Chapter 3: Insect Driving And Mountain Hunting
‘There shouldn’t be any other Mountain Hunters here, perfect time to train the Yin Water Centipede.’
The surroundings were full of tall trees and weeds, with broad leaves still carrying undispersed dew, everywhere damp and wet.
Mountain Hunters usually have habitual routes and relatively fixed spots. Which mushrooms, which herbs, most have fixed areas to ensure a harvest.
Other unsearched areas naturally have more abundant Mountain Goods, but also more poisonous insects and wild beasts, and other risks.
“Rustle”
As soon as the Yin Water Centipede came out, the broad leaves of the Fern Grass suddenly shook rapidly, rustling, something quickly flashed by.
The Yin Water Centipede counterattacked extremely fast, its thousand legs moving together, pouncing into the bushes like a purple shadow.
Su Yan held a long stick in one hand and a Woodcutting Knife in the other, coming up in two or three steps.
A jet-black glossy Viper coiled its body, raising half its body, neck supported like a palm, tongue hissing.
‘What a big Viper’
The Viper in front was over a meter long, wrist-thick. Mountain Hunters like them wouldn’t easily provoke it, afraid of getting bitten for nothing.
But he didn’t expect this poisonous snake to be in such a state upon seeing the Yin Water Centipede.
As soon as the Yin Water Centipede approached, the Viper lunged its head, baring fangs, shooting out two streams of translucent Poison.
The Yin Water Centipede twisted its body, meeting it like an arrow, not bothering to dodge at all.
The Poison landed on its body, having no effect whatsoever.
The Viper bit over, but the Yin Water Centipede bit its neck first.
The two immediately tangled together, struggling nonstop.
Su Yan didn’t intervene. After just a few breaths, the snake’s body struggled and lost strength, going limp.
‘Some exotic insects with divine traits, even if not Ranked, aren’t comparable to ordinary Poisonous Creatures.’
‘It’s a pity about this poisonous snake. If alive, selling it to Hundred Herbs Hall should fetch two or three hundred coins.’
The Yin Water Centipede got up from the Viper poisoned to death, then tore and bit with big mouthfuls, gnawing the Viper’s head to bits.
【Yin Water Centipede 3/100 (Newborn ）】
The Yin Water Centipede’s growth suddenly changed, Su Yan’s eyes lit up, joy showing on his face.
‘Could swallowing Poisonous Creatures or Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures increase growth value?’
He immediately had the Yin Water Centipede eat the entire Viper.
In just seven or eight minutes, the Yin Water Centipede finished eating, devouring the whole Viper clean.
He truly didn’t know how, with such a size difference, it digested so quickly.
‘Growth increased by another 8 points, meaning one big Viper gave 10 growth points.’
Su Yan was delighted. If swallowing Poisonous Creatures could continuously grow it, that was the best for improving the Yin Water Centipede.
There were plenty of poisonous insects and wild beasts in Yunling Mountain.
But soon, he calmed down.
‘Even if it provides quite a bit of growth value, it can’t eat constantly; full conversion takes time.’
The Yin Water Centipede wasn’t a eating machine. After this meal, it would need several hours before it could eat again.
Su Yan had the Yin Water Centipede Guard, then searched the surroundings. Soon, under a patch of Fern Grass, he found three Snake Herb.
‘Snake Herb looks good, probably worth around thirty coins.’
He put the Snake Herb into the Backpack, then continued forward with the Yin Water Centipede.
The mountain path of one or two li was rugged; plants with rainwater had already soaked his clothes.
But Su Yan had no time to care about that. Along the way, White Mushrooms, Fern Leaf Tea, Termite Mushrooms and such Mountain Goods were plentiful.
Though not comparable to aged herbs, they were still worth quite a bit, about two or three hundred coins.
Reaching a Water Tank-sized pool, it was already noon, the sun rising high, dew on shrubs and weeds gradually evaporating clean.
Su Yan sat by the pool, took out dry Wheat Cakes, and ate them with water.
At this time, the Yin Water Centipede reacted, rustling, quickly approaching a large-leaved yam by the pool.
Su Yan watched in surprise, suddenly feeling something wrong, and hurried over.
‘It’s actually Yin Red Root!’
A curled fine-leaved dark red plant hid under the plump leaves.
Yin Red Root, the whole plant is poisonous, but Hundred Herbs Hall buys it at ten taels per jin, said to be refinable into a Treasure Plant for practicing martial arts.
Su Yan was overjoyed. This Yin Red Root, even if not a full jin, if good quality, was worth several taels of silver.
He bent down to pick it, when two palm-sized black Scorpions dropped from under the broad yam leaves.
He was startled, the Yin Water Centipede rushed up, bumping and flipping, knocking the two Scorpions over.
The Yin Water Centipede was stronger than them, biting them dead in one go, resolving the crisis.
Su Yan felt lingering fear: ‘Nearly forgot, the more precious the herbs, the more likely guarded. Poisonous or exotic herbs especially so. This Yin Red Root, as Uncle Xie said, is almost a Treasure Plant; having Poisonous Creatures is normal.’
He collected the two big Scorpions, putting them into the Insect Realm as rations for the Yin Water Centipede.
Then, he carefully used a wooden shovel to dig slowly along the Yin Red Root plant.
Yin Red Root is entirely poisonous, but only the root stem is useful, so it must be dug out slowly.
When digging, must not break the skin or flesh, or medicinal effect loses, and acquisition price drops sharply.
Besides, one slip, splashing some juice onto skin.
Its Toxin might take a life.
