Chapter 29: Good Flowers Are Hard to Pick

Little Fatty wasn't opposed to forming a group. Truthfully, he and Li Banfeng weren't well-acquainted; they had only met once at the peddler's stall. The considerable care he had shown Li Banfeng throughout their journey was precisely for the purpose of forming such a group. Now, encountering an expert like Gold-Rimmed Glasses, Little Fatty Qin naturally agreed without hesitation. His agreement was swiftly followed by that of the four others present. With an insider speaking so sincerely, there was no plausible reason to decline his offer.

The four individuals included a man in his fifties named Old Smokestack, who claimed to be a first-level Smoke Cultivator and never let go of his pipe. There was also Nectarine, a voluptuous and pretty woman in her twenties, who identified herself as a Body Cultivator, newly initiated and without a specific level. A teenage girl, about fourteen or fifteen, named Grass Leaf, introduced herself as a Medicine Cultivator, also a beginner with no defined level. Finally, a young man in his early twenties, named Tiger Cub, declared himself a first-level Martial Cultivator. Their names were obviously aliases, and the authenticity of their cultivation levels and Dao paths was also questionable.

Since Gold-Rimmed Glasses had already deduced Little Fatty Qin's Dao path, he openly admitted, "My name is Little Fatty, I'm a Food Cultivator, with no specific level." When it was Li Banfeng's turn, he replied, "My name is Baisha, I am a Joy Cultivator, also without a level."

Little Fatty was taken aback, staring at Li Banfeng for a prolonged moment. He had previously introduced himself as Li Qi, so whether Baisha was his real name wasn't the main concern. The question was, when did he become a Joy Cultivator? Wasn't he a Travel Cultivator before? Was he intentionally withholding the truth from Gold-Rimmed Glasses? And if so, had he told *him* the truth?

Gold-Rimmed Glasses was equally curious, asking Li Banfeng, "You're a Joy Cultivator? Did you come alone?" Joy Cultivators typically travel in pairs with a partner, as it facilitates their practice. Li Banfeng pointed to Little Fatty Qin and stated, "I came with him."

Everyone's gaze shifted to Little Fatty Qin. After a moment of silence, he untied the bundle from his back, revealing the dried provisions inside, and addressed the group: "I'm a Food Cultivator. I can eat five catties of dried food in one sitting, sometimes even ten. I genuinely am a Food Cultivator; I'm not deceiving you. I'll eat some right now to prove it."

Gold-Rimmed Glasses then introduced himself to the group: "My name is Kaishan, a first-level Travel Cultivator. I usually enjoy exploring famous mountains and great rivers. I've visited Bitter Mist Mountain several times before, and I'll be sure to point out anything useful along the way."

Tiger Cub piped up, "Brother Kaishan, we all trust you implicitly. You should be our leader. When we gather the flowers, we'll give you twenty percent, according to the rules of the road. What do you say?" Upon hearing this, the others became visibly displeased. "You can't just decide to share it like that," one thought. "Did you even consult us?"

Gold-Rimmed Glasses shook his head repeatedly. "I cannot accept any portion of your flowers," he stated. "These blossoms are earned with lives, and I haven't done you any special favors. I'm helping you, and you're helping me; it's a matter of mutual support." Hearing his words, everyone's respect for Gold-Rimmed Glasses deepened considerably, and it was implicitly agreed that he would serve as their leader.

The members of the medicine trade group were faintly visible in the thick fog ahead. Gold-Rimmed Glasses led his companions, following them at a deliberate and unhurried pace. Ahead lay a stone bridge, just over a meter wide, allowing two or three people to cross abreast.

"This is called the Bridge of No Regrets," Gold-Rimmed Glasses said, adjusting the nose piece of his spectacles. "You might feel a slight discomfort in your throats; that's because you've already begun to smell the poisonous mist. Once you cross the Bridge of No Regrets, you'll be in the domain of Bitter Mist Mountain. Everyone, I don't know if the cultivation levels you declared are genuine or not, but I earnestly advise those without cultivation not to proceed further. Every year, uncultivated individuals attempt to try their luck on Bitter Mist Mountain, yet none who venture up ever return alive. I'm not trying to hinder your prospects; I'm merely urging you to consider carefully before you act."

