Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Their dinner consisted of grilled Ice Patterned Lamb and lamb soup.

The Submerged Scale Guards were skilled in barbecuing, a skill honed during their training in the Scale Platform Hunting Valley. During their wanderings in the mountains, they had grown tired of the bland Fasting Pills and decided to cook the monster meat instead – after all, there was an abundance of meat in these hills, and they could fry, boil, grill, or deep-fry it to create different flavors every day.

They roasted the fifth-stage Ice Patterned Lamb.

Good things should always be reserved for their own people first – that was the consensus among the Submerged Scale Guards. The higher the rank of the monster, the more energy its flesh contained, and the more delectable it was. The meat of a fifth-stage Ice Patterned Lamb was even more delicious than that of a fourth-stage one.

They extracted the monster core of the fifth-stage Ice Patterned Lamb and delivered it to Wen Qiao.

As Ning Yuzhou had established, whoever hunted the monster owned its core. Thus, since Wen Qiao had brought down this creature, the core belonged to her.

The monster core was the size of an infant's fist, translucent like ice jade with concentric silver patterns on its surface. It exuded a frosty aura, and it felt abnormally cold to the touch.

Wen Qiao took a look and then carefully stored the core away.

During this period, they had hunted many demonic beasts in the mountains and obtained a large number of demon cores, enough to serve as candy for Wen Tuttu. Unfortunately, Wen Tuttu was picky about her food and would only eat wind-type demon cores; she wouldn't touch any others.

The Ice Patterned Sheep's meat was indeed delectable. Simply roasted with some ordinary Moon Honey, the scent of barbecued meat filled the entire valley. The Scale Concealed Guards indulged themselves, even the Shang siblings couldn't resist and ate quite a bit, eventually feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Nonsense, there's plenty of meat. You two don't need to be so polite."

Ning Yuzhou entertained them warmly. His table manners were impeccable; regardless of how delicious the food was, he always ate at a leisurely pace, with grace and composure that was a feast for the eyes, demonstrating his excellent upbringing and etiquette. The demeanor of a noble scion was fully on display.

Seeing this, the Shang siblings felt even more convinced that Ning Yuzhou came from an extraordinary background.

However, since Ning Yuzhou didn't bring it up, they didn't feel right asking. After all, he was their savior. If he didn't wish to reveal his origins, how could they press him?

***

The next day, the Shang siblings bid farewell and left.

Early in the morning, Qiansou led a group of Scale Concealed Guards to continue hunting demonic beasts for practice. After breakfast, Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao, accompanied by Wen Tuttu, left the valley at a leisurely pace.

Most of the demonic beasts surrounding the valley had been cleared out. The remaining ones were mostly second or third-stage beasts. Wen Qiao didn't wipe them all out, leaving some behind to reproduce, maintaining the natural balance of the ecosystem.

However, due to Wen Qiao's habit of eliminating entire groups of larger beasts, leaving only the young ones alive, the surrounding creatures had developed a deep-seated fear of her and Wen Tuttu. Whenever they appeared, the beasts would flee in panic, afraid that their families might be wiped out.

After searching for quite some time without finding any suitable beasts to fight, Wen Qiao secretly glanced at the man beside her.

Ning Yuzhou was well aware of his young wife's nature. He could read her thoughts from a single frown. Seeing her expression, he knew she was itching for action but was hesitant to ask him directly.

Ning Yuzhou pretended not to know, waiting for her to make the decision herself.

After a while, Wen Qiao suggested, "Brother Ning, there aren't any decent beasts to fight around here. How about we cross this forest and venture further away? What do you think?"

In such moments, the young lady's words would become particularly sweet, as if she were possessed by Wen Tuttu.

Ning Yuzhou looked in the direction she pointed, his gaze flickering slightly. "I recall that there's a White-Bellied Wolf Spider's territory on the other side of the woods."

He knew this because a few days ago, Wen Qiao had chased a group of Spirit Monkeys all the way into the spider's domain.

The monkeys had merely stolen one of her fruits, yet she had nearly driven them to extinction, chasing them relentlessly. With the White-Bellied Wolf Spider in front and the terrifying young lady behind, the monkeys had no choice but to gift Wen Qiao several jars of their self-made Spirit Monkey Wine to secure their escape.

Wen Qiao smiled bashfully and said softly, "Yes, that White-Bellied Wolf Spider is a fifth-stage beast. Its territory contains a Spider Grass plant. It would be ideal if we could dig it up."

Wen Qiao had long set her sights on that fifth-stage White Belly Wolf Spider.

The venom from the spider's silk was incredibly toxic, making it more troublesome than an ordinary fifth-stage demonic beast. Few cultivators or demons dared to confront such a poisonous creature, instead choosing to avoid it altogether. This allowed the White Belly Wolf Spider to claim that forest as its territory.

Wolf Spider Grass was a spirit herb that coexisted with the White Belly Wolf Spider and was a holy antidote, capable of neutralizing most exotic poisons when used to refine detoxification pills.

Wen Qiao desired both a battle with the spider and its Wolf Spider Grass, revealing a rather ambitious goal.

Well, it seemed that all the recent battles with demonic beasts had made her more daring.

