Chapter Twenty-Two: The Spirit Herb is Obtained, but Villains Block the Door
The cave is small, only about the size of a quiet room.
Several glowing stones were embedded in the cave ceiling, casting a cool, clear light.
In the center of the cave, on a naturally formed stone platform, a small, emerald-green grass, as if carved from jade, is growing quietly.
The grass had only three leaves, with a faint milky white halo flowing through its veins, radiating a pure and rich spiritual energy.
In the center of the leaf, a cluster of tiny, pale golden flower spikes is supported.
Most strikingly, the entire spiritual plant is enveloped in a thin, ever-flowing milky-white halo, emanating a pure aura that calms the mind and stirs the spiritual energy!
"Spirit-Refining Grass!" Fang Li's heart pounded so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat!
This thing is a top-grade auxiliary elixir for refining spiritual power and strengthening one's foundation!
Especially for someone like her who has just broken through and urgently needs to stabilize her realm and purify her spiritual power, it is simply a divine object tailor-made for her!
Moreover, judging from the quality and age of this Spirit-Refining Grass, with its plump leaves and inner spiritual light, it must be at least a hundred years old! Its medicinal effects are absolutely top-notch!
We made it! This time we really hit the jackpot! (≧≦)
Fang Li suppressed her elation and carefully checked her surroundings again. Only after confirming that there were no guardian monsters or remaining restrictions did she tiptoe to the stone platform.
She took out a cold jade box that she had prepared beforehand, and a small jade shovel. With a gentle touch, she infused her fingertips with a wisp of wood-type spiritual power and carefully dug out the entire Spirit Tempering Grass, along with the spiritual soil around its roots, and placed it into the jade box.
Once the lid is closed, the enticing fragrance is immediately shut out.
Fang Li hugged the jade box tightly to her chest, feeling the cool touch of the box, and only then did the heavy weight in her heart finally fall to the ground.
Fang Li couldn't help but smile, feeling all the frustration from the system's erratic tasks and the various chance encounters with the male leads over the past few days vanish.
Indeed, only tangible resource gains can bring joy!
She searched the cave carefully again, making sure there were no other treasures she had missed (every little bit helps! Unfortunately, there weren't any), before she was satisfied and prepared to leave.
Bending down and squeezing through the narrow opening, Fang Li returned to the fresh air of the back mountain, and felt that the sunlight was exceptionally bright.
She dusted herself off and prepared to leave this troublesome place.
"Hey, junior sister, you've had a good haul!"
A voice, tinged with frivolity and greed, suddenly rang out in front of me.
Fang Li's body stiffened abruptly, and she looked up abruptly!
Not far in front of the cave entrance, four figures had appeared, blocking her only way out.
The leader was a tall, muscular young man with a somewhat roguish face, dressed in the robes of an inner disciple. Behind him were three equally ill-intentioned followers.
The young man's gaze, like a leech, was fixed on the cold jade box that Fang Li was tightly holding in her arms, his greed undisguised.
"Judging from how cautious Junior Sister is, she must have found some incredible treasure in the box, right?" The tall, strong young man grinned, revealing a set of not-so-perfect teeth, and took a step closer. "We're all fellow disciples, so how about sharing the spoils? Let the senior brothers see what's inside and we can all get our share, so we don't hurt our friendship."
His followers behind him also burst into laughter, their eyes equally greedy as they stared at the jade box, forming a subtle encirclement.
Fang Li's heart sank to the bottom instantly.
This is troublesome!
She recognized the man as Wang Mang, a notorious troublemaker among the inner disciples. Relying on his decent cultivation level and a relative who worked as a minor steward in the Enforcement Hall, he frequently bullied the weak and robbed fellow disciples of their resources, earning him a terrible reputation.
How did he end up here? And by such a coincidence, blocking the entrance to the cave?
Fang Li's mind raced, and she instantly thought of one person: Su Wanqing! Who else would be so kind as to reveal her whereabouts and the possibility of discovering treasure?
What a brilliant scheme to use someone else to do the dirty work!
Fang Li's fingers tightened slightly as she held the jade box, her knuckles turning somewhat white.
She forcibly suppressed the anger and slight panic in her heart, trying her best to maintain her composure, and looked coldly at Wang Mang: "Senior Brother Wang is joking. Junior Sister is just resting here for a while. There is no treasure here. Please step aside, Senior Brother. Junior Sister is going back."
"Rest?" Wang Mang scoffed, his gaze sweeping over Fang Li with even more blatant audacity. "Junior Sister, your lie is rather clumsy. What's there to rest in this godforsaken place? Besides..." He pointed to the cave Fang Li had emerged from, "The illusion array's marks are still fresh! Do you think we brothers are blind?"
A tall, thin follower behind him chimed in sarcastically, "That's right! Senior Brother Wang is being kind by sharing the profits with you! Don't push your luck! Hand over the stuff right now! Otherwise..." He chuckled twice, the threat clear.
Another short, fat follower rubbed his hands together, his eyes lewd: "Junior sister, you're quite pretty. Hand over the stuff, and then chat with Senior Brother Wang. Maybe if he's in a good mood, he'll even protect you in the sect in the future!"
Hearing the foul language, Fang Li's eyes turned completely cold, and a surge of anger rose in her heart.
What she finds most disgusting is this kind of scum who bullies others and spews filth!
"I told you, there's no treasure." Fang Li's voice was icy, and her spiritual energy had already begun to circulate quietly within her body: "Get out of the way!"
"If you won't listen to reason, you'll have to suffer the consequences!" Wang Mang's face darkened, and he completely abandoned all pretense of civility: "Brothers, it seems we need to teach this little firecracker a lesson! Go! Grab the stuff! And while we're at it... hehe, let this little chili pepper taste her power too!"
Before he finished speaking, Wang Mang's aura as a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator erupted, and he rushed towards Fang Li with his two followers!
The remaining tall, thin man at the seventh level of Qi Refining blocked her escape from the side.
Three late-stage Qi Refining cultivators! One of them is even at the peak of the ninth level!
Fang Li's pupils contracted sharply, knowing that she had no chance of winning in a direct confrontation!
Without hesitation, she lightly tapped the ground with her toes, her body rapidly retreating, while her right hand flashed into her storage bag!
"Trying to run?" Wang Mang grinned maliciously, his speed increasing even more. A large hand covered in earth-yellow spiritual energy, accompanied by a fierce wind, reached straight for the jade box in Fang Li's arms!
A fierce glint flashed in her eyes, and her right hand, which had been hidden in her storage bag, suddenly pulled out a small jade slip!
This is the jade slip that Xie Chen kindly gave her before. He claimed that if she crushed it in danger, he could sense it!
"Xie Chen! Your kindness is the most effective!" Fang Li roared inwardly. At the critical moment, she didn't hesitate to pour all her spiritual power into the jade slip and then crushed it!
Click!
A crisp cracking sound rang out in front of the mountain wall.
At the same time, Wang Mang's large hand also grabbed Fang Li's front!
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