Chapter 346 - The Cave Abode’s Hidden Treasures

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As a result, while looking at this medicine field, every time he walked to a medicine garden, he could smoothly identify the species of spirit medicine and name at least one of its applications — Naturally, this was done without a hitch. These spirit medicines were plucked one by one, and stored inside the Divine Medicine Palace Hall for safe keeping.

At the same time, because these spirit medicines required different environments, whenever he harvested something, some of the soil would be left on the roots. However, so long as he encountered a garden with young sprouts, he would only take the matured ones. If the gardens didn’t have any young sprouts…he would’ve harvested all of the spirit medicines. Yet, it seemed that this type of situation never happened.

Gu Zuo almost forgot everything else around him as he attentively and conscientiously plucked his way through the medicine gardens. He practically sank into a type of obsessive state. Once he plucked all of the harvestable spirit medicines in the entire medicine field, his mind blanked, his legs went soft, and he started to fall backwards.

But then, he fell into a warm embrace instead. He didn’t touch the hard ground at all.

Gu Zuo detected a familiar scent. Soon after, he heard m.u.f.fled laughter above his head: “Ah Zuo, slow down a little.”

As it turned out, when he had been continuously harvesting spirit medicines, his big brother had been quietly following behind him. Up until now, Tianheng had been keeping him company.

Gu Zuo felt embarra.s.sed right away: “I wasn’t careful…”

Tianheng helped Gu Zuo up, and ruffled his hair: “Ah Zuo has picked this many spirit medicines. Can you make a tally?”

Gu Zuo promptly shook himself free from his embarra.s.sed mood, and happiness spread across his whole face: “Big brother, there are three hundred twenty-four types of spirit medicines here. The spirituality of each type is different. In total, I have eight hundred twenty-two stalks!”

After he finished speaking, Gu Zuo’s mood couldn’t be pacified.

He wasn’t being petty or scornful. Rather, there were too many spirit medicines here. Although most of their spiritualities were less than forty percent, the ages, quant.i.ties, and qualities of this harvest would cause anyone to become wild with joy!

Previously, Tianheng had glanced over the scene of this medicine field. Naturally, he antic.i.p.ated that there would be many spirit medicines here. However, he didn’t expect that the total would be this high when the plucking was finished. Moreover, the species were also quite abundant!

Although there were even more varieties of spirit medicines in Ten Ultimates Sect, those spirit medicines required things in exchange. This was unlike the ones here, which already belonged to them.

Tianheng couldn’t help smiling: “Ah Zuo did a great job.”

Gu Zuo brightened at the praise: “With these spirit medicines, I can refine even more precious medicinal pills. At that time, it’ll be advantageous when big brother sways more people and trades for good things with others.”

Tianheng’s expression became even more soft and gentle: “I’ll have to trouble Ah Zuo to work hard.”

Gu Zuo shook his head: “I like refining medicine.”

Moreover, regardless of whether it was for a relative he cared about or his beloved sweetheart, he wouldn’t feel it was hard work even if he was dead tired…

The atmosphere between the two was comforting.

Since all of the harvestable medicinal ingredients had been plucked, Gu Zuo followed Tianheng out of this medicine field. It was just that, after the two people took their final steps out of this tract of medicinal soil, the huge medicine field behind them suddenly underwent a peculiar transformation!

Gu Zuo heard the wind whistling behind them, and turned around to look —

What he saw made him jump in fright.

That medicine field actually d-disappeared?!

This was too high-tech… No, it was too unscientific!

Tianheng quickly reacted. He extended a hand, and swiftly pulled Gu Zuo to his side for protection.

At this moment, a gigantic male lion suddenly appeared in the area where that medicine field originally existed.

It looked vivid and lifelike, but in actuality, it was a stone carving that could move.

The stone carving moved forward step by step. Tianheng kept his guard up.

Finally, when there was still a dozen or so meters separating them, the stone carving came to a halt. It opened its jaws, and spat out a roll of yellowed silk fabric. An oppressive voice echoed: “Temperance, diligence, and st.u.r.dy foundations. You may obtain my master’s gifted scroll—”

After that, the stone lion also vanished.

