Encountering Enemies in the Mountains

The sky darkened. Murong Wushuang found some dry firewood and built a fire on the ground. He also sprinkled a light yellow, pungent powder around the fire.

This powder could ward off the big snakes and mosquitoes in the mountains.

Murong Wushuang took a piece of dried meat from his bag, roasted it over the fire until it was a charred lump, and handed it to Ning Xiaochuan, saying, "Just make do with this!"

Ning Xiaochuan took the piece of dried meat, smiled, and said, "Thank you!"

Murong Wushuang plopped down on the ground and started gnawing on it himself, his voice muffled as he spoke, "Oh right, I still don't know your name? Someone like you who's willing to spend fifty thousand small coins on a single leaf must have quite the background, right?"

Ning Xiaochuan gently tore off a piece of meat and put it in his mouth, smiling faintly, "No big background. Just call me Ning Xiaochuan!"

"Ning Xiaochuan, Brother Chuan, seeing how rich you are, how about I follow you from now on?" Murong Wushuang looked over.

Ning Xiaochuan smiled slightly and said, "We'll see!"

After eating some dried meat, Murong Wushuang and Ning Xiaochuan chatted for a bit, then each began to cultivate.

Murong Wushuang took out the tattered copy of Heaven and Earth Profound Qi from his embrace, placed it on the ground, and began to cultivate according to the method in the book.

Ning Xiaochuan also took out a copy of Heaven and Earth Profound Qi, placed it on the ground, and began to cultivate.

He closed his eyes, sensing the Profound Qi between Heaven and Earth. The Profound Qi became active, drilling into his pores, merging with his blood, and flowing into his Martial Heart Palace.

Ning Xiaochuan had already cultivated Heaven and Earth Profound Qi to the second level, doubling his absorption speed. He felt he would soon reach the third level.

For others, Heaven and Earth Profound Qi was extremely difficult to cultivate, but in his hands, it became quite easy.

Once he reached the third level of Heaven and Earth Profound Qi, his Profound Qi absorption speed would quadruple, and his cultivation would be even faster.

After cultivating for the entire night, Ning Xiaochuan felt that the Martial Dao Profound Qi in his body had increased significantly, but he still hadn't broken through to the Profound Qi Eighth Level.

"Huh! Brother Chuan, why are you also cultivating Heaven and Earth Profound Qi, this low-grade Martial Dao Cultivation Method?" Murong Wushuang was very familiar, as if he had known Ning Xiaochuan for a long time.

Ning Xiaochuan closed Heaven and Earth Profound Qi and said, "Aren't you also cultivating Heaven and Earth Profound Qi? Looking at your Profound Qi absorption speed, you've probably reached the second level too, right?"

Gou Sheng smiled sheepishly and said, "I'm just a wild practitioner. I've been secretly cultivating Profound Qi behind my grandpa's back. I don't have any advanced Cultivation Methods, so I can only cultivate Heaven and Earth Profound Qi, this lowest-level Cultivation Method."

Ning Xiaochuan couldn't help but admire the talent of the young man before him. Just by relying on the lowest-level Cultivation Method, and without even taking Profound Medicine like Heart Nourishing Elixir and Blood Accumulation Elixir, he could actually cultivate to the Profound Qi Seventh Level at this age.

If he had been born in a Royal Marquis's Mansion, with advanced Cultivation Methods and Profound Medicine to nurture him, his talent would probably be even stronger than Ning Xiner's.

Such a talented person was being buried. Ning Xiaochuan had the intention of recruiting him into Begonia Manor, but he also had doubts about his identity, so he temporarily suppressed this thought and decided to wait for an opportunity later. They traveled for another full day, covering over a hundred li, going deeper and deeper. The surrounding trees also became thicker and thicker.

The roots of those ancient trees that emerged from the soil were as thick as a bowl mouth.

Ferocious Beasts were often seen here, including five-meter-long Big Snakes, Saber-Toothed Tigers as tall as a person, and even some Mystic Beasts roaming the mountains. The roars they emitted alone were enough to make one's ears numb.

Mystic Beasts were divided into nine grades in total.

They were further divided into fierce and warlike Mystic Beasts and docile and domesticated Mystic Beasts.

Generally, only domesticated Mystic Beasts could be trained as mounts or pets, while the Mystic Beasts that roamed in the wild were exceptionally fierce, with combat power several times that of domesticated Mystic Beasts.

Even a First Grade Mystic Beast had the power to slaughter a village.

"Be careful, we've entered a dangerous area. Last time I came here to dig for Profound Medicine, I encountered a Second Grade Fire Spider and was almost pierced through the chest by its claws. Luckily, I ran fast." Gou Sheng held his wood-splitting blade and walked forward cautiously.

The journey so far had been quite peaceful, and they hadn't encountered any Mystic Beasts.

In Nanyue Mountain, Mystic Beasts are quite rare, but in Fire Demon Mountain, there are many more, and there are even legendary Mystic Beasts that can transform into human form, with terrifying combat power.

Finally, they arrived at the foot of a mountain. Standing on the edge of a steep cliff, looking down, they could only see layers of cloud mist, and the bottom was completely invisible.

"That crimson leaf was blown up from below this cliff. I saw that this leaf was quite special at the time, so I picked it up casually and put it in my bag. By the way, Brother Chuan, why did you buy this leaf?"