Ning Yuzhou noticed both the young girl and Wen Tuzi staring at him intently, their eyes unblinking, as if afraid he would refuse.

He chuckled softly, "Very well, let's go then. But if you're not strong enough, don't force yourself."

Wen Qiao quickly nodded, vowing not to overestimate herself.

Although Ning Yuzhou's cultivation level wasn't high, his intellect surpassed ordinary people, earning their admiration and respect. Not only did the Hidden Scale Guards follow his commands and arrangements willingly, but he also designated their training sessions. Now, even Wen Qiao highly respected his decisions and consulted him before any actions.

Wen Qiao clarified that she was showing respect for her husband and was by no means indecisive.

Next, the duo and the rabbit summoned a Gale Beast from the Monster Bag. They mounted the beast and dashed toward the territory of the Whitebelly Wolf Spider.

The Gale Beast was an Air-type monster, renowned for its incredible speed and gentle nature. It was a popular choice as a mount among cultivators on the Holy Martial Continent, with almost every practitioner owning one. Traveling on a Gale Beast was a common sight.

As they passed through a forest, Wen Qiao encountered a group of Spirit Monkeys.

She signaled the Gale Beast to halt, greeting the monkeys in the trees with a bright smile on her face.

Wen TuTu, perched atop Wen Qiao's head, flashed its big front teeth at the monkeys – its unique way of saying hello. However, to other monsters, this gesture was interpreted as a clear threat.

The monkeys chattered noisily, throwing the Spirit Fruits they held towards Wen Qiao and her companions. But the vines she had nurtured caught the fruits mid-air.

Wen Qiao waved at them. "Thanks, these Spirit Fruits are excellent. If we return later, I hope to find a jar of Spirit Monkey Wine."

The monkeys howled even louder, appearing highly agitated.

This human was too wicked! They'd stolen their hundred-year-aged Spirit Monkey Wine last time and now had the audacity to want more. Never had they encountered such an outrageous human.

But they couldn't fight back!

Behind the monkeys, the Spirit Monkey King watched Wen Qiao and her group depart. It hurriedly called its disciples and grandchildren to leave and hide far away, lest the humans return to seize their Spirit Monkey Wine again.

The Wind Swift Beast dashed for half a day before finally arriving in the territory of the White-Bellied Wolf Spider.

From afar, they could see spider silk entwining around the tree trunks. The white threads weaved through the surroundings, forming a protective web that separated this forest from the outside world.

The spider silk was highly corrosive and adhesive. Ordinary beasts that accidentally bumped into it would be tightly stuck, gradually having their flesh corroded until they became sustenance for the White-Bellied Wolf Spider.

Wen Qiao leaped off the Wind Swift Beast's back and, with a flick of her wrist, stowed the beast away in her Beast Sack.

Aside from its speed, the Wind Swift Beast had no combat strength. It couldn't be left outside to be eaten by other beasts as food.

Wen Tuzi was sprawled on Wen Qiao's head. Upon seeing the tangled webs hanging messily from the trees, it suddenly jumped up and bounced over, swiping one paw at a strand of spider silk.

As a result, Wen Tuzi's paw got stuck to the silk.

With a bewildered expression, it tugged hard to pull its paw back. However, the silk stretched a great length but still clung tightly to its paw.

"Coocoo!!"

Wen Tuttu cried out loudly, beckoning its sister to rush over and save it.

Ning Yuzhou, having observed Wen Tuttu's bravery, quickly discerned the pattern. The spider silk surrounding them was pure white and incredibly adhesive – clearly freshly spun by the White-bellied Wolf Spider. Even a seventh-stage Mutated Rabbit wouldn't escape its sticky embrace.

It seemed that the White-bellied Wolf Spider was on the verge of advancing to the next stage, causing its silk to become more adhesive.

Ning Yuzhou shared his findings with Wen Qiao, urging her to be cautious.

"I understand, dear husband. Don't worry," Wen Qiao replied. She skillfully avoided the ground's web and approached Wen Tuttu, who was stuck in the silk.

Wen Tuttu looked up at her with pitiful eyes; its fur was stuck together, and the snowy white hairs were beginning to darken – a sign of decay. If this continued, Wen Tuttu's white fur would turn black.

After observing the situation, Wen Qiao realized that her flesh and blood body couldn't withstand these spider webs. She reached into her storage bag and pulled out a segment of the Stone Gold Python Vine.

There were many such segments of the Stone Gold Python Vine in her storage bag. These were all the vines she had nurtured within her spatial realm, harvested when they matured, and cut into sections for future use.

Taking hold of a segment of the vine, Wen Qiao wielded it like a stick, poking at the surrounding spider webs.

The webs' adhesive properties were indeed strong; once they adhered to the Stone Gold Python Vine, they wouldn't budge. However, Wen Qiao wasn't trying to separate them but rather use the vine to clear away the spider webs around them.

Ning Yuzhou stood outside and soon witnessed his young wife wielding a section of the Stone Gold Python Vine, skillfully entangling the surrounding spider silk onto it. The highly adhesive silk was effortlessly pierced through by her, and Wen Tuzi, who was stuck on the silk, was rescued with ease.

