"Why so modest, brother?" Chu He asked, fixing his gaze on the collar of Wang Hao's robe—making Wang Hao feel distinctly uncomfortable, as if the man had some strange sartorial fetish.
"That skin of yours, brother, is certainly not something ordinary folk possess! I have a keen eye. Skin like that can only be the result of a body-refining technique!" Chu He continued with a grin. "Yet you also refine pills—quite the puzzle, since body cultivators can't refine pills. There's only one explanation: you're a dual-path cultivator of body and magic!"
Damn, does he think he's some famous detective? Wang Hao was left speechless, wondering why Chu He was so fixated on his collar…
Chen Qing chimed in with praise of her own:
"In general, body cultivators are stronger than magic cultivators at the same level. Brother Wang cultivates both body and magic, so your strength must surpass the seventh level of Qi Refinement! And since the Yin Venomous Python dwells in swamps, your skills as an alchemist will help neutralize its poison and resist the miasma. As for picking other sect disciples," she added with a wry smile, "few would lend aid out of pure goodwill. Many among them are vying for the Foundation-Establishing Pill—one slip, and word would spread! I needn't spell out the consequences; Brother Wang can imagine them perfectly well."
Wang Hao met their eyes and replied:
"But I'm still only at the seventh level of Qi Refinement. Even if my body refinements have had some success, I'm no match for a ninth-level cultivator! You two trust me so much, it's putting me on edge. Didn't you say there would be four of us? Where's the fourth cultivator?"
Chu He let out a rueful laugh.
"Brother, you're truly cautious. Actually, you do know the fourth. She was the one who strongly recommended you. Junior Sister Li, please show yourself!"
At his words, the door opened and a figure in red stepped inside.
"Li Derong—why of course it's you!""Why wouldn't it be me?" Li Derong greeted the pair before adding coolly,"Two disciples of my Li family joined the Qingyuan Sect last year thanks entirely to Brother Chu and Sister Chen's support. So I've come to help. Any problem with that?"
She still harbored ill will toward Wang Hao—her impressions from the tournament had made it hard to admire him. Yet she respected his strength. When Chu He reached out to the Li family to request two helpers, he'd promised in return to accept two Li disciples as his own once he'd established his foundation. That's why she volunteered, and upon hearing Chu He's recommendation of Wang Hao, she insisted on him as the fourth.
Chu He nodded enthusiastically:
"Brother Wang, so long as you help me this time, besides the promised reward I'll owe you a favor. I'm at the ninth level of Qi Refinement now, so one favor might not mean much—but once I establish my foundation…"
A favor from a Foundation-stage cultivator of the Qingyuan Sect—especially one so well regarded—was indeed valuable. Wang Hao couldn't refuse such an offer:
"Very well. If you both trust me so completely, I accept!"
"Then thank you in advance, brother," Chu He said with a radiant smile. "We depart in five days. You can use that time to prepare!" He bowed, then cautioned,"Please keep this mission secret, to prevent news from leaking!"
Wang Hao nodded.
"Understood!"
"Then all is well!" With that, the two took their leave.
As Wang Hao strode down the road, he reflected: earlier, back at the Tortoise Market, some folks had invited him to seek spirit herbs and explore hidden caverns together—and he'd declined, believing that cultivation must come first. But now, standing at the pinnacle of Advanced Qi Refinement and still without any news of the Core-Forming Fruit, he knew he couldn't wait at home indefinitely. He had to venture out and take risks—only by facing the unknown could he reap great rewards. Caution was wise, but daring was life itself.
Resolved, he set about making proper preparations. He emptied the shop's supply of first-order talisman paper and relaunched his talisman-crafting operation in earnest.
Five days later, Wang Hao surveyed over two hundred spirit talismans neatly laid out on his workbench, nodded in satisfaction, stretched his muscles and bones until they cracked, tidied his tools, and summoned Ya Ya and Xiao Bai.
Xiao Bai had indeed advanced—his shoulder now reached Wang Hao's own height, and his body length exceeded three meters. He was still growing steadily. Ya Ya, meanwhile, remained one step from advancing and did not yet progress; after feeding them their separate rations, Wang Hao slipped them back into their spirit-beast pouches.
He then checked the Illusory Moon Butterfly eggs. To his dismay, one had lost all vitality, and two others had weakened compared to before. Only the final two had grown stronger, each above half vitality. Wang Hao wondered if the life essence of the weaker eggs had been drawn into the stronger ones.
With nothing to be done, he refreshed the medicinal solution one more time and resealed the eggs in his cabinet. Then, placing a voice-transmission talisman on his desk to announce his absence, he set out!
Wang Hao joined the others, and the four convened to finalize their plan.
Chu He addressed them first:
"Actually, there were three mission options, but my affinity lies with Earth techniques and Sister Chen's with Water, so I chose the Yin Venomous Python!"
Wang Hao thought ruefully that he cultivated Fire and Wood—no ideal match—but it was too late to change. With each of the four having a different elemental discipline, someone had to take the python.
"We head north this time," Chu He continued. "There's a swamp in the Fractured Origin Mountains. The Yin Venomous Python's nest lies there. The swamp is thick with miasma and teems with venomous insects and snakes—tens of thousands. Everyone must be on guard!"
Wang Hao asked:
"Do you know the snake's habits?"
"These pythons love swamps, places brimming with poison. They shun sunlight and stay in their nests at midday—when they're at their weakest. We should strike during the day. At night, we'd become the prey!" Chen Qing explained coolly.
Li Derong nodded in agreement, then queried:
"Cobras sometimes gather in packs. Are you sure there's only one Yin Venomous Python this time?"
Chu He hesitated at her question:
"The sect mission says there is only one, but I can't be entirely certain. However, once the Four Symbols Formation is active, even first-order venomous snakes will be trapped—then we can focus on dealing with the second-order python!"
Seeing everyone deep in thought, Chu He hastened to reassure them:
"The ancient cultivator's cavern lies just beside the swamp. After we hunt the python, we can rest briefly and then break the formation together. I guarantee Brother Wang and Sister Li won't go unrewarded! And to ensure success in this hunt, I've prepared multiple second-order spirit talismans. No matter how complicated things get, escaping alive won't be difficult!"
Li Derong raised her hand to interject:
"Brother Chu, now that we're all here none of us will back out. Clarifying details only helps us prepare. But your words make it sound as if we're all here merely for profit!"
The four exchanged determined looks, ready to face whatever dangers lay ahead—together.