"So many herbs," members of the Medicine Collection Team breathed heavily, their eyes shone as they looked at the large patches of herbs around them. They felt their blood flow speeding up; these herbs might not be worth much individually, but the sheer volume was staggering. If they collected all of them, they could sell for a million or two silver taels even without refining them into elixirs. Once refined into elixirs, the price could easily triple or quadruple, bringing in five to six million silver taels, and some precious herbs were worth even more.
"Two guards protect each herb collector and separate. If there is any unexpected situation, do not take action on your own. Inform me immediately!" Li Lingru, looking at the herbs around, smiled but did not let excitement cloud her judgment, instructing the surrounding people.
"Understood!"
Throughout the journey, the Guard Team achieved notable feats. If it weren't for them protecting the herb collectors behind their bodies, the casualties of the collectors would have been more severe. However, all of this was worth it; as long as they returned this time, they would get their deserved part of the reward, plus an extra ten thousand silver taels, which would usually take them several months to earn.
Under the protection of two guards, Li Lingru walked into the basin to collect herbs, occasionally exclaiming in joy, obviously satisfied with the harvest.
"The spiritual Qi here is so dense, it's hard to guarantee there aren't any demon beasts. Everyone, spread out and check!" Huang Liangping said.
"Okay!"
Several Sect disciples nodded, each choosing a direction to patrol. Occasionally, they saw desirable herbs and put them into their pouches.
As expected, where the spiritual Qi was dense, naturally many demon beasts were hiding. A member of the Guard Team was injured by a demon mole hidden in the soil and caught by surprise, even though it was only a second-level demon beast.
There were also green snakes adept at hiding, with their color almost matching the surrounding herbs, making them very hard to spot. Fortunately, these snakes were non-toxic and were easily dealt with by several Sect disciples.
At this moment, Chu Ming also decided to stop holding back. He drew his treasure sword from his waist, using it to gather Qi into a sword, making his attacks sharper, faster, and more precise.
Thud
A fist-sized death-seeking bee barely emerged before its body was chopped into two by Chu Ming's sword Qi. Faced with hidden demon beasts, Sect disciples began to act, and though Guard Team members were injured, no deaths occurred.
Feeling the increasing frequency of demon beast appearances, Chu Ming furrowed his brows. These demon beasts must have all come from the center of the basin. It's clear now that the appearing death-seeking bees are a third larger than usual.
"Everyone, stop advancing deeper. Finish collecting the herbs under your feet, reconvene, and then proceed together!"
Chu Ming amplified his voice with spiritual power and urged, as his treasure sword emitted a beam of light, gathering Qi into a sword. Thud, the sword Qi killed a wild boar demon beast.
"Yes, let's gather here and then proceed to the center together!" Luo Qianyi also shouted loudly, and the Guard Team members nodded in agreement.
Everyone knew that proceeding together was the safest option, but the appearance of precious herbs before them made it hard to resist the temptation, leading them to unconsciously advance towards the center of the basin.
Time passed quickly. When the Guard Team finished collecting the herbs around the basin periphery, it was already afternoon. Li Lingru and several guards carried large bags and distributed dry food they'd prepared earlier.
"Miss, how's the harvest?" a Guard Team member couldn't help but ask.
Li Lingru smiled: "Preliminary estimates value these herbs at over 800,000 silver taels. If refined into elixirs, they could sell for two million silver taels easily."
"That's great!"
The Li Family depended on refining elixirs for their livelihood. The more herbs they had, the more elixirs they refined, and the less money they took home. If they suffered losses, they too would be affected, making life difficult.
While fortune is shared, misfortune affects all!
Coming to where Chu Ming and others were, Li Lingru expressed heartfelt gratitude: "Thank you all for your protection along the way. If you need any elixirs in the future, you can buy them from our Li Family at base price!"
These were merely polite words; Sect disciples never lacked money. Even if they did, they lacked large sums, which the Li Family couldn't provide. The important thing was forming good relations with Sect disciples, which greatly benefited the Li Family's development.
