Free Web NovelChapter 192: Chapter 192: Punishment
Tang Xue stared in shock at the great serpent. Even in death, its aura was terrifying.
Wang Yue, Min Wu, Lan Xin, Wang Teng, and the others worked together to get the great serpent, the Green-scaled Beast, and the Snake Shedding onto the mechanical vehicle. The serpent’s body was too long, so they could only tie the front half to the vehicle and drag the rest behind it. Together, they hauled their spoils back.
The Snake Gallbladder could be used for alchemy, and its venom could be extracted to make poison. The meat was edible. The skin and Snake Shedding could be used to craft Soft Leather Armor, soft whips, or weapon grips, or even be tanned into a rainproof canopy for the mechanical vehicle.
Besides the great serpent and the Green-scaled Beast, Lin Mo and the others also had a substantial haul, bringing back more prey and some Exotic Spiritual Fruit. Lan Xin cataloged all the prey and Exotic Spiritual Fruit in an atlas. After taking some of the prey’s distinctive features as proof of the kill, she dissected, butchered, and processed the carcasses like raw materials.
In the central cavern that served as their meeting hall, everyone stared at the two snake eggs. Tang Xue spoke up, a little frightened, "Why did we bring these back? What if they hatch? How terrifying would that be! They’re the great serpent’s offspring, so they have to be poisonous. Let’s just smash them and throw them out."
"What a waste! We should just boil and eat them. Or deep-fry them; that would be delicious too." Nine-tailed disagreed with throwing them away, looking at the snake eggs as if they were a delicacy.
"Lord Contract Master, why did you bring these snake eggs back? What are your plans for them?" Lin Mo asked Ning Xuan, glancing at Yun Han, who stood behind her. Yun Han’s expression was strange, his face stiff as if he were forcing himself to endure something.
"Yun Han, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Lin Mo asked with concern, noticing Yun Han’s unnatural pallor.
Ning Xuan glanced back at Yun Han, then reached out and patted him. She said he’d worked hard killing the Exotic Beast and should go rest. Then she turned back to continue the discussion about the snake eggs.
With that pat, Yun Han felt Ning Xuan retract the vines that had been wrapped around his body. The stinging pain from their thorns gradually faded, only to be replaced by a surging feeling of numbness, itching, and swelling. Yun Han’s fingers, hanging by his side, twitched as his nails dug deep into his palms. He squeezed his eyes shut, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he forcefully swallowed the groan that rose in his throat.
He felt as if countless ants were crawling under his skin where the vines had been wrapped. The fine, sharp pains and maddening itch wove together into an invisible net, enveloping his entire body.
"I will take my leave," he said, bowing his head. His voice was even hoarser than usual. As he turned, the fabric of his clothes brushed against the swollen red welts on his arms, and the piercing itch almost made him lose control of the urge to claw at his skin.
The moment he stepped out of the meeting hall, Yun Han’s breathing quickened noticeably. He strode rapidly through the empty, secluded valley, not stopping until he was inside Ning Xuan’s private chamber, where he leaned heavily against the wall.
The cut on the back of his neck from one of the thorns burned like fire. But what was even harder to bear was the strange, paralyzing sensation from the vine’s toxin—it felt like tiny, soft hairs were coursing through his blood vessels, making his skin and flesh hypersensitive wherever they passed. This was especially true for the two sensitive points on his chest, which not only throbbed with swollen pain but also sent an unbearable itch boring deep into his soul.
He clenched his jaw, fine beads of sweat forming on his temples. The worst part was the energy in his blood, which was running rampant, causing a throbbing, distending pain. The flesh beneath his skin seemed to have a will of its own, squirming uncontrollably. Yun Han could feel the lust he was desperately trying to suppress, like lava in a volcano; the more he contained it, the hotter it burned. Now, it was about to erupt. He desperately wanted to cut himself, just to relieve the tormenting agitation, but according to the rules, he was forbidden from harming his own body.
When Ning Xuan returned, Yun Han was kneeling in wait at the entrance, looking as if he had just been pulled from water.
Ning Xuan bent down and lifted Yun Han into her arms. "Weren’t you the one so eager to atone for your mistake? Yun Han, are you satisfied with this punishment?"
Yun Han had exhausted all his strength fighting the overwhelming tide of lust. Now, held in Ning Xuan’s arms, he didn’t want to move an inch.
"It’s not like that, Contractor. According to the rules, I..." Yun Han didn’t get to finish before Ning Xuan tossed him onto the bed.
"If you feel the punishment wasn’t severe enough, we can continue." Ning Xuan’s words made Yun Han wisely shut his mouth.
Over the next month, Ning Xuan’s team used Spiritual Spring Valley as a temporary base while they operated in the surrounding area. They hunted Exotic Beasts, gathered Exotic Plants, mapped the region, and maintained their individual Cultivation. Ning Xuan also used various materials they found to craft Alchemy Potions and simple weapons. The Alchemy Potions, weapons, cured meats, pelts, and other materials they produced could then be taken to a nearby safety zone to accumulate Merit Points or be exchanged for needed supplies. All their tasks proceeded in an orderly fashion.
The mornings in Clear Spring Valley always carried a damp chill. The thorny vines planted outside the valley had "fed" on many small, intruding Exotic Beasts and had grown quite lush.
Of course, a more powerful Exotic Beast would occasionally break through the thorny vine perimeter and breach the second line of defense. But even those that did ultimately ended up as fertilizer for the vines.
One morning, Ning Xuan took a deep breath of the fresh, grassy air and greeted the others. After more than a month of working together, the thirteen-person team had developed a strong rapport.
"Our objective today is to explore the Stone Forest to the northwest." Ning Xuan took a hand-drawn map from her pack, spread it on a stone table, and pointed to a blank area. "Based on our observations over the last few days, there should be signs of Exotic Beast activity here. And beneath the Stone Forest, there’s likely a lair."
"Zhang Nan and Min Wu will be the vanguard. Go in first and scout it out. If there’s any danger, Min Wu, get Zhang Nan and pull back immediately," Ning Xuan ordered.
"Once we have a basic understanding of the situation, we’ll advance immediately." Ever since obtaining the Mixed Element Spirit Stones, Ning Xuan’s Cultivation speed had increased significantly, and the power of her Vermilion Bird Fire had grown stronger. As a result, she was now very interested in places like lairs and caves. However, it seemed that only she could use these Spirit Stones; Yun Han, Di Youlin, and the others could not.
After breakfast, they packed their things, readied the vehicles, and activated all the traps outside the valley. Then, they prepared to move out together.
The two mechanical vehicles drove for about an hour. The materials to assemble the second one had been acquired from the nearby Panshi Safety Zone in an exchange.
They arrived at a place bristling with strange rock formations. The Stone Forest was vast. Most of the rocks were sharp as knives, and pillars of stone over two meters tall jutted toward the sky. Many of the rocks were stained with crimson blood, and ghastly white bones were scattered all around.
The two mechanical vehicles stopped at the entrance to the Stone Forest, and Ning Xuan and the others disembarked.
