After returning to the village, start chasing the mountain from binding Emei

Chapter 973 The Deal with the Udumbara Flower!
Chen Yang's swordsmanship was also quite strong; he easily parried the attacks, withstood the pressure, and continued forward.

Ten meters, nine meters...

As Chen Yang drew closer, the figure formed by the medicinal energy became more solid, and the attacks became increasingly fierce.

Inside the cave, the glint of swords flashed and flickered.

Chen Yang forced himself to stand about five meters away from the Dao Pattern Stone, where the repulsive force generated by the Dao Pattern was already very strong.

In an instant, he was pushed out by this repulsive force.

Chen Yang slowly retreated from the cave, and the humanoid phantom disappeared once again.

In fact, he still had some strength left. The attack power of that medicinal phantom was not very strong, and he could handle it completely. If all else failed, he could just activate his golden body and charge in.

However, he dared not force a breakthrough, lest he damage the Dao Pattern Stone and trigger a celestial phenomenon, bringing immediate divine retribution.

Destroying this patterned stone is not difficult; the difficulty lies in bearing the consequences.

When Mo Yuan saw Chen Yang come out, he knew Chen Yang's concerns. His eyes darted around, and a plan immediately came to mind. "Master, I have a way."

"explain."

"Let that water monkey out and let it go in to pick flowers," Mo Yuan said.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang's face twitched slightly. "Its intelligence is a bit lacking, but it's not stupid. Does it not know the consequences of destroying innate Dao patterns?"

"If it cooperates obediently, even if divine retribution comes, it will at least have a chance to survive. If it doesn't cooperate, then kill it on the spot..."

Mo Yuan spoke the most ruthless words in the calmest tone, "Master, if it were smart enough, it should know how to choose..."

This thing...

Chen Yang shook his head. "It's no use. If we really do that, we'll be punished by heaven. I've tried it before..."

If it weren't for what happened at the Bewitching Pool, Chen Yang might have actually taken its advice.

But in reality, it was a terrible idea.

Mo Yuan paused upon hearing this. Chen Yang had actually had such an experience?
But seeing Chen Yang's confident and resolute words, it shut its mouth.

If encouraging others will also affect you, then just pretend you didn't say anything.

It scratched its head with its paw and looked at the two-headed snake beside it. "Do you know the whereabouts of that guardian beast?"

The only way to open the door now is to find the key, and the key here is the spirit beast that accompanies this immortal herb.

Once you find this spirit beast, you can either force it to help you pick the herbs or take its inner core and borrow its aura to go in and pick the herbs.

Upon hearing this, the two-headed snake shook its two heads like rattles. "All I know is that a long time ago, a white fox occupied this place. Later, for some reason, it left and never returned. I observed it for a long time and, after confirming that it wouldn't come back, I came here to live. I never intended to seize this immortal herb; I simply wanted to find a better environment for cultivation..."

"You know nothing, what use are you?"

Mo Yuan cursed, a murderous glint in his eyes. If Chen Yang hadn't been there, he probably would have killed the strange snake with a single sword strike.

It makes me angry just looking at it.

The Udumbara flower, placed before the Heavenly Path is severed, can assist cultivators in entering the state of oneness with Heaven and Man, helping them to open the Heavenly Gate, comprehend the laws and divine powers, and break through to the realm of Heaven and Man.

Even if one can no longer break through to the Celestial Realm, it still has an excellent effect on improving one's primordial spirit and mental state.

Even if I get the flowers, I might not get any for myself, but it would be nice to smell them.

The two-headed snake was frightened by Mo Yuan's fierce appearance and hurriedly hid behind Chen Yang.

Chen Yang's gaze drifted into the cave.

It's definitely a bit tricky.

However, didn't Master Xuantong say that there were palm-leaf scriptures near the Udumbara flower?
The lighting inside wasn't very good, so Chen Yang took out a flashlight and shone it inside.

Apart from that magical herb, no scriptures were seen.

I don't know if there are any blind spots.

But that doesn't make sense. Master Xuantong and his group came here, and they must have been blocked outside the cave. They saw the scriptures back then.

