Chapter 22 (2/2)

Originally, the dark green plant was raised by the soil washed by rain water to the green stone, so it didn’t strike root deeply. Lin Luoran exerts great effort on the stone, then the dirt was loosened by nothing but dozens of lashes. Seeing this Lin lashes directly to the root and the end of the mountain vine deftly makes a circle firmly enclosing the root of the black flower. Lin shakes her wrist, strength along the rattan pa.s.sed over, completely separated the root system and the stone!

Lin Luoran makes a great effort to close las.h.i.+ng form toward her and then the dark green plant with the soil flying to Lin. But she doesn’t dare to pick it up directly. Rather she puts away the exotic plant into her s.p.a.ce.

Lin Luoran breathes a sigh of relief. Her present skill cannot be regarded as cultivating herself to become immortal but a martial arts master. This is not a suitable place to observe this special flower. Lin Luoran remembers the sound of the golden stone when the rattan hit the bluestone, guessing that the stone, too, might be a little odd, so she wants to take it away together.

Lin Luoran stamps her feet on the stone, but the stone stands still. Maybe the part stuck to the mountain is huge which makes it hard to dig it out without tools.

Lin Luoran hesitates for a while thinking that her Dad may worry about her if she doesn’t appear at the appointed spot, so she decides to get rid of this turquoise when there is another chance.

She grabs the rattan taking a deep breath, thrusts her foot tips against the bluestone jumping up lightly and scratches the surface of the cliff turning over herself to the top of the mountain.

Since lingering for a period of time, Lin Luoran moves faster when descending for being afraid of being worried by her Dad. As the saying goes, it’s easier to go up than to go down. Thinking about Dad Lin rushes and jumps through the mountains and doesn’t stop until she gets to the col. Waiting there she doesn’t notice that the clothes have been cut up by the branches of the tree until she tidies herself.

“Guess mom’s gonna nag again.” thinks Lin Luoran while she utters a sound to her Dad who is waiting for her at the col.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. I found a few of monkeys just now and ran away after them…” says Lin Luoran. Her father will worry about her if she tells the truth.

It is a dry season in fall, so they should be careful to be on guard against mountain fire. Mr. Lin snuffs the smoke in his hand and takes out the solid food (prepared for the journey) as lunch.

Mother has personally made the rice b.a.l.l.s with some leftover beef and dishes from last night. Father may eat without heating in normal times while now he won’t for his dear daughter. So he picks some large leaves wanting to heat the rice roll.

There is no doubt that a picnic is fun, but Lin Luoran feels a little restless after getting the special cliff flower worrying that something dangerous may happen.

She may turn her nose at such kind of intuition before. However, she doesn’t dare to look down upon this feeling after getting the beads that have raised her spiritual sense.

We’d better leave early. Lin Luoran pouts to her father for not heating the meal saying that she wants to experience the hards.h.i.+p of life. Father Lin has no choice but to share the cold rice b.a.l.l.s with his daughter, and the two go back as they eat.

Along the way, Lin Luoran not only picks some rare herbs for herself, but also collects many common medicinal materials for her father. They fill not only their back baskets but also an additional bag.

One hour after they left the col, they hear a rustle from the brushwood where a stout red body partly hidden and partly visible in the bushes.

The bushes and brushwood cover most of its body. The part exposed can be seen with a delicate pattern on the surface.

The thing doesn’t reveal its large triangular head until it crawls to the mountaintop where there is much few bushes—a red boa constrictor that is as thick as a human thigh. It breathes and sends out stinking smell to the gra.s.s. A few minutes later the gra.s.s turns to sallow.

The closer to the mountaintop, the more anxious the red snake is, so it speeds up.

In a moment, the boa moves to the cliff where Lin Luoran stands. Its large head looks down on the edge of the cliff.

The turquoise was littered with debris without the special flower that can help it to rise in rank.

The red snake is so angry that a flame may blow out from its eyes. However, there is no imprint of other clans. Consequently, it is impossible for it to track down the gatherer.

The serpent sticks out its tongue and raises its tail fan on the big wood of the mountain, which agitated detritus on the cliff, and a tree that is big enough for one person to hug with both arms.

Meanwhile, Lin Luoran feels a little bit nervous. At this moment, she has pa.s.sed over the mountain that is much far away from here, and picks up her speed with her father.