by Dragon King
Hao Ren crashed into them, but he was bounced back as if it was a resilient wall.
The dozen or so Snow Lion cubs pounced at Hao Ren again!
Hao Ren tried to release sword energy, but he lost his aim. The Snow Lion in the foremost of the group pounced on him and pushed him on the chest with its paw.
Splash! Hao Ren fell backward into a puddle.
He tried to struggle up, but the other Snow Lion cubs had all followed up.
Each of the Snow Lion cubs weighed more than a human adult. Although their spirit beast potential had not been activated yet, their body strength and attacking force was even stronger than that of a Dragon Clan cultivator at the Zhen Level!
With its paw on Hao Ren’s chest, the Snow Lion cub opened its mouth. Hao Ren closed his eyes, knowing he would die this time.
Lick… Hao Ren felt a slimy feeling on his face.
He opened his eyes and found the cub was licking his face affectionately!
And the other cubs were all sitting around him tamely, scratching his hands, feet, and belly!
“Huh?” Panicked and baffled, Hao Ren sat up on the wet ground.
The Snow Lion cub which had been licking his face put its head on his chest and rubbed against it fondly.
Tentatively, Hao Ren reached out his stiff fingers and scratched its head as if he was petting a puppy. The cub seemed to like his petting, squinting its eyes cutely.
The adult Snow Lions blocking the exit rumbled, then they turned to leave.
Hao Ren stood up, and the Snow Lion cubs followed him obediently while some of them rubbing against his pants affectionately.
“Is it possible that they were playing with me instead of attacking me?” Hao Ren felt amazed.
He walked out of the tunnel, and the adult Snow Lions had disappeared, but the dozen or so Snow Lion cubs followed him closely.
He continued to walk and encountered nothing dangerous on his way. He touched his chest to make sure he was not hurt, still baffled about the situation.
When he came to the exit of the cave, a surge of Nature Essence rushed at him, and the cubs timidly hid behind Hao Ren.
They shook their round heads and looked at Hao Ren expectantly with their black eyes, seeming to beg him to take them out.
Hao Ren understood them, but he couldn’t take them all. He squatted down and chose the prettiest one, which was also the first one that had pounced on him. He scratched its paw.
Understanding Hao Ren’s intention, the Snow Lion cub jumped into his arms, turning into a mini Snow Lion as big as two palms.
The ability to change sizes was a born-ability of spirit beasts. Holding it in his arms, Hao Ren got a faint glimpse of two huge adult Snow Lions looking at him in the depth of the cave.
“It seems your parents want me to take you out.” With a pat on its little head, he put it in his arms. Circulating a surge of Nature Essence, he walked out of the cave.
It was bright outside; it was the second day! Hao Ren had spent a whole night stumbling through the cave.
The two guards were still on the ground, unconscious. Hao Ren wondered if they had been like this for the whole night or had woken up and then sent into unconsciousness again by Su Han. She was sitting on a nearby boulder, cultivating with her eyes closed. Sensing Hao Ren approaching, she opened her beautiful eyes. “Have you got them?”
“Yeah.” Hao Ren nodded. He didn’t want to tell her the dangers he encountered in the trip; after all, the only thing that mattered was that he had gotten the snow lotuses.
Su Han’s gaze rested on the Snow Lion cub in his arms. “And you caught a little spirit beast?”
Hao Ren thought, “I didn’t catch it; if followed me out.” But he just nodded, not caring to explain.
Su Han glanced at it again. “A Bin Level spirit beast. It will be a good pet. How many snow lotuses have you gotten?”
“Three. There are only three that have matured,” Hao Ren said.
“We have no choice but to ask the Earth Dragon Clan for the last one.” Su Han tossed up her sword and stood on it.
Hao Ren also stood on it. Knowing Su Han had been guarding the entrance in case Qin Shaoyang would come and rob the snow lotuses from him, he felt a surge of gratitude.
The sword flew swiftly toward the highest peak of the Sky Mountain. Su Han tossed out two air currents and woke up the two guards at the entrance of the cave.
It was the first time the Snow Lion cub saw the world outside of the cave and it looked around at everything curiously like a harmless little animal.
However, Hao Ren had seen its original form and its great power. If it took its original form, a cultivator below the Zhen Level would not be its match.
