When Su Muqing got up, breakfast was already prepared. Seeing her approach, Lu Yuzhi walked towards her. He still had a slight limp when walking, but his expression showed no discomfort, suggesting his leg was likely fine.
However, Su Muqing still went through the motions, asking and checking him. "Brother Lu, does your leg still hurt a lot?"
Lu Yuzhi stood still, allowing her to examine him. "No, it doesn't hurt at all anymore. It's just that sometimes I still can't put my full weight on it. I'll practice a bit more later; once I get used to it, it'll be fine."
"That's good! I see the fracture is healing well. You still need to be careful not to move too abruptly." After giving her instructions, everyone sat down to eat breakfast.
After finishing their meal, Lu Yuzhi practiced in the space for several hours. They didn't emerge from the space until seven in the morning, when the sky outside had fully brightened.
This time, she decided not to keep anyone, not even the dog or the bear, alone in the space. It was only yesterday that Lu Yuzhi and the others had told Su Muqing that it wasn't just loud noises in the space that made her uncomfortable. If she was injured or in danger outside, those within the space would also experience immense suffering.
While the discomfort was perhaps manageable before, it had become increasingly severe recently. The space existed within her sea of consciousness, implying a mutual impact each time.
After discussing it, they decided that it was best for everyone to act together from now on. They would avoid seeking refuge in the space unless absolutely necessary, as it could prove even more dangerous!
Looking at the rushing water ahead, Su Muqing had everyone put on life jackets. Even the big black bear was quickly fitted with an extra-large one. This was the only path down the mountain, so they were in for another wild river rafting adventure.
The big black bear, covered in foam, led the way. This not only helped it float but also made it more resistant to collisions. Lu Yuzhi and Su Muqing, with the little milk bun, sat in the middle raft. Leng Ren and Leng Feng, with Fei La, took up the rear in the last raft.
Each of them was secured with a safety rope, about a hand's width wide, ensuring they wouldn't be separated. The immense impact force of the current would also prevent the ropes from injuring them.
Su Muqing hovered in mid-air and, at the widest point of the current, forcefully pushed them forward. The black bear plunged into the water with a "splash," creating huge waves. Immediately after, the two rafts trailing behind it landed steadily on the water's surface. She landed on the middle raft and quickly fastened the safety rope.
The black bear spun in the water ahead, causing the rafts behind it to circle as well. It thrashed for a while before stabilizing itself, then quickly swam forward.
Although no one fell out, the feeling of bobbing around in the water was incredibly unpleasant. Su Muqing, who never used to get carsick, felt a lump in her throat. The others were even worse off, their faces pale as they endured the queasiness in their throats.
The only one unaffected throughout the entire ordeal was the big black bear happily swimming ahead. It lay comfortably on the foam, propelled by the current. It would occasionally kick with its hind legs or push with its front paws, clearly having figured out how to avoid obstacles in the water.
Lu Yuzhi and Su Muqing exchanged glances, both looking rather unwell. They wanted to say something, but ultimately, neither spoke. Suddenly! They both turned around sharply and leaned over the edge of their raft, vomiting profusely. Even in this state, they each kept one hand steadying the little milk bun in the middle.
The raft was already spinning as it moved with the current, and they were essentially spinning as they vomited. The nauseating scene was unimaginable for Leng Ren and Leng Feng, who were already seasick. They finally couldn't hold it in any longer, following the actions of those in front, and leaned over their raft with Fei La, vomiting.
It was truly a fragrant rafting experience!
They drifted downstream in this winding manner for over ten minutes. Suddenly, the black bear, which had been swimming freely moments before, changed direction and desperately paddled in the opposite direction. It then clung tightly to a large rock, refusing to let go.
Noticing something was wrong ahead, Leng Feng pulled tightly on the raft connected to Lu Yuzhi and the others with one hand, and with the other, he flung out a steel-clawed chain, firmly grasping a nearby rock. This brought both rafts to a halt.
Su Muqing unfastened her safety rope and flew forward to investigate. It turned out there was another large drop-off below, which appeared to be the last water channel.
How could this be? Wasn't it said that after crossing this mountain, they would reach Wanfeng Country? Why was there so much water below? She flew back and brought Lu Yuzhi and the others to shore. Then, she flew down alone to scout.
After flying down along the edge of the drop-off, she discovered that the land was actually on the left. However, a section of the mountain protruded, obscuring it, thus creating a visual discrepancy.
Having scouted the location, Su Muqing quickly returned. Now, they needed to find a way to descend from the left. If they continued by water, there was a high probability of being swept out to the center of the sea, which would be very troublesome!
When Su Muqing returned, she found that the black bear had already started eating. She looked closely and exclaimed, "Ah! There are so many bright yellow oranges and pomelos growing on this mountain! I didn't even notice them earlier."
