Chapter 6: Gu Lingzi

The agile wind leaped lightly to the ground, staring blankly as the kitten dashed away. Unable to help but scratch his head, he questioned, "What is wrong with this fellow? It fought me to the death over a ginseng, yet shows no interest in something clearly much better. Just a moment ago, it was stubbornly waiting below to share the spoils, and now it runs away. Has it lost its mind?"

The little cat's fur stood on end, and the lazy Taoists of the One Yuan Sect felt quite at ease regarding the safety of Qingyun Ping. The protective barriers they had set up were merely the weakest spells, intended to ward off birds and insects, and were utterly incapable of withstanding the 'Jade Rhinoceros' in Li Feng's hands.

Li Feng hurriedly explained, raising his right hand instinctively, resulting in the 'Jade Horn' being lifted. However, Gu Lingzi, seeing the flash of sword light, mistakenly believed that Li Feng had already made his move. Immediately, he combined his incantation, summoning a bolt of lightning that was ten times thicker than the previous one, crashing down from above.

The fierce wind howled, and his eyebrows and nose were all scrunched together, as he shouted with snot and tears flying: "Damn it, you stinky Taoist, you never said that thing was off-limits. I went through so much trouble to swallow it, and it turned out to be useless. What makes it so precious to you? ... And also, I didn't completely uproot it; I left a three-inch long piece of the root."

He did not waste the days he spent voraciously consuming the spiritual medicine. With a lift of his leg, a wave of heat naturally surged from his dantian, flowing unobstructed through his meridians towards his two thighs. With a swift motion, he covered a distance of approximately three zhang in a single stride, accompanied by a gust of wind, and in an instant, he had run over a hundred zhang away.

Li Feng was howling in agony after being struck by the old Taoist's more than ten slaps. At that moment, the old Taoist channeled his energy into his hand and delivered a blow that could shatter even granite, let alone Li Feng's flesh. Immediately, one could see that Li Feng's two buttocks had turned a deep purple, shining with a vivid hue, and were swelling up rapidly.

Li Feng was awkwardly trapped under the old Taoist's armpit, watching helplessly as the old Taoist's two fingers plunged into his mouth and began to stir recklessly. How could Li Feng spit it out? Without hesitation, he bit down hard, biting fiercely.

Li Feng was taken aback, and Gu Lingzi had already raised his voice: "May I ask which esteemed friend you are? Natural treasures are meant for those of virtue. It is no harm if you have consumed the 'Zhu Long Grass'; I only require a small amount for medicinal alchemy. If you entered openly and honorably, what harm would there be in giving this grass to you? However, you have sneaked into the Yuan Sect and secretly consumed the 'Zhu Long Grass'; this is the act of a thief, which seems unworthy of your status, does it not?"

My goodness, is this medicine or a stone? Damn it, my teeth! I have a complete set of neat and shiny teeth, and you, this cursed thing, actually dare to...

Li Feng stared blankly at the blood-red herb in the middle of the stone peak, which was more than twenty zhang above the ground. It resembled a small tree shaped like coral, with branches that appeared very hard, and clusters of yellow flowers blooming, likely the stamens, shimmering with a star-like fiery red glow. A peculiar, faint fragrance wafted down from the trunk, nearly making Li Feng drool. It resembled a small tree shaped like coral, with branches that appeared very hard, and clusters of yellow flowers blooming, likely the stamens, shimmering with a star-like fiery red glow. A peculiar, faint fragrance wafted down from the trunk, nearly making Li Feng drool

Before there was time to stop Li Feng, the 'Yuxi' sword erupted with a burst of brilliance, swiftly tearing through the azure light and cleaving the red herb entirely from the stone peak, leaving only a segment of the root, less than two inches long, remaining on the surface.

The old Taoist rolled his eyes and said, "Blood red... is... is... is blood red, how do you know?" He slowly turned his head with great effort and looked towards the spot where the fierce wind had just dug up the grass. Then, the old Taoist let out a cry of despair: "Heavens, my precious 'Zhu Long Grass'... you, you, you, couldn't you have left me a piece? You've uprooted it completely!" The old Taoist was overly agitated, his body trembled uncontrollably, and the joints all over him made a 'crack crack' sound. A gust of wind surged from his body, and blue electric lights flickered around him within a three-foot radius, creating an astonishing display of power.

