103 Nightingale Mushrooms 2

The forest was dense; no matter the species, the trees twisted and intertwined with one another. Each tree soared over a hundred feet tall, sturdy enough that several people couldn’t encircle its trunk with their arms. Yet from these massive trunks sprouted countless branches and vines, weaving together from all directions so thickly that almost no sunlight pierced through to the canopy above.

The ground, however, presented a starkly different picture. Wild grasses had withered away, their leaves drooping and tinged dark green, exuding an air of decay and desolation. This was the most common scene in the Great Delusion Mountain.

Hansu carefully flew close to the ground. It was best not to ride her sword here; the fluctuations of spiritual energy were easily detected by the Lingzhi mushrooms buried deep underground. The branches above were so densely packed that the sky was almost sealed off, so she had no choice but to affix flying talismans to her legs and glide just above the earth.

It was more difficult than she had expected. The flying talismans consumed quickly; she had fewer than five left now, each lasting less than three hours. Once exhausted, she would have to rely solely on her legs.

Extending her divine sense, she carefully investigated her surroundings and detected a place under attack by mature Lingzhi mushrooms. The area she saw was gray-black; the trees, though still standing, were dry and withered as if they would crumble to dust at a touch. No grass grew on the cracked, yellowed earth.

From three months of experience, Hansu knew it wouldn’t be long before the Lingzhi mushrooms here fully matured and exploded, releasing the life force accumulated over ten thousand years. Her task was to wait here for that moment.

She found a relatively safe spot outside that area and settled in to wait.

She watched as the earth cracked wider and wider, and the trees crashed down with thunderous roars. Hansu pressed a flying talisman to her body, ready at a moment’s notice.

Then, barely audible, a faint “pop” echoed. Even from the outskirts, she could feel the exuberant vitality surging forth.

Seizing the opportunity, Hansu tensed her body like a drawn arrow and shot forward into the forest.

The closer she approached the center, the more she felt the faint moisture, like gentle rain nourishing her. Every droplet enriched her body and soul.

Without hesitation, she sat cross-legged at the very center, entering meditation to circulate the spiritual energy within her body. One cycle, two cycles... she remained there for three full days, absorbing the life force completely. She felt reborn, her youthful body brimming with vigor, and her soul solidified considerably.

Though this was only her second experience of this kind over three months, it was nothing like the familiar fullness of spiritual energy. Her body was like the most diligent student, tirelessly absorbing every fresh element. Each experience brought new breakthroughs and sensations.

Though she did not possess the Wood Spirit Root, Hansu found her understanding of the essence of “life” growing ever deeper.

With this aid, she unexpectedly broke through to the initial Nascent Soul stage. After stabilizing her newfound realm on the spot, she left to seek the next opportunity.

She had witnessed two explosions of mature Lingzhi mushrooms but had never captured the initial leap of one.

The signs of explosion were easier to detect, and with patience, she could always catch them. But the initial leap was different. Often, by the time one arrived, the mushroom had passed a brief safe period and had become extremely dangerous.

Now, with only four flying talismans left, she had at most four chances.

Determined not to waste them, she relied on her legs, using the talismans to their fullest while minimizing contact with the ground to prevent the underground Lingzhi mushrooms from absorbing the life force.

After many days of searching, she finally caught a chance.

It was a drizzly day; the forest’s plants were refreshed by the rain, displaying a rare verdancy. Hansu did not cast a protective shield; instead, she pulled out an oil-paper umbrella she had bought during her travels and opened it, creating a small haven as she strolled through the rain.

Immersed in the strange communion between water and wood, her divine sense suddenly detected a peculiar anomaly less than ten miles away—a patch of forest acting strangely. Without hesitation, she tossed aside her umbrella, produced a flying talisman, slapped it on her leg, and darted toward that direction.

At last, she encountered it! The moment she arrived, a glowing white orb was just breaking through the soil, hesitantly and slowly exploring the world around it. Excited, Hansu pulled out a jade box, ready to capture it. Unexpectedly, the orb seemed curious, leapt onto her shoulder, wandered about her body for a moment, then surprisingly jumped into the box on its own.

Quick as a flash, Hansu sealed the lid and formed a hand seal to lock the box completely, then gripped it tightly, her palms sweating slightly.

Was it really this easy?

Unbeknownst to her, having absorbed the life force from two previous Lingzhi mushroom explosions, her body was brimming with vitality. The initial leap mushroom mistook her for one of its own kind, which is why it jumped on her immediately and then obediently entered the jade box.

Hansu paused briefly, put away the box, steadied her breathing, and set off for the next location.

Though she wasn’t always this lucky, by the time she had used her remaining three flying talismans, she had captured three such mushrooms.