Chen Yang frowned slightly.

What went wrong?

Mo Yuan was also deep in thought there.

It's so frustrating to be able to see something right in front of you but not be able to touch it.

"I have another idea." After a moment, Mo Yuan's eyes brightened, and another plan came to mind.

Chen Yang looked at it again.

Mo Yuan said, "If we reveal this place, and the nearby spiritual creatures know that there are immortal herbs here, some fools will surely come to take them. We can then reap the benefits. That way, even if there is divine retribution, it shouldn't come after us, right?"

The water monkey knows that the innate Dao patterns cannot be destroyed and fears divine retribution, so it wouldn't do something as foolish as forcibly taking the immortal herb. However, there will always be some fools who don't recognize the innate Dao patterns and are unaware of the consequences.

Besides, they're just spreading the word. Heaven can't possibly forbid people from speaking out, so why would they be punished by heaven for it?

Chen Yang took a deep breath.

Perhaps Mo Yuan's plan could work.

However, this approach exploits the greedy nature of the animal herd, sending them to their deaths, which is contrary to the natural order and is a poor strategy.

Not all spirits in this world are evil; a large portion of them are benevolent.

After careful consideration, Chen Yang came up with a simple solution.

Since this magical herb can take form using medicinal vapor, does that mean it's different from other magical herbs and possesses considerable wisdom?

If one possesses wisdom, it means one is capable of communication and negotiating terms.

Negotiation is something Chen Yang excels at.

With that thought in mind, Chen Yang stepped inside again.

When Chen Yang was about fifteen meters away from the Dao Pattern Stone, before the medicinal vapors in the cave had a chance to react, he stopped.

The spiritual energy attempted to penetrate the barrier to communicate with the immortal herb, but was blocked by the Daoist energy.

His spiritual power was like being stuck in a quagmire, making it impossible for him to get close to that immortal herb.

Helpless, Chen Yang cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said loudly, "Senior, shall we talk?"

The voice was sent out, but after waiting for a long time, Chen Yang did not receive a response.

Is this because you don't want to talk to me?

Chen Yang chuckled, said nothing more, and directly took a bottle of plant growth essence and poured it on the ground.

Any plant, whether it's a rare herb or a common plant, will inevitably succumb to the allure of this stuff.

Sure enough, as the spiritual liquid seeped into the ground, Chen Yang soon saw the immortal herb tremble slightly.

Its roots are probably frantically absorbing the spiritual liquid underground right now, feasting on it.

"Senior, can we talk now? I mean no harm. If you're willing to talk, I have plenty of spiritual liquid like this." Chen Yang offered direct enticement.

As long as this magical herb is willing to speak, I can make it agree.

Instead of risking your life to pick the flowers, why not find a way to make it bring the flowers out on its own?

"What to talk about?"

At this moment, a spiritual force emanated from the cave and resonated with Chen Yang.

It was a deep, dignified female voice, quite magnetic.

Mo Yuan also sensed this spiritual fluctuation.

My eyes lit up.

My new master does have some unique ideas. How come I never thought of this way?

Chen Yang couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, and a look of joy appeared on his face.

……

"Ding! Discovered a divine herb, the Udumbara Flower. The encyclopedia is now available. You have received 10 Heart-Questioning Pills as a reward. The item has been placed in the system warehouse and can be retrieved at any time."

……

The system popped up a notification the instant the immortal herb responded to Chen Yang.

It really is an Udumbara flower.

With the systematic assessment, Chen Yang had a clear understanding of the situation.

This is the elixir of immortality that Xuantong had long coveted.

He quickly cupped his hands in greeting to the Udumbara flower in the cave, saying, "I speak too bluntly, please forgive me, senior..."

After a pause, Chen Yang continued, "This junior would like to request that the senior bestow upon me a few precious flowers..."

"Ah."

A cold laugh came from the Udumbara flower, a laugh filled with sarcasm, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Before she could refuse, Chen Yang said, "Senior, please don't be in such a hurry to refuse. I can give you some of the spiritual liquid from earlier as a reward..." "Heh."