The instant it disappeared, that silk fabric flew parallel to the ground, and fell directly into Gu Zuo’s hand.

Gu Zuo unravelled and read it.

Written on this silk fabric was the means to cultivate medicinal soil — In other words, the same soil that covered this medicine field? Every medicine garden had different compositions that satisfied the growing environments of different spirit medicines!

Incredible! This was indeed a good thing!

Among the many item books that the system gave Gu Zuo, while some pertained to medicinal decoctions that increased soil fertility, none could cultivate spirit medicines. Perhaps, it was because the system didn’t think that Gu Zuo’s capabilities had reached this degree yet?

But now that he had this silk fabric, he could take a look at it when they returned… Even if it truly wasn’t the right time, he could always gain an understanding of it first.

Once Gu Zuo put away the silk fabric, another change occurred to the scene in front of them — Or it could be said that, after the stone lion vanished, some indistinct virtual images had already emerged on top of that huge land.

At this moment, these images finally solidified. Gu Zuo only felt that this slice of the world had undergone a transformation. The originally tilled soil suddenly became hard ground. The surroundings suddenly darkened, and the location where he and Tianheng stood became a cavern!

Gu Zuo: “…”

With these countless permutations, one would think that the cave abode’s owner was playing around.

On the contrary, Tianheng was undisturbed. He glanced around, and casually slapped the stone walls.

It was real.

After his and his little pharmacist’s location was linked together, perhaps there was no turning back. They could only move forward.

Gu Zuo also discovered this point. He discharged his psychic power, and moved it to the front… After that, he seemed to sense a drizzle of light.

“Big brother, shall we go forward?”

Tianheng faintly nodded his head: “Let’s go. Since we’ve come here, we’ll keep exploring.”

Gu Zuo thought the same.

The cave abode’s owner was very charitable. From the start, they never noticed any bad intentions. There was always some deep meaning and goodwill in every area… If they missed the opportunity to explore this kind of cave abode, it would’ve been too pitiful.

— Even though there was the off-chance that something happened, he would always be with his big brother. So long as they stayed together, no matter what challenges or crises they encountered, they could smoothly and steadily figure out a plan to resolve any problem.

Hence, the two continued to advance.

After walking for a while, a distant ball of soft light came into view. When Tianheng saw this, the pupils of his eyes suddenly contracted. He pulled Gu Zuo’s forearm, and dashed straight ahead!

Before long, the distance to that soft light became shorter and shorter. The true ident.i.ty of that soft light was also revealed in front of the two!

It was a pool of water.

At the back of the pool was a small waterfall. It cascaded down the stone walls, and crashed directly into the pool. The splashes sent up drops that glittered silver. It was incredibly beautiful.

However, Tianheng didn’t pay attention to this beautiful scene. Rather, in the center of the pool, something was being constantly battered by that waterfall. Quietly floating on the surface was a ball of water that had a diameter of two feet.

Gu Zuo’s eyes widened.

T-this was Wondrous Water!

Gu Zuo involuntarily released a sigh in his heart.

Oh, to be so lucky… Just when he said that his big brother’s body needed Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects of the five elements, they discovered some Wondrous Water, one of the five elements, during an adventure after his debut mission!

However, it was a pity that he couldn’t tell the variety of this Wondrous Water… From the incompatibility between the astonishing qi energies this thing exuded and the flow of ordinary water, as well as the characteristics of the water in the pool affected by this thing’s emitted quintessence, he could only say that it should’ve been a type of Wondrous Water.

Gu Zuo looked at Tianheng with hesitation: “Big brother, can you recognize it?”

Tianheng stood at the edge of the pool, and watched with hooded eyes. After that, he slightly shook his head: “Previously, this elder brother consulted some ancient texts in the sect. There were many types of Wondrous Water in the books, but none of them resemble this water. Your elder brother doesn’t recognize it.”

There was a defeated look on Gu Zuo’s face.

What was there to be done… It wasn’t easy to encounter Wondrous Water, but unfortunately, they didn’t recognize it. If, by any chance, there was a mistake in the gathering method, the Wondrous Water might be damaged. That would be an awful loss!

