty-year-old Heavenly Astral Realm martial artists. Those peerless prodigies were like divine dragons, rarely seen. She had only heard of them in rumors.

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Wu Lingkong finished the piece of roasted meat in her hand, wiped her fingers clean, then stood and said to Shi Lan, “Let’s go out and scout the area in case there’s anything unusual nearby.”

In that raging blizzard outside, only she and Shi Lan were capable of going out to do a patrol.

Shi Lan nodded, stood up, reminded Wang Ning and the others to stay on guard, and then followed Wu Lingkong toward the mouth of the cave.

The blizzard outside showed no sign of easing. If anything, it seemed to be growing more intense.

Shi Lan and Wu Lingkong unfolded barriers of true qi around themselves and rose into the air. They circled the mountain twice, and after finding nothing unusual, flew toward the summit.

Because this mountain was quite high, the peak was covered in snow all year round. After circling twice around the summit, Shi Lan was about to head back when she suddenly heard Wu Lingkong’s voice, tinged with delight.

“Shi Lan, over here!”

Shi Lan followed the sound and came to Wu Lingkong’s side.

Wu Lingkong was standing on the snow without sinking in the slightest. In her hand she held a medicinal plant that looked somewhat like a mushroom. Not far from her feet was a fissure half a zhang long.

From the crack, Shi Lan could faintly smell a hint of sulfur.

“What is it?”

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Wu Lingkong raised her hand and passed the thing she was holding to Shi Lan.

Shi Lan took it. It was warm to the touch, and a surge of dense spiritual qi washed over her.

“What is this?”

“This is Flame Spirit Ganoderma, a second-grade spiritual material. It has marvelous effects in nourishing the meridians and strengthening vital qi,” Wu Lingkong said with some joy. “I just went down to scout a little, but I didn’t go deep. There should be more than just this one. Let’s go down and take a look together.”

“Alright.”

Shi Lan nodded and stepped into the fissure. After reading so many texts, she did not dare claim to know everything, but she at least understood the basic grading of spiritual herbs.

The natural treasures of the Lingyang Realm were divided into nine grades. First to third grade were spiritual materials, fourth to sixth grade were treasured medicines, and seventh to ninth grade were the legendary immortal roots.

Shi Lan had eaten many first-grade spiritual materials before. When she first started practicing, she had used first-grade materials as nourishment. Second-grade materials were most suitable for Innate Realm martial artists.

After descending about a hundred zhang, the crack grew wider, over ten zhang across. The temperature gradually warmed and kept climbing.

Vines clung to the cliff walls. Shi Lan recognized them as first-grade spiritual materials called Red Star Vines. When she had first begun to practice martial arts, she had used this herb to supplement herself.

Wu Lingkong did not even glance at these vines, continuing downward.

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After descending nearly two hundred zhang, the two of them finally found another Flame Spirit Ganoderma. Besides that, they also found several similar fire-aligned second-grade spiritual materials. Their harvest was quite good.

At this point they could already see the bottom of the cliff. The light was very dim, but it did not hinder their sight in the slightest.

The surrounding temperature was now hotter than midday in summer, stiflingly warm.

Shi Lan landed at the bottom of the cliff and took in their surroundings, then looked toward a hot spring not far away.

The spring was not very big, but not too small either, about five zhang across. At its center floated several red-and-green lotus leaves, and a single flower bud sat atop them, just about to bloom.

“Red Glow Lotus!” Wu Lingkong exclaimed in delight and said to Shi Lan, “That’s a third-grade spiritual material. Even though it hasn’t bloomed or borne fruit yet, those lotus leaves and the lotus root are still great treasures for us.”

As she spoke, Wu Lingkong’s expression became more cautious. With a flash of light, a bright silver spear appeared in her hand as she slowly approached the edge of the spring.

Shi Lan stepped after her, nerves taut.

Wu Lingkong circled the spring and inspected it carefully. After stirring the water with her spear a few times, her expression relaxed. She put the spear away and began untying the coronet that bound up her hair.

“What is it?” Shi Lan was startled, not understanding for a moment.

“There are no signs of demonic beast activity here. It doesn’t seem dangerous,” Wu Lingkong said. She had already undone the coronet, and her long black hair fell loose over her shoulders. She casually set the coronet aside and then began to undo her armor.

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“Hot springs are rare, and the spiritual qi here is rich. The spring water is good for the body and bones. Aren’t you going in?” Wu Lingkong’s hands did not stop. Seeing Shi Lan just standing there in a daze, she asked offhandedly.

Shi Lan felt a surge of emotions she could not put into words and suddenly did not know what to do with her hands and feet.

When Shi Lan did not answer, Wu Lingkong did not mind. She simply assumed that Shi Lan was embarrassed. With a few quick motions she undid her armor, pulled off the last piece of clothing, and vaulted into the water.

Shi Lan’s feelings at that moment were very strange. Wu Lingkong’s series of actions clearly treated her as one of their own, and that moved her a little.

Yet this utterly unselfconscious way of undressing and entering the water made Shi Lan feel a faint sense of loss. Being treated as someone who was not a man… that was something she had never experienced in her previous life. A small, sour ache rose in her heart.

Some things really were different now.

Looking at the steaming hot spring before her, Shi Lan suddenly felt tempted. Soaking in a hot spring was indeed something very pleasant.

After a brief hesitation, Shi Lan let out a quiet sigh. It was just a soak in a hot spring. She pulled off her hair band, loosened her belt, slipped out of her dress, and slid into the water.

The instant she entered the water, Shi Lan suddenly felt as if something in her heart had shattered.

That feeling flashed by in an instant and was quickly drowned out by the comfort the hot spring brought…