“If your hidden space is spacious enough, you can place the cub in it. But you’d better not put any herbs in the space, or he will eat them all,” Su Han told Hao Ren.
“Good idea!” Not wanting to attract too much attention, Hao Ren tossed the Snow Lion cub into his necklace and took out the five 1,000-year snow lotuses. He handed them to Su Han.
Su Han put the five snow lotuses into her space ring. After a moment of consideration, she asked, “Was there only one spirit beast in there?”
“No. There are many of them, big and small, but they didn’t attack me,” Hao Ren said.
“Then you were fortunate. Since your cultivation strength is weak, the essence of the dragon core in your body is not strong. You are also cultivating the human cultivation technique the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll, the spirit beasts guarding the snow lotuses in the cave thought you were a cultivator from the Sky Mountain Sect and didn’t attack you.” Driving the flying sword, Su Han turned her head and said to Hao Ren.
“Poor spirit beasts! Their masters left them hundreds of years ago, and they are still in the cave guarding the spirit herbs and waiting for their masters. No wonder they were so happy to see me, thinking I was a human cultivator,” Hao Ren thought.
Since no one fed them and they couldn’t leave the cave, they had to eat the snow lotuses. So far, they had eaten the matured snow lotuses, and the three 1,000-year snow lotuses must have been their food stored for the future.
Su Han’s white jade sword flew toward the highest peak and arrived at the mountaintop shortly.
The flying sword landed smoothly. Seeing Su Han’s sword light from a distance, the elders all hurried out to welcome them.
“Elders, the snow lotuses in the karst cave are not enough, so we still need the last 1,000-year snow lotus in your possession,” Su Han said politely.
The elders exchanged a look, thinking they were not able to get into the depth of the cave but were too proud to admit it. They had expected Su Han would come for the snow lotus and had put it in a golden wooden box. They handed the box to Su Han.
Su Han opened the box and made sure it was indeed a 1,000-year snow lotus. As compensation, she took out six dark red elixir pills. “Here are six Soul Transferring Pills which are very useful for breakthroughs. I’ll trade these pills for your snow lotus.”
The First Elder took two steps forward respectfully and took the six elixir pills from Su Han. Six elixir pills for one snow lotus, it was not a bad deal for them.
“I’m in a hurry now. We must take our leave!” Su Han tossed up the white jade sword and brought Hao Ren up to the sword.
“Farewell! Inspector Su!” The elders of the Earth Dragon Clan bowed their heads.
Having gotten six 1,000-year snow lotuses, Su Han had no time to settle accounts with Qin Shaoyang. She immediately took Hao Ren back to East Ocean City.
On the way back, Su Han asked him abruptly, “When you were deep in the cave, did you see some small dark red flowers?”
“Small dark red flowers?” Hao Ren remembered faintly that he had seen several very ordinary-looking small red flowers in the big cave at the end of the karst cave. They grew on the wall of the cave beside the 1,000-year snow lotuses.
“Are the red flowers as big as half a nail, looking
like little dots?”
“So, they do exist…” At Hao Ren’s answer, Su Han murmured to herself, “These are materials for youth elixirs. Someday, I’ll come back for it…”
“Su Han, have you heard of a kind of seven-colored snow lotus that takes 10,000 years to take root, 10,000 years to bloom and another 10,000 years to mature?” Hao Ren asked abruptly.
“The natural snow lotuses wither after 1,000 years. I’ve never heard of such snow lotuses you mentioned. However, the Sky Mountain Sect were experts on growing snow lotuses; maybe they could cultivate such snow lotuses with special methods,” Su Han answered casually.
Not knowing how to pursue the topic, Hao Ren kept the questions to himself. The things the Lu sisters mentioned were all treasures, and some of them were beyond Su Han’s knowledge.
Rumble! Rumble… Suddenly, Hao Ren felt the Snow Lion in the hidden space of the necklace rolling around.
The cub seemed to be hungry.
202 Covered in Tears
With Su Han’s identity as an Inspector, they returned without incident.
When they arrived at East Ocean City, there was still four hours left before the deadline. Su Han took Hao Ren directly to the bottom of the ocean. Sensing their arrival, the array formation of the Dragon Palace immediately opened.
