Bronze Lotus, What Are You Trying to Do?

Dusk fell, and the people from the medicine shop left the clearing, heading towards the next location.

Their departure indicated that the Snake Spot Chrysanthemums in this area had been mostly harvested.

Old Smoke Cannon puffed on his pipe, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and continued following the medicine shop people.

They trekked for over an hour before the medicine shop people led them to a second good spot. It was a not-so-dense forest, more secluded, with more flowers.

But with more flowers, everyone's efficiency decreased.

The mist on Bitter Mist Mountain was eroding everyone, including the people from the medicine shop. Everyone became weak and sluggish.

Little Fatty was the least affected, while Li Banfeng was the most affected. He felt his hands and feet go numb, and his vision blurred in waves.

As night fell, the night mist grew thicker, making everyone's situation even more difficult.

Miss You Tao had a pocket watch. Looking at the time, it was already past nine o'clock, and she was also struggling to hold on.

"How about we retreat? Coming here this time was worth it." You Tao had harvested a total of thirty-five Snake Spot Chrysanthemums, which could sell for two thousand nine hundred and seventy-five yuan. It really was worth it.

Li Banfeng harvested two more plants than You Tao, which was about what he expected. Moreover, Li Banfeng felt that if he didn't descend the mountain soon, his life would be in danger.

Little Fatty refused to leave. He had harvested the fewest flowers, only sixteen plants. According to the price offered by the medicine shop, he could sell them for over thirteen hundred yuan.

After deducting the expenses for the trip, would he still make a profit?

He would still make a profit, just a small one.

Little Fatty was a bit unwilling.

The Snake Spot Chrysanthemums in this second location were clearly easier to find than in the first.

And Little Fatty's physical condition was clearly better than others. According to his own estimation, there was no problem in holding on until dawn. This was a good opportunity to catch up and earn more.

He refused to leave, and the little girl Cao Ye also refused to leave. She was relying on various Medicine Candies to support herself, and her body hadn't shown any major problems for the time being.

Old Smoke Cannon smoked two more pouches of tobacco. In his words, as long as he had smoke to puff on, he could hold on.

Since they weren't leaving, Miss You Tao also stayed. She was also a bit unwilling.

Seeing the two peach-like cheeks below her waist almost unable to sway, Li Banfeng really wanted to persuade her.

But he had no strength to speak. Under the intense dizziness, if he said a few more words, he was afraid he would vomit at any moment.

Besides, he and Miss Peach had only met by chance. He was more worried about Little Fatty.

But Little Fatty stubbornly refused to leave, so Li Banfeng could only descend the mountain alone.

Before leaving, Cao Ye stepped forward and instructed, "Brother Bai Sha, if you are truly a Joy Cultivator, you should rest for at least half a month when you go back. Joy Cultivators are physically weak and are most severely harmed by this poisonous mist.

If you are from another Dao Gate, you should rest for at least three to five days.

If you are a Shut-in Cultivator, then pretend I didn't say anything."

Just as Li Banfeng was hearing the crucial information, he suddenly heard You Tao interject from the side, "Sister, what's wrong with Shut-in Cultivators?"

Cao Ye's eyes widened as she said, "Sister, could it be that you are a Shut-in Cultivator?"

You Tao smiled, "Your sister was just asking casually."

Cao Ye lowered her voice, "Even a Shut-in Cultivator without a Home Spirit can detoxify just by returning to their abode and sleeping for seven or eight hours. If they have a Home Spirit, they don't even need seven or eight hours.

This is the ability of a Shut-in Cultivator. As long as they can return to their abode, a Shut-in Cultivator fears nothing."

You Tao sighed softly, "I wish I were a Shut-in Cultivator."

Cao Ye shook her head, "Sister, Shut-in Cultivators generally don't move around easily. Could it be that you really are..."

As she spoke, Cao Ye kept looking at You Tao, as if very interested in her Dao Gate.

You Tao stroked Cao Ye's cheek, "After we finish this business, come to my abode for a visit, and you'll know if I'm a Shut-in Cultivator, won't you?"

Li Banfeng wasn't in the mood to waste time here. He whispered a few instructions into Little Fatty's ear:

"You just pick flowers here, don't change locations again. Pick a few more flowers, then hurry down the mountain!"

Little Fatty casually agreed.

He wouldn't change locations again; there were indeed many flowers here.

But he wouldn't leave easily; Little Fatty planned to stay until tomorrow morning.

The man with the gold-rimmed glasses said that Snake Spot Chrysanthemums bloom at irregular times, but they definitely bloom for a full day and night.

The flowers that bloomed at a little past seven this morning would definitely not wilt until seven tomorrow morning. Over this night, he could definitely pick another twenty flowers.

He would go down the mountain after dawn tomorrow. The vomiting and diarrhea would only last a few days of suffering. He could eat two good meals and make up for it.

Seeing him focused on picking flowers, Li Banfeng walked out of the woods, hid the key in a secluded spot on the mountain path, and returned to his Portable Abode.

