Lifting his eyebrow, Xiao Yan watched the Fairy Doctor with great interest as he said, "Did you get inside the cave?"
"No , the cliff is too steep. I cannot get in."
The Fairy Doctor glance at the Xiao Yan and said blandly, "I can share this secret with you but you better not have any ideas about trying to pocket it all. Otherwise, I will not allow you to smoothly obtain the things. Believe me, my strength may not be comparable with you but as a two star Dou Zhe, you cannot be considered to be strong within the entire Qingshan Town."
Seeing the seriousness on the Fairy Doctor's face, Xiao Yan smiled and teased, "Originally, I had intended to knock you out and go down myself. But seeing your confidence… to be on the safe side, I better dismiss this notion."
Hearing this, the Fairy Doctor snorted and threw Xiao Yan a cutting gaze. She did not expect that this person actually possessed such an idea.
"Do you want me to try now?"
Taking a step forward, Xiao Yan stared at the dangerous position of the strange branches before tilting his head and asked.
"Forget it. We have already been away from quite a while. If we do not return, Mu Li will become suspicious. The medicinal herb picking team will be staying at the Magic Beast Mountain Range for a night so why don't we come tonight?" Shaking her head, the Fairy Doctor voiced her thoughts.
While staring at Xiao Yan, she softly asked, "Your name?"
"Xiao Yan."
Without saying a word, the Fairy Doctor nodded, turned around and walked towards the dense forested area.
Watching the graceful figure slowly disappear into the shadows, Xiao Yan simply shrugged.
He turned around and once again threw his gaze at the barely visible cave entrance and excitedly waved his hands as knowing with this trip he will benefit a lot .
After a quiet laugh, Xiao Yan also turned around and headed towards the dense forested area.
By the time the pair had returned to the troop, they found that the resting mercenaries were already gathered and waiting.
"Fairy Doctor, if you were missing any longer, we would have sent people to look for you."
Seeing the Fairy Doctor walking out from the dense forested area, a figure hurried over. However, his footsteps paused when he noticed Xiao Yan appearing behind her. He asked with a smile, "Who is this young boy?"
"He's one of the mercenary guards. I coincidentally met him."
The Fairy Doctor replied nonchalantly before softly continuing, "Young Master Mu Li, let's get going. There's still some distance to cover before we arrive at our destination."
"Ke ke. Alright."
Mu Li nodded with a smile. He shifted his body and allowed the Fairy Doctor to pass. However, when Xiao Yan was walking past, he reached out his hand and halted him.
Pressing his eyebrows together, Xiao Yan tilted his head to eye the handsome looking young company master and asked with a smile, "Is something the matter, Young Master Mu Li."
"Hehe, I've no ill intention. You should be that young two star Dou Zhe, right? I've heard from my subordinates that your talent is great." With a smile, Mu Li slowly asked.
"I am merely lucky." Glancing at the seemingly warm smile on Mu Li's face, Xiao Yan replied.
"Do you have an interest in joining the Wolf Head Mercenary Company? Our Mercenary Company will give an outstanding talent like you preferential treatment. After all, one's life is always in danger in this Magic Beast Mountain Range." Mu Li laughed, his ten fingers crossing over each other.
Listening to Mu Li's obvious attempt to recruit him, Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and shook his head. He replied, "Haha, sorry. I will probably leave in some time so It's better to not join."
"Ke ke, it doesn't matter. Little brother, if you want to join mercenaries in the future, you can come find me anytime. The honored positions of the Wolf Head Mercenary Company will always be open to those who are strong." Hearing Xiao Yan's rejection, Mu Li smiled and waved his hand in a manner that showed his lack of concern.
With an apologetic face, Xiao Yan sidestepped Mu Li and hurried back into the skirmishers unit at the front.
Watching Xiao Yan hurriedly join the group, Mu Li's eyes narrowed. In the depth of his eyes, a faint coldness could be seen.
Evidently, Xiao Yan's rejection had aroused some anger within him.
"Little boy. I hope that you will not disrupt my plans. Otherwise, I don't care about your future achievements and will have you stay in this Magic Beast Mountain Range forever!"
Mu Li clenched his fist. Not only did his voice not contain the warmth earlier, it was actually filled with an evil chill.
After the mercenaries had a brief rest, they once again continued the journey. The route they took this time around was much quieter than the one earlier. Along the way, they were met with Magic Beast attacks twice but neither caused too much of a disturbance.
