CHAPTER 463: CHAPTER 97 GANODERMA ANCESTOR HUSK_2

Master Shi glanced at him a few times, then reached out to grab him.

The little boy shuddered and suddenly leapt up, kowtowing repeatedly, crying out, "Master, please have mercy on this child. Cultivation has not been easy for me; spare me, 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 moment 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 me 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 transformed 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 me. 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 times without success."

Zhang Yan silently pondered to himself. As valuable as the One Qi Ganoderma might be, its use is limited to Solidifying Pill refinement. 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 seemed evasive, Master Shi did not grow angry, keeping his smiling demeanor 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 moments, 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 meeting 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 exclaimed, "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 lifetime. We may never meet 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 Medicine 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 me 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 me, 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 stemmed 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 me, 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 something, 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 momentarily. 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 emerald sheen.

Beside him walked none other than Hou Sanlang, who at this moment 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 smelled a robust spiritual mechanism nearby, but now it seems to have vanished. Could someone have beaten me to it?"

Hou Sanlang quickly cursed vehemently, "How dare someone compete with the Venerable for an object—such audacity! Allow me 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 met, the youth burst into laughter, saying, "So, it’s you who dares to vie with me over spiritual objects. How bold!"

...

...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)