Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 118 - The Jinhua Tiger (1)

“I think we have arrived at the Wudong Mountain.” Nie Xinghong waved his fan. “There are opportunities on the mountain, and we don’t have to continue traveling together. Let’s part ways here.” He was used to speaking confidently, even Tian Tianxin, who held himself in high regard, had to give him some face. Nie Xinghong, accompanied by several disciples from the Yin Feng Sect, walked towards the depths of the jungle, saying, “I wish you all the best in achieving your desires and aspirations.”

The other cultivators also dispersed one after another. Fate was such a fleeting thing. Sometimes, it brushed past in the blink of an eye. It was elusive and didn’t favor individuals based on their status, position, or cultivation level. Sometimes, an ordinary person with remarkable luck could seize an opportunity and rise to greatness.

Seeing the cultivators scatter, Zanxing and the others also headed into the depths of the jungle. Some people had ventured into the secret realm of Li’er Country before, and although it wasn’t particularly safe the disciples could handle most beasts and demons. Zanxing thought about staying away from Mu Cengxiao and Meng Ying, but didn’t want to get too close to Gu Baiying either. Tian Fangfang was already ahead, thinking about gathering valuable spiritual herbs to sell for money. In the end, Zanxing could only walk beside Men Dong.

Men Dong asked, “Why are you following me?”

“The jungle on this mountain is dense, and I’m afraid there might be danger, so I’m here to protect you.”

Men Dong looked at her incredulously. “What danger could there be? I don’t need protection.” He kindly reminded Zanxing, “You should explore more. You might stumble upon some opportunities that can help you in your cultivation.”

Of course, Zanxing definitely wouldn’t listen to such words. She was afraid that if she wasn’t careful, she might lead Mu Cengxiao to his opportunity. If he got angry and caused trouble for her, it would be more trouble than it’s worth.

Seeing Zanxing still following behind him, Men Dong couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to her. He had a natural spiritual apperture and knew which exotic flowers and herbs on this mountain were suitable for medicinal use. This time, Shaoyang Zhenren had sent him into the secret realm to collect herbs. Therefore, he summoned his Qiankun bag and began searching.

There were indeed many flowers blooming on this mountain.

Beautiful flowers adorned the edges of the forest, the borders of the grass, and the banks of the streams and lakes. Coupled with the misty aura in the distance, it truly seemed like a fairyland. Not far from the cliff, a huge tree grew diagonally, its roots already fused with the cliff wall. From a distance, it looked as if the upper half of the mountain was just the canopy of the tree.

The tree was extremely wide, with branches densely packed with white fruits. When approached, it could be seen that these fruits were as large as a human hand, not round, but pointed, resembling the shape of wild beast’s teeth. At first glance, it looked like a tree covered in rows of gleaming white teeth, somewhat eerie.

Men Dong also saw those fruits.

His face lit up, saying, “Dragon Tooth Fruit, it’s the Dragon Tooth Fruit!”

Although Zanxing had read many miscellaneous books in the Taiyan Sect’s library, her time here was too short, and her knowledge was limited. She humbly asked, “What is Dragon Tooth Fruit?”

“It’s a rare spiritual fruit. Eating it can heal emotional pain. If used to refine pills, it’s extremely beneficial for nourishing spiritual veins.” He seemed very pleased. “Dragon Tooth Fruit takes ten years to sprout, ten years to bloom, and ten years to bear fruit. Once ripe, it only lasts one night. If not harvested, the fruit flesh on the branches will wither immediately after one night. We’re lucky today to encounter the ripe Dragon Tooth Fruit. I want to pick more and store them in the ice urn in my Qiankun bag.”

“Senior Uncle…” Men Dong was about to ask for help when he turned around and saw that Gu Baiying and Meng Ying had already walked ahead. He could only turn to Zanxing for help. “Zanxing, could you also help me pick some more? The sun is setting soon. By tomorrow morning, all these Dragon Tooth Fruits will turn into mush.”

Rarely did Men Dong ask for help, so Zanxing nodded. “Okay.”

She didn’t plan on seeking any opportunities and thought it would be safe to pick fruits with Men Dong here. The two of them carefully climbed up the cliff and onto the branches. The branches of the Dragon Tooth Tree were thick enough to sit on, making it quite safe. As they got closer, they realized that the fruits were even larger than they appeared. Zanxing reached out and plucked one. She had expected it to feel like teeth, but it was soft to the touch, warm, almost as if she were holding something alive.

Mimi curiously reached out her paw to dig at the Dragon Tooth Fruit. After digging a couple of times and finding it safe, she grabbed onto the branch and started swinging back and forth.

Men Dong, riding on a branch, was struggling to pull down a Dragon Tooth Fruit and put it into the ice urn. Seeing this, Zanxing curiously asked, “Dong Dong, are Dragon Tooth Fruits very precious? You seem to treasure them a lot.”

Men Dong wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Of course, they’re precious. There aren’t many medicinal materials that can nourish one’s blood vessels, and we’re just lucky to come across them today. Also, don’t call me Dong Dong.”

“But don’t our senior brothers usually prefer pills that can enhance their cultivation?” Zanxing was puzzled. “Has anyone in our sect suffered damage to their blood vessels?”

Men Dong’s fruit-picking motion paused, his face flushing. “…Of course not! But it’s always good to be prepared for the future.”

Zanxing nodded. “Okay.” It was admirable that such a young child already understood the heart of a healer. She felt a bit ashamed of herself.

As they continued picking, almost all the Dragon Tooth Fruits on this side were plucked, so they climbed towards the other side of the cliff. Men Dong, being small in stature, climbed quickly and was in front, with Zanxing following behind. Suddenly, Men Dong stopped moving, and seeing him like this, Zanxing thought he might have encountered some danger. Her heart tightened, and she quietly asked, “Junior Brother?”

“Shh!” Men Dong turned back and made a hushing gesture, whispering, “Look.”

Following his gaze, Zanxing suddenly saw a flash of golden light in front of them.

The light was dazzling, almost blinding. Walking through the dark forest and suddenly encountering such intense golden light, Zanxing was almost blinded by it. She shielded her eyes with her hand and, after adjusting to the brightness, looked ahead carefully.

It was a giant golden flower.

The flower was about the height of a person, and it seemed to have grown from the mountainside, its stem hidden by dense foliage, leaving only the glowing blossom visible. Its petals were layered and vibrant, emitting a faint golden hue. A gentle floral fragrance wafted through the air, mixed with the scent of the surrounding vegetation.

While the Dragon Tooth Fruits were eerie and ominous, this flower was a stark contrast, exuding a breathtaking beauty with its vibrant colors.

Zanxing whispered to Men Dong in front of her, “Junior Brother, what kind of flower is this?”

Men Dong furrowed his brow, pondering for a moment before shaking his head. “I don’t know.”