Blue Blood Xuan Yang Flower

### Enhanced and Elevated Translation

For several days, they had been journeying through the depths of Blackwind Mountain, and Yang Kai was astonished to discover that they hadn't encountered any perilous beasts along the way. Initially, he was consumed with worry, knowing full well that powerful beasts lurked throughout the mountain's interior. With his current strength, coming face to face with such creatures would only turn him into a burden for Xia Ning Chang.

However, Xia Ning Chang appeared to have come well-prepared. By some mysterious method, she managed to lead Yang Kai and avoid the dominion of these forest overlords. Their path was unpredictable and erratic, meandering eastward one moment, then westward the next, often taking wide detours. Yet, amidst all these twists and turns, they found themselves remarkably safe. Occasionally, when they stumbled upon a few Level 2 or Level 3 beasts, Xia Ning Chang dispatched them with just a few swift moves.

After observing closely for a while, Yang Kai finally realized that Xia Ning Chang was using a verdant bracelet on her wrist to detect the presence of formidable beasts. Whenever they encountered a beast that even this young senior sister found troublesome, her bracelet would emit a soft green glow.

This bracelet was something she had never worn before; her only adornment had been the sapphire set on her forehead. It was evident that this bracelet was specifically prepared for this journey. Surely, it was a secret treasure! Yang Kai had a keen eye, and he suspected that this treasure was bestowed upon her by Manager Meng.

What was the background of Old Man Meng? Yang Kai was increasingly baffled. How could a mere steward of the Contribution Hall take on a disciple as extraordinary as Xia Ning Chang and even provide her with a secret treasure? Such a bracelet would not be easily available to ordinary people. Though its grade was unknown, Yang Kai estimated it to be at least of the Earth-grade, a level of treasure not commonly seen within the Lingxiao Pavilion.

In contrast to the ease with which Yang Kai and Xia Ning Chang ventured deeper into the mountain, the members of the Blood Battle Gang following them were having a much rougher time. Over the past few days, they had engaged in more than a dozen battles of varying scales. If not for the considerable strength of the Blood Battle Gang, they would have long become food for the beasts.

Even Wen Feichen, a True Element Fifth Stage expert, was in poor condition. Just moments ago, the group had stumbled upon a Level 5 peak beast. At the peak of Level 5, it was equivalent to the peak of the True Element Realm in humans, surpassing Wen Feichen's strength by several levels. A grueling and intense battle ensued. Despite their advantage in numbers, the Blood Battle Gang managed to drive the beast away, but not without losing a Separation and Reunion Boundary expert in the process.

Wen Feichen was livid with rage. The Blood Battle Gang had come with a total of eight people, with Wen Feichen being the only one in the True Element Realm. Four others were at the Separation and Reunion Boundary, and the rest were at the Qi Transformation Stage. Among them, Long Hui was the weakest, only at the first level of the Qi Transformation Stage.

They had initially thought that as long as they stayed far enough behind Yang Kai and Xia Ning Chang, they wouldn't encounter too much danger. But who could have predicted that the two would somehow evade the beasts, leaving the pursuers to face continuous battles? Now, with the loss of a Separation and Reunion Boundary expert, how could Wen Feichen not be enraged? 

However, they were now at a point of no return. Having already lost a member, could they afford to abandon their pursuit halfway? After a brief rest, Wen Feichen barked orders at Nu Lang without any courtesy, "Lead the way, it's time to move!"

Nu Lang stared at the dismembered limbs on the ground, feeling a wave of dizziness. A member of the Blood Battle Gang had just been lost to a beast, and how could minor characters like them from Fengyun Tower remain unscathed? Two disciples from Fengyun Tower had been swallowed whole by the Level 5 beast, leaving only a severed arm on the ground.

Finally, he understood why he had felt uneasy that night. The Blood Battle Gang hadn't brought them along out of the goodness of their hearts; they intended to use the Fengyun Tower members as fodder to test the waters! Despite his awareness of their true intentions, he dared not utter a word of complaint, let alone resist. If they were fortunate enough to survive while scouting ahead, they might live. But to resist now would be a sure path to death.

Pale-faced, Nu Lang led a group of Fengyun Tower disciples forward, with Wen Feichen's instructions following from behind. They veered eastward, then westward, managing to keep up with Yang Kai and Xia Ning Chang without losing their trail.

At this moment, as Yang Kai followed Xia Ning Chang on the path ahead, he suddenly stopped and turned his gaze in a particular direction, a glint of joy in his eyes. "What's wrong?" Xia Ning Chang asked, turning back and stopping as well.

"Is there any danger over there?" Yang Kai pointed and asked. 

"There shouldn't be any danger. I don't sense any beast activity," Xia Ning Chang replied after checking her bracelet. "Let's go over there," Yang Kai said without waiting for her response, darting off towards the indicated direction. Though puzzled by his sudden excitement, Xia Ning Chang could only follow.

After traveling less than a hundred yards, Xia Ning Chang felt a wave of heat wash over her, causing her face to flush. Before them lay a sunlit area covered with vibrant, crimson flowers, each about the size of a palm. There were a considerable number of flowers, at least a dozen by rough estimate.

Yang Kai was busy picking the flowers, gathering them with no hesitation. Moments later, he returned triumphantly and asked, "Do you know what these are?"

"Crimson Blood Sunflower, an Earth-grade low-tier material. So, you came here for these," Xia Ning Chang said, realization dawning on her.

"Earth-grade low-tier!" Yang Kai raised an eyebrow. "Not bad at all."

He could sense that each of these Crimson Blood Sunflowers contained energy on par with a Three Suns Fruit. It was the reaction from the Yang Source Seal on his chest that led him here, and it was indeed a fruitful venture. Considering they were already deep within Blackwind Mountain, treasures like this were likely abundant. However, their primary goal was to assist Xia Ning Chang, and Yang Kai couldn't afford to wander around searching for treasures, as it would waste time and come with great risk.

Nevertheless, since he had sensed something nearby, he couldn't let the opportunity slip. "Do you want me to refine them into pills?" Xia Ning Chang asked.

"Not yet. Let's wait until we rest tonight," Yang Kai replied.

Though Xia Ning Chang's alchemy skills were extraordinary, refining pills would consume energy. Traveling through the dense forest, Yang Kai preferred to err on the side of caution and avoid unnecessary expenditure of energy.

"Alright," Xia Ning Chang nodded. "We're not far from our destination. In about two or three more days, we should reach it. There's plenty of time."

Perhaps it was a stroke of luck, but after days of traveling, Yang Kai's Yang Source Seal had finally responded. Since finding the Crimson Blood Sunflowers, it took only another day for him to discover more Yang-attributed treasures. However, this time fortune wasn't as favorable. A Level 3 beast was guarding the few stalks of Yang-attributed herbs.

Reluctantly, he had to rely on Xia Ning Chang to drive the beast away before he could collect them. That day, as they trekked through the forest, they suddenly arrived at the edge of a vast mountain valley. Xia Ning Chang breathed a sigh of relief, "Junior Brother, we've arrived!"