Chapter 49: Great Harvest! The Taotie Cauldron's Craving!

Outside Erlong Mountain.

The herb-gathering team of Liuhe Martial Arts Hall had rested for more than half an hour.

Song Yan stood at the front of the team, gazing at the rugged mountain road that stretched deep into Erlong Mountain, her willow eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"Second Senior Brother, why hasn't Junior Brother Qin returned yet? Could he have encountered mountain bandits?"

Her eyes were fixed on the road ahead; as soon as Qin Shuo emerged from the mountains, she would be the first to notice him.

"Junior Sister Song, I didn't notice before, but you seem quite concerned about Junior Brother Qin!" Lin Feng said with a teasing smile.

"Since we come from the same sect, we ought to look out for each other." Song Yan replied calmly.

Lin Feng neither agreed nor disagreed with Song Yan's statement.

Ever since Qin Shuo entered the mountains to scout, this Junior Sister Song had been like an ant on a hot pan—restless, constantly gazing at the mountain path leading inward; Lin Feng naturally knew what was on her mind.

It was only that Song Yan herself refused to admit it, and he did not point it out.

"Aren't you worried about Junior Brother Qin's safety, Second Senior Brother?"

Perhaps feeling her answer lacked conviction, or perhaps due to guilt, Song Yan withdrew her gaze from the distance and turned to look at Lin Feng.

"What is there to worry about? According to Wang Guanshi, the fiercest bandits on Erlong Mountain are led by someone who is at most Inner Strength Great Perfection."

"Junior Brother Qin, with Inner Strength Great Success, could defeat Luo Tong; now that he has reached Inner Strength Great Perfection, who besides a Tongmai Realm expert could threaten him?" Lin Feng said in a relaxed tone.

He had always been confident in Qin Shuo's strength.

Earlier, when he stopped Song Yan from joining the scouting mission, it was also because he worried she might hinder Qin Shuo at a critical moment, though he did not say so outright.

"Although Junior Brother Qin is highly skilled, he is inexperienced in the world; those mountain bandits are treacherous and deceitful—if they ambush him or use poison, I worry he might get injured with no one to come to his aid." Song Yan said with concern.

Upon hearing this, Lin Feng also raised his eyebrows.

He had always paid attention to Qin Shuo's strength, but had forgotten that his own junior brother was still a boy under eighteen.

"Wait a little longer; if he hasn't returned after the burning of one incense stick, I will go with you to look for him."

Under Song Yan's influence, Lin Feng also felt a hint of worry.

Logically speaking, for a scouting trip, a round trip should take no more than half an hour.

Yet now, half an hour had passed, and Qin Shuo still had not returned.

Combined with Song Yan's reminder, this made the usually steady Lin Feng also feel restless.

After the burning of one incense stick.

Song Yan still had not seen Qin Shuo's figure on that mountain path.

Unable to wait any longer, she leapt onto her horse and was about to ride into Erlong Mountain to investigate.

"Wait, I'll go with you."

Lin Feng also sensed the seriousness of the situation.

Qin Shuo must have run into trouble; otherwise, it would be impossible for him to be gone this long.

Under these circumstances, he could not possibly allow Song Yan to go into the mountains alone to search for someone.

He informed Wang Guanshi, telling them to wait in place.

If they had not returned by nightfall, he would have Wang Guanshi lead people back along the original route to wait at the previous relay station.

Just as Lin Feng and Song Yan set out toward Erlong Mountain to search for Qin Shuo.

At this moment, Qin Shuo was like a demon god, holding a blood-stained long blade, standing tall on the training ground of Black Dragon Stronghold.

At his feet, the chief of Black Dragon Stronghold had already been cut diagonally in two, blood staining the ground like a pool of blood.

The mountain breeze gently blew, carrying a thick stench of blood.

Those bandits who had just been praying for Yuan Gang to blast Qin Shuo were now frozen like wooden chickens, as if they had lost the ability to think.

"Run!"

Yuan Peng, being a martial artist of Inner Strength Great Success, reacted instantly, roaring angrily before fleeing madly toward the rear mountain.

Upon hearing this, the other bandits also immediately came to their senses, their faces turning deathly pale.

In the next moment, the bandits hiding in the wooden houses, as if gone mad, desperately fled toward the rear mountain.

Qin Shuo took a deep breath, not immediately pursuing these already frightened bandits.

He walked toward the wooden post where the little girl was tied, intending to rescue her first.

However, as he approached, he discovered that the little girl had already bitten her tongue and killed herself, blood flowing from the corner of her mouth, devoid of any vitality!

"This..."

Qin Shuo stood stunned on the spot, never expecting such an outcome.

The next second, a killing intent so intense it was nearly substantive erupted from within him.

Originally, after his great battle with Yuan Gang, his inner strength and stamina had already been depleted by seven or eight parts.

