Interstellar Farming: I Make Potions and Climb to the Top

When Ning Xuan saw Nine-tailed trying to carve meat off the Exotic Beast, she immediately stopped him. "Just take the hide. We don’t need the rest."

"Master, the meat from this Exotic Beast is edible. I’ve checked; it’s not poisonous," Nine-tailed said eagerly.

"It’s too ugly. I’m not eating it. Let’s move," Ning Xuan urged. The creature looked like a giant gray rat, and she had no desire to eat it.

With their level of strength, finding another Exotic Beast to hunt wouldn’t be a problem. Since Ning Xuan had made her decision, no one else objected. They boarded their reassembled mechanical vehicle and continued on their way.

They slayed Exotic Beasts along the way, and by noon, they arrived at a hidden valley. The place was surrounded by mountains on all four sides, its entrance concealed by dense vines. It would have been nearly impossible to find if not for Zhang Nan’s Golden Hamster, which he had sent out, keenly sensing the energy fluctuations within.

The moment they stepped into the valley, a rich wave of Spiritual Energy washed over them like a tide, so invigorating it felt as if every pore on their skin was opening up. Ning Xuan took a deep breath, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. "The energy concentration here is at least ten times that of the outside!" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Once inside, they discovered the valley was surprisingly spacious. Though trees and rocks blocked out the sun, the stone walls were naturally dotted with glowing Fluorite, illuminating the interior brightly. In the center of the valley lay a pool of emerald-green spring water that shimmered with a faint light, surrounded by a variety of rare Spirit Plants. A few snow-white Mountain Foxes were drinking by the spring. They didn’t panic when the group entered, merely observing the intruders with curiosity.

"Master, this place is perfect for Cultivation!" Nine-tailed said, his ears twitching in excitement. "We could stay here and..."

Before he could finish, the ground began to shake violently. Ripples spread across the spring’s surface, and the surrounding Spirit Plants swayed as if in a strong wind. The water began to churn as if it were boiling, the gentle ripples transforming into menacing fractures on the surface.

"Watch out!" Ning Xuan shouted, flinging out a vine to drag Nine-tailed back.

Nine-tailed had barely regained his footing when, with a deafening BOOM, the spring erupted in a column of water several dozen feet high. Amid the spray, a behemoth burst from the depths, unleashing a foul, fishy stench that assaulted them.

The moment the Exotic Beast revealed its full form, every member of Ning Xuan’s team was stunned. The part of its body visible above the water was over three meters long and entirely covered in interlocking black and blue Scale Armor. Each scale was the size of a palm, its edges as sharp as a blade. The most terrifying feature was its forked neck, which supported two monstrous heads. The left head was blood-red, its surface covered in a pattern resembling volcanic fissures. The right head was a spectral blue, covered in frost-like scales. Four bronze-bell-sized eyes locked onto the group, their eerie, slitted pupils swirling with what looked like fire and ice.

"That’s an Ice and Fire Double-headed Flood Dragon," Yun Mo said, bewildered. "How can a legendary creature like that be here?"

Just then, the beast’s two heads roared at the sky in unison. The sound wave struck them like a physical blow to the chest. Ning Xuan felt as if her organs had been violently shaken, and her eardrums throbbed with pain as a warm trickle of blood ran from her nose. She wiped it away and turned to see Zhang Nan, Tang Xue, and Wang Yue—the weaker members of the team—crouched on the ground, clutching their heads in agony.

Ning Xuan glanced at Lin Mo, who immediately cast King’s Guardian, shielding those who were out of commission.

The Two-headed Flood Dragon’s crimson head suddenly opened its massive maw and spat a pillar of incandescent fire toward Ning Xuan. She dodged instinctively, feeling the searing heat as it shot past. A waist-high boulder where she had just been standing vaporized instantly, leaving behind a patch of molten, glowing earth.

Meanwhile, the spectral blue head exhaled a black mist. Wherever it drifted, a thick layer of frost formed, encasing everything in ice.

As the Two-headed Flood Dragon launched one attack after another, Ning Xuan assessed its combat strength. According to the Federation’s comprehensive combat power scale, the Two-headed Flood Dragon’s総合 combat strength was likely SS-level.

"Di Youlin, it’s all yours," Ning Xuan said, ordering the others to fall back as she tasked him with finishing the beast.

Di Youlin responded with a quick assent, then flapped his wings and charged, engaging the beast in battle.

Although Di Youlin’s spiritual power was suppressed by the rules of this place, his combat strength remained largely unaffected. However, the Two-headed Flood Dragon’s continuous sonic roars prevented him from fighting at full capacity. After they had exchanged more than a dozen blows, shaking the very stones of the valley, Ning Xuan couldn’t help but glance at Qinghe.

Qinghe immediately bowed to Ning Xuan, then leaped, pouncing onto the beast. He scrambled up its scales to its neck, climbed onto the ice-blue head, leaned forward, and plunged his Lifebound Dragon Scale into its throat.

The beast’s piercing shriek cut off abruptly. It was as if something was caught in its gullet—it couldn’t cough it up or swallow it down. Seizing the opportunity, Di Youlin hacked forcefully at the beast’s other head.

Qinghe’s Lifebound Dragon Scale had also pierced the throat of the beast’s other head. The beast finally let out one last, mournful cry as its massive body crashed down, sending up a tremendous splash.

The Two-headed Flood Dragon was dead. In the spot where its heart should be, Ning Xuan found an Exotic Beast Inner Core. Not all Exotic Beasts can form an inner core; only high-Level beasts with a superior Bloodline Talent are capable of producing one.

Every single inner core was worth a fortune.

After her group had finished dissecting the Two-headed Flood Dragon’s corpse, Ning Xuan searched the valley. At last, not far from the spring, she found a blue lotus growing.

The lotus bloomed quietly amidst the hazy water vapor. Its petals were an almost transparent ice-blue, with tiny dewdrops clinging to their edges. Most peculiar was the tranquil aura the entire plant radiated. The moment Ning Xuan drew near, she felt her Bloodline Energy surge, and the acupoints that had been stubbornly blocked during her Cultivation faintly began to yield.

"If I’m not mistaken, this is a Nine Revolutions Ice Soul Lotus," Ning Xuan said to the others as she carefully plucked the flower and stored it away.

As an Alchemy Master, Ning Xuan had practically memorized every Exotic Plant Atlas the Federation possessed. Of course she recognized the Nine Revolutions Ice Soul Lotus.

’Since the heavens brought me here, this Nine Revolutions Ice Soul Lotus must have been prepared just for me. I have to take it.’

"Master, I made a new flavor of barbecue! Come and try it!" Nine-tailed called out to Ning Xuan cheerfully.

Nine-tailed was in charge of their meals and knew Ning Xuan’s tastes well. He had not only prepared the barbecue but also handed her a flask of wine. They gathered around the crackling fire, eating and drinking. Listening to the gentle gurgling of the spring, Ning Xuan felt a rare sense of peace.

The valley was beautiful, hidden, and rich with energy. They had just secured an excellent temporary base; it was certainly worth a drink to celebrate.