Treasure Hunt

Seeing Mu Li block his path, Lin Feng frowned slightly. Turning his head to look at the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's Young Group Leader, he asked, "Young Group Leader Mu Li, do you need something?"

"I mean no harm. I heard from my men that you have considerable talent for cultivation."

Mu Li smiled faintly and asked in an even tone.

"Heh, I was just lucky. When I condensed my Dou Qi Vortex, I took far fewer detours than most people."

Lin Feng glanced at Mu Li's seemingly gentle smile and answered calmly.

Seeing the smile on Lin Feng's face, Mu Li's expression immediately darkened slightly.

Back then, he had failed twice in a row before finally managing to condense a Dou Qi Vortex. Thinking of that, the killing intent in his heart rose several degrees.

But Mu Li had, after all, spent several years training in the mercenary group, and he quickly recovered.

Interlacing his fingers, he said with a smile, "Would you be interested in joining the Wolf Head Mercenary Group? Our group offers excellent treatment to members as talented as you. After all, the Monster Mountain Range is full of life-threatening dangers. Having people to look after you is a good thing."

Hearing Mu Li's recruitment offer, Lin Feng laughed inwardly. With his qualifications, joining the Misty Cloud Sect would be more than easy.

Why would he possibly join the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, which had no backing, no experts, and no resources?

Besides, although he lacked experience in the world, he could still tell that there had clearly been something off about the way Mu Li had looked at him earlier.

He immediately shook his head and smiled. "Heh, sorry. I don't like being restrained, and I have no plans to join any faction for now. I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Young Group Leader Mu Li."

"Heh, it's nothing."

Hearing Lin Feng's refusal, Mu Li waved a hand as if he did not care. Then he smiled and said, "If you change your mind someday, you can come find me anytime. The doors of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group are always open to people with potential."

With a faintly apologetic expression, Lin Feng sidestepped around Mu Li and merged into the loose group of mercenaries ahead.

Watching Lin Feng disappear into the crowd, Mu Li slowly narrowed his eyes. A faint chill flashed deep within them.

Clearly, everything Lin Feng had done had made the Young Group Leader very unhappy.

"Kid, not only are you entangled with Xiao Yi Xian, you even dared refuse me. No matter what you achieve in the future, tonight, I'll make sure you stay in the Monster Mountain Range forever!"

His fingers clenched tightly, and the gentleness was gone from Mu Li's voice, replaced by a trace of cold malice.

In Qingshan Town, ever since he was young, everyone who encountered him had treated him with care.

Yet this brat Lin Feng had dared offend him twice in a single day. How could that not infuriate him?

He beckoned to a mercenary beside him. "Ma Si, come here!"

"Young Group Leader." The mercenary hurried over to Mu Li's side and answered in a muffled voice.

"Tonight, bring a few clever men. Sneak over to that kid's tent, and then..."

As he spoke, Mu Li raised a hand to his throat and made a slicing motion.

"Rest assured, Young Group Leader. That kid will definitely be attacked by a 'magical beast' tonight and die an untimely death."

The mercenary instantly understood Mu Li's meaning and left to make preparations.

Seeing this, Mu Li sneered. "Kid, if you dare provoke me, don't even think about leaving the Monster Mountain Range alive!"

After Xiao Yi Xian returned to the group, the herb-gathering party set off once more.

This stretch of the journey was much quieter than the previous one.

Although they still encountered two waves of magical beast attacks along the way, neither caused much of a disturbance.

As the sky gradually darkened, the group finally arrived safely at the herb-gathering party's destination: a sunken basin covered in medicinal herbs.

All kinds of medicinal herbs grew throughout the basin.

Upon entering, the fragrant scent of herbs drifted through the air.

Taking a deep breath immediately made one feel refreshed and at ease.

"Everyone, set up camp here. Be careful not to damage the medicinal herbs around us."

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Xiao Yi Xian turned around and spoke softly to the crowd with a smile.

At Xiao Yi Xian's words, the surrounding mercenaries immediately responded loudly and began enthusiastically setting up their tents.

Lin Feng glanced at Xiao Yi Xian, who had begun directing the herb-gathering party to dig up medicinal herbs, then wandered through the basin on his own.

For some reason, the energy within this sunken area was much denser and purer than outside. That was why so many medicinal herbs could grow here in clusters.

The basin was quite vast, and even the Myriad Medicine Pavilion had never fully explored its interior terrain.

The place where Lin Feng and the others currently were was merely the outer edge of this enormous basin.

After making a round of the outskirts and finding nothing but low-grade medicinal herbs, he shook his head in disappointment and looked toward the pitch-black interior.

After pondering for a while, he ultimately chose to return obediently.

With his current strength, the danger-filled Monster Mountain Range was perilous at every turn.

When he returned to the campsite, white tents had already sprung up across the ground, and many mercenaries were busy preparing dinner.

As he entered the camp, he immediately spotted Xiao Yi Xian standing prettily at its center. Mu Li was closely following her at her side.

As Lin Feng looked at them, Xiao Yi Xian and Mu Li seemed to sense it and turned their gazes toward him as well.

The three of them met each other's eyes, but each gaze carried a different meaning.

With a smile on his face, Lin Feng nodded to them before turning and walking toward a tent.

Watching Lin Feng's retreating figure disappear, Mu Li smiled at Xiao Yi Xian. "Little Brother Lin Feng has excellent cultivation talent. His future accomplishments will surely not be low."

"Perhaps." Xiao Yi Xian smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"I'm going to inventory the medicinal herbs. I'll have to trouble Young Master Mu Li to help maintain order in the camp."

Xiao Yi Xian gave Mu Li a slight smile. Only after seeing him nod did she enter a larger tent near the center.

Mu Li stared at her slender back. Once its owner had disappeared from view, he reluctantly withdrew his gaze. But when he thought of what had happened that morning, his hand tightened slightly into a fist.

Night slowly descended over the mountains as the campfires burned brightly. Darkness shrouded the forest, and the stretching branches and leaves resembled ferocious beasts baring their fangs and claws.

As night fell, the camp gradually grew quiet as well.

Other than the mercenaries standing watch, only the faint crackling of firewood bursting in the flames could be heard.

In the silent darkness, a tent suddenly stirred slightly. A graceful black silhouette quietly slipped out from within.

Then, without a sound, it slipped through a gap in the guards' watch and into the dark forest.

Not long after the shadow left, another figure emerged from a different tent and closely followed the first shadow.

The occasional distant wolf howl echoed through the dense forest, making one's hair stand on end.

As the two shadows hurried onward, one near and one far, they gradually moved farther and farther away from the camp.

In the darkness, Lin Feng raised his head slightly. By the faint moonlight, he looked at the graceful figure not far ahead, smiled faintly, and quickened his pace to catch up.

"The treasure hunt begins..."

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