Catching Snakes

The weather was overcast and much colder than yesterday. When the strong wind from the north howled through the long canyon, carrying thick clouds and mist that flowed like a vast river, Yu Ci always felt as if he were by a magnificent great river, watching the gray-white waves crash and surge forward. His mood would instantly broaden and open up. Even his minor frustrations would be washed away.

When a person concentrates on one task, time always flies by, regardless of the outcome.

In the blink of an eye, Yu Ci had been in Sky Rift Valley for over half a month. The weather was getting progressively worse, and Yu Ci suspected that the first snow of the year might fall at any moment.

The work of collecting Fish Dragon Grass had come to a standstill, or rather, it hadn't yielded anything at all for the past half month.

It was only at times like this that Yu Ci understood how fortunate he had been to discover such a large "medicinal field" exclusively for Shrimp Whisker Grass and Fish Dragon Grass. Such a find was truly a matter of luck and opportunity.

In Sky裂谷, the Shrimp Whisker Grass had inevitably withered. This peculiar "medicinal" grass temporarily transferred its vitality to the host trees, leaving behind only dry stalks with no medicinal value. It would only recover in the spring of the following year.

At this time, the host trees for Shrimp Whisker Grass were relatively easier to find. Aside from evergreen trees, species of deciduous trees that shed their leaves particularly late were likely to be hosts for this type of "medicinal" grass. Experienced herb gatherers would mark these trees in anticipation of a bountiful harvest the following spring.

Yu Ci was doing the same thing, except he was focused on areas showing signs of large-scale parasitic growth. Only in such places could natural Fish Dragon Grass be born, which he could exchange for Good Deeds.

Everything would only become clear in the spring of the next year.

He was destined to spend this winter in Sky Rift.

As the strong wind passed, pushing the misty river far away, Yu Ci exhaled and slid down the cliff face. Just before his speed exceeded the danger limit, he grabbed onto a nearby, nearly dry tree branch. The branch groaned under the strain.

Yu Ci remained still. Before observing the clouds and waves, he had already confirmed the target's location. In a crevice of the cliff face ten zhang away, a "Hidden Skin" snake, entirely gray-brown, was hidden. This famous venomous snake of Sky Rift Valley had a small, conspicuous protrusion on its triangular head. It did not hibernate, possessed high aggression, and primarily hunted by ambush. Even a giant beast as large as an elephant would die instantly if bitten once; it was terrifying.

However, as Yu Ci stared at the venomous snake, his thoughts were not on the danger, but on the reward: "A 'Hidden Skin' snake molt, thirty merit points!"

Just as he had told old Daoist Yu Zhou, it wasn't only Fish Dragon Grass that could be exchanged for Good Deeds. Cultivators of the Li Chen Sect posted numerous messages each year seeking medicinal herbs and ores, many of which were located near Sky Rift Valley. Although most of these small, scattered items were only worth one or two, or three to five merit points, with anything exceeding ten being rare, they still added up to a considerable income if one could find them.

The "Hidden Skin" before him was one such example.

"Hidden Skin" snakes had long lifespans, with some reportedly living for over three hundred years. The secret to their longevity was believed to be their peculiar habit. This snake shed its skin twice a year. After shedding, it would bury the molted skin underground and then dig it up to eat during its next shedding. It was said that this was how they accumulated energy to complete the subsequent molting process, and so on, year after year.

Consequently, the snake molts of this snake also had significant medicinal value, especially those from "old Hidden Skins" that had lived for over two hundred years. Their molted skins were top-grade ingredients for pill refinement and medicine preparation, making them quite valuable. On the bulletin board of Tongde Hall, a sect disciple offered thirty Good Deeds as a reward for collecting such "old snake molts." The unit price was slightly higher than that of natural Fish Dragon Grass, making it the highest-paying Good Deed mission Yu Ci had undertaken.

The "old Hidden Skin" before Yu Ci, with a lifespan of at least two hundred and fifty years, was cunning and experienced. When it molted, it had moved from its usual habitat at a depth of two thousand zhang to this rock crevice only a hundred zhang from the valley rim, ensuring that no natural predators could detect its presence.

Unfortunately, its luck was extremely poor, as its every move had already fallen under the surveillance of the "Zhaoshen Map." Yu Ci had calculated the molting season for "Hidden Skin" snakes and had been observing its habitat with the Zhaoshen Map for some time. He had easily discovered this unlucky fellow's abnormal upward climb, and from that moment on, the fate of this "old Hidden Skin" was sealed.

The "old Hidden Skin" had found the area where it buried its molted skin. It twisted its body, using the small protrusion on its head to turn over the soil. It dug a full half-foot deep and finally found the snake molt, which had already turned a deep black color. Yu Ci stared at the display on the Zhaoshen Map, silently calculating:

"Including the snake molt, I've accumulated one hundred and forty merit points. The harvest is good, but I've found most of the obvious things. I might not have such opportunities later!"

With a sigh, Yu Ci initiated his attack. The ten zhang distance was covered with just a few points of contact on the cliff face. The "Hidden Skin," known for its alertness and sensitivity, only managed to twist its body before being cut in half by the sword energy emanating from the rock crevice.

Yu Ci ignored the struggling two halves of the snake's body and took out the Jade Medicine Hoe gifted by Ye Tu, widening the rock crevice, which was only two fingers wide. With a few rustling sounds, the crevice expanded to a foot wide. Yu Ci then reached in with the medicine hoe, preparing to hook out the snake molt.