The group finally arrived at their destination just as the sky was gradually becoming darker. It was a sunken basin that was covered with numerous medicinal plants.
There were many different types of medicinal plants growing within the sunken basin. The medicinal aroma floated in the air, which upon being inhaled, would immediately give one a refreshed feeling.
"Everyone, let's set up camp here. Please be careful not to damage any of the surrounding medicinal herbs." The Fairy Doctor turned around and gently smiled to everyone as she wiped the perspiration from her forehead.
Hearing the Fairy Doctor words, the surrounding mercenaries immediately gave a loud response and began enthusiastically setting the tents.
Standing , Xiao Yan glance at the Fairy Doctor who had began instructing the medicinal herb gathering team on the unearthing of the medicinal plants before freely roaming around.
The basin was extremely wide and its internal terrain was something that even the 'Thousand Medicine House' had yet to fully explore. The current position that Xiao Yan and the others were occupying was the exterior lane of the huge basin.
Xiao Yan explored the edges but he did not find any medicinal ingredient that he required. He disappointedly shook his head and glanced into the pitch-black interior. After a brief silence, he finally chose to return.
When he had returned to the campsite, numerous white tents were already set up and the mercenaries were busying themselves with dinner.
The first thing he saw was the Fairy Doctor standing gracefully at the middle. By her side was Mu Li, who was following her closely. After few glares he moved to his tent.
The sun slowly descended behind the mountain and darkness encompassed the forest. The shadows of the leaves and branches intermingled and formed images of shadowy fierce beasts.
Following the darkening sky, the camp had also become quieter. Other than the mercenaries keeping watch, only the soft crackling of the firewood under the flame could be heard.
Under the quiet darkness, a tent suddenly moved slightly. A dark graceful shadow secretly exited and quietly escaped into the dark forest through a gap between the guards.
Not long after the black figure had left, another shadow exited from another tent and closely followed the former.
…..
The occasional wolf howl escaped from the dense forest, causing the mercenaries to shudder.
The two shadows a distance apart continued to walk briskly, steadily increasing their distance from the camp.
In the darkness, Xiao Yan lifted his head and with the help from the faint moonlight, stared at the graceful figure ahead of him. He chased after it, a faint smile on his face.
"The treasure hunt is about to begin…"
After a while on the precipitous cliff, two shadows appeared under the bright glow of the moon.
"Shall we start?"
Xiao Yan took a step forward to gaze at the pitch-black space beyond cliff before turning to smile and ask the Fairy Doctor who was clothed tightly in black.
Slightly nodding her head, the Fairy Doctor squatted down to pick up a few pieces of dry sticks before swiftly binding them together, forming two torches. She sprinkled some light yellow powder over them and then found a fire source to light the torches.
"Take this." Handing over the torch to Xiao Yan, the Fairy Doctor once again fished out a long rope and waved it at Xiao Yan, smiling while saying, "As a man, you won't let a weak girl like me be the vanguard right?"
Xiao Yan held up the torch and pulled at the rope with all his strength, after making sure that there were no problems with it. He then cast a glance towards the smiling Fairy Doctor, shook his head, and coolly replied, "Let us go down together, I can't be at ease if I trust my back to someone I have not known for long."
"You... do you really have no manliness?"
Being doubted by Xiao Yan made the Fairy Doctor feel indignant. Usually, the mercenaries she met were rather outspoken and straightforward, she rarely saw someone like Xiao Yan who was cautious even towards a weak girl like her who was only a Dou Zhe.
"I only have one life and I can't afford to gamble with it, acting like a hero in front of a beauty would put myself into danger... *chuckles*, might as well forget it." Xiao Yan ignored the Fairy Doctor, his tone remained as calm as water.
"You..."
"Still planning on going down? If there are any more delays, it would be morning." Xiao Yan slanted back his head as he smiled while asking.
"Go!" Gazing at Xiao Yan's repulsive smile, the Fairy Doctor could only grit her teeth and stamp her little feet hatefully.
With a faint smile, Xiao Yan tied the rope to a large and sturdy tree. Once more testing it with all his might before spreading his arms to gesture for the Fairy Doctor to enter his embrace, "Come here."