Three were enough; she had no intention to take more. Everything about this Great Delusion Mountain expedition had gone smoothly. She longed to return immediately to bring these back to her mother so she could rest easy during her pregnancy.

At the mountain’s foot, Fifth Uncle once again wiped the dirt from Ah Miao’s face. A sleeve brushed past his vision, and when he looked up, he was stunned to see that young female cultivator—was this the nine hundred and fifty-eighth one? She had actually come out?

The return journey was a hundred times easier than the going. Hansu felt unburdened the moment she left Great Delusion Mountain, as if all restraints had vanished and boundless energy coursed through her.

Even her sword-riding speed was nearly thirty percent faster than before. She wasn’t sure if it was due to her cultivation surge or the invigorating life force that had tempered her body.

But soon she realized she seemed trapped.

After flying continuously for several days, she saw no trace of Yaohua. Moreover, she felt as if a cloud was always beside her, never disappearing. What was going on?

She tried changing direction, but it was useless—the cloud followed her, turning left when she did, right when she did.

Unable to restrain herself, Hansu drew her treasured sword, Suwei, and slashed at the cloud, but nothing happened. It was just an ordinary cloud.

No. This was an illusion! She had never moved an inch—she had been trapped in place all along!

The worst thing about illusions is being unaware of them. Once you realize your predicament, careful observation often reveals clues. What’s more, Hansu was a master at breaking formations, and her treasured sword Suwei was fused with the Illusion Formation Scripture.

Quickly, she pinpointed a weak spot and struck with force.

Crackling sounds filled the air as the surrounding scenery shattered like glass, revealing the true scene beneath. She had been confined to a place not far from Great Delusion Mountain, never moving at all.

“Who’s there?! Show yourself!”

Hansu loathed treachery the most in her life. Clutching her treasured blade, she stood on her flying sword and scanned the surroundings.

Right there! She swung her arm, Suwei tracing a perfect arc in the air. Crack! A portion of the illusion shattered, revealing a person hidden inside.

“It’s you? What do you want?” Seeing this person, Hansu was not overly shocked. Upon seeing the true form of Master Mingxin, she had long harbored a vague suspicion—today was merely confirmation.

The newcomer, seeing the illusion broken, no longer bothered to hide. She gracefully floated toward Hansu, her bearing breathtakingly beautiful.

“As expected of the one I chose—you’ve grown quite fast.”

“What do you mean by that?”

A soft laugh escaped the newcomer, a seductive charm unconsciously emanating, intoxicating and difficult to resist. “Silly child, hurry and return the All-Seeing Mirror to me. Though you haven’t transformed into a deity yet, you’ve come far.”

The first half was addressed to Hansu; the latter half spoken softly as if to herself.

“What did you say?! You... you are...?”

“Your current task is simple: obediently come to me and hand over the All-Seeing Mirror.” The tone of the Underworld Empress suddenly changed—not the soft, languid voice before, but one as clear and precise as a modern news anchor.

Hansu’s eyes widened. Though she had entertained many possibilities, she had always assumed the spirit of the All-Seeing Mirror was Aunt Ju. She never imagined it was her!

“I was brought here by you?!”

The Underworld Empress chuckled lightly. “Seems that if I don’t answer, you won’t cooperate. Yes, you were brought here by me. Now your mission is complete—it’s time for you to return. If you come willingly, I can help you back to your world.”

“I cannot trust you.”

A mocking smile curled on the Underworld Empress’s lips. “Whether you trust me or not is irrelevant. If you refuse to cooperate, I have countless ways to deal with you. If you don’t want to suffer bits of pain, then be obedient and do as you’re told!”

Hansu’s face flushed crimson; her hand holding the blade grew moist. Her grip tightened, countless thoughts flashing through her mind, yet none guaranteed she could escape before a Celestial Immortal.

“I can come over and cooperate, but you must tell me why you brought me here.”

The Underworld Empress laughed. “Trying to stall? I heard Rong Ling hasn’t left his pre-ascension cave for months—he definitely can’t come to save you. Delaying is useless. I’ll give you a cup of tea’s time; if you don’t come voluntarily, I won’t be so polite.”

Hansu felt embarrassed as her secret was exposed. The last time she parted on bad terms with Rong Ling, but now in danger, she involuntarily thought of him. She didn’t expect him to rescue her—between her and the Underworld Empress, he would surely choose the latter.

But why must she approach on her own? Was it because her injuries hadn’t healed, and she lacked sufficient strength? Otherwise, if the Underworld Empress could seize her anytime, why resort to ambushing her on the road, using illusions as a crutch, and hesitating to act, instead trying to break her psychological defenses with words?

The author’s note: Got a little high again today... 166 Reading Network