Just then, his brow furrowed. The Zhaoshen Map, which had been illuminated before him, suddenly vanished. A moment later, the sound of flapping wings echoed from the clouds above.

"So fast!" was Yu Ci's first thought.

"It's this thing again!" was his second.

"Trouble has arrived."

By the time this thought arose, a scream descended from above: "My snake!"

Unexpectedly, the scream carried a childish tone, which greatly surprised Yu Ci. As he looked up, the airflow from the flapping wings brushed against his face, and the voice called out again, "You pay for my snake!"

The voice was tinged with tears.

The large bird circling above Yu Ci's head was something he had seen before; it was a Blood Vulture that lived in the valley, known for its ferocity and considerable strength. However, this Blood Vulture was clearly tamed, and Yu Ci was not unfamiliar with it.

Around the time he arrived in Sky Rift Valley, two controlled raptors had remotely monitored him. One was the eagle that had "greeted" him, and the other was the Blood Vulture before him. However, today, this creature was not here to monitor; there were people riding it, and not just one.

As the Blood Vulture completed its second circle, the person on top jumped off. One large and one small, the larger one carrying the smaller one, they descended as if weightless, landing on a protruding rock two zhang away.

Yu Ci sized up the newcomers. The older one had an ordinary face, was not tall, and appeared to be in his thirties or forties. He looked quite robust, and Yu Ci already knew that this person's cultivation was profound, far surpassing his own, reaching the intermediate or even advanced stage of Spirit 통, meaning he had already condensed a Yin God.

He had come to this firm conclusion because he had previously seen the spreading light waves within the person's skull in the Zhaoshen Map, which was a sign of achieving a Yin God. This experience was gained from the stewards Lu Yang and Kuang Zheng of Bai Ri Mansion and later confirmed through extensive practice at Zhixin Temple.

One must know that the difference between achieving a Yin God and not is as vast as the heavens and earth. Before condensing a Yin God, one cultivates dead strength, with cultivation deepening gradually over accumulated years. However, once a Yin God is achieved, the astonishing potential within the spirit and soul at the Hidden Consciousness level is rapidly unleashed, allowing one's cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds. In a short time, they can far surpass cultivators who have not yet condensed a Yin God.

Based on his recent experiences, Yu Ci dared to say he had over a seventy percent chance of winning against cultivators who had not condensed a Yin God. But against those at the intermediate stage of Spirit 통 or higher, he had no confidence at all.

As he sized them up, they were also sizing him up. When their gazes met, the newcomer cupped his hands:

"Greetings, fellow Daoist."

The newcomer appeared rough-featured, but his speech was amiable and unobjectionable. Yu Ci smiled and responded, "You are from the Wanling Sect, aren't you? Greetings."

Having been preempted, the newcomer paused, immediately realizing Yu Ci was not to be trifled with. He simply bowed again: "Cheng Rong from Wanling Sect. May I ask your honorable name?"

"Please, I am but a lone cultivator, Yu Ci. Greetings, Daoist Cheng."

While speaking courteously, Yu Ci couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. When he had inquired for information earlier, the name Cheng Rong was not exactly thunderous, but it was certainly familiar. This person's status within the Wanling Sect was similar to that of powerful stewards like Kuang Zheng of Bai Ri Mansion; his position was quite elevated.

When someone of this caliber personally appeared, it meant trouble, if not already trouble. Moreover, there was a little one beside him, glaring at him with puffed-up cheeks.

The so-called little one was actually a delicately carved little girl, with her hair tied in two braids. She was only about six or seven years old, wearing a lake-green shirt that made her skin appear like fine jade. At this moment, her clear eyes were misty, making her look even more adorable.

Yu Ci smiled as he looked at her, "And this little one is..."

"This is..."

"Shi Xin!"

The little girl didn't want anyone else to answer for her and responded loudly. Then, she impatiently declared Yu Ci's crime: "You killed my snake, you pay me!"

"Your snake? You raised it?" Before understanding Cheng Rong's intentions, Yu Ci didn't mind bickering with the little girl for a while. He asked with amusement, "I didn't see any collar or anything on it."

"This is my snake!"

The young girl from the Shi family emphasized again, quite righteously, "I cast the 'Soul Tethering Curse' on this 'Hidden Skin.' I was waiting for it to lead me to snake molts, but you killed it without asking any questions. Compensate me!"

"Ninth girl, don't be rude to your elders."

Cheng Rong stopped Shi Xin's pestering and then smiled at Yu Ci, saying, "This is the youngest granddaughter of our Sect Master. She's ranked ninth and is usually spoiled. She doesn't know her place, so please don't take offense, fellow Daoist."

The little girl was reprimanded and drooped her head dejectedly, no longer speaking. When Yu Ci heard the girl announce her name earlier, he had guessed she must come from an extraordinary background. Now that it was confirmed, he chuckled, feeling a bit surprised. Lu Yang, the head steward of Bai Ri Mansion, held a position within the mansion perhaps even higher than Cheng Rong's in Wanling Sect, yet when facing the grandnephew of Jin Huan, he wasn't as stern yet intimate as Cheng Rong.

Both being important officials from outside the main family, this difference was likely due to upbringing on one hand, and on the other, Cheng Rong's identity was probably also different from ordinary people.