When they landed on the square in the Dragon Palace, Lu Qing and Elder Sun hurried to them and asked, “How was it?”
“We got them,” Hao Ren told them.
They both heaved a sigh of relief before taking Hao Ren’s arm, saying, “Let’s bring in the herbs immediately. little Daoist Zhen has been impatient.”
They took several steps forward before looking back at Su Han. “Ms. Su…”
“Well, I have to go now.” Su Han handed the six 1,000-year snow lotuses to Hao Ren before walking out of the main gate of the Dragon Palace.
“Ms. Su, Thank you for your understanding.” Lu Qing and Elder Sun cupped their hands to Su Han. After all, she was not a member of the East Ocean, and it was not appropriate for her to show up on some occasions.
In her fluttering trench coat, Su Han walked away. This time by putting in her time, energy, and six elixir pills, she had returned a big favor to the East Ocean.
Glancing at Su Han who was leaving, Lu Qing dragged Hao Ren along with him. “We must hurry up. Gongzi Hao, please come with me!”
Zhao Kuo was resting in a small palace. Beside his bed were Zhao Guang, Zhao Hongyu, Zhao Yanzi, and Xingyue. Zhao Kuo had changed into clean clothes, but he looked listless.
Seeing Hao Ren come in with Lu Qing and Elder Sun, Zhao Guang walked up immediately. “How did it go?”
“I didn’t let you down. We got them.” Hao Ren opened the box and revealed the neatly arranged six snow lotuses inside.
“Great!” Zhao Guang’s face turned from anxious to pleasantly surprised. He said to Elder Sun, “Hurry up and ask little Daoist Zhen to come here!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Elder Sun turned and walked out of the room. Red-eyed from crying, Zhao Yanzi looked at Hao Ren incredulously, now expecting he would get six 1,000-year snow lotuses so successfully.
Seeing her tear-reddened eyes and the tired look on her face, Hao Ren knew she had not slept a bit in more than ten hours. His heart ached for her.
In a grey silk Taoist robe, little Daoist Zhen walked into the room with Elder Sun.
Seeing the box in Hao Ren’s hands, his eyes lit up. Without further ado, he turned to Elder Sun and said, “Open the furnace! I’ll begin making the elixir!”
“Ok!” Elder Sun strode out of the room into the yard.
Little Daoist Zhen grabbed the box from Hao Ren’s hands. He picked up three snow lotuses and stuffed them into his sleeves before walking out into the yard with the remaining three snow lotuses in his hands.
All the people in the small palace had been turned away as a measure to keep the secret of Zhao Kuo’s failure at the Heavenly Tribulation. Those people at the altar during the Heavenly Tribulation were elites of the East Ocean, and they wouldn’t leak the news.
Half-squatting-half-sitting before Zhao Kuo’s bed, Zhao Yanzi held her Third Uncle’s hand and kept him company. Zhao Kuo was breathing shallowly, half awake and half asleep.
The road of cultivation was full of dangers. Even the highest-leveled cultivators could be struck down by the Heavenly Tribulation as Zhao Kuo was.
Concerned about the process of elixir making, Zhao Guang followed little Daoist Zhen into the yard. Zhao Hongyu hesitated and decided to stay in the room to keep Zhao Yanzi company.
In the yard, with the primary materials in hand, little Daoist Zhen began to make the elixir.
The process was not complicated. He opened the black elixir furnace’s door and put in the materials he had prepared one by one.
The three 1,000-year snow lotuses were the last to be placed into the furnace. After all the materials were in the furnace, little Daoist Zhen sat down cross-legged.
There was no fire under the furnace, yet he just sat down.
Hao Ren was puzzled at the sight when little Daoist Zhen, who was only about eight years old, suddenly spat out a burning flame!
The flame was so hot that it forced Zhao Guang and Elder Sun to step back a little.
With the lowest cultivation realm and totally unprepared, Hao Ren almost backed into a room.
The burning fire shrunk into needle-thin threads and began to roast the black iron furnace.
“Is this… the Samadhi Fire?” Hao Ren asked Lu Qing who stood beside him.
