Divine Tang Era

Clouds vary in size and distance.

Regardless of size or distance, wherever the clouds of energy are, there must be living beings. As for whether they are humans, beasts, or something else, it is not very clear.

However, Xu Dan had gained some insights from observing the qi for so long. Because human hearts are complex, the qi that is generated is not pure, while other species of living beings do not have as many desires as humans, so their qi appears pure and flawless, especially that of plant-based beings.

To observe the fortune of living beings, one cannot simply distinguish them by color, because even within the same color, there are significant differences.

For example, white mist, as white as goose feathers and as white as lime powder are worlds apart; one is auspicious, the other is inauspicious.

The same applies to yellow hues. A yellow hue as warm and lustrous as that of a field yellow stone is considered auspicious and righteous; while a yellow hue as withered and scorched as that of a decaying leaf is considered inauspicious and ominous.

A bluish-green color, as clear and lustrous as a weathered cliff, is auspicious and righteous; a dull green, however, is inauspicious and ominous. A reddish-brown color, as lustrous as crimson jade, is auspicious and righteous; a dull, ochre-like color, however, is inauspicious and ominous. A black color, as glossy as heavy lacquer, is auspicious and righteous; a dark, coal-ash-like color, however, is inauspicious and ominous.

In truth, there are no fixed rules; it all depends on individual flexibility.

Xu Dan looked around and then walked towards one of the larger and brighter clouds among the many clouds.

The aura seemed close, but it was actually quite far. After walking for a while, they arrived at the foot of a hill, where the aura was located. Xu Dan looked around and, finding no one and no ferocious beasts, headed towards the aura.

Regardless of color or type, the master of each cloud must be a living, sentient being.

Both are indispensable; otherwise, it would be a joke if even an ordinary rock could possess good fortune.

From afar, Xu Dan saw the appearance of the Lord of Qi Clouds. This was a spiritual herb with many wonderful uses, such as nourishing vital energy and warding off plagues and disasters. It was very valuable; even an ordinary herb could be sold for a lot of money if dug up. This herb was very famous in the high-altitude areas; it was called Rhodiola Rosea.

Here, Rhodiola rosea is divided into six grades: Yin, Yang, Zheng, Gui, Shen, and Sheng.

Yin and Yang are considered ordinary medicines, falling between ordinary and spiritual medicines, while Ghost and Sacred Medicines are spiritual and precious medicines.

In Xu Dan's previous life, Rhodiola rosea was most famous for treating symptoms of hypoxia, and it is the same here. Because of its location on a plateau, the Jinshan gold mine has many soldiers stationed there, and every year many ordinary people come from all over the country to search for treasure and trade. These people are not used to the climate in the high-altitude area, and Rhodiola rosea is a life-saving medicine.

Therefore, Rhodiola rosea is very popular here, and the demand is huge.

Sometimes, on the edge of this land, a bottle of medicine made from Rhodiola rosea can save a life, not to mention the elixirs made from it.

High-grade Rhodiola rosea, when refined into pills, is no longer merely a treatment for oxygen deficiency symptoms, but a miraculous elixir that greatly replenishes vital energy, nourishes life force, and detoxifies. This is why Rhodiola rosea commands a high price here.

Xu Dan laughed happily. Those clusters of red flowers were blooming so brightly and so festively.

In his eyes, Rhodiola rosea was no longer a medicinal herb, but a pile of lovely spiritual stones.

He cautiously looked around for a while, and only when he found no one did he put down his basket and start digging for herbs. After digging, he left immediately, heading towards the other cloud of vapor he had seen earlier without wasting a moment.

"Hey, someone's here."

After walking for a while, I suddenly noticed someone digging something ahead, so I quickly went over.

He made a noise on purpose so that the person digging wouldn't hear him and think he was there to steal, which might lead to an attack. The man glanced at him from a distance, then buried his head in his digging again.

As he approached, Xu Dan realized he recognized the man—it was Kuang Kui, the stall owner who sold his quivers and arrows at the market. Knowing someone made things easier. Xu Dan walked over with a smile and greeted him, "Brother, what treasure did you dig up?"

"What treasure? We've been digging all morning and haven't found anything. We don't even know what kind of lousy place this is."

Kuang Kui said indignantly, then asked, "Why did you come here? This wilderness isn't safe at night."

"I'm poor! I spent all my money on groceries yesterday. If I don't come out and dig for some medicinal herbs to earn money, I'll starve to death." Seeing him stop, Xu Dan said, "Why don't you keep digging? You're almost at the treasure."

"You can still see treasures in the soil?" Kuang Kui asked, glancing sideways.