The others exchanged glances, remaining silent. Tiger Cub, however, scoffed, "Brother Kaishan, you've stated it clearly enough. If anyone fails to understand now, they're simply seeking their own demise. Little girl, I see you have no cultivation. If you ask me, you should leave now while there's still time." The young girl, Grass Leaf, lowered her head, blushing, and insisted, "I really am a Medicine Cultivator. I understand medicinal principles and can be helpful." Tiger Cub then glanced at Old Smokestack. "You old bones," he remarked, "even if you truly possess cultivation, you'll be of little use on the mountain, won't you?" Old Smokestack merely chuckled. "Whether I'm useful or not," he said, "we'll see." No one expressed any intention of retreating, and the group of seven crossed the bridge.

As they reached the other side of the bridge, Li Banfeng felt his throat constrict and began to cough intermittently. Li Banfeng had entered the Dao through celestial light, unlike the others who had accumulated cultivation over a long period. The disparity in their physical conditioning quickly became evident. Gold-Rimmed Glasses frowned. "Brother," he asked, "do you truly possess cultivation?" Li Banfeng nodded. "Yes, I am a Joy Cultivator," he affirmed. Old Smokestack chuckled softly. "Joy Cultivators are typically frail," he observed, "so it's understandable they might struggle with the bitter mist." As he finished speaking, all eyes turned to Little Fatty Qin. Little Fatty Qin puffed out his chest. "I'm a Food Cultivator," he declared. Gold-Rimmed Glasses advised Li Banfeng, "Brother, if you find yourself unable to cope on the mountain, descend early. Don't let greed endanger your life."

Grass Leaf pulled a palm-sized cloth pouch from her chest and took out a piece of candy. "Big brother," she offered, "suck on this medicinal candy; it helps." A medicinal candy? What was that? Li Banfeng gazed at the candy, contemplating whether to take it. Noticing Li Banfeng's hesitation, Grass Leaf placed a medicinal candy in her own mouth, then offered him another. "Big brother," she reassured him, "I'm not a bad person." To refuse again would have been impolite. Li Banfeng took one, and as he sucked on it, a cool, slightly tart liquid slid down his throat. The dry, itchy discomfort vanished instantly. The coughing stopped; the candy genuinely worked. Li Banfeng thanked her, then continued forward with the others. After more than half an hour of walking, they finally reached the base of the mountain.

A winding dirt path ascended from the mountain's base. Visibility was limited to only twenty or thirty meters, preventing them from seeing the mountain's full expanse. "Sister," the voluptuous Nectarine also began to cough, requesting a medicinal candy from Grass Leaf, "give me one too. I'll pay you back when we sell the flowers." The mountain path was narrow and steep. As they ascended in a single file, Li Banfeng found himself walking directly behind Nectarine.

Li Banfeng had seen many beautiful women, but a physique like Nectarine's was exceptionally rare. Her finger-wave hairstyle complemented a red and green qipao, which highlighted her smooth shoulder and back lines, and a waist so slender it seemed one could grasp it with a hand. Particularly striking were the two "peaches" below her waist, perfectly round and prominent, possessing a unique blend of elegance and vitality in their fullness. No wonder she was called Nectarine. Her figure was utterly flawless.

She walked directly in front of him, swaying gently with each step... Was she truly here to gather flowers? Why would one wear a qipao to gather flowers on a mountain? This was clearly impractical for movement! It seemed she was deliberately trying to distract him!