Lu Qing shook his head. “Samadhi Fire? That’s the lowest grade fire in the cultivation world. little Daoist Zhen is the fire disciple of Qiu Niu, who is the Great Master of Elixirs in the Dragon Tribe. His fire is called the Evil Eradicating Fire which ranks sixth on the list of natural fires. Samadhi Fire is not even in the top 100 on the list of natural fires and any demon beast turned human can spit it!”
“Isn’t little Daoist Zhen a dragon?” Hao Ren heard the hidden information in his words and asked.
“Hehe, little Daoist Zhen’s original form is a demon beast. He was tamed by Master Qiu one hundred years ago when he was traveling in the Ocean of Demon Beasts. However, he has activated his intelligence and successfully turned him into a human form about eight years ago,” Lu Qing told him in a low voice.
Looking at the handsome boy in the yard, Hao Ren was surprised to learn he was, in fact, a demon beast under the sea!
The flames circled the furnace thread by thread. The weird blue flame was no longer hot; instead, it gave off a cool sensation.
Time ticked away, and little Daoist Zhen seemed to be dozing off while he spat flames. However, no one in the yard dared to disturb him.
Red-eyed, Zhao Yanzi also came out of the room. Seeing little Daoist Zhen was dozing off while making the elixir, and the flames he spat out had turned intermittent. She wanted to remind him of his job, but Zhao Guang stopped her with his eyes.
Zhao Kuo’s life was now in little Daoist Zhen’s hand. The boy was as every bit as eccentric as his master, and it was very likely that he would take his hands off of the matter if he were displeased.
From sitting to leaning to lying down on the ground, little Daoist Zhen yawned. After spitting out two more flames, he finally fell asleep.
Zhao Guang, Lu Qing and others looked at each other, not certain if the elixir was ready or not.
Two hours later, little Daoist Zhen stretched and stood up from the ground. Brushing the dust off his robe, he walked to the furnace before lifting the lid.
In the elixir furnace, a golden elixir pill was spinning. little Daoist Zhen reached in and took it out. Feeling the burn of it, he blew at it before tossing it at Hao Ren.
Hao Ren reached out and caught the pill, feeling the scalding heat in his palm. Immediately, he activated Nature Essence to protect his palm.
“The elixir is made. I’ll go back to sleep.” With that, little Daoist Zhen walked out of the small palace arrogantly.
With the elixir pill in hand, Hao Ren immediately turned and walked into the room.
The golden pill was still hot, but it was cool enough for Zhao Kuo to take. Frowning, Elder Xingyue took the pill from Hao Ren and helped Zhao Kuo take the pill with a bowl of water.
Even an ordinary snow lotus could turn a dying man back to life, not to mention the seven-colored snow lotus which had grown for one thousand years. Besides, the elixir had an additional effect since it was made personally by little Daoist Zhen who had vast experience with elixirs. In the past, he had ignored the people whom Zhao Guang sent to ask for dharma treasures, but this time, he did the East Ocean a big favor by making the elixir for Zhao Kuo.
Red-eyed, Zhao Yanzi looked at Zhao Kuo hopefully. She sniffed, after another bout of crying.
“We can’t underestimate the power of the Heavenly Tribulation. Besides, little Daoist Zhen didn’t promise that his elixir would save Zhao Kuo with 100% certainty,” Zhao Hongyu stood beside Zhao Guang and said to him gently.
“I know. But I am still hopeful.” Zhao Guang nodded. After a moment of consideration, he turned to Hao Ren. “We must thank you for your effort.”
“No problem.” Hao Ren waved his hand, grateful for the opportunity to serve the East Ocean to repay the kindness Zhao Guang and Zhao Hongyu had shown him. However, he didn’t want to tell them the dangers he encountered in the karst cave.
Thinking Hao Ren just went on an errand, tiresome but not life-threatening, Zhao Yanzi pouted while she looked at him, not able to bring herself to thank him.
Zhao Kuo was still sleeping. Elder Xingyue sat by the bed and took care of him. Lu Qing and Elder Sun sighed slightly at the scene
“Zi, take a walk outside. You’ve been here for one day and one night. When your Third Uncle wakes up, I’ll send for you,” Glancing at Hao Ren and Zhao Yanzi, Zhao Guang said.
“Ok…” Nodding, Zhao Yanzi walked out of the room. At a glance from Zhao Guang, Hao Ren took his silent instruction and walked out with her.