Qin Feng’s face turned livid.
The Spirit Garden had seven Spirit dicines. Losing even one would land him in huge trouble.
Not only would Points be deducted, but more importantly, he would lose rit Points.
Qin Feng currently had zero rit Points. If any were deducted, he wouldn’t be able to keep his status as a Fifth-level Inner Sect Disciple of the dicine King Hall. He would be directly demoted to a Fourth-level Outer Sect Disciple.
"Where did Zhao Yuan go? What is he doing?" Qin Feng’s expression was grim as he stared at Luan Xiaochuan.
Luan Xiaochuan gave a bitter smile. "Junior Brother Zhao is waiting outside!"
Qin Feng roared, "Have him co in!"
Having just successfully cultivated the Little Cloud Rain Technique, Qin Feng had been in an excellent mood. But now, a naless fire of rage was burning in his heart.
Hurrying into the Cave Mansion, Zhao Yuan saw the black-robed Cave Master with his sharp, piercing gaze. His face went pale with fright, and he dropped to his knees. "Cave Master, your subordinate has been derelict in his duty! Please, punish !"
Resisting the urge to send Zhao Yuan flying with a kick, Qin Feng took a deep breath, trying to calm his irritation.
"What exactly happened? Which Spirit dicine was lost?"
"It was the five-hundred-year-old Red Dragon Yellow Ginseng!" Terror filled Zhao Yuan’s face. With the sudden disappearance of this Spirit dicine, he bore the greatest responsibility.
"Red Dragon Yellow Ginseng!"
A five-hundred-year-old Red Dragon Yellow Ginseng was a precious Spirit dicine that replenished Qi, nourished Yin, and was used for Strengthening the Foundation and Nourishing the Essence.
If a Martial Artist consud too much Essence Blood, just a small slice could fully replenish it.
His face grim, Qin Feng strode out of the Bishui Cave and arrived at the edge of the Spirit Garden. Now, only six Spirit dicines remained inside.
The one with black leaves that could move freely in the soil like an old man was the thousand-year-old Profound Yin Ginseng.
The one with a rhizo like a Bai Yu flying dragon, blooming with pale yellow pistils and emitting a strong, fiery Yang Qi, was the Jade Dragon Primordial Yang Flower.
On a tree stump not far away grew a single Cloud Patterned Forest Love Grass.
Under another rock grew the Yin-Yang Lotus. The one that seed to breathe like a gallbladder was the Gentiana, and there was also the Double-headed Polygonum multiflorum.
Only the Red Dragon Yellow Ginseng, which he rembered having lush, tender, and vibrant green leaves, had vanished without a trace.
Qin Feng glared at Zhao Yuan. "What exactly happened!"
"Your subordinate doesn’t know either. The dicine Boy in charge of guarding the Spirit Garden said he only saw a flash of a small, white shadow, and then the Red Dragon Yellow Ginseng was inexplicably gone!"
"’A small, white shadow?’" Qin Feng’s face was dark, a cold light glinting in his eyes.
’Could a Spirit Beast from Heavenly Red Peak have stolen and eaten the Red Dragon Yellow Ginseng?’
So-called Spirit Beasts: those that were dosticated were called Spirit Beasts, while those in the wild were Fierce Beasts.
Docile and tamable creatures were Spirit Beasts. Those that were disobedient, ferocious, and cruel were Fierce Beasts.
There were nurous Spirit Beasts on Heavenly Red Peak. Because of their docile nature, they were allowed to live and cultivate on the peak.
Zhao Yuan lowered his head and said in a small voice, "I don’t think so. There are no Spirit Beasts on our Heavenly Red Peak with white fur or feathers, except for one—the White-feathered Crane!"
"After the Spirit dicine was lost, your subordinate found a trace of blood near the Spirit Garden. It seems to be from an unfamiliar Spirit Beast!"
"’Blood?’" Qin Feng’s gaze shifted, his anger pausing for a mont as he pondered. ’Could it be that the Spirit Beast was injured, so it ran into my Spirit Garden and stole the Red Dragon Yellow Ginseng to eat?’
Qin Feng knew that Red Dragon Yellow Ginseng was a potent dicine for replenishing Essence Blood.
Moreover, this particular one was five hundred years old.
"Where is the bloodstain? Take to see it!"
"Cave Master, please follow your subordinate!" Knowing he was in deep trouble, Zhao Yuan was eager to prove his worth.
A few dozen paces later, Qin Feng arrived at a dense patch of dicinal herbs on the shore of Celestial Pool Lake. These were thick clusters of herbs with verdant, lotus-like leaves and purple stems. Their dicinal aroma was rich, and their dense foliage ford clumps large enough for a small Spirit Beast to hide within.
This was a type of herb called Purple Peony. When it blood, its flowers looked like purple leaves and gave off a unique dicinal fragrance.
