“Don’t… don’t misunderstand!”
“Explorer, please don’t misunderstand, we didn’t mean to follow you!”
“It’s just on the way, just on the way!”
Hearing Xiao Xiao’s words, Liu Jiu was startled and quickly waved his hands to explain. He didn’t want Ye Feng and Xiao Xiao to misunderstand that they had any ill intentions.
“This lighthouse is the only place to rest in the entire Black Marsh, and it’s the only relatively safe place at night!”
After a pause, Liu Jiu added.
“Lighthouse?”
Ye Feng turned his head and looked at Liu Jiu with some confusion.
“It’s like this….”
…
After listening to Liu Jiu’s explanation, Ye Feng immediately understood.
It turned out that the lighthouse was the name of the island-like place he was currently in, a very important temporary resting place for those who ventured into the Black Marsh.
Because the Black Marsh was vast, returning on the same day was almost impossible. And at night, the numerous fireflies would emit light, acting like a lighthouse guiding ships at sea for those who were accidentally trapped in the Black Marsh or explorers who failed to reach their destination before dark, hence the name…
Apart from this place, there was no other land in the entire Black Marsh… And the light emitted by the fireflies at night could reduce the number of monsters encountered…
As for why Liu Jiu and his group had worked so hard to follow him earlier, it was likely out of fear of encountering some monsters. Ye Feng couldn’t be bothered to pay attention…
Afterwards, Ye Feng found a spot, set up his tent, and filled a 1000L medium-sized water purifier with marsh water, preparing to take a good bath…
Xiao Xiao took out pots and pans, ready to cook.
Meanwhile, Liu Jiu and his group, not far from Ye Feng and Xiao Xiao, also began to set up camp and process the venomous marsh python.
“Hey, be careful when you cut, its blood is highly venomous!”
“Don’t worry, we’ve checked. The venomous marsh python’s outer skin has no wounds…”
…
The medium-sized water purifier was quite efficient. In a short while, Ye Feng had water for a bath.
…
“Splash splash splash~”
After a period of splashing water, Ye Feng happily took a bath. Xiao Xiao had already prepared the crucian carp and put it in a pot to stew, and the salted rice beside it was also steaming.
“Explorer!”
As Ye Feng walked towards the tent, Liu Jiu approached him.
“Something wrong?”
Ye Feng looked at Liu Jiu inquiringly.
“Explorer, it’s like this, the gallbladder of the venomous marsh python is excellent for treating fire poison, especially the smoke-like fire poison that attacks internal organs and the fire-attribute arcane energy that penetrates the body!”
“My subordinates just finished skinning and cleaning the venomous marsh python and extracted its gallbladder intact. I’ve brought it to you!”
Saying that, Liu Jiu handed Ye Feng a gallbladder the size of a cow’s heart, green all over, with a thin membrane on the surface.
“Phew~ It’s so fishy!”
Even though Ye Feng was still a meter or two away from Liu Jiu, he could still smell the pungent fishy odor emanating from the gallbladder.
“Explorer, the gallbladder is always like this… Perhaps I should dry it for you first….”
“The essence of the gallbladder’s detoxification properties is all inside anyway…”
Liu Jiu glanced at the campfire already burning at their camp and asked.
“Mm, alright!”
Ye Feng nodded. It was always good to have something to detoxify.
“But speaking of which, are you planning to eat that marsh python? Its blood is highly venomous!”
Ye Feng asked doubtfully, looking at Liu Jiu’s companions who were cutting up the venomous marsh python with knives in the distance.
“No trouble, no trouble~”
Liu Jiu said with a smile, “The blood of the venomous marsh python is indeed poisonous, but it’s essentially protein. It can also be eaten when cooked, and it tastes even better. Just don’t let its blood get into any wounds…”
“Uh, okay~”
Ye Feng nodded.
…
At dinner time,
Ye Feng and Xiao Xiao were eating dried meat and salted rice, drinking delicious crucian carp soup, when suddenly, Liu Jiu brought over several skewers of grilled snake meat.
Although the grilled snake meat was fragrant, Ye Feng still waved his hand. They weren’t close, and he didn’t want to risk being poisoned!
“Then please enjoy!”
Liu Jiu understood Ye Feng’s concern and didn’t insist. He turned back and distributed the grilled snake skewers among his subordinates.
…
After dinner,
Night had almost completely fallen. Ye Feng and Xiao Xiao were taking a post-dinner stroll.
“Big brother, it’s fireflies, they’re so beautiful!~”
Perhaps girls liked shiny things, Xiao Xiao was very happy watching the scattered, twinkling lights appear around them.
More and more fireflies appeared, their flickering lights enveloping the entire small island, truly like a twinkling lighthouse in the dark marsh.
“Indeed~”
Ye Feng was in a good mood and simply lay down on the grass, quietly admiring the beauty of the fireflies under the night sky, and finally fell asleep…
…
The next day,
As the sun rose,
“Explorer, here!”
The venomous marsh python’s gallbladder had been baked overnight and the moisture had evaporated. Liu Jiu then brought it to Ye Feng.
“Thank you!~”
Ye Feng thanked him and took the gallbladder.
…
After breakfast,
“Sigh~ This is tricky. If we take a detour, we might not be able to get out of this swamp before dark!”
“There’s no other way. The previous path is now swarming with energy-absorbing water monkeys… and gargoyles…”
“Indeed, who knows how many explorers have died there…”
…
“Hmm? Gargoyles?”
As Ye Feng and Xiao Xiao were packing up, preparing to move on, he suddenly heard Liu Jiu and his group discussing something not far away.
“Liu Jiu, were you just discussing gargoyles?”
Ye Feng couldn’t help but walk over and ask.
“Yes… Yes~”
Liu Jiu nodded, looking somewhat taken aback.
“Where are the gargoyles? How many are there?”
Ye Feng, who was already contemplating how to obtain precious spatial rift fragments, became interested upon hearing about gargoyles.
“It’s in that direction… As for the number… I’m not too sure. Some say there are many, some say only one or two…”
Although Liu Jiu didn’t know why Ye Feng was so excited upon hearing about gargoyles, he still answered.
“Oh, okay, thanks!~”
After speaking, Ye Feng gave Liu Jiu a small bread roll and then walked off in the direction Liu Jiu had indicated with Xiao Xiao.
“Uh… um… Explorer… are you going the wrong way?”
“That direction has extremely dangerous gargoyles and energy-absorbing water monkeys. And it’s a full moon today… They go berserk and attack indiscriminately…”
Seeing this, Liu Jiu immediately stepped forward to speak, and his companions all nodded.
Clearly, they all assumed Ye Feng was asking about gargoyles to avoid them.
“Oh, no, I’m not going the wrong way. I’m going to find the gargoyles!”
Ye Feng waved his hand gently, not stopping.
“This…”
Hearing Ye Feng’s words, Liu Jiu and his subordinates were stunned.
Who would willingly seek out gargoyles?
Watching Ye Feng and Xiao Xiao walk further away, Liu Jiu gritted his teeth and finally led his group to follow…
…