The next day, Lin Xiao Tian woke up early.
“Why are you up so early? Where are you going?” Qin Yu Xiang asked sleepily.
“To the mountains to gather herbs.”
“To the mountains? Where to? Black Mountain?” Qin Yu Xiang fired off a series of questions.
“Yes, Black Mountain!”
Qin Yu Xiang, who had been groggy, instantly sobered up.
“Are you crazy! Black Mountain is so dangerous, I won’t allow it!”
“Don’t worry! I’ll be fine.”
“But…”
Before Qin Yu Xiang could finish, Lin Xiao Tian covered her mouth.
“Don’t you trust me? Even for your sake, I wouldn’t take risks!”
Looking at the confident man before her, Qin Yu Xiang was somewhat convinced.
“I’ll be back before lunch.” Lin Xiao Tian patted Qin Yu Xiang’s head and then nimbly got out of bed.
The reason Lin Xiao Tian wanted to leave so early was that the herb he was looking for this time was quite special.
Chang Sheng Cao, the Longevity Grass.
Under normal circumstances, it was just an ordinary herb, not even really considered an herb, merely a common wild grass.
But in the early morning, especially before sunrise, it was a completely different plant.
At this time, the Chang Sheng Cao had absorbed enough essence of heaven and earth. Its medicinal properties could even rival that of ginseng, known for prolonging life.
However, Chang Sheng Cao was too rare and had various requirements for its growing environment. Lin Xiao Tian only judged that Black Mountain possessed such growing conditions, but he couldn’t guarantee whether this herb could actually be found there.
“Then come back early, I’ll be waiting for you.” Qin Yu Xiang was very understanding. Since Lin Xiao Tian had said so, she didn’t pester him anymore.
Lin Xiao Tian kissed her forehead and then left the room.
It was not yet dawn. For most people, going up the mountain at this hour would be difficult even with a flashlight, let alone Lin Xiao Tian who carried nothing.
But Lin Xiao Tian had practiced a technique for his eyes. What others couldn't see, he could see clearly.
However, this technique required the use of his Qing Qi, which was very draining for Lin Xiao Tian.
The morning mist in Black Mountain, although somewhat weakened, was still strong.
An ordinary person entering at this time would likely never return.
Lin Xiao Tian circulated his internal energy to resist the intrusion of the miasma, while on the other hand, he carefully searched for places where Chang Sheng Cao might grow.
Time ticked by. After searching for a long time, he still found no clues.
Chang Sheng Cao could only be identified at this time. If the sun came out later, even if it was right at Lin Xiao Tian's feet, he wouldn't be able to find it.
Just as Lin Xiao Tian thought he might have wasted the trip today, a mountain cave in the distance caught his attention.
Few people ventured into Black Mountain, so everything here was unfamiliar to Lin Xiao Tian.
Lin Xiao Tian walked up to the cave and took a close look. The next moment, he was a little surprised.
“This… someone has been here?”
He saw a buried campfire. Only humans could do such a thing.
Moreover, judging by the traces at the scene, there was more than one person.
But in a place like Black Mountain, how could someone stay here for so long?
Since he probably wouldn't find Chang Sheng Cao today, Lin Xiao Tian decided to go and meet these people.
Perhaps thinking that no one would come to this place, these people had not made any effort to hide their tracks.
Lin Xiao Tian followed the traces.
Soon after, the commotion ahead caught his attention.
“It sounds like… an argument?”
Lin Xiao Tian quietly climbed a tree and looked into the distance.
He saw two men and two women ahead.
One pair of them, a man and a woman, appeared to be older, around forty years old. However, their skin was well-maintained. Lin Xiao Tian observed them with his Qing Qi and found that they actually had internal energy flowing within them.
The other pair, a man and a woman, were about Lin Xiao Tian's age. Like the middle-aged couple, they also had internal energy flowing through them, but their internal energy was much weaker in comparison.
“Yang Xin, if you’re scared, you don’t have to go. Let Aunt Xue stay with you. I’ll go in with Uncle Zhao, so you won’t be so timid all the time.”
The speaker was the younger man, handsome, with strikingly yellow hair.
“Don’t try to provoke me, Yang Lin. Have you forgotten what Grandpa told us? We just need to get the Chang Sheng Cao this time, there’s no need to do anything extra. This is Black Mountain, if anything happens, no one can save us.” The young woman retorted.
“What’s there to be afraid of? We have pills to deal with the miasma, what problems could we encounter here?” The young man looked at her dismissively. “If you don’t want to go, fine. I’ll go alone. When it’s time to claim credit, I’ll be merciful and add your name to it.”
“Merciful?” The young woman gritted her teeth, angry. “I don’t think that’s necessary. Keep it to yourself!”
The young man snorted and ignored her, walking further inside.
The middle-aged couple exchanged glances. The man eventually followed Yang Lin, while the woman stayed behind to protect Yang Xin.
Listening to their conversation, Lin Xiao Tian was surprised.
“Chang Sheng Cao?”
“I didn’t expect them to know about this thing too?”
Chang Sheng Cao was not widely documented in ordinary medical texts. Lin Xiao Tian had only come across it in the Shen Nong Yi Dian (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica). The fact that these people knew about it clearly indicated that their identities were unusual.
However, based on their conversation, it seemed they had already found the Chang Sheng Cao.
He wondered how they found it.
Lin Xiao Tian really wanted to ask them where they found it.
Just as he was thinking this, a scream suddenly came from afar.
“Ah…”
The sound came from Yang Lin.
Unexpectedly, Yang Xin’s casual remark had come true.
“Oh no! Something has really happened!” The middle-aged woman’s brows furrowed, and she hurried inwards.
But before she could take a few steps, a piercing sound came from deep within the jungle.
Hiss…
The next moment, a white snake head appeared before them.
Lin Xiao Tian was stunned.
It was actually a white giant python!
Moreover, most ordinary pythons lay on the ground due to their bulky bodies.
But this giant python could stand up like a cobra!
Lin Xiao Tian estimated its current height to be at least two meters!
If its length was included, it was at least five to six meters long!
The white python flicked its tongue. In front of it stood Yang Lin, his face full of terror.
“What do I do? I’ve been bitten, I’m poisoned!” Yang Lin yelled.
“Where is Uncle Zhao?” Yang Xin, still somewhat rational, asked urgently.
“Uncle Zhao! Uncle Zhao… he was eaten!”
“What?” Yang Xin’s heart sank.