Chapter 650 - 649: Gathering Medicinal Herbs
After walking less than a hundred meters, they saw that the mountain path ahead was overgrown with weeds taller than them, along with many vine plants.
Chen Tianlong chuckled bitterly. He had anticipated this, but didn’t expect to encounter it so soon. It seems that reaching the mountain summit might take more than two hours, probably even longer.
However, before they came here, they had already prepared for an overnight stay. Jiang Yufan had packed a set of clothes, some dry food, and a bottle of water.
The two of them took out the sickles they brought and started clearing the obstacles ahead. Fortunately, the vegetation wasn’t too dense, and they managed to clear it in no time, continuing their journey.
After walking for more than an hour, a spacious mountain path suddenly appeared ahead, almost devoid of any vegetation, as if frequently used by someone.
However, Chen Tianlong observed carefully and found that the freshest footprints were not human but belonged to wild beasts.
This indicated that besides the Qilin Beast, many wild beasts often came and went here. Based on Chen Tianlong’s keen sensing power, he felt something was amiss. It should be late winter, early spring when the air is chilly, and it should get colder as they ascend.
But he clearly felt the temperature getting hotter. What did this imply?
Suddenly, an idea struck Chen Tianlong, and he hurriedly said to Jiang Yufan beside him, "By the way, Yufan."
"Hmm?" Jiang Yufan immediately looked at Chen Tianlong and responded, waiting for his question.
"Do you know what attribute the Qilin inside Qilin Mountain possesses?" Chen Tianlong asked directly.
"Huh? Attribute? Oh, that." Jiang Yufan thought for a moment, recalling something, then said, "I seem to remember that the injured villagers from back then all mentioned burn marks on their wounds. As for the specific attribute, I’m not quite sure."
"Burn marks?" By this point, Chen Tianlong was almost certain that the Qilin here was the Fire Qilin.
Normally, it wouldn’t use fire to attack the villagers unless it was enraged. It was likely that the villagers posed no threat or were too weak to provoke the Fire Qilin into action.
If that were the case, it would neatly explain Chen Tianlong’s theory. He suspected that up ahead was the Qilin Cave. Since it was a Fire Qilin, the surrounding air would be filled with fire attributes, naturally making the temperature much higher than at the mountain’s base. That’s why Chen Tianlong felt the heat.
"Chen Tianlong, did you discover something?" Jiang Yufan was a sharp girl. Seeing Chen Tianlong asking such a question, she knew he must have noticed something.
"Hmm, if my guess is correct, this Qilin King should be a Fire Qilin." Upon saying this, Chen Tianlong felt a bit troubled. If it really was a Fire Qilin, it would indeed be difficult to deal with an attribute-bearing Spirit Beast.
If the Fire Qilin was a Spirit Beast, along with its fire attribute attacks, it would essentially be invincible.
Moreover, in addition to a strong attack power, fire attribute attacks are even harder to approach.
"What? Fire Qilin, wouldn’t that be tough to handle?" Jiang Yufan was stunned too, never expecting such a bad start. It was already hard to deal with a Qilin Beast, and now they had to face a Fire Qilin familiar with fire attacks, making the task even more daunting.
"Yeah, but no matter what, we have to deal with it to obtain the Qilin Water and Qilin Scale," Chen Tianlong said determinedly.
"Alright, Chen Tianlong, I support you. No matter how difficult it is, I’ll always be with you," Jiang Yufan nodded and said. However, after saying the last sentence, she felt something wasn’t quite right.
Chen Tianlong seized the opportunity to tease, "Really? Then you must accompany me for life, because my life is very difficult."
Seeing Chen Tianlong covering his mouth, giggling, Jiang Yufan boldly replied, "Tsk, I will accompany you, who’s afraid of whom? I’m afraid you would refuse my company!"
"Hehe, with a beautiful girl around, why would I be afraid? I’m not a fool," Chen Tianlong replied confidently.
"Alright, you said so, then I’ll stick with you. Just don’t renege on me later." Jiang Yufan finished her sentence and went up the mountain ahead before Chen Tianlong could respond.
"What?" Chen Tianlong was baffled. He was only joking but didn’t expect Jiang Yufan to take it seriously. He thought to himself: This is trouble. My big mouth! Whenever I see a beautiful girl, self-control just flies out the window.
He wanted to slap himself hard, but he felt too embarrassed to do so. If he could really change his nature, he wouldn’t be Chen Tianlong.
Let things take their course!
At this moment, Chen Tianlong could only think like this. The more you resist fate, the more it loves to play with you. It’s better to go with the flow.
Chen Tianlong chuckled bitterly and quickly caught up with Jiang Yufan. After all, there were many unknown dangers ahead, and he needed to protect her well. If a Fire Qilin suddenly appeared and killed Jiang Yufan, he would cry secretly.
If Jiang Yufan died, how could he accomplish the second condition for detoxification? Would he soak alone?
The two ascended the mountain side by side. After climbing for over an hour, they suddenly felt the temperature getting hotter. Also, the sky didn’t seem as clear here, surrounded by mist, almost like an Immortal Realm.
However, Chen Tianlong knew that places inhabited by Spirit Beasts were usually more mystical, whether in TV shows or real life.
After all, Spirit Beasts are beasts that practice cultivation and will certainly choose a place rich in Powerful or Immortal Qi, not just any place.
"Chen Tianlong, it seems a bit hot, doesn’t it?" Jiang Yufan also felt the temperature rise significantly. It was negligible before, but now it was different, obviously a lot hotter.
"Hmm, if my guess is correct, the Qilin Cave is nearby, so we need to be more careful," said Chen Tianlong after observing the surroundings. The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi here was very dense, almost confirming that the cave was here.
"Got it, but as long as you’re here, I’m not afraid, hehe," Jiang Yufan said sweetly with a smile.
"Hehe." Chen Tianlong didn’t say much more, because being trusted is a very happy thing. At this moment, he had an illusion that Jiang Yufan was like his lover, giving him a strong urge to protect. It seems his romantic nature is really incorrigible.
Instead of continuing up the mountain path, they took a small side path, leading two hundred meters below the summit. But Chen Tianlong knew Spirit Beasts usually don’t reside at the summit, as it’s too conspicuous, attracting tourists’ attention.
This way, their home could easily be discovered.
Spirit Beasts have intelligence, much like humans, thoughtful and thorough in their plans. Therefore, Chen Tianlong determined that the Qilin’s cave must be on this mountain side.
With this deduction, the two of them followed the small path deeper into the forest. The vegetation here seemed to change considerably, transforming into a coniferous forest. The leaves weren’t as large, and they occasionally saw some pine trees.