NOVEL FROG Chapter 14: Unexpected Fortune
The two girls stepped out of the tent, the noon sun shining down upon them. The camp had completely transformed from the day before. The massive bonfire was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a pile of charred ash. The dozens of tents had been removed, revealing the desolate black soil below.
Nearly a hundred mortals stood in a long caravan line along with dozens of large wagons filled with cargo boxes. Bing Meilu could see crates of berries and fruits stacked next to cages brimming with animals and large sacks of gemstones. All of them were products that were common in the north but would be considered rare, exotic and most importantly, expensive in the south. The merchants exporting the cargo would make a small fortune. No wonder that small bandit group had been able to seize so much money robbing travellers coming to and fro the flesh mountains.
At the head of the caravan stood the man with the silver axe from whom Bing Meilu had bought her ticket. He was joined by the other cultivators she had seen sitting at a table the day before. After a moment's thought, Bing Meilu began to swiftly stride towards the head of the caravan, Xia Xuefeng trailing behind her.
"Good morning, young mistress," the man greeted once Bing Meilu arrived. "I hope you're pleased with our accommodations."
"They were adequate," shrugged Bing Meilu. "But right now I'm more interested in how you plan on ensuring my safety."
"Don't worry about that," the man responded. "I'll assign our strongest employee, Zhang, to be your personal protector for the duration of the trip."
"That is comforting to hear," Bing Meilu nodded.
She turned her head, looking over at the tall, sickly looking Zhang. He had changed from the white robes he had worn the day before into a shimmering golden fur coat that seemed to glow with an inner light. The man stepped forward, giving Bing Meilu a slight bow.
"Greeting young mistress. Do not worry about your safety. As long as you are our patron, nothing will happen to you," the man said, his voice unnaturally deep, almost like the sound of crunching rocks.
"Now, Xuefeng, go guard the back of the caravan-" the man with the silver axe began, only to be quickly interrupted by Bing Meilu.
"She says with me," Bing Meilu cut in. "I've accepted Xia Xuefeng as my servant. She will be coming with me back to my sect."
"...Is that so?" the man asked dryly, his eyebrows raising. "I don't suppose you plan on poaching any of my other employees?"
"Just the one," Bing Meilu responded lightly. "You should be honoured."
The man stared at her silently for several seconds before sighing and shaking his head.
"Very well. Zhang, I'll leave these two in your hands," the man said before turning to address the rest of the caravan.
"Alright everyone, time to head out!" he shouted. "Make sure to stick with the group! Protect your tickets as they are the only way for you to relocate the caravan should you get lost! Now, let's begin!"
The other employees split apart from the man, each heading to guard a different part of the caravan. After a few minutes, the man turned around, head facing the Flesh Mountains. He began to walk, the mortals immediately following behind him. Merchants began to push forward their wagons, the wealthier sitting atop horse-drawn carriages. The sound of chatting humans, walking feet turning and wheels immediately spread through the air as the caravan geared into full speed. Bing Meilu began to slowly jog forwards but Zhang's voice quickly stopped her.
"Wait just a moment," the man said, gesturing for her to step to the side of the caravan.
Bing Meilu frowned but acquiesced, stepping out of the caravan with Xia Xuefeng. The two watched as Zhang began to slowly walk forward until he was nearly a dozen feet ahead of Bing Meilu. The caravan churned along next to them, people and carts slowly passing by. As Bing Meilu waited, Zhang raised his left arm into the air, splaying his fingers widely. A whirlpool of scintillating golden light began to swirl around him. It gathering in his palm, forming within moments a bright golden star that hung above his palm, burning brightly.
Then without warning, the golden star exploded outwards, releasing a wave of light. The wave of light rapidly expanded, bubbling outwards into the shape of a translucent, spectral lion. Dozens of tiny stars seemed to glitter atop the surface of its mane like a starry night sky hung around the lion's neck. The beast of light was massive, standing meters tall. Huge gnarled claws stabbed from its paws, completing the image of a ferocious predator.
Xia Xuefeng's eyes widened slightly as she stared at the lion, shocked and impressed. Bing Meilu sighed slightly. It was clear her servant was still too inexperienced if she was impressed by such paltry magical arts. Transforming as Zhang had was a highly common skill even on the Bird Talon Continent.
As the two watched, the lion bent downwards, resting on its hind legs. Its head turned to stare back at the two young girls speaking with Zhang's gravelly voice.
"Climb on."
Ready to continue her journey, Bing Meilu immediately moved, running up the back of the lion and jumping high into the air. With a slight bounce, she impacted atop the shell of light that made up the lion's exterior. It was nearly jello-like, deforming elastically under her weight. After hesitating for a moment, Xia Xuefeng followed her mistress, leaping onto the lion's back and taking a seat.
Once the two were firmly seated on its back, the lion rose from the ground, resting on its four huge feet. Then the beast began to bound forward. Its massive claws tore through the topsoil as it moved, leaving huge gouges in the dead black soil. In moments they had caught up with the front of the caravan, Zhang slowing down to match its pace.
As the group steadily walked, the incline of the ground grew steeper, rising up the entrance of the Flesh Mountains. Hundreds of the flesh tubes Bing Meilu had seen running throughout the outskirts of the area converged at the mouth of the Mountains. The desolate back soil disappeared as they neared the edge of the mountains, blood and soft tissue poking up from under the soil cover.
Soon they arrived at the mouth of the Flesh Mountains proper. In front of Bing Meilu swirled red and purple fog that marked the edges of the forbidden ground. From the corner of her eyes, Bing Meilu could just barely catch flashes of ghostly faces appearing in the fog, twisted in expressions of rage and despair.
Then, Zhang's lion stepped forward and Bing Meilu entered the fog. A shiver ran through Bing Meilu's body as the miasma engulfed her. A bone-chilling cold permeated Bing Meilu's entire body, her eyes widening.
As expected of one of the continent's strangest places!
This dense fog was saturated with incredibly potent and pure Yin energy. It was pure to such a degree Bing Meilu had never expected to find something like it anywhere in the Bird Talong Continent.
Furthermore, the caravan had only reached the furthest outskirts of the Flesh Mountains. How strong would the Yin chill be in the central depths of the mountains?
A pleased grin began to spread across Bing Meilu's face. She hadn't expected to come across something so good! Truly, Heaven rewarded the virtuous!
To most cultivators, such powerful Yin would render the Flesh Mountains a cursed place where no cultivation could be done, but to Bing Meilu, it was holy ground!
Bing Meilu took a deep breath, drawing the Yin filled fog into her lungs. She slowly guided the frosty energy into her Dantian, and smiled even wider.
Immediately, Bing Meilu's Dantian shook, devouring the energy. A slight shudder ran through her as Bing Meilu suppressed her desire to cackle madly.
This was even more wonderful than she had thought!
Bing Meilu immediately began to ravenously devour the Yin energy, drawing in more and more of the fog with each breath. Soon Bing Meilu felt her cultivation erupt forward. The Qi stored within her seventy-two apertures began to thicken, condensing as Bing Meilu broke through.
Third Tier of Qi Condensation!
A greedy glint appeared in Bing Meilu's eyes. Perhaps the Flesh Mountains were not as bad as she had expected.