After considering things, he suddenly thought about the system. He wanted to ask a question.

However, at the next moment, the system issued a mission.

[Long-Term Mission: Gather Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects, and cure the Tiandu Body.]

[Mission Item: <>]

[Completion Method: Unrestricted.]

[Completion Time: Unrestricted.]

[Failure Penalty: None.]

Gu Zuo’s expression was subtle: “Big brother, the system gave me another item book…”

Tianheng turned his head, and looked over: “Oh?”

Gu Zuo exasperatedly took out the Comprehensive Collection of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects. He said: “Look at this. Just when we said that we didn’t recognize this Wondrous Water, the system gave me this entire set.”

After flipping through it, he lifted his head: “I originally had Great Sights of the World — Earth Fires. When I read through this item book’s chapter for Wondrous Fires, a complete collection of Earth Fires was included. Big brother, do you think that the previous book’s ‘Great Sights’ were picked from this comprehensive collection?”

Tianheng paused. Soon after, he bent his finger and flicked Gu Zuo’s forehead: “This matter doesn’t need to be considered at length. Just flip through the chapters related to Wondrous Waters so we can collect this thing.”

Gu Zuo laughed mischievously. He didn’t joke around anymore, and diligently started browsing.

Indeed. The cave abode also had Qi Xuanao and the two pharmacists. Although everyone didn’t remain together, who knew if they wouldn’t find their way over? Good things would naturally be collected for oneself.

It didn’t take long for Gu Zuo to find the information he was looking for.

“The color is a pearlescent white, and the surface bears a slightly greenish and watery sheen. It takes the shape of a ball of water, and suspends itself above the center of moving water. Whenever a stream flows down, the ordinary water will revolve around the ball three times, and will become extraordinary. This exceptional water will nourish plants, and it possesses spiritual effects, especially to spirit medicines… Its intrinsic qualities are gentle and mild, the yin and yang are balanced, and it has ample life force. It is called the Green Fairy Dust Dewdrop.”

After Gu Zuo finished reading aloud, Gu Zuo beamed with a glittering smile from the bottom of his heart: “Big brother, we’re off to a great start! It’s actually a Wondrous Water that’s balanced in yin and yang! This is rare!”

Tianheng also felt fantastic: “How do we collect it?”

Gu Zuo’s smile widened: “Collecting it is simple. I’ll use my psychic power to pull it over. Then, I can directly receive it into my storage s.p.a.ce. It can float on its own!”

Even collecting it wouldn’t pose any inconveniences. It could be seen that this thing was eager to serve. Compared to many other Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects, it was incredibly mild.

Absorbing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects into one’s internal organs was a painful process. However, if the first one subdued was this Wondrous Water, its placid nature and vigorous life force was a great boon.

Gu Zuo was extremely concerned about Tianheng’s body. He didn’t expect that they could obtain the initial stage of treatment this quickly!

Momentarily, he couldn’t help thinking about something. So-called luck couldn’t be seen nor touched, but it couldn’t be said that his big brother’s luck didn’t exist. Could it be that this was due to the innate luck of the Tiandu Body? If it really was like this, then suffering the envy of the heavens was quite normal. If Tianheng wasn’t on his side, he would’ve been incredibly jealous!

…Despite thinking about this, Gu Zuo’s movements were still quite fast.

He swiftly released his psychic power. Moreover, under this kind of happiness and pressure, he utilized the Spirit Transforming Chapter to turn his psychic power into an invisible, large hand. It quickly reached out and seized the Green Fairy Dust Dewdrop inside the pool. After that, his psychic power was put away, and the entire dewdrop was immediately floating in his storage s.p.a.ce. The Wondrous Water blossomed with a faint and soft light.

This course of events went smoothly.

Gu Zuo turned his head to look at Tianheng: “Big brother, I’ve already put it away.”

Tianheng smiled: “Thank you for the trouble, Ah Zuo.”

