Cloud Peak Beauty
His hands, stained with mud and blood, were loosely clenched, and his knuckles produced a soft "crackling" sound as he gathered strength.
Ling Zhan lay prone on the edge of the cliff, his breath becoming one with the rocks.
His gaze swept inch by inch across the rocky slope below, swallowed by thick ink.
The wind swept through the cracks in the rocks, its howling sound interspersed with a few faint, short "humming" sounds, and the subtle "crack" of a dry branch being broken by footsteps.
It is not a large, ferocious beast.
The tense killing intent receded slightly like the tide, but the vigilance remained.
She slid down the cliff like a shadow.
In the shadows of the rocky slope, several blurry black figures were burrowing and feeding on something.
A strong, pungent smell, a mixture of mud and some kind of root, hit me – it was wild boar!
A group of half-grown wild boar piglets, leading a large, tusked adult boar!
The boar's thick neck bristled, its cloudy eyes warily scanning its surroundings, and its tusks gleamed coldly in the thin moonlight.
The commotion we just heard was their searching for food and the sow's warning!
Ling Zhan's figure appeared silently behind a giant rock above them.
The boar suddenly raised its head, its tusks pointing at the darkness, and let out a threatening growl from its throat!
Several piglets swarmed behind it in a panic.
A cold gaze swept over the group of uninvited guests.
Ling Zhan did not draw his knife.
She simply raised one hand slowly, pointing away from the cliff face and towards the dense forest below.
There were no words, but the silent, cold will to expel them was like a real, biting wind sweeping through the herd of pigs.
The boar nervously scratched its hooves, a low growl stuck in its throat.
Its murky little eyes met Ling Zhan's unfathomable gaze, and it instinctively sensed a deadly threat.
After a few breaths of stalemate, it finally let out a short, unwilling grunt, turned around abruptly, and, with its piglets, clumsily and swiftly disappeared into the deeper darkness below.
Danger has passed.
Ling Zhan withdrew his gaze and climbed back up the cliff.
The sky was just beginning to lighten.
Under the vine canopy.
Her group of "troublemakers" were still huddled together, fast asleep, completely unaware of the commotion that had occurred during the night.
The black-haired sow looked at Ling Zhan warily, then sniffed the air before her tense body slowly relaxed and she lay down again.
My gaze swept over them—these warm, breathing lives that would one day become food.
Her fingertips unconsciously brushed against the cold hilt of the short blade at her waist.
There is no waste on Asura Star. Flesh and blood return to stardust, nourishing new life—this is the highest cycle.
When the warriors return to the ruins, their remains will be placed in a huge breeding pond, becoming the richest nutrients to give back to their people.
Providing these "living creatures" with shelter and a place to grow, allowing them to thrive before becoming food, is another form of...respect.
Ling Zhan stood at the edge of the newly designated "territory," his gaze fixed on the deeper areas.
Go against the direction of the waterfall that rushes up from the bottom of the cliff and rises in the morning light, steaming with misty water vapor.
A secluded path, covered in dense moss and ferns, stretches up damply and disappears into the swirling mist.
A strange pull.
It originated from the vibrant pulse deep within the earth that I felt under my palms when I lay down yesterday.
It also stems from the curious look in Xiao Jinbao's eyes as he left.
After settling the chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs that were still fast asleep under the vine trellis, she set off onto the uphill path.
The road was slippery and steep.
Ling Zhan used both his hands and feet, digging his fingertips into the cold, slippery crevices of the rock. His coarse cloth clothes were quickly torn by the dew and thorny vines, leaving wet marks and cuts.
She was like a silent ibex, climbing the cliff face.
Struggling to push aside the last clump of resilient arrow bamboo—
suddenly see the light!
An endless expanse of emerald green spreads across the misty mountaintop, with waves of grass undulating and whispering softly.
Sunlight streamed down, and wildflowers were already blooming nearby, with bees and butterflies busily flitting among them.
Boundless tranquility and vitality enveloped her in an instant.
Her tense nerves quietly relaxed. She took a few steps forward, and without any hesitation, fell straight backward.
"puff--"
My body sank into a soft, fragrant embrace. The gentle caress of the grass and the warm glow of the sunlight enveloped my entire being…
It felt like falling into a warm dream.
"Squeak!"
A familiar call broke the silence.
Ling Zhan didn't open his eyes, but the corners of his lips curved up almost imperceptibly.
