Icebound Herb Garden, Nine-Rank Ginseng King

In the blink of an eye, Lin Mo and his group had ventured deep into the Icebound Forest for more than half a month.

Over those past two weeks, this veteran expedition team had displayed the utmost caution and professionalism.

They expertly avoided the territories of dangerous soul beasts deep in the forest, knew how to identify the subtle signs and minute differences indicating where Snow Ginseng grew, and searched through the vast forest seas.

Every day, the team set out at first light, weaving through the woods against the biting wind and snow.

After sunset, they returned to windproof snow tents they had set up in advance to rest and recover.

The entire team neither pressed greedily onward nor slackened off.

Yet the amount of Snow Lingzhi and Snow Ginseng they had gathered was pitifully small.

Gu Dalong nervously explained the situation to Lin Mo.

"Um... the harvest is hard to keep consistent. There's nothing we can do about it..."

The commission was calculated by the day, and the client bore any profits or losses.

Judging by the current harvest, Lin Mo was suffering a pure loss.

Lin Mo did not mind much. He merely said they should do their best; there was still time, so there was no need to rush.

Gu Dalong's team was deeply moved upon hearing this.

This employer was far too considerate.

Gu Dalong silently made up his mind.

If the thirty-day employment period ended and they had still gathered little Snow Ginseng and lingzhi, he intended to refund part of the commission.

What Gu Dalong did not know was that Lin Mo had come to rack up survival days. Gathering lingzhi and Snow Ginseng was merely incidental.

Having survived continuously in the Icebound Forest for seventeen days, Lin Mo currently felt great.

As expected of a veteran expedition team, their ability to seek advantages and avoid danger was outstanding. They could avert many risks in advance, so his money had been well spent.

If he kept lying low for another thirteen days, he would receive the system reward.

Then he would become immune to frost and extreme cold, and would even gain a shield.

With that passive effect, his ability to protect himself would rise to another level.

During the remaining countdown days, Lin Mo calmly traveled with the group the entire time.

By day, he followed the team in gathering herbs and exploring the forest, familiarizing himself with the frozen terrain of the Northern Territory, observing the habits of various polar soul beasts, and collecting useful cultivation resources along the way.

Late at night, when all was quiet, he used the tent to block out the wind and snow as he quietly circulated his Soul Power to cultivate.

In the high-pressure environment of the Icebound Forest, the foundation of his Soul Power grew ever more solid, and he faintly showed signs of a breakthrough.

Gu Dalong was extremely anxious.

More than twenty days had passed, yet they had still harvested very little.

Unable to save face, he searched with increasing desperation.

Even when Lin Mo advised him that there was really... no need.

Gu Dalong decided to take a risk and head for the transitional zone between the inner and outer regions.

He remembered a hidden cliff there. Few people had discovered its environment, and there should be plenty of Snow Ginseng.

Lin Mo's subtle attempts at persuasion ultimately could not outweigh Gu Dalong's guilty conscience.

"Don't worry. That area is well hidden, and I've never seen high-level soul beasts wandering there," Gu Dalong said.

Lin Mo could only nod.

Led by Gu Dalong, the group passed through layers of ancient frozen trees, avoided several hazardous areas where the snow had collapsed, and finally reached the hidden cliff nestled between the mountains.

It was sheltered from the wind and faced the sun, while the cliff face blocked the frigid northern gale.

The snow on the ground was much thinner than in the woods, revealing dark brown frozen soil beneath.

Clusters of snow-white Ginseng Leaves grew across the dark frozen earth in layered spreads. Lingzhi dotted the cliffside, alongside many other unusual spiritual herbs, leaving the eye dazzled.

In an instant, every member of the expedition team revealed ecstatic expressions.

The frustration from their meager harvests was completely swept away at that moment.

Even Lin Mo was somewhat surprised.

The Icebound Forest had a place like this?!

So many spiritual medicines grew here. It looked like a treasure land.

Delighted, Gu Dalong immediately ordered everyone to carefully gather the herbs.

The group promptly scattered, crouching down to harvest with practiced, brisk movements.

Only Lin Mo stood at the edge of the cliff, his eyes narrowed as the unease in his heart grew stronger.