Gu Zuo shook his head: “Once we go back, big brother will integrate it into your internal organs. The Wondrous Water will be different from the others. Although it will enter your kidneys, due to the characteristics of the Green Fairy Dust Dewdrop, it can indirectly rejuvenate the other organs. This will allow those organs to take in the other Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects more easily.”

When the task ahead was mentioned, Tianheng’s expression became slightly serious: “Naturally.” Then, he spoke in a softer voice, “Ah Zuo, don’t worry. This elder brother understands.”

Gu Zuo’s mood relaxed.

After the two collected the Wondrous Water, they sized up this pool of water.

Previously, their attentions had been focused on that Green Fairy Dust Dewdrop. It was to the point that they completely neglected everything else. However, now they discovered the things that grew alongside the Wondrous Water. Sure enough, these things were out of the ordinary.

On the Central Continent, there was widespread, general knowledge. Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects were very rare, especially so for things related to the five elements. For the areas where these objects resided, great changes would occur after a certain period of time had pa.s.sed.

Besides the transformation of the environment, everything else would be nourished by the energies they emanated — Even if it was a stone or a plant, anything could become a good thing that grew to accompany it.

The Green Fairy Dust Dewdrop clearly hadn’t been born here. Instead, it had been transported to this location by someone else. Its power radiated into this pool, and the water in the pool flowed outward through certain irrigation channels. Even more, however, remained within the pool, and pa.s.sed through the soil underground to nourish the surrounding, few medicine gardens.

That’s right. Encompa.s.sing the pool were several small medicine gardens that were fenced in with stones.

Each medicine garden was approximately one square meter in size. The unusual medicinal herbs growing inside were replete with dense qi emissions, brilliant bouquets of light, and effervescent clouds of sunset hues. They looked as elegant as clinking jewels. There were some that grew human faces, some that developed limbs, and others that straightforwardly resembled certain living creatures. They possessed immense spiritualities, and all of them were different.

Surrounding the medicine gardens were tiny, looping irrigation channels.

Much of the water flowing from the pool poured into these channels. In the wake of the circular flow, the water would seep into each medicine garden. This allowed the spirit medicines within to develop more spirituality the longer they grew.

Gu Zuo cried out in a low voice: “Big brother, the lowest spirituality of these spirit medicines should be fifty to sixty percent!”

Tianheng was amazed as well.

Spirit medicines, this type of thing, were the same as spirit weapons. The stronger their spirituality, the more useful they were. However, despite the spirituality of these things, it couldn’t be compared to the intelligence of the human race. As a result, their spiritualities were simply divided by percentages of ten.

If it was a spirit weapon, those with spiritualities lower than twenty percent were cla.s.sified as human-level spirit weapons, and those below forty percent were golden-level… And so on. Of course, within the category of spirit weapons, the highest was a spirituality of ninety-nine percent. At that time, it would be cla.s.sified as a heaven-level spirit weapon.

If it was a spirit medicine, since their varieties prior to evolution were all different, and there were variations in the period of change following evolution, it became quite complicated. As a result, there weren’t any divisions of rank. Whenever the topic was raised, one used spirituality percentages to indicate a spirit medicine’s medicinal properties and worth.

Before the medicine field transformed into a cavern, that huge tract of land that grew spirit medicines was probably related to the pool that had been influenced and mutated by the Wondrous Water’s abilities. However, there were greater quant.i.ties of plants and less water to go around in that place. Thus, the spiritualities of those spirit medicines were somewhat lower. On the contrary, there was more water to allocate here, so these spirit medicines had higher spiritualities.

Gu Zuo took a deep breath, and made the same preparations to pluck these spirit medicines.

He walked in front of a medicine garden to test it out. Indeed, it was just like before. All of them had verifications. With Gu Zuo’s st.u.r.dy knowledge base, he quickly harvested all of the spirit medicines.

However, because there weren’t any young sprouts this time around, he left behind some roots despite his plucking — Granted that the Wondrous Water had already been removed, this place’s environment was still suitable for growing spirit medicines. After many years pa.s.sed, perhaps the roots would regrow into complete spirit medicines again? At that time, a later generation would naturally find this cavern, and take away the remaining resources.

After Gu Zuo was done, the waves within that pool rolled and churned.

