The Nightingale Grass (1)
The cave to the right was not only smaller but damper.
Luckily for them, the rocks formation in this place had a luminous pink and hence they did not need to lit any torches as they explored the passage way.
Actually, as soon as Fairy Xuan Xueqi had entered this way, she had almost regretted her decision not to take Ye Fan's advice.
She was a little worried that the damp atmosphere in this cave may have hidden some noxious gases that could immobilize or even kill her group.
As she was a golden celestial, she was not worried about herself but for the protégés under her charge.
Fan De could see the unhappy look that was on Ye Fan and he could resist a cold snide, "The right is always the right. Moreover, we don't have to question our masters. Whether it is right or left, it doesn't matter because we owed our fealty to our celestial cultivation sect."
Ye Fan protested, "I am merely trying to offer a better suggestion. Is that wrong?"
Fan De hummed coldly, "Now you are talking back to your senior brother?"
"Enough the two of you," Mei Yinxuan interrupted their confrontations.
Although she seemed to be neutral, she was actually on Ye Fan's side and she did not want such a small matter to get out of hands.
Fairy Xuan Xueqi was also feeling bad that she had rubbed off Ye Fan just like this so she said gently, "Be quiet all of you. My decision may not the right one too. I just feel that we ought to choose this passage, that's all."
Now that Fairy Xuan Xueqi had asked all of them to be quiet, everyone dared not whimper a sound now or they would be greatly disrespecting their cultivation master.
After walking into the cave for an hour, the narrow passage way had suddenly expanded into a huge cavern.
This cavern was much drier but there were loose sands everywhere on the cavern floor and also it was much darker than the passageway.
There were actually six big passageway that could be seen this time; these passage ways were actually bigger than the two passages that they had seen earlier.
But what caught their attention was that there were a 3000 year old spirit plant that was growing on the walls of this cavern.
Fairy Xuan Xueqi was astonished, "This is the Nightingale Grass. It only grows in dark places and mostly underground. To think that we are able to find one today. This Nightingale Grass is able to use for stabilize the yin cultivation in profound pills. Even if a profound pill does not need it, adding a dew from this Nightingale Grass will also greatly enhance its effect. It is a most valuable find."
Fan De turned to Ye Fan to smile coldly, "See! I told you that Fairy Xuan is right in picking this passage."
Ye Fan was quiet.
Indeed, he had been wrong and he should not have doubted his protégé mistress…
Fairy Xuan Xueqi did not pluck this Nightingale Grass immediately but said to the group, "Usually for any spirit plant that are older than 1000 years old, there would be powerful profound beasts that will be living and feeding off from its profound animus. The minute that I've touched this Nightingale Grass or come within it, the guardian profound beasts will know. It may be one or many. If it is just one, then it may be an extremely powerful one."
The rest of the group was quiet when they had heard this but they know that this was the truth; all the high grade spirit plants are all guarded by the profound beasts that feed upon the spirit plants' spirit animus.
By feeding on the spirit animus of the spirit plants, the profound beasts would not only gain sustenance but they will also have a chance to evolve into a more powerful higher rank profound beast.
In a way, there is a symbolic relationship between spirit plants and profound beasts.
Finding a rare spirit plant may not be a good thing actually.
Ye Fan slowly nodded, "Judging from the size of this cavern, this profound beast should be quite big or numerous. We have managed to come at the right time. The real question is, should we pluck this Nightingale Grass or not?"
Fairy Xuan Xueqi said with a soft sigh, "I have the intention to pluck this Nightingale Grass as this may be useful for my own cultivation needs but I can't risk all of you here."
She had slowly turned to look at the group, "Therefore I need you to decide which of the six passages to pick from or you may even decide to turn back immediately. It is because I do not know in which of the six passages will the profound beasts appear. Maybe it is just in one of the passages or it may be in all the passages."
Her words stunned everyone.
But Fairy Xuan Xueqi was solemn about this and this concern everyone's life and death. This was no time for any heroics.
Ye Fan asked solemnly, "What is the rank of the profound beast that may appear?"
Fairy Xuan Xueqi answered with a heavy sigh, "At least the 5th rank. We may even get a 6th rank profound beast."
When she had said that, everyone was stunned and had turned ashen; it was because it was impossible for them to even defeat a 5th rank profound beast even if they fight together.
And even Fairy Xuan Xueqi may even perish too!
A fifth rank profound beast may stronger than most fifth realm cultivators!
If there are multiple 5th rank profound beasts or even 6th rank profound beasts, their group would not stand a chance!
Fairy Xuan Xueqi turned to say to Fan De, "Fan De, you are the eldest protégé of the group. Therefore, I let you make your choice on behalf of the group."
Fan De was smiling bitterly now; this was a most difficult choice. Moreover, he was also injured and he could not fight in his current state.
He heaved a heavy sigh before saying, "It isn't 100% chance that we can avoid any encounters if we were to pick 1 of the 6 new passages. On the other hand, if we go back to where we have come from, we would be able to avoid any encounter. Therefore, we should turn back immediately."
Although he did not want to suggest this as it would lead to Ye Fan's first choice of pick but he valued his life more!
Fairy Xuan Xueqi nodded, "This is a wise choice. If I am able to survive this encounter, I will go to the first passage to look for you. If there are multiple passages, be sure to leave behind a marking so that I can look for your group."
Fan De, Chen Yuyan, Mei Yinxuan, Huangfu Ming and Ouyang Nana slowly nodded.
Only Ye Fan did not nod because he was thinking about something.
Fairy Xuan Xueqi said gently, "Now go quickly or the profound beasts may track you down by your scents."
With that Fan De, Chen Yuyan, Mei Yinxuan, Huangfu Ming and Ouyang Nana had quickly departed back to the passage where they had come from.
They failed to notice that Ye Fan had fallen behind their group and he was still standing where Fairy Xuan Xueqi was.
Fairy Xuan Xueqi frowned, "Why are you still in this place? Now go!"
Ye Fan answered her, "I like to stay here for 2 reasons. Firstly, the profound beasts in their rage may still go after my fellow protégés if my protégé mistress has fallen. Secondly, I can try to be a bait as I distract the incoming profound beasts to a different passage way. In this way, this can increase the survival rate of my group."
Fairy Xuan Xueqi stared coldly at him, "Ye Fan. Do you know what you are saying? You may die! This is no joke. Now depart from here quickly!"
Ye Fan was not cowered and instead he was saying firmly, "What if I refuse to listen?"
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Author Note:
1. Your book