Chapter 400: The Qilin's Former Lair
Translator: Alsey Editor: Chrissy
The giant rocks strewn across the area before him almost seemed to form a stone array. The air was suffused with white mist which could easily make one lose his way after charging in.
This was the qilin's ancient lair, once the home of this auspicious beast.
Chu Feng wandered around the place and found that it was a vast area filled with gigantic stones and piles upon piles of smaller ones.
This place was just like a maze, because the giant stones, as well as the smaller ones, were quite similar. On top of that, there were special energy particles in the form of constantly swirling immortal mist. Ordinary people would quickly lose their sense of direction after entering.
Chu Feng firmly believed there were domains inside. The interior of this place had become a natural ghostly labyrinth. Even evolvers might find themselves trapped if they were the slightest bit careless.
The qilin's old lair was half-destroyed. However, the damaged domains and large rock piles were still full of mysteries.
"There are more than a few extraterrestrials!"
As Chu Feng walked around in a big circle, he felt wave upon wave of vital magnetic fluctuations.
This region, where these gigantic stones and rock piles coexisted, was similar in size to a small city. He had already discovered some fruit-laden mutant trees even on the exterior.
Among them, some were enough to allow a person to sever his sixth shackle.
"The qilin's lair is so abundant in resources!!" Chu Feng sighed. However, it had recently been occupied by a group of extraterrestrials who had chosen to hibernate here.
Without a doubt, there were great fortunes in the depths of this lair. Otherwise, they wouldn't have resided there and refused to leave.
They could always find a better place if they merely wanted to sleep.
Chu Feng snuck in like a ghost fluttering in between the stones. He was here to pay a formal visit to the lair.
This place was indeed very big with a lot of stones. Amidst the thick mist, one could see huts or stone houses every thousand meters or so, and all of them were populated by extraterrestrials.
There were mutant trees growing within the vicinity of a few houses.
"What a place!" Chu Feng sighed.
This region was even better than some of the famed mountains. At least at this stage, its degree of regeneration was even higher. This allowed herbs and mutant strange trees to grow with flourishing vitality.
The further one went in, the greater the energy density, and the more exuberant the mutant trees.
Up until now, Chu Feng had already discovered more than ten houses. This meant that there were more than ten descenders. And this was only a corner of the region!
He was shocked to find that there were so many extraterrestrials who had come to earth 22 years ago!
But they've been silent for so many years. They must really be able to tolerate living here.
"It looks like there are those who understand domains among these descenders. They have effectively avoided certain dangerous areas."
Chu Feng discovered that there were no huts or stone houses in places where there were domains. They were left empty with only a few mutant trees growing there.
Among these places, some of them had mutant trees that were heavily-laden with fruit and fragrance, but no one had harvested them.
Chu Feng was fairly tempted but didn't actually dare to act rashly.
" That is…" His pupils contracted as he noticed a certain spacious region suffused with dense mist. There were neither stones nor extraterrestrials there.
There grew a grove of snow-white bamboo trees, and in the middle, there was a thick old bamboo. White as jade and, upon it, there was a cluster of fruits which resembled a string of jade grapes.
It was really strange. Within an entire bamboo grove, only a single old bamboo had produced a fruit resembling a cluster of white grapes emitting a refreshing fragrance.
"This fruit cluster would allow people to at least sever the seventh shackle." Chu Feng figured.
His eyes lit up, and he immediately walked over. He knew this place was very dangerous, otherwise, it wouldn't be empty, without a single extraterrestrial living there.
However, riches and honor had to be sought amidst danger. He longed to evolve and wanted to pick the cluster of grapes which was as lustrous as suet jade.
Obviously, this cluster of fruit, accompanied by ingredients like Thunderstruck Wood,, toad's blood, was sufficient to refine into a treasured medicine within the Revered Eight Trigrams Furnace. It would be enough for him to sever the ninth shackle and evolve once again.
Chu Feng's excursion could be considered "fruitful" as long as he could successfully pick the cluster of white fruits on the old bamboo. He would be able to turn return with accomplishments.
To cook the treasured medicine and evolve would be worth any risk!
Chu Feng approached and carefully entered the bamboo grove. Suddenly, he felt as though the sky and earth were spinning. Even though he was a domain researcher, he felt terror wash over him.
These domains were a little bit scary. As soon as he entered, he almost got lost because it interfered with people's spirits.
Oh!
Chu Feng carved out magnetic stones and quickly flung them in every direction.
Suddenly the fog thickened, completely covering him and the bamboo forest. Chu Feng hid himself for fear of the extraterrestrials finding him.
Afterwards, he sat down and began to sense the atmosphere while searching the bamboo forest. He wanted to find a safe path towards the old bamboo tree.
Before long, he turned pale with fright. This damaged corner of the Qilin's lair was extremely perilous.
Chu Feng believed if he made one wrong step he would fall into a place where he would be lost forever. This place could sever a man's body into several pieces and obliterate his soul!
"This is extremely dangerous!" Chu Feng heaved a sigh. He was fairly distressed because he had a premonition that these white fruits would be fairly difficult to pick. However, he didn't want to give up and was ready to give it a try.
His strength would skyrocket once he successfully picked the fruit and refined it into medicine!
At this point in time, the Earth was in disarray. Descenders appeared continuously. The most important thing in handling this crisis was one's own strength.
One day, two days...
Chu Feng studied here for a few days with his brow tightly knit, but he couldn't figure out the way. This was a corner of the Qilin's lair—even if it was crippled, there were still unknown dangers lurking within.
...….
Mu Qing stopped atop a certain peak on Mount Lao. Her white hair was flowing in the wind as she gazed at the endless green waves of the ocean, her fair countenance the picture of tranquility.
