Chapter 1498 — Yang Qiqi in Danger

"Damn it! You can write? Then why didn't you write before?" Wei Zhao had never imagined that the Heavenly Thunder Pig could actually write, and his anger only flared hotter. "If you can write, why have you never written until now?"

"Squeak, squeak..." The Heavenly Thunder Pig looked all the more wronged, and scrawled upon the ground, "Cannot hold a pen, can only write on snow..."

When it had finished writing, it even raised its little forked hoof before Wei Zhao like a victory sign.

Wei Zhao looked at it and did not know whether to laugh or cry. "All right, then. Let us go and look for natural treasures first, and while we walk you can keep sensing for the direction of the Fire Spirit Holy Fruit!"

"Squeak!" The Heavenly Thunder Pig nodded and agreed.

Yu Bing watched the exchange between Wei Zhao and the Heavenly Thunder Pig with clicking wonder. He had certainly seen a great many spirit beasts, but those so human in understanding, those that could comprehend human speech, were few and far between, let alone one that could not only understand human speech but write as well!

Yu Bing had simply never heard of such a thing! This Wei Zhao really knew how to surprise him. Around him, it seemed, all manner of marvelous happenings ceased to be so marvelous.

"This pig of yours can find natural treasures?" Yu Bing finally understood why Wei Zhao had brought along a spirit beast that looked to have no offensive power at all to take part in the trial. It turned out the creature had another miraculous talent!

And the trial was scored precisely by how many natural treasures one gathered. With this little thing at hand, there was no fear of coming away without points!

"Finding the Fire Spirit Holy Fruit depends on it. Otherwise, in these vast snowy mountains, where would I even begin to look?" Wei Zhao nodded. "But you must not tell anyone about this."

"Rest assured, I will keep it secret!" Yu Bing nodded gravely.

He knew full well what the Heavenly Thunder Pig was worth. If its ability was truly as Wei Zhao described, then it was a treasure beyond price, one that even the ancient sects would covet, to say nothing of the hidden houses.

Wei Zhao made no particular effort to wipe away the words the Heavenly Thunder Pig had written on the ground. Here the writing was soon covered and erased by wind and snow.

The two men followed behind the Heavenly Thunder Pig and walked onward...

Yang Qiqi was in a group all by herself. She knew no one, nor did she wish to team up with anyone. She had come here not only for the trial, but to win the right to exchange for the Ice Palace's natural treasures... That kind of spirit medicine, she had heard, existed only in the Ice Palace. For the sake of her wounded sworn sister, she had to find that medicine, for without it even a miracle doctor would be powerless to save her.

"An Eight-Leaf Grass!" Yang Qiqi had not expected that, not far from where she had landed, an Eight-Leaf Grass would be growing right out of the snow. It was a rather conspicuous kind of spirit herb. Though its grade was not high, it was easy to spot, far easier to find than those spirit medicines hidden beneath the snow. Delighted, Yang Qiqi drew out a small knife, carefully cut the Eight-Leaf Grass down, and tucked it into the pack she carried with her.

"Beep, beep..." The electronic points card on Yang Qiqi's person sounded twice. Yang Qiqi hastily took it out for a look. The score had changed from the original "0" to "5". It seemed one Eight-Leaf Grass was worth five points. Though it was not much, it was still a victorious first battle!

"A good beginning is half the success!" A flicker of a smile crossed Yang Qiqi's cool little face. "Little Sister Nine, this time I will surely win that spirit medicine for you!"

Yang Qiqi clenched her fist, and resolve settled over her face once more as she walked ahead.

It had to be said that Yang Qiqi was still very fortunate. She had not gone far before she discovered, beneath a towering and nameless tree upon the snowy mountain, a Snow Lingzhi! Judging by its color, it was a good hundred years old or more. Compared to the Eight-Leaf Grass, this was a true cultivation medicine, seldom seen even among the hidden houses!

Yang Qiqi instinctively glanced left and right all around, and only after making certain there was no one did she steal on tiptoe toward that Snow Lingzhi! She was very excited. Before coming to take part in the trial, she had crammed for a while on knowledge of spirit medicines, and naturally knew how precious this Snow Lingzhi was!

If the earlier Eight-Leaf Grass had been worth five points, then an ordinary Snow Lingzhi would be worth at least a hundred, while this one of over a hundred years was a treasure beyond price! Yang Qiqi had never imagined her luck could be so good. Could it really be this smooth?

But just as Yang Qiqi was joyfully preparing to cut down the Snow Lingzhi, a giant python white all over suddenly darted out from a hollow in the towering tree and lunged straight at her!

Yang Qiqi jumped in fright, and only then abruptly recalled that the materials she had crammed had also mentioned that near natural treasures of several decades' age, fierce beasts often dwelled. These beasts could also sense the spiritual aura of the treasures, and living beside them brought them benefit. In common parlance, they had become spirits!

In truth, to speak of becoming spirits was too mythical a way of putting it. The real situation was a transformation from common beast to spirit beast! When a beast had absorbed enough spiritual energy of heaven and earth, true qi would form within its body, and it would slowly evolve into a spirit beast!

Though not an inborn ancient spirit beast, such an evolved spirit beast was often even more formidable than an ancient one! An ancient spirit beast was merely the descendant of a pure-blooded cultivating spirit beast. It might possess some marvelous talent, yet it need not have any great offensive power, just like the Heavenly Thunder Pig, which had only the ability to seek out natural treasures. As for attacking power, it was not very strong.

But Mighty General was plainly very formidable, able to punch and kick when meeting an enemy. That was the capability of an evolved spirit beast.

Fortunately, Yang Qiqi struck as an assassin, and as an external cultivator of lightness skill, her reactions were surpassingly keen. In the instant the python rushed out, Yang Qiqi instinctively fell sharply back, and only just dodged the python's attack!

Seeing Yang Qiqi retreat, the python did not pursue. It merely stood guard before that Snow Lingzhi, refusing to let Yang Qiqi draw near! Plainly it had already claimed the Snow Lingzhi as its own private prize, and would let no other lay a finger upon it.

"Big snake, let us talk this over. Will you give me that Snow Lingzhi? I truly need it. I need the Ice Palace's right of exchange!" Facing this top-grade giant python, Yang Qiqi had no great assurance of certain victory, and could only try negotiation first.

Had the materials not said so? Some spirit beasts on the verge of becoming spirits were possessed of灵性 and could understand human speech.

"Hiss..." The python flicked its tongue at Yang Qiqi, full of hostility.

"..." A speechless look crossed Yang Qiqi's cool little face. Could this snake understand her words or not?

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