Chapter 49 Good and Bad Intermingled

This really was a good piece of news for Ye Fan. If he could harvest some spiritual medicines or kill a couple rare beasts, he would be able to supply his Sea of Bitterness with what it needed. His golden sesame seed-sized Sea of Bitterness was like a pond on the verge of drying up. He desperately needed an enormous Qi in order to replenish it and to further establish it, allowing that golden ocean to once more appear.

“Elder Wu Qingfeng is personally leading this squad so we don’t need to worry about any nonsense happening from Elder Han.”

Pang Bo and Ye Fan decided they would both partic.i.p.ate in this experience.

Two days later, Wu Qingfeng and another Elder brought over a hundred disciples out of the Spirit Ruins Paradise and towards the land of the ancient ruins.

The ruins were an extremely primal scene, with ancient trees soaring towards the heavens. The ear-splitting sound of the ferocious beasts thundered even from far away, and a faint baleful air washed over them. Bizarre beasts could be seen everywhere, and huge birds spiraled in the sky, their bodies countless meters long and incomparably immense.

“I’ll remind everyone again that you absolutely need to be careful. You absolutely must not underestimate this exercise. Your life is at risk here…” Elder Wu Qingfeng spoke about many issues they had to pay extra attention to, and in the end, he brought up a final point. “In the past, many disciples went into the depths of the ruins in order to gather rare spiritual medicines. If you met any ferocious beasts at that time, you would definitely die. The deeper you go, the more terrifying the beasts become. Some of them are even unique kinds left behind from the Ancient Desolation. Even the Spirit Ruins Paradise’s Elders cannot defeat them. Therefore, you absolutely must not enter into the depths!”

The two Elders brought over one hundred disciples into the ruins. The Spiritual Qi here was extremely dense, definitely not much less than the Spirit Ruins Paradise. Just as they entered, some people found medicinal herbs.

“These herbs aren’t mature enough, don’t pick them,” directed Elder Li.

The trees here were immense and lofty. Several people together wouldn’t be able to wrap their arms around one. All the vines were a foot thick. Although they called them ruins, it was more like a primal mountain forest.

“Python!”

Just as they entered the forest, a person cried out in fear when they noticed a foot-thick multi-colored viper.

Pu.

That viper with multi-colored spots all over its body opened its mouth and spat out a vapor that covered the disciple that had cried out. A miserable and mournful scream immediately came from inside the vapor.

The other disciples all felt their blood run cold as they quickly retreated. The vapor drifted and faded, leaving behind a snow-white skeleton and a puddle of yellow liquid. The surrounding vegetation also followed suit and quickly withered.

Elder Wu Qingfeng quickly went to the front. Frowning, he said, “How could we encounter a poisonous serpent as soon as we entered the fringe of the ruins. Something’s fishy.”

Elder Li also walked over and said, “This huge viper is called the Poison Serpent. Its whole body is highly toxic. You guys should be careful. Don’t be infected by even a bit of its poisonous vapor or you’ll immediately be poisoned and die.” After saying this, Elder Li also reminded them, “Its gallbladder is a useful material for refining medicines. Those disciples that have the strength can go collect it.”

Just as they entered the fringe of the ruins, they saw such a poisonous viper. It was hard to predict what kind of terrifying beasts would be deeper within. One disciple had died right on the spot, and the others immediately became frightened into being more cautious.

“I’ll go get the snake gallbladder!” One sixteen-year-old maiden walked to the front of the crowd. A green light shot out of her Sea of Bitterness, quickly agglomerating onto her hand. A green light shot out from her finger like a sword, cutting the Poison Serpent in two.

That maiden carefully extracted a fist-sized snake gallbladder out of it, and right on the spot, she exchanged it with Elder Li for a bottle of Hundred Herb Liquid. The other disciples’ morale rose sharply after seeing this. There were actually many of them who would have been capable of killing it. As long as they weren’t afraid, they would be able to do as they pleased within this area, and perhaps even gain many benefits from these ruins.

“Don’t be afraid, but even more importantly, don’t be careless. There might be more deaths or injuries in the following few moments, but this is something you must experience. A plant that grows up pampered in a greenhouse must eventually experience the cruel world or it will be forever unable to truly mature.”

The two Elders might have said encouraging words, but they were still frowning. It was far too ominous for a disciple to die just as they entered the fringe of the ruins.

At this moment, other disciples also began to take action. One person quickly found a ten-year-old ‘Dragon Tongue Herb,’ while at the same time another disciple found an ‘Azure Dragon Vine.’

Suddenly, an extremely piercing and warbling sound came from the ruins, sounding just like stone or metal being impaled. Hearing it caused people’s ears to buzz. Everyone was startled and paused for a moment. Looking towards the source of the sound, all they saw was a golden lightning bolt flash across the sky and quickly descend onto a nearby mountain peak.

