Chapter 44: Adding Some Seasoning

Er Mountain stretches for thousands of li; as for the Grand Void Sect, not to mention the later‑stage disciples who were cast into the over five‑thousand chains of Qi, even all the sect members who entered the mountain, scattered as they may, cannot even enclose half a ridge.

Jiang Yu and the previous fellow disciple who was dropped were only a few li apart; although the nearby area is a domain of third‑ and fourth‑tier demonic beasts, no one would break the rules by looking for a partner.

The moment she landed, a protective light shield rose, and she extended her divine consciousness to the limit; within a radius of over a hundred meters there were neither people nor beasts, which certainly earned her uncle master's approval.

But the regret is that she had never been here; after all, she was so busy cultivating that she rarely entered Er Mountain, and she still needed to consult a map.

Once she confirmed the direction, she proceeded toward the area where fourth‑tier demonic beasts often appear.

At present, third‑tier beasts do not pose a great threat to her; to score high in hunting, she must seek higher‑tier demons to fight.

When encountering fellow sect members or wandering cultivators along the way, Jiang Yu ignores them entirely, keeping her flying vessel at a low altitude of thirty zhang for accelerated travel.

Flying too high is unwise, as it makes her vulnerable to aerial demonic beasts.

"How about heading straight for the sixth‑tier territory? I'll use dragon fire to help eliminate the enemies."

"That way we can finish two or three demon pills and you'll win assuredly," Jiang Tu suggested a bolder plan.

Jiang Yu raised her hand and pressed the spirit beast pouch, saying, "Then I'll just take a Nascent Soul Sword Qi Talisman and slash a few seventh‑tier ones even faster."

The key is that entering is easy, but coming out blocked by more sixth‑ and seventh‑tier beasts means they'll wipe us out.

"My goal is to gather more fourth‑tier spirit fruits and medicinal herbs."

"But Er Mountain has been explored by countless generations of cultivators; how could many spirit herbs remain?" Jiang Tu also knows that, generally, human cultivators uproot herbs but don't cut down trees.

Jiang Yu came prepared; she had marked several spots last night, and today's landing happened to be near one of them. "You forgot, there's a place on the map called Liuguang Pool; inside there are many fourth‑tier flowing‑juice fruit trees. I'm planning to search for third‑tier along the way…"

Screech

A sudden eagle cry instantly interrupted their conversation; Jiang Tu's divine consciousness widened, immediately recognizing a fifth‑tier silver‑winged eagle. "Is it flying into third‑tier territory to hunt?"

Without a word, Jiang Yu controlled the flying vessel to dive and skim the ground, preparing to temporarily evade and observe from elsewhere.

Unexpectedly, two or three cultivators with massive chain‑qi circles ran from the left, shouting loudly, "Comrade, help us! Let us borrow your flying vessel."

How could Jiang Yu do such a foolish thing while the silver‑winged eagle was pursuing them?

She instantly shot upward, soaring away; the silver‑winged eagle clearly did not chase her, and the three on the ground cursed while running.

After flying dozens of li away, she saw two waves of third‑tier demonic beasts fighting; she lowered the flying vessel from afar, hovering a dozen meters outside the melee.

The wolf pack's encirclement was tight, with flawless attack‑defense coordination, but it couldn't withstand the Iron Rhinoceros Beast's coarse, thick hide and massive head; a single charge could knock a wolf airborne.

Both sides: you rely on agile mobility, I rely on boundless strength; the clash is as deafening as thunder and as dark as night.

The little turtle Jiang Tu immediately grasped her intention: "You're trying to scavenge?"

"Shh, I want to add some seasoning for them." The third‑tier Iron Rhinoceros Beast and the wolf pack; Jiang Yu is fond of the medicinal properties of rhino horns.

She took out a discarded second‑hand flying paper crane, each wing affixed with a high‑grade spirit beast pill, and exhaled, infusing it with spiritual energy.

Jiang Tu muttered reluctantly about the pills, "Forty pieces of low‑grade spirit stone."

"Don't worry, I'll make it up for you." Jiang Yu assured, being well aware of Uncle Han of the Spirit Beast Valley's high‑grade spirit beast pills and their attraction to demons.

Even the fifth‑tier dragon clan that Jiang Tu belongs to covets them; ordinary third‑tier ones can't resist the temptation.

The paper crane was instantly thrown into the demonic beast battalion, only to be knocked off by a wolf that leapt onto the Iron Rhinoceros Beast's back.

The spinning white, plump pill emitted a peculiar alchemical fragrance, instantly provoking fierce competition among the beasts.

In less than a moment, the two spirit beast pills were snatched and shared by a wolf and a beast.

Then both were simultaneously attacked from both sides; before long they fell to the ground, still being fought over, and the scene became a chaotic mess where friend and foe were indistinguishable.

Seizing the moment, Jiang Yu whizzed the flying vessel above them and precisely launched ice‑spike talismans, each targeting a demonic beast—utterly simple.

Unfortunately, the beasts noticed her, felt unable to fly up and strike, and began to scatter.

Tired, Jiang Yu produced fire‑ball talismans, blasting several, and since the faster ones fled, she gave up the chase.

Because Jiang Tu had already seen cultivators sprinting toward this spot from a few li away, the two landed at top speed and directly sealed an entire mass of demonic corpses into the Dragon Pearl Space.

Just as they were reveling in the collection, a hidden cultivator emerged from a corner, and Jiang Tu leapt onto his shoulder, spitting a water arrow to drive him away.

Jiang Yu, not wanting a demonic beast to cause a death, said, "Leave immediately."

"No, no, no, comrade, it's my fault." A middle‑aged wandering cultivator at mid‑stage chain‑qi, his ritual robes looking worn.

The male cultivator immediately protected the female cultivator who pulled him, "We have also been guarding for a day and a night."

"We only need to cut a single third‑tier public rhino horn; nothing else. We'll give you spirit stones, not for free."

"Then why didn't you act earlier, even a single strike?" Jiang Yu handed Jiang Tu a storage pouch, letting him conceal it while continuing to gather beasts.

The female cultivator shyly said, "Fairy Jiang, we have been searching for days for a rhino horn to treat a child."

"But finding this place, the attack talismans on us were depleted; we intended to wait for an unsuspecting Iron Rhinoceros Beast to ambush."

"We didn't expect you to act so swiftly; a barrage of spirit talismans rained down, and we truly couldn't get close."

"Just now, my husband was possessed by a demon; please forgive us."

"But could you sell us a fresh, blood‑stained public rhino horn?"

"Do you know me?"

"Hmm, last year many people at the market heard of you and have seen your portrait."

"These two, they're yours, but I don't want spirit stones and I won't hold you accountable for what just happened."

"As long as you hide in the forest without being discovered." Jiang Yu, gripping the Secret of Controlling Objects, sent the two third‑tier public beasts to their front.

The male cultivator shook his head unwillingly and transmitted to his wife, "Our life‑saving item."

"We can't delay the child; at least we can still refine more."

"Moreover, if the other side truly turns hostile, just those spirit talismans alone we both couldn't withstand."

She took from the storage a jade‑green wooden talisman, sending it with spiritual power, "This is my family's heirloom Wood‑Hide Talisman, which can only be carved from spirit wood of fifth tier or above; it's unavailable on the market."

"Heirloom?" Jiang Yu glanced at the talisman, noticing it resembled certain patterns on the Chaotic Origin Talisman.

She infused spiritual energy and rushed toward the tree for a test; Jiang Tu indeed could not detect it.

"I won't take advantage of you; these two bottles of Condensation Qi Pills are yours." As she spoke, she had already placed the two bottles into the female cultivator's bosom.

Turned and, taking Jiang Tu who had finished collecting the demon beasts, flew away.

The two loose cultivators, upon seeing the top-grade Qi Gathering Pill, immediately put away their two third-tier iron rhinoceros beasts and fled from Er Shan.

Don't look at the top-grade Qi Gathering Pill costing twenty spirit stones each; although they earned spirit stones they couldn't buy it, now that they have it, advancing to the late stage is imminent.

The male cultivator, while running, sent a voice transmission: "If I had known she was so generous, I would have told her that Che Xuan's gang of rogue cultivators are also wandering nearby."

The female cultivator looked back, but the flying boat's shadow was already gone; even if she wanted to warn them now, she couldn't see anyone: "They won't get any advantage; that spirit beast's rank is not low."

Jiang Dao You herself probably has plenty of defensive treasures, right? I hope she can run fast enough.