Chapter 195
Chapter 195
Rocks kept falling inside the cave, forcing everyone to dodge.
“We have to kill it quickly. If it keeps smashing around like this, the cave really will collapse.”
They had thrown many more spores into the King Serpent’s mouth. No one knew how long they would take to work.
After suffering such a loss, the King Serpent certainly would not leave easily this time.
“I’ll go out and lure it away,” Ji Er said.
He flew through a gap beside the cave entrance.
He dared take such a risk only because more and more spores were growing inside the King Serpent and its speed had steadily declined.
Sure enough, the sight of Ji Er’s provocation drew it away in pursuit.
They repeated the same routine, taking turns walking the serpent, throwing spores, and stimulating their growth…
Finally, on the fourth day, dense white mycelium covered the King Serpent. Some strands floated like dancing tassels.
It was beautiful.
The King Serpent, however, was in agony.
At last, its enormous body crashed to the ground.
It had died in bitter frustration.
If it had possessed fingers, it would undoubtedly have raised the middle one at this shameless band of tricksters.
“It’s finally dead.”
Everyone relaxed when they saw it fall.
Fat Chef pinched his belly. This time he truly had lost seven or eight catties. For several days, they had eaten almost nothing but fruit and dry rations while exerting themselves constantly.
Jiang Yunsui was exhausted too. She felt almost squeezed dry.
For days, she had healed everyone, grown large quantities of Verdant Jade Mushrooms each night, collected spores, and joined the dangerous attempts to throw spore spheres and Imperial Flowing Essence Balls into the serpent’s mouth.
Their water had run out two days ago.
Jiang Yunsui could absorb dew and moisture from the air, but everyone else’s lips were cracked, peeling, and white with dehydration.
The King Serpent had occupied the only nearby water source, and its venom had polluted the lake. Only the serpent itself and certain venomous snakes could drink there.
Any other animal that took a sip would fall dead.
Naturally, humans could not drink it either.
They were all exhausted and desperately thirsty.
Jiang Yunsui gathered the waterskins. “I’ll find water.”
She was in far better condition than the others.
Little Mushroom marched proudly away to search.
These people really could not manage without Mushroom.
“Wait…” Song Jin began.
Everyone stretched out a hand to catch the little Mushroom who quietly took on enormous tasks. But in the blink of an eye, she had already run far away.
By the time their vision cleared and they looked into the forest, she had vanished.
Fat Chef slapped his thigh. “Why did that little cub run so fast?!”
Jiang Yunsui’s senses were far sharper than a human’s in the forest.
She could judge where to find water by the humidity in the air.
Aside from the lake claimed by the King Serpent, the nearest water was far away. She had to circle around the lake and find its upstream source.
Nothing but venomous snakes lived near the King Serpent’s territory.
Jiang Yunsui grunted as she climbed the mountain. Before finding water, she discovered a fruit tree.
“Mangoes?”
Several had fallen to the ground. She picked one up and peeled it, revealing golden flesh.
The pit was rather large, but the fruit was sweet and delicious.
Its only flaw was the mass of fibers around the pit. They lodged between her teeth.
After finishing one mango, Jiang Yunsui sat on the ground and battled the fibers trapped in her teeth.
She memorized the location and continued toward the water.
At last, she found it!
She filled every waterskin. Hanging from her body, they were heavy enough to drag her down.
On the way back, she stopped at the mango tree and picked as many fruit as she could reach.
Little Mushroom returned with a bountiful harvest, trudging one heavy step at a time.
So tired…
By the time she returned to the cave, Little Mushroom had nearly become Dead Mushroom.
“Jiang Yunsui!”
Ji Si was the first among those processing the King Serpent’s corpse to notice her.
He hurried over and removed everything hanging from her body.
Despite her exhaustion, Little Mushroom looked at everyone with bright black eyes, plainly begging for praise.
“I found water! And I brought back all these mangoes.”
Warmth filled the adults’ hearts, and their noses stung.
How could anyone bear to scold this little creature?
They could only cup her dirty face and rub her cheeks.
“You. Don’t run off alone next time. At least take someone with you so you’ll be safe.”
Shen Qingzhu stroked her head. “You did wonderfully. Everyone was exhausted and thirsty, yet you brought back so much water by yourself.”
“That’s right,” Fat Chef said. “Little Yunsui, you’re the most capable child I’ve ever met.”
Surrounded by adults and praise, Little Mushroom would have raised her tail and wagged it if she had possessed one.
“But you ignored your own safety. You cannot do that.”
“Exactly. Take us with you next time. We can still move after a little rest.”
The water had to be boiled before they could drink it.
When they finally drank, comfort spread through their entire bodies.
“The gallbladder is out. Sleep first. We’ll finish processing the serpent after we rest.”
They were not worried that another animal might eat the King Serpent’s corpse.
Even dead, it frightened everything nearby away.
Ji Si held Jiang Yunsui while Shen Qingzhu scattered insect- and snake-repelling powder inside the cave and around its entrance. The two dogs and two roosters kept watch.
Only then did the party sleep.
The first thing they did after waking was dismantle the King Serpent.
They peeled off its hide.
Fat Chef treasured it. “I can’t imagine how beautiful armor made from this would be.”
While alive, the King Serpent’s scales had been a brilliant blue-purple. It had been a beautiful and lethally venomous serpent.
After death, the color faded toward pale blue.
That shade would suit armor perfectly.
More importantly, death had not weakened the scales. Their defenses remained extraordinary. Blades left only tiny scratches.
The hide was also light, without the cumbersome weight of iron armor.
They could not eat the meat because it was covered in mycelium. Nor could they carry it away.
Leaving these mountains would take at least half a month. The meat would rot long before then.
The serpent’s bones were valuable as well.
Almost every part of the King Serpent could be used. Fat Chef even stored the venom sac separately.
The only problem was that the useful pieces were too numerous and too large to transport easily.
Everyone’s gaze shifted toward the two dogs.
Zuozuo and Youyou stared back in confusion.
The party designed a simple cart for the dogs to pull.
While the others cut wood and built it, Shen Qingzhu took Jiang Yunsui and Ji Si to search the King Serpent’s lair for other treasures.
“This is Paris polyphylla, a medicinal herb that can alleviate snake venom.”
Shen Qingzhu crouched to examine it, then discovered in surprise that the plants here were at least fifty years old.
Under normal conditions, Paris polyphylla was best harvested after five to eight years. Older plants often grew poorly, rotted, or lost their potency because of insects, declining soil fertility, and other problems.