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Chapter 248 New plans

"Seriously, man, give it a rest. It\'s been three days already," Kevin sighed, glancing at a frog lounging by the mud, its size almost matching his palm.

Viana found herself chuckling at the sight, amused by the ongoing teasing directed at Kevin from the moment he stirred awake.

With a gentle shake of his head and a smile playing on his lips, Kevin took a moment to survey his surroundings. The sky above was gradually darkening, the moon\'s glow casting an ethereal light that hinted at the impending transformation of this shadowy place into a radiant landscape elsewhere.

"Only one flower today as well," Keith remarked with a tinge of disappointment, his gaze fixed on the heavens.

Their quest for the elusive nox flowers had persisted for four days now, resulting in a meager collection of just four blooms. While this tally far surpassed what most people here could gather in weeks, it failed to meet their own expectations.

Kevin also picked one of the herb, which happened to be the most expensive among the lot. However, he did so because no one else seemed eager to claim it. The reason was clear: the herb required processing before consumption, and the associated fees nearly triple its original value.

Yet, Kevin saw an opportunity. This rare herb was in high demand, and he could sell it at a premium. He possessed the ability to hike its price even further if he wished. The herb, known as windless star, was a coveted ingredient among the upper echelons of cultivators. Not everyone was willing to engage with this exclusive circle or offer them goods for sale.

Windless held a unique purpose. It was a key component in potions that heightened a cultivator\'s sensitivity to the wind element—an attribute highly sought after by many high-level practitioners. These cultivators spared no expense to ensure their children had access to such enhancements. Kevin intended to capitalize on this parental love by inflating the price of windless.

As the encroaching darkness veiled the landscape, Keyara made a pragmatic decision to call off the day\'s search. "Let\'s set up camp and convene for a meeting after we\'ve had dinner," she declared, her voice carrying across the gathering.

Responding to her directive, everyone ceased their individual tasks, converging to find a suitable spot amidst the terrain to assemble their tents. Amidst this activity, a few members took on the responsibility of surveying the surroundings, their vigilant eyes scanning for any potential threats lurking in the shadows, determined to preempt any disturbances from nocturnal creatures.

During this specific evening, the responsibility fell upon Keith, Kevin, and Viana to ensure the immediate area was secure. For a prolonged half-hour, they meticulously combed through the periphery of their campsite, keenly observing every nook and cranny. Despite their thorough exploration, no monsters materialized, nor did they discover any telltale signs indicative of frequent monster visits. Their reconnaissance mission concluded without incident, prompting their return to the campsite, which had been efficiently set up in their absence.

Gathered around the flickering fire, Viana took the initiative to brief the others about their expedition, providing a comprehensive overview of their search efforts. As the night settled in and hunger pangs began to assert themselves, the group eagerly partook in their meal, exchanging stories and discussing the day\'s events in the cozy ambiance of the campfire\'s glow.

Keith leaned back against a nearby log, stretching out his legs as he stirred the flickering flames with a stick. "Well, that was quite the scouting adventure today, huh?"

Kevin bobbed his head, adding a handful of twigs to the crackling flames. "I mean, it\'s weird, right? Not a peep from any monsters today. Feels... off."

Throughout their numerous scouting missions in this area, they had always stumbled upon either monsters or their tracks around the campsite. Naturally, they promptly handled these situations. However, today\'s eerie absence of any such encounters left them all on edge, fueling their suspicion.

Viana, arranging her meal beside the fire, chimed in, "True, but I\'m not complaining. A peaceful day means a peaceful night."

Keyara nodded in agreement, glancing around at the others. "We\'ve been lucky so far. Let\'s hope our luck holds through the night."

Keith gestured toward the surrounding darkness. "You know, sometimes the silence out here can be deceiving. We should stay vigilant."

Kevin nodded thoughtfully. "Definitely. These woods have a way of keeping secrets until they\'re ready to reveal them."

Viana looked up from her meal, a spark of curiosity in her eyes. "Do you think there\'s something more lurking out there? Maybe something watching us?"

Keyara shrugged. "Could be. We\'ve seen strange things in these parts before. But for now, let\'s enjoy our meal and keep our guard up."

As the conversation flowed, the crackling flames cast playful shadows around the campsite, creating a captivating dance of light and darkness. Keyara, finally shifting the focus to the meeting, began, "Today\'s agenda is all about devising a new strategy to hunt for the noxlight flower. Kevin\'s plan has served us well, but we need something more efficient than what we currently have..."