The Udumbara flower said, "Your spiritual liquid is indeed delicious, but you dare to ask me to trade it for a flower with such a small amount? How dare you even ask..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang remained calm and continued, "The spirit liquid I just received was only of ordinary quality. Senior, why don't you try this instead..."

As he spoke, he took out another bottle of super plant growth essence, opened it, and poured it onto the ground.

This stuff is perfect for beings at the Dao True Realm. It has extremely strong medicinal power and can help beings at the Dao True Realm grow and improve their cultivation. Once they've tasted it, they'll naturally know how good it is.

This time, the Udumbara flower remained silent for a long time.

Its branches were stretching slightly, and in no time, they looked even more vibrant.

The potency of one bottle of top-grade spiritual liquid should be enough for it to absorb for a while.

Chen Yang wasn't in a hurry; he just waited patiently.

"call."

After a long while, the voice of the Udumbara flower rang in Chen Yang's ears again, "This spiritual liquid is indeed quite good, but are you so sure that I will exchange it with you?"

Chen Yang shook his head. "If you're not willing, no one can force you. There's a saying that even if a deal falls through, goodwill remains. If you're not willing, just pretend I was never here. Consider these two bottles of spirit liquid as a small gift to you..."

"Heh, you're quite generous," the Udumbara flower chuckled.

Regardless, Chen Yang's words were very well said, leaving no room for criticism.

Chen Yang smiled and said, "I enjoy making friends, but I don't know if you'd be willing to give me this opportunity."

friend?

The Udumbara flower, however, had no idea what to think. It didn't believe Chen Yang would want to be friends with it. If it weren't for the innate Dao patterns blocking its way, who could resist its temptation? This kid would probably have rushed in and snatched it long ago.

"What is your name?" asked the Udumbara flower.

Chen Yang cupped his hands in greeting, "Chen Yang, a lay disciple of Baoguo Temple of Emei."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Udumbara Flower was clearly surprised, "It's Baoguo Temple again..."

Chen Yang regretted his words as soon as they were spoken, and his regret deepened upon hearing about the Udumbara flower.

At this point, it's inappropriate to mention Baoguo Temple.

After all, Xuan Tong and his group had been here before, and perhaps things had even turned unpleasant.

"You've got some nerve, staying away from the mountains and daring to come out here." The Udumbara flower didn't question his identity.

Chen Yang smiled and said, "To me, there's not much difference between inside and outside the mountains."

"Quite confident, huh?"

The Udumbara flower chuckled softly, then steered the conversation back on track, "How much of this spiritual liquid do you have left?"

Chen Yang said, "There are five bottles of top-grade spirit liquid. In addition, I can give you ten bottles of high-grade spirit liquid and fifty bottles of ordinary spirit liquid, as a token of my appreciation for your thirst..."

"How much do you want?"

"This one……"

Chen Yang paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the Udumbara flower. It had about five white flowers blooming on it, which were the essence of the Udumbara flower.

"If possible, of course I'd like to have both." Chen Yang straightened his back.

"Ah……"

Upon hearing this, the Udumbara flower was almost amused with anger. "You're quite bold to ask for so much. Do you know how precious my flower is? You want it all right away. You have quite the appetite. Do you think it's worth what you've offered?"

A few bottles of elixir are indeed a bit lacking.

"I wonder how much you're willing to give up, senior?" Chen Yang threw the question back to Udumbara Flower.

After considering for a moment, the Udumbara flower said, "I can only give you three at most."

"it is good."

Chen Yang agreed immediately.

"you……"

The agreement was made too readily, and the deal was closed immediately, but this left the Udumbara flower in disarray.

It wasn't stupid; it instinctively realized it had lost out.

Chen Yang had already taken out all the spiritual liquid he had promised to give it, put it in a box, and placed it on the ground. "I like dealing with straightforward people like you, senior. You don't waste any time or effort."

Negotiation requires skill. You can't just ask for whatever price you want. You need to raise your expectations appropriately, aim high, get somewhere in between, aim for the middle, and get something less. You need to give the other party room to negotiate.

Chen Yang originally wanted three flowers, but when the other party bargained down to three, he readily agreed.

