When Uncle Tang spoke these words, our faces twitched a few times.
Did we need to analyze this any further?
Among the first four things Uncle Tang mentioned, which one wasn't incredibly poisonous?
Eating just one of them would ensure a certain death, let alone mixing so many toxins together.
"What's in this bottle is likely poison.
And it's highly potent, possibly with no known antidote.
You can keep it safe; it might be useful against demonic creatures later."
Uncle Tang spoke, handing the medicine bottle to Xia Qiu Xi.
He then looked at me:
"Xiao Qin, what did you get?"
I forced a bitter smile.
I took out my dull gray stone bead:
"I got a dull gray stone bead. I don't know what it is."
Having said that, I handed the stone bead over.
Uncle Tang took it:
"Oh, it's quite heavy."
As he spoke, he weighed it in his hand.
Finally, he shook his head helplessly and gave it to Aunt Yun Xia.
Aunt Yun Xia also examined it for a while, even trying to infuse her Dao Qi into it.
But the stone bead showed no change, and she couldn't figure out what kind of stone bead it was.
Aunt Yun Xia shook her head and handed the stone bead to my master:
"Brother Gu, take a look!"
Master nodded, taking the stone bead to examine it.
He even used his true qi to squeeze it in his hand.
With my master's current cultivation, let alone a stone bead.
Even a steel bar in his hand would be crushed.
But the stone bead remained unchanged.
In fact, not even a single mark was left on it.
"This stone bead is so special! Even at my current level, I can barely leave any marks on it."
Master said in surprise.
Everyone else also frowned slightly.
Aunt Yun Xia then said:
"The fact that the snake demon stored this stone bead, along with this bottle of poison and a five-hundred-year-old spirit pearl, already indicates the stone bead's extraordinariness.
Perhaps it's some kind of incredibly hard material..."
Everyone nodded slightly at this explanation.
Because besides being hard, there was nothing else special they could find about this stone bead.
Perhaps it was some unknown hard material...
Master hummed and handed the stone bead back to me:
"Xiao Qin, you found the stone bead, so it's yours to keep.
Our trip to Xiao Han Mountain is now complete.
Let's hurry down the mountain and leave!"
The others nodded upon hearing this.
They had no desire to stay on this old mountain any longer.
Next, our group left the room.
And we set fire to the temple.
Burning everything here down.
Especially the four bronze dragons at the medicinal field.
This destroyed their spirit gathering formation, preventing the Netherworld Cult from returning and continuing to cultivate their herbs here.
After leaving the temple, we also used talismans to burn the human skulls at the temple entrance.
The flames of Xiao Han Mountain quickly engulfed the entire temple.
Watching the raging fire, everyone took a deep look and left without looking back.
By the time we reached the foot of the mountain, the fire had already grown strong.
I was actually a bit worried that the flames would spread and ignite the surrounding mountains.
But my worries were clearly unfounded.
After burning the mountaintop and Xiao Han Temple, the flames gradually died down.
As summer had passed, the weather was cold and damp, and it had rained two days prior.
Therefore, the fire did not spread.
After leaving Xiao Han Mountain, we returned the way we came.
Xiao Mei was still sleeping in the bag.
The rat demon was sealed with talismans.
Master said that once we reached the outside, he would buy a iron cage to keep the rat demon confined.
Everyone was tired, their fatigue evident as they walked.
But the harvest this time was also significant.
First, we gained a deeper understanding of the powerful forces of the Netherworld Cult.
Second, we destroyed the Netherworld Cult's stronghold on Xiao Han Mountain.
Without these two snake demons, the residents who ventured into the mountains nearby were no longer in danger.
Then, we encountered Liang Lin, the enemy who killed our grand-master.
Furthermore, we gained a new understanding of our opponent's strength.
Currently, we are no match for Liang Lin, nor are we qualified to confront the Netherworld Cult.
In terms of strength, we still need to cultivate diligently.
In addition, there was the Flying Tiger Hall, situated in a place with the character "tiger."
Finally, we obtained the stone bead, the poison, the Ganoderma lucidum, and many precious medicinal materials from the medicinal field.
But the first thing we would handle upon our return.
Still the rat demon from the bottomless pit of Black Mud Mountain.
This was a matter for Master and the others to deal with; we juniors wouldn't worry about it.
However, what I found most unforgettable wasn't the ferocity of the snake demons, the background of the rat demon, the vastness of the Netherworld Cult, or the terrifying cultivation of the demon-human Liang Lin.
It was that I finally saw Qing Dai.
She was truly, incredibly beautiful.
The sight of her was deeply etched into my heart.
Even though she said that my "old friend" from a past life had left her some "fatal divination."
And this "divination" seemed to target me specifically.
I wasn't overly worried.
This sort of thing was too mysterious, and I didn't quite believe it.
Moreover, if the divination were to come true, the omen stated that it would be "to die for Qing Dai."
I felt that it would be worth it.
My life, born under Yin influence, was destined to be short.
Surviving to the age of twenty was entirely thanks to Qing Dai's good fortune.
If I were to die.
And die for Qing Dai.
It would also be my way of repaying her twenty years of protection!