Leng Feng stood in a tree, constantly throwing oranges down. The black bear jumped up to catch them, then threw them into its mouth. On the other side, it held a large pomelo. Lu Yuzhi, seeing her return, quickly handed her a peeled orange.
Su Muqing didn't stand on ceremony and put the orange offered to her directly into her mouth. Mmm, it was sweet and sour, and tasted surprisingly good! She assumed that this particular soil and climate were very suitable for growing such fruits.
Following the principle of not letting good things go to waste, she transplanted all the pomelo and orange trees in this area into her space. This way, she could enjoy delicious and fresh fruits anytime in the future without spending money. Once everyone was settled, she could propagate these branches through cuttings, creating another source of income.
The large expanse of surrounding forest was removed, leaving the area bare. This was another instance of an unintended success. It turned out that this spot led to a large slope leading down.
Su Muqing had initially wanted to get Lu Yuzhi a set of gliding equipment, but she remembered he had never used one before and his only guide would be the user manual. Moreover, he couldn't use his Qinggong (lightness skill) at the moment, and the mountain was steep and treacherous. If anything went wrong halfway, he might fall to pieces.
In the end, she had to resort to the most primitive method of descent – a grappling hook with a steel cable. Given the slope and height of the mountain, combined with a grappling hook and chain made of steel, the problem for Lu Yuzhi's skills was greatly reduced.
Su Muqing handed him a pair of climbing gloves. Then she had him hold the chain and slide down the mountain. To be safe, she would escort him from the side.
No sooner said than done! Lu Yuzhi secured the chain and began to descend the mountain step by step. Su Muqing carried the little milk bun on her back, facing her. She then collected Leng Ren and the others into the space and slowly descended along the chain.
"Muqing! Come quickly and see!" Lu Yuzhi exclaimed, his face filled with excitement, as if he had discovered something.
Su Muqing flew to his side and looked in the direction he was pointing. That fiery red object looked somewhat like a Lingzhi mushroom? How could there be such a large clump of it? No wonder the usually composed Lu Yuzhi was so visibly delighted this time.
Recalling the venomous snake that had guarded the ginseng last time, Su Muqing worried that the Lingzhi might also have some divine beast guarding it. Therefore, she was exceptionally cautious this time.
It would be quite troublesome if the little milk bun in her arms were to be harmed. She kept a vigilant watch, scanning in all directions. After waiting for a while without detecting any danger, she cautiously approached.
Indeed, there was a very large one. "One, two, three... nine!" There were nine large circles, said to be the finest Lingzhi. Nine-leaf Blood Lingzhi. And next to them were many tiny miniature Lingzhi.
Good heavens! This was another instance of her taking everything! Su Muqing felt a bit embarrassed to act.
An embarrassed Su Muqing didn't hesitate for long. She simply reached out and gently cut it from the root of the Lingzhi. She even preserved a small section, thinking it might grow again in the future! She shouldn't be too greedy and cut off its roots!
Just as she was about to put the Lingzhi into the space, a cry suddenly came from the sky! This sound, could it be the "Eagle soaring through the vast sky"?
Su Muqing turned her head to look, and indeed, it was the overlord of the sky. A massive eagle!
It first cried out to the sky, then aggressively swooped down towards Su Muqing. Damn it! Her predecessors weren't wrong; one really shouldn't casually make predictions! This eagle was clearly the guardian of the Lingzhi.
What rotten luck! Couldn't she have a peaceful time collecting rare treasures? Why did these obstacles always appear!
Su Muqing tossed the Lingzhi into the space, then quickly took down the little milk bun and placed it in Lu Yuzhi's arms. Just then, the eagle reached them.
Looking at the eagle soaring overhead, it was truly massive! Its wingspan must have been at least three to four meters wide. As it got closer, Su Muqing suddenly darted away, slipping through the gap and quickly flying upwards.
However, the eagle reacted swiftly and pursued her.
It turned out that those with wings and those without were on completely different levels when it came to flying. Even though Su Muqing exerted all her strength, the eagle quickly caught up to her.
Helpless, she had to weave up and down, left and right, changing directions constantly to evade the eagle's sharp talons!
Even so, her clothes on her back were torn in several places. Fortunately, she was wearing golden silk soft armor underneath, otherwise, her back would have been pierced today!
But this couldn't go on! Lu Yuzhi was still hanging on the middle of the cliff, and the little milk bun was on him. If something were to happen at this moment, she wouldn't have another chance.
As Su Muqing flew, she was also thinking of countermeasures. Suddenly, her right arm felt a piercing pain. She turned her head to look and was so startled that she blurted out, "Holy crap! When did you get here?"
