Chapter 1733: Changing Course

Yu Jing was a woman, and a beautiful one at that.

A beautiful woman, naturally, couldn't stand the smell of medicine all over her.

Add to that her grooming and makeup, and the medicinal scent on her had faded to a very faint trace.

Yet even so, Ye Yuan could deduce so much information with just a single sniff—such skill was truly beyond belief.

"I never thought you'd be hiding your talents so well, Brother Ye!" Duan Peng looked at Ye Yuan, a glint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Having such a formidable alchemist by their side was an unexpected delight!

Teams with an alchemist were known to have the lowest casualty rates.

But alchemists were too expensive; they simply couldn't afford one.

Ye Yuan said to Yu Jing, "Fire Cloud Ice Spine Bugs are extremely rare and simply cannot be found in the outside world. This poison is indeed troublesome because its ice and fire attributes crisscross within the body, seeping into every nook and cranny like a millstone, overturning yin and yang and tormenting the martial artist's body."

Yu Jing nodded. "Yes, yes, that's exactly it! Ye Yuan, you... do you really have a way?"

Ye Yuan shook his head. "This poison is indeed formidable; for now, there's no way."

At these words, Yu Jing's face fell with deep disappointment.

Beside them, Luo Yong burst into laughter. "Haha, you've talked a lot but said nothing at all! I thought you were so capable, but after all that talk, it's just a fart!"

Ye Yuan couldn't be bothered with him and asked Yu Jing, "Sister Jing, do you know where your brother was bitten by the bug?"

Yu Jing shook her head blankly. "They were being chased by a very powerful beast at the time and fled in panic; they have no idea where they were bitten."

Luo Yong, upon hearing this, wore a gloating smile again.

Now all the leads were cut off, weren't they?

Ye Yuan didn't seem bothered and asked further, "Then... you're very familiar with the Demon Beast Mountains. Do you know of any place that is dark and damp, overgrown with miasma, yet has particularly strong geothermal fire?"

Yu Jing still shook her head in confusion, but Duan Peng suddenly spoke up. "If it's a place like that, I do know one."

Seeing everyone look at him, Duan Peng said, "The Evil Water Gully!"

The others were fine, but Luo Yong's face changed. "You mean the Evil Water Gully, the one from which, legend has it, no one returns?"

Duan Peng's expression turned grave. "Exactly."

Ye Yuan nodded. "That's the one! Let's go take a look!"

Ye Yuan's words stunned everyone.

Duan Peng hadn't expected Ye Yuan to want to leave so soon. He said solemnly, "Brother Ye, isn't this a bit too rash? Our purpose for entering the Demon Beast Mountains this time is something else. Changing course to the Evil Water Gully seems inappropriate, don't you think? Besides, the Evil Water Gully is notoriously dangerous, teeming with countless poisonous insects. If we're not careful, we could all end up dead there."

Luo Yong sneered, "Kid, this team was hired by Boss Duan. How come it feels like you're the employer now?"

Yu Jing felt a warmth in her heart at Ye Yuan's words.

But Ye Yuan said calmly, "I am an alchemist. In my eyes, nothing is more important than saving lives. Besides... when it comes to danger, I doubt our original destination is any safer than the Evil Water Gully."

Duan Peng's face changed, and he fell silent.

Luo Yong's expression also shifted. "Kid, what do you mean by that?"

Ye Yuan smiled. "Nothing much. Boss Duan said that during his last trip into the mountains, he accidentally learned of a place with Silver Wing Earth Spirit Fruits. But he must not have told you that Silver Frost Earth Spirit Fruits not only have powerful companion beasts like Purple-Eyed Demon Apes but also companion herbs like Green Vine Emerald Flowers, and those Green Vine Emerald Flowers have companion beasts like Nightshade Poison Bats. I think with all these things combined, that place is probably not much safer than the Evil Water Gully."

Ye Yuan's words made everyone's faces change drastically.

The Purple-Eyed Demon Ape was a powerful fourth-tier beast, not to mention that.

The Nightshade Poison Bat was also a beast that made people pale at the mere mention, and more importantly, these creatures moved in swarms and were the last thing you wanted to provoke.

Martial artists, after all, are not alchemists; how could they know the habits of spiritual herbs so well?

The Silver Wing Earth Spirit Fruit was an extremely rare fourth-tier spiritual herb that could fetch a high price.

They hadn't thought much about it and just followed along.

Who knew that place was so dangerous!

"Duan Peng, what do you mean by this?" Luo Yong's face darkened as he demanded.

Duan Peng himself was stunned; he really didn't know any of what Ye Yuan had said.

Back then, he had seen the Purple-Eyed Demon Ape and fled immediately, never seeing anything else.

"I really didn't know it was that dangerous!" Duan Peng said anxiously.

Luo Yong snorted coldly. "You've been there, and you don't know? Are you still taking us for fools? I'm not going!"

Ye Yuan said calmly, "I think Boss Duan really didn't know. Silver Wing Earth Spirit Fruits love sunlight and are probably at the entrance of some cave; Green Vine Emerald Flowers prefer shade and should be deep inside the cave. But once the Purple-Eyed Demon Ape is alarmed, the Nightshade Poison Bats will inevitably be disturbed as well."

Ye Yuan's words sent a chill down everyone's spine.

If they had rushed over recklessly and been surrounded by Nightshade Poison Bats, they wouldn't even know how they died.

Luo Yong snorted coldly. "Since you knew, why didn't you speak up earlier? I think you've been harboring ill intentions!"

Ye Yuan shot him a glance. "If I had spoken up earlier, would you have believed me?"

Everyone was momentarily speechless. If Ye Yuan hadn't demonstrated his astonishing alchemical skills, they certainly wouldn't have believed him.

The words of a mere Third Level Divine Lord carried little weight.

Luo Yong's face darkened, and he waved his hand. "I don't care anymore. I'm not going! Treasures are fine, but I need to be alive to enjoy them. I'm not about to throw my life away!"

With that, he actually started to leave.

Boss Duan looked reluctant and stopped Luo Yong. "Don't go! If we get the Silver Wing Earth Spirit Fruit, you and I will split sixty percent, and the others will get forty percent! As long as we have a good strategy, we still have a chance!"

Luo Yong's lips curled into a sly smile of triumph.

He hadn't really intended to leave; he was just trying to pressure Boss Duan.

Though his strength wasn't as great as Boss Duan's, he was still a genuine Sixth Level Divine Lord.

Anyone here could be spared, but not him.

Luo Yong stopped and looked at Boss Duan. "You said it!"

Duan Peng was about to agree when Ye Yuan said calmly, "Then you might as well let him go. I have a way to get not only the Silver Wing Earth Spirit Fruit but also the Green Vine Emerald Flower! And if you all come with me to the Evil Water Gully, Sister Jing and I will take nothing from this trip. The Silver Wing Earth Spirit Fruit and the Green Vine Emerald Flower will all be yours!"

At these words, everyone's expression changed.

Duan Peng was overjoyed. "Is that true?"

Ye Yuan nodded. "When you told me our goal was the Silver Wing Earth Spirit Fruit, I made preparations back in the city. Such a small matter is naturally no problem."

Luo Yong was frozen in place, not knowing whether to leave or stay.

How awkward!