The fierce wind could not hear the complaints of the little cat, as he had already approached the fiery red herb and struck down with his sword. Just as the sword tip neared the herb, a green light flashed from it, enveloping the entire plant in a protective barrier. The little cat below was immediately dumbfounded; this was clearly a restriction placed by a disciple of the Yuan Sect, meant to prevent insects and birds from consuming the herb. Among all the herbs cultivated by the Yuan Sect, the little cat knew that those with restrictions were unique treasures in the world, capable of causing extinction if even one was consumed. The little cat below was immediately dumbfounded; this was clearly a restriction placed by a disciple of the Yuan Sect, meant to prevent insects and birds from consuming the herb. Among all the herbs cultivated by the Yuan Sect, the little cat knew that those with restrictions were unique treasures in the world, capable of causing extinction if even one was consumed.

As Li Feng stepped into the cluster of stone peaks, he immediately felt a cool and gentle aura enveloping him, which seamlessly integrated into his body like spring rain nourishing the earth. It was as if he had plunged into a pool of water on a scorching day, invigorating his spirit. Wisps of seemingly tangible white mist swirled six zhang above the ground, spiraling up along the verdant stone peaks that were seven or eight zhang in circumference and over a hundred zhang high. Delicate dewdrops, glimmering with golden light, lightly fell onto the blades of grass growing on the stone peaks as the mist drifted by, gradually nourishing these uniquely shaped medicinal herbs.

Suddenly, a nervous voice came from beside me: "The flowers are shimmering... you, you, you, you gave the 'Candle Dragon Grass' to, to..."

The big-eyed creature blinked once, and the little cat took off running, glancing back at the fierce wind as if to say, this time you can keep it all to yourself; I, the little cat, will not share the spoils. In the future, if the sect leader holds you accountable, just don't implicate me, and it will be fine.

The little cat's big head peeked out from the edge of a mountain peak, and upon seeing the charred figure of the fierce wind lying on the ground, it couldn't help but gasp in shock. It thought to itself: "Fortunately, I, the tiger, am clever and know not to touch those forbidden things. Look at this, reduced to such a state... You humans have no fur; if you get burned, so be it. But if I, the tiger, were struck by lightning, wouldn't all my fur be wasted? How dangerous, how dangerous..."

The little cat, in a daze, looked up as Li Feng approached the vibrant red medicinal herb step by step. It couldn't help but let a string of drool hang from the corner of its mouth, licking its nose vigorously with its large tongue, making a soft "mm-mm" sound, full of servility. Having only followed Li Feng for a few days, the little cat had already increased its cultivation by about thirty years, thanks to the medicinal herbs that Li Feng had wasted. Seeing yet another rare spiritual herb within reach, it naturally wanted to ingratiate itself with Li Feng.

In these five days, Li Feng consumed resources like a glutton, unaware of how many precious days and treasures he had squandered. The result was that his physical strength improved significantly; now, with a light leap, he could cover a distance of about two zhang, already comparable to a second-rate expert in the martial world. Naturally cunning, Li Feng understood that this was a rare opportunity that an ordinary person might encounter only once in a lifetime. Only a sect as ancient as the Yuanzong, with its few disciples, could possibly have so many innate spiritual resources left behind. If he did not take advantage of this opportunity, when would he?

He quickly set Li Feng down on the ground, and the old Taoist, taking advantage of the momentum, traced a spiritual rune on the three-inch swollen area of Li Feng's buttocks. Li Feng only felt a wave of coolness on his rear, and the previous burning sensation immediately dissipated. The old Taoist bowed deeply and smiled as he apologized, saying: "Little benefactor, I have just performed a greeting... I am the humble Daoist Gu Lingzi, a member of the Yuanzong... Ah, ah, ah, you are not a disciple of my Yuanzong, how could you enter this Qingyun Ping?" He smiled and continued to apologize, saying: "Little benefactor, I have just performed a greeting... I am the humble Daoist Gu Lingzi, a member of the Yuanzong... Ah, ah, ah, you are not a disciple of my Yuanzong, how could you enter this Qingyun Ping? Are you perhaps here to steal my spiritual herbs on purpose?"

With a loud crash, the branches of this herb appeared delicate and intricate, yet they were incredibly hard. The fierce wind let out a howl and spat out a large tooth from its mouth

The old man, in a fit of rage, slapped the young boy's backside several times, exclaiming: "You little rascal, where did you come from? It's one thing to steal my herbs, and it's another to eat them, but you shouldn't have uprooted them! I've worked hard for thirty years to cultivate this, and I was counting on it to refine the 'Broken Divine Pill' and achieve the Nascent Soul... How long have you been digesting it? Spit a little out for me... How long have you been digesting it? Just spit a little out for me. Not too much, I won't make it difficult for you, just a little bit will suffice."

Licking his lips, the experienced Li Feng murmured: "Damn it, those ginseng, reishi, poria, purple reishi, and jade essence have been consumed too much, they are no longer precious. After searching through these hundreds of mountains, other items at least have five or six copies, but this herb has only been found in one place. Little cat, why don't you jump up and pick it for us to share? Isn't it said that the rarer something is, the more valuable it becomes? Who knows, if we eat this herb, we might just become immortals."

