Chapter 230: Chapter 230: Twenty Pounds of Crimson Blood Spirit Valley Herbs for One Essence Blood Root
Chapter 230: Twenty Pounds of Crimson Blood Spirit Valley Herbs for One Essence Blood Root
The other three elders, their interest piqued, quickly joined in, their eyes full of anticipation as they looked at Shen Mo.
Shen Mo smiled.
This was precisely what he wanted.
Over the past month, he had hunted Bloodroot Dragons all across the valley and already acquired the five essence blood roots he needed, which he had long since refined.
The surplus, of course, would be used for trade.
But there was a crucial difference: offering a trade versus others asking for one.
In the former case, the initiative rested with the other party, as though he were the one seeking their favor.
In the latter, the power was firmly in his hands—it was they who sought him out.
"We are all elders of the Jade Cauldron Sect, so naturally, I can help," Shen Mo said, his voice warm.
"Each of you should have some Crimson Blood Spirit Valley herbs, correct?"
"Twenty pounds of Crimson Blood Spirit Valley herbs for one essence blood root."
He smiled pleasantly as he made the offer.
Nascent Soul cultivators were bound to carry numerous treasures, and Shen Mo had every intention of squeezing as much value as he could out of them.
"Twenty pounds… that's steep," He Tianchou said with an awkward smile.
After scouring the outer valley for a long time, he had managed to collect only thirteen pounds of Crimson Blood Spirit Valley herbs.
The three elders beside him looked even more embarrassed.
While He Tianchou had gathered thirteen pounds, none of them had even ten pounds to their name.
He Tianchou hesitated before speaking. "Elder Shen, can't you lower the price just a bit?"
Shen Mo maintained his gentle smile. "The sect currently doesn't even have a single essence blood root available. If I were to bring this back, the price would skyrocket—you all know that as well as I do."
The four elders exchanged resigned smiles.
He was right.
Except for those who had previously refined essence blood roots, nearly every cultivator in the sect would be eager to get their hands on such a treasure.
Shen Mo added, "If your Crimson Blood Spirit Valley herbs fall short, you can use contributions, Yin Sha Pearls, or other rare treasures to make up the difference."
After a moment of thought, He Tianchou took out ten pounds of Crimson Blood Spirit Valley herbs and a single Yin Sha Pearl to trade for the essence blood root in Shen Mo's possession.
Both parties were satisfied, each receiving what they needed.
While He Tianchou and the other elders were thrilled with their gains, their expressions quickly turned grim again.
The situation with the Bloodroot Dragons needed to be reported as soon as possible.
But their communication talismans were useless here.
Having ventured deep into the inner valley, escaping to the outside world would be nearly impossible.
Moreover, while the protective formation could hold for now, it wouldn't last forever.
The commotion here had already attracted more Bloodroot Dragons to their location.
Even if they used all their spiritual stones to replenish the formation, it was only a matter of time before it failed.
The worst part was that they had no idea how many Bloodroot Dragons were in the valley.
Even worse, they couldn't be certain whether the legendary Bloodroot Dragon King—mentioned in the Jade Cauldron Sect's ancient texts—had been born.
If the Bloodroot Dragon King truly existed, no amount of resistance would save them from an untimely death.
"Elder Shen, you are the strongest among us. Why don't we escort you out to relay the message to the sect?" one of the elders suggested earnestly.
"Indeed. At this rate, every elder who entered the Blood Vine Valley might perish. That would be a devastating loss for the sect," another elder sighed deeply.
Shen Mo's expression remained unchanged.
He already knew there were people lying in wait at the valley's exit, ready to ambush anyone who tried to leave.
Not that Shen Mo feared those individuals.
But he had his sights set on the most valuable treasures in the Blood Vine Valley.
The Root Sword Manual! The remains of the Hanging Sky Vine!
Leaving without securing these would mean letting them fall into the hands of Ye Yan and Xiao Fan. That would render his entire journey pointless.
"I suspect foul play is involved," Shen Mo said solemnly.
He Tianchou and the others were taken aback. "What do you mean by that?"
Shen Mo explained, "When we entered the Blood Vine Valley, the Great Elder asked the stationed elder Zhang Feng about the situation here. You all remember his answer, don't you?"
The four elders shuddered, immediately recalling Zhang Feng's words.
He had reported no anomalies in the valley.
Not a single Bloodroot Dragon.
Shen Mo glanced at the four elders, his expression serious.
"I entered the inner valley earlier than all of you. I've already encountered at least twenty Bloodroot Dragons," he said calmly. "And in the deeper regions, there are likely many more, fighting amongst themselves."
"Such numbers could never have appeared within mere days or months. This must have been building up over many years."
His gaze swept across the four elders. "Given the situation, do you still think we can leave this place alive?"
The expressions of He Tianchou and the others turned grim.
They weren't fools. Shen Mo's analysis revealed the unsettling truth: something about this whole ordeal was deeply suspicious.
"But… Zhang Feng has been stationed here for decades, always loyal to the sect. How could he…" He Tianchou frowned deeply.
He had entered the Blood Vine Valley nine times over the past forty-five years, and Zhang Feng had always been the one stationed here. For decades, Zhang Feng had been diligent and reliable. Why would this time be different?
Shen Mo waved his hand dismissively. "Rest for now. We can discuss this after your injuries have healed."
With that, he strode into one of the nearby shelters.
As usual, he secured the area with various defensive formations before taking out the items from his storage ring.
"I've already gathered four Yin Sha Pearls. Perfect for upgrading my Dan Crown to purple."
Without hesitation, he began refining the Yin Sha Pearls, wasting no time.
Elsewhere, Ye Yan's cold expression remained unchanged as he walked briskly into one of the shelters.
He still looked the same as ever: dressed in a crimson robe, a long blade strapped to his waist, his icy demeanor creating a sense of distance that seemed to push others away.
Behind him followed Wang Wu, a fellow elder from the Second Peak, whose fawning smile contrasted starkly with Ye Yan's coldness.
Wang Wu chuckled obsequiously. "Elder Ye, there's no need to worry. Plenty of people would gladly trade their Crimson Blood Spirit Valley herbs for one of your essence blood roots."
At this, Ye Yan's expression softened slightly.
He had spent half a month searching the inner valley, yet his haul of Crimson Blood Spirit Valley herbs was pitiful—only twenty pounds.
Yesterday, he had discovered a patch of land teeming with the herbs. However, just as he approached, he was ambushed by a particularly massive Bloodroot Dragon.
Its body exceeded forty zhang in length.
After a brief skirmish, Ye Yan realized he was no match for the creature and had no choice but to retreat, gritting his teeth in frustration.
Before entering the Blood Vine Valley, Ye Yan had made a bold pledge to Yang Qiye, swearing he would return with one hundred pounds of Crimson Blood Spirit Valley herbs.
If he succeeded, his haul would break all records in the valley's history.
Such an accomplishment would earn him a significant amount of contribution points—enough to elevate his elder status to the third cauldron rank.
With that rank, he would gain access to another restricted area within the sect, a place teeming with far greater opportunities than the Blood Vine Valley.
Ye Yan and Wang Wu pressed on, soon arriving at a cluster of shelters where over twenty other elders had gathered in recent days.
Some were trading, others were chatting with furrowed brows, and still others were sharing their experiences and observations from the past few days.
Ye Yan's arrival immediately drew the attention of the gathered cultivators.
Many turned to glance at him, their gazes subtly scrutinizing. Ye Yan was a well-known figure in the Jade Cauldron Sect, and his reputation was formidable.
Seeing him now only confirmed his renown.
Most of the other elders bore varying degrees of injuries, but Ye Yan appeared unscathed, with only his robe slightly damaged.
"I heard Elder Ye encountered that forty-zhang-long Bloodroot Dragon yesterday and survived. Not only that, he escaped completely unscathed," one elder whispered.
"Incredible. No wonder the Sect Master praises him as a prodigy."
"That forty-zhang Bloodroot Dragon has already killed several Nascent Soul elders. I barely escaped with my life after using a powerful Nascent Soul technique. That monster is terrifying—I think it's on the verge of evolving into a Bloodroot Dragon King."
"It can't be… If that happens, we're all doomed!"
The elders exchanged low murmurs, their tones tinged with despair.
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