Martial Arts Longevity Begins with the Equipment Slot

Chapter 89 Rare Treasures, Nine-Leaf Fire Lotus

The deeper you go into the mountains and forests, the denser the trees become.

The branches and leaves are layered upon each other.

Chen Yu led his team through the darkness for most of the day.

Along the way, they relied entirely on the scorch marks left by the fire apes to guide their way.

When they reached a mountain stream, the scorch marks suddenly broke off.

Chen Yu squatted by the stream.

Reach out and part a patch of fern.

"The fire ape passed by here; the grass has been scorched and curled up."

A small patch of gray mist remained on the grass.

Having witnessed the power of the fog before, Chen Yu quickly dodged.

The fog didn't follow; instead, it dissipated on its own.

The stream gurgled as it flowed over the rocks.

A few charred leaves floated on the water's surface, swirling and drifting downstream.

"There are burn marks only here; they disappear further ahead."

There were no traces of claws on the ground.

Chen Yu stood up and walked upstream along the stream bank for several dozen steps.

"Commander, we don't have any here."

"There aren't any here either."

All three squad leaders shook their heads.

They led their team and searched both sides of the stream, but ultimately found no trace of anything.

Fang Dachuan went to the stream and washed his face.

The icy mountain water splashed on his face, making him shiver.

"That fire ape is too strange. As expected of a demon, it disappeared just like that."

Chen Yu stood by the stream.

My gaze pierced through the layers of tree shadows, looking into the depths of Niutou Mountain.

Even with excellent hearing and eyesight, no clues could be found.

"We lost them!"

Chen Yu realized it.

The Fire Ape knew the terrain of this area like the back of his hand.

In the darkness, they could only follow traces, and it was only a matter of time before they failed.

"Rest on the spot for half an incense stick's time, check your weapons, and replenish your water."

He turned to the crowd and gave the order, his voice still steady.

"Send one team to keep watch, and the rest of you take turns resting."

The sword guards dispersed with a sigh of relief, each finding a rock or tree root to sit on.

The night wind blew down from the mountaintop, rustling the leaves in the forest.

Just then, a faint light flashed and disappeared in the distance.

"Shh! Keep your voice down!"

Chen Yu raised his hand, and the entire team fell silent instantly.

He crouched low and crept toward the direction of the firelight.

More than thirty sword guards followed him silently.

The three squad leaders had already drawn their swords silently, their cold gleam faintly visible in the night.

The flames were getting closer.

Through the gaps in the bushes, you can see a makeshift campsite pitched in a clearing in the woods.

Five bonfires were burning brightly.

Around the firelight, there were more than a dozen gray tents.

Dozens of figures sat around the fires.

Chen Yu looked at it carefully.

These people are roasting rabbits.

Some people were even gulping down alcohol.

The weapons leaned casually against the tree roots.

In the very center of the camp stood a coarse cloth flag with a tiger's head painted on it.

"Fierce Tiger Stronghold!"

Chen Yu recognized the flag.

"Are they from Fierce Tiger Stronghold? What are they doing here?"

"Black Wind Stronghold is occupying the mine, but could Fierce Tiger Stronghold have gotten involved as well?"

Several lookouts kept peering into the dark forest.

"With the strength of Fierce Tiger Stronghold, they dare to seize the mine?"

Zhao Siping lowered his voice and said to Chen Yu.

"Their chieftain, Fierce Tiger King, isn't even at the Tendon Refining Realm. How dare he oppose the manor?"

Chen Yu shook his head.

"They don't seem to be here to cause trouble; they're more like they're trapped here by something."

Zhao Siping followed his gaze and also noticed something was wrong.

Around the campfire, the bandits glanced into the depths of the forest from time to time, their expressions filled with panic.

"No matter what, let's take them down first."

Chen Yu patted Zhao Siping on the shoulder and then gave the order.

"Surround the camp and await my command."

The sword guards silently dispersed, forming a semi-circular encirclement in the darkness.

At the boundary between torchlight and darkness, dozens of spears had already been quietly positioned.

"Whoosh!"

Chen Yu held the knife in one hand and moved through the last row of bushes.

"What is it?"

The three bandits near the outer perimeter jumped up at the same time.

"Arise! Arise, all of you!"

In the camp, more than twenty bandits stood up abruptly.

"Don't move!"

Chen Yu shouted sharply, causing the campfire to shake.

"Don't panic! These people aren't coming for us!"

The bandit leader was a seasoned veteran; he quickly pinned down the trembling henchman beside him.

"Judging by their uniforms, they're from the Sword Forging Manor's Sword Guard!"

He said he wasn't panicking, but large beads of sweat had already appeared on his forehead.

Given their strength, if a real fight broke out, they would probably be wiped out in an instant.

"My lord, we, the Fierce Tiger Stronghold, did not steal or rob anything when we came to Niutou Mountain. The mining business was handled by the Black Wind Stronghold; it has nothing to do with us! Please, my lord, see the truth!"

The bandit leader clasped his hands in a salute.

"Then what are you doing here?"

Chen Yu did not return his greeting; the tip of his knife was still pointing in his direction.

"You might not believe me, but we're here to search for the whereabouts of a demonic beast."

The bandit leader stammered.

"What kind of monster? Explain clearly."

Chen Yu continued to question him.

The bandit leader opened his mouth, about to continue speaking.

Suddenly, he caught something out of the corner of his eye, and his expression changed drastically.

"Hidden Fire Ape in the Mist!"

His fingertips trembled as he pointed to the dark forest behind Chen Yu, his voice shrill and distorted:

"Sir! That thing is right behind you—"

All the sword guards turned around at once.

In the darkness, the dense forest stood like a wall, and there was nothing there.

A few withered leaves were swept up by the night wind, swirled twice in the air, and then fell silently.

Chen Yu remained completely still.

He stared at the bandit leader without saying a word.

"Ha ha!"

The bandit leader chuckled twice and slowly withdrew his hand.

"Maybe...maybe I saw it wrong."

"That thing is elusive; it's been keeping us up for days, and the guys are all on edge."

He lowered his head sheepishly and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

"Continue the search."

Chen Yu withdrew his gaze and gave an order to Fang Dachuan beside him.

Then he instantly appeared in front of the bandit leader and placed the deer-slaying knife against his neck.

"Go on, what exactly is the Mist-Hidden Fire Ape? Why are you looking for it?"

The bandit leader stood still obediently, no longer daring to play any tricks.

"There is a rare and precious treasure called the Nine-Leaf Fire Lotus. Have you ever heard of it, sir?"

"This thing only grows in areas where the Mist-Hidden Fire Ape appears."

"The flames on the Mist-Hidden Fire Ape were imbued with the flame power of the Nine-Leaf Fire Lotus."

"A single fire lotus has nine leaves, each imbued with the essence of fire. Consuming it can boost internal energy and help one break through martial arts bottlenecks!"

Chen Yu listened in silence for a moment.

Zhao Siming's expression changed slightly, and he leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Commander, what he said might be true!"

"I have indeed seen records of the Nine-Leaf Fire Lotus in the library!"

"This peanut grows in places with strong fire energy, and it's not something you can find in ordinary mountains and fields! Currently, it's practically priceless and extremely rare!"

"If a martial artist at the Inner Qi Realm takes it, it will imbue their Qi with the power of flames! It is indeed of great benefit to Inner Qi cultivation!"

"It also has the effect of transforming muscles and bones for martial artists who are not at the Inner Qi Realm!"