This place was simply too strange.

The entire Icebound Forest was fraught with danger. Low-level soul beasts roamed in packs, while high-level soul beasts lurked in hiding. Yet this stretch of cliff was terrifyingly quiet.

Along the way, they had not encountered even the most ordinary low-level creatures, such as Snow Mice or Ice Sparrows, let alone aggressive soul beasts. The deathly silence was abnormal.

Even more absurd was the arrangement of the spiritual medicines, which was far too orderly.

Snow Ginseng grew in staggered patches according to the terrain's elevation, while Snow Lingzhi dotted the cliff in neat layers. It lacked the disorder of natural wild growth and instead resembled a private herb garden that had been meticulously tended and cultivated.

Soul beasts were violent by nature and knew only how to plunder and Devour.

They would still chew on these spiritual medicines if they encountered them.

Besides.

Would soul beasts grow herbs?

Of course not.

That meant it was most likely a plot of land claimed and cultivated by human Soul Masters.

With such abundant reserves of cold-element spiritual medicine, following the logic of the cultivation world, there should have been restrictions set up and something left behind to guard it. It was impossible for these herbs to be left completely unattended.

Countless doubts circled through his mind.

Lin Mo narrowed his eyes and repeatedly scanned the surroundings, but he found no signs of human arrangements and sensed no aura fluctuations from high-level soul beasts.

Yet the more flawless this calm appeared, the more vigilant he became.

Gu Dalong and the others had long been overwhelmed by days of scarcity and the abundant harvest before them. They focused solely on picking herbs and had no time to notice the strange atmosphere around them.

Working quickly, they swiftly packed everything into bags.

"These wild Snow Ginseng plants are all quite old. I found several excellent ones that are hundreds of years old," Gu Dalong said as he ran over to share the good news with Lin Mo.

Spiritual medicines over a hundred years old were exceedingly rare outside and highly valuable.

"Do you think these look wild?" Lin Mo asked.

Gu Dalong froze.

Could it be...

"Pack up quickly and leave as soon as possible. We shouldn't stay here long," Lin Mo said.

Gu Dalong realized it as well.

He hurriedly went to notify the team members.

Lin Mo stood at the entrance to the cliff valley, observing the surroundings, including the sky.

He knew very well that there were no free lunches falling from the sky—only more traps.

At the same time.

Icebound Forest, Dragon Spine Snow Mountain.

Inside a hidden cliffside cave, all wind, snow, and cold from the outside world were shut out.

A hole in the ceiling admitted a faint scattering of light.

A childlike girl in a purple silk dress sat within. Her skin was white as snow, her features delicate and crystalline, and her long black hair was entwined with red satin ribbons. Yet beneath her clear, luminous purple eyes burned towering rage.

"Who's so bold that they dare steal the herbs I planted!"

She was the Ten-Thousand-Year Nine-Rank Ginseng King rooted in the Icebound Forest, only she had taken human form.

After ten thousand years of accumulated time, she had long since developed extraordinary intelligence.

Unfortunately, there were too many vile things coveting her body, so she had hidden in this Icebound Forest to cultivate in peace.

During that time, she had never actively provoked any creatures from the outside world. She planted Snow Ginseng, nurtured spiritual plants and materials, and raised them as though they were younger members of her own clan.

And now, someone had actually barged in and uprooted the Snow Ginseng she had planted.

Damn it, I've already hidden out here to avoid trouble, and they think I'm easy to bully?

A moment later, the corners of her lips slowly curved into a faint smile, sly and sinister.

Hidden amid her soft, childish features, that smile was not the least bit ferocious. Instead, it carried a hint of adorably wicked mischief.

"You like stealing, huh? Hmph, just wait for me!!"

Her soft, delicate childish voice echoed gently through the empty cavern, its sweet tone wrapped around the bone-deep chill of an ancient being that had lived for ten thousand years.

As her words fell, the slender, fair little hand of the girl in purple lifted gently, and a hazy strand of pale purple spiritual light swirled around her fingertips.

The Frost Dragon corpse that had lain dormant in the depths of the cave suddenly lit up with scarlet, icy radiance in its pitch-black eye sockets.