The thing that appeared this time was still a stone carving. The likeness engraved on this stone carving was a crocodile.

Gu Zuo: “…”

He took away the Wondrous Water! Was he considered too greedy?

But there was nothing he could do about it. This was something he urgently needed…

Fortunately, that stone crocodile didn’t become hostile. After its throat let out a burst of noise, it opened its jaws and spoke: “For those who have pa.s.sed through the medicine field, if you have the capabilities, the resources here may be taken. How much you recognize is how much you may take. The Green Fairy Dust Dewdrop was left here, and today, it was removed. As fate brings people together, so too will they eventually part ways. There is nothing to blame. When you harvested the spirit medicines, you were willing to blemish them by leaving the roots. This sword can show the way into the depths.”

Once it finished speaking, the stone crocodile spat out an arm-length shortsword. Then, it submerged back into the water with a rumble.

Gu Zuo walked over, and silently picked up the shortsword. He said: “Big brother, what kind of a person is the cave abode’s owner? Isn’t leaving so much stuff behind giving too much favor to those who come after? I feel a bit embarra.s.sed taking everything…”

Tianheng smiled, and placed a hand on his head: “This is what Ah Zuo deserves. There’s no need to brood over it.”

Gu Zuo stared blankly.

Tianheng kept smiling, but didn’t say anything else.

From what he saw, during this journey, the cave abode’s owner had set up many tests. It could be said that if another pharmacist took Gu Zuo’s place, it would’ve been basically impossible to take everything away.

One needed to know that there were many restrictions to go through the cavern’s checkpoints. And under these restrictions, how many acc.u.mulations and insights could a young pharmacist have? No matter what, there wouldn’t be enough. Such a pharmacist could only obtain a small quant.i.ty of spirit medicines here.

It was precisely Gu Zuo, in possession of the system, who could get so many benefits.

But these benefits weren’t given freely. Gu Zuo had been meticulously and painstakingly studying for a long time. He had apt.i.tude, luck, moral conduct, and helpful tools — This chain reaction enabled him to gain so much.

Therefore, there truly wasn’t any need to concern oneself over this.

Gu Zuo didn’t think about it too much. He quickly tossed this thought to the side, gripped the shortsword, and stood up: “Big brother, shall we continue?”

Tianheng smiled and said: “Naturally, we’ll keep going. Although this place has many benefits, we still haven’t seen the spiritual source that Qi Xuanao mentioned. In this cave abode, there ought to be more things to obtain than this.”

Gu Zuo’s heart shivered.

Ah, right. There was also Qi Xuanao and the others.

He and his big brother had obtained this many things through several consecutive checkpoints on their side. Meanwhile, Qi Xuanao had gone somewhere else. With his luck as a prodigy, he should’ve obtained many things, too!

Thus, they had better keep exploring…

Afterwards, Tianheng took the lead, and walked toward the depths.

Behind the pool, there was a large gate. On the gate’s surface, there was a small hole. The hole was a thin, vertical seam with some extremely small sawtooth indentations. This matched that shortsword perfectly.

Gu Zuo rushed over, lifted the shortsword, and inserted it into that small hole.

The next moment, that huge gate produced clacking sounds. It only opened a crack at first, but then it rapidly swung wide open.

Because the cave abode’s changes were too fast, Tianheng and Gu Zuo didn’t dare to timidly enter and exit through the gate. Hence, Tianheng simply carried Gu Zuo on his back, and stepped straight into that large gate.

Whoosh —

Winds abruptly blew past their ears. Gu Zuo felt as if his entire body had become weightless. They were falling straight down. His arms unconsciously hugged Tianheng’s neck tighter, and he stuck tenaciously to Tianheng’s back.

Qi energy twisted around Tianheng’s whole body. At once, the two’s falling speed slowed.

But following this, a severe gust pressed towards them on the side. A rancid smell permeated the whole place. Something was attacking them!

Gu Zuo’s heartstrings tensed.

The previous few checkpoints were very safe, so what was going on now?

He didn’t believe that taking the Wondrous Water would cause them to encounter this kind of danger. Could it be that the cave abode’s owner arranged it this way, or were there deeper intentions?