“What is that?!”

Everyone was very startled. That golden lightning was too fast, and none of them could clearly see it. All they could see was a brilliant golden light charge over.

Elder Wu Qingfeng had a troubled expression as he said, “That is the Lightning Bird. Its speed is as terrifyingly fast as a flash of lightning, and its nature contains a thunderous energy. Even if it were me, I could only try to avoid it if I were to come across one.”

ROAR…

Suddenly, a heaven-shaking howl came from the mountain peak the Lightning Flash Bird had charged over to. A huge ape covered with scales leaped over there, flying hundreds of meters into the sky as it went to attack the Lightning Bird.

“A Scaled Ape!” Elder Li’s expression changed, saying, “It should be a king amongst Scaled Apes, otherwise it couldn’t be this powerful. It unexpectedly dares to attack the Lightning Bird.”

Elder Wu Qingfeng frowned, saying, “Looks like the inner parts of the ruins are not calm. This time’s exercise will most likely not go as simply as previous times. Don’t go too deep!”

An ear-piercing bird cry and beast’s howl ripped through the sky from the depths of the ruins. The disciples’ faces paled. When that maiden had so easily killed the Poison Serpent, their morale had soared. But now, they finally understand that there were terrors within the ruins that were beyond their imagination. There were many supreme existences that they simply didn’t have any way to compete with.

“We should enter from a different place…” Elder Wu Qingfeng had felt that this place rather chaotic since the beginning. Since the primal ruins were quite vast, it didn’t matter where they entered from. He brought them to a different region that was over ten kilometers away.

Here the forest became rocky, and only after pa.s.sing through this place did they once more enter the ruins.

“I’ll once again remind everyone that even if you wish to go deeper, you absolutely can’t go any further than five kilometers. Otherwise, you definitely will not be able to keep your life. Remember, act within your abilities!”

Since they had arrived, everyone started to split up. Some split into groups, each going their own way. They all wanted to find something valuable here, as the Hundred Herb Liquid was an extremely enticing reward for the disciples who were establis.h.i.+ng their Sea of Bitterness.

Han Feiyu was also partic.i.p.ating in the exercise. His gaze was cold as he looked at Ye Fan and Pang Bo, but when they turned around and looked at him, he immediately stopped and pretended to be gazing elsewhere.

“Han Feiyu, you were almost killed by those two?”

Travelling along with Han Feiyu were a couple men and women who were around twenty-eight. Their vitality, Qi, and spirit were all at a peak; whenever they raised their hand or lifted their foot, divine light would follow. Han Feiyu could only stand at the side of their group. Obviously, he was just a normal member and could not be considered a core member of the group.

“Although one of them is an immortal sprout, he has only just entered the sect and hasn’t trained for long. The other one is a trash who can’t even cultivate. To be beaten by such idiots, you really are losing face for Elder Han.”

A man had spoken the first time, and a woman had spoken the second time. These two were only seventeen or eighteen years old. Although they were younger than the people beside them, they were definitely the core of this group.

Pang Bo’s anger immediately blew up. These two people were far too unrestrained, actually insulting Ye Fan as garbage right in front of him. “Oi, what are you trying to say? Could it be you’re trying to insult someone?”

The seventeen-year old maiden sneered repeatedly. On the corner of her mouth was a beauty mark, and although she was very pretty, she currently gave off a bone-piercingly cold feeling. “Your anger might not be small, but don’t think that you can be arrogant just because you’re an immortal sprout. You can’t look down on everyone. After all, the future is unknown, and even an immortal sprout can die prematurely!”

“Just who do you think is arrogant? Did we come and bother you? As soon as you meet someone you begin insulting them as useless garbage. If we count as arrogant, then just how arrogant are you?!” Pang Bo didn’t give the slightest courtesy to them.

“If it weren’t for the Elders’ orders that disciples aren’t allowed to fight each other, I really would want to thoroughly educate you by making you an example to the other disciples.” The maiden with the beauty mark coldly glared at them. Brus.h.i.+ng her eyes at Ye Fan for a moment, she once more glared at Pang Bo, saying, “Although you are an immortal sprout, you still can’t just do whatever you want and bring random people here. This is an important place of the Spirit Ruins Paradise and you can’t just let some shady person come and go as he pleases.”

The eighteen-year-old man also mocked, “Not all people can cultivate. You should just find something else within your capabilities.” Saying this, his gaze also became cold as he looked at Ye Fan. “I’ll trouble you to leave here as soon as you can. This is our Spirit Ruins Paradise’s exercise place for our disciples, and outsiders are not allowed in.”

“Shut your trap!” Pang Bo raged; humiliating Ye Fan was the same as humiliating him. He truly wished to charge forward.

Ye Fan pulled him back, sweeping his gaze across these few people. He didn’t say anything, only taking out a dazzling jade pendant.

