Chapter 413: In Search of Rare Herbs

As Su Hong spoke, the trees that had rooted themselves began to glow with soft green light as a number of small creatures floated out and wandered around the city to which they had moved.

"It looks like the two of you still need more practice and training—even if an alien race were to attack the city, you can't get this flustered." Zhang Lie flew down from the largest tree.

Chu Feng swallowed a gulp of saliva as he asked, "Zhang Lie, where did you find these creatures?"

"I kidnapped them from a nearby forest," Zhang Lie responded.

The shaman of the wood spirits extracted themselves from the largest tree and hovered by Zhang Lie's side. "Zhang Lie, we've finished rooting our trees again. Please give us our next command."

Zhang Lie nodded. "Your tribe can freely enter the city at will. Your task now is to take care of your tribe, as well as to build a forest surrounding this city."

That forest would become the first line of defense against any invaders.

"Subsequently, help us plant vegetables and all sorts of spiritual herbs nearby."

Chu Feng asked, "Zhang Lie, what's special about these green creatures and the rock spirits?"

"Why, are you interested in them?"

"Yes, I'm quite curious."

"These wood spirits can speed up the rate at which plants and herbs grow, as well as nourish and supplement the nutrients that spiritual herbs need in particular."

"That's some impressive talent!" Chu Feng exclaimed. Zhang Lie really was quite amazing—not only did he know of all these races' special abilities, he was bringing more and more of them into the city.

The wood spirits happily floated into the city, curious as they were about life outside their forest.

Once the wood spirits were settled in, Zhang Lie convened a meeting with the leader of the rock spirits and shaman of the wood spirits. He handed the two of them sketches of two ingredients he thought would be relevant for Potion #4.

The rock spirits had lived for many years, and it was plausible that they would have some information for him; the wood spirits were skilled at cultivating rare plants, and they too might know something.

The leader of the rock spirits shook its head. "We've lived in a rock forest all these years, and never have we ventured far from it. Neither of these herbs are familiar to us."

The shaman of the wood spirits said, "I haven't seen this herb before, but I've heard of the other."

The leader of the rock spirits was astounded. It knew a little of the wood spirits: both tribes of spirits were sedentary in nature, and in theory, neither should have known much of the outside world. In that case, how had the wood spirits come across this information?

A significant part of the reason was that the rock spirits largely focused on rocks, whereas the wood spirits paid close attention to rare plants and herbs from all over. As a result, the shaman was rather knowledgeable about even some of the rarest herbs around.

Zhang Lie's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected either of the secluded tribes would know anything, but now he was very glad he had asked.

The shaman of the wood spirits elaborated, "The past shaman once told me about this herb. I don't remember just how long ago it was, but as far as I know, the crag eagles have a sprig of it in their eyrie. As for where these eagles are, I'm not too sure."

The leader of the rock spirits murmured, "Ah, the crag eagles..."

Zhang Lie turned to it in shock. "You know of this race?"

The rock spirit smiled. "Before our tribe found the rock forest which we made our home, we had been nomadic, roaming the land in order to find rock quarries which would allow us to sate our hunger. It was only when we discovered the astounding rock forest that we settled down."

Unlike the nomadic tribes of Earth, which remained in a location for perhaps a week or half a month, the rock spirits stayed at the same location for centuries or even millennia on end. What was to humans a few generations might feel like a glimpse of an eye to the long-lived rock spirits.

The leader of the rock spirits recalled its childhood pridefully. "When I was little, I wandered the second realm with my elders. No one dared provoke us rock spirits, and we treated them in kind."

The shaman of the wood spirits murmured, "How times have changed, haven't they?"

The rock spirit suddenly felt a pang of disappointment. Indeed, they who had once been untouchable were now subordinate to a group of humans.

Zhang Lie consoled them, "No, I haven't enslaved you. You've just become residents of my city!"

Once the rock spirits settled down, their fighting ability had decreased generation by generation, so much so that Zhang Lie had easily managed to subdue them.

"Do you know where these crag eagles are located?"

The rock spirit suggested, "Unless they've moved away, their eyrie should be at Mt. Wanren. When I was very young, I remember that there was a rich rock vein by the foot of the mountain, and we fought with the crag eagles over it. The eagles were very strong, and neither party was able to overcome the other. In the end, we had to leave. I'm not sure if the crag eagles have grown stronger or weaker since."

The shaman of the wood spirits asked curiously, "How long ago was this?"

"Perhaps thirteen thousand years ago, give or take three thousand years? I can't quite remember."

Zhang Lie and the shaman of the wood spirits were speechless. Who knew what had happened to the crag eagles after so long? Zhang Lie fervently hoped that their clan had persisted even over ten millennia.

Unfortunately, he didn't have a map of the second realm, and the rock spirit was the only one who knew where Mt. Wanren was located. As a result, he and the rock spirit set off together toward Mt. Wanren.

The members of Team Zenith asked to accompany him, but Zhang Lie refused them. "There's a lot of tasks that need to be done in the city. Rebuild and wait for my return!"

Zhang Lie set off seated on the shoulder of the rock giant that the rock spirit leader had transformed into.

Once they were outside the perimeter of the city, the rock giant began to run, but its maximum speed was still far lower than when Zhang Lie was flying with the help of a soulshard.

The journey took them over thirty days, during which time Zhang Lie and the rock spirit barely rested. According to the rock spirit, if there were sufficient minerals and gemstones around, it would be able to continue running endlessly.

Zhang Lie, however, was skeptical of this claim. The rock giant had clearly slowed down after ten days or so, and it was unlikely that it would be able to remain at even this slower speed for much longer.

Zhang Lie asked, "Is Mt. Wanren straight ahead?"

The rock spirit replied confidently, "The surroundings have all changed, but I'm sure that it's straight along this direction."

"What does the mountain look like?"