Sweeping Through Armies Like a Rolled-Up Mat, the Dragon Rose and Brought Purgatory to Life

At the very bottom of the valley, beside a large boulder, grew five unusual ice-blue flowers. They swayed gently in the breeze, giving off a delicate fragrance. None had fully opened, though. They were not yet ripe and looked to need another two or three days.

"Whew... cough, cough..."

After shooting the dozen or so ordinary mutated wolves dead, Guan Lang and the others ran over with all their might, each of them gasping for breath.

They could not help it. Huang Tian had traveled far too fast. Though he had swept through the fierce beasts in a broad fan rather than charging straight ahead, the patrol officers still had no hope of keeping up. Of the five hundred people who had entered the mountains, only Guan Lang, Liu Yang, Old Gao, and some twenty or thirty others had reached this valley. Everyone who lacked stamina or resolve had fallen behind.

Then again, "fallen behind" was not quite accurate. Guan Lang had ordered some to stay along the route to guard the beast carcasses and care for exhausted teammates.

"Huff... huff..." Guan Lang braced his hands on his knees and panted. Looking at the unusual flowers beside the stream, he could not tell what they were, but instinct told him they had to be spirit plants. They were simply too beautiful. Brimming with spiritual energy, they gave off a soft glow, magnificent beneath the sunlight.

"Five spirit plants that haven't ripened yet. No wonder two beast generals were guarding them," Liu Yang said in realization. "Do we pick them now? Their effects will surely be much weaker if we harvest them early."

Guan Lang shook his head. "Even fierce beasts know to wait until they ripen before eating them. How could we pick them early?"

"Then we'll have to leave