Fleeing from famine? Not a chance; the divine healer's wife made her fortune.

Treasure hunting and herb gathering, the perilous pass was finally overcome.

Su Yunlan's heart tightened; she naturally understood the meaning behind Xiao Yuhan's words.

In this deep mountain forest, danger lurks everywhere, and Hunter Mo's warning was not unfounded.

She gripped Xiao Yuhan's hand tightly and gave him a reassuring look: "Don't worry, I'll be careful."

The two followed Xiong Da deeper into the mountains. The mountain path became increasingly rugged, with ancient trees reaching for the sky and blocking out the sun. Only dappled sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, creating shimmering spots of light on the ground.

The air was filled with the scent of damp earth, mixed with the fragrance of unknown flowers, which was refreshing and added a touch of mystery.

"We're almost there," Xiong Da said in a deep voice, a hint of excitement on his rugged face. "That place is not easily found by ordinary people."

As they ventured deeper, the surrounding trees grew taller and their foliage became denser, almost completely obscuring the sky and making the forest even darker.

An inexplicable sense of oppression enveloped their hearts, as if something was lurking in the shadows, watching their every move.

Finally, they arrived at a valley.

The valley was shrouded in mist, and a faint medicinal fragrance filled the air.

In the center of the valley, there grows a plant that is entirely green and emits a shimmering light; it is clearly no ordinary plant.

"That's it!" Xiong Da pointed at the plant, his eyes filled with excitement.

However, at that moment, a huge python darted out from a crevice in the rock next to the plant, flicking its long tongue and hissing, protecting the plant behind it.

The python's scales gleamed with a cold light in the dim light, and its golden vertical pupils stared intently at Su Yunlan and the others, filled with hostility.

"Oh no, it's a snake demon!" Xiong Da's expression changed, and he exclaimed in surprise.

Hunter Mo immediately became alert, drew his hunting knife from his waist, and stared intently at the giant python.

Xiao Yuhan shielded Su Yunlan behind him, his long sword drawn, its cold light flashing.

He said in a deep voice, "Lan'er, be careful."

Su Yunlan gripped the dagger tightly in her hand, her gaze fixed firmly on the giant python before her, thinking to herself, "It seems a fierce battle is inevitable..."

Xiong Da swallowed hard and said in a low voice, "This beast is guarding the precious medicine; it might not be easy to deal with..."

Xiao Yuhan gave a low shout and charged towards the snake demon first.

The longsword in his hand sliced ​​through the air, bringing with it a sharp, cold wind, aimed directly at the snake demon's vital spot.

The snake demon was enormous, but its movements were exceptionally agile. It twisted its thick body, easily dodging Xiao Yuhan's attacks, while simultaneously opening its blood-red maw, revealing sharp fangs, and biting at Xiao Yuhan.

Xiao Yuhan swayed, narrowly avoiding the snake demon's gaping maw, and swung his sword backhand, aiming at the snake demon once more.

The snake demon, in pain, hissed and roared, its tail lashing out at Xiao Yuhan like an iron whip.

Xiao Yuhan reacted extremely quickly, rolling to the side to dodge the snake's tail attack, but his clothes were torn by the tail wind.

Su Yunlan watched anxiously from the side, gripping the dagger tightly in her hand and following Xiao Yuhan's figure with anxious eyes, wishing she could rush up to help him immediately.

But she knew that with her skills, rushing forward would only make her a burden to Xiao Yuhan.

Seeing this, Xiong Da and Mo the Hunter also joined the battle. They flanked Xiao Yuhan from the left and right, launching a siege against the snake demon.

Xiong Da brandished his machete with fierce power, each strike carrying the force to split mountains and shatter rocks; Mo the hunter, on the other hand, moved elusively, his hunting knife like a venomous snake, waiting for the right moment to strike, searching for the snake demon's weakness.

However, the snake demon's strength far exceeded their expectations. Its body was as hard as iron, impervious to swords and blades, and its attack methods were extremely diverse. It could not only lash out with its tail, but also bite with its venomous fangs and spew out poisonous mist, leaving everyone exhausted and the battle temporarily deadlocked.

The surrounding trees rustled and fell leaves as they fought, and a tense atmosphere filled the air.

Seeing that the battle was going badly, Su Yunlan quickly thought of a countermeasure.

She knew that a direct confrontation was not the best strategy and that she had to find another way.

She quickly took out a small cloth bag from her spatial storage, which was filled with realgar powder.

Taking advantage of the lull in the fight between the group and the snake demon, she quickly sprinkled realgar powder on the snake demon.

The smell of realgar powder stimulated the snake demon's nerves, causing its massive body to slow down and its movements to become less swift.

The snake demon let out a painful hiss, its body twisting more violently, but its movements slowed down noticeably.

"A good opportunity!" Xiao Yuhan's eyes lit up. He seized the moment when the snake demon's movements slowed down and struck again with his longsword.

