Chapter 44: Blue Wind Monkey
Wang Hong took out a small Earthen Jar, opened the leaf-sealed top, activated Spiritual Energy to heat it up, and plucked a small green onion from the Space. With a few swift cuts, he sprinkled the chopped onions on top.
At this moment, the rich aroma of the broth and the crisp fragrance of the green onions merged into one, wafting in all directions. It stimulated everyone's appetite, causing a few to discreetly swallow saliva.
Wang Hong, holding the Earthen Jar and a piece of flatbread with Spiritual Energy, presented it to the cultivator surnamed Lei.
Lei, the cultivator, caught it with one hand and brought it close to his nose. He deeply inhaled, revealing an extremely content expression. Beyond the delicious scent, he sensed a rich presence of Spirit Qi in the food.
Taking a bite of the flatbread, he felt its soft and elastic texture. There was a distinct fragrance of Spirit Wheat. This flatbread alone was worth at least two Spirit Stones.
After sipping the soup, which was smooth on the palate, it transformed into Spiritual Energy upon entering the stomach, slowly flowing into the meridians.
This was the difference between Spirit Meal and Elixir. Spirit Meal, when consumed, directly transformed into Spiritual Energy without the need for deliberate cultivation, making it easily absorbed by the body.
Moreover, Spirit Meal, when consumed regularly, was non-toxic and had no side effects.
On the other hand, Elixir required cultivation; otherwise, most of its medicinal properties would go to waste.
Lei, the cultivator, had eaten Spirit Meals before, but the Spirit Qi was much thinner compared to this soup.
As he ate, Lei praised the meal as being worth more than its cost. The others, though tempted, touched their own depleted Storage Bags and reluctantly abandoned the idea.
With twenty Spirit Stones, they could buy two Condensing Qi Pills or two low-tier Talismans, which could be life-saving in critical moments.
Venturing into the Black Dragon Marsh was risky, and sometimes, it took a month to earn twenty Spirit Stones. Spending them casually on a meal was something they couldn't afford.
The group couldn't help but suspect Wang Hong's identity, from exchanging Elixir for Spirit Herb before to now offering a Spirit Meal worth twenty Spirit Stones.
Typical loose cultivators didn't have such financial resources. He was probably a disciple from some family, disguised as a loose cultivator for training.
After finishing the meal, Wang Hong set up a tent and disappeared inside.
His Nascent Soul floated in the Space, which now had an area of over three acres. The Spirit Herbs transplanted in the past two days already occupied a portion. To transplant all the Spiritual Medicine from the Black Dragon Marsh, the Space needed to expand by several more acres at least.
Suddenly, he noticed a Green-tailed Spirit Bee dancing among the Spiritual Medicine. Wang Hong enveloped it with his divine sense, caught it, and realized there wasn't just one; there were at least a dozen in the Space.
Inspecting the hive he had collected earlier, he found many unhatched eggs. The dozen Spirit Bees were likely hatched from these eggs.
Could it be that living creatures can now enter the Space? Previously, even insects couldn't get in. Wang Hong exited the Space, caught two ants outside the tent, and hurriedly went back in.
The cultivator surnamed Lei, sitting on a rock outside, couldn't help but exclaim, "Friend Wang is truly extraordinary, always acting in a way that's hard to fathom."
Wang Hong tried to bring the two ants into Space but failed. However, he effortlessly brought a Spirit Bee out of Space. Wang Hong speculated that with the Space's upgrade, it could now bring in life forms like eggs. As long as the creatures hatched in the Space, they could enter and exit at his discretion.
Thinking about it, he went out and, using his divine sense, found a nest of ordinary Iron-toothed Ants. With a few digs, he found some ant eggs and returned to the tent.
"Who would have thought that Friend Wang enjoys catching ants and raiding their nests? This hobby is truly unique!" the cultivator surnamed Lei exclaimed once again.
Wang Hong was unaware of Lei's remarks. He was pleased that these ant eggs could indeed be brought into the Space. He would have to wait for the ants to hatch to try with other creatures.
After a night's rest, the injuries the group had sustained were mostly healed. Continuing deeper into the Black Dragon Marsh, their next destination was the Mist Wind Gorge.
The Mist Wind Gorge spanned dozens of miles, either shrouded in mist or buffeted by fierce winds, earning it the name Mist Wind Gorge among cultivators.
The unique environment made it a haven for various Spiritual Medicines and a paradise for Demonic Beasts.
As the group entered the gorge, white mist enveloped everything, reducing visibility. Objects beyond ten yards were already unclear.
They all released their divine senses, cautiously vigilant of their surroundings.
Not far ahead, the group simultaneously sensed a Silver Silk Orchid. After some discussion, the Spirit Herb was claimed by Elder Ge, with compensation of two Spirit Stones for each member.
The Silver Silk Orchid wasn't particularly rare, so no one objected. The incident served as a reminder that if they discovered valuable and rare Spiritual Medicines, the sharing might not be as amicable.
At this point, a female cultivator named Shi suggested, "Why don't we spread out a bit, about five yards apart? It'll be easier to find Spiritual Medicines, and in case of danger, we can rescue each other promptly."
"True, the mist is thick here, but a five or six-yard gap should be fine. If something happens, the others can arrive in an instant," agreed a cultivator named Ding.
Lei, another cultivator, also concurred, "We all came seeking opportunities; it wouldn't be wise to damage our relationship over this."
With unanimous agreement, they dispersed. Wang Hong walked on the far left, Lei on the far right, each person five yards apart.
After traveling over twenty miles, each person had made gains. Wang Hong had collected two Spirit Herbs.
"Wow! So many Red Silk Fruits," exclaimed Shi.
Wang Hong, on the far left, couldn't see the specific situation on the right. Seeing Elder Ge and Ding flying towards the right, he followed.
Approaching, he realized the terrain on the right was completely different from the left. The left side he had just walked was a grassy area with sparse small trees.
On the right stood many peculiar stones several yards high, and among the Stone Forest grew tall fruit trees. White fruits hung from the lush leaves, and some of the half-ripe fruits had a touch of crimson, appearing quite appealing.
These were Red Silk Fruits, a Tier-One spirit fruit. Although not extremely valuable, the quantity was still a significant income.
At this moment, the first few to arrive had not moved, facing off against several demonic monkeys on the trees in front.
On the opposite tree, there were seven Blue Wind Monkeys, with green backs and white bellies, not very large, only a little over three feet tall. They bared their teeth, glaring angrily at the group.
"These monkeys are called Blue Wind Monkeys, Wind-type Demonic Beasts. They are good at living in groups, ranging from a dozen to several hundred in a group," Elder Ge explained slowly.
"Do we attack? I checked just now, and there's a large forest inside with Red Silk Fruit trees. If we pick them all, it's worth at least tens of thousands of Spirit Stones," suggested Lei.
Hearing this, the group's eyes instantly reddened. With ten thousand Spirit Stones, they wouldn't have to worry about expenses for the entire Qi Cultivation period; they could bid farewell to Spirit Stone troubles for the entire cultivation phase.
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