Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Improved Spirit Rice

Chapter 44 Nine-Horned Azure Leaves

However, in stark contrast to her cool and sharp demeanor, Chen Heng was currently holding an oil paper bag filled with meat buns.

Her cheeks were bulging, like a little hamster eating, chewing quickly.

It actually looks kind of cute.

Seeing Zhao Cheng'an approach, Chen Heng swallowed the food in her mouth and asked a question indistinctly.

Have you had breakfast?

Zhao Chengan nodded. "I've already had breakfast."

Chen Heng responded with an "oh".

"Okay, then I'll finish the rest of the buns."

After saying that, she picked up another steamed bun and stuffed it into her mouth.

Zhao Cheng'an was speechless. I didn't intend to compete with you for it.

"Eat slowly, don't choke," Zhao Chengan reminded him.

After Chen Heng finished breakfast, the two left the Imperial Academy side by side and headed towards Black Wind Valley.

Black Wind Valley is only a few dozen kilometers away from the Imperial Academy via a mountain road.

For the two who have now entered the Qi Refining stage, this distance is nothing at all, and they walk very fast.

But the further they went, the more bizarre the environment on both sides became.

The once lush trees had become sparse and twisted, their bark a sickly grayish-black. A faint, fishy stench permeated the air, and even the sunlight seemed unable to penetrate the thick fog above.

Until we passed through a dense thicket of bushes.

Chen Heng stopped and placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"arrive."

Zhao Cheng'an felt a chill run down his spine and immediately became more vigilant, following her over.

Pushing aside the last few thorny bushes, the view suddenly opened up before me.

Inside Blackwind Valley, the fog became even thicker and more viscous.

The gray mist gathered together, looking almost like small gray rivers floating in mid-air. The ground was covered with a thick layer of humus, which had an eerie dark red color.

The mountain walls on both sides are steep and covered with withered vines, like dry claws ready to devour anyone at any moment.

Upon seeing this scene, Zhao Cheng'an couldn't help but shudder and immediately became more vigilant.

He made a hand seal with one hand and gripped the bamboo-bone sword grass tightly with the other, carefully following behind Chen Heng.

Compared to Zhao Cheng'an's vigilance, Chen Heng's pace was very relaxed, and her leisurely manner made her seem as if she had returned to her hometown.

What Zhao Cheng'an found somewhat strange was that, although he had heard from the market that Black Wind Valley was extremely dangerous, they hadn't seen anything particularly dangerous along the way, apart from some black birds and reptiles.

However, Zhao Chengan quickly found the answer to the problem.

Beneath a pile of rubble, he discovered several rotting animal carcasses. The bodies bore clear marks of being cut by sharp weapons at extremely tricky angles, all indicating a single, fatal blow.

Zhao Cheng'an glanced at it once, and a plan was secretly formed in his mind.

It seems Chen Heng often hunts mutated monsters here. On one hand, he might collect some useful spiritual materials, and on the other hand, he can use this to improve his combat skills.

As a top-grade metal spiritual root with a single attribute, Chen Heng was naturally very talented in combat. Coupled with such a large amount of practical experience, it's no wonder that in their previous sparring sessions, Zhao Cheng'an could barely last a few rounds against Chen Heng.

So that's where the problem lies.

Just as Zhao Cheng'an was lost in thought, Chen Heng, who was walking ahead, stopped.

The two then arrived at the depths of the valley. It didn't appear as desolate as it seemed, with a dense forest growing there, but the environment was still eerie. Especially deep within the forest, several red lights flickered faintly; whether phosphorescence or the eyes of wild beasts, it was hard to tell, but it sent a chill down their spines.

Chen Heng turned around and said, "A mutated black wolf lives in here. It's one of the strongest monsters in the entire Black Wind Valley. It has thick skin and is quite fast. Its strength is roughly equivalent to a cultivator at the second level of Qi Refining."

"I've fought this monster a few times before. But because monsters like this are so rare, I wanted to keep it to practice on, so I couldn't bear to kill it. Now, I can give it to you."

"You're currently at the third level of Qi Refining, and your Grass Sword Technique is quite good. Dealing with a monster like this shouldn't be a problem."