Gu Zuo’s experience in battle was still somewhat meager. For a moment, he didn’t consider counterattacking, but his mind was smooth and steady.

Because, at this time, Tianheng’s response was extremely fast.

In a split second, Gu Zuo sensed a wave of fire rising and bundling them up. However, this wave of fire didn’t harm him in the least. On the contrary, it surged violently towards a certain direction. Immediately following that, Gu Zuo realized that he was starting to lean backwards as the warm back he clung to was straightened — In order to not fall off, he hastily tightened his two legs around Tianheng’s waist. He strived his hardest to not increase the burden on his big brother.

Swish, swish —

After intense, air-breaking sounds echoed out, a beam of reddish-gold light burst forth!

Gu Zuo blinked his eyes from the harsh light.

After that, he rapidly fell to the ground with Tianheng.

At almost the exact same time, a m.u.f.fled thud was heard in front of them.

Gu Zuo opened his eyes, and saw the corpse of a gigantic bird up ahead.

This was a wild female bird. It appeared to be a rather vicious, superior spirit-ranked wild bird. Currently, its throat had been pierced by an arrow, and it was still burning with a reddish-gold flame. That fire roamed in all directions and into every nook and cranny… This wild beast seemed to have plunged into an ocean of fire. It didn’t even have enough time to give a blood-curdling screech. It had already perished.

However, Gu Zuo was a little bewildered.

His big brother was incredibly powerful right now, but it wasn’t to the point that a casual arrow could bring down something at the superior spirit rank. According to reason, a superior spirit-ranked wild bird could’ve lasted for more than a little while.

Yet, it looked like it had died too easily?

With his feet firmly on the ground, Tianheng placed Gu Zuo down: “Ah Zuo, what worries you?”

Gu Zuo asked: “The wild bird’s strength…”

He was afraid that something strange was going on.

Tianheng glanced at that wild bird, and said: “If this thing was born outside, it would’ve certainly been fierce and violent. Dealing with it would’ve been somewhat troublesome. However, the wild bird had been reared inside the enclosure of this predecessor’s cave abode. Naturally, it would be somewhat inferior to any counterparts outside.”

Normally, wild beasts were stronger than martial artists of the same rank. This was because they were fighting for their lives at all times in the wild. With their b.e.s.t.i.a.l natures, they were incomparably ferocious. A confined wild beast would naturally have differences.

As a result, one couldn’t focus on how the wild bird appeared to be experienced when it launched the ambush just now. Once Tianheng acted, it had already been exposed.

Gu Zuo understood in a flash.

As it turned out, it was this reason… Thus, the area they were currently seeing might’ve looked like the wilds outside, but it was actually inside the cave abode?

The skills of that cave abode’s owner were truly extraordinary.

Then, Gu Zuo put away the corpse of that wild bird.

Even if its wild nature was insufficient, it was also a superior spirit-ranked wild beast. It couldn’t be wasted…

After this, Gu Zuo followed Tianheng as they proceeded forwards. While discharging his psychic power to search for the spiritual source, he also stayed vigilant of their surroundings.

Sure enough, this place was a simulation of the wilds. Every time the two pa.s.sed through an area, a wild beast would emerge to attack them. And most of these wild beasts were at the superior spirit rank. However, there wasn’t a single wild beast that had advanced to an origin beast.

Gu Zuo couldn’t help saying: “This is another restriction, right? Because the people coming in are only at the Immortal Realm, us specifically, the ranks of the wild beasts here are also restricted. However, because so much time has pa.s.sed, many wild beasts have reached the superior spirit rank…”

Tianheng nodded his head: “That’s right. It’s probably just as you said.”

While speaking, his palm struck out. A Blood Palm pressed down like a mountain peak, and seriously injured a wild beast. Then, it was held between the Blood Palm’s fingers, and was crushed to death!

Gu Zuo moved his thoughts with practiced ease, and collected the wild beast his big brother had slayed.

Without realizing it, after a journey of fifty kilometers while searching for the spiritual source and killing wild beasts, the collected corpses had already exceeded thirty!