On one Purple Peony plant, Qin Feng found a drop of crimson blood. There were other scattered bloodstains on the leaves of nearby Purple Peonies as well.
An image appeared in Qin Feng’s mind: a small, wounded beast, dragging an injured leg, whimpering as it carried the Red Dragon Yellow Ginseng away.
Qin Feng extended a hand, lightly touched the bloodstain, and brought his finger to his nose to take a faint sniff.
A faint, ethereal fragrance wafted to him. As he slled it, Qin Feng felt as if he could see a peerless woman in white gracefully approaching.
He saw her, her hair piled like dark clouds, her face a perfect oval with cheeks like peach blossoms. Her brows were faint like distant spring mountains, her waist as supple as a willow. She was like a crabapple blossom basking in the sun, her alluring phoenix eyes conveying a myriad of charms with every glance.
Truly like a Goddess of the Nine Heavens descending to the Jasper Pool.
Qin Feng shook his head, and the bewitching vision in his mind dispersed.
Qin Feng was all too familiar with this scent.
He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ’So it’s that kind of Spirit Beast. No wonder. Only a creature like that, or a scoundrel like Qian Kai, could ignore the Prohibitions of the various peaks and caves and brazenly steal Spirit dicine!’
He mused, ’After all, that kind of being is hailed as a divine species that truly seizes the Creation of heaven and earth!’
’The bloodline in this bloodstain is pure. It’s clearly a pure-blooded one!’
Qin Feng chuckled to himself. ’But from the looks of it, this one is probably still a juvenile. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been injured by soone and run to my Spirit Garden to steal Spirit dicine!’
Now that he knew what had stolen the Spirit dicine, Qin Feng’s expression cald. He waved his hand, no longer blaming Zhao Yuan.
Zhao Yuan looked as if he had received a grand pardon.
Qin Feng’s gaze shifted as he pondered how to lure out and capture the dicine thief. But he quickly shook his head. The most important thing right now was how to make up for the loss of the Spirit dicine. Otherwise, not only would he lose his status as a Fifth-level Inner Sect Disciple, but this Bishui Cave Mansion would likely change hands.
Just then, Xu Jie hurried over.
"Cave Master, the Inspector from the dicine King Hall has arrived!"
"A dicine King Hall Inspector? Why are they here now?" A cold glint appeared in Qin Feng’s eyes. ’Who leaked the news?’
The dicine King Hall Inspectors were part of a body dedicated to inspecting the various mountains and caves, primarily responsible for monitoring the growth of Spirit dicines.
A Spirit dicine had just been lost on Heavenly Red Peak, and the Inspector from the dicine King Hall had already received the news. It was obvious that there were spies from other factions on the peak.
Qin Feng gave a cold smile. Several hundred paces later, he saw the Inspector.
It was a young man in golden robes, exuding an air of nobility. His gaze was icy, and he was flanked by two patrol guards with indifferent expressions.
He turned and saw Qin Feng approach, a hint of a sneer in his eyes.
’This one doesn’t co with good intentions,’ Qin Feng thought to himself, but he put a smile on his face and walked toward the golden-robed youth.
Beside him, Xu Jie’s face was plastered with a smile as he said to Qin Feng, "Cave Master, this is Lord Wei Qinghuang, a Fifth-level Patrol Envoy from the dicine King Hall. Lord Wei is a favorite of Elder Su Mu, one of our dicine King Hall’s Four Great Elders!"
"Lord Wei, this is our Bishui Cave’s Cave Master, Elder Qin Feng!"
Qin Feng nodded, a smile on his face. "So it’s the esteed Inspector from the main hall. Please, co inside, my lord!"
Wei Qinghuang looked Qin Feng up and down, then suddenly sneered. "Alright, Master Qin, cut the pleasantries. Your Heavenly Red Peak’s Spirit Garden has lost a Spirit dicine. This is a grave offense. You’d best co with us to the dicine King Hall!"
Wei Qinghuang stared coldly at the black-robed youth. He thought to himself, ’So this is the Elder from the Cyan Dragon Academy who injured Senior Brother Ao’s younger brother. He’s as young and arrogant as they say!’
’But now that you’re a disciple of the dicine King Hall, you’ve entered my territory. And in my territory, if you’re a dragon, you’d better coil up. If you’re a tiger, you’d better lie down!’
A flash of naless anger instantly ignited in Qin Feng’s eyes.
’Pleasantries? This Wei fellow is far too arrogant.’
The smile vanished from his face in an instant. Qin Feng’s gaze, sharp as a sword, fell upon Wei Qinghuang. He said stiffly, "Wei. As far as I know, Inspectors only have the authority to investigate, not to arrest disciples of the dicine King Hall, correct?"
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