Chapter 67  : Gathering Of The Three Families

The mountain range extended out for miles and was connected to the foothill of another enormous mountain.

The Double Dragon Village was situated at the foothills of the Qi Mountain. The villagers collect and sell herbs and furs and whatever they could find in the mountain forests. The local people had received the news of the guest’s arrival ahead of time and therefore, when the fleet got there, the village elder had been waiting for them.

After knowing that they were about to set out on an expedition into the mountain, looking for a spring well, the elder ordered the best huntsman in the village to guide them through the woods.

“You are going to the Yin Dragon Pond?” The old hunter’s face paled after hearing where the guests were heading.

“Yes, do you know of that place?” Zheng Anqi’s eyes lit up with hope.

“Yes, but It was a forbidden zone” The old hunter shriveled a little and continued. “That area was closed off ever since my grandfather’s generation. Nothing grows around that pond, and the water is poisonous.

“But that was not the worst part, did you know there is a monster in the pond?”

“Monster?” Sir Jiang Junior snorted. Even the local elder refuted the hunter, “We live in the 21st century, not two hundred years ago. You need to make money for your son’s apartment’s down payment, don’t you? If you change your mind, many other people are willing to take the money.”

The old hunter named Zhu looked down hesitantly and was embarrassed.

After a few awkward moments, Mr. Shi finally broke the silence, “Your description is similar to that in my sect’s record. I think that is the place.”

Hearing Mr. Shi had confirmed the location of the pond, Zheng Anqi decided to move out right away.

Under the lure of the reward, Hunter Zhu finally gave in. He heaved a sigh had then followed the guests.

After lunch, the expedition team started their journey. The team comprised of Zheng Anqi, Sir Jiang Junior and his friends, Hunter Zhu and two of his sons, and Chen Fan and his companions.

As they walked deeper into the mountain, Master Wu furrowed his brows and said: “Master Chen, something is not right. Why do they still need us even after they have found a guide?”

Both Master Wu and A’Xiu had been initiated as Chen Fan’s disciples, and therefore, they started to call Chen Fan, Master Chen.

Chen Fan linked his hands behind his back and walked nimbly on the treacherous mountain path. He said: “She never believed me. My accent is from Jiang Bei, but I had told her that I am from the mountains. She is not stupid.”

Master Wu’s face flushed red for having grossly underestimated the ability of Miss Zheng.

“They wanted us to travel with them because they don’t want us to spread the news of their mission.” Chen Fan said readily.

“However, I am still not sure what they are looking for in the Yin Dragon Pond. Mr. Shi was the only cultivator in their group, but he clearly had an affinity with the wood element. Are they going to kill the Yin Snake and use its flesh as medicine for her dying grandfather? No, that doesn’t make sense.”

He pondered on. Suddenly, he asked as he rubbed his chin: “Could it be that there is some kind of Numinous treasures inside the pond that I am not aware of?

“That does make sense. In places with so much concentration of Qi, more often than not there is a Spirit Medicine or numinous treasures guarded by cryptids. I think that is what Mr. Shi after.”

Chen Fan’s eyes flashed as realization finally dawned upon him.

He was able to make over a hundred Spirit Pills from one lesser grade Spirit Herb; the sky was the limit as to what he could do with a real Spirit herb.

So thinking, Chen Fan picked up his speed.

The old hunter estimated that they are looking at two to three days of hiking in the mountain. Therefore, before sunset, the group pitched tents and prepare for the night.

Zheng Anqi and Mr. Shi had brought over a dozen bodyguards with them, and therefore they didn’t have to do anything.

The bodyguards pitched half a dozen tents and started a fire. They brought out some dry ham and jerky and started preparing supper.

Soon the fragrance of meat spread out through the entire campsite. Some of the bodyguards were experts in wilderness survival and were exceptionally talented in making camping food.

Soon, Zheng Anqi called out to Sir Jiang Junior and Hunter Zhu to join her for dinner.

However, she had intentionally ignored Chen Fan and his companions.

“Master Chen, what an asshole!”

Master Wu’s belly growled as he hungrily inhaled the delightful smell of meat in the air.

A’Xiu was starving as well. However, she didn’t even glance toward the food.

Chen Fan sat cross-legged on a large flat rock. He slowly opened his eyes and looked toward Zheng Anqi. Although he didn’t seem to pay any attention to him, Sir Jiang Junior’s shifty eyes glanced at him as he gloated over his hunger.

