Fennik Forest

"It's that way," they all pointed, and was feeling pretty doubtful of his credentials. Wasn't he suppose to be our guide? Why are we giving directions.

"We are done packing so lets move out," Ziyu said. "Hui, Mei, and Ti summon your tamed beast and we can move out. Lin do you have a tame beast? If not you can ride with Xintong on Da Bao."

"Okay."

They were all professionals and were out in minutes. Fennik Forest wasn't far but it wasn't close either. It was a 1 to 2 hour ride on a tamed beast traveling around 700 miles an hour, but it wasn't realistic at all to maintain that speed for an hour. thus they were traveling around 400 miles an hour and should arrive at the edge of the forest in 3 hours.

10 mins from their location the real guide was sitting their patiently waiting at the wrong location at the park.

Feeling bored Jun decided. to strike up a conversation with Xintong.

"Miss Xintong," Jun said trying to strike up a conversations.

"Just call me Xintong is fine," she answers.

"Oh okay. Xintong why do you guys need a guide for the Fennik forest?"

"My company WL Pillshop isn't doing so well and we decided to take on missions in order to keep the store afloat."

"Oh. If doing missions keeps you afloat why not just do more missions and forget pills?" Jun asks in confusion.

Xintong smiles self-depreciatedly, "if it wasn't due to my selfishness it would be."

"Well its not easy running a company. It seems you have some great people helping you," Jun said genuinely. He thought to himself there must be a deeper meaning to this. Otherwise who would keep a money sucking store like that alive.

"Yes, they are awesome. I don't know what I would do without them," she said beaming with pride.

"How long ago did you start up?" Jun asks out of curiosity. "I feel like I heard of it before."

"It was originally my brother's company but he died 8 years ago. I just recently started it back up in the last couple of months."

Jun felt like he got struck by a bolt of lightning. WL Pillshop? 8 years ago? This coincidence is too much isn't it?

"What is your brother's name maybe I heard of him before."

"Oh its Xia Wulong," Xintong said proudly.

Jun's breathing became deep like the weight of the world was pressing down on his chest. It can't be. There's no way his relatives are still alive. Dad said the massacre left no one alive.

"So what are we going to be doing in Fennik Forest?" Jun said positively trying to change the topic.

"Our task this time isn't too hard but it is not easy either. We are tasked with finding the Starlight flower. It is located in this forest somewhere. We asked around and know the general location already."

"What do you need me for? Brother Ziyu seems to be really strong. I don't think I will be much help."

"Oh its because there are many different kinds of beasts, and wild plants in there. Just to be safe we have decided to hire you as a guide. Which will reduce our risk. Finding the flowering isn't our only goal. Since we are here we might as well earn as much as possible."

"I see," Jun said finding it suspicious because starlight flower are not extremely rare and costs only 2 spirit stones in the market. "I'll try my best then."

"Oh I never asked what level is your cultivation?" Xintong asks.

"Peak Nascent Realm," He lied.

"Oh are you going to be alright?" She asks in a worried tone.

"I'll be fine. I come and go from this forest all the time."

"Stay close with us then. Ziyu, Mei, Ti, and Hua are all really strong. They should be able to keep you safe."

Jun found her wording a bit weird. Keep me safe? What about you? You're the weakest out of your whole party.

"Don't worry I'll be fine. I am here to guide you on a safe path otherwise I wouldn't be doing my job," Jun said proudly as he pump fist his chest for confidence. Ugh can't wait to get out of this disguise. I should win an actor's reward for this.

"Oh we are almost there!" She yells out excitedly.

Once they arrived at the location each of them grabbed a backpack.

San Ti glances at Jun, "Brother Lin where's your backpack?"

"Oh I don't usually bring one. Usually a group prepares it for me." Jun lied.

"Alright we are going to be here for the day so grab the spare that we made," Ziyu shouted.

"Thanks!" Jun answers and grab the left over bag.

"Alright! Brother Jun lead the way!" San Ti yells excitedly.

"Sure," Jun responds. "Here are a couple rules through. We must stay together and don't touch anything without asking me. Also do not attack the beasts in this forest unless they attack first. Otherwise you will attract the stronger beast to our location. If you are here to tame or haunt beast then I will not be able to help but if it is finding herbs, and ingredients I am your man. I know this place almost inside out."

"Alright Boss Xintong said that you are here to find the starlight flower right?"

"Yes," Mei answers.

"How many do you need? Because you are only allowed to pick three."

San Ti loudly said, "what do you mean only three? I heard they grow in a field. Why would we only pick three here?"

"Simple," Jun answers nearly went back to his other personality. "Starlight Flowers absorbs not the sunlight but the light that bounces off of the moon. Due to that they are closed in the morning and can only be harvested at night but thats not the only reason why you can only pick three. It is due to the Moon Bat bees. They act like the guardians for these flowers. If you take too much then they will notice the difference in the flower bed and therefore chase you down. Since the Starlight flower is their food for the winter. You can honestly take up to ten or twelve without their notice but that is a risk. 3 is a perfectly safe number."

"Okay we will listen to our guide," San Ti mutters. He was hoping to make some extra profit on the side.

"Mr. Xing please lead the way," Ziyu said formally.

Hui whispers to Mei, "how strong do you think he is?"

"From the way he walks I would say he is at least Nascent realm."