‘Why didn’t I have the Yin Water Centipede help?’
Carefully half-kneeling, digging less than a third, he barely saw the deep red root stem.
Controlling the Yin Water Centipede was like using an arm; unlike him, not afraid of Toxin, flexible body, digging should be easier.
He immediately had the Yin Water Centipede do it. Sure enough, its thousand legs worked together, as if wrapping the Yin Red Root.
In a few moves, the mud sticking to the roots was pushed into a small pile by the Yin Water Centipede, fully exposing the Yin Red Root.
Su Yan tore a Fern Leaf, padding top and bottom, and took the Yin Red Root in hand.
The Yin Red Root was palm-sized, looking about half a jin.
‘Five taels in hand.’
Joy flashed in his eyes, but he muttered: ‘Did the Yin Water Centipede find the Scorpions or the Yin Red Root?’
He suddenly realized a problem: no matter how skilled Mountain Hunters, they seemed inferior to Insect Beasts in the mountains.
Rumors said some skilled Mountain Hunters used Mountain Hunting Technique, keeping Treasure Hunting Mouse, Treasure Hunting Dog and such beasts.
Perhaps the Yin Water Centipede had such ability.
He looked at the soil-covered Yin Water Centipede, muttering: “Let me see your skills.”
He stopped controlling the route, letting the Yin Water Centipede lead.
The Yin Water Centipede, on command, headed straight into shrubs and weeds in another direction.
He put the Yin Red Root into the Insect Realm Space and hurried to follow.
This test delighted Su Yan immensely.
In three or four hours, though the Yin Water Centipede led through tough wild grass paths.
But it successively found wild Astragalus, Notoginseng and such herbs, one ten-year Wild Ginseng, one Bamboo Jade Tooth.
Wild Ginseng not near Treasure Plant like Yin Red Root, but fine Mountain Goods, worth four or five taels of silver.
Then Bamboo Jade Tooth, a genuine Treasure Plant.
Eating it warms and nourishes Qi and Blood, supplements the Body, even more precious than Yin Red Root.
During which poisonous insects and wild beasts were encountered, but the Yin Water Centipede was evidently strong.
It defeated a head-sized Black Toad, outright poisoning a half-grown Wild Boar.
Besides that, Su Yan hunted a Gray Rabbit and a bamboo rat with his Bamboo Bow.
The Backpack was fully packed with Mountain Goods; precious Bamboo Jade Tooth and ten-year Wild Ginseng went into the Insect Realm Space.
Seeing dusk fall, staying longer risked not descending the mountain, Su Yan stopped, taking the Yin Water Centipede down.
Hurrying along, near the Foot of the mountain, Su Yan finally recalled the Yin Water Centipede.
Rushing home, the moon like a jade plate had risen above the treetops.
Pushing open the fence gate of the yellow-earth Courtyard, he entered his Room.
He lit a lamp, then unloaded the Backpack, carefully inventorying the day’s harvest.
‘White Mushrooms, Termite Mushrooms about ten-plus jin, Fern Leaf Tea one jin, plus Notoginseng, Astragalus, Gastrodia Elata, about ten-plus jin, should be one or two taels of silver.’
‘Most precious are Wild Ginseng, Bamboo Jade Tooth, and Yin Red Root. Selling all should fetch ten to twenty taels of silver.’
Mountain Hunting depends on season. Good luck one trip earns plenty, but past season, only scraps, a hundred or so coins to get by.
With Yin Water Centipede, and his Body much better, Su Yan had a bountiful harvest.
‘Pity the wild beasts and poisonous insects killed by Yin Water Centipede, Toxin in body, inedible, only as its rations. Later for meat, must practice Bow and Arrow well.’
He sorted the Mountain Goods from the Backpack, spreading them out before him.
Su Yan thought a bit, then took out the Wild Ginseng and Bamboo Jade Tooth separately.
‘Can’t sell all at once, too eye-catching. Drip slowly, delay as long as possible, or others might target.’
He put the Wild Ginseng back into the Insect Realm Space, then focused on the panel:
【Tier 1 Insect Master:2/100】
【Insect Realm:1 cubic meter】
【Mountain Hunting:3/200（Minor Accomplishment）】
【Yin Water Centipede 13/100 (Newborn）】
Besides the abundant Mountain Goods, the growth in abilities was Su Yan’s biggest gain this trip.
‘Insect Taming, besides swallowing compatible Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures like Poisonous Creatures to grow growth value, driving and fighting also grows it, but slower.’
‘Insect class improvement also boosts Insect Master’s Experience, forming a loop. So my thinking is right: must keep strengthening the Insect Tamer’s insects.’
‘As for Mountain Hunting Technique, personal progress does reflect, mutually confirming, indeed feeling improvement.’
Su Yan reviewed his changes. Mountain Hunting, though not as obvious as Yin Water Centipede swallowing Poisonous Creatures.
But after breaking through to Minor Accomplishment, along the way, he was indeed more proficient in identifying, picking Mountain Goods, and navigating.
‘Sure enough, relies on own effort. So, mastering Bow and Arrow to a level might form a skill.’
Su Yan’s eyes flickered, ideas forming: drive insects, Mountain Hunt, Bow and Arrow hunting. If achieved, his Strength in mountains would greatly increase.
‘Tomorrow first to Mountain Market exchange for silver, then replace Woodcutting Knife and Bamboo Bow, go to Hundred Herbs Hall look at herb catalogs, avoid loss from not recognizing goods, can’t bring back discovered Treasure Plants.’
