Chapter 333 - Finding traces of the Cloud Grass
The reason why Su Tao got Xu Dashan to guard the mountain was that he had seen through the latter's heart. As someone that has been considered a madman by everyone for over a decade, his persistence has reached the level of stubbornness. Hence, by telling the latter that there's a silver mine beneath the mountain, Xu Dashan would feel unbalanced. After all, the treasure he has been seeking belonged to someone. Even an ordinary man would go insane.
If he searched for over a decade and still did not find the Cloud Grass, then there's no need to search any longer.
Since the Cloud Grass has appeared, Xu Dashan surely knew the location. It was just that the latter kept it from him.
Hence, Su Tao decided to undo the knot in Xu Dashan's heart about the secret of Golden Chicken Mountain.
Truth be told, Su Tao had been suspicious about Golden Chicken Mountain. In the past, when Fan Lihua gave him the bag filled with herbs, there was a herb called the Lonicera Japonica. Perhaps many people would be unfamiliar with it, but one of the essential ingredients for herbal teas, the honeysuckle, is the flower bud of Lonicera Japonica. Not only does Lonicera Japonica have a good herbal effect, but it is also an indication herb. In places with large wild Lonicera Japonica growing, there would generally be silver beneath the location.
Naturally, provided that it's a wild one. Due to the popularity of honeysuckle, most of the honeysuckle in the market are produced by plantations, and wild ones were scarce.
Although Xu Dashan was depressed, he immediately felt better when Su Tao gave him the suggestion of being the caretaker of the mountain.
Su Tao has rented Golden Chicken Mountain, and aside from the Miao Village and Silver Lake Village, the mountain stretches a few kilometres out. This time, Xu Dashan did not take any bypaths but chose a stable path. Su Tao knew that this fellow was finally leading him to the Cloud Grass.
But a stable path did not mean that there's no danger. After walking for ten-odd minutes, they arrived at a broken track. There was a raging stream with a ropeway hung on top of it.
"I've seen the herb that you're looking for, and it left a deep impression on me! We just have to get through this stream, and we'll reach our destination!" Xu Dashan continued, "But there are dangers in going across the stream!"
"Let's go." Su Tao glanced at the stream. Although it wasn't deep, the flow was swift. If someone entered it, they would surely be swept away to a small-scaled waterfall. Hence, falling practically meant falling down the cliff.
Nodding his head, Xu Dashan retrieved the ropes that he had prepared. He tossed one over to Su Tao before testing the toughness. After that, he fastened it on the ropeway and relied on gravity to zip over.
Su Tao knitted his brows when he saw Xu Dashan zipping a few meters out. He noticed that the rope was on the verge of snapping, so he immediately followed after him. Xu Dashan was also startled and he lost his balance, grabbing onto a corner of the broken rope by instinct.
Just when he felt that he was resisting against Yama's summons, Su Tao descended from the sky and grabbed onto his arm.
The rope might be sturdy, but it's easy to snap due to high friction. Now that it was carrying two people, the increase in weight equated to the increase in danger.
As the mountain breeze blew over, Su Tao became covered in cold sweat. Although he was courageous, this moment was too exciting and dangerous. It was akin to a scene out of the movies.
The ropeway wasn't long, so they reached the other side after about two to three minutes. Grabbing onto Xu Dashan with a hand, they got through the ropeway and descended to the ground. When they dropped to the ground, the two of them laid down on the ground catching their breaths.
"That was too bloody scary!" Xu Dashan subconsciously pinched his crotch, which felt warm and wet. Evidently, he was frightened and lost control of his bowels.
Looking at Su Tao again, Xu Dashan wore a complicated gaze. If it wasn't for Su Tao, he would've lost his life.
"Thank you!" Xu Dashan crawled up and said in embarrassment.
He was actually trying to take a shortcut. Otherwise, they would circle around the stream without any dangers, it's just that they would have to walk a few more days.
"No worries! You wouldn't have been in such great danger if you weren't helping me." Su Tao also felt fearful, so he looked at the raging stream. If he reacted a tad slower, Xu Dashan would've fallen into the stream. Perhaps he might have been able to survive with his physique, but Xu Dashan would definitely lose his life.
Xu Dashan only had one life, and it was a sin if he owed a life.
As the clouds covering the mountain faded, sunshine shone onto their bodies. Xu Dashan turned to Su Tao and gave a straightforward grin, which the latter also felt relieved. This incident alleviated their relationship.
Xu Dashan wasn't a bad person. Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken the lead to cross the river.
When Xu Dashan saw how Su Tao put his own life at risk to save him, the former realised that not everyone from the city was sinister and cunning. Su Tao was a rare passionate person from the city. Hence, Xu Dashan felt that it was a good path for him to work for Su Tao.