Murong Wushuang hesitated for a long time, or rather, he had been hesitating for the past two days. At this moment, he finally told the truth, saying, "To be honest with you, this leaf is actually not worth much money, at most eighty small coins."

He looked quite embarrassed.

He felt that Ning Xiaochuan was not a heartless rich person and was also very easy to get along with, so he couldn't bear to deceive him.

Ning Xiaochuan said, "This leaf is naturally only worth eighty small coins, but you guiding me here is definitely worth fifty thousand small coins. In fact, I didn't lose anything at all."

Murong Wushuang hadn't understood Ning Xiaochuan's words yet, but from the distant mountain range, a rapid sound of footsteps came.

"Haha! He's right, this trip you guided is definitely worth fifty thousand small coins, and even far more than fifty thousand small coins." A middle-aged man in his forties, leading a black two-headed hound, walked out of the forest.

The black two-headed hound kept sniffing the ground, its eyes flickering with emerald green flames. It opened its mouth, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth.

This is a Thousand Mile Two-Headed Hound, a First Grade Mystic Beast.

According to legend, as long as it has smelled a person's aura, it can find that person even if they are a thousand li away.

Murong Wushuang's eyes narrowed, and he said, "Shopkeeper Cui, why are you here?"

This middle-aged man was the shopkeeper of Profound Leaf Abode, Cui Buping.

Not long ago, Murong Wushuang had asked him to appraise the value of the Blood Toad Wood Tree leaf. It was from this Shopkeeper Cui that he learned the leaf was only worth eighty small coins, which was why he went back to find Ning Xiaochuan and used various methods to sell the leaf to Ning Xiaochuan.

He had always felt that this was the most successful transaction he had ever made.

Ning Xiaochuan was not surprised at all and said, "He is here for the Blood Toad Wood."

Cui Buping nodded with a smile and said, "This Young Master is quite smart. I have to thank you for bringing me here, otherwise this place would be quite difficult to find."

From the forest, more than ten Martial Practitioners wearing black tight-fitting clothes walked out. They were all carrying battle blades, their bodies filled with killing intent, and they stood behind Cui Buping, staring coldly at Ning Xiaochuan and Murong Wushuang.

Murong Wushuang had thought that he was the smartest person, but now he realized that he was the stupidest person in the world, because he still hadn't figured out what was going on.

"Brother Chuan, what is Blood Toad Wood? And how do you know he's here for Blood Toad Wood?" Gou Sheng also became wary of Ning Xiaochuan, feeling that there must be some hidden reason behind this.

Ning Xiaochuan took out that leaf and said, "Blood Toad Wood belongs to Profound Spirit Wood and is an extremely expensive type of wood. One jin of Blood Toad Wood can be sold for one hundred thousand small coins. And the leaf you sold me is a Blood Toad Wood leaf."

Murong Wushuang's mouth was wide enough to fit an egg, and his expression was frozen.

My goodness, one jin of Blood Toad Wood can be sold for one hundred thousand small coins. If he could find a Blood Toad Wood Tree, he would be rich!

Murong Wushuang immediately became furious, rolled up his sleeves, and said, "Cui Buping, you actually dared to deceive this young master! It turns out this is a priceless treasure, and you actually told me it was only worth eighty small coins. You're too greedy! Why did you follow this young master here? Could it be that you want to kill people and steal treasures?"

Cui Buping appeared very calm and said with a smile, "You're right. Since you've brought me to the place where the Blood Toad Wood grows, then it's time for you to die."

Ning Xiaochuan had naturally anticipated all of this, so he remained very calm.

When Murong Wushuang first decided not to sell him the leaf, he guessed that Murong Wushuang would find someone to appraise the value of the Blood Toad Wood leaf, and he also guessed that the person who appraised the leaf for him would definitely deceive him.

Because the value of a Blood Toad Wood Tree was too immense, no one could resist such a temptation, and no one would tell him the truth.

It was precisely because Ning Xiaochuan knew that the person who appraised the leaf for Murong Wushuang would not tell the truth that he was certain Murong Wushuang would come back to him, which was why he specifically waited for Murong Wushuang in the wine shop.

Cui Buping bringing people to follow behind, wanting to kill and seize treasures, was naturally within Ning Xiaochuan's expectations.

"I'm afraid with just these people of yours, you won't be able to do anything to us, right?" Ning Xiaochuan said calmly.

Cui Buping sneered and said, "With just you two little brats, could it be that you can withstand the more than ten Martial Dao Experts of Profound Leaf Abode?"

In Cui Buping's view, Murong Wushuang was not worth mentioning at all, just a young kid. The only one who was a bit tricky was Ning Xiaochuan.

Cui Buping waved his arm, and behind him, two Martial Practitioners at the Profound Qi Sixth Level stepped out with sabers, their gazes cold, carrying white Profound Qi on their bodies. They leaped into the air and simultaneously slashed a saber towards Ning Xiaochuan.

"To actually dare to leap into the air and strike with a saber in front of experts with higher cultivation than you, you're simply seeking death."

Crimson light surged from within Ning Xiaochuan's body. He actively met the attack, striking out with two palms, causing the air to crackle. Like swatting away two flies, he blasted those two Martial Practitioners at the Profound Qi Sixth Level down the cliff.

"Ah..."

"Help..."

The voices of those two Martial Practitioners whose cultivation had reached the Profound Qi Sixth Level gradually disappeared. Falling into the abyss of ten thousand feet, they were naturally certain to die.