MTLNOVEL Chapter 87: Ginseng Fruit
"Those cultivating the Earthly Immortal Path merge with heaven and earth, their causes and effects so profound, it's like being tied securely within a house, making it impossible to leave. Only by severing these chains can one glimpse an opportunity."
Lu Yu understood that Master Zhenyuan was referring to himself and couldn't help but ask, "Is transcendence necessary? Severing the chains would be no different from starting over."
"Once I believed that Three Flowers Gathering at the Top was the ultimate goal, but the Ancestral Master's transcendence told me the path ahead is not yet severed. Once the road ahead is visible, how can one's heart not yearn for it?" Master Zhenyuan's eyes sparkled with bright light, revealing his desire for the Great Dao.
Lu Yu suddenly understood why Master Zhenyuan could become a patriarch of the path—this yearning for the Great Dao was truly remarkable.
"But my mana is weak, even if I wanted to help you, it would be like trying to achieve the impossible," Lu Yu said with a wry smile.
"Haha, not to sing my own praises, but since ancient times I established the Earthly Immortal Path. Melding the Five Qi with heaven and earth, and over countless years and epochs, few if any have dared to say they could assuredly sever my chains," Master Zhenyuan said with overflowing confidence.
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Lu Yu couldn't help but give a wry smile. He seemed to have forgotten that the person before him was the very one who pioneered the Earthly Immortal Path. If it were easy to sever one's own foundation, Master Zhenyuan would have done it himself long ago and not waited until today to seek his help.
At that moment, an epiphany struck him, and he realized that Master Zhenyuan wasn't seeking him, but the monkey behind him. Only by taking advantage of an upheaval as great as the Journey to the West could it be possible to sever his foundation and allow him to cultivate the Great Dao anew.
Seeing Lu Yu's expression, Master Zhenyuan showed a gratified smile and said while stroking his beard, "Only by utilizing this great upheaval of heaven and earth and employing the fortune and destiny of the Human Path can I sever it. I know you share a close bond with the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, thus I hope you can relay this message for me."
"The root of my being lies in this Wanshou Mountain Cave Heaven, with the Ginseng Fruit Tree as its pivot. Thus, only by toppling the Ginseng Fruit Tree can I free myself from these fetters."
Lu Yu breathed a sigh of relief. With that being the case, what harm was there in agreeing to Master Zhenyuan's request? In his memory, the monkey had indeed toppled the Ginseng Fruit Tree.
"Relaying a message is a trifling matter; I shall agree to do so. However, you are also aware of the monkey's nature—he's not one to take action until he sees the benefit," Lu Yu said with a hint of embarrassment, yet his words held no sign of relaxation.
If he didn't take this opportunity to ask for his share, it would be like missing the chance to shop in a village that one would not pass by again.
After pondering for a long while, Master Zhenyuan said, "Once his task is accomplished, I will bestow upon him and his companions a Ginseng Fruit. And I am willing to form a brotherly bond with him, sharing the accumulated fortune and destiny of the Earthly Immortal Path over many years."
Such a promise was no small matter. The Earthly Immortal Path had been established since ancient times, and its accumulated fortune was immense. Master Zhenyuan's willingness to stoop to brotherhood with the monkey was bold, but Lu Yu knew that Master Zhenyuan would not be the one at a loss. After all, the monkey was the protagonist of this Journey to the West, destined to receive heavenly rewards.
By connecting his fortune with the monkey's, he too would reap considerable benefits—it was hardly a loss for either party.
Since Master Zhenyuan had put it so, Lu Yu felt it inappropriate to ask for more and simply nodded in agreement.
Soon after, Qingfeng, holding a Ginseng Fruit, walked in. Lu Yu saw that it was exactly as described in the books, resembling a three-year-old child, complete with little eyebrows and eyes, exuding a unique fragrance that pervaded the air. With just a light sniff, Lu Yu felt his pores seemed to open up, leaving him feeling extremely comfortable.
"Is this the famous Grass Returning Pill?" Lu Yu murmured to himself.
"This here is indeed the Ginseng Fruit, born from the creative essence and spiritual energy of heaven and earth, close to the Dao, which is why it possesses such a form. Those who are unaware think it's a three-year-old child due to its appearance," Master Zhenyuan explained with a smile.
"This item is steaming with Wood Qi, and its spiritual energy is compelling. Truly worthy of the term 'Spirit Root,' and I wonder how it differs from the heavenly Peaches of Immortality."
"The Queen Mother's Peaches of Immortality are also Heaven and Earth Spirit Roots, but their effects are different from those of my Ginseng Fruit.
The peaches primarily serve to extend life and increase mana, whereas my Ginseng Fruit both lengthens life and revitalizes the body, granting eternal life and eternal youth." Master Zhenyuan was indeed proud, as even this sole effect of eternal youth surpassed that of the Peaches of Immortality.
Listening to Master Zhenyuan, Lu Yu's anticipation for the powers of the Ginseng Fruit grew. He picked up the fruit and started to eat. A fragrance exploded in his mouth, and having tasted countless fruits and spiritual substances in his two lifetimes, none matched the flavor of the Ginseng Fruit.
No sooner had the Ginseng Fruit been swallowed than it transformed into a cool breath that traveled through his meridians throughout his body. Lu Yu felt as though all his pores had opened up, breathing freely. Within his organs, a radiant glow shone, and the circulation of the Five Qi quickened considerably.
Black impurities slowly seeped from his pores. While the Immortal Body is said to be flawless, that's but an exaggeration. Born of heaven and earth, breathing in impure air, how could one truly be without flaws? Hence, many impurities still lay hidden within the body.
Now, under the purifying and marrow-cleansing effect of the Ginseng Fruit, these impurities were gradually expelled. At this moment, Lu Yu found that each inch of his flesh seemed to possess its own life, cheering and leaping for joy. With a slight movement, he found his physical strength had increased by at least thirty percent.
That thirty percent was not to be underestimated. Since developing his Body Refining Technique, he hadn't ceased his physical cultivation, and now he had basically reached his limit. Yet now, his strength had increased by thirty percent out of nowhere, showcasing the profound effects of the Ginseng Fruit.
What was most invaluable was that, under the Ginseng Fruit's influence, his body's vitality was further enhanced. He felt that with such training, regenerating from a drop of blood would no longer be just a legend for him.
"I thank the Great Immortal for the Ginseng Fruit. It is a life well lived to have tasted it even once," Lu Yu expressed his gratitude to Master Zhenyuan with a bow, for even though he was only a messenger, Master Zhenyuan had offered him such a treasure, and he recognized the favor.
"Daoist Lu, why belittle yourself? In less than a millennium, you, a mortal, have ignited the Five Qi within. Such an achievement is extraordinary. You are not unknown in the Three Realms. This Ginseng Fruit is well deserved by you," Master Zhenyuan said with a smile.
"If that's the case, I shall take my leave and deliver the message," Lu Yu said, bowing farewell.
Master Zhenyuan didn't attempt to detain him and said, "Then I will await the arrival of the Great Sage Equalling Heaven here on Wanshou Mountain."
After their parting, Lu Yu left Wuzhuang Temple. Watching the clouds and mist gradually engulf the mountain peak, which soon vanished from sight, one might never guess that this place was the legendary Wanshou Mountain, only revealed again when Master Zhenyuan opened his temple to preach to the gathering crowds.