Xu Dan pretended not to see the disdainful look in his eyes and pointed to the newly dug soil, saying, "I've seen people dig graves before. The soil with a grave is different from the soil without a grave, and the soil near the coffin is different again. Your soil is very different from the soil above. I guess there's something down there."

Kuang Kui also knew there was something there, and he really thought that the treasure-hunting talisman was a fake.

Seeing that he still wouldn't dig, Xu Dan said, "You're not afraid I'll steal your things, are you? Don't worry, I'm a good person, I won't steal your treasures."

"whispering sound"

Kuang Kui didn't even bother to reply. If he was afraid of being robbed, he wouldn't have bothered coming out to search for treasure; he could have just stayed in the city and lived a life of leisure. Besides, it was just a little kid like him. Feeling looked down upon, Kuang Kui glanced at Xu Dan, then ignored him and continued digging.

They dug something up in no time; it looked like a long arrow.

Kuang Kui picked up something to wipe away the dirt, rinsed it with water, and then wiped it several times with a clean cotton cloth.

Xu Dan looked at it and said in confusion, "This looks like the arrow I bought from you."

It wasn't just a possibility, it was certain. Kuang Kui held the arrow, his heart filled with inexplicable grief and indignation. This was the third time. Ever since he unearthed the quiver, he didn't know if he was possessed, but he kept digging up random things, even two arrows. Judging by their appearance, they were clearly part of the same set as the previous one.

Kuang Kui had a premonition that he would find arrows again next time.

This is an unlucky thing.

"Um"

Kuang Kui glanced at the curious Xu Dan beside him, had an idea, and said, "This arrow looks the same style as the one you bought last time. Do you want to buy it? I'll give you a discount."

"I don't have any money on me," Xu Dan said warily.

"It's alright, I'll give it to you when I get back," Kuang Kui said magnanimously.

"Aren't you afraid I'll run away?" Xu Dan asked in surprise.

"I'm not afraid." Kuang Kui said righteously, omitting the last two words, "Yeah, right." Xu Dan was unaware that his reputation had already spread throughout the city. Everyone knew about the story of a wild boy dragging a flower-tailed snake into the city, scaring the guards so much they ran away in terror. So Kuang Kui wasn't afraid he'd escape at all, because he knew where he lived.

Seeing that he said that, Xu Dan reluctantly bought it.

Of course, the price is more affordable than the previous one.

Xu Dan picked up the arrow and weighed it in his hand. This arrow was the same as the one he bought last time; it had some weight to it. The arrowhead was also an ancient bronze color, and the shaft was ebony, but the fletching was different from that one. That one was a fiery red, while this one was jet black. He wondered what the reason was for this.

Unable to discern anything, Xu Dan stuck the arrow into the basket on his back, intending to put it back into the quiver in his storage bag when no one was around.

After digging out something, Kuang Kui lost interest in digging any further. He took out his water bottle, sat on the mound of earth, and drank water in large gulps.

Upon seeing this, Xu Dan took his leave.

"Want to stay and dig for treasure with me?" Kuang Kui had been having a run of bad luck lately and wanted to find someone to join him so he could try to share his luck. Otherwise, he'd be starving if things continued like this.

"I don't want to dig a hole like a rat," Xu Dan waved his hand.

Kuang Kui frowned; something about those words sounded rather strange.

It took him a while to realize that this was a direct insult, calling him a rat. "Who's the rat? You're the rat, your whole family are rats!" Kuang Kui was about to unleash a torrent of curses when he discovered Xu Dan had already vanished.

"This little thing runs pretty fast," Kuang Kui muttered to himself, looking into the distance.

After finishing his water, he put away the water bottle and took out a talisman from his pocket. It was a treasure-hunting talisman commonly used by treasure hunters in the wilderness.

Normally, a card can only be used once, but Kuang Kui's card is of a higher grade and can be used three times. Moreover, it can be recharged after use and used three more times, but it requires spirit stones.

Kuang Kui looked at the dull talisman, sighed, and placed a spirit stone on it. Soon, the spiritual energy within the stone was exhausted, and the talisman regained a slight luster. Each time the talisman needed to be recharged, more spirit stones were required, but it was still much cheaper than buying a new talisman.

Many professional wilderness treasure hunters choose to buy these talismans.

For treasure hunters like them, if they're lucky enough to find treasure, they can easily become rich overnight, but more often than not, they end up living in poverty.

So I'm usually very frugal when buying things, trying to save money wherever I can.

They're called "treasure hunters" to put it nicely, but they're really just a bunch of dirt diggers, not much better than the bricklayers who build houses in the city.