Gray smoke slowly began to rise. Quietly, Yun Qingyan lay low to listen to any sounds, and as she expected, she could hear panicky cries and the frenzied sound of animals making their escape.
Humans could not smell Modan Pollen, but it had an extremely foul and putrid smell to Magical Beasts. The smoke of burning Modan Pollen was even worse.
Even though they were running for their lives, the Cloud Brocade Rabbits wouldn't be running in her direction if they followed their animal instinct.
She got up and stretched herself lazily as she leisurely made her way back to where her team was. The rest was entirely up to how hard Fatty Yu worked.
When Yun Qingyan walked back leisurely to the group, all of them looked at her at the same time.
Lin Wanyue was surprised to see that Yun Qingyan had come back in one piece. She thought to herself, "This woman is really lucky. She must have run into some really low-level Magical Beast or animal with poor attacking power. She's back completely unhurt."
However, Lin Wanyue was sure that Yun Qingyan's good luck was going to end here.
She held the little bottle in her hands. The team hadn't reached the middle of the Forest of No Return yet and they were only in the area between the outskirts and the middle. The Magical Beasts in this area were not considered powerful yet, but once they entered the middle section, Yun Qingyan was definitely going to die.
Lin Wanyue smiled as gently as water. "Qingyan, you went out there for quite some time. Did you manage to get anything?"
"Senior Wanyue, what could she possibly come back with?" After Lin Wanyue had asked that question, Li Hu's ridiculing voice called out immediately. He glanced at Yun Qingyan's empty hands with mocking in his eyes. "What's wrong, Yun Qingyan? Didn't you say you were going to unleash a great attack? Where's your prey? Don't tell me you were too scared when you saw a Magical Beast and came running back with your tail between your legs?"
Yun Qingyan glanced calmly at Li Hu and wasn't bothered by his ridiculing words at all. She just leaned against a large and smooth rock and closed her eyes to rest.
Yun Qingyan's actions made Li Hu feel like he had just punched a ball of cotton fluff and it made him feel so stuffy inside.
"You can continue pretending!" Li Hu yelled fiercely through gritted teeth and looked away.
Lin Wanyue frowned her pretty brows slightly and her expression made one want to show her affection. "Qingyan, don't be too upset if you didn't manage to find anything. I…" She gently clenched her teeth. "I could give some of what I've caught to you."
Lin Wanyue's words instantly caused an uproar in the small team.
"Senior Wanyue, that won't do!"
"It wasn't easy for you to get these preys either, why should you give this useless Yun Qingyan any of it? She's standing to gain by just following our team!"
"Exactly!" Disdainful glances were cast at Yun Qingyan. "Just because she knows a thing or two about magical herbs, she thinks she's really something. She's come back with nothing and she still wants to take the fruit of someone else's labor!"
The noisy voices made it difficult for Yun Qingyan to rest. She kept that slightly upward curve of her lips as her bright and black eyes glanced at Lin Wanyue. Her gaze was clear and carried some coldness. This woman would really feel uncomfortable all over if she didn't make some trouble for Yun Qingyan.
When that pair of eyes glanced at her, Lin Wanyue felt her heart sink. Her voice was gentle and sounded a little sad now. "Qingyan, why are you looking at me like this? Are you upset with me?"
The curvature of the smile on Yun Qingyan's lips widened and her sparkling eyes were gleaming beautifully. "How could that be? My senior is so concerned about me, so how could I be upset?"
Since this woman wanted to share the burden with her, then wouldn't she be disappointing her kind intentions if she didn't accept her generosity?
Yun Qingyan leaped down from the large rock neatly and held a pale palm out at Lin Wanyue. She grinned cheekily to reveal her little canine teeth as she said, "Senior Wanyue, since you feel so strongly about it, then it'll be unkind of me to refuse your offer. I don't want too much, just ten Third or Fourth Stage Magical Beast Gem Cores will do."