Chapter 2174 - 2175: Strange Little Girl

Chapter 2174: Chapter 2175: Strange Little Girl

"Didn’t I say you wouldn’t be able to keep up?" Wang Hao’s lips slightly curved, revealing a hint of a cold smile, accompanied by a trace of disdain in his gaze.

In this place, he’d seen many people approach him for humble guidance, but they either couldn’t endure the loneliness or thought Wang Hao was being perfunctory by withholding knowledge.

So seeing Lin Chen behave this way, Wang Hao wasn’t surprised; his tone remained disdainful.

"Teacher, you overestimate. It’s not like that. I just need to go out and search for some herbs, but I’m worried you won’t be able to find my whereabouts later, so I’m here to inform you." Lin Chen hurriedly explained.

"I see..."

Wang Hao pondered for a moment and accepted this explanation. If Lin Chen couldn’t persist, he probably wouldn’t need to specially inform him.

"Then go ahead, remember to practice well." Wang Hao reminded, showing no concern for what Lin Chen was seeking; all that mattered in his eyes was sword technique.

"Of course."

...

Having bid farewell to Wang Hao, Lin Chen headed towards the outside of the Green Ripple Sect.

Inside the Green Ripple Sect, there were no herbs to be found, apart from those in Chen Lin’s herb garden; herbs were rarely seen.

It’s reasonable; with so many disciples in the sect, if wild herbs were to grow inside, it would only lead to trouble. After all, desire is a terrifying thing.

Walking through the forest, Lin Chen’s ears only picked up occasional bird and beast cries, alongside the rustling sounds of his footsteps.

This time, unlike before, he wasn’t in a rush, so Lin Chen walked leisurely through the woods.

Sunlight occasionally fell, filtering through the gaps between branches and leaves, casting a warm aura on him, filling him with a sense of laziness.

Despite his relaxed demeanor, Lin Chen remembered the purpose of his journey. His gaze was as sharp as a hawk’s, scanning the forest like a hunter searching for the herbs listed on Chen Jie’s note.

The note contained numerous varieties, located in diverse places, which made it imperative for Lin Chen to remain constantly vigilant.

...

This took Lin Chen a long time, but simultaneously, he managed to find several required herbs, bringing joy to his heart.

As time went on, the amount of herbs Lin Chen found increased, and he had traveled several hundred miles past the Green Ripple Sect. In this desolate area, the occasional sounds came from beasts startled by Lin Chen.

By now, the sky had darkened, and the dim light cast gloomy shadows over the surroundings. Especially in the woods, thick foliage blocked the light, hastening the onset of darkness.

Seeing this, Lin Chen didn’t panic.

He gathered some dry wood elsewhere, using spiritual energy to kindle a small flame. Although Lin Chen could travel in the dark, there was no need to rush, and importantly, it was difficult to find the necessary herbs at night.

Lin Chen sliced open a beast’s carcass with his sword, skewering it to roast over the fire. This was a beast he had slain when it attempted to attack him earlier.

Though good for dinner, the taste was very bland, with a hint of gaminess, making the texture less enjoyable.

Yet the scent still drew out the originally hidden beasts lurking in the surroundings.

Their eyes glowed green, like dim lanterns guiding the way, especially prominent against the backdrop of night.

But these beasts only circled a hundred meters around Lin Chen, not daring to come closer. Clearly, they knew this Lin Chen roasting a beast was not someone to be trifled with.

They only dared to lurk silently, and the quiet night seemed suffused with a murderous aura.

Lin Chen paid no heed to them and continued eating.

But moments later, he raised his head, his eyes flashing with a keen light, gazing straight through the dark scenery at a tall ancient tree several meters ahead.

The tree was thick, with lush branches and leaves, embracing everything in its verdant green.

Yet despite this cover, it couldn’t escape Lin Chen’s sharp sight.

His spiritual energy skillfully infused his brow, allowing him to perceive the faint presence concealed among the branches.

"As expected." Lin Chen squinted slightly.

He had clearly heard a rumbling caused by hunger and the sound of someone swallowing lightly from the tree while eating.

This sound was extremely faint, but Lin Chen’s awareness was inherently high, and in the silence of the forest, the sound was exceptionally poignant to him.

"Come out, or I won’t be polite." Lin Chen called out, testing the waters.

As his voice spread, the surroundings remained silent, with only the firelight flickering, and the dry wood snapping with crackling sounds.

"I’ll count to three, and if you don’t come out, I’ll be impolite."

After waiting several breaths, it remained silent, causing Lin Chen to frown slightly before he said casually, "Three!"

"Two!"

Before Lin Chen’s final word could fall, a little girl slid down from the trunk of the tree several meters ahead.

Her hair was messy and dirty, as if she had fled from hardships. Her clothes were tattered, revealing skin beneath with faint blood marks.

The blood marks hadn’t dried yet, but the wounds had scabbed, suggesting a mix of old and new injuries.

But the girl seemed unfazed by the pain, or perhaps accustomed to it; her face showed no emotion. She sniveled and wiped the drool from her lips with a dirty sleeve, greedily eyeing the food in Lin Chen’s hand.

Lin Chen scrutinized the little girl before him, estimating her to be around ten years old, but with a situation far beyond her years, Lin Chen’s initial cold demeanor softened into a hint of compassion.

"Do you want to eat?"

Lin Chen asked, deducing that the sound he heard earlier was likely caused by this little girl.

"Yes."

The little girl nodded gently, her face filled with greed, yet her eyes were very cautious.

Her thin right hand discretely held behind her waist. Lin Chen glanced sideways, chuckling silently.

What the little girl held at her waist was clearly a butcher knife hidden under her clothes.

Lin Chen was somewhat helpless, yet seeing the girl in such a state, he felt a vague sense of pity.

So he slowly stepped forward, stopping three to five meters from the girl, placing the skewered, cooked meat into the ground before her, then returned to the campfire to roast another piece.

The little girl withdrew her right hand, cautiously stepping forward, her gaze wary.