CHAPTER 468: CHAPTER 100: WHOSE GARDEN DOES THE MUSHROOM FALL IN?

Zhang Yan’s eyes flashed as he listened to Zhi Tong’s words. Without hesitation, he retrieved the Vermilion Bird Talisman that Fu Yuqing had given him and handed it to Master Shi, saying, "Master Shi, this item can summon the essence of an immortal beast, equivalent to a Xuan Guang Third Realm Cultivator. Take it and shelter yourself somewhere for the time being. I will descend to search for the remains of the Ganoderma Ancestor."

Master Shi knew there was no time to delay. If they lost the Ganoderma Ancestor now, it would be almost impossible to retrieve it later. He did not refuse and took the token, responding in a deep voice, "Li Daoist, take care." Without further hesitation, he quickly lifted Zhi Tong, mounted a magic artifact, and flew into the distance.

Zhang Yan watched him leave, then slapped his palm against his chest, scattering several talismans and positioning them around him. With a loud shout, he summoned the Xuanhuang Great Hand above his head and swept downward, clearing away a large pile of mud. With a few more strikes, he opened up an entrance wide enough to pass through.

He leapt inside, and the Xuanhuang Great Hand moved rapidly, smashing rocks and carving a path as he charged deeper into the cave without pause.

Meanwhile, atop a mountain peak a hundred miles away, the Pan Brothers, Pan Qing and Pan Yang, sat cross-legged on a large pine branch. Beneath them, the ground had been excavated to form a foot-wide cave opening.

Deep within this cave, an exotic beast covered in black scales and with a pointed, conical head was digging furiously into the earth. Though traveling underground, its speed was astonishing, nearly rivaling that of a land beast sprinting on the surface.

Pan Qing marveled, "This ’Mo Yu Ling Carp Horn’ from the Nanhua Sect is truly exceptional, burrowing through earth and stone as if it were rotted wood. Now, no matter where that Medicine Mushroom is hiding, it can’t escape the grasp of us two brothers."

Pan Yang shook his head and remarked, "It’s a pity it can’t compare to the ’Black General’ in the hands of Yan Yuqin. When it moves through mountain interiors, it is as swift as a thousand miles a day. How many Medicine Mushrooms could possibly escape her grasp?"

Although the Medicine Mushroom has not yet undergone transformation, it still needs to attach itself to tree roots to absorb spiritual energy. Though it usually hides deep underground, it is not without traces to follow.

This "Mo Yu Ling Carp Horn" was a spirit beast domesticated by a Daoist of the Nanhua Sect. Initially, it was meant for locating underground cave mansions, but its use in hunting spiritual objects proved unexpectedly effective. The Pan Brothers, having some familial relationship with this Daoist, managed to borrow one to search for Medicine Mushrooms.

Unfortunately, this beast was difficult to domesticate. The Daoist only managed to rear four or five of them. Aside from the one in their possession, the others had been purchased by Yan Yuqin, who somehow got wind of their plans.

Pan Qing smiled bitterly and said, "The Yan Clan is also among the Southeastern Great Clans. What chance do the two of us have against them? Of the Outer Three Elixirs for Condensation Medicine, this High Grade One Qi Ganoderma has always been scarce. Over these three years, if we can capture ten or so Medicine Mushrooms, it will all have been worth it."

Pan Yang nodded in agreement, saying, "This time, for the sake of that Silver Bamboo Token, we two brothers exhausted all our savings over the years. If we can harvest a good number of Medicine Mushrooms, it will secure the remaining Condensation Medicine."

Pan Qing was about to speak further when he suddenly felt the token in his hand vibrating. Surprised, he asked, "Huh? Why is the Lingli Horn heading deeper into the mountain?"

He was not worried about the exotic beast running away. The token in his hand contained the beast’s essence blood and a wisp of its spiritual soul, so he could always sense its location no matter where it went. At this moment, he felt the Mo Yu Ling Carp Horn frantically burrowing deeper into the mountain.

Pan Yang straightened his back, his gaze intense with speculation. "Could it be... that it found something valuable?"

At that moment, a wisp of spiritual energy suddenly surged up from the hole beneath their feet. The extraordinarily dense Wood Spirit Qi rose upward, momentarily leaving the two of them dazed. They instinctively breathed it in greedily, their faces showing shock.

After a while, the two brothers snapped out of their daze and exchanged a glance. Instantly, they both realized that they had stumbled upon something extraordinary.

Pan Qing’s face showed a trace of excitement as he exclaimed, "Second Brother, this item..."

Pan Yang tried to calm his inner excitement. His eyes flickered a few times as his face took on a serious expression. "Elder brother, the spiritual energy from this item is so abundant that it might very well be one of the legendary Medicine Mushrooms. This matter must not be leaked under any circumstances."

Pan Qing, hearing the deeper meaning in his brother’s words, merely nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, of course."

Pan Yang sighed inwardly at his elder brother’s naivety. He decided to make his intent clear. Gesturing toward the outside, he said, "What I mean, dear brother, is those two..."

He made a cutting motion with his hand.

Pan Qing finally understood. Lowering his head in thought, he gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "Fine. Those two are a hindrance anyway. I’ll take care of it myself."