CHAPTER 50: CHAPTER 50: DO I HAVE TO BE THIS UNLUCKY?

The night was deep, and in the mountains and forests, silence reigned supreme.

From afar, occasionally, a beast’s roar could be heard, and on the chaotic riverbank, a slender figure appeared.

"The Red Toad Shell is not an ordinary medicinal herb, but the shell of a Spiritual Beast. Besides wild beasts, there are Dark Beasts and Spiritual Beasts; Dark Beasts cultivate True Qi just like Human Martial Artists, while Spiritual Beasts cultivate Spiritual Energy. Both are very difficult to deal with."

The slender figure was none other than Xin Lin.

Xin Lin had obtained the recipe for the Bone Marrow Cleansing Powder, missing only one ingredient: the Red Toad Shell. She did not understand the medicinal system of Longteng Country, and it was through Ah Piao that she came to know some of it.

Although Xin Lin had inherited some of "Longteng Xin Lin’s" memories, "Longteng Xin Lin" was a country girl whose heart was entirely fixated on Sikong Ran, with very little knowledge about Longteng Country, let alone other countries.

Fortunately, through Ah Piao’s explanations, Xin Lin learned quite a bit.

Spiritual Beasts and Dark Beasts are classified into ten levels; the higher the level, the more terrifying their cultivation. Some Advanced Dark Beasts and Spiritual Beasts can even transform into human shape, claim territories, and become rulers.

Of course, the Red Toad Xin Lin was looking for was just a Second-Level Spiritual Beast. After it shed its shell, what was left behind was the Red Toad Shell.

The Red Toad Shell needed for the Bone Marrow Cleansing Powder was that very thing.

"There’s a group of Red Toads growing by the stream ahead; the largest one, which should be over a hundred years old, has just shed its shell. The Red Toad Shell is likely next to the riverbank."

Ah Piao led Xin Lin to the bank.

There were two reasons why Ah Piao led Xin Lin in the dark, seeking Red Toad Shells. First, although Ah Piao had help from the Rascal Corpse and kept her soul intact, her presence was weak and it was inconvenient to move about during the day.

Second, the Red Toads are nocturnal creatures that emit a faint blue glow from their bodies at night, making them easier to find.

In the stream, the water flowed with a gurgling sound, and from the grass beside it, the calls of night frogs could be heard from time to time.

Hearing this, Xin Lin looked over.

On the riverbank, it was full of white egg-shaped stones, which looked like snow covering the ground at night.

Amidst the snowy white, there was indeed a cluster of icy blue light, flickering incessantly on the southeast side of the stream.

But after clearly seeing that cluster of light, Xin Lin’s mouth twitched—it was much bigger than expected!

"That is the Red Toad Shell; it must weigh at least two hundred pounds, right?"

Not far away, the glowing Red Toad Shell was a large fan-shaped object; the shell was icy-blue, and even from a distance, one could feel a chill.

"The Red Toad is a Water Element Spiritual Beast, which will shoot Ice Arrows to freeze intruders if it detects them. Fortunately, since the Red Toad has already shed its shell, you just need to move the shell without disturbing them."

Ah Piao whispered a reminder.

She would like to move it, but Xin Lin felt compelled to ask how her less than seventy-pound frame was supposed to carry a two-hundred-pound Red Toad Shell.

After giving it some thought, Xin Lin decided she couldn’t pass up the medicinal ingredient that had come her way.

If she couldn’t move an entire Red Toad Shell, chipping off a piece would also suffice.

She examined the Red Toad Shell for a moment, took out a small dagger she had with her, and started to pry at the shell.

But after prying for a long time, the shell remained firmly in place.

Taking another look, Xin Lin noticed that the inner layer of the shell seemed softer, so she climbed into the Red Toad Shell and started to dig vigorously.

She had only dug a few times when her ears twitched.

By her ears, there was still the sound of flowing water, but the night frogs from earlier had gone silent.

Nearby, there was a rustling sound—someone was there.

Xin Lin hadn’t forgotten that she was currently a fugitive.

Could she really be so unlucky as to get caught even here?

As Xin Lin pondered, there was a "whoosh" sound—a cold arrow broke the stillness of the air.