"Isn't this the village chief? What kind of wind blew you to our place?" Ling Zhenfei, not knowing why Wang Changhe had come, hurriedly went up to greet him.

Wang Changhe, with his hands behind his back, came over with a proud look on his face and said, "Ling Zhenfei, I came today to inform you that the town mayor will be coming here for an inspection tomorrow morning."

"An inspection is just an inspection, what's the big deal?" Actually, Ling Zhenfei was quite surprised. His small farm was not a place he thought the town mayor would personally visit, which was a bit unexpected for him.

"You really don't understand, do you? The town mayor himself is coming for an inspection. Don't you think you should prepare something grand, like putting up some lanterns at the door, setting off some firecrackers, and pasting couplets?" said Wang Changhe, gesturing with his hands.

"Village chief, aren't you thinking too much? We're too busy picking vegetables every day, we don't have time for the stuff you're talking about. Besides, the town mayor is coming for an inspection, not attending a wedding. There's no need for firecrackers or lanterns," Ling Zhenfei replied, causing the workers watching the scene to burst out laughing.

"You troublemakers, you still have the nerve to laugh here. If the town mayor knows you laughed at him like this, your manor might as well close down!" After saying this, Wang Changhe left in a huff.

Knowing the town mayor was coming to inspect, Ling Zhenfei said it was no big deal, but he highly valued it in his heart. After all, he was a commoner and the town mayor was an official. Who knew, the town mayor's visit might bring some developmental opportunities to Xishan Manor. However, Ling Zhenfei had no idea what kind of person the town mayor was.

Ling Zhenfei made arrangements regarding the town mayor's visit, asking everyone to take it seriously. After everything was settled, he walked alone towards the mountain. Ling Zhenfei wanted to see what the path up the mountain had turned into, even though it was already dark, he went up alone.

The path up the mountain had already been worked on for a long stretch. The hill behind Xishan Manor, known to the villagers as Xi Shan, was a slope well-protected with dense trees. Beyond Xi Shan lay Spirit Mountain, a primeval forest stretching over hundreds of miles, with ancient towering trees that blocked out the sun. Previously, Ling Zhenfei's hunting grounds were in this forest, said to be home not only to boars but also tigers and lions, and there were even rumors of the presence of wild men.

Of course, Ling Zhenfei knew that the tales of wild men were far-fetched, but he still held a great respect for nature. During the road construction, he had insisted that the vegetation should not be destroyed. However, it was impossible to build a road up the mountain without cutting down some trees, and Ling Zhenfei saw that some trees had indeed been chopped along the way.

By now, one-third of the road had been completed, and people could pass through smoothly, but the path remained steep. Developing it as a tourist attraction would still take a long time.

Soon, he reached the summit and looked down at Xishan Manor and the village below, twinkling like stars. The cool mountain breeze and the fresh air made his body feel very comfortable.

Ling Zhenfei took a deep breath and suddenly smelled a distinct scent in the air. It struck him that he had smelled this fragrance before in Heaven-Dropping Essence Marrow. Inside were all Heavenly and Earthly Treasures; it was a scent that only those possessed. Could it be that there were Immortal Herbs in Xi Shan?

With this thought, Ling Zhenfei hastily followed the scent. He didn't walk far along the mountain road before the path became rugged, leading to the edge of Spirit Mountain. The moonlight was bright, illuminating the ground and making it look snow-white.

Through the rugged terrain lay a spacious platform surrounded by lush trees, but here there were no tall trees, only low shrubs. Amidst the distant shrubs on a patch of broken stones among the weeds, a peculiar small flower was blooming brightly, standing tall and elegant with large leaves encircling the vivid blossom like stars around the moon, making it appear quite special—and the strange fragrance emanated from this very flower.

"Moon Holding Grass!"

Upon seeing this herb, Ling Zhenfei was so excited he almost shouted. This herb, known as Moon Holding Grass, was clearly documented in the "Immortal Herbs Farming and Medical Classic" he had studied. It was a very rare Spiritual Medicine and Medicinal Primer. However, the "Immortal Herbs Farming and Medical Classic" that Ling Zhenfei studied was an ancient text, and many of the herbs mentioned had become extinct. He had never seen the Moon Holding Grass in modern society, and it was surprising to find it in Xi Shan.

Ling Zhenfei, thrilled, hurried towards the herb. The closer he got, the stronger the fragrance of the Moon Holding Grass became, deeply captivating him. When he was just a few meters away from the herb, suddenly, a cold gust surged towards Ling Zhenfei.

Ling Zhenfei was seasoned in battle, having faced countless attacks, but this was the first time he had encountered one so fast. Although he could not see what was attacking him, he knew that a hit from this thing would likely be fatal. With his attention fully captured by the Moon Holding Grass, he was unprepared for an attack in the mountain's nighttime, making evasion almost impossible now.

Ling Zhenfei knew he could not avoid it and had to rely on brute force for a solution. He mobilized the Spiritual Power within his body and struck out towards the assailant, which aimed straight for Ling Zhenfei's throat, intending a fatal blow. The attack was so fast it had already reached Ling Zhenfei's face.

Ling Zhenfei's eyes were like electricity, and at this moment, he saw clearly that what was attacking him was, in fact, a large Snake as thick as a man's arm, now opening its gaping maw towards Ling Zhenfei's throat.

Initially, Ling Zhenfei wanted to punch the Snake and send it flying, but upon seeing the gaping maw, he quickly changed his plan and grabbed the Snake's neck with his hand.

The Snake was extremely strong, and Ling Zhenfei nearly lost grip with one hand and quickly switched to using both hands. Even then, holding the Snake was still strenuous, feeling as though it possessed the strength of a thousand jun.

Though the Snake struggled fiercely, twisting its body, it was unable to escape Ling Zhenfei's grasp.

Ling Zhenfei was shocked. He now had a clear view of the Snake—its triangular head, thin scales, and dark, iron-like body. On its triangular head, there was a protruding orb, making it look bizarre.

Ling Zhenfei, who had grown up in the mountains and was very familiar with its creatures, had seen many poisonous insects and wild beasts but had never come across such a peculiar Snake. He didn't know what species it was, but it's often said that Heavenly and Earthly Treasures like Immortal Herbs are guarded by beasts, and apparently, this Snake was the guardian of the Moon Holding Grass.

Just then, he suddenly saw the Snake open its large mouth and its forked tongue flicker strangely. Ling Zhenfei didn't know what the Snake was attempting to do and was contemplating how to respond when he suddenly heard someone shouting from not far away.

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