The melodious voice was accompanied by the rushing river. Through the mist, he discerned boats with hanging lanterns at their prow. And what was on them were people with empty eyes, staring in the distance.
They floated around Chen Ming, giving him an ineffable creepy feeling.
Is this the Underworld River?
Chen Ming guided the wild boars below the raft. They were savage beasts and buffed in strength.
These ghosts didn’t seem to have awareness, only singing in a dazed manner.
A while later, Chen Ming came upon a drifting boat carrying a big-bellied old man covered with jewels and fine clothes, and three coins on a string hanging at his waist. The rich old man noticed Chen Ming and his eyes brightened, “Have you come to browse my wares?”
The man looked at him.
Chen Ming was puzzled, What is going on?
Browse wares? Just what is this place?
Who is this rich old man?
Chen Ming found the man was just that, an ordinary man, made of flesh and blood.
The man saw Chen Ming’s expression deepening and smiled, “Ah, so it’s you. I almost didn’t recognize you. You already paid, and your items are just up ahead. As of now, the deal has been fulfilled. We are now even.”
With the final word, the rich man vanished within the fog, leaving Chen Ming at a loss for words.
When have I ever made a deal with you? Aren’t you afraid of being taken as a lunatic from talking by yourself?
Yet Chen Ming didn’t think much of it, going forward on the river. He soon saw green sparkling, akin to stars.
The raft stopped when it hit the island and the wild boar leader climbed on the raft while pointing, “Immortal, it’s the fruit from that tree!”
Chen Ming walked to a tree that was so thick it needed ten people to surround it. And on this tree hanged sparkling and pure like jade Heart Enlightenment Fruits.
Looking at them from afar, they looked like a starry sky.
By the looks of it, there should be ten thousand of them, enough for each of my disciples.
The Heart Enlightenment Fruit can even make pigs fly so it can most definitely improve my disciples’ perception to genius level!
Chen Ming flew on a branch and felt peace settling in his mind. He was free and washed away from all the secular world’s troubles.
Chen Ming never felt his mind so clear, his head released of all the weight.
“How did this treasure