Douluo Traversal, I Pull Out a Dou Technique and You Don't Explode? Part 37

Green Mountain Town

The town was slightly larger than Bitter Sea Town. Since it bordered the Magical Beast Mountain Range, mercenaries, adventurers, and herb gatherers came and went in an endless stream. The streets bustled with activity, filled with rough shouts, the clang of weapons, and the distinctive scent of medicinal herbs.

He did not rush out of town. Instead, he slowed his pace and seemingly casually strolled through several of its main streets.

His gaze swept over the roadside apothecaries, weapon shops, and taverns where mercenaries gathered, watching for any likely figures.

"Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion..."

Liu Bai stopped before what appeared to be the largest and most elegantly decorated apothecary.

The storefront was spacious and rich with the fragrance of herbs. Mercenaries and ordinary townsfolk entered and left from time to time, and business was thriving.

According to his memories, Xiao Yi Xian should have been working here as a physician.

He walked inside, and a clerk immediately came forward to greet him warmly.

"Sir, what do you need? Our Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion has every kind of medicinal herb. Would you like to take a look first?"

Liu Bai shook his head slightly and scanned the shop, but he did not see the gentle young woman from his memories with her pale purple hair.

"May I ask whether your establishment has a physician named Xiao Yi Xian?"

The clerk's face immediately showed understanding.

"You're looking for Xiao Yi Xian? What unfortunate timing. She went into the mountains with our Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion herb-gathering team early this morning. We recently needed a batch of fresh Blood-Coagulating Grass and Vitality Fruit, and she was worried, so she personally led the team there."

"She went into the mountains?"

Liu Bai raised an eyebrow. It seemed he had come at an inconvenient time.

"Do you know which direction they went, or roughly when they will return?"

The clerk smiled. "That's hard to say. Every time the herb-gathering team enters the mountains, they spend at least two or three days there, and sometimes as many as seven or eight. As for the direction, they usually head toward the herb valley in the west. But the terrain in the mountain range is complicated, so us shopkeepers do not know their exact location."

"I see. Thank you."

Liu Bai nodded, left behind several gold coins as thanks, then turned and left the Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion.

Standing on the crowded street, Liu Bai pondered for a moment.

Not meeting Xiao Yi Xian was somewhat regrettable, but it did not matter much.

His primary target was still that treasure-filled cave.

"Forget it. I'll handle the important matter first."

Liu Bai did not hesitate any longer. He passed straight through the town and headed toward the outer region of the Magical Beast Mountain Range to the west.

According to the original description, that cliffside cave should have been located near the boundary between the outer region of the Magical Beast Mountain Range and its inner region, close to a relatively secluded valley.

But the area was still vast. Searching for one particular cliffside cave in an endless mountain forest was like looking for a needle in the sea.

After entering the mountain range, Liu Bai darted through the woods like a phantom.

He avoided the paths frequently used by mercenary groups and chose remote, treacherous terrain to investigate. His soul perception spread outward as he carefully sensed the surrounding landscape.

Sheer cliffs, broken precipices, deep valleys... He found one suspected location after another, investigated them, then quickly ruled them out.

The lingering light of the setting sun gradually dyed the mountain forest gold and crimson, while the light beneath the trees began to dim.

Liu Bai stood atop a towering ridge, gazing at the rolling mountains in the distance as they were gradually swallowed by twilight. He gently shook his head.

"One day... I checked more than a dozen possible locations, and none of them were it. This cliffside cave truly won't be easy to find."

He murmured quietly, but there was little discouragement in his voice. After all, if that cave had been so easy to discover, the treasures inside would never have fallen to Xiao Yi Xian and the later Xiao Yan.

It was already late. The Magical Beast Mountain Range became far more dangerous at night. Though his current strength meant he did not fear most magical beasts in the outer region, there was no need to continue blundering about like a headless fly when visibility was poor.

"I'll find somewhere to rest for the night and continue searching tomorrow."

Liu Bai leaped down from the ridge. After several flashes of movement, he vanished into the dense forest.

He quickly found a natural stone hollow near a stream, cleaned it up slightly, and lit a small campfire.

The flames flickered, illuminating his calm face.

Beside him lay a freshly hunted boar-like magical beast. One of its hind legs had already been torn off and was currently roasting over the fire. As he turned it, he mentally reviewed the terrain he had explored today, comparing it to the descriptions in his memories and making adjustments.

"West... valley... cliff... concealed by vines..."

He closed his eyes and thought deeply.

"It seems I need to be more thorough tomorrow. Perhaps I should focus on areas covered by dense vines and vegetation."

The Magical Beast Mountain Range was enormous, but even so, with his method of searching, it would not take long to cover it all. When that time came, he would surely find it.

There was no need to rush.

He took out some barbecue seasoning and sprinkled it over the pork leg. He had learned a little grilling in his previous life. As long as the heat was controlled properly and the seasonings were good, it would not taste bad.

All these seasonings had been brought over from the Douluo World. Although the Douluo World's combat strength was inferior to that of the Battle Through the Heavens World, when it came to food, the Douluo World was at least three streets ahead. It was not that the food in the Battle Through the Heavens World tasted bad; it was simply a matter of comparison.

The Douluo World had food-type Soul Masters, many of whom spent their entire lives studying cuisine. The wide variety of Martial Souls also ensured that development in every aspect was quite good. By comparison, what about the Battle Through the Heavens World?

Everyone was busy cultivating Dou Qi, refining medicine, surviving, hunting magical beasts, and so on. As a result, its culinary arts lagged far behind those of the Douluo World.

