The old peach tree must have been unable to defeat that Sword Immortal, so it used a method akin to dismembering itself, controlling its roots to scatter and flee in every direction.
If any segment of root was lucky enough to escape the Sword Immortal’s pursuit and survive, it could find some remote, unnoticed corner to take root and sprout. In a few hundred years, it would be another fine hero once more.
Seeing Li Qiuchen’s gaze fall upon the root in his hand, the old Daoist’s heart tightened, and he hurriedly continued, “In truth, it was not only this poor Daoist. Several fellow Daoists also obtained the Immortal Elder’s shed husk. Among them, a senior who called himself Perfected Mohe was the most learned. It was he who told us of this Immortal Elder’s origins and background.”
“It is said that this Immortal Elder Tianchi attained the Dao at the Heavenly Lake of Western Kunlun Mountain. After cultivating for three thousand years, he formed a Golden Core, and with supreme immortal arts founded the Great Luo Divine Sect, making a tremendous name for himself in the Central Plains. Unfortunately, he was later besieged by the authorities, his Dao lineage destroyed, and he fled alone to the northern border to cultivate in seclusion. Within this Immortal Elder’s shed husk lies boundless foundation. If one can luckily comprehend even a little of it, one will benefit for life…”
That impressive? I don’t buy it.
As someone who had personally experienced that battle, Li Qiuchen knew better than anyone that the old peach tree was a miser to the bone. In all these years, it had refused to bear even a single peach, storing all its vital essence inside its tree core.
As for its roots, those things grew all over the mountains.
He had a piece of the tree core in his possession, though it was hidden in the mountains.
He was all too familiar with that scent.
As for the root before him… it could not be said to have no scent at all, only that it was better than nothing.
“That Perfected Mohe told you all this?”
Li Qiuchen shook his head. “Senior, I suspect you may have been deceived by him. This shed husk in your hand, if used as medicine, could indeed count as a decent medicinal ingredient. But if you wish to comprehend something from it, I fear you will only be wasting your effort.”
Hearing this, the old Daoist was not alarmed but delighted. He nodded with a smile. “Junior Brother truly has extraordinary insight. However, you know one thing, but not the other. Although this shed husk now appears utterly devoid of vitality, if one can carefully cultivate it with the Medicine Master’s wondrous arts…”
“Oh—”
Li Qiuchen suddenly understood. The two exchanged a glance and, without prior agreement, both revealed knowing smiles.
What if there was not enough root to use? Dig a pit, fill it with soil, add some water, and let it grow back, wasn’t that all?
Even cut-up potatoes could sprout. As for the roots of a peach tree… as long as they had the Medicine Master’s blessing, they could likewise be brought back from death.
Li Qiuchen lowered his voice. “Senior intends to use the villagers in this village…”
The old Daoist hastily waved his hand. “Earlier, I did not know that an eminent person was cultivating here in seclusion, and I offended you in many ways. Since Junior Brother has stepped forward, this poor Daoist shall naturally leave and seek another blessed land.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. None of that is important.”
Li Qiuchen waved his hand. “Since Senior has already come, why go to the trouble again and waste time for nothing? This junior does have an presumptuous request. Might I ask where one can find this Immortal Elder’s shed husk? This junior also wishes to… observe it a little.”
Hearing that the other party neither wanted to drive him away nor seize his treasure, the old Daoist was extremely pleased.
There were still more good people than bad in this world!
“Junior Brother may not know this, but the Immortal Elder’s shed husk cannot be obtained by those without fate. If you were to search the mountains, who knows how many days you would waste, and you still might not find any. However, Perfected Mohe has collected quite a few. The Perfected One is broad-minded and acts with benevolence and righteousness. As long as you go to request some from him, you will surely gain something.”
Who knew how many pieces the old peach tree’s roots had shattered into? In truth, this thing’s value was not that high.
It did have value as a medicinal ingredient.
But if you wanted to plant the root and make it live, you had to do as the old Daoist did: find a remote village, fool the villagers into becoming pigs, then build a pigsty and pile up fertilizer.
In other words, taking too much was useless.
The fertility could not keep up.
After listening to the old Daoist’s explanation, Li Qiuchen pressed, “Then may I ask where Perfected Mohe is now?”
The old Daoist looked troubled and sighed. “To be honest with Junior Brother, we cultivators have repeatedly suffered encirclement and suppression by the authorities. Like stray dogs who have lost their homes, we spend every day in fear and panic. Ordinarily, we hide our names and identities and dare not walk openly outside. We have almost no contact with one another either.”
“As for where Perfected Mohe is now, this poor Daoist truly does not know. But I imagine he should be nearby and has not gone far. At the time, he agreed with us on a three-month period. When the time comes, we are to gather at Qingshi Terrace and share our results. Counting the days, there is less than a month and a half left.”
“When the time comes, Junior Brother can come find this poor Daoist, and we can go meet that Perfected One together.”
Less than two months left? Then time was rather tight.
Not Li Qiuchen’s time, but the old Daoist’s.
Li Qiuchen glanced at the root in the old Daoist’s hand and smiled. “From what I see, Senior seems to have… encountered some difficulties?”
The old Daoist’s old face flushed red, and he gave a dry laugh. “It cannot really be called a difficulty… Junior Brother knows as well that the Great Dao of Longevity contains endless profundities. How could these ordinary mortals possibly understand it? I wished to enlighten them…”
“But the villagers are ignorant. They only know how to ask for things, not how to repay?”
“Precisely!”
The old Daoist nodded vigorously, nearly squeezing out tears.
To put it bluntly, the issue was that they only ate and never shat.
The old Daoist had preached the art of longevity here. The villagers all believed him and followed him in cultivation.
But he had no way to transform the results of that cultivation into fertilizer for nurturing the tree root. As a result, more than a month had passed, and the root was still just a root, without the slightest change.
The look Li Qiuchen gave the old Daoist immediately became subtle.
I thought you were some otherworldly expert. Turns out you’re just an amateur.
No wonder I managed to fool you until now, and you haven’t suspected me at all. All the arrangements I made afterward never even had a chance to be used.
The Medicine Master’s blessing also had distinctions of high and low.
The blessing Li Qiuchen himself had received was of an extremely high grade. He was not sure exactly how high. But it was obvious that the blessing this old Daoist had received was absolutely not as advanced as his.
This old man had not even figured out the basic principles.
Not understanding was one thing, but that did not mean the old Daoist was not formidable.
That move he used to turn a living person into a tree was something Li Qiuchen had yet to grasp.
“Senior…”
“Junior Brother…”
Each harboring his own ulterior motives, the two exchanged a glance. The old Daoist took the initiative to speak. “Junior Brother has cultivated bitterly in the mountains and received the instruction of a renowned master. Presumably, you would look down on such crude little tricks as this poor Daoist’s. If you could offer me some guidance, this poor Daoist would be endlessly grateful.”
“Senior is too serious.”
Li Qiuchen smiled. “In truth, I descended the mountain this time with the thought of befriending those of the same path and broadening my horizons. Might I ask what sect or school Senior comes from? Could we set aside sectarian prejudices and sit down to exchange insights?”
The old Daoist was overjoyed. “This poor Daoist is but an unaffiliated cultivator. What sect could I possibly speak of? On ordinary days, I wander east and west, struggling for a living while also evading pursuit by the authorities. It is unbearably bitter. Even if I occasionally encounter someone of the same path, I do not dare associate too deeply. If Junior Brother has such intentions, this poor Daoist could not ask for more! Please, sit quickly. I will have my boy attendant brew tea for Junior Brother!”