"Hey guys," Xintong said loudly among them, "Xing Lin's cultivation is only at the Nascent realm so if anything happens please try to protect him." Xintong then looks at Jun apologetically because saying this out loud would cause any men to lose face.

Jun didn't care too much since it was a disguise anyway. "Please take care of me."

Knowing that Xintong was Wulong's sister Jun tried his best to keep them safe and out of danger. Even the slightest danger Jun would steer them along a different path. This was extremely exhausting as he has to constantly sent out a spirit wave to detect the a range of 100 meters. Not only that but hide it from Ziyu and those in the Master Realm.

Not only that but his eyes were scanning each tree, bush, ground for any signs of demonic beasts.

Due to this it took them four hours to reach their location.

"Alright we are here," Jun said proudly pushing aside a bush to reveal a football field of Starlight flower.

"Wow Brother Lin you are the best!" Xiao Mei exclaims in excitement. This was the first time Xiao Mei has seen so many Starlight flower in one area.

The starlight flowers were like tennis balls balanced on top of a stem. Not only that but it's light and dark purple contrast made it seem to glow in the sun. Combine with the caves and a sparkling lake and trees it was a sight to behold.

"Lets set up camp 100 meters away. Once it reaches the right time we will harvest it," Jun proposed.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

San Ti looks at the field with greed in his eyes.

In the current market each flower can go for 2 spirit stones. With a football field size of these flowers there must be at least 1000 of these flowers. Thats 2000 spirit stones. He felt bitter because of Jun's warning.

When they set up camp Jun asked them, "do you know why they want you to get starlight flower? You can easily buy it in the market for 2 spirit stones."

"Its because its not the starlight flower they want but the King Star Flower they ask for," Hui answers before Xintong, or Ziyu could answer.

"You want the King Star Flower?" Jun asks thinking he misheard as he frowned.

"Yes those go for 4000 spirit stone base price in the market."

Jun almost blurted out are you guys fucking retarded. Bloody fucking hell are you trying to get yourself killed.

Jun's face darkens and asks, "how much are they paying you guys?"

They all looked at each other like they were trying plotting among themselves.

Ziyu answers, "Truth to be told, they are paying 7000 spirit stones."

"Did you consider the danger before taking this mission?" Jun asks in a serious tone.

"Yes," Xintong answered with a confused look. "Thats why we asked for a guide and they sent you. Did they not tell you what we were looking for?"

Feeling like he couldn't keep up this act Jun looks at them with the utmost seriousness. "I am not your guide." That was what he wanted to say but instead, he sighs, "alright I'll help you get it but just know, this is an extremely dangerous task and is not worth your life. The reason the market value to 4000 spirit stones is because usually a King's realm cultivator would be with them to fend them off, otherwise if you take the King Star Flower the army of Moon bat bees will chase you to the end of the earth. There is no hiding unless you kill them all. Not only that but the Moon Bat Bee's Mother would awake as well. While the moon bats cultivation is only at he Nascent Realm their stinger has poison potent enough to kill even a King Realm cultivator."

Thinking back to the time he tried to steal a King Star Flower from the Moon Bat Bees Jun can't help but shudder. The moment he stone it an army that was able to block out the moon and sun chased after him. If not for Bu Fan his butler he would be dead by now.

Also the only reason he did not tell them that he was not their guide was because of Xintong. She was Wulong's sister and know Wulong being a stubborn individual he felt like she was too. From there he mentally deduces that if he tells him he was not their guide then she would tell him to go back and for them to handle the rest. If that was the case then they are very likely to die.

"Okay listen and listen carefully. There is only one way for us to survive this if you are all hellbent on do this. We need these potions and pills." Jun said. "We need aposaictd potion, enhancement pills, and body changing pills."

"We have the aposaictd pill but not the other two," Xintong said. "But I am a rank two alchemist so I can make these. We are just missing a few ingredients."

Jun nods his head. "What are we missing? I can go get them."

"For the enhancement pills I need dew water, and the blood of feline beast. For the body changing pills I need the blood of a spike chameleon."

"Do you know where to get these items?" San Ti asks.

"I do but its going to be dangerous," Jun said solemnly. "Does anyone have a map?"

"I do," Mei answers taking out a map from her bag.

"We are going to have to split up. I will go get the spike chameleon blood while Brother Ziyu and Brother Ti should go for the dew water and the blood of a feline beast. Xiao Mei, and Xiao Hui stay here and guard Xintong."

Jun points at the two locations for the ingredients.

"The feline blood will be from the stripe panther. And the dew water is from the Wood Pine tree. You should get the dew water then the stripe panther. They are agile but if you find those in the martial realm they would be easy to handle without killing. Just because if they scream reinforcements will come!"

"Try to be back in 2 hours and be-careful because it will be hard to avoid the beast in the forest."

Xiao Mei had an astonish expression on her face because she felt like the Xing Lin in front of her did a 180 in character transformation. Wasn't he meek and shy before? Where did this dominating aura come from?

"So we should move out as soon as possible and be back in 1 hour or else Xintong might not be able to refine it in time," Jun said getting back into character.

"Alright lets move out now then," Ziyu commands.

"Be careful you guys." Xintong said. She wasn't being idle either and commands Mei and Hui to begin setting a protection formation around them to prevent beast from seeing and hearing them.

As Jun ran off he sighs to himself. Even with these precautions it is not 100% guaranteed to work.