Wen Tuzi, seeing its fur being peeled off by the sticky threads, instantly grew furious.

It let out a shrill grinding noise, bellowing loudly towards the territory of the White Belly Wolf Spider, ready for a fight.

Perhaps influenced by Ning Yuzhou, Wen Tuzi was also a perfection-seeking rabbit. It cherished its pristine white fur dearly, feeling heartache even at the sight of a single strand falling. Now, with a clump of fur removed, revealing the tender skin beneath, it was particularly distraught.

"Don't worry, once we clear these spider webs, we'll go in," Wen Qiao comforted Wen Tuzi, offering it a spirit pill to soothe its emotions.

Receiving the spirit pill, Wen Tuzi finally calmed down. Its red eyes fixated intently on the domain of the White Belly Wolf Spider.

In no time, Wen Qiao cleared a path, beckoning Ning Yuzhou to follow behind.

"Yuzhou, stay close to me, don't wander off, understand?" Wen Qiao instructed.

Ning Yuzhou replied with a warm smile, taking out a detoxification pill to feed her. "This is a detoxification pill refined from the queen bee's honey of the Moon Bees. It should counteract the venom of the wolf spiders."

Speaking, he took one himself and offered another to Wen Tuzi.

The detoxification pills refined with royal jelly had a distinctive sweetness, and Wen Qiao and Wen Tuzi enjoyed them like candy, their faces filled with delight.

While Wen Qiao was busily clearing the white-bellied wolf spiders' webs, Ning Yuzhou was not idle either. He searched for toxic herbs that grew beneath the webs, which could be used to create unusual medicinal pills.

Spiritual pills could save lives or bring harm.

Many alchemists primarily pursued orthodox pill refining techniques, rarely venturing into the realms of toxic, peculiar, or deceitful pills. They considered such life-threatening pills as deviations from the righteous path and would criticize any alchemist found practicing them, damaging their reputation.

For Ning Yuzhou, all spiritual pills in this world had their uses, whether for saving or harming. He was more intrigued by the unusual and deceptive pills than those meant for rescue, as they posed greater challenges and often sparked innovative ideas, leading to the creation of fascinating spiritual pills.

Moreover, these unconventional pills could provide unexpected advantages in crucial situations.

Ning Yuzhou didn't use these peculiar or deceptive pills lightly, but if someone were to ignorantly provoke him, that would be a different story.

Wen Qiao was completely unaware of her husband's noble facade hiding a devious mind. Occasionally glancing back at him, she found him unharmed and continued her task of cleaning the webs.

Soon, one end of the stone golden python vine was entangled in a spider cocoon.

Ning Yuzhou examined it and said, "Ah Cuo, this web has remarkable stickiness. Don't discard it later; I'll extract it and infuse it into a weapon."

Wen Qiao acknowledged with a soft response.

As they proceeded, they eradicated the creatures along the way. Unbeknownst to them, they had reached the entrance of the White Belly Wolf Spider's lair.

The White Belly Wolf Spider was nowhere to be found.

Surrounded by numerous webs, the air was thick with a chilly and putrid odor. Had they not consumed detoxification pills beforehand, they would have likely succumbed to poisoning by now.

Upon realizing the spider's absence, Wen Tuttu couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed.

Wen Qiao scanned the area and promptly discovered the Wolf Spider Grass.

With delight in her voice, she exclaimed, "Husband, let's quickly dig it up while that White Belly Wolf Spider isn't back."

She planned to cultivate it first in the space, accelerating its growth until it bore flowers and fruit. Once they obtained the seeds, they could continue nurturing more, ensuring an endless supply of Wolf Spider Grass for detoxification pills.

Wen Qiao's strategy was well-calculated. Many spiritual herbs within the space were cultivated this way, allowing continuous reuse instead of exhausting each plant once it was used.

Ning Yuzhou began digging up the Wolf Spider Grass, while Wen Qiao supported herself on the Stone Golden Python Vine, keeping watch nearby.

The whereabouts of the White-bellied Wolf Spider remained unknown. It didn't show up even after Ning Yuzhou finished digging, which was truly peculiar. A hint of disappointment appeared on Wen Qiao's face; she had been looking forward to a battle with it.

Ning Yuzhou found the situation rather amusing.

The White-bellied Wolf Spider had left its lair unguarded due to the dense webbing deep within. The silk here was as thick as a finger and more toxic and adhesive than that outside. Ordinary cultivators couldn't venture into this area, and no one would be as violent as Wen Qiao, twisting the silk onto a vine. Besides, the Stone Gold Snake Vine was a sixth-stage demonic vine, incredibly tough. The spider silk wouldn't be able to corrode it anytime soon.

After harvesting the Wolf Spider Grass, they retraced their steps.

The surroundings were gloomy, with webs hanging overhead, making the area eerily quiet.

Just as they were about to leave the White-bellied Wolf Spider's territory, Wen TuTu suddenly let out a piercing cry. Wen Qiao scooped up her weak husband and dashed away.

Behind them, an enormous White-bellied Spider climbed silently along the web, its eight cold eyes fixated on the two humans who dared to invade its domain.