Especially the final move of the Three Returns to One White Ape Splitting the Mountain in actual combat, which had nearly exhausted his spirit and blood, leaving his mind in a daze.

But now, fury and killing intent filled his entire body, causing him to lose his rationality.

He directly activated the Burning Blood Secret Technique, instantly replenishing the depleted inner strength.

The next moment, he charged into the rear mountain's dense forest like a bloodthirsty asura, and immediately, shrill cries began to echo from the woods.

These cries continued for over ten minutes.

Until the last fleeing bandit, namely the third chief of Black Dragon Stronghold, was beheaded by Qin Shuo with a single stroke at the foot of Iron Stone Cliff, did this hair-raising wailing cease completely.

Huff!

After slaughtering all the bandits, an extreme sense of weakness welled up in his chest.

Qin Shuo lay on his back on the ground, gasping heavily, and only after over ten minutes did he gradually recover his strength.

He rose to his feet and looked around, discovering this was a flat mountain valley.

To the right of the valley stood a black stone cliff, beneath which there was still a wooden hut.

If Qin Shuo guessed correctly, this should be the residence of Yuan Gang, the chief of Black Dragon Stronghold.

Because he saw the footprints and palm prints left by the other party practicing martial arts under that stone cliff.

That kind of palm force that shatters mountains and breaks stones can only be displayed by Yuan Gang, who has achieved Inner Strength Great Perfection.

He walked into the wooden house, and a bright red kasaya hanging on the wall immediately caught his attention.

On the kasaya, a monk radiated blinding golden light all over his body, resembling a golden arhat, his entire being exuding an aura of effortless perfection, flawless and complete.

Behind him, golden light shot into the sky, within which a golden dragon soared and roamed freely; there was also a white elephant standing firm like a mountain, its steps shaking the earth.

In an instant, an imposing and unshakable aura surged from the painting, as if a luohan subduing dragons and taming elephants were about to step out of the kasaya.

【Discovered Ingredient: Longxiang Golden Body Divine Intent Map】

【Refining Conditions: Keep the Longxiang Intent in mind, temper the entire body with strength, a thousand strikes to enter the gate, ten thousand strikes for minor achievement, a hundred thousand strikes for golden body completion, a million strikes to fully refine!】

【Refining Effect: Longxiang Golden Body Perfection, with a Vajra Body, wielding the power of Longxiang!】

"With a Vajra Body, wielding the power of Longxiang?"

Seeing the last line of the prompt on the panel, Qin Shuo's face instantly lit up with astonishing brilliance, his previous fatigue and lethargy swept away.

"Good stuff, this is absolutely good stuff!"

Qin Shuo excitedly stepped forward, wanting to store this kasaya into the Taotie Cauldron.

Judging from the methods Yuan Gang had just displayed, this Longxiang Golden Body is at least a superior martial art, possibly even a secret supreme technique.

If it weren't for him relying on the life-and-death fierce battle, refining the final move White Ape Splitting Mountain, and realizing the mystery of Three Elements Returning to One, transforming strength into blade light.

He is probably still locked in fierce combat with Yuan Gang now, unable to break through his defense.

However, as he just approached, he discovered that beneath the kasaya, there was actually a divine shrine and a spirit tablet being offered.

On the spirit tablet, written in crooked charcoal: Spirit Tablet of the Longxiang Monk!

Longxiang Monk?

Could he be the owner of this kasaya, that is, the founder of the Longxiang Golden Body?

But how could a monk capable of creating such a superior martial art as the Longxiang Golden Body be mixed in with a bunch of bandits?

Qin Shuo was filled with doubts, about to look up at the small characters on the kasaya.

Suddenly, his gaze fell upon the square wooden shrine box.

Almost as soon as his gaze landed on the shrine, his internal Taotie Cauldron suddenly trembled violently, transmitting an intense feeling of longing.

That longing was like a beggar who had starved for three days and three nights suddenly seeing a fragrant roasted chicken—intense and uncontrollable!

"What is inside this? To make the Taotie Cauldron so eager?" Qin Shuo exclaimed in surprise.

Since he transmigrated, he had never seen the Taotie Cauldron emit such a strong signal of desire.

Whether it was the initial White Jade Ginseng King or just now the Longxiang Golden Body Divine Intent Map, the Taotie Cauldron had remained very calm.

Yet this seemingly insignificant shrine made it so 'excited'!

"There must be something extraordinary inside!"

Qin Shuo's heart burned with fervor.

The Longxiang Golden Body Divine Intent Map had already filled him with joy beyond expectation.

He never expected that inside this shrine, there would actually be something even more precious than the Longxiang Golden Body Divine Intent Map.

This trip to Black Dragon Stronghold seems destined for a great harvest!