Gradualness . . .
"This is the second layer. It spans over ten thousand acres, encompassing valleys and diverse landforms. I can assure you, not a single Regeneration Ink Lotus can be found here," stated the leader of the Li Clan team.
Standing alongside Cha Eun Xiao, Li Chongshan continued, "There are, however, some ordinary medicinal herbs that hold significantly less value compared to the Regeneration Ink Lotus."
The third member of their party scoffed and added, "The area measures precisely 13,735 acres, including forty-seven cliffs, seventy-three valleys, and two depressions. A few young Regeneration Ink Lotus plants do exist, although they are currently too small to provide significant efficacy. Some are impossible to transplant at this stage. All we can do is protect them until they mature, and that's precisely what Cha Clan has done. I believe you Li Clan took similar action. Arguing over this absolute truth would be pointless and detrimental to your reputation, even though you, a cunning rascal, haven't had a positive reputation in the righteous world for quite some time!"
With disdain dripping from his words, the man didn't even spare a glance at Li Chongshan. He reveled in his satirical jabs, and his words stung like barbs.
Li Chongshan's face contorted awkwardly, his eyes brimming with malevolence. "Cha Shangxin, we've never had a life-or-death confrontation. But if both of us make it out of this place alive, I swear by my ancestors' name, I will kill you!"
Cha Shangxin coldly retorted, "Is this the twenty-eighth time you've sworn on your poor ancestors' name? I know of twenty-eight such instances, but there are likely many more I'm unaware of! You seem to love invoking your ancestors' names, yet you never manage to uphold your vows. You never have, and you never will. That's why you're so audacious."
Delivering his barbs without looking back, Cha Shangxin's tone was filled with mockery.
Li Chongshan clenched his teeth, a dark expression on his face. "Very well! Wait and see!"
With a vehement nod, he left quickly.
Observing the exchange, Cha Eun Xiao contemplated, "What are the odds they'll actually engage in a fight once they leave this place?"
After careful consideration, he concluded, "There's a mere five percent chance."
The reason for that slim probability was the possibility that Cha Shangxin might sustain severe injuries within this place, thus spurring Li Chongshan into action. While it was improbable, it remained a possibility.
As they moved further into the second layer, Cha Eun Xiao observed several wide paths that gradually narrowed due to the countless people who had trodden them. Cha Shangxin took it upon himself to provide a comprehensive explanation of the area's features to Cha Eun Xiao and Han Bingxue. Their reticence allowed them to lag behind the rest of the group.
Cha Eun Xiao understood Cha Shangxin's intentions. The latter wished to spare him the effort of scavenging for medicinal materials in this layer, guiding him toward the third floor instead. He noted that while Cha Shangxin might appear more righteous than Li Chongshan, he was not free from petty motivations. The materials in the second layer held no appeal for Cha Eun Xiao, and not even the Regeneration Ink Lotus or the Regeneration Jade Lotus could pique his interest. After all, he possessed an ample supply of these in the Space, making the pursuit of such items in this layer utterly futile.
Cha Shangxin, however, excelled as a guide. He offered Cha Eun Xiao in-depth explanations throughout the journey, ensuring Li Chongshan had no room to jest at his expense.
Nonetheless, their journey was not consistently peaceful. Encounters with danger punctuated their travels. Large bees surged towards them like gusts of wind, and they encountered venomous snakes that suddenly slithered out of the bushes and made rapid advances. They also had to fend off attacks from unknown creatures.
Luckily, the men from Cha Clan and Li Clan were all elites of their clans. Most importantly, the beasts in the second layer were not in any high levels. They were not strong. The beasts that attacked them eventually became spirit crystals. Those were something good to acquire.
What troubled Cha Clan was the Manifestation Mystic Array's continuous changes. As they walked further, the array was changing all the time. The roads under their feet were changing and twisting...
After all the effort, they barely collected any valuable materials.
Most of the materials were normal. Not to mention Cha Clan, even the others scorned it!
Cha Clan felt like they were walking in a mysterious, colorful world that kept twisting and turning.
However, Cha Clan and Li Clan people seemed quite familiar with all that. After searching for a while, they started to move fast and got together somewhere in the second layer.
There was a huge rock cliff.
There was only one stair they could see on the cliff. Apparently, it must be the road to the upper layer.
However, the upper stairs were all hidden in the dense fog. They couldn't see what was up there.
Cha Clan tried reaching his hand into the fog. They could see that a part of their arm was lost in the fog.
When they withdrew their hand, they found their sleeve was all wet.
"This is the entrance to the third layer." Cha Shangxin took a deep breath and said, "The third layer of the Mountain of All Medicines. It is absolutely a taboo area of Oracle District. In the young generation's eyes, it is somewhere nobody can reach. A mysterious area. However, for the leadership of all the big clans, there are countless opportunities inside it, even though there are lots of dangers too. According to the men of the older generation who once entered and returned luckily... the beasts inside are all over level seven. There are many in level eight, level nine, and even beyond level nine. For us, it is somewhere a small careless mistake can take our lives. A really dangerous place. However... because it is such a dangerous place, the materials should be much more abundant than the second layer."