It turned out the eagle had quietly changed direction and flown to her right side, pecking her forearm. This bird was truly cunning! Seeing that it couldn't tear through her back, it switched to the area where her equipment was thinner.
Looking at the deep wound on her arm from the peck, Su Muqing became a little angry. She had initially just wanted to lure the eagle away. Since this guy wanted a fight, she wouldn't be blamed for being ruthless!
Su Muqing lowered herself slightly, then stabilized and turned to face the charging eagle. Seeing that it had no intention of slowing down, she directly flung a wind blade at it.
The eagle probably didn't expect the thief who stole the Lingzhi to have other skills besides flying. Thus, when the wind blade came, it had no intention of dodging. As a result, the wind blade hit its right wing fiercely.
"Chirp!" A cluster of feathers fluttered down. The eagle, in pain, lost its balance. It cried out to the sky again and suddenly plummeted straight down. Halfway down, it flapped its injured wing forcefully and finally managed to fly up again.
Su Muqing thought that perhaps it wouldn't pester her anymore. But she didn't expect this eagle to be so stubborn! It had finally managed to fly again, and instead of thinking of escaping, it charged towards her once more. It seemed like it was prepared to fight her to the death!
What to do? Should she be ruthless? How many years would she be imprisoned for killing it? Su Muqing watched as the eagle got closer and closer, and directly flung a wall of wind blades to surround it. However, she left enough space in the middle to ensure it wouldn't be shredded.
The eagle, seeing the surrounding wind blade walls, decisively stopped in place and flapped its wings. Having learned its lesson, it had already suffered losses from these wind blades.
Soon, the eagle discovered that the area above was still open and was about to fly out from there. Su Muqing threw a bolt of lightning, creating an electric net above it. Although it didn't directly hit the eagle, the tips of its wings were still scorched by some minor currents.
At this point, it dared not make any further moves. It emitted rapid "chirp, chirp, chirp" sounds, which sounded like a plea for help.
As expected! It hadn't flapped its wings for long before Su Muqing saw its right wing beating slower and slower. Until finally, it could no longer flap at all, and the eagle fell straight down from within the wind blade wall.
Watching it fall, it tried several times. But it ultimately failed to fly up again. Seeing the eagle about to crash to its death, Su Muqing flung a gust of wind to lift it up. She then quickly used wide cloth strips to bind its wings and, carrying it, flew towards Lu Yuzhi.
When she painstakingly flew to the edge of the cliff, Lu Yuzhi and the others were nowhere to be seen on the mountain face. Oh no! Where did these two go? Had her crow's mouth prediction come true...
"Brother Lu! Brother Lu, where are you?" Su Muqing called out anxiously.
At this moment, Lu Yuzhi's voice came, "Muqing, we are here! Come quickly!"
Su Muqing, carrying the eagle, flew towards the source of the sound. She saw Lu Yuzhi holding the little milk bun, emerging from a cave and waving at her from a large rock that looked like a terrace.
She quickly accelerated her flight. The terrace was very spacious, and there were many nests made of dry branches inside the cave. It seemed this was likely the eagle's nest.
After landing, Su Muqing first released Leng Ren and the others. She had been injured and flailing about in mid-air earlier. Those in the space seemed to have been affected as well.
Looking at the pained expressions on Leng Ren and the other's faces, she knew they must have suffered again. The black bear lay on the ground, panting with its mouth open. Fei La stood on its back, gently stepping on it as if giving it a massage.
"Fei La, give us brothers a massage too," Leng Feng said, pulling Leng Ren to lie on the black bear's back. Fei La obediently stepped on a few spots here and there, also taking time to step on the black bear, truly giving everyone equal attention.
Lu Yuzhi didn't disturb the suffering brothers. He walked to the eagle's side and examined the massive animal before him. Looking at the wildness in its eyes, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. This was a true bird of prey!
Su Muqing secured the eagle's sharp talons and then tied up its beak. She then untied the wide rope that bound its wings.
This eagle was truly huge! Su Muqing measured its injured wing, and from the base of the wing to the tip was a full three meters and one meter. This was just on one side. She had previously guessed its entire wingspan was only three to four meters, showing how little she knew!
Looking at the big black bear lying on the ground, plus this eagle with a wingspan of over five meters, Su Muqing felt like staying on this mountain permanently. If she set up a farm here, relying on this "demon mountain's" inherent fattening skills, she would surely make a fortune!
Lu Yuzhi crouched down to help steady it, holding its thick and strong wings under its plumage. Even with his strength, he had to use both hands with full force to hold it down. This was with one wing injured. If both wings were intact, he might not have been able to subdue it.
Truly worthy of being the supreme ruler of the sky!
Su Muqing used her detector to examine the eagle's injured wing. The base of the feathers had severe external wounds, and a few bone structures within the flesh and skin had minor fractures.