"I have my own rope, I don't need your help!" When she saw Xiao Yan's action, the Fairy Doctor abruptly stumbled back a few steps, her charming face flushing with shades of bashfulness and anger as she exclaimed.
"Alright then. You can go solo but I'd like to remind you that no one can guarantee that there will be no poisonous snakes, scorpions or mice... under the cliff." Xiao Yan nonchalantly smiled and said as he shrugged his shoulders.
"You bastard. You will definitely die a horrible death!"
A black shadow ferociously threw itself at Xiao Yan and the latter, extending out his palm, grabbed it with his hand. Taking a look, he saw rope the Fairy Doctor's dad in her her hand.
"If you dare to try any funny business, I will definitely poison you to death!"
In the wake of the Fairy Doctor's threat, a fragrant breeze blew towards Xiao Yan. Shortly, a soft and tender body crashed into his embrace.
The soft and tender body that crashed into his embrace felt like it also crashed into the bottom of his heart, causing his heart to tremble uncontrollably.
Sighing deeply, Xiao Yan pushed down the stirring fire in his heart. Xiao Yan reached out with his arm to wrap around the slim waist he had once praised as the highest quality. With both arms tightly drawing the soft and slender waist towards himself. He moved the
the tip of his foot lightly tapped off the edge of the cliff. The duo directly plunged into the pitch-black darkness that was under the cliff.
The violent gusts of wind assaulted their ears, stretching their clothes against their respective skins. Xiao Yan's left hand held onto the Fairy Doctor while the rope bound around his right hand abruptly pulled taut causing their rapidly dropping bodies to slowly become suspended in mid air.
After a while, Xiao Yan turned his head to look down at the Fairy Doctor who was hugging him tightly which caused him to smile. His gaze turned over the pitch-black surroundings, softly asking, "Can you tell where the position of the cave is?"
As she heard Xiao Yan asking, the Fairy Doctor finally eased the tenseness that had come about from the 'bungee jumping'. Her gaze swept all around as she muttered to herself before pointing towards one part of the darkness and softly saying, "It should be there..."
Xiao Yan gazed towards the direction the Fairy Doctor was pointing at, lightly nodding his head and reminded her in a low voice, "Hold tight."
At these words, the Fairy Doctor somewhat hesitated, however when Xiao Yan stepped off the cliff wall with the tip of his foot and their figures once again fiercely flung away, she hurriedly grabbed onto Xiao Yan's waist in alarm, burying her face into the his embrace
The tips of Xiao Yan's foot continued to move along the cliff wall and with the help of the pulling force from the rope, the distance between the duo and the cave lessened.
"Throw the torch over." Once again shortening the distance, Xiao Yan said in a low voice as he tilted his chin towards the dark spot in the distance.
"Oh." The charming face slightly nodded in understanding as the Fairy Doctor aimed at the dark spot and flung the torch in her hand towards it.
The torch was flung against the walls of the cliff as sparks splashed in all directions. Borrowing these meager lights, Xiao Yan managed to vaguely spot the hidden cave in the distance.
"Huu…." Seeing that they had almost arrived at their destination, Xiao Yan heaved a sigh of relief. Then the hairs all over his body suddenly stood up as a warning flashed across his mind. The tip of his foot pushed heavily off the cliff walls as Xiao Yan's figure shot outwards.
"Chi..." The faint sound of breaking through the air sounded across the night sky. Xiao Yan borrowed the light of the fire which had yet to go out to identify the thing which had made a sneak attack.
"Cliff Snake." Xiao Yan's shouted out this name .
Cliff Snakes, as their name implied, were snake type Magic Beasts which lived within rocky cliffs and was around rank one in terms of strength. This kind of Magic Beast utilizes its long, wing-like body to soar in the sky like a falcon; furthermore since this Magic Beast has a rock attribute, it's body is hard as rock and thus normal weapons would hardly be able to do any damage to it.
If he was to fight him on land he could have done something but he was in mid air while holding on to the Fairy Doctor, he could not possibly try to fight it.
"Cliff Snake? What do we do now?" Having heard Xiao Yan's shout, the Fairy Doctor's asked while trembling, she had also heard of information about this Magic Beast.
Xiao Yan squinted at the yellow Cliff Snake which spiralled in the air while glaring coldly at them with its triangular eyes. He muttered to himself for a moment before an idea suddenly came and he asked in a low voice, "Do you still have the powder that can cause people to lose consciousness?"
