The Journey of Immortal Cultivation
Chapter 98 - 78: Stone Cave in the Rain (10 consecutive updates, 6)_2

Chapter 98: Chapter 78: Stone Cave in the Rain (10 consecutive updates, 6)_2

Though he had sworn a Blood Oath, as long as he reported back to his superiors, the Wolf Caravan would naturally take revenge for him. Moreover, the incident involved the Deacon’s son, so it wasn’t considered a breach of the oath. Deng Hao and others were very clear about this in their hearts; they just wanted to ensure the safety of this journey first and would worry about the rest later. After all, they were people who risked their lives for a living; if they were to be in constant fear, they might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes.

The Deacon’s son, upon hearing that the merchant team that robbed his prey was just ahead, turned his head and glared fiercely several times. Fortunately, he wasn’t a complete fool; he knew his team was at a disadvantage and refrained from provocations. Seeing that the fellow was only twenty-three or twenty-four, with swollen eyes, pale complexion, and a thin frame—obviously a result of indulgence in alcohol and sex—the people of the Cloud Tiger Trading Team wanted to laugh at what Luo You had said about the son injuring the Black Bear Demon. But Deng Hao turned around and glared at them fiercely, suppressing their laughter.

Now was not the time to stir up new trouble.

Deng Hao ordered the merchant team to voluntarily halt and let the Wolf Caravan go first. However, this well-intentioned gesture did not gain the favor of the other party. Almost the entire day passed in an eerie silence. Even the woods had been much quieter than the previous days, with hardly any roars of tigers or howls of apes.

They did not see the sunset. From dusk, the storm clouds returned, and the good weather that lasted only two days was followed by the pouring rain, which came down so quickly that there was no time to prepare for shelter. Fortunately, this time, they were not standing beneath a dangerous cliff and didn’t have to endure the risk of rockslides.

In the sky beyond the clouds, lightning was like a dragon, stirring the wind and waves; the rain grew heavier and advanced from drizzle to downpour.

The Wolf Caravan, walking ahead, suddenly burst into cheers. As the lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the surroundings, they clearly saw a huge cave on a small mound several hundred meters ahead.

The trees in the mountains were massive, and there were few rocks, making it challenging to find shelter once the heavy rain hit. Stumbling upon a cave was indeed lucky, provided there were no other demons residing within.

The Wolf Caravan quickened their pace and soon reached the cave. The entrance was fifteen meters wide and ten meters high, with some jagged sharp rocks at the entrance, making the interior dark and unclear. Luo You was cautious enough to send a sentry into the cave to inspect, while the rest waited outside.

After a while, the sentry returned excitedly to report that the cave was straightforward with just a single path, no branches, so it was impossible to get lost. Additionally, the interior was empty and dry, with no traces of other beasts or demons, and the depth reached over twenty meters, enough to accommodate a merchant team. He also announced that at the bottom of the cave, there was a small spring with blue, shimmery water that emitted a strange fragrance, warm to the touch—apparently a hot spring.

Who wouldn’t want to spend a night sheltering from the torrential rain in a cave with good visibility and dry ground, especially one with a hot spring?

The Deacon’s son, having traveled with the team for more than a month, knew that despite receiving the best service available, it wasn’t as convenient as being at home. The worst part was the inconvenience of bathing in the wilderness; he was used to being served by beauties during baths at home, but after over thirty days in the wild, he had almost forgotten what a warm bath felt like.

If the sentry hadn’t mentioned the hot spring, it wouldn’t have crossed his mind, but the mention alone made the Deacon’s son’s back itch unbearably, making him eager to rush into the cave and soak in the warm water to wash away the dust. Seeing Luo You hesitating, his face darkened as he urged, "Deputy Leader Luo, what’s there to hesitate about? Hurry and go in, or do you want to wait for the team behind us to take the lead?"

The cave’s environment was too good to be true. But since the sentry had already checked it, and it wasn’t big inside, what could go wrong if they entered cautiously watching for any demonic pranks? Luo You only subconsciously felt something amiss, but couldn’t articulate what exactly was troubling him.

Seeing the Deacon’s son urging repeatedly, he grew impatient and signaled, "Alright, everyone, hurry into the cave." He turned to look back; the Cloud Tiger Trading Team stood afar, seemingly not intending to compete with the Wolf Caravan for the overnight shelter.

Frankly speaking, the cave was only so big, and it couldn’t accommodate the more than four hundred people from both trading teams. Since the Cloud Tiger had no intention of coming over, they had no choice but to find another place to rest.

He would report to the headquarters later and take his revenge. With a sinister glance at Deng Hao, he led the team into the cave.

Deng Hao had long ago asked everyone to halt. The folks from the Cloud Tiger Trading Team had been eager to seize the cave first, but he had vetoed them. Fortunately, his brothers had followed him around for many years and had great faith in him; though they were displeased, they all looked up to him expectantly.

There was nowhere else nearby suitable to take shelter from the rain. He could only ask the team to move to higher ground and then set up the tents. The last supply cart carried ten large tents, all made from quality oilcloth and hide, with decent water and fire resistance. Although it might be a bit cramped, the entire company of more than two hundred people could fit inside. This was essential for many trading teams when traveling across the northern prairies.

But then a clerk asked Deng Hao, "Boss Deng, why didn’t we take that cave? The Wolf Caravan was frightened by us yesterday and surely wouldn’t dare to fight us now."

Deng Hao stared intently in the direction of the cave and said gravely, "I’ve been down this road three times, but I don’t recall there being a cave here."

(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)

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