Chapter Forty-Seven: Rouge Grass

Ge Qian smiled faintly and followed along. The deeper they went, the more dangerous it felt. Along the way, Ge Qian gathered many spiritual herbs, and had almost collected all the ingredients required to concoct the Aqua Spirit Pill, which filled him with great joy.

He also picked various poisonous plants, preparing for the cultivation of the Venomous Crystal. After walking for a short while, Yingxue suddenly stopped and said, “Junior Brother Ge, down the slope ahead is Rouge Grass. There’s a late stage first-rank demon beast, the Azure Wolf Python, guarding it. If we slay it, we’ll have everything we need to make the Beauty Nourishing Pill.”

Ge Qian’s heart tightened. The Azure Wolf Python was a wind-type demon beast, extremely swift and capable of unleashing sinister wind blades. He immediately suggested, “Why don’t you lure it away and kill it, Senior Sister, while I gather the grass and work on the pill?”

Yingxue nodded. “Alright, but pill refining isn’t something that can be rushed, and the process mustn’t be interrupted. I’ll also need to protect you while you work. So it’s best if we join forces to take down the beast first, then set up a formation for safety before you begin refining.”

“That makes sense,” Ge Qian replied after some thought. “How about I lure it away, and you seize the chance to strike a fatal blow?”

In truth, he preferred not to face the speedy Azure Wolf Python head-on, but with his Cloud-Stepping technique, he could at least evade it for a while. If Yingxue launched a sneak attack from behind, a swift kill would be ideal. If not, an injured beast would certainly seek vengeance on whoever attacked it. Then he could seize the right moment to act.

Yingxue, now less suspicious of Ge Qian, frowned and said, “Be careful. It’s decided then.”

Without another word, Ge Qian performed the Cloud-Stepping technique. With a few swift movements, he vanished into the dense forest.

Soon after, a piercing wolf’s howl shattered the silence, so loud it sent birds and beasts fleeing in all directions. A fleeting shadow darted through the trees, emitting sharp, continuous cries as it sped along. Close behind, a two-zhang long demon beast with a wolf’s head and a python’s body pursued relentlessly, periodically spitting out wind blades at the shadow.

Just as the monster was about to pounce on its target, a top-grade Azure Fire Sword, now enlarged to over a zhang in length, slashed downward. The Azure Wolf Python’s tail, as strong as an iron hook, swung up to meet the blow. Yet the sword, sharp and wreathed in azure flames, was no ordinary weapon. With a single stroke, it cut deep into the beast’s iron-hard tail, exposing bone and spraying foul black blood several feet.

Burned and wounded, the Azure Wolf Python had no time for its elusive prey. Whirling around in agony, it let out an ear-splitting roar and turned its ferocious gaze on the beautiful young woman casting spells nearby. Its jaws yawned wide, unleashing a barrage of wind blades.

Yingxue’s willow brows arched as her almond eyes flashed. “Vile beast, how dare you! Take this!”

She waved her slender hand, tossing out a silver-shimmering shield. It caught the wind and expanded to seven feet, spinning around Yingxue to form an impenetrable curtain of light that deflected every wind blade.

Ge Qian’s eyes lit up in admiration. “A top-grade defensive artifact! Not easy to forge—and it’s top-grade. Clearly, Yingxue’s wealth is considerable,” he mused.

Enraged, the Azure Wolf Python became a blur of motion, charging straight for Yingxue. She pointed her Azure Fire Sword and commanded, “Slash!”

The sword blazed brighter, cleaving toward the beast’s head. The python shook its head and spat out a massive crescent-shaped wind blade to counter the attack. Sparks flew as the two forces collided. Meanwhile, Ge Qian flicked his wrist, sending out four fireball talismans. The python, intent on finishing off the sorceress, was caught off guard. The blazing fireballs struck its tail hard.

Howling in pain, the beast turned its venomous gaze on Ge Qian and darted toward him. Yingxue changed her incantation, shrinking the Azure Fire Sword to the size of a dagger. Her face paled, showing the strain the technique put on her.

Ge Qian, using his Cloud-Stepping technique, flashed to the python’s flank and took out a poison pill, ready to throw. Suddenly, a flash of green light streaked by—a dagger shot through the python’s skull, piercing it clean through before spinning back into Yingxue’s hand.

A fist-sized hole gaped in the beast’s head, but not a drop of blood flowed—only a burnt stench filled the air, enough to make one retch.

Having witnessed the power of Yingxue’s Azure Fire Sword, Ge Qian felt a sense of awe. A fine magical weapon truly empowered a cultivator at the Qi Gathering stage. Yet he wasted no time; in a few swift motions, he split the python’s valuable materials in two.

“Senior Sister, your strength is indeed formidable. Shall we split these materials evenly?” he proposed.

Yingxue didn’t stand on ceremony. Slaying the beast had cost her much power and a secret move with her Azure Fire Sword. With a jade-like hand, she gathered her share of the materials, storing them away carefully.

“Junior Brother, this place is fraught with peril. You’d best refine the Beauty Nourishing Pill quickly and then leave at once,” she advised solemnly.

Ge Qian agreed at once. “Senior Sister, that’s exactly what I was thinking. Let’s begin.”

Yingxue took out a dozen colorful formation flags, casting spells and planting them all around. Then she produced a formation disk and, with rapid finger movements, summoned a watery curtain that blanketed the hillside.

A look of satisfaction crossed her beautiful face as she took out a set of Illusion-Hiding Arrays to further conceal the formation.

Ge Qian, still a novice when it came to formations, could nonetheless feel the formidable aura this one emitted—it was no ordinary array. Feeling reassured, he made his way to the thicket behind the slope. Beside a demon beast’s den, he found the Rouge Grass.

The grass was a deep crimson, wreathed in a faint white mist, swaying gracefully in the breeze.

At once, Ge Qian sat cross-legged, producing his pill furnace and auxiliary herbs. With practiced fingers, he began refining the pill step by step. Thanks to his greatly increased divine sense, his alchemy skills had improved significantly.

He added one unknown spiritual herb after another at precise intervals. Yingxue, sitting cross-legged at the edge of the formation, remained vigilant, spirit stone in hand to replenish her energy.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

Suddenly, Yingxue’s eyes flew open. She gazed ahead, where three Qi Gathering cultivators had appeared. Their auras and attire differed, and each wore a scheming look.

The leader, a portly man with a handlebar mustache and the cultivation of a peak Qi Gathering practitioner, stroked his mustache and asked, “Fellow Daoists, you’re certain the Rouge Grass is here?”

“Rest assured, Brother Ba, there’s no mistake. There was an Azure Wolf Python here about to break through to second rank. I knew I was no match, so I asked you both to come help,” replied a pale, youthful cultivator at the sixth level.

The third, clad in tight-fitting garb, frowned. “Could someone have gotten here first? Are we too late?”