Huang Liangping said casually: "We took your money to resolve disasters, it's what we should do. No need for thanks."
Li Lingru felt awkward. As a woman, she was bound to marry someday. She didn't favor the sons of wealthy families, who appeared glamorous but relied heavily on their family's protection. Without their family, they were nothing. On the other hand, Sect disciples like Huang Liangping seemed carefree, possessing a composed and refreshing aura that indicated they came from prestigious families. Such people didn't lack wealth and were most women's preferred choice for a spouse. However, after observing Huang Liangping, she noticed he spoke little and remained indifferent towards everyone.
Though Chu Ming seemed more approachable, there was a sense of aloofness in his friendliness; he neither drew close nor distanced himself from anyone. Luo Qianyi, another woman, naturally saw through Li Lingru's thoughts and couldn't help but shake her head.
Li Lingru was currently a Postnatal Martial Artist, and her lifelong achievement would only reach the Transcendence Realm. Sect disciples like Huang Liangping and Chu Ming had futures beyond this; their goal was the pinnacle of martial arts. After this mission, they likely wouldn't cross paths again.
While the group was resting, three figures cloaked in black moved slowly through the nearby dense forest, their bodies exuding a mix of killing intent and evil Qi, clearly having taken many lives.
"I don't know why the team leader went crazy this time, making us capture demon beasts. If we don't succeed, we'll be punished. Life is unbearable!" A yellow-faced man said nonchalantly with visible fatigue. The thought of the team leader's punishment made his face pale, and fear flickered in the eyes of the other two.
The long-faced man on the left quickly covered the yellow-faced man's mouth, preventing reckless talk. Only after confirming no one was around did he sigh in relief.
"I'll tell you a secret, but you mustn't tell anyone else, or we are all doomed!" The long-faced man whispered, fearing anyone might overhear.
"Rest assured, you know me, Old Hu. Even if a knife was held to my throat, I wouldn't spill a word," Old Hu said gravely, immediately making his promise.
The long-faced man nodded, satisfied. As for Old Bai, he was even more trustworthy. Old Bai was a true tough guy, having faced and killed a righteous martial artist of a higher realm than his own, thanks to his fierce determination. No one in the organization dared to provoke such a madman.
"Hurry up and spill it!" Seeing Qian Laoer hesitate, Old Hu felt like his heart was being relentlessly scratched by cats. Unable to endure, he urged.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you now." Qian Laoer took one last look around, feeling slightly annoyed by Old Hu's urging. Confirming no one was nearby, he truly relaxed.
The three formed a circle. Seeing their eagerness, Qian Laoer spoke, "I heard this demon beast capture was directly ordered by the president, likely in preparation for the beast tide. The details might only be known by the president and team leaders!"
Mentioning the beast tide changed their expressions, filling their eyes with fear. Beast tide meant death!
"Could there be another major action in the organization?" Old Bai said in a hoarse voice, his skinny body covered in scars, with one particularly prominent one almost splitting his face in half.
"It probably won't be bad. Perhaps, with more Blood Boiling Pills, it will be beneficial!" Old Hu speculated, secretly guessing the organization's intentions.
Seeing the sudden silence between the two, Qian Laoer assumed they were thinking about the information, and waved his hand: "Don't overthink it. Whatever happens, the team leader will handle it, and at worst, the president will step in. We just need to execute orders!"
Old Hu came back to his senses and nodded, "Wait a minute!" Suddenly, Old Bai said hoarsely, his eyes scanning around, as if looking for something.
Qian Laoer and Old Hu were stunned, staring blankly at Old Bai. Qian Laoer asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
"Haven't you noticed the spiritual Qi here is extremely abundant?" Old Bai said calmly, staring at Qian Laoer and Old Hu.
Qian Laoer and Old Hu were taken aback, then quickly closed their eyes to feel it. Moments later, they simultaneously opened them again.
"Could there be some natural treasures nearby emitting this strong spiritual Qi?" Qian Laoer speculated, his eyes scanning around. For a while, the three searched the surroundings.