Encountering Xiao Yan Again

"Teacher, where do you think Senior Brother is by now?" Having already arrived in Green Mountain Town, Xiao Yan watched the mercenaries along the road and quietly asked Yao Lao.

"No idea, but he's definitely already entered the Monster Mountain Range," Yao Lao said calmly.

In truth, he did not understand why Yun Shu insisted on going alone. The two of them could not only look after each other, but he could also offer guidance along the way.

Yet Yun Shu had still chosen to enter the Monster Mountain Range alone.

"Ten Thousand Medicines Hall is heading into the Monster Mountain Range to gather herbs! Little Fairy Doctor will be joining them too!! There are only fifty spots, and you need to be at least a Two-Star Dou Practitioner! Hurry up, everyone!" Just as Xiao Yan was preparing to find a suitable team to enter the Monster Mountain Range with, a sudden shout caught his attention.

"Looks like there's no need to search! A ready-made team just showed up!" Yao Lao's cheerful voice sounded beside Xiao Yan's ear.

"Let's go take a look!" Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes and followed the crowd toward the lively area.

"Mm!! I feel refreshed! Sure enough, sleeping somewhere so comfortable really improves your mental state!" After emerging from Kamui Space, Yun Shu stretched lazily.

After dealing with those Magical Beasts yesterday, it had been nearly dark. Once Yun Shu had run far away from the wolf pack, he entered Kamui Space, took a nice bath, ate a full meal, watched an hour or two of brainless television, and then went to sleep.

With no need to worry about his safety, Yun Shu had slept exceptionally well.

Naturally, he was in excellent spirits now as well.

"Today's goal: thirty First-Order Magical Beasts!" After doing several stretches, Yun Shu casually started walking in a random direction.

This was the Monster Mountain Range, after all. Even if he wandered around blindly, he would still run into Magical Beasts. He might as well save some brain cells rather than waste thought searching for them.

After all, brain cells could not regenerate. Best to conserve them whenever possible.

He had killed around twenty First-Order Magical Beasts yesterday, mainly because he had been surrounded by a pack of Magical Beasts. If that had not happened, Yun Shu should have been able to kill even more.

So today, he planned to take down a full thirty First-Order Magical Beasts, or one Second-Tier Magical Beast stronger than himself.

A Second-Tier Magical Beast was no weaker than Yun Shu in his current state—and that was Yun Shu at his peak. After all, the strength of Second-Tier Magical Beasts ranged within the Dou Master realm. They might be low-level Dou Masters, or high-level Dou Masters stronger than Yun Shu.

"Mm?" Hearing movement in the distance, Yun Shu narrowed his eyes and quietly approached the source with softened footsteps.

"Uh..." When Yun Shu saw a group of people camping there, he froze.

"It can't be this much of a coincidence..." Yun Shu looked at the familiar white-clothed girl among the crowd, as well as the young man carrying a Mystic Heavy Ruler identical to his own...

And that young man, prompted by someone, happened to look in his direction.

"Senior Brother?!!" At his teacher's reminder, Xiao Yan looked toward Yun Shu's location. When he spotted Yun Shu hiding in a tree, his eyes lit up.

He immediately walked toward Yun Shu.

Seeing Xiao Yan approach, Yun Shu moved farther into the forest. After all, they were not alone here; there were also those mercenaries and the herb-gathering team.

"Senior Brother, I never thought I'd run into you so soon!" Xiao Yan said happily upon seeing Yun Shu.

"I didn't expect it either..." Yun Shu said in surprise.

"Little Shu, where did that thing on your back come from?" At that moment, Yao Lao suddenly emerged from the ring and looked at Yun Shu's back.

"Huh? Little Yan, you have one of these too?!" Yun Shu asked, pretending to be surprised.

"Senior Brother, Teacher gave mine to me. Where did you get yours?" Xiao Yan was also rather puzzled.

"I picked it up. A few days ago, I explored a cave and found Ice Spirit Flame Grass, Blood Lotus Essence, and some other things inside. I found this thing there too."

"When I touched it, I discovered that it could suppress Dou Qi, so I carried it on my back to train myself."

"What! Ice Spirit Flame Grass and Blood Lotus Essence!" At first, Yao Lao had been focused on the origin of the Mystic Heavy Ruler Yun Shu carried, but when he heard the names Ice Spirit Flame Grass and Blood Lotus Essence, he could not help crying out in surprise.

"Teacher, is there something unusual about those two medicinal herbs?" Xiao Yan and Yun Shu asked in unison, looking at Yao Lao after hearing his exclamation.

"Do you remember? One of the materials I mentioned before that must be prepared to absorb a Strange Fire was a pill called the Blood Lotus Pill! The ingredients needed to refine the Blood Lotus Pill are Blood Lotus Essence, Ice Spirit Flame Grass, and a third-tier Magic Core!"

"And you, Little Shu, you brat, are unbelievably lucky! You've obtained two of the ingredients for the Blood Lotus Pill! Now you only need a Magic Core to refine the Blood Lotus Pill!" Yao Lao said with a smile as he stroked his beard.

"Doesn't that mean Senior Brother will soon be able to devour a Strange Fire?!" Xiao Yan said excitedly. He was not jealous that Yun Shu might devour a Strange Fire before him. After all, Yao Lao was his teacher too, and he cultivated the Flame Devouring Art, a technique that would allow him to devour most Strange Fires in the future. He was simply happy for Yun Shu.

"No. A single Blood Lotus Pill is not enough if you want to devour a Strange Fire! You still need to prepare two other materials!" Yao Lao shook his head.

"Two other materials?" Xiao Yan asked doubtfully.

"One is called Ice Spirit Cold Spring. The Blood Lotus Pill protects the outside of the body, while the Ice Spirit Cold Spring naturally protects the inside!"

"Then what's the last one?" Xiao Yan asked curiously.

"The last one is simple! It's called Na Ling, and it is the most important thing for storing a Strange Fire within the body. It can open up an Alternate Dimension inside the body! As it happens, I have one!" Yao Lao said with a chuckle.

"Then as long as we find a Magic Core and Ice Spirit Cold Spring, we can devour a Strange Fire?!" Xiao Yan said excitedly.

"Are you getting ahead of yourself? The most crucial thing for devouring a Strange Fire—the Strange Fire itself—hasn't even been found yet, and you're already talking about devouring one..." Yun Shu said speechlessly, knocking Xiao Yan on the head.

"True..." Xiao Yan scratched his head and gave an embarrassed laugh.

"Here!" With a wave of his hand, Yun Shu took out the Ice Spirit Flame Grass and Blood Lotus Essence and tossed them to Xiao Yan.

"Senior Brother! What is this?" Xiao Yan stared blankly at the two medicinal herbs in his hands.

"Little Shu, don't you want to obtain a Strange Fire first?" Yao Lao had also understood Yun Shu's intention. By giving those medicinal herbs to Xiao Yan, Yun Shu was clearly letting Xiao Yan obtain a Strange Fire first.

Heh, I've already stolen both your women. How could I have the nerve to take your Strange Fire too...