Tajik people hold grain and salt in high regard, considering anyone who treads on them with their feet a sinner.
He Li did not step on them, but out of respect for Kuer and the Tajik culture, he made an effort to finish the entire large bowl of pigeon mixed noodles.
Then,
He sat quietly,
and began to admire the "Tianshan Snow Lotus" in front of him as she inhaled her meal.
Although spiritual practitioners were all big eaters, that bowl of noodles... was truly enormous.
Not just He Li, but even Xiao Lan, who didn't need to eat, watched Kuer eat and found herself salivating.
He Li picked up a piece of lamb and offered it to Xiao Lan.
Xiao Lan sniffed it and shook her head at He Li.
He Li pursed his lips, swallowed, and finally ate it. It would have been impolite to put it back in the communal bowl, and not eating it from his own plate would also have been awkward.
He Li patted Xiao Lan’s dog head,
“Xiao Lan, we’ve eaten from the same bowl, like brothers. If one day there’s no food in the bowl, and I have to sell you to get by, you shouldn’t blame me, right?”
Xiao Lan shrunk its dog head, not allowing He Li to touch its noble head. Honestly, it still missed its owner from 4,000 years ago. Although that owner was cold and violent, at least he wouldn’t sell his dog for money.
“Hehehe...”
He Li was amused by Xiao Lan’s actions and expression. This dog was too human-like.
Kuer watched He Li and Xiao Lan interact and said with some envy, “I used to have a dog too, also a wolfhound. Although it wasn’t as majestic or beautiful as yours, I liked it very much. It was my important companion.”
He Li smiled and nodded. Kuer had said "used to have," so he naturally didn't ask what happened to the dog or where it went.
Soon, Kuer finished eating.
He Li was already looking forward to dinner, wondering how much Kuer would "not just eat a little." Could he eat a whole sheep himself?
After tidying up, the two drove to Jinhu Yang Park, which was 30 kilometers from Zep County.
It was originally a 5A-rated scenic spot, but it had been closed after receiving information about the Poplar Ghost Wood.
The two drove directly onto a forest path.
He Li fiddled with the detector and couldn't help but exclaim, "It's all lush green now. In autumn, it will turn golden, and then fiery red. It would have been great to come in autumn."
Kuer laughed heartily, "It's almost September. You can stay here for two months, and by then, this place will be a golden ocean."
He Li pursed his lips and shook his head, smiling, "No need. Honestly, by watching short videos on my phone at home, I've already traveled the world."
Kuer retorted, "Seeing it with your own eyes is far more impactful than just hearing about it."
He Li shrugged and said, "But it saves money."
Kuer was stunned, and after a few seconds of silence, he stammered, "That's a novel way of thinking."
After the off-road vehicle reached the central area,
They got out, put on communication earphones, He Li grabbed his satchel, which was filled with buckshot and various grenades and bombs. These were carefully selected items he had obtained through air transport after showing his Spiritual Management Association credentials.
Kuer directly pulled two large, thick-backed sabers from the trunk and tucked them into his waist.
He Li didn't understand why everyone liked using cold weapons. Fei Ge was like that too.
Hmph... how crude.
Then,
They each took out a rocket launcher from the trunk, attached a signal booster, and fired a few shots into the surrounding woods.
"Start tuning."
They tapped their earphones repeatedly on their communication watches until the channel was connected.
"Keep in touch," Kuer said to He Li.
He Li nodded and turned to walk into the forest.
Walking in the forest, Xiao Lan was like a wild dog off its leash, running, jumping, playing with grass, and pouncing on birds.
He Li scoffed disdainfully. With this behavior, it was supposed to be a divine envoy? Clearly, it was a Siberian Husky.
Damn! There were so many mosquitoes in the grass.
The wind blew through the forest, carrying the sound of rustling leaves and the swishing of grass. With the signal booster, He Li didn't have to touch every tree, but he still had to be very close to the poplar trees.
Time passed quickly.
He Li checked the time; it was 6:20 PM. Kuer's voice came through the earphones, saying he was withdrawing for now and would return tomorrow.
He Li called out to Xiao Lan. Xiao Lan ran back from a distance. As it approached He Li, the alarm on He Li's wrist suddenly sounded.
He Li froze for a moment. The source of the red alert signal in his glasses was right beside him, and it was moving around him rapidly.
Looking down at Xiao Lan running circles around him, He Li sighed inwardly and said, "I didn't expect it to be you. There's no other way."
He Li raised his gun and pointed it at Xiao Lan, saying, "Silly dog, spit out that piece of wood you're carrying."
Xiao Lan squatted in front of He Li, tilting its head up, a piece of wood in its mouth.
He Li took the wood from the dog's mouth. The wood was somewhat rotten, but the demonic energy signal was very strong.
"Kuer, I found it. It's on my side."
"Alright, I'm coming over immediately."
As soon as Kuer finished speaking, He Li heard a dull thud of a heavy object hitting the ground in the distance. Immediately after, he saw a large dark shadow fly up from afar and charge towards him.
He Li gritted his teeth. That Tianshan Snow Lotus brother was truly fierce.
Thump!
Thump!
In just two leaps, Kuer arrived in front of He Li.
He Li handed the rotten piece of wood to Kuer, then said to Xiao Lan, "Lead us there."
As the two followed Xiao Lan, He Li couldn't help but think that no amount of high technology could compare to a dog's nose.
Soon,
The two arrived in front of a poplar tree surrounded by chains, with a thick trunk and several branches.
"The Poplar King?" Kuer exclaimed in surprise.
He Li looked at Kuer, who explained, "This is the Poplar King of Jinhu Yang Park, but it withered long ago."
He Li was unconcerned. Trees can wither, but tree demons cannot. Humans can be resurrected even after being turned to ash, let alone trees. He took out a demonic energy detector and threw it onto the trunk of the Poplar King.
Beep beep beep... Beep beep beep...
"Kuer, do you think it will suddenly attack us?"
"I'm not guessing."
"Why?"
"Because... it moved."
Kuer immediately drew his twin sabers, which were imbued with green spiritual energy. He lowered his stance, preparing for combat.
The branches of the Poplar King began to tremble, then shake violently. Following that, the ground began to vibrate, and the soil around the Poplar King's roots kicked up gravel as the ground cracked.
"It's coming out of the ground!" Kuer shouted, rattling his sabers, about to charge forward.
But He Li, with quick hands, pulled him back.
Kuer, having been pulled back by He Li, was slightly stunned. He was a sixth-level spiritual practitioner, and with his innate strength, he could kill a strong adult yak with a single punch.
He knew the force of his charge, but he had been pulled back by He Li with just one hand.
The key point was... with one hand.
He Li didn't bother with explanations. He opened his backpack, took out two spiritual energy grenades, pressed them together, pulled the pins, and infused spiritual energy into his palms. Then, he threw them at the Poplar King.
Turning back, he roared,
"Run!"
He Li shot forward like lightning, and Xiao Lan was even faster, like a blue streak.
Kuer froze for a second, "Oh no! Spiritual energy grenades!" He turned and ran.
...