A small, golden-brown monkey squatted on a smooth blue stone not far away, its obsidian-like eyes shining brightly, its tail held high, displaying its joy at "returning home".
Ling Zhan slowly sat up.
Jinbao immediately hopped into the grass, quickly scrambled around with his little paws, picked a plump, bright red berry covered in morning dew, and presented it to Ling Zhan in his outstretched palm like a treasure.
Ling Zhan pulled out the last bit of hard, dried meat from his pocket—
Wrapped in oil paper, it was the only "good thing" left. She broke off a piece the size of a fingernail and handed it to Little Jinbao.
"Squeak!"
Jinbao happily took it, quickly stuffed it into his mouth, and then eagerly stretched out his other little paw, gazing longingly at it.
“Greedy,” Ling Zhan murmured, a faint warmth flickering in his eyes. She broke off an even smaller piece for it.
The legacy of the Asura warrior had nourished her, and this small portion she has now given away is also part of the cycle.
The little monkey happily exchanged the food with its paws and chewed it contentedly.
Sunlight danced on its golden down.
"lead the way."
Ling Zhan stood up and brushed the grass clippings off his clothes. This little guy was the best key to the treasure of this grassland.
Jinbao immediately perked up and squeaked as it led the way.
It skillfully avoided several seemingly flat but actually slippery mud pits and bypassed several clumps of thorny bushes.
On a sunny, gentle slope, Jinbao stopped and pointed with his little paws at a few inconspicuous plants deep in the grass.
Ling Zhan squatted down.
The leaves are slender like needles, and the veins seem to flow subtly in the sunlight... with a golden sheen!
As your fingertips lightly touch the leaf, a gentle yet pure warmth instantly spreads from your fingertips.
Top-grade Golden Thread Spirit Herb! Far beyond the ordinary!
Last time, it was this little guy who brought back a few plants, which were exchanged for a hefty amount of copper coins.
Little Jinbao scratched his ear proudly and puffed out his little chest.
"Hmm," Ling Zhan responded softly.
Jinbao became even more excited, did a somersault, and led her to the bottom of a shady and damp rock wall.
It used its tiny paws to quickly pry open a thick layer of moss—
Several strangely shaped fungi were revealed!
The canopy is a warm and translucent ice blue, as if it were carved from millennia-old ice. It is icy cold to the touch, and even the surrounding air seems to have dropped a few degrees.
Jade-like Frost Fungus! A top-grade antidote! It was also a "gift" from last time.
The little monkey squeaked and gestured with its tiny paws, as if to say, "Look, it's me again!"
Then, in the shadow of the gnarled roots of an ancient pine tree, Jinbao parted the tangled withered vines—
Several dark red, thin vines, like congealed blood, were wrapped around the tree roots!
The vine is covered with fine, raised patterns, like dragon scales!
A vibrant, almost domineering life force was faintly revealed.
Dragon Blood Vine Seedlings! A top-tier material for tempering bones and muscles!
A noticeable flicker of emotion finally appeared in Ling Zhan's eyes.
These precious materials will be used to forge stronger bodies in the future, just as on the planet Shura, the remains of the strong were melted down and forged into new blades.
Seeing this, Jinbao squeaked and urged her to quicken her pace.
It led her through a patch of low bushes with practiced ease—
A breathtakingly beautiful rainbow of flowers came into view!
In early spring, this place is like a spilled palette of colors from a fairyland, shimmering and vibrant! The sweet fragrance is so rich it's almost tangible, and a single breath invigorates the spirit. In the center of the sea of flowers, several ancient giant trees, each requiring several people to encircle, hang several enormous honeycombs! The thick walls of the honeycombs display a warm, translucent amber hue.
Sunlight streamed through the honeycomb, clearly illuminating the golden, viscous honey inside, which flowed slowly like molten gold, releasing a rich and intoxicating aroma. Hundreds of large bees, their bodies shimmering with the warm luster of jade, busily moved between the flowers and the honeycomb, their wings beating and emitting a deep, melodious buzz.
At the entrance to the hive, several larger jade bees, their compound eyes gleaming with an eerie light, circled warily.
Premium honey! Its vibrant energy is palpable!
Jinbao squeaked and squeaked a few times toward the hive, its voice carrying a peculiar, undulating rhythm.
An amazing thing happened!
