Chapter 43: Nine-Turn Heavenly Ganoderma, Guardian Beast, Red Flame Bird
“Look, that’s the Heavenly Ganoderma, and it’s already undergone metamorphosis three times, reaching the spiritual grade!”
Ji Zhuyue pointed excitedly at a three-turn Heavenly Ganoderma beside a large tree in the distance.
“Forget it, this thing is useless to me right now. There’s no need to provoke the monsters around here,” Qin Bei shook his head and replied.
Under normal circumstances, Qin Bei would have snatched it up without a second thought.
But time wasn’t on their side.
This was already the fifth Heavenly Ganoderma they had found.
When they stumbled upon the first four-turn Heavenly Ganoderma, Qin Bei had simply gone for it.
As a result, a ten-meter-long Ling Snake charged out to say hello.
Although it was merely a peak of the third level, the snake-shaped monster was surprisingly tricky to deal with, and Qin Bei wasted considerable time on it.
So now, seeing that it wasn’t the coveted Nine-Turn Heavenly Ganoderma, Qin Bei just gave up and moved on to the next stop.
The two continued their search, gradually going deeper into the area.
The cultivation of the monster beasts was getting higher and higher.
However, Qin Bei wasn’t too worried about encountering a fifth-level monster. The secret realm, like its entrance, had its limitations.
It’s just that the strength restrictions differed a bit.
At the entrance, they limited the foundation-building realm, while inside this secret realm, it was capped at the golden core realm; no creatures above that level existed.
Whether they were human or monster, anyone exceeding this realm would face obliteration.
Hence, the most powerful monster that could exist here was a rare peak fourth-level beast.
After all, this was a small world, where the peak fourth-level was the top dog, and how could the first batch of monsters to reach this level allow any others to stand on the same playing field?
Later, Qin Bei and Ji Zhuyue found two more Heavenly Ganoderma, but they were both just three-turn ones, and Qin Bei didn’t have any intention of claiming them.
“I sensed it!”
Qin Bei suddenly exclaimed.
Ji Zhuyue initially thought he sensed the elusive Nine-Turn Heavenly Ganoderma, but when she turned to look, Qin Bei was holding a jade pendant instead.
It turned out he was sensing Qin Xuan’s location.
“So you’ve been searching for Heavenly Ganoderma while also looking for Qin Xuan,” Ji Zhuyue realized, finally connecting the dots—no wonder he didn’t approach that bright spot earlier.
“Look over there.”
Qin Bei didn’t argue but pointed toward the summit of a nearby tall mountain.
Although the distance was a bit far, Ji Zhuyue followed his finger and clearly spotted a fist-sized Ganoderma standing quietly in a hidden nook atop the mountain.
“Nine-Turn Heavenly Ganoderma!”
Ji Zhuyue exclaimed in delight.
She never expected they would find such a divine medicinal herb so easily.
If any outsiders learned of this, they’d be green with envy, gnashing their teeth!
“This compass is truly a fantastic item; no wonder the spirit race was once so prosperous.”
Qin Bei chuckled as he admired the Floating Spirit Compass in his hand.
“What are we waiting for? Let’s go grab it now! It’s the key to your final breakthrough!”
“Spiritual herbs of this caliber aren’t common in this secret realm; there’s probably a real big bad monster guarding it.”
Although he had finally found the sought-after Nine-Turn Heavenly Ganoderma, Qin Bei was hesitant to charge in recklessly.
It was one thing to be discovered by a monster and lose the chance at the Nine-Turn Heavenly Ganoderma; it’d be a whole other kettle of fish if he got caught up in a nasty battle.
At best, he wouldn’t be able to save Qin Xuan in time, and at worst, it could cost him his own life.
The peak fourth-level monsters were simply not something he could handle right now.
“Do you have anything useful on you?”
Qin Bei suddenly asked, gazing at Ji Zhuyue’s lovely face.
If she were just a maid, he surely wouldn’t have been so bold.
But he knew Ji Zhuyue was the Empress of the Wu Kingdom, and even in disguise as a maid, she would undoubtedly have some treasures hidden away.
Sure enough, Ji Zhuyue seemed to grasp his intention.