This was the first time Zhao Cheng'an had ever heard Chen Heng speak so much in one breath.

However, judging from the implication of her words, she clearly regarded the monsters in Black Wind Valley as treasures.

Zhao Chengan and Chen Heng have known each other for almost ten years, and he never expected that this girl's way of thinking would be so unique.

Zhao Chengan was taken aback for a moment, then nodded.

"it is good."

After thinking for a while, he added another sentence.

"Thank you."

Chen Heng clapped her hands. "No need for formalities. Since you're ready, let's begin."

As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Heng unleashed her full power. She shot into the sky like a sword being drawn from its sheath, accompanied by a golden light, causing the trees on both sides to rustle.

However, the mutated monster in the forest did not rush out as before; instead, it turned around and ran deeper into the forest.

Upon seeing this, Chen Heng cursed under his breath.

"You wait here."

After saying that, she rushed into the woods without looking back.

A moment later, a series of rapid noises came from the woods. The trees shook violently, and a strong, fishy stench swept through the air.

With a deafening roar, a black wolf the size of a calf pounced out of the bushes.

The black wolf was covered in needle-like fur, and its eyes were bloodshot. Green saliva dripped from its file-like teeth, making a hissing, corrosive sound as it fell to the ground.

This was Zhao Chengan's first time participating in real combat.

In that instant, time seemed to slow down, and he could clearly hear his heart pounding.

Zhao Cheng'an took a deep breath, and the Controlling Pattern and Azure Pattern within his body were activated simultaneously in an instant.

The bamboo bone sword he held in his hand instantly transformed into a streak of azure light, tearing through the surrounding viscous mist.

call out!

A sharp, piercing sound echoed through the valley.

The cyan sword light pierced the head of the mutated black wolf at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.

With a soft "pfft".

The crimson light in Black Wolf's eyes went out instantly, and he died on the spot.

Zhao Chengan breathed a long sigh of relief.

But when he looked up suddenly, he realized that although the black wolf was dead, its massive body was still moving with momentum and was crashing down from above.

Zhao Cheng'an was startled and broke out in a cold sweat, quickly dodging to the side.

boom!

The wolf carcass crashed heavily to the ground, and a wave of foul air, mixed with the smell of blood, rushed towards us.

Zhao Cheng'an patted his chest, still feeling lingering fear.

I was almost killed by a wolf carcass just now.

At this moment, Chen Heng slowly emerged from the woods. She glanced at the wolf carcass on the ground and nodded.

"Well done. As a beginner, you didn't get overwhelmed or panic."

Zhao Cheng'an said thank you, while secretly thinking to himself, "Luckily I dodged quickly and wasn't crushed under the corpse, otherwise I would have been utterly humiliated."

Chen Heng pointed to the depths of the woods: "I just found something else in the forest, near the Black Wolf's lair. Come and take a look."

The two walked into the forest.

With the help of beams of sunlight piercing through the tree canopy, Zhao Cheng'an saw a three-foot-tall spiritual herb next to a large tree.

This is a fern with nine lobes on its leaves. Each leaf is long and narrow like a sword and covered with a faint bluish sheen.

Zhao Cheng'an's eyes lit up; it was actually a spiritual plant.

He had read in a book before that some strange beasts would deliberately live in places where spiritual plants grew, waiting to devour them once they matured. He never imagined that such a legend was actually true.

However, because this is a low-spirit area, the spiritual energy contained in this spiritual plant is not high.

However, Zhao Cheng'an believes that its value lies not in this, but in the primordial runes contained within the spiritual plant. These runes are like untapped treasures, possessing infinite possibilities.

Chen Heng showed little interest in the spiritual plant: "If you want it, I can give it to you."

Zhao Chengan shook his head.

"Even between brothers, accounts should be kept clear. I'll buy it from you for ten spirit stones."

Chen Heng thought about it and agreed.

"it is good."

Just as Zhao Cheng'an knelt on the ground and reached out to pluck the spiritual plant...

A sudden, intense sense of danger, like being stalked by a venomous snake, surged from behind him, freezing Zhao Cheng'an in place. And this feeling was strangely familiar…