He had been waiting for this moment for the entire day.

Chen Fan and two of his companions didn’t bring any food with them, so they brought it onto themselves.

Chen Fan shook his head.

He had come prepared.

Unlike in the city where food was abundant, one would have to either bring their own food or hunt for it in the wilderness. In the eyes of Zheng Anqi, Chen Fan and his company were city dwellers and had no survival abilities in the wilderness. She wagered that it was only a matter of time before Chen Fan came begging for food.

“Luckily, I came prepared.”

Chen Fan said as he produced two pills from a bottle and gave it to Master Wu and A’Xiu.

As soon as A’Xiu and Master Wu swallowed the pills, they felt a gush of fresh energy surge inside of them, charging up every cell in their body. Soon, the pores on their skin opened up as steam rose from them. The sensation was as comfortable as it was satisfying.

One Essence Gathering Pill could provide enough energy for a human body for ten days.

In addition, it has the marrow washing effect that quickly expelled the nefarious elements in one’s system. It was particularly beneficial for cultivators since these pills were able to help them to recharge their True Essence rapidly.

“Master Chen, is this the so-called Spirit Pills?” Master Wu slowly opened his eyes and held a significant improvement in his power.

“Yes, and stop talking. Just sit down and do as I say.”

Chen Fan closed his eyes and delivered cultivation instructions to his disciples using his arcane energy.

As soon as A’Xiu and Master Wu heard Chen Fan’s voice in their minds, they quickly sat down and closed their eyes as instructed.

“What are they up to?”

Zheng Anqi asked as she noticed the strange behavior of the three sitting on the rock.

“They are resting, trying to conserve their energy. I have to say that this kids got a backbone.” Sir Jiang Junior shook his head as he said.

“Well, let’s see over the next few days. They will have to come and beg our lady sooner or later.”

The leader of Zheng Anqi’s bodyguards grunted.

Afterward, the group switched topics and quickly forgot about Chen Fan.

However, Mr. Shi remained suspicious of the three’s strange behavior: it was as if they were cultivating. According to Dao Sect’s theory, there was no better time to cultivate than when one was in starvation. It was easier to gather energy in one’s system and form the Internal Energy.

After a couple of hours, the fire went out, and everyone went back to their own tent to sleep.

The next morning, the group found Chen Fan and his companions were still sitting cross-legged on the rock. However, they didn’t attract too much attention as everyone was busy taking down the tents.

Chen Fan didn’t open his eyes until the group was about to set off again.

A’Xiu felt a rush of exhilaration like she had never experienced before.

After one night’s cultivation, she had finally reached the entry level the same level as Wei Ziqin. The internal energy flowed inside of her lent her resolution in continuing her cultivation.

“I must follow Master Chen closely, and one day, I will prove myself worthy of becoming his official disciple.”

Despite the calm and lighthearted look on Master Wu’s face, his heart was filled with emotions.

After one night of cultivation under the correct guidance, he had made more progress than three years of hard work.

“Incredible! Master Chen is a human yet his skill is on par with an immortal!”

Suddenly, he felt lucky for the run-in with Chen Fan. His defeat by Chen Fan turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

With the help of the old hunter, the group pressed on without many difficulties. The lack of challenge brought out contentment, soon, Zheng Anqi and Sir Jiang Junior even started to treat the expedition as a leisure field trip. They were supposed to finish the journey in two days, but it had taken them three.

All the while, Sir Jiang Junior was perplexed by the fact that Chen Fan and his companions had survived seemingly without eating anything.

He was convinced that Chen Fan had picked fruits and wild berries when the group was not paying attention. Otherwise, he could not have survived.

On the third day, they finally reached the edge of Yin Dragon Pond. Something had spooked Hunter Zhu, and he refused to go any further.

However, no one listened to him.

As Zheng Anqi and Mr. Shi rushed toward the Yin Dragon Pond with excitement, Chen Fan stood on a small hill and looked toward the pond. He noticed a heavy mist of Yin Energy that loomed above the pond which confirmed his suspicion that this pond was a sacred land of cultivation for Yin Element cultivators.

Suddenly, a wave of loud and distressed clamors rose from the direction of the pond.

“Let’s go and take a look.”

Chen Fan furrowed his brows and hurried to the pond.