Chapter 363: Chapter 363: Negotiate
Yun Jinnian nodded, carefully stowed the small tripod and insect in his pouch, and secured it at his waist to prevent loss.
The two returned to where the others were resting.
Hu Laotie had already taken the lead in cooking some meat soup, a bowl for each person, which warmed them up after eating it with two steamed buns to fill their stomachs.
Although they had brought rice and flour, these were to be saved for use at the mountain peak.
"Another two hours of walking and we’ll reach the mountain top, let’s eat something first before we go!"
Once they reached the mountain peak, they couldn’t rush to search for the Tian Mountain Snow Lotus; they needed to find a place to settle down first.
The side of the mountain was covered with snow all year round, leaving no trees at all, but there were a few lush medicinal plants that had been dug up and stored away to sell for a good price once they got back down the mountain.
The things that grew amidst the biting cold on the snowy mountain were always different.
Yun Jinnian also found several plants of Snow Mountain Artemisia that could be used for activating blood circulation and relieving pain.
The path was now incredibly steep, so Chu Yu took a rope and tied Yun Jinnian to him, with the other end secured to Yuwen Ya and several others, to prevent accidents where one might fall through the ground, they could save each other.
Chu Yu was also sweating a bit from the climb.
They were now approaching a fork in the road.
"We’ve already been to one side but didn’t find the Tian Mountain Snow Lotus, and we haven’t been to the other side!" said Chu Yu to Yun Jinnian.
Facing the cold wind, Yun Jinnian vaguely smelt a faint fragrance.
It was coming from the direction of the wind.
"Big Brother Chu, let’s continue on the side you’ve been to before!"
Hearing this, Yuwen Ya hurriedly asked, "Do you think there’s a Snow Lotus there?"
"I’m not sure, but I smell a faint fragrance in the cold wind, do you all smell it?"
Everyone shook their heads.
They really hadn’t noticed it.
All eyes turned to Chu Yu, waiting for him to make a decision.
Hu Laotie’s group was also looking at Chu Yu.
After some thought, Chu Yu still chose to trust Yun Jinnian, "Let’s go there once more!"
They headed once more in the direction that Chu Yu and his group had been to three times before.
On the right was a precipice, and to the left was a cliff. Fortunately, they had traveled this route several times and were not so afraid anymore. Still, with Yun Jinnian on his back, Chu Yu walked very cautiously.
"Are you scared?" Chu Yu asked softly.
Yun Jinnian shook her head slightly.
She knew Chu Yu wouldn’t let anything happen to her, so she wasn’t very scared.
Plus, she was lying on Chu Yu’s back and didn’t look down the cliff.
"Suck in!" Yun Jinnian took several deep breaths, "Big brother Chu, wait a moment!"
Yun Jinnian called out.
"Smelt something?" Chu Yu asked.
"The scent is very strong, let me down!"
Chu Yu carefully put Yun Jinnian down, and she then lifted her veil to reveal her face.
Yuwen Ya immediately handed a porcelain bottle to Yun Jinnian, who opened it and took a deep breath before sighing profoundly.
"The fragrance is coming from below the cliff!"
But looking at the cliff face, it was a vast expanse of white, not a speck of green in sight. Where to search?
"It’s said that the Tian Mountain Snow Lotus is snow-white, even the stamen is white!" No sooner had Yun Jinnian finished speaking than she felt the insect in her waist pouch start to move incessantly, as if it was trying to crawl out.
This insect was originally raised by people from Nanjiang, who also said they were heading into the mountains in search of the Snow Lotus.
The insect had been sleeping soundly all the way up until now, when the fragrance was at its strongest, then it woke up.
"Big Brother Chu, I have an idea!"
As Yun Jinnian spoke, she opened her pouch and let the insect jump out to the ground where it looked expectantly at her.
"Little thing, do you want to drink blood?"
The Spiritual Poisonous Insect licked its lips and nodded.
"And did you smell the fragrance?"
The Spiritual Poisonous Insect nodded again.
Both Yun Jinnian and Chu Yu started to smile.
"Then will you lead us there? If you do, I will give you blood to drink!"