"Fairy, we've already confirmed several times, Han Wenze and Huang Weiyue, are dead. They were killed on Mount Zhijin in Jiangning. It looked like they were destroyed by the domain."
Some people had come in just a few days to give the report. Among those from Deity Biomedicals, there were some high-level members who had offered Mu Qing their services. She was doing her best to handle matters.
"Stupid!" Mu Qing didn't turn back. This was her evaluation of Huang Weiyue's group.
Several days earlier, she had known that several people had run into trouble, but no action was taken.
"Chu Feng's attainments in the field of domains is astonishing. If he continues in this manner, it will be disastrous later on. He's progressing too quickly," Mu Qinghe said.
The Deity Biomedicals have two major forces, the Mu Family and Lin Family.
Right now, the Heavenly Prince's maid had successfully crossed the boundaries. Mu Qinghe, one of the Mu Family's important figures, had invested in her for the first time. Surprisingly, she had the same surname as the Mu Family.
"They didn't necessarily die in the domain," Mu Qing suggested lightly.
"Is this Chu Feng so fierce that he's already strong enough to combat experts with nine severed shackles? But there are already traces of domain activation in that area,." Mu Qinghe said softly.
Mu Qing ignored what he was saying, and said to herself: "This Chu Feng is remaining calm, I've been waiting at Mount Lu for him for four days, and yet he still hasn't appeared."
Mu Qinghe's expression was cold. This woman was still really composed, was she quietly waiting for Chu Feng to walk in?
"Chu Feng is strong," he carefully warned her.
"He's like an ant, I can crush him in one hand if he shows up." At this moment, Mu Qing didn't bother to conceal her arrogance. There was no need for her to wear a fake smile before this newly recruited agent.
How strong was this pretty woman? Mu Qinghe's heart was uneasy. One had to know that, she was only the handmaiden of the prince.
"Well, even if he comes, I wouldn't kill him. I would just subdue him." Mu Qing revealed a soft smile, then she looked towards the distant spiritual peak where Lin Naoi resided.
Mu Qinghe's eyes glittered as he said, "Fairy, you can kill your way up Mount Kunlun, eliminate Wudang, and wipe out Mount Song. The people who live on these famed mountains are all related to Chu Feng."
"You're too selfish," Mu Qing shot him a glance and said, "Chu Feng killed a son of the Mu Family on Mount Taihang, didn't he?"
Mu Qinghe bowed his head, he knew he wasn't only one that had submitted. There were also other people, so he had only disclosed certain situations.
"I'll wait for him for two more days, if he still hasn't come, I will go pay him a visit." Mu Qing said flatly.
…
Despite his efforts, Chu Feng had no success after five days. Without a method to pick the sebum grape mutant fruits, he could only sigh and walk away.
These five days in the qilin's lair were calm. The stone people and giant winged lizards had disappeared. He hadn't attracted anyone's attention.
Because 20 or more years have gone by and this place was too peaceful. No one had dared to enter; no one had been that wanton. Thus they rarely changed the guards outside.
Chu Feng realized there was no change in the quietness, so he continued exploring.
He went the deepest part of the qilin's lair and continued his search.
In the mist-enshrouded depths, there was a stone forest. This was also where the domains were the least damaged; they were all in good condition. Chu Feng's eyes narrowed from the distance.
What did he just see? It was this legendary Qilin flower!
Within the stone forest, there were clusters of lustrous violet flowers everywhere. They were as large as bowls and one would see the images of qilins on the petals when they burst into bloom. It was extremely astonishing.
The air smelled faintly of incense. It wasn't that the flower's aroma wasn't intense—when it actually bloomed there would be surging prismatic lights bursting out through the mist. However, it was now enveloped by the domain and thus even its fragrance couldn't escape, not to mention the pollen.
"This could be the invaluable qilin's flower!" Chu Feng's eyes turned green with greed, but he couldn't enter, he could only stare.
In the past, that stone forest was an important place because it held the qilin's home. This flower had been bathed with its spirit and energy through the years.
Unfortunately, no one was able to pick it. Although the extraterrestrials lived nearby, even they would only be able to stare helplessly.
No one could step foot inside the heart of the qilin's lair. However, the true fortunes were all inside. So much so that some people even suspected there were qilin cubs here.
Some of the most powerful extraterrestrials reside in large stone houses just outside the central Stone Forest.
Chu Feng circled the central area of the Stone Forest from a good distance and saw that it rained there from time to time. Surprisingly, there was a field in the front with rare medicinal plants.
He gulped because, even though he didn't recognize them, he was still sure there were rare and priceless herbs.
It was impossible to force his way in because the domains in the central region were the most terrifying. If he really were to set foot within them, it was likely that even his spirit would be destroyed.
"Forget it, just endure it, and restrain yourself!" Chu Feng sighed and suppressed his heart's impulse. He didn't try to crack the field, he didn't even have a way into the bamboo forest, there was no way for him to enter here.
In the end, he choose to approach a stone house instead. At the front of the house, there was an old tree. Growing on the tree there were a few bright red, agate-like fruits. Their sweet scent wafted through the air.
Some of the fruit on the tree had ripened, some were slightly underripe.
Chu Feng was convinced this type of fruit could allow people to sever the seventh shackle after it was picked and refined.
This place had stone houses, so it must be safe.
Chu Feng speculated this type of fruit had no use to the owner of the stone house. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been left on the tree, it would have been picked.
The creatures inside the house were still sleeping.
Without any noise, Chu Feng drifted past and hid conveniently in the white mist.
Next, he began to pick the mutant fruits, both ripe and unripe, until he had a total of six. He was able to do it all in one breath!
For him, it meant he could evolve and his strength would soar!