Of course, the food was still edible. It just was not nearly as delicious.

He lightly sniffed. Not bad. It would be ready to eat after a little longer.

Just as the golden, glistening roasted pork leg gave off an enticing charred aroma, its fat dripping into the campfire with sizzling sounds, about to reach its most delicious state, Liu Bai's ears twitched slightly. He sharply caught an unusual rustling sound and deliberately hushed voices coming from the direction of the stream outside the cave.

"People?"

Liu Bai immediately became alert. He silently spread his soul perception outward like ripples on water, instantly covering an area dozens of meters outside the cave entrance.

Within his perception, several dozen auras of varying strength were rapidly approaching the stone hollow. The strongest was only around a Five-Star Dou Zhe, while the weakest had merely reached the Dou Qi stage.

They even had a carriage with them.

"A herb-gathering team? Or an ordinary mercenary squad?"

Liu Bai did not stop turning the roasted pork leg in his hand. He did not care much about these people; they were only a group of Dou Zhes. Still, since he had encountered them outside Green Mountain Town, could they be Xiao Yi Xian's group?

The footsteps and conversation outside the cave grew increasingly clear.

"Young Commander, smell that! It's coming from this way! It smells amazing! That aroma has to be top-quality roasted meat!"

A fawning voice rang out.

"Mm, it really does smell absurdly good—better than the grilled food at the best restaurant in town! Damn it, after chewing dry rations for two days in this damned forest, my mouth has gone bland as hell!"

Another voice answered. It sounded younger, but carried a hint of arrogance.

"Don't worry, Young Commander. I just saw firelight over here. Someone must be staying there."

The fawning voice spoke again.

"Come on. Let's go take a look."

Soon, several people arrived at the cave entrance.

Xiao Yi Xian

It was a somewhat handsome man, accompanied by several men who looked like nothing more than lackeys.

Liu Bai looked over, but his gaze did not fall on them. Instead, it settled on the herb-gathering team behind them, surrounded by layer upon layer of guards. His eyes casually swept over the group before finally stopping on the woman in white at its center, as though she were surrounded by stars.

She was a gentle-looking beauty. As Liu Bai looked over, she happened to be lightly wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. Combined with her delicate face, she inspired immediate tenderness.

Xiao Yi Xian?

It should be her. Then these people were from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group?

To think he would encounter them here.

"Haha, I didn't expect to run into someone in the Magical Beast Mountain Range! Brother, we're from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group of Green Mountain Town. We passed by and smelled the fragrance, so we came over. That roasted pork leg of yours really smells incredible!"

Mu Li smiled as he spoke to Liu Bai.

Liu Bai did not even raise his eyelids. He merely nodded faintly and gave a single word through his throat. "Mm."

He did not say another word. He knew perfectly well what kind of person Mu Li was. Saying even one extra sentence to someone like him felt exhausting.

Mu Li's smile froze for an instant. Clearly, he had not expected Liu Bai to be so cold and answer with only one word.

He felt slighted in front of his subordinates, and his expression immediately became difficult to maintain. A trace of anger flashed through his eyes.

But when he caught sight of Xiao Yi Xian behind him, he forcibly suppressed his temper. Putting on a familiar manner, he waved his hand and called for the dozen or so mercenaries outside to crowd into the stone hollow.

"Brother, it's getting late, and it won't be easy for us to find a place to camp. This cave is already here, and there's water outside. How about letting us stay here for the night as well?"

More than a dozen mercenaries poured in at once, instantly cramming the already narrow stone hollow full. Even the entrance was nearly blocked, and the campfire's light seemed to dim.

Liu Bai's brows abruptly furrowed, and coldness flared in his eyes.

What was this supposed to mean? Openly taking advantage of him, or concealing a threat?

A mere Dou Zhe dared to act so presumptuously in front of him?

The motion of turning the roasted pork leg abruptly stopped. His fingers tightened slightly, and grease from the meat dripped from the iron skewer into the fire with a sizzle. The atmosphere in the stone hollow suddenly tightened.

"Get out."

Liu Bai raised his eyes. His gaze was as cold as ice as it swept over the crowded mercenaries before finally landing on Mu Li's face. There was not the slightest warmth in his tone.

Mu Li's expression completely darkened, and all his previous pretense vanished. A ruthless curve rose at the corner of his lips.

"Brother, I spoke nicely because I was giving you face. Don't be ungrateful! You might not know who I am. I am the Young Commander of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, Mu Li. I hope you can make this convenient for us."

As he spoke, several trusted mercenaries behind him quietly gripped the weapons at their waists. They stared at Liu Bai with hostile eyes, faintly forming an encirclement.

Hearing the commotion, Xiao Yi Xian furrowed her delicate brows and stepped forward.

"Young Commander, this gentleman arrived here first. It is already improper for us to disturb him so suddenly. Why don't we look for another place?"

She had already felt that Liu Bai possessed an extraordinary bearing and was no ordinary passerby. She did not want Mu Li to act so overbearingly.

"Don't worry, Xiao Yi Xian. With me here, how could I let you suffer any grievance?"

Mu Li immediately put on a gentle expression, then turned and glared viciously at Liu Bai.

"Kid, for Xiao Yi Xian's sake, I won't hold this against you. Now get lost while you still know what's good for you, or else..."

Before he could finish, Liu Bai suddenly raised a hand. A stream of blue-gold Dou Qi shot silently from his fingertips and struck a piece of rubble beside Mu Li's foot.

With a crack, the stone instantly shattered into powder!