Chapter 803 - Starlight During The Day (1/2)

Shao Xuan used two whole days to recuperate, which was already a very long time given he did not suffer any severe injuries. In the past, he only needed a night’s rest to recover from a hunt. This battle had drained too much of his energy, one night was not enough. If he wanted to go up the mountain in search of answers, he must be well-prepared too. If he was still weak, then he would be able to fend for himself during emergencies.

During these two days, Gan Qie was not interested in much. He asked Shao Xuan about Yi Xiang, then when he was told that Yi Xiang was indeed very powerful, he did not ask more questions, merely staring at the mountain range in deep thought.

Yi Cong and Yi Qi were severely injured, unable to walk. Especially Yi Qi, who did not wake after fainting and his slaves were in tears, anxious for his recovery.

“Let’s go.” Shao Xuan leapt on Chacha’s back and patted his feathers gently.

Gan Qie was also on his back. After an unwilling caw, Chacha took off.

Carrying two people on his back, Chacha took several rests along the way. The air thinned the higher up they travelled, temperatures dropped and the oppression became stronger.

Gan Qie never liked cold places. The people of the Han Tribe were suited for the hot, arid desert. After turning into this state, although his lifestyle changed a lot, he maintained his preference for the heat. His agility was also limited in snowy places, everything was just inconvenient.

However, the scent of blood lured him on. He was willing to take the risk.

Gan Qie suppressed his breaths, minimising his existence the best he could. The oppression here made him anxious, so this was an instinctive response; he was not accustomed to this cold, and his response was similar to a hibernating animal. Breathing was not necessary for him anyway, so he stopped. He now resembled a stone statue, frozen on the eagle’s back.

As they passed through layers of mist and clouds, water vapour turned to ice stuck to their faces, hair and clothes in a layer of white.

“Wait! Go there.” Shao Xuan pointed in a direction to show Chacha.

After they found a suitable landing spot, Shao Xuan leapt off his back. He stood on a protruding boulder, swept off the thick layer of snow and dragged a piece of white worm skin out.

The worm skin was the same colour as snow, the naked eye would not have been able to distinguish the two. Shao Xuan would not have found it without his special vision.

When Shao Xuan came here the first time, he also picked up a few pieces of worm skin to be made into protective clothing. They were sturdy and offered sufficient protection during a fight. Also, most importantly, it could protect people against the harmful effects of the core seed.

The white worm skins that Shao Xuan brought back from his first time at Eagle Mountain were tattered now. They had very little of it and limited people could enter the core seed cave at a time. The tribe had talked about using other materials to replace the worm skin since going to Eagle Mountain was too difficult and did not guarantee more worm skin. Unfortunately, they were never able to find a replacement.

Now, Shao Xuan could bring more back.

He stroked the worm skin, not sure when they were shed. He guessed not too long ago.

He rolled it up and tied the roll, then looked around and found a second piece. After rolling that up, he could not find a third piece. Shao Xuan did not go searching for more as their primary objective was to uncover the white worm’s secret. He could get more later.

After a short rest, Chacha took off once more.

Shao Xuan could feel a strong opposing force when Chacha flew but Chacha was still happy to fly under such conditions. Although he would not be entering Eagle Mountain, he was still excited to be here.

As they flew, the statue-like Gan Qie finally looked up expressionlessly- other than a flash of red in his eyes.

“We’re close!”

They were approaching the mountain peak.

“There!” Gan Qie pointed.

Shao Xuan gestured for Chacha to fly over. Although they were not at the peak, he knew that while the white worms were secretly feeding on the eagles’ territory they would not build nests at the icy plains on the peak. They would keep a safe distance. That was why they did not need to fly higher to search for the white worms.

Shao Xuan saw a worm nest on the mountain, similar to the one he saw when he first came here. It was made of worm silk.

“They are metamorphosing.”

Shao Xuan looked at the next. Due to his experience, he knew that the white worm would not leave the nest again, instead silently transforming inside.

“Full moon tonight.” Shao Xuan looked up at the sky. It was not sunset yet and the sky was still bright.

Gan Qie hopped off Chacha. His movements were stiff in the cold, and the thick snow caused him great discomfort. However, he ignored it for the worm blood.

To Shao Xuan’s surprise, Gan Qie walked a few steps towards the worm nest and stopped.

“What? Is there a problem?” Shao Xuan.

“No.” Gan Qie stared at the nest.

“What did you find? You don’t plan to do anything?” asked Shao Xuan.

“It’s not time yet.” Gan Qie stood still, his eyes glued to the nest.

“Not time yet?” Shao Xuan did not understand but now he was sure that whatever attracted Gan Qie was related to the white worms.

All they had to do was wait then.

Shao Xuan and Chacha went to eat some ice at the icy plains on the peak. Shao Xuan missed the taste of the ice crystal columns there, it had been a long time.

They did not see any great mountain eagles on the plains so Shao Xuan did not need to hide.

Gan Qie did not like the ice so he did not eat much, his eyes merely glued to the worm.

Time passed and the sun gradually set. The sky did not turn completely dark and the two moons that had almost merged appeared in the sky.