“Elder Wu Qingfeng’s jade pendant…”

Their faces immediately become unsightly. They originally wanted to eject Ye Fan, but they now found that everything they had just said was just a pile of rubbish.

Han Feiyu said, “Senior sister Li Lin, senior brother Li Yun, don’t bother with them for now. If my great uncle were to learn that I had provoked them, he would definitely punish me."

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After walking several hundred meters away, Pang Bo said, “I remember now. I’ve seen them before in the rear mountains of the Spirit Ruins Paradise. But we were pretty far away so I didn’t pay them much attention. Elder Wu Qingfeng mentioned that that woman is Li Lin, and she is also an immortal sprout. As for that guy, he’s called Li Yun. Although he’s not an immortal sprout, his talent is very exceptional and he isn’t lacking much compared to an immortal sprout.”

Ye Fan glanced back and said, “Looks like even though you’ll be safe in the Spirit Ruins Paradise, your life might not be that easy.”

Pang Bo didn’t care in the slightest. “Only when there is pressure is there drive. My goal is to squash those despicable things within three years. I finally understand why Elder Wu Qingfeng once sighed and said that the good and bad have been intermingled over these few years…”

“The Spirit Ruins Paradise isn’t as tranquil as it appears on the outside. There are definitely many opposing sides amongst the Elders. You definitely have to be more careful from now on,” reminded Ye Fan.

“I know. Elder Wu Qingfeng said that he is going to accept me as his final disciple. After you leave, I’ll probably go to the rear mountains to cultivate. I won’t cause any trouble just by cultivating.

After pondering for a while, Ye Fan shook his head and said, “It’s a shame that our strength still isn’t high enough. Otherwise, we could scheme a bit and I could help you settle these troublesome fellows.”

“It’s not a problem. You don’t need to worry about me; they’re unable to do anything to me.” Saying this, Pang Bo still angrily told him, “You can’t listen to their words.”

Ye Fan laughed, “Don’t worry, I don’t care at all about what they say.”

“Then that’s good. You don’t need to worry about anything right now. All you have to do is work hard at your cultivation. Once your golden Sea of Bitterness has been completely established, you’ll let them understand just who is the trash.”

Not long after, Li Lin, Li Yun, Han Feiyu and their group once more caught up to them, but instead of rus.h.i.+ng towards them like last time, this time their paths only met coincidentally before verging apart.

“Let’s go deeper into the ruins and leave the outer region to those trash…” Li Lin indifferently sneered. The beauty mark on the corner of her mouth glowed and seemed to be somewhat eye-piercing to look at, causing people to feel unwell.

Ye Fan stood to the side, calmly watching them leave and continuing to not say anything.

“That s.l.u.t!” Pang Bo was incessantly angry, but right now he could only endure as he currently didn’t have the strength to confront them.

Over the following two days, Ye Fan and Pang Bo found dozens of medicinal herbs, but when they exchanged them with the Elders, they only obtained two bottles of Hundred Herb Liquid in total. This was a very common occurrence, and many of the others couldn’t even collect enough to exchange for a single bottle. In addition, three more disciples died over these two days.

“We can’t continue like this. Although there are some medicinal herbs in the outer regions, they haven’t reached maturity and the others have already been harvested by others. Even those precious beasts have probably already run far away when they saw so many people coming in, so there’s even less chance for us to be able to hunt one down.”

These two bottles of Hundred Herb Liquid were basically nothing to Ye Fan. The two of them discussed it and unanimously agreed that they had to go deeper in order to find spiritual medicines or maybe even hunt some spiritual beasts. They could only follow the method that Li Lin’s group used and enter the depths of the ruins.

“The deeper regions are too dangerous. Those ferocious beasts are not something we can deal with. And if we were to inadvertently meet with Li Lin and Li Yun’s group, they might not dare to take action in the open, but they might plan some sneaky things in the dark…”

The two of them discussed it for a long time before their gazes eventually landed upon a distant place.

They wanted to first leave this region and enter from a different area. Two days ago, that blazing Lightning Bird had ripped a golden streak across the sky, giving the two of them a powerful impression. And as for the huge ape that was covered in scales and could jump hundreds of meters into the air, the Scaled Ape King, it was even more shocking. Their memories of the Lightning Bird and the Scaled Ape King would occasionally flash before their eyes.

Over these two days, that region they had descended into had been filled with bird and beasts roars, and only now did that place gradually become silent. Why would these two frightening beasts fight? Both of them felt there was definitely an exceptional reason.

At this moment, the depths of the ruins had gradually calmed down. Both of them both felt that if they could sneak over to that place they might be able to find a shocking harvest.

The two of them were both decisive people. After coming to this decision, they immediately began sneaking over to that area.

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Editor’s Note: The Poison Serpent was originally described as a python, but the description is more like a viper (and, you know, pythons aren’t poisonous), so it is a viper in the text.