The Arctic Mountain Range had numerous identical valleys like this. This particular valley they had arrived at didn’t have a name. Perhaps due to its proximity to the glacier region, it was considerably colder than Solitary Ridge as freezing wind blew harshly from within the valley.
They tightened their clothes and proceeded to open up a path through the knee-high vegetation with their weapons, making their way deeper into the valley.
As expected, they found a lake right in the middle of the valley. The sides of the lake were abundant in dense clusters of aquatic plants, and above its surface were thin layers of swirling fog. Enshrouded by the light blanketing vapor, the inner portion of the valley presented a uniquely beautiful and misty scenery.
“The Stellar Iron is at the bottom of this lake?” Tu Ze excitedly looked at Qin Lie, while asking for a final confirmation.
Qin Lie nodded.
Tu Ze yelled out in joy and directly jumped into the lake without hesitation.
“Ah! The water’s so damn cold!” Abruptly surfacing from the water with a drenched head, Tu Ze said as he heartily laughed out loud, ”Come on in and wash yourselves! After travelling within the mountains for so long, we have yet to see a lake with such clean water. We’d better not miss this chance.”
Being hygienic was a woman’s natural tendency. At this, even the usually casual Zhuo Qian could no longer hold herself in. With a charming smile, she gracefully dived into the lake.
The remaining six others were full of glee too. One by one, they rushed into the waters, hurriedly cleaning their bodies first before diving towards the bottom of the lake.
Qin Lie watched on for a while. After making sure they were busy searching for the Stellar Iron, he began to wade among the plants and stones at the side of the lake.
The length of a typical Ice Stalk Grass was only that of a human’s forearm and half of it was usually rooted into the ground between pieces of rocks. Only a small portion of it would protrude above the water’s surface and even then, it would usually grow in the midst of various common water grass and algaes, making it extremely hard to find.
Had Qin Lie not known in advance that there was Ice Stalk Grass to be found here thanks to his grandfather’s map, even if he frequently passed through here, it would be highly improbable for him to discover its existence without carefully digging about the aquatic plants.
However, since he was certain that there was Ice Stalk Grass around here, the result would definitely be different.
Qin Lie steadily circled the shores of the lake, maintaining his calm as he meticulously searched…
Within minutes, a single stalk of a plain-looking grass came into the corner of his vision. Qin Lie’s face shone with delight as he immediately made his way towards it, carefully plucking it from among a dense patch of aquatic vegetation.
The entire stalk of Ice Stalk Grass was retrieved. It was less than half a meter long and 2 fingers wide.
The leaves were olive in color and cold to the hands, with numerous fine veins on its surface. The pattern of the veins looked very similar to the meridians of a human body, looking as though it contained mysteries within.
“Common Grade Five……”
Qin Lie muttered under his breath. After tightly securing one end of the Ice Stalk Grass, he stored it in a leather bag at his waist and continued his search.
“Hahaha! I found it, I found a bit of Stellar Iron, it’s really here!”
Fatty Kang Zhi’s exhilarated laughters rang out from a corner of the lake. He held up a small piece of a shiny, silver stone fragment the size of a small fingernail and continuously waved it back and forth, pinched between his fingers
The piece of stone fragment shone brightly under the reflection of the sunlight like a rare metal, as though it really was a meteorite that came from the stars.
Tu Ze, Zhuo Qian and others were still at the bottom of the lake when they heard his outburst of laughter. They broke through the surface of the lake to see Kang Zhi’s smug face as he started to brag that he was “favored by the gods”, a “child of nature” and other shameless claims.
They ignored Kang Zhi’s infuriating choice of words as their passionate gazes convened on that small shiny fragment, then quickly broke out into loud cheers after which they resumed diving with renewed gusto.
Certain that the bottom of the lake indeed contained Stellar Iron, the group of seven started to act like they were injected with chicken blood. They searched furiously within the lake without pause, occasionally surfacing only when they absolutely had to catch their breath.
Qin Lie paid them no attention, solely focused on searching for more Ice Stalk Grass while conveniently on the lookout for unexpected dangers.
Five days passed in a blink of an eye.
In these five days, Qin Lie had harvested more than ten of those Ice Stalk Grass. Whenever night fell, he would refine the