Chapter 629: Treasure Mountain

Man, a nice car like this is just so comfortable to drive. Maybe I should get a new one when I head back? Shen Yibin was driving Xu Ye’s Mercedes SUV, and it felt worlds better than his own workhorse. ‘Yep, that’s settled. I’m getting a new car when I get back. My workhorse has followed me all this way, through the Northeast Forest and along the Qinling Mountain Road. It deserves a rest.’ Shen Yibin quickly made his decision and added replacing his car to his to-do list.

He was still mulling over what kind of car to buy when he arrived at the entrance to the mountain pass. The search and rescue team members had spotted his car from afar and immediately notified Qi Jian. So, by the time Shen Yibin pulled up, Qi Jian was already there to greet him with Carmen, who came bounding forward, barking excitedly.

As soon as Shen Yibin opened the car door, the big guy enthusiastically charged inside, only to get himself unsurprisingly stuck in the doorway. The sight left everyone not knowing whether to laugh or cry. It took a great deal of effort to free him. Carmen wasn’t upset, though; he just kept looking at Shen Yibin and Hah’Er’s group with a goofy grin.

“Mr. Shen, are you here to see Carmen today? Look, we haven’t mistreated him, have we? He’s gotten even more muscular lately!” Qi Jian proudly told Shen Yibin about Carmen’s progress and recent accomplishments. “During the New Year holiday alone, Carmen rescued three groups of lost tourists. His work efficiency has improved dramatically compared to before. There, see that? Those are the silk banners from the people he rescued, and the commendations from our superiors.”

“Whoa, ‘Divine Dog Carmen’! Now that’s an impressive name!” Looking over, Shen Yibin saw the three prominent words embroidered in the center of one banner. The other banners were also filled with words of praise for Carmen. He was very pleased. ‘It seems this search and rescue team really is the perfect place for Carmen to use his talents.’

“Of course. Carmen’s a big star now. We even have tourists coming here specifically to take a picture with him.” As he spoke, Qi Jian led them inside and had a subordinate bring tea and snacks for Shen Yibin’s group. Then he asked, “Mr. Shen, are you planning to take Carmen out for a stroll? Now is actually the perfect time. Most of the tourists have gone back to work, so our workload is lighter. Even if something unexpected happens, we have enough people here to handle it. Feel free to take him out to have some fun!” Qi Jian still remembered the promise he had made to Shen Yibin.

“That’s not it, actually. I have some business in the mountains and came to ask Carmen to be my guide,” Shen Yibin said, not hiding his purpose. “It will probably take two to three days.”

“No problem. When are you heading out? If you’re leaving now, I can go with you!” Qi Jian said, patting his chest. He was incredibly grateful that Shen Yibin had been willing to sell Carmen to him, and he wasn’t about to miss a chance to repay the favor.

“Then thank you, Captain Qi!” Shen Yibin didn’t refuse. He figured an extra person meant an extra pair of hands. The Turtle Immortal would surely collect a lot of herbs, and he might not be able to carry them all by himself. With Qi Jian along, they could bring back more.

“Let’s go. I’ll have someone prepare a meal. We’ll set off after we eat!” Qi Jian was a man of action and immediately went to make arrangements.

“Let me cook instead. It’s been a while since Carmen has had any of my food!” Shen Yibin reached out and patted Carmen’s head. ‘The next few days will be physically demanding. I should make some herbal porridge for Carmen beforehand to build up his strength.’

Qi Jian had experienced Shen Yibin’s superb cooking skills before. Hearing that Shen Yibin was going to cook personally, he was naturally delighted. He immediately had his men bring out the precious ingredients they had gathered in the mountains for Shen Yibin to use. Before long, Shen Yibin had prepared a table full of delicious dishes. Qi Jian, Carmen, Hah’Er, and the members of the search and rescue team ate to their hearts’ content. They were especially fond of the pot of herbal porridge—by the end, they had nearly scraped the bottom of the pot clean.

“This is good stuff. I feel full of energy now.” Qi Jian effortlessly swung a huge hiking backpack onto his shoulders. He took the lead with Carmen at his side. “Bin, which mountain peak are you heading to this time?”

“I don’t have a specific destination. Let’s just head in and wander around!” Shen Yibin put the Turtle Immortal on his back. As for where they were going, that was up to the Turtle Immortal. That was why this time, Shen Yibin didn’t let Hah’Er do the carrying. He carried the Turtle Immortal himself, ready to change direction at any moment based on its instructions.

The mountain range before them was a veritable treasure trove, famous for its abundance of precious Chinese medicinal herbs. The Turtle Immortal was ecstatic to be in such a place. They had only just entered the mountains and crossed a small ridge when the Turtle Immortal stretched out its neck, signaling for Shen Yibin to put it down.

Shen Yibin quickly complied. As soon as the Turtle Immortal touched the ground, it scurried forward and disappeared into a thicket of bushes. Seeing this, Xiaoliu immediately leaped down from a tree and hobbled after the Turtle Immortal, his little eyes darting about in the bushes.

The Turtle Immortal emerged from the bushes, climbed onto a damp, shaded rock, and stretched out its neck. It plucked a plant from the rock that had a steel-blue, bamboo-like stem and a leaf sheath with purple spots. Shen Yibin looked around and saw quite a few more of these plants nearby, mostly growing on similar damp, shaded rocks.

“Captain Qi, what kind of herb is this?” Shen Yibin took the plant from the Turtle Immortal’s mouth. He studied it for a long time but couldn’t identify it, so he had to ask Qi Jian for help.

“Whoa, this is good stuff!” Qi Jian’s eyes lit up the moment he saw the herb. “Bin, this thing is called Tiepidou, or sometimes Heijiecao, which means ‘black-jointed grass.’ See? The name comes from this dark, bamboo-like stem. Its scientific name is Dendrobium officinale.” Having worked here for many years, Qi Jian was far more familiar with the mountain’s plants than Shen Yibin and identified it immediately.

“What’s this stuff used for?” Seeing Qi Jian’s reaction, Shen Yibin knew it had to be more than just an ornamental plant.

“Ever heard of the Tianshan Snow Lotus? Centennial Wild Ginseng? Polygonum multiflorum? Reishi? Cordyceps? As far back as the Tang Dynasty, someone listed Dendrobium officinale in the Daoist Canon alongside those other spirit herbs as one of the ‘Nine Great Immortal Herbs of the World.’ And it was ranked number one! So you tell me, is this good stuff or what?” Qi Jian fired off a rapid series of questions, finally revealing the herb’s secret.

“It promotes body fluids and nourishes the stomach, tonifies the yin and clears heat, moistens the lungs and benefits the kidneys, and it can even improve eyesight and strengthen your lower back. It’s recognized as one of the most high-end health-preserving herbs. Bin, you’ve really found a treasure.”

“Is it really that amazing?” Shen Yibin muttered, pinching the seemingly unremarkable plant.