Yuan Ming closed the stone room mechanism and blocked the entrance of the cave with a large stone. Then he looked around disappointedly, as the Earth Traveling Demon still hadn’t appeared.

The Earth Traveling Demon was different from the previous Lion Scale Beast. It contained a piece of earth stone that could be used to refine some underground treasures, which were quite valuable.

He continued upstream along the stream and soon arrived at the Black Pine Forest.

Yuan Ming knew nothing about the black giant crow and didn’t know if it had any spiritual materials that could be collected. He didn’t want to provoke it rashly, so he used the Wood Concealment Technique to hide his tracks and carefully crossed the forest.

He was lucky today and didn’t encounter the black giant crow. He smoothly arrived in the area where the Four-Eyed Golden Ape was located.

He had encountered the Red Core Peach Tree by chance last time, but he couldn’t remember where the peach tree was now. He had to continue using the Wood Concealment Technique and try to find it.

“Ribbit ribbit…” Suddenly, the black toad on Yuan Ming’s shoulder let out a low croak.

Yuan Ming stopped his movements, startled.

Because the black toad transmitted a somewhat blurry message through their mental connection, roughly meaning that there was a bloody smell ahead.

The Purple-Black Demon Vine was able to suck blood and was extremely sensitive to the smell of blood.

Yuan Ming followed the direction indicated by the black toad and slowly approached. He soon arrived at a lush grassy area in the distance and reached out to push aside the wild grass, his expression changing slightly.

Two tall bodies were lying here, one of them being the Four-Eyed Golden Ape, and the other was the black giant crow.

There was a large hole in the chest of the Four-Eyed Golden Ape, obviously a fatal wound. It seemed to have been caused by a weapon like a sword or a knife.

In addition to this chest wound, all four eyes of the golden ape had been gouged out, leaving behind four bloody and blurry holes.

The black giant crow also died with a hole pierced through its chest. Its claws and head were cut off, but there was no trace of them around, obviously taken away by someone.

“No wonder I didn’t encounter the black giant crow just now. It turns out it has already been killed. From the wounds, both the Four-Eyed Golden Ape and the black giant crow were killed by cultivators! Someone else has been here!” Yuan Ming muttered to himself.

He wasn’t surprised that someone else had found this place. If he could find this island, others could too.

From the condition of the Four-Eyed Golden Ape’s wounds, it hadn’t been killed long ago, probably only two or three days.

Apart from the chest and eye wounds, the golden ape had no other injuries. The four eyes were most likely gouged out afterwards. The black giant crow was the same, with only one fatal wound.

There were no signs of a fight around, which meant that both the Four-Eyed Golden Ape and the black giant crow were killed with a single blow. It was probably impossible for a Qi Refining cultivator to do this.

Yuan Ming couldn’t help but feel a little scared. Immortal cultivators were mostly covered in blood. This island was rich in resources, and coupled with Master Heimu’s cave, it could be considered a treasure trove. If the person who killed the Four-Eyed Golden Ape found his tracks, he would most likely be killed to keep him quiet.

Yuan Ming suppressed his anxious feelings and quickly called the black toad, heading towards the direction of the lake.

Although he didn’t know if that person had already left, he needed to leave as soon as possible.

Not long after walking, the trees in front suddenly became sparse, and a peach tree stood quietly in the open space. It was the Red Core Spirit Peach Tree.

Yuan Ming’s heart skipped a beat. He had already planned to leave, but unexpectedly stumbled upon this tree.

But when he took a closer look, the joy on his face disappeared.

There were only peach leaves left on the tree, and all the spirit peaches were gone. Most likely, they had been taken by the person who killed the Four-Eyed Golden Ape.

Yuan Ming sighed inwardly, didn’t delay, and quickly arrived at the lakeside.

Using the same method as before, he flew away with the incense burner, trying to stay as far away from the island as possible and avoid the water monster. Then he took a small boat to leave.

Fortunately, the journey was calm and he didn’t encounter the black water monster.

After getting far away from the island, although the surroundings were still filled with white mist, Yuan Ming finally breathed a sigh of relief.

At this point, he was basically safe.

“I wonder who that person who arrived before me is? Could it be an elder from the Biro Cave or someone from another sect?” he muttered to himself.

Qianlu Lake was closest to the Biro Cave, so it was unlikely that people from other sects would come here.

If it was an elder from the Biro Cave, he had to be careful. He should avoid coming here again if possible.

Although he had covered the entrance to Master Heimu’s cave, the disguise was easy to see through for someone familiar with Master Heimu. Although he had taken most of the things in the cave, the casting furnace was still there.

If someone familiar with Master Heimu found clues on that furnace, it would be too dangerous to come to this island again.

“Anyway, I have already tamed the spiritual beasts. If they don’t come, they don’t come.” Yuan Ming made up his mind.

He took out a compass, determined the direction, and arrived at the lakeside land half a day later.

Yuan Ming rested in a hidden place by the lake, quickly restoring his mana, and then returned to the sect.

For the next two days, he didn’t go out and worked diligently in the Fire Workshop, practicing step by step.

Everything in the sect was calm as usual, and there was nothing unusual in the Fire Workshop.

Yuan Ming paid close attention to Fang Ge, Chen Wan, and others, but they didn’t show any abnormal behavior.

Yuan Ming was quite surprised. If Master Heimu’s cave had really appeared in the world, the Fire Workshop shouldn’t be so calm.