The guard beetles, which had been circling warily with their compound eyes locked onto the intruder, seemed to change the frequency of their wingbeats and slightly soften their aggressive posture upon hearing the cry. They even adjusted their circling angle, and their compound eyes flashed a few times, as if...identifying? Responding?
Little Jinbao glanced back at Ling Zhan triumphantly, then patted his little chest vigorously with his tiny paws, the meaning of which couldn't be clearer:
"Look! They recognize me! With me here, everything's alright!"
Ling Zhan's heart skipped a beat!
This little guy not only knows the location of the treasure vault, but also seems to have some kind of... connection with these dangerous jade peaks?
No wonder it brought back that precious honey when it left last time.
A tremendous sense of surprise welled up, followed by a heavy, silent feeling of entrustment.
This mountaintop grassland, guarded by the exceptionally intelligent little golden turtle, is a natural barrier!
"Guard this place well." Ling Zhan said decisively.
Her gaze swept over the sea of flowers, herbs, and beehives. "Take some honey down the mountain, just a little bit," she said, gesturing with a tiny hand.
Use it, but never exhaust it.
Treat it like the legacy of a warrior, cherish it yet exercise restraint.
Jinbao tilted his head and thought for a moment, then let out another series of melodious "squeaks" towards the direction of the beehive.
A moment later, several guards flew closer, circled Jinbao a few times, and their wings emitted a faint buzzing sound, as if they were communicating.
Eventually, they flew back to the vicinity of the hive entrance and hovered there.
Jinbao jumped back, nodded to Ling Zhan, and pointed with its little paws to a slightly lighter-colored area on the edge of the honeycomb, which looked like solidified fresh honey.
Ling Zhan understood.
She found a large, pungent-smelling plant nearby. Yu Feng seemed to avoid the plant and quickly wrapped his right hand and forearm with the leaves.
Under Jinbao's watchful gaze, she approached the edge of the hive extremely slowly and gently.
He drew out the thin, sharp blade of his dagger and carefully scraped off a thin layer of amber-colored honey, no more than half a palm's size, from the spot Jinbao indicated.
The Jade Peak Guardian simply hovered and watched silently, its compound eyes flashing with an eerie light, without making a move.
Ling Zhan quickly retreated and carefully wrapped the precious honey in leaves as well.
Jinbao seemed to breathe a long sigh of relief, squeaking and jumping around, his face full of smug satisfaction.
Ling Zhan returned to the mountaintop Yuntian and spent several days exploring it.
His gaze surveyed the fertile land, planned the boundaries of the medicinal herb garden, and delineated the area of the honey source flower sea. His eyes lingered for a long time on several places with open views and backed by huge rocks—suitable for building real houses.
A stronghold, like the prototype of a Shura Fortress, protects the life cycle of this place.
Use boulders, use ancient trees here that are as thick as a person's embrace... Come back in the summer.
The setting sun once again painted the sky with molten gold.
Ling Zhan needed more tools—a heavy axe, a strong rope, and a sharp saw.
The base needs logging and sturdy houses that can withstand wind and snow.
Avoid the cold winter.
The wolves on the outskirts of the grassland seemed to sense her presence.
The wolf king, accompanied by several strong male wolves, appeared on the distant ridgeline, their shadows elongated in the afterglow of the setting sun. They did not approach, but merely paused and gazed at each other from afar for a moment. The wolf king raised its head and let out a long howl, then turned and led its pack away into the undulating grass.
That counts as having exchanged greetings.
On the highest cliff, Ling Zhan shouldered his pack.
Inside were samples of the Golden Thread Spirit Grass and Cold Jade Fungus, carefully wrapped in moist moss and broad leaves, as well as the precious honey from the leaves of the small palm.
My heart is heavy with the weight of the harvest.
Jinbao squatted on the rock at her feet, imitating her, and looked towards the village below the mountain.
Her small chest was held high, like a little general.
This time, it can no longer follow us down the mountain. It is now the guardian of this hidden paradise atop the clouds.
"Let's go, Jinbao."
Ling Zhan's voice was very soft as she patted the little monkey's fluffy head, "Watch the house."
Jinbao didn't call out, but just squatted quietly on the rock, his bright black eyes watching Ling Zhan turn around and walk down the slippery path step by step, his figure gradually swallowed by the rising clouds.
The golden glow of the setting sun gilded its small, upright figure with a dazzling golden edge.
The gnarled ancient pine cast a silent silhouette behind it.
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