At this words, the Fairy Doctor's jet-black eyes spun, short after she nodded before fishing a bag of powder from her bosom and handing it over to Xiao Yan, and said, "This is all that's left, use it sparingly... "
Xiao Yan took the bag and poured everything into his hand before gripping tightly. He stared at the Cliff Snake which was about to start attacking.
"Chi..."
With another hiss, the Cliff Snake's narrow wings flapped. With an ominous glint in its eyes, it dived toward Xiao Yan. In its huge mouth, sharp fangs shined with a cold light.
Coldly gazing at the Cliff Snake which drew ever closer, Xiao Yan's gripped his fist tighter and tighter.
"Quickly attack it, idiot!" In his embrace, seeing that Xiao Yan had yet to make a move, the Fairy Doctor hurriedly urged him.
Ignoring her urgings, Xiao Yan maintained his silence, yet the Dou Qi within his body had already started to flow through his arteries and veins.
Eyes on the Cliff Snake which was already almost within ten meters of them, the Fairy Doctor clawed at Xiao Yan's back in anger, "Bastard, I'll be killed because of you!"
Just as the Cliff Snake was about ten meters from the duo, Xiao Yan finally made his move. His tightly closed fist suddenly opened and within his palm a violent Qi burst out, carrying the white powder. Like a white arrow, it smashed towards the Cliff Snake.
The white powder crashed against the Cliff Snake, suddenly exploding into a cloud of powder, engulfing the Cliff Snake within.
"Thud!"
A yellow figure struggled in the white powder for a moment before rigidly falling from the sky, heavily smashing into the deep valley.
Gazing at the Cliff Snake as it disappeared into the darkness, Xiao Yan finally sighed in relief.
Xiao Yan lifted his head to take a look at the white powder floating in mid air. Once again waving his palm, a violent Qi suddenly pushed forward, immediately sweeping through the air.
"I can't believe that you have other skills besides knowing how to bully women." Although Xiao Yan somewhat cheated in that fight, his calmness even in the middle of that dangerous situation could be clearly seen. Even the Fairy Doctor started to feel a new level of respect for him.
Smiling, Xiao Yan said :" what ? do you like my bulling skill ! want to get bullied again."
Fairy Doctor with red check quickly denied :"no no I was just joking."
Then Xiao Yan carried the Fairy Doctor in his arms while slowly descending to a spot just outside of the cave. As he gazed upon the cave entrance, he found it densely covered with rubble and the odd bits of wood.
Xiao Yan slowly opened his palm, taking in a deep breath, he shouted out in his mind: "Fire Palm!"
As the shout resounded in his mind, a huge pushing force gushed forth from the center of his palm. Like a gale sweeping through fallen leaves, it blew the piles of broken rock and timber into the pitch-black space between the mountains.
Having completed the task, beads of cold sweat appeared on Xiao Yan's forehead while his breathing also became somewhat hurried. Under the suppression of the pitch-black broadsword on his back, the amount of Dou Qi he could use was not even 60% of the Qi Vortex.
After panting slightly for a while, Xiao Yan cast his sight towards the now cleared cave entrance.
Now that the wood and rock wreckage was gone, borrowing the faint moonlight, Xiao Yan and the Fairy Doctor were finally able to catch sight of the cave which had been left behind by some predecessor.
The cave entrance was not very wide, at most it could only fit about two or three people at once. The cave was dark but one could notice a faint light from within, giving it a look of mysteriousness.
Around the entrance of the cave, there were many blade marks but perhaps because of the long passage of time, these blade marks were extremely faint. If it were not for Xiao Yan's keen eyesight, perhaps he would never be able to find them.
"We're finally here..."
Laughing with excitement, Fairy Doctor hugged Xiao Yan. With one last push off the cliff wall, the two figures flew across the air before finally landing steadily at the entrance of the cave.
After landing, the Fairy Doctor quickly separated herself from Xiao Yan's embrace before sizing up the cave entrance with a look of happiness on her charming face.
"Let's move and find out what kind of things we might obtain, I hope that they will not disappoint me."
Xiao Yan lightly smiled at the Fairy Doctor and fishing out a torch, he led the way into the pitch-black cave.
Gazing at the pitch-black interior of the cave, the Fairy Doctor was somewhat hesitant. A moment later she stamped her feet and gritted her teeth before catching up.