In the moment, he didn’t think about it. But after the fact, he realized that the appearances of these wild beasts were a bit concentrated… If it wasn’t for his big brother possessing six qi oceans and having incomparably robust acc.u.mulations, even though Tianheng had great strength and easily killed the beasts, the consumption of profound qi would’ve been prohibitive.

Gu Zuo swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

If he was in here alone, his psychic power would’ve been used up… Perhaps, he might’ve sustained injuries.

In the future, he had to be even more careful.

After the two walked a few more kilometers, a person suddenly emerged from the woods on the side.

At once, Gu Zuo was stunned.

When he got a clear look, his heart thumped — This was a familiar person!

It was Qi Xuanao.

At this moment, he had walked out of the woods. His robes and lapels had a few scratches, and there didn’t seem to be any wounds on his body. However, it was obvious that he had conducted fierce attacks, which caused his profile to look a bit unkempt.

After seeing Gu Zuo and Tianheng, Qi Xuanao was also slightly startled. However, he quickly walked over, and revealed a smiling expression: “What a surprise to see you guys here. Brother Gongyi, Pharmacist Gu, have you guys been well during this trip?”

Tianheng smiled: “Actually, it’s been pretty good. We’ve also obtained some benefits. How about Brother Qi?”

Qi Xuanao spoke: “This Qi has gained some benefits, too.”

Gu Zuo was a little hesitant.

Prior to coming here, it was agreed that everything they obtained would be split evenly. Later on, they had separated, and the outcomes for each side were decided by luck… How was the split going to be calculated?

Tianheng and Qi Xuanao clearly didn’t intend on making any calculations.

They looked each other in the eyes, and didn’t continue to speak. The meaning within these gazes was understood. Each side’s fortuitous encounters would belong to themselves. The prior arrangement wouldn’t be counted.

Gu Zuo sighed in relief.

This was very good.

If they really divided things evenly, not one drop of that Wondrous Water for treating his big brother could be separated. In addition, harvesting that many spirit medicines had been hard work for him. But if he hid them, Gu Zuo’s heart wouldn’t feel at ease.

Now, it looked like Qi Xuanao’s side should’ve obtained benefits that he wanted to keep for himself. He similarly didn’t want to take them out. As a result, they simply treated the previous encounter as if it didn’t happen — The so-called agreement was used as the allocation standard only when the two of them worked together to resolve problems.

Hence, the status quo was to everyone’s satisfaction.

Tianheng smiled and said: “Now that we’ve run into each other, let’s move forward as a group.”

Qi Xuanao responded: “This Qi also has this intention.”

After that, the party of two became a party of three.

The wild beasts that came to ambush them still flowed like an unending stream. However, this time, there were two prodigies opening up a path. With one on the left and the other on the right, they swept everything away. Were there any wild beasts capable of breaking through their defenses?

Naturally, these wild beasts were all turned into corpses.

When collecting the corpses, the two prodigies didn’t bother speaking nonsense. Each prodigy would take the beasts he defeated. As for which wild beasts were more precious or more powerful, it depended on one’s luck — If they argued about trivial matters like this, would they still have the face of a prodigy?

Gu Zuo was in charge of gathering stuff for his dear big brother. He also felt that this wouldn’t cause any worries.

As they searched, Qi Xuanao and Tianheng shared their own prior experiences. Of course, the benefits they obtained and the amounts therein couldn’t be told in detail, but a generalization of those things was information they needed to exchange. This was for the sake of gaining a better understanding of this cave abode. Those things couldn’t be hidden.

Therefore, Gu Zuo came to know Qi Xuanao’s encounters.

After Qi Xuanao came in, he immediately entered a stone forest.

Inside this stone forest, there were many stone puppets. And within each puppet was a spirit weapon. Qi Xuanao was attacked by a stone puppet the moment he entered the forest. Once he crumbled it with difficulty, he discovered that there was a storage s.p.a.ce within its body. Thus, Qi Xuanao exerted his strength, and remained in that place for several hours.