She turned to Kevin, adding, "No offense."

"None taken," Kevin replied with a warm smile, basking in the fire\'s gentle heat. He had indeed been mulling over fresh ideas, unsatisfied with the pace of just one noxlight flower per person.

"Does anyone else have alternative plans?" Keyara inquired, scanning each member of the group.

Yelena and Robert, who had largely remained quiet since arriving in the den, caught Keyara\'s attention. "Aunt Yelena, you\'ve been quite observant of our surroundings. Have you noticed anything that might help us locate more noxlight flowers?"

Yelena leaned forward, her eyes reflecting the dancing flames as she contemplated the question. "Well, I\'ve been noticing a peculiar pattern in the vegetation. There\'s a certain type of vine that often intertwines around the noxlight flowers. It\'s subtle, but it could be a marker."

Robert nodded in agreement. "I\'ve been thinking along similar lines. What if we follow these vines, trace their paths? They might lead us to clusters of these flowers."

Keyara furrowed her brow, considering their input. "That\'s an interesting angle. It might just work. But how do we distinguish these vines from the rest?"

Her inquiry stemmed from genuine curiosity. The dense jungle, devoid of human habitation, had allowed nature to reclaim its territory, unfurling a tapestry of dark vines and thick bushes that enveloped the towering trees with wild abandon.

As Keyara posed her question, the fire crackled, its warmth a stark contrast to the cool night air. Yelena leaned back, her gaze flickering between the flames and the dark expanse beyond. "The vine we\'re seeking is subtler in color—a faint silver glint runs along its edges. It\'s almost imperceptible unless you\'re specifically looking for it."

Robert chimed in, his voice steady in the hushed ambience of the camp. "I\'ve been keeping an eye out for those faint glimmers. They seem to coil around certain trees, almost guiding us if we pay close attention."

Kevin, intrigued by this revelation, interjected, "So, we\'re looking for these subtle silver-trimmed vines, right?"

Yelena nodded, her expression earnest. "Yes, precisely. They don\'t stand out much, but they\'re the telltale markers we need to spot."

But relying solely on the vines might not be sufficient. They only grow near the noxlight flowers, and if we get too close, our herb detectors could easily pinpoint there positions. Ken, Zaria, Viana, do any of you have alternative plans to add to this?"

Ken, Zaria, and Viana exchanged glances, each shaking their heads in unison, indicating they hadn\'t formulated any alternative plans.

However, Viana leaned forward, her expression thoughtful. "It\'s not exactly a new plan, but ever since this young lad here mentioned the hallucinations caused by the yellow mamba\'s poison..."

Kevin blushed at the mention, prompting amused glances from the others, some with teasing smiles playing on their lips.

"Yeah, what\'s on your mind about that?" Keyara inquired, her brow furrowing in confusion. She knew Viana had been investigating these phenomena and was keen on gathering information from Kevin, considering he had experienced the effects firsthand.

"Well, in one of his hallucinations, he mentioned battling a pack of shadowcrest lupins," Viana explained, her tone tinged with a grin. "We were all fighting for an herb they guarded. The hallucination was triggered by the desire to acquire more herbs, but that\'s not what I want to explain."

Turning to Keyara, she continued, "What I\'m suggesting is, rather than seeking just one shadowcrest lupin, what if we aim to find an entire pack?"

Keyara, absorbing the idea, nodded thoughtfully. After a brief pause, she turned to Ken and Zaria, knowing they had experience tracking the wolves they\'d hunted before. "Can you two locate a pack of shadowcrest lupins?"

Zaria pondered the question, while Ken exclaimed, "How? I can\'t just conjure them up—I\'m not a deity. Even finding one of them is a challenge. A whole pack? That\'s another level, and facing them... that\'s a whole different ball game." His expression reflected the daunting task of encountering and defeating a full pack of the formidable lupins.

While ken didn\'t wanted to search for a pack, Zaria nodded, acknowledging the challenge. "I can try to track them, but locating an entire pack in just three days might be a stretch." She glanced at Keyara, concern etching her features. "The deadline you set for us to find twenty shadowcrest lupins... it\'s a lofty goal, especially if we\'re aiming for a pack."

Keyara\'s expression mirrored Zaria\'s concern. "I know it\'s ambitious, but we need those herbs urgently."