He didn't go down the mountain. Cao Ye's words had reminded him.

He chose to recover first in his own abode. After he had recovered sufficiently, he would go down the mountain. Otherwise, he might encounter unexpected trouble on the way.

There was something wrong with this journey, something very wrong.

He didn't trust the man with the gold-rimmed glasses, although most of his actions were reasonable.

The actions of the others were also reasonable. A group of strangers looking out for each other within a reasonable scope was a very wise choice.

Only one thing wasn't quite reasonable.

They had been attacked by the same person three times in a row.

On Bitter Mist Mountain, everyone wanted Snake Spot Chrysanthemums. Being robbed was within reason.

But being robbed by the same person three times wasn't so reasonable.

Colliding with the bald man on the road the first time could be considered a coincidence.

What was the reason for encountering the bald man on the mountain path the second time?

Coincidence?

Then how should the bald man coming to steal flowers a third time be explained?

If you still say it's a coincidence, this matter doesn't make sense.

This bald man must be following our group, but how did he keep up?

On Bitter Mist Mountain, because visibility is extremely poor, it's very difficult to track someone. Without Old Smoke Cannon, this group wouldn't have been able to keep up with the people from the medicine shop at all.

But this bald man was able to follow us all the way. Could it be that there are cultivators among them who are skilled at tracking?

Or perhaps, someone left them a marker?

Li Banfeng untied the cloth bag, threw it aside, and lay flat in the house, trying to replay the entire process. But the intense pain throughout his body made it impossible for him to concentrate.

It hurt too much. The mist on Bitter Mist Mountain was truly deadly.

The dizziness that accompanied the pain made Li Banfeng want to vomit.

No, I can't vomit in the Portable Abode, at least not on the floor.

This house isn't ventilated. If he vomited on the floor, who knows how long it would take for the smell to dissipate.

But he really couldn't hold it in anymore!

Li Banfeng simply tore open the cloth bag, poured out the Snake Spot Chrysanthemums inside, and used the bag to vomit, emptying out all the yellow bile.

After vomiting everything out, Li Banfeng felt a little better. He tightened the cloth bag, threw it aside, and collapsed onto the ground, falling into a deep sleep.

After sleeping for an unknown amount of time, Li Banfeng was suddenly awakened by a strange smell.

In the Portable Abode, other than dust, there shouldn't be any other smells.

Could it be the smell of Snake Spot Chrysanthemum?

On Bitter Mist Mountain, he didn't seem to smell any special scent from this chrysanthemum.

The mist on Bitter Mist Mountain was choking, which might have covered up the scent of the Snake Spot Chrysanthemum.

Now that he was in the Portable Abode, without other smells interfering, he smelled the scent of the Snake Spot Chrysanthemum again.

It should be the scent of the Snake Spot Chrysanthemum, because Li Banfeng smelled a unique floral fragrance.

I almost forgot, Cao Ye said that this flower is poisonous! Eating one plant would kill you!

Is the floral fragrance also poisonous?

Li Banfeng was greatly alarmed and quickly got up.

He had casually scattered the Snake Spot Chrysanthemums in the house, and now he had to find a proper place to put them away.

He took out a match and lit a candle.

Surprisingly, after that sleep, Li Banfeng's body no longer hurt, his head wasn't dizzy, and he felt almost completely recovered.

But the next moment, his scalp began to tingle, as if currents of electricity were rolling from his forehead to the back of his head.

Where are my Snake Spot Chrysanthemums?

Where are the thirty-seven Snake Spot Chrysanthemums I painstakingly collected?

How are there none left!

The flowers were gone, the money was gone, but that wasn't the biggest issue.

But only I can enter the Portable Abode. Who stole this flower?

Could it be that I ate it myself while sleepwalking in my dream?

This thing can't be eaten!

Li Banfeng searched everywhere but couldn't even find a single petal.

The candle's illumination range was limited. Li Banfeng didn't pay attention to his feet and tripped over something, stumbling and almost falling.

He held up the candle and looked back, finding it was the Copper Lotus on the ground.

Wait, is this a Copper Lotus?

The Copper Lotus had been on the ground, its position unchanged, but its state was a little different.

The flower had bloomed.

Li Banfeng saw the center of the flower, saw the lotus pod.

There was a lotus seed in the pod, a fully ripened lotus seed.

Li Banfeng carefully peeled off the lotus seed. The lotus flower immediately closed, almost pinching Li Banfeng's hand.

That greenish-blue lotus seed trembled slightly in the center of Li Banfeng's palm.

Li Banfeng didn't know the origin of this lotus seed or what to do with it.

The lotus seed suddenly swelled up, expanding to the size of a fist, and then burst with a bang.

Li Banfeng shivered and quickly withdrew his hand. After the lotus seed burst, eight beads fell down, beads the size of a pinky fingernail.

Li Banfeng picked up a bead and looked at it. It had a white base with black spots, as if inlaid with some kind of scales.

What is this thing?

PS: Salad has decided to add an extra chapter tomorrow. Dear readers, please give Salad some strength.