“It seems that I guessed wrong. Maybe that person didn’t find it, or maybe he’s not an elder from the Biro Cave?” Yuan Ming secretly said to himself, feeling relieved.With the matter of the spirit beast settled, it was time to start searching for the other three spiritual materials besides the Black Scale Fruit.

……

Three days later, in Toad Valley.

Yuan Ming, who hadn’t been here for a long time, looked at the desolate scene in the valley, feeling somewhat dazed.

Although it hadn’t been long since he had shed his status as a beast slave, recalling those days now felt like a lifetime ago.

He made his way to the entrance of a stone house, where he immediately spotted Zhao Tong, who was lounging on a recliner with his legs crossed.

In his hands, he held a rather large thread-bound book. On its gray-green cover, a beautiful line drawing was depicted in dark gold, with the title “Warm Pavilion, Warm Jade” written in Central Plains script next to it.

“You’ve got the deluxe illustrated edition. Must have cost you quite a few contribution points, huh?” Yuan Ming asked.

The book slowly lowered, revealing a smiling face behind it. “Heh, what’s this? Have you finally developed a taste for the finer things?”

“If the Hall of Laws didn’t allow the reading and distribution of erotic literature, you’d be the first one to get a beating,” Yuan Ming joked.

“What brings you here?” Zhao Tong sat up and asked.

“I need to buy some things from you,” Yuan Ming replied.

“What things?” Zhao Tong frowned.

“Ghost Face Grass, Purple Heart Pollen, and Yin Marrow Fluid,” Yuan Ming said.

“Are you planning to refine pills?” Zhao Tong asked, puzzled.

“Just tell me if you have them or not,” Yuan Ming didn’t explain.

“I have plenty of Ghost Face Grass. As for the Purple Heart Pollen… I think I still have some left from my previous collection. But I don’t have any Yin Marrow Fluid. You might be able to buy some from the Refining Hall,” Zhao Tong thought for a moment before replying.

“Give me a price,” Yuan Ming said straightforwardly.

“Ghost Face Grass and Purple Heart Pollen aren’t exactly rare. You can exchange each for two contribution points,” Zhao Tong said.

“I knew it…” Yuan Ming’s mouth twitched.

“Knew what?” Zhao Tong asked, puzzled.

“I went to the Refining Hall first. Guess how they priced these two items?” Yuan Ming said.

“Knowing those guys, they probably doubled the price,” Zhao Tong laughed.

“They wanted five contribution points from me. If it weren’t for the fact that the season for collecting Purple Heart Pollen had passed, I could have just gone into the mountains and gathered these two items myself,” Yuan Ming said, somewhat disgruntled.

“Considering the timing, it’s possible that the Purple Heart Pollen they’re selling includes some that you collected previously,” Zhao Tong laughed even harder.

“The Refining Hall is also out of Yin Marrow Fluid… Do you have any other sources? Can you get it?” Yuan Ming asked seriously, his smile gone.

Zhao Tong rubbed his chin, pondering for a moment before saying, “Elder Wu Meng from our Hall of Laws once asked me to run an errand for him to buy Yin Marrow Fluid. He might still have some left. I can ask for you.”

“Really?” Yuan Ming was overjoyed.

“Don’t get your hopes up too high. That was half a year ago. Whether he still has any is uncertain. And even if he does, the price won’t be low,” Zhao Tong laughed.

“Just help me ask,” Yuan Ming said.

“Let’s meet again in three days. We’ll know by then whether it’s available,” Zhao Tong said.

“Three days?” Yuan Ming frowned.

“Why are you in such a hurry? What are you up to?” Zhao Tong’s curiosity was piqued again.

“I’m preparing a body-refining elixir,” Yuan Ming made up an excuse.

“No wonder,” Zhao Tong sighed, not doubting him.

After they parted ways, Yuan Ming had just returned to the Refining Hall when he saw Chen Wan rushing towards him.

As soon as she reached him, she asked with a furrowed brow, “Where have you been?”

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?” Yuan Ming asked, surprised.

“Where’s Fire Glutton? Is it with you?” Chen Wan asked, looking at the spirit beast bag at his waist.

“Did that little guy run off again?” Yuan Ming frowned.

“Isn’t it with you? Master had something to do today and left it with me for half a day. But not long after she left, Fire Glutton ran off,” Chen Wan said, disappointment and urgency in her voice.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go back and see if it’s at my place,” Yuan Ming said.

“I’ll go with you,” Chen Wan quickly said.

“Alright.”

The two of them quickly returned to Yuan Ming’s residence.

As soon as the door was opened, Chen Wan saw a thick stack of white paper on the table and a mountain of crumpled paper balls beside it.

She had known that Yuan Ming had completed his embryo refining and was learning to draw talismans from Elder Brother Ah Mu, but she hadn’t expected that he had practiced so much.

In addition to the white paper, there were many completed talisman drawings on the table, which looked quite impressive at first glance.

She hadn’t expected that the once unremarkable beast slave was now almost catching up with her.

Of course, Yuan Ming had no idea what she was thinking. He searched the room, even turning over the mountain of crumpled paper balls, but found no trace of Fire Glutton.

Just then, he noticed a few messy little footprints on a piece of white paper by the window. They were unmistakably Fire Glutton’s.

(End of Chapter)