Li Banfeng tried his best to shift his gaze from her figure, but unexpectedly, Nectarine suddenly turned and smiled at him. Her crescent-shaped eyes held a myriad of charms, and her smile made Li Banfeng's heart tighten. "Little brother," she purred, "are you truly a Joy Cultivator? I've heard that Joy Cultivators can perform seven or eight sessions a day without effort." Li Banfeng replied calmly, "You flatter me, sister." Nectarine's red lips quivered slightly as she whispered, "Perhaps you'd like to spar with your sister another day?" Li Banfeng shook his head. "My cultivation is still shallow," he said, "I fear I wouldn't be a match for you, sister." Nectarine glanced at Little Fatty, who was behind Li Banfeng, and smiled, her lips pursed. "I almost forgot," she murmured, "your Dao companion is still here. You prefer the round ones, not the flat." Little Fatty wiped sweat from his forehead. "I'm a Food Cultivator..." he mumbled.

Travel Cultivators possess a keen sensitivity to distance. By Li Banfeng's estimate, after they had walked over five *li* on the mountain path, a black and white flower appeared beside the trail. The flower's shape was exceptionally unusual: each petal was narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, with a white base adorned with black spots, resembling a snake's head covered in scales. A Snake-Spotted Chrysanthemum! Gold-Rimmed Glasses had previously described the characteristics of the Snake-Spotted Chrysanthemum, and Li Banfeng recognized it instantly; the flower perfectly matched Gold-Rimmed Glasses' description.

Little Fatty also recognized it and, delighted, was about to step forward to pluck it. Unexpectedly, a man suddenly darted out from the bushes beside the path, wielding long-handled scissors, and snatched the flower before he could. Little Fatty erupted in anger, not merely because the flower was stolen, but primarily because of the person who took it. The individual standing before him was none other than the bald man they had encountered before starting their ascent. "It's him again!" Little Fatty once again hoisted his axe, genuinely intending to take action this time. The bald man's face was etched with scorn. "Dumb as a pig," he sneered, "can't even get to the hot scraps! What are you doing with that axe? Go on, try to chop something!"

Gold-Rimmed Glasses held Little Fatty back, and in a flash, the bald man disappeared into the thicket. Little Fatty gritted his teeth. "That son of a bitch," he seethed, "I swear I'll cleave him in two!" Gold-Rimmed Glasses held Little Fatty firmly. "Don't bother with a single flower or two by the roadside," he advised. "When we reach a better location, there will be plenty." "Where is this 'better location'?" Little Fatty asked, still feeling disgruntled. Gold-Rimmed Glasses glanced at the mountain path; the medical traders, being fast, had already vanished from sight. "Let's pick up the pace and see if we can catch up to them."

Old Smokestack lit his pipe, took a few vigorous draws, and exhaled a plume of yellowish-white smoke. The smoke swiftly drifted forward as Old Smokestack held the pipe stem between his teeth, savoring the taste. "They haven't gone far," he murmured. "There's a fork up ahead; they took the path to the right." Tiger Cub blinked in surprise. "Old man," he scoffed, "don't just talk nonsense if you don't know." Old Smokestack tapped his pipe twice. "If you don't believe me," he retorted, "then don't follow us!" Gold-Rimmed Glasses trusted Old Smokestack's words, especially as there was indeed a fork in the path ahead.

Turning right at the fork, they walked for over an hour more. Beside the mountain path, beyond the dense forest, a clearing came into view. "They're right here," Old Smokestack announced as he stepped into the clearing, with Gold-Rimmed Glasses following closely behind. Travel Cultivators typically move quickly, and Li Banfeng could have easily walked ahead. However, he deliberately slowed his pace, his eyes seemingly fixed on Nectarine's figure. After a brief search of the clearing, Li Banfeng spotted a black and white flower at his feet. Having seen Nectarine sway throughout their journey, he initially thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. Bending down to look again, he confirmed he hadn't been mistaken: it was indeed a Snake-Spotted Chrysanthemum. He took out his sickle and, following Gold-Rimmed Glasses' instructions from the mountain's base, grasped the flower's neck and cut it about an inch above the root. The first Snake-Spotted Chrysanthemum was now in his possession!

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