“Are you suggesting an exchange?”
Ji Zhuyue inquired, looking surprised.
“Exactly! Monsters at this level have spiritual intelligence; they know how to make choices.”
“And for them, I happen to have a Transformation Pill here, which should be the most desired item by the monsters in this realm.”
Saying this, Ji Zhuyue reached into her Qiankun bag and produced a pill.
Not one to be polite, Qin Bei snatched the Transformation Pill and dashed off toward the location of the Nine-Turn Heavenly Ganoderma.
Ji Zhuyue promptly followed behind.
Before long, the two of them neared the Nine-Turn Heavenly Ganoderma.
To Qin Bei’s surprise, he found no monsters lurking in the vicinity.
But just as he edged closer to the Nine-Turn Heavenly Ganoderma, a piercing cry echoed from the sky.
Qin Bei hurriedly looked up.
He saw a red bird diving down, swooping protectively over the Nine-Turn Heavenly Ganoderma.
“Red Flame Bird.”
Qin Bei sighed in relief; thankfully, he hadn’t intended to just snatch it.
Otherwise, if this peak fourth-level Red Flame Bird set its sights on him, it would be like trying to shake off a clingy ex!
Another cry rang out, as the Red Flame Bird warned them to stay out of its territory.
“Don’t be alarmed. I know you can understand me,” Qin Bei said cautiously.
Seeing the Red Flame Bird fix its gaze on him, he felt more confident that they could communicate.
“Let’s get straight to the point. I want the Nine-Turn Heavenly Ganoderma behind you. In return, I can offer you a Transformation Pill. You probably understand its value without me elaborating further.”
The Red Flame Bird displayed a pensive expression at the sight of the high-held Transformation Pill.
Qin Bei thought it might be intrigued.
Yet the next second, the Red Flame Bird launched an attack against him.
“Uh-oh!”
Qin Bei quickly pulled Ji Zhuyue out of harm’s way.
“Human, get out of here! I can pretend you never showed up!”
To Qin Bei’s surprise, the Red Flame Bird actually spoke—its voice sweet and feminine.
“You can talk? How come? Don’t you want the Transformation Pill?”
Qin Bei asked, bewildered. The Transformation Pill was incredibly precious to any demon beast.
“I never had any intention of leaving this place. The Transformation Pill holds no importance for me.”
The Red Flame Bird replied, shrugging off his offer.
Qin Bei began to piece it together.
The Transformation Pill could let the bird transform into a human, allowing it to cultivate like a human, and with a monster’s long lifespan, its achievements would certainly be impressive.
But the Red Flame Bird had no desire to leave this secret realm; having already reached the peak of the fourth level, it clearly had zero interest in the Transformation Pill.
Even though he understood, Qin Bei wasn’t ready to back down just yet.
“So, what if I insist on taking the Nine-Turn Heavenly Ganoderma today?”
“Hmph! You can give it a shot. I haven’t met a worthy opponent in ages.”
The Red Flame Bird retorted coldly.
Qin Bei narrowed his eyes.
At the peak of the Golden Core Realm, even with his double pupils, magical abilities, and Undying Phoenix Body, he still felt uncertain about facing it down. But he really needed that Nine-Turn Heavenly Ganoderma.
So, he decided it was worth a try.
“In that case, forgive my rudeness!”
As the words left his mouth, a talisman materialized in Qin Bei’s hand.
It was the Sword Talisman he had purchased at the auction. Each talisman could unleash an attack with the power of the foundation-building realm’s peak.
And he had a hundred of those in his arsenal.
Without a hint of hesitation, he unleashed all one hundred talismans.
Precision strikes against a monster of this caliber were pointless, so Qin Bei opted instead for a covering fire approach.
Meanwhile, Ji Zhuyue also sprang into action, attacking the right side of the Red Flame Bird.
Qin Bei employed his Extreme Cold Gaze to slow the Red Flame Bird’s movements, activating his Undying Phoenix Body in an attempt to subdue the beast with sheer force.
Just as he activated the Undying Phoenix Body, the Red Flame Bird seemed to get spooked by something, and its fierce fighting spirit shattered into dust…
swish! whoosh! boom!
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