Master Shi glanced at him a few tis, then reached out to grab him.
The little boy shuddered and suddenly leapt up, kowtowing repeatedly, crying out, "Master, please have rcy on this child. Cultivation has not been easy for ; spare , please..."
Hearing his fragile and sorrowful voice, Master Shi paused his hand and reassured him, saying, "Do not fear. I do not wish to take your life. I only need to borrow your Essence Blood to find the Ganoderma Ancestor."
The little boy froze for a mont and then frantically waved his hands, saying, "Master is searching for the Ancestor? Even if you take my Essence Blood, you won’t be able to catch him..."
Master Shi feigned ignorance, saying, "Oh? And why is that? If you can give a reason, I will spare you."
The little boy hurriedly said, "Ever since the Taihao Sect Ancestor sealed the mountain, the Ancestor has been cultivating for over four thousand years. He long ago shed his physical form and transford into an untainted Clear Qi. He can traverse rivers and mountains within a single day. It is impossible for you two Masters to find him."
Master Shi smiled faintly and said, "You child have misunderstood . The Ganoderma Ancestor’s Daoist Cultivation is unfathomably profound. Even the current Taihao Sect Leader might not be able to catch him. I only seek the husk he has shed."
The little boy bit his finger and lowered his voice, saying, "That... that won’t work either. No one knows where the Ancestor hid his husk. Even the people from Taihao Sect have searched several tis without success."
Zhang Yan silently pondered to himself. As valuable as the One Qi Ganoderma might be, its use is limited to Solidifying Pill refinent. Those able to enter this Great Void Defense Array might only possess Xuan Guang Cultivation, which is no greater than the realm above ordinary Loose Cultivators. If the Taihao Sect Leader were the one managing the array, he could potentially enter, but as the Sect Leader, he would hardly stoop to such tasks.
Though the boy’s words seed evasive, Master Shi did not grow angry, keeping his smiling deanor and ceasing his inquiry altogether. Instead, he shifted to idle chit-chat, speaking of amusing anecdotes from his youth, the boundless wonders of the East Splendor Continent, and the dazzling splendor of the mortal world.
The boy, simple-minded, had grown in Qingcun Mountain since birth and had seen little of the world even after his Transformation. He had never stepped foot outside Qingcun Mountain and always avoided visiting cultivators from afar, never speaking to them. Where would he have heard such tales?
Now, as Master Shi spoke, the boy listened intently, his fear gradually fading. His eyes twinkled with curiosity, and during particularly captivating monts, he clapped his hands in delight.
Zhang Yan sat quietly to the side, keeping his gaze lowered and breathing steady, never uttering a single word. Since he had invited Master Shi to search for the Ganoderma, he trusted him fully and allowed him to act as he saw fit.
By noon, Master Shi withdrew his words, his lips curling into a slight smile. He turned to the boy and said, "Little friend, our eting today is fated. Neither I nor this fellow Daoist Li wish to harm anyone’s cultivation. Today, we’ll let you go..."
The boy’s face lit up with joy, and he exclaid, "Really?" He cautiously cast a timid glance at Zhang Yan.
Zhang Yan smiled faintly and said, "Since Master Shi is letting you go, I naturally won’t stop you. Once we leave the mountain, it’s unlikely we’ll have another chance to return in this lifeti. We may never et again, so go and cultivate diligently."
Master Shi raised his gaze to Zhang Yan, nodding lightly, his eyes showing a hint of approval.
The boy sneaked a few glances at the two, then in a flash, he darted away. "Shrrmp!" With a single sound, he vanished without a trace.
Neither Zhang Yan nor Master Shi moved and showed no reaction at all. Silence returned to the cavern, interrupted only by the faint hums of insects and rustle of grass outside.
After roughly two hours passed, their expressions suddenly shifted, and they both began to chuckle. From outside, a wisp of Clear Qi drifted in, gradually forming a shape atop the stone table—it was the dicine Mushroom boy, returning after leaving.
The Ganoderma boy shouted toward Master Shi, "Master, Master, if this child is willing to help you locate the Ancestor’s husk, would you be willing to take out of Qingcun Mountain?"
Having left earlier, he found himself increasingly fascinated by the allure of the mortal world and quickly turned back mid-journey.
Master Shi let out an "Oh?" and said, "Aren’t you afraid that if you help , your Ancestor will seek trouble with you?"
The boy shook his head, saying, "The Ancestor once said that this place is protected by the Great Array, free from disasters and misfortunes. Thus, the husk is of no use to him. Besides, as long as his Lifebound Essence remains intact, it would take no more than a decade to gestate another husk again. The child’s reluctance earlier stemd from not wanting the Ancestor’s husk to be taken away for nothing, which was why I lied to the Immortal Master."
Master Shi exchanged a glance with Zhang Yan, then smiled and said, "Very well. If you are willing to assist , I will take you out to witness the wonders of the mortal realm."
Upon hearing this, the boy was overjoyed. His eyes curved into crescents, and he clapped and danced about, laughing gleefully. But suddenly, his expression changed as though realizing sothing, and his face turned pale. He clutched his head in worry, crying out, "Trouble has arrived."
He glanced around nervously, spotting the porcelain bottle that had previously held him still sitting atop the stone table. Turning into a wisp of Clear Qi, he slipped back inside.
Zhang Yan’s gaze flickered montarily. He shook his robe and strode out of the cave.
Outside the cave mansion, a green-clothed youth was treading on Green Cloud, riding the wind forward. His twin sleeves fluttered gracefully, his steps exuding flair, and behind him shone wisps of Green Light, illuminating his complexion with an erald sheen.
Beside him walked none other than Hou Sanlang, who at this mont followed obediently, wearing an expression of utmost deference.
The green-clothed youth sniffed twice, his brows furrowing in curiosity as he said, "Strange. I clearly slled a robust spiritual chanism nearby, but now it seems to have vanished. Could soone have beaten to it?"
Hou Sanlang quickly cursed vehently, "How dare soone compete with the Venerable for an object—such audacity! Allow to punish this person on your behalf."
The green-clothed youth waved his sleeve dismissively, laughing darkly, "No need. That person is already here."
Zhang Yan stepped out of the cave mansion and looked up, where the green-clothed youth was already observing him. As their eyes t, the youth burst into laughter, saying, "So, it’s you who dares to vie with over spiritual objects. How bold!"
...
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian) to vote for recomndation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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