Corpse poison?
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. It seemed the situation was rather serious.
“A while ago, livestock in the town kept dying for no apparent reason. Several of the pheasants my father reared on the mountain died as well.”
“I thought it was just bad luck, but my father felt it was a waste. He took them home, stewed them, and ate them. As a result, he fell ill,” Ren Siyu said.
“Has anyone else been poisoned?” Luo Chen asked.
“Quite a few other families. They all got poisoned after eating those dead animals,” Ren Siyu sighed.
Luo Chen felt he needed to deal with this matter as soon as possible. The village full of zombies was deep in the mountains and had already been isolated.
The zombies inside were rather strange. They had not come out to cause trouble, but simply leaving them there was not a viable solution.
Who knew when something might go wrong?
Moreover, the corpse poison was now beginning to spread.
Although the people from Blood Fiend were already waiting there, prepared.
However, for the sake of safety, Luo Chen still needed to refine some pills to resist the corpse poison.
“Take me into the mountains to gather herbs first,” Luo Chen said.
“Alright, but I have called a few of my classmates to join us. The rumours about zombies are causing quite a stir, and it is dangerous even during the day,” Ren Siyu said.
Luo Chen nodded. After all, Ren Siyu was a girl, so it was normal for her to be afraid.
Soon, two BMW cars arrived. It seemed Ren Siyu friends came from fairly well-off families.
Several young people stepped out of the cars, five boys around seventeen or eighteen years old, and one girl.
They were all dressed quite fashionably, except that a few of the boys had Miao swords hanging at their waists.
One of the young men saw Ren Siyu and walked straight towards her.
“Siyu, how is your father illness?” The young man had rather dark skin, but he was tall and imposing. He also had a Miao sword at his waist.
“He is doing alright,” Ren Siyu replied.
“By the way, Brother Luo, this is my classmate, Shi Jun.”
“This is your friend?” Shi Jun looked at Luo Chen with an unfriendly gaze.
He had been pursuing Ren Siyu for a while. Seeing a strange man beside her, he naturally felt hostile.
Ren Siyu nodded.
“Siyu, this is not your boyfriend, is it?” the girl teased. Her name was Feifei.
As soon as these words were spoken, Shi Jun expression grew even more awkward.
“Not at all, just a normal friend,” Ren Siyu said with a smile, playfully kicking Feifei, who dodged it with a laugh.
“Big brother, you had better not get any ideas about our Siyu. Shi Jun is the son of the town mayor. He is someone you simply cannot afford to offend in this area,” Feifei said with a smile.
Although Shi Jun was a bit dark, he was tall and sturdy, far more reliable than a pretty boy like Luo Chen.
Moreover, Shi Jun family background was decent, and his connections were quite good.
Even at school, he was considered a prominent figure.
At this moment, Shi Jun showed a proud expression.
As the son of the town mayor, he held some face in Phoenix Ancient Town. Even local thugs would give him a bit of respect.
Luo Chen shook his head. He naturally had no interest in the dynamics between these youngsters.
Seeing Luo Chen cold indifference, Feifei immediately felt a bit embarrassed.
Shi Jun, on the other hand, stared coldly at Luo Chen, looking increasingly hostile.
Ren Siyu led the way, walking side by side with Luo Chen.
Shi Jun felt somewhat dissatisfied and rubbed the hilt of his Miao sword.
“Grown adults and still afraid to enter the mountains. How embarrassing,” Feifei said. Due to Luo Chen coldness earlier, her impression of him had soured.
“Shi Jun, you had better keep a close eye out. Do not let someone snatch Siyu right under your nose,” Feifei warned.
Shi Jun simply snorted coldly.
“He would not dare. Give him ten thousand chances and he still would not dare. If he really has any thoughts, I will make sure he never leaves Phoenix Ancient Town.”
“Brother Jun, how about we teach that kid a lesson later?” one of Shi Jun classmates suggested.
He was also from Phoenix Ancient Town. His family ran a restaurant, so they had some capital.
“We will talk about it later,” Shi Jun sneered.
They soon entered the mountains. The area was filled with birdsong, shrouded in mist and clouds, shaded by lush green trees, and the air was exceptionally fresh.
“We are almost there,” Ren Siyu said, pointing to a mountain ahead.
However, the mountain was steep with sheer cliffs, seeming to be at a dead end.
But as they drew closer, Ren Siyu led them through clusters of shrubs until a cave appeared. The cave was not very long, only a few metres.
Yet it was hidden behind the shrubs. One would truly not notice it without paying close attention.
Passing through the cave, the view suddenly opened up. It was a vast canyon. The sky above the valley was covered by mist and clouds, making it obviously hard to spot. The surrounding cliffs stood like swords thrust into the earth.
However, Luo Chen could sense a trace of spiritual energy here.
The western Hunan region had been mysterious since ancient times. Whether it was legends of witchcraft and gu poison, or the mystery of corpse driving, it had always remained shrouded in mystery.
Moreover, being close to Zhangjiajie, it was exceptionally mysterious. Rumours claimed Qin Shi Huang once prepared to move mountains and fill the seas here, bordering on myth.
The most bizarre incident was the flying dragon event that caused a huge stir online a while ago. Even now, searching the internet would still yield clear videos.
As for whether it was real or fake, that remained unknown.
Yet Luo Chen truly felt a trace of spiritual energy here.
The area featured clear waters and lush mountains, resembling a fairyland on earth. With Luo Chen eyesight, he naturally soon found the Netherworld Grass he wanted.
Although it was named Netherworld Grass, this herb could actually resist corpse poison.
Of course, the pure Netherworld Grass alone did not possess such strong effects. But in Luo Chen hands, it was a completely different matter.
However, merely having Netherworld Grass was not enough. He still needed a few auxiliary herbs.
After gathering the Netherworld Grass, it was already afternoon.
The group began to head back. After all, if they stayed too late and it got dark, it would be troublesome.
Luo Chen respected Ren Siyu decision.
Upon arriving at Phoenix Ancient Town, Feifei suddenly suggested they go singing.
“Brother Luo, why do not you come along with us?” Ren Siyu invited him sincerely.
“I still have things to do, so I will not go,” Luo Chen shook his head. He did not want to go with them.
“Actually, today is my birthday,” Ren Siyu said.
“You would not cross the river and burn the bridge, would you? After all, I took you to gather herbs today. If you do not accompany me, I will not take you herb gathering tomorrow,” Ren Siyu smiled.
Of course, this was just a joke. If Luo Chen refused, Ren Siyu would still take him anyway.
Hearing Ren Siyu say this, Luo Chen reluctantly agreed.
After all, she had indeed helped him.
But this made Shi Jun and his group unhappy. They simply could not say it outright because Ren Siyu was present. “Hmph, I will find a chance later to make him look like a fool!” Shi Jun sneered from the side.