To put it simply, while Gu Zuo was in the middle of harvesting medicinal herbs, Qi Xuanao was fighting puppets for their weapons. Gu Zuo had acc.u.mulated many spirit medicines. After Qi Xuanao’s work, the number of spirit weapons he collected definitely wasn’t low.

However, compared to Gu Zuo’s tests of knowledge, Qi Xuanao’s physical labors were certainly more tiring.

Once the stone forest was cleared, Qi Xuanao came out, and seemed to have obtained some spirit medicines. However, these spirit medicines were all guarded by wild beasts. This forced him to conduct several consecutive fights. Fortunately, he won all of them, and took the spirit medicines. Merely, because he wasn’t a pharmacist, he occasionally caused a bit of damage during the harvesting process.

On this side, when Tianheng talked about his experiences, he only mentioned that they had encountered some spirit medicines with excellent spiritualities. Since there was a pharmacist present and there wasn’t any need to fight with wild beasts, they took the matured spirit medicines and didn’t touch the young sprouts. Later on, they found some spirit medicines with even better qualities. Likewise, they left behind the roots.

As for the matter of the Wondrous Water, not one word of it was mentioned.

Gu Zuo distinguished both sides’ encounters. He felt that what Qi Xuanao experienced was the treatment of a martial artist. On this side, what he experienced was the treatment of a pharmacist. The former inspected one’s martial strength, and the latter inspected one’s knowledge reserves… This was very reasonable, right?

It was just that the cave abode’s owner really treated pharmacists better.

After all, on the Central Continent, so long as a pharmacist’s psychic power reached a certain standard, their spiritual skills would be very formidable!

While entertaining such thoughts, the number of lunging wild beasts became more concentrated, and their abilities seemed to also grow stronger.

Gu Zuo carefully followed along, and didn’t cause any trouble. Gradually, he could detect that an especially fresh, clean, and tremendous energy was bubbling up from all around them — It seemed to be coming from nowhere. However, the surplus of suppressive might was filled with an alluring power.

He suddenly had a guess, but he didn’t figure out what it was. Up ahead, the movements of the two prodigies had already grown more valiant and dauntless. Their speeds also quickened!

— Did they know what it was?

Gu Zuo was shocked.

The thing that could make the prodigies this excited was the spiritual source!

This wave of suppressive might was definitely coming from the spiritual source!

Gu Zuo felt joy in his heart.

Originally, he thought that since they had taken the Wondrous Water, did Qi Xuanao hide the fact that he had already taken the spiritual source? Right now, it looked like this wasn’t the case.

Otherwise, this place had more than one spiritual source.

Merely, the probability ought to have been very small… Martial artists at the Cosmic Realm and above required spiritual sources. The supply of spiritual sources possessed by the cave abode’s owner would never be that plentiful. However, if there really were many spiritual sources, then that would be a magnificent find!

Gu Zuo remained calm, and didn’t forget to keep collecting the wild beast corpses.

After rushing ahead for a little more than an hour, Gu Zuo finally sensed that the wild beasts were no longer attacking. He discharged his psychic power again. The exploration range of his psychic power was becoming smaller and smaller.

Tianheng turned around, and pulled Gu Zuo towards his side.

Meanwhile, Qi Xuanao advanced in large strides. He happily said: “Sure enough, this place has a spiritual source! Brother Gongyi, look at this!”

Even though Qi Xuanao’s temperament was steady and calm, his heart couldn’t help surging.

Gu Zuo looked at his family’s big brother.

Tianheng smiled and softly said: “Go on. Let’s go look at it together!”

T/N: A minor yet obvious change in translation terms. Pill cauldrons will be retroactively changed to pill furnaces.

Several years ago, I was inspired to start translating after reading “The Legendary Master’s Wife”. Needless to say, I only had an entry-level understanding of Chinese, and decided to adopt some of the terminology. After hundreds of chapters, I hoped that this distinction would never rear its ugly head, but there’s going to be an upcoming chapter that goes over both furnaces and cauldrons. Thus, I went back and made the changes.

For those wondering, a furnace is basically a cauldron with a built-in chamber for the fire below.

Thanks for the corrections, Charysa.

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