The kitten shook its head, sneezed heavily, and cast a disdainful glance at Li Feng. Indeed, this herb is rare, but it is not so absurd as to make one an immortal simply by consuming it. Otherwise, the members of the Yuan Sect would have long since divided it among themselves and all ascended to heaven.

Li Feng was on the verge of madness, his delicate face contorted entirely, displaying a pallid hue. He was half in pain and half distressed over his own teeth. It was undeniable that he wanted to tear the herb to shreds and then swallow it raw. He selected a clean piece of Woniu stone, placed the herb on it, and raised the 'Yuxi' sword, slicing through the entire herb like a butcher cutting meat, the sound of 'pa pa pa' resonating as he chopped it into fragments, which he then tossed into his mouth, swallowing it down cleanly with his saliva.

The furious wind kicked the little cat on its rear, scolding: "You ungrateful fellow, you were more diligent than anyone else when it came to dividing the spoils. Now, all I ask is for you to dig up a piece of grass, and yet you still chatter away, refusing to lift a finger. Damn it, this time when I dig up this grass, you better not even think about touching it."

The little cat felt dizzy and collapsed onto the ground, letting out a loud wail, which seemed to say: "Oh dear ancestor, you have really gotten yourself into trouble this time. Eating other things is fine, even the essence of ten-thousand-year jade, as this sect has a cave for that. However, these unique items are definitely meant for refining the highest-grade spiritual pills, and you have completely severed their source... The old man of the sect will surely not let you off the hook." Eating other things is fine, even the essence of ten-thousand-year jade, as this sect has a cave for that. However, these unique items are definitely meant for refining the highest-grade spiritual pills, and you have completely severed their source... The old man of the sect will surely not let you off the hook.

The old Taoist let out a cry, realizing that he had found great amusement in this situation. Despite his profound Taoist skills and high moral standing, he was anxious, and the 'Zhu Long Grass' was uprooted by the fierce wind without any effort on his part. At that moment, the fierce wind had undergone a transformation; even a large tooth could bite through steel. Consequently, the old Taoist's finger was bitten, resulting in a bloody wound, which amusingly coincided with the blood flowing from the fierce wind's broken tooth.

The old Taoist suddenly realized that he had not noticed this young man when he entered meditation a year ago. Could it be that an outsider secretly sneaked into the Yuanzong to steal medicine? At that moment, the old Taoist swiftly moved to a distance of about three zhang, his right hand forming a sword gesture pointing at Li Feng, while his left hand had already positioned itself to execute a spell, with a thread of electric light swirling around his fingers, producing a faint crackling sound.

Li Feng turned around and saw an old Taoist priest standing behind him, dressed in a blue robe, with disheveled hair, five strands of long beard, and a face that was both ancient and refined, looking at him with great anxiety. Li Feng blinked his eyes and asked, "Is the 'Zhu Long Cao' blood red in color"

Li Feng was taken aback, looking at the old Daoist's mournful expression, and his heart sank: "I'm done for, I've messed with someone I shouldn't have. Just look at this guy's face; this medicine is his lifeline. A gentleman does not suffer immediate losses; I need to make a quick escape." With this thought, Li Feng took off running.

With a loud bang, Li Feng exhaled a puff of black smoke from his mouth, his hair and eyebrows completely burned away, and he collapsed to the ground, his body covered in soot. In his final struggle, Li Feng angrily shouted at Gu Lingzi: "Old rag, I am your..." His head tilted, and he instantly fainted.

The old Taoist in green robes swiftly crossed a distance of one hundred zhang with a whoosh, appearing before Li Feng. He grabbed Li Feng with one hand, his fingers forcefully digging into Li Feng's mouth, and shouted loudly: "Spit it out, you little brat, give it back to me... my 'Zhu Long Grass'! I painstakingly stole it from that damned black dragon at the bottom of the ocean east of the East China Sea, so you better return it to me... Hurry up and spit it out..."

After spending five days on Qingyunping, living like a wild man and nearly falling ill from the oppressive atmosphere, Li Feng finally encountered a living person again

With a loud crack, a bolt of blue lightning descended from the sky like a giant dragon, striking directly on Li Feng's head. His entire body was illuminated by electric sparks, and with a loud bang, his clothes were completely reduced to ashes. A powerful current coursed through his body, causing Li Feng to tremble like a dying frog, his limbs stiffening as he collapsed to the ground

Looking again at the height of the fiery red herbs above the ground, the kitten shook its head vigorously and lazily lay down, displaying an attitude of "If you want to eat, you should do it yourself." This fellow is much more astute than Li Feng. These herbs are limited in number; Li Feng is a formal disciple of the sect, so it wouldn't matter if he dug some up to eat. But this kitten is merely a guard tiger; if it were to recklessly dig up herbs to nibble on, it might just end up in a hot pot prepared by those old Taoists from the Yuanzong. It is not that foolish.

After speaking, Li Feng drew the "Jade Horn" and struck it against the stone peak before him. The entire stone peak trembled slightly, and a dim golden light flashed by, as a stone the size of a bowl was cleaved off by Li Feng. With the sword in hand, he moved like the wind, effortlessly carving out a rugged staircase on the mountain peak, thanks to the extraordinary sharpness of the "Jade Horn." His current arm strength was immense, and his endurance was remarkable, making such physically demanding tasks second nature to him. Li Feng wielded the sword with the same fluidity, easily creating a rugged staircase on the mountain peak, his immense arm strength and remarkable endurance making this physically demanding work feel effortless.

The sound of a startled "Eh!" from the fierce wind: "Strange, strange, could it be that this thing is just good-looking, actually no different from the cabbages on the street? Damn it, all this effort has been in vain... This thing looks quite appealing, with a twinkling inside the flowers, yet consuming it yields no effect whatsoever?"

The kitten hurriedly stood up on its two hind legs, using its two front paws to gesture in a bowing manner, shaking its head in a show of goodwill. It muttered to itself, "If I were a formal disciple of the First Yuan Sect, I wouldn't need you to lead; I could just dig up these spiritual herbs and eat them myself. Do you think I am the same as you? Alas... how pitiful it is for us beings of the animal path to cultivate the Dao."

That morning, Li Feng took the kitten for a stroll to a group of stone peaks located behind Qingyun Ping. Over two hundred towering stone peaks stood scattered across the ground like bamboo shoots. These peaks were directly raised from the earth by the immense magical power of the predecessors of the Yiyuan Sect, arranged in the 'Jiuyang Gathering Array.' Here, they continuously absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth from a radius of three hundred miles, serving as a special place for the Yiyuan Sect to cultivate rare herbs. Naturally, Li Feng could not discern the peculiar terrain of this place; he came here purely based on the words of Xiao Longzi and the others, seeking to encounter 'immortal opportunities.'

Regardless, Li Feng did not think too much about it. With the herbs in hand, and having one less person to share the spoils with, he naturally opened his mouth wide and bit down directly.

Li Feng lowered his head and began to scold softly: "You rascal, every time it's me doing the work while you share the spoils, and now you're pulling this again? However, I'm in a good mood today, so if there's plenty to eat later, I'll give you a little. Hmph, if you slack off again next time, I won't give you even a scrap."

Gu Lingzi blinked and approached Li Feng, examining him closely: "Strange, strange, rare, rare, why does the sword in his hand resemble the 'Jade Rhinoceros' sword so much? This Jade Rhinoceros sword was bestowed by my master for my junior brother, Xiao Longzi, for protection. I used it in my youth as well, so naturally... it is indeed peculiar, it truly is 'Jade Rhinoceros'.? It truly is 'Jade Rhinoceros'.? Oh, Three Pure Ones, have I mistaken the person?" This Jade Rhinoceros sword was bestowed by my master for my junior brother, Xiao Longzi, for protection. I used it in my youth as well, so naturally... it is indeed peculiar, it truly is 'Jade Rhinoceros'.? It truly is 'Jade Rhinoceros'.? Oh, Three Pure Ones, have I mistaken the person?

With closed eyes and focused mind, Li Feng awaited the medicinal power that would emanate once the herb was dissolved. According to his experience, when these spiritual herbs were ingested, they would either bring a wave of heat, a rush of cold, a peculiar fragrance enveloping the body, or, in some cases, the potency would be so overwhelming that he would faint from his inability to withstand it. However, this time, after swallowing the herb, there was not the slightest reaction.

The old Taoist was momentarily taken aback, and a glimmer of golden light flashed in his eyes as he looked towards the root of the 'Candle Dragon Grass.' Indeed, there was a section of root about three inches long protruding from the stone, emanating a faint reddish glow. The old Taoist let out a sigh, quickly calming his emotions, and shook his head with a lament: "I am ashamed, I am ashamed. After more than a hundred years of diligent cultivation, I have lost my composure. How embarrassing... No wonder my master said that my purity skills are still inferior to those of my junior brother."

If it were an ordinary sect, no matter how large your temple is or how many spiritual herbs you cultivate, with thousands of disciples, how much can each person receive? Li Feng's luck is indeed extraordinary. Only a sect like the Yuan Sect could tolerate his such wastefulness