Early in the morning, Tan Mingjun arrived at Bai Yunyan's tent and shouted, "Get up, old Bai! Stop being lazy. If it weren't for us yesterday, you old geezer would have been dead. Hurry up and lead the way!"
Last night had been a torment for Tan Mingjun, and he was fuming!
"Are you a donkey? What are you yelling about so early? Be more polite to my dad!"
Bai Yunyan didn't come out, but Lin Shuainan was called out.
Tan Mingjun was startled and asked, "Your dad? So you're old Bai's son!"
"Not before, but now!" Lin Shuainan said proudly.
Tan Mingjun was immediately confused.
"You brat, don't pack up the tent. You'll need it when you return tonight. Let's set off directly," Bai Yunyan said to Lin Shuainan as he emerged.
Lin Shuainan quickly stepped forward to help him, while giving Tan Mingjun a glare, "Hmph, too lazy to bother with you!"
The troop continued their journey, and this time it was relatively uneventful.
However, without vehicles, after crossing three mountains, it was already noon.
"Old Bai, aren't we there yet?" Qiu Yunyan asked, panting. She was completely covered, even wearing goggles over her eyes.
There were too many mosquitoes in the jungle, and she couldn't stand them.
"Below us is Liangqing Pool. However, before we go, we need to eat something to fuel our journey." Bai Yunyan replied casually.
Qiu Yunyan, however, detected an unusual meaning in his words.
"What do you mean by 'eat something to fuel our journey'?" Qiu Yunyan's eyes widened, and she said indignantly, "Old Bai, speak clearly. Are there any fierce beasts in Liangqing Pool?"
"Heh, little girl, you're getting smarter." Bai Yunyan chuckled coldly.
Hearing this, Qiu Yunyan felt a chill run down her spine and swallowed.
Tan Mingjun, however, said impatiently, "Old Bai, stop the nonsense and tell us what's in there quickly!" He knew it wouldn't be easy to get the treasure.
"Three years ago, I went to Liangqing Pool and saw a Jade Heart Fruit tree by the water. However, legend has it that a flood dragon inhabits the pool, so I, this old man, wouldn't dare to go and seek death!" Bai Yunyan's story was a bit frightening, but he appeared relaxed and unafraid.
"Flood dragon? Heh, that's utter nonsense. Those are mythical creatures, how can they exist in reality?" someone scoffed.
Qiu Yunyan's gaze fell on Tan Mingjun. She knew that Tan Mingjun, from the Fanyun Sect, was knowledgeable and would understand these strange things.
Tan Mingjun's face darkened, and he sternly rebuked the joking crowd around him, "Stop the idle talk. It's better to believe it than not. Stay alert! If you don't want to die, keep your wits about you!" His words made the atmosphere tense.
"Young Master Tan, we're short on manpower, and we still have a lot of firearms left," someone reported.
Another person suggested, "Young Master Tan, why not give them two each? They're young and strong, and can hold the front line when the time comes!" This person was pointing at Ling Feng and Lin Shuainan, clearly intending to use them as cannon fodder when danger arose!
"Slap!" Tan Mingjun slapped the person on the forehead, "What kind of nonsense are you talking? Give them guns, and they'll shoot you later?"
"Ah, yes, I was overthinking..." The person shrunk their neck and quickly begged for mercy.
After eating a little to replenish their energy, they continued on their way. They descended along the terrain, and after about fifteen minutes, they heard the sound of a waterfall. The terrain had also become gentler, indicating they had reached the valley floor. Following the stream for three minutes, they saw a huge pool of water. The water was a vibrant blue. As the saying goes, "Where water is too clear, there are no fish," but this pool looked very clear, yet it was teeming with fish. Their white bellies occasionally leaped out of the water, as if welcoming their arrival!
"Whoosh!" Suddenly, a sound of something cutting through the air was heard, and everyone looked in that direction! They saw Bai Yunyan holding a simple bow and arrow, effortlessly shooting two silver-white fish. The arrow floated down from upstream, and Bai Yunyan caught it with one hand. His skill was exceptionally proficient!
"Dad Bai, what are you catching these fish for?"
"These are called Silver Snow Cold Fish. They are poisonous, but by using poison to combat poison, they can counteract the spread of extreme heat toxins within the body!" Bai Yunyan explained patiently, then carefully wrapped the fish in lotus leaves and placed them in his medicine basket!
Tan Mingjun stepped forward and pressed, "Old Bai, no tricks. We've arrived. Where's the Jade Heart Fruit?"
Bai Yunyan casually pointed to the edge of the forest near the opposite bank of the pool and said with a curl of his lip, "Isn't it right over there? Dark fruits, only one stalk, fortunately, there are three fruits."
Across the pool? Everyone immediately turned their heads to look. Indeed, about thirty meters away, a very inconspicuous withered tree grew by the side of the pool. It had no leaves, and three fruits grew on its branches, looking very small, like black dates.
"Is this the Jade Heart Fruit? Old Bai, you're not lying, are you?" Tan Mingjun was stunned for a moment, then stared at Bai Yunyan with suspicion. It wasn't just him; even Xiuxiu was somewhat disbelieving. In their imagination, the Jade Heart Fruit should have been crystal clear white, the size of an apple, and a spiritual item whose fragrance could be smelled from afar.
"Heh, do you think I would lie to you? A withered tree blooms once in ten years, bears fruit in ten years, its leaves fall, and its fruit is as black as ink, which is the mature stage. It falls in three months and is highly poisonous, unable to be used in medicine! Look closely, this is the mature stage, and in about half a month, it will be useless!" Bai Yunyan muttered, his words convincing everyone!
Tan Mingjun, like a sycophant, sidled up to Qiu Yunyan and said, "Yunyan, it looks like there's no mistake, that's the Jade Heart Fruit!"
Qiu Yunyan was so excited that she was about to order her subordinates when Lin Shuainan preempted her, calling out to Xiuxiu, "Xiuxiu, I'll go pick it for you!"
Qiu Yunyan exclaimed, "What? You're also here for the Jade Heart Fruit?"
Tan Mingjun suddenly came to his senses and immediately ordered, "Stop them! Bastards!"
Ling Feng's cold eyes swept over everyone. Before this, these people still had some value. But now, they had become useless! They should be eliminated! The two sides' auras clashed, and a battle was imminent!
Just then, Bai Yunyan grabbed Xiuxiu and Lin Shuainan and leaped up, covering a distance of over ten meters in an instant, reaching the edge of the dense forest. What was going on? Everyone was stunned by this scene.
"Ling Feng, hurry over! Something inside is coming out!" Bai Yunyan shouted.
Ling Feng did not move, his eyes fixed on the water surface, his pupils narrowing slightly.
"What is it?" Tan Mingjun also exclaimed in surprise and turned to look into the pool.
"Bang!" A sudden explosion occurred, like a torpedo detonating underwater. Then, a snake's head the size of a watermelon burst out of the water!