I Can Devour Spirits

The twilight had gradually darkened, and in the dense rolling mountains, the sky seemed to dim even earlier compared to outside the mountain.

Pan Yong stood up, glanced at the work in everyone’s hands, and said, ”Your tasks are almost done, pack up. The rest, Duan Rong and I will finish up. You all can head back to prepare dinner.”

Yin Cong sealed the last jar he had and said, ”I’m done here.”

Chen Hu and Tang Zhu didn’t speak, dropped their tasks, and stood up to leave.

”Wait for me, you two.” Yin Cong immediately chased after them.

Pan Yong watched Duan Rong, still peeling insects, and said, ”Alright, Duan Rong. No need to peel more, we have enough.”

In just over an hour, Duan Rong had already filled more than half the wooden basin. One insect, with its plump body wriggling, had already crawled to the edge of the basin, about to climb over. Pan Yong casually swept it back into the rolling pile of insects in the basin.

Pan Yong said, ”Come on, let’s team up one more time. There’s one more step.”

As he spoke, Pan Yong sat down at a nearby oddly shaped wooden apparatus, pulled open a handle-like component, then took a ladle, scooped some of the plump insects, and poured them into the recessed middle of the wooden apparatus.

Pan Yong looked up at Duan Rong and nodded towards the handle beside him, saying, ”Press this down!”

Duan Rong’s eyes twitched as he realized what to do, grasping the handle and pressing a round grip into the recessed area where the insects were placed.

With a hissing sound, a stream of pulp flowed out from a bamboo tube at the front end of the wooden apparatus, into a black ceramic jar that Pan Yong had prepared beforehand.

Accompanying the trickling sound of the pulp, an extremely strong stench assaulted their senses.

Duan Rong had already prepared himself, holding his breath the instant he pushed down the handle, but even so, his face looked quite unpleasant.

Pan Yong glanced at Duan Rong and said, ”It’s always like this at the start. Over time, you’ll find these insects are nothing.”

Pan Yong was quite satisfied with Duan Rong’s performance.

Until now, he hadn’t vomited, which already ranked him in the top three. The other two were himself and Chen Hu.

Both were quick-minded; in half the time it would take for an incense stick to burn, they had efficiently worked together to press all the plump insects into pulp.

Pan Yong stood up and poured pre-prepared herbal powder into the jar receiving the smelly pulp. Then, holding the jar, he shook it a bit before sealing its mouth, placing it in a corner.

Only then did Pan Yong wipe his hands, look at Duan Rong, and say, ”Wait for me here for a moment.”

Saying this, Pan Yong walked into the cave.

By now, the sky was dark, and the inside of the cave was pitch black, but from the side chamber, a dim light shone through.

Pan Yong walked into the side chamber.

The twilight was gloomy, Shang Xiangyu had lit a candle lamp on the desk, leaning close to the flame as he continued to look at the notebook in his hand.

Pan Yong walked in, made a bow, and then said, ”Master Shang, all ingredients for tomorrow’s alchemy are ready.”

The deep contemplation in Shang Xiangyu’s eyes slowly faded as he looked at Pan Yong for a while before saying, ”Mm. How’s that kid Duan Rong doing?”

Pan Yong said, ”That kid doesn’t say much but is quite handy at work.”

Shang Xiangyu nodded and said, ”Let him participate in tomorrow’s alchemy.”

Pan Yong’s eyes flickered, and he said, ”Yes.”

Usually, new arrivals would only begin to participate in alchemy after half a year. For Duan Rong, after just one day, Master Shang wanted him to take part in alchemy.

Something about this was unusual!

Pan Yong exited the side chamber, his face dark as he walked to the outside of the stone cave.

Outside the stone cave, in the bleak twilight, Duan Rong held a strangely shaped artifact.

Pan Yong glanced at it and said, ”That’s a shaving knife, custom-made by Master Shang. It’s somewhat different from those outside.”

Duan Rong nodded, placing it aside.

He just devoured all the artifacts here, but they were all merely practical-level artifact spirits.

Pan Yong said, ”Duan Rong, follow me. I’ll first arrange your accommodation.”

Duan Rong said, ”Thank you, Brother Pan.”

Duan Rong picked up his backpack placed by the cave’s entrance and followed Pan Yong, crossing over the fence and walking along the cliff, suddenly spotting seven or eight scattered caves in the dim twilight.

Pan Yong said, ”Let’s go to that one over there. It was previously inhabited, and the person just left two months ago. The things in the cave are in better order.”

Duan Rong followed Pan Yong to one of the cave entrances. It was now at a bend in the mountain path, and further ahead, the rugged mountain trail led into the dense forest.

Duan Rong placed his backpack at the cave entrance.

Pan Yong said, ”Junior brother, you can tidy up later. Let me first tell you what needs to be explained.”

Saying this, Pan Yong walked over there, heading towards the dense forest along the mountain trail.

”Actually, it’s only busy here when Master Shang is doing alchemy. Usually, it’s relatively quiet.”

”Everyone has a herbal garden to tend to. This plot was managed by someone for over a year. They left a little more than a month ago, and since then I’ve been taking care of it. Now that you’re here, it’s yours.”

Speaking, Pan Yong had already led Duan Rong into the forest, to a clearing that was evidently man-made.

Duan Rong’s eyes moved slightly.

This clearing was full of Profound Withered Vine and Frosty Wormwood.

Each Profound Withered Vine climbed over wooden frames, while the gaps between them were filled with the fuzzy Frosty Wormwood...

Pan Yong and Duan Rong walked in the dusky forest towards the mountain cave.