After resting for a few minutes, the two of them continued their journey. Since he did not come here often, Xu Dashan slowed down his pace and said, "There are a lot of snakes and bugs here, be careful. You'd lose your life if you got bitten by a poisonous snake!"
Su Tao smiled at Xu Dashan's reminder. It seems like the risk he just took wasn't in vain, so he said, "Don't worry about it. I'm a doctor, and I have a method to deal with them!"
While Xu Dashan brandished his knife, they continued to walk before he suddenly stopped with his eyes widened. His face was drained of all colour with beads of sweat dripping from his forehead.
Quickening his steps over, Su Tao came to Xu Dashan's side and followed the latter's line-of-sight before taking a deep breath. There was a massive python coiled on a rock; it was dozing off with wheezing sounds.
Seeing that snake, Su Tao soon recognised it. It was the same python that he had seen back then, which he managed to trick it with a dried Cloud Grass.
"The herb that you're seeking is over there at the hot spring region." Xu Dashan had fear on his face as he continued, "But this is the only path, and the Snake King is blocking it."
"Snake King?" Su Tao was baffled.
"Yeah, every mountain has its own king. The Golden Chicken Mountain's king is this python, and it has lived for a few hundred years." Xu Dashan was hesitating as he continued, "Although it usually doesn't attack humans, it's perilous; it can even devour a lamb in a gulp!"
Seeing that Xu Dashan was afraid, Su Tao said, "You wait here. I'll go meet with this mountain king!"
Before Xu Dashan could react, Su Tao had already walked over. The python reacted swiftly. It raised its head and hissed at Su Tao. It seemed enraged as if Su Tao had disrupted its beautiful dream.
Standing behind him, Xu Dashan's face was drained of colour. He couldn't help collapsing to the ground as his teeth chattered from fear.
Taking a deep breath, Su Tao retrieved a silver needle from his medical box and shot it over.
The python had lived for hundreds of years, and shredded its skin countless times. But due to the force behind Su Tao's fingers, the needle managed to pierce into the python's skin. The needle was inserted into the seventh-inch of the python, which startled the python and it immediately left.
Strike a snake at its seventh-inch, which the heart was usually located.
That python was six meters in length, and it was also coiled together. So hitting the spot accurately required keen eyesight.
Although Su Tao seemed like he had casually flung out that needle, it actually required many years of practice.
Xu Dashan might have considered this python to be the king of the mountain, but Su Tao did not share the same view. This python was just relying on its experience to surpass the other animals. But for someone experienced with life in the mountains, that python wasn't invincible.
The reason why he chose to deceive it the other time was out of fear that it might harm Xiao Jingjing or Shui Junzhuo. This time, Su Tao didn't have to be afraid of it. Since it dared to obstruct his path, then he would teach it a lesson to signal that the owner of this mountain has changed hands.
"You're practically invincible!" At this moment, Xu Dashan was filled with admiration for Su Tao.
That seven meters python was the famed king of this Golden Chicken Mountain, but it was so easily chased away by Su Tao.
"How much longer do we have to travel?" Su Tao helped Xu Dashan up.
When Xu Dashan got up, he pointed in a direction. "There!"
As Su Tao's gaze followed that direction, there seemed to be a mist shrouding that region. There really were a lot of natural hot springs in this Golden Chicken Mountain, and if it wasn't for the location being a little far, it would definitely be treated as a golden land by developers for a leisure resort.
As they got closer, Su Tao became nervous. If he really managed to find Cloud Grass, not only did that mean that Cao Dingjun's illness can be treated, he could make valuable prescriptions.
"Found it!" Su Tao exclaimed as he saw a green plant by the side of the hot spring. Although it seemed fleshy, that wasn't the case. On daybreak, it would bud with a tall stem growing at the top of it that only remains for a level, and if he wanted to pluck it, he would have to wait for tomorrow, when the leaves are out.
The Cloud Grass had a strict requirement, which was the reason why it was close to extinction.
"We have to stay here for a night!" Finding the Cloud Grass, Su Tao was in a good mood.
Nodding his head, Xu Dashan replied, "Alright, I'll go gather dry sticks!"
Roughly half an hour later, Ah Jun arrived. There wasn't any signal on the mountain, and it's challenging to find someone in the mountain. Hence, Ah Jun could only follow the tracks left behind.
When he saw that Su Tao was fine, he breathed out in relief, since he was worried that something might have happened to Su Tao when he saw the snapped ropeway.
With Ah Jun's participation, their efficiency got faster and they swiftly set up a tent beside the hot spring.
At daybreak, Su Tao woke up early in the morning to witness the miracle. The growth of the Cloud Grass exceeded the law of plants. Within a few minutes, it had grown to the height of two to three meters, and Su Tao had to be careful when plucking it. Otherwise, the Cloud Grass would swiftly die if it's damaged.