Chapter 20: Exploring the Forest ... What Just Happened?

Su Lan ends up going with Yu Leng and his bodyguard to explore the forest. She didn't know what to do after coming out of the city. Since she is already out, she might as well take a look around. Su Lan collected medical herbs along the way and planted them in her secret garden world (jade bracelet). To plant the herb, she only needed to dig out the plant with the roots and throw it in the jade bracelet. The plant will be automatically sorted in the right area and planted.

Su Lan never had a chatty character.  She would only speak when spoken to most of the time. As for speaking with strangers it was only done when necessary. To Su Lan it was already out of character that she spoke to Yu Leng.  Yu Leng was the one who had spoken most of the way.

In the end, Su Lan finally knew why Yu Leng was in this realm. Although she wasn't sure if what he said was the truth, it was amusing to have a person whose mouth and eyes were twitching this whole time behind them. She could tell by the bodyguard expressions that Yu Leng was acting out character. According to Yu Leng, he is looking for a medicine that only grows in this realm. The medicine he was looking for is a rare plant. The plant had a bell-like structure kind of like the lily of the valley. As Su Lan listened to Yu Leng's description of the herb, she was wondering why it sounded so familiar. After thinking for a while Su Lan finally remembered where she had seen that herb. She had a batch growing in her secret garden world. When she was wondering if she should give some to him, a screen popped up.

Su Lan wanted to take a broom and sweep it out! In her mind "what?!".

System Info Screen

Reminder: The current world you are in isn't the one you have known before. It is a world of survival of the fittest. Just because so far the people you met care about you doesn't mean everyone can be trusted. The medicine you were going to hand out is worth a lot more than you can imagine just like every medicinal herb in your garden. Even normal herbs in your garden are precious. The medicinal effect is 10 times more effective without side effects.

Su Lan: "....."

Su Lan threw out the thought of giving out her herbs. The three of them traveled deeper into the forest and finally reached the large lake in the middle region of the forest. The lake is not normal and the temperature here is below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. If normal people were here they would already be frozen to death. With the cultivation level of the three of them the temperature had no effect on them. Pom Pom, who was in Su Lan's arms, tried to push himself higher to take a look around.

Pom Pom's paws pushed down on Su Lan's arms and a fluffy white head popped out and turned his head to check the environment. Su Lan adjusted her hold on Pom Pom so he could look around easily.

Su Lan: "Is this the place the herb is located?"

Yu Leng (with a serious look): "According to the informant this is the place."

Su Lan: "Should we go in and check then?"

Yu Leng: "We don't know what it is here. It is too dangerous. You should stay here and wait."

Su Lan: "I already came all the way here. How can I back out now? Also you can see my cultivation level right? Then you should know in this realm my level is the highest level this realm can accept."

Yu Leng: "So you know of the higher realms?"

Su Lan (in her mind a mini Su Lan freezes on the spot): What am I saying! Is this what people call getting sold and still counting money for others?!

Su Lan: "I know but never went to the higher realms."

Yu Leng: "I guessed so it isn't easy for people from the upper realms to come down to this realm after all."

Su Lan: "Oh? How did you come down here then?"

Both Yu Leng and his bodyguard looked at her. One with a curious look and the other with a death glare.

Su Lan (stares at them with a "are you stupid" look): "Stop staring at me like that. It is obvious that both of you aren't from this realm. I already said my cultivation level should be the highest level in this realm but, I can't tell the level both of you are in. Also, according to what Yu Leng said before about the herb only found in this realm means both of you are not from this realm. Also, if you guys aren't from the higher realm how do you know it is hard to come down to this realm."

Yu Leng coughs and turns his head away. The bodyguard glared at his master with a look saying "you sold us out".

Su Lan: "Are we still getting the herb?"

Yu Leng: "Aren't you curious about the realm above?"

Su Lan: "No, at least not yet. I have some things I need to do in this realm."

The group of three and a fluff ball went to the middle of the lake.

Su Lan (in her mind): Is this the classic scene where a monster protecting the medical herb suddenly pops out and they start a badass fight to the death. In the end, the main character triumphantly wins but is also near death. The main character using his last breath eats the herb and goes through another level up.

As Su Lan was running through the scene in her mind a beast really did pop out. Before she got a good look at the dark blue skin monster it fell right back in the lake even faster than it popped out. Su Lan blinked her eyes and thought what happened? Yu Leng and his bodyguard were staring at her in shock.

Pom Pom on the other hand, with a proud look and head tilted up, clapped his paws together like he was dusting non-existing dust off. Su Lan saw this and felt crows flying across her mind. What just happened? Where was the scene she thought would play out? How did the monster just fall back in before it even started?

Pom Pom (in a proud voice): "Master master you also think I am op (overpower) right!!"

Su Lan (in her mind): Hah haaa ha???? What?

Pom Pom: "I smacked it down with a wave of my paw!"

Su Lan: .....

Yu Leng & Bodyguard: ...?????!!!!!

Su Lan: "Can you not say it like you smack it down by waving a handkerchief!!!!"

Pom Pom: "No, it is my paws not a handkerchief! Also my paw is white if I wave a white handkerchief that means I surrender or admit defeat! Not happening! How can a proud op beast like me admit defeat!"

Su Lan: "Hah, I would think a white fluff ball waving a white handkerchief would look much cuter..."