Although the Udumbara flower realized it had lost out, it couldn't go back on its word since it had already spoken.

"it is good."

It agreed, "However, you know the value of these spiritual liquids yourself. I can give you the treasure flower, but you have to do one thing for me."

You're trading this little bit of stuff for three precious flowers? Don't you feel guilty?
Chen Yang was somewhat surprised and immediately said, "Senior, you can tell me what you're capable of. If it's within my ability, I won't refuse."

"Ah."

The Udumbara flower responded, then said, "I once had a companion spirit beast that accompanied me day and night, and we were very close..."

"Many years ago, a human came here wanting my precious flower and a relic from this cave. However, unlike you, this person came empty-handed, only wanting it but unwilling to give anything in return..."

"With the protection of the Dao patterns here, my companion fox and I aren't afraid of him, and he can't do anything to us..."

"Not long after, a white fox came to this place. At first, I thought it was a coincidence, but later I realized it was all part of that person's conspiracy..."

"It was a male fox, extremely beautiful, and adept at using tricks. It quickly won the heart of my companion fox, instigating it to become estranged from me..."

"My companion spirit fox is pure and innocent by nature. It didn't take long for her to fall for it. Despite my objections, she willingly offered up the most precious treasure in the cave..."

“I was heartbroken, but there was nothing I could do. Then that person appeared and wanted my precious flower. I originally had seven precious flowers, but it still remembered some old feelings and only picked two of mine…”

"After that, it followed the white fox. I was born with it, and we were naturally connected. I also know a little about what happened to it afterward..."

"After it left, the white fox quickly revealed its true colors and treated it very badly. That person even forced it to come back and take my precious flower..."

"In the end, it suddenly realized its mistake and, on its way back, self-destructed its Dao Embryo, perishing together with the human and the fox..."

……

As it recounted these events, the Udumbara flower was somewhat emotionally turbulent.

It's like an old mother watching her beloved daughter, whom she raised, contemplate suicide, empty her pockets to marry a blond-haired man, only to be seduced and abandoned by him, ending up with a tragic end.

Chen Yang opened his mouth slightly.

What the hell is this?

Can you believe it? The guardian beast of this Udumbara flower is actually a love-struck monster! Strange things happen every year, but this year there seem to be more than usual.

Chen Yang thought that he was already quite clever to think of trading directly with this Udumbara flower.

Unexpectedly, they had an even more ingenious plan.

I'll train a son-in-law for you, who will eat your family's bloodline, taking everything he can, and even stealing your guardian beast.

Putting aside whether this person is good or bad, he is indeed a talented individual.

Chen Yang realized something and said, "I wonder if the treasure in the cave that you mentioned, senior, is a palm-leaf scripture?"

"good."

The Udumbara flower responded, “That scripture was already in this cave when I was born. It is a Buddhist classic called the Abhidharma Mahavibhasa Sutra. This scripture contains great wisdom. It was because of this scripture that I, in my immortal herb form, gained wisdom… Alas, it is a pity that it fell into the hands of that wicked person.”

Chen Yang took a deep breath. "When did this happen?"

"There is no sun or moon in these mountains. I don't know how long it has been, but I estimate it's been several decades. I remember it was after those people from Baoguo Temple came..."

……

It happened after Xuan Tong and the others came, probably some decades ago.

Xuan Tong and his companions were once chased by a white fox, but that white fox had already been killed by a mysterious person, which should be related to the white fox that came later.

Are there so many white foxes?
Chen Yang was somewhat taken aback; including the guardian beast of the Udumbara flower, there were now three white foxes.

"So, what does Senior want me to do?" Chen Yang asked.

"revenge!"

The Udumbara flower slowly uttered two words.

Chen Yang raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you say that your companion spirit fox self-destructed, taking them all with it?"

"They are not dead."

The Udumbara flower spoke with deep resentment, "Later, that man and fox came here again, trying to threaten me with the life of my companion fox to force me to hand over the precious flower. But little did they know, my companion fox and I were of one mind. Knowing all along that it had already self-destructed and died, they were helpless against me and could only leave in a huff. They haven't come back for so many years..."

(End of this chapter)