Su Muqing crushed a blood replenishment pill and applied it to its external wounds. Then, using her healing spell, she helped repair the fractured areas for the eagle.
For birds like them, if their wings were severely injured, it was basically equivalent to losing half their lives, or even a declaration of death! Therefore, Su Muqing wanted to save its life!
After the treatment, Su Muqing stood up and massaged her legs. She muttered to the eagle, "You pecked my arm and tore my clothes. I cut your wing and burned a few of your feathers. This is considered a fair exchange! Although I took the Nine-leaf Lingzhi, I also saved your life. So, we're even now! From now on, we owe each other nothing. You fly your way, and we'll go ours."
Su Muqing flew to the top of the cliff and removed the steel grappling hook. She directly hooked it onto the large rock on this platform. She had just discovered that from this position, there were footholds not far apart. The entire area was like a stone staircase crafted by nature. The furthest distance between footholds was only about ten meters, which for someone with martial arts skills, meant they could even jump down without a rope, using their bare hands.
Like Fei La right now! It easily jumped to the next protruding stone ledge and then jumped down step by step. The black bear was the second to descend. Leng Ren and Leng Feng waited for Lu Yuzhi to set off and then followed closely behind.
Seeing that they had all left, the eagle flapped its wings vigorously. Su Muqing stepped forward and said to it, "I'll send them down first, and then I'll come back up to untie you!"
After saying that, she leaped off the platform with the little milk bun in her arms, following Lu Yuzhi's pace as they quickly descended the mountain. The path down was certainly faster than the path up! After descending tens of steps on the naturally staggered stone stairs, everyone safely landed at the foot of the mountain.
At the foot of the mountain was a winding small river, and opposite it lay a stretch of grassland. The vicinity also resembled a forest, but the environment was much better than the primeval forest on the other side. There was plenty of sunlight, and the air was filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers. Occasionally, herds of deer and some unknown animals could be seen drinking water by the river.
Su Muqing took out some food and told Lu Yuzhi and the others to wait there while she went alone to the platform above to untie the eagle.
However, when she went up, she found the eagle locked in a fierce struggle with a python as thick as a water bucket and entirely black. But because its claws and beak were tied, it was clearly at a disadvantage in the battle.
Seeing that the python was about to bite the eagle, Su Muqing unleashed a bolt of lightning. The python sensed danger and twisted to dodge, but some of its body was still scorched by the electricity.
Although this python was incredibly large, its fighting technique was clearly far inferior to the one belonging to the Saintess of the Thousand Poisons Sect. After being attacked by Su Muqing, the python turned and moved towards her in a zigzag pattern.
However, its movement was incredibly difficult. This python likely had not developed intelligence. Despite being attacked several times, it stubbornly continued to slide in a zigzag pattern. With every step it moved, Su Muqing could predict it and hit it perfectly.
Finally, it seemed to realize something and, unexpectedly, used its tail to wrap around the eagle, which was standing by watching the fun, and began to constrict it forcefully. Seeing the eagle about to be injured again, Su Muqing became unhappy. She had just healed it, and the healing spell consumed a lot of her stamina!
Therefore, Su Muqing stopped focusing on driving it away and instead drew her weapon and charged forward. Dodging the python's gaping maw, she flipped over and rode on its body. Then, using her three-edged military dagger, she fiercely stabbed its tail. In just a few seconds, she stabbed it several times.
In pain, the python had no choice but to release the eagle. Su Muqing quickly cut the rope binding its claws and then dodged the python's enormous mouth. She rolled sideways to the other side and then stabbed it fiercely again.
The eagle, now freed, also used its sharp talons to fiercely scratch the snake's body. In no time, the python was covered in wounds, and even its thrashing tail was no longer as powerful as before.
Su Muqing flew up again and flung a wind blade at the eagle. Unexpectedly, it dodged sideways and cried out to her, as if asking, "Aren't we allies? Why are you attacking me?"
"I helped you cut the ropes, why are you dodging?" Su Muqing clearly didn't know the eagle was afraid of wind blades, so she jumped over again and used the three-edged military dagger in her hand to cut the ropes binding its mouth.
Next was the eagle's domain! It soared into the air and attacked the python with its talons and beak. In no time, the python was rendered completely helpless.
Finally, the eagle took advantage of the python's weakened state and grabbed it forcefully. As it thrashed, the eagle fiercely pecked the python's upper abdomen again. At this point, the python completely collapsed.
The eagle expertly used its talons to cut open the python's softest part. Then, it pulled out a dark blue object the size of an adult man's fist – the python's gall!
Su Muqing wasn't surprised that the eagle ate the snake gall. But the fact that this eagle actually carried the snake gall and placed it in front of her puzzled her greatly. Was this its way of showing gratitude for saving it earlier?