This time, he was no longer testing the waters, but going all out to kill the opponent in one blow.

Xiong Da and Mo the Hunter also took the opportunity to intensify their offensive. They worked in perfect harmony with Xiao Yuhan, constantly shrinking the snake demon's space to maneuver.

Under the combined attack of the three, the snake demon was forced to retreat step by step, and cracks began to appear on its scales.

Looking at the battle situation before him, Su Yunlan breathed a slight sigh of relief.

She knew that the battle was nearing its end, and the scales of victory were tipping in their favor.

Just then, Xiao Yuhan's eyes narrowed, and his long sword, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, thrust straight at the snake demon's vital point, seemingly about to succeed...

"Be careful..." Su Yunlan suddenly exclaimed, her heart skipping a beat.

Xiao Yuhan's longsword, like a rainbow, pierced the air with a sharp sound, precisely striking the snake demon's vital spot.

Wherever the sword passed, blood gushed out, staining the surrounding soil and vegetation red.

The serpent demon's massive body stiffened abruptly, its enormous head slamming heavily onto the ground with a muffled thud, before it ceased to move.

As the dust settled, the air was filled with a strong smell of blood and a faint aroma of medicine.

Su Yunlan's heart was still pounding, but when she saw the giant snake demon finally fall to the ground, an indescribable joy rose in her heart.

She knew they had succeeded; they had overcome this formidable obstacle.

Xiong Da and Mo the hunter also breathed a long sigh of relief. They looked at the snake demon's corpse and smiled with relief.

Xiong Da raised his machete and let out an excited howl that echoed through the valley, filled with the joy of victory.

Mo the hunter rarely showed a faint smile. He gently wiped the bloodstains from his hunting knife, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes.

Xiao Yuhan slowly drew his longsword, the blade still bearing traces of the snake demon's blood, gleaming menacingly in the sunlight.

He ignored everyone else and walked straight to Su Yunlan, pulling her into a tight embrace.

His embrace was warm and strong, as if it could withstand all the storms of the world.

Su Yunlan rested her head on Xiao Yuhan's chest, feeling his strong heartbeat, and felt a sense of security.

She took a deep breath. The air was filled with a faint smell of blood, as well as the fresh scent of earth and grass, which made her feel incredibly safe and comfortable.

She knew that no matter how many difficulties and obstacles lay ahead, as long as Xiao Yuhan was by her side, she would be fearless.

Feeling Xiao Yuhan's arms tightly around her, Su Yunlan reached out and hugged him back.

Their bodies pressed tightly together, as if they had become one, sharing the joy of victory.

Those around them watched them embrace tightly, and smiles of relief appeared on their faces.

They all knew that the couple's love had become even deeper and more unshakable after this life-or-death battle.

After a short rest, they turned their attention to the precious medicinal herb that was emitting a soft glow.

Su Yunlan stepped forward and carefully picked the medicinal herb.

Upon touching her fingertips, a cool sensation instantly flowed into them, making her feel full of energy.

She realized that the value of this medicinal herb far exceeded her previous imagination; it could not only be used to refine high-grade pills, but also to save lives.

Xiong Da and Mo the hunter also gathered around. They looked at the medicinal herb in Su Yunlan's hand. Although they did not understand medicine, they knew how precious this herb was.

Just then, a series of footsteps suddenly came from afar, growing louder and louder, breaking the tranquility of the valley.

Xiao Yuhan's eyes sharpened, and he immediately shielded Su Yunlan behind him, gripping his long sword tightly.

Xiong Da and Mo the Hunter also assumed defensive stances, watching the direction from which the sound came warily.

"How...how did you get here?" an old voice asked, tinged with surprise and displeasure.

After a series of rustling footsteps, an elderly man with white hair and beard, dressed in coarse linen clothes, leaning on a cane, slowly walked out of the dense forest, surrounded by a group of strong men.

The old man was none other than Elder Gu. His eyes were sharp as he swept over the crowd and finally landed on the huge snake demon corpse.

The wrinkles on his face deepened suddenly, becoming cloudy.

"You... how dare you kill the spirit serpent guarding the sacred medicine!" Elder Gu's voice was deep and hoarse, carrying an undeniable authority.

He pointed at the snake demon's corpse, his fingers trembling slightly, his voice filled with grief and anger.

Su Yunlan stepped forward, about to explain, but was stopped by Xiao Yuhan.

Xiao Yuhan stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Elder, please calm down. We did not know what sacred medicine this snake demon was guarding. We had no choice but to kill it in self-defense."

"Self-defense?" Elder Gu sneered. "This spirit serpent has been guarding the sacred medicine for a hundred years and has never harmed anyone, yet you cruelly killed it. And you dare to call it self-defense?" The men behind him also gripped their weapons tightly, staring menacingly at Su Yunlan and the others. A tense atmosphere filled the air.

Su Yunlan's heart sank, knowing that the matter could not be explained in just a few words.

Just as she was about to speak, she heard a clear voice: "Grandpa Gu, wait!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Miss Lin running out of the dense forest. She ran breathlessly to Elder Gu and said anxiously, "Grandpa Gu, they're not bad people, they've come to..."

Miss Lin recounted in detail the purpose of Su Yunlan and his group's visit, as well as their experiences along the way.

After hearing this, Elder Gu's anger gradually subsided, but his brows remained furrowed.

He pondered for a moment, then his gaze fell on Su Yunlan: "You said you know medicine?"

Su Yunlan nodded, her tone firm: "This junior has some medical knowledge and is willing to treat the villagers in the mountains."

Elder Gu gave Su Yunlan a deep look and slowly said, "Since that's the case, I will give you a chance. If you can really cure the villagers' illnesses, I will allow you to collect the sacred medicine."

Su Yunlan was overjoyed and quickly replied, "Thank you for your kindness, Elder."

Under Miss Lin's guidance, Su Yunlan treated the villagers in the mountains one by one.

Her superb medical skills and meticulous care quickly won the trust and gratitude of the villagers.

The villagers took out their treasured herbs and food to express their gratitude to Su Yunlan.

Seeing the villagers' grateful eyes, Su Yunlan felt warm and touched.

She knew that she had not only obtained precious medicinal herbs, but also gained an even more precious friendship.

As Elder Gu watched all this, the expression on his face gradually softened.

He walked up to Su Yunlan and said slowly, "You are indeed a kind and skilled doctor."

Su Yunlan smiled modestly and said, "Elder, you flatter me. I was just doing my best."

Elder Gu nodded, pointed to the medicinal herb that was emitting a soft glow, and said, "Go, gather the herbs you need."

Su Yunlan was overjoyed and was about to step forward when Elder Gu suddenly reached out and stopped her.

He looked at Su Yunlan, a complex expression flashing in his eyes, and slowly said, "However..."

Su Yunlan carefully put the emerald green herb into her spatial storage. As soon as she held the herb, a cool spiritual energy flowed into her body through her fingertips, invigorating her spirit.

She knew that this herb was not only an excellent material for refining elixirs, but also a treasure for saving lives.

Elder Gu looked at Su Yunlan and said, "You can take any medicinal herbs from this mountain that you need."

"

Su Yunlan felt a warmth in her heart and quickly cupped her hands in thanks: "Thank you, Elder!"

Miss Lin happily took Su Yunlan's hand, her eyes crinkling with a radiant smile: "I knew you two must be good people!"

At Elder Gu's command, the villagers of the mountain village came out of their homes, carrying all kinds of food and gifts, their faces beaming with simple smiles.

They stuffed steaming hot roasted meat, sweet fruits, and some unidentified wild vegetables into Su Yunlan and Xiao Yuhan's hands.

"Our benefactors, you saved us. This is just a small token of our gratitude!" an old woman said kindly, her voice hoarse.

"Yes, benefactors, you must accept this! If it weren't for you, we don't know how much suffering we would have endured!" a burly man said with a simple smile, his dark face full of sincerity.

Su Yunlan and Xiao Yuhan were surrounded by the villagers' enthusiasm, and their hearts were filled with emotion and warmth.

These simple and honest mountain people expressed their gratitude to them with their most sincere emotions.

Looking at the abundance of food in her hands and then at the kind smiles on the faces, Su Yunlan felt a mix of emotions.

She knew that these were more precious than any gold or silver jewelry.

“We appreciate everyone’s kindness!” Xiao Yuhan said in a deep voice. He looked around at the villagers with a gentle gaze. “We will remember your kindness and repay you in the future.”

Upon hearing Xiao Yuhan's words, the villagers' smiles widened, and they nodded in agreement, indicating that their sentiments had been accepted.

Surrounded by the villagers, Su Yunlan and Xiao Yuhan prepared to leave the mountain village.

Xiong Da and Mo the Hunter walked ahead, clearing the way for them.

Miss Lin followed Su Yunlan with reluctance, repeatedly reminding them to be careful on their journey.

Su Yunlan was filled with emotion. Although she had experienced many dangers during this trip to the deep mountains, she had ultimately gained precious medicinal herbs and sincere friendships, which made her feel extremely satisfied.

She glanced back at the villagers standing at the village entrance, waving goodbye, and silently said in her heart, "I will remember you all, I will definitely come back!"

However, when they reached the only road leading out of the mountains, the scene before them instantly changed their expressions.

The once flat mountain road is now completely covered by huge boulders, as if it had been smashed by a giant's punch.

The towering piles of earth and rocks formed a mountain, completely blocking their way out of the mountains.

The air seemed to freeze, and all around was deathly silent, with only a gentle breeze rustling through the leaves.

Xiao Yuhan frowned as he looked at the earth and rocks that were almost as high as the mountains before him. He gripped his longsword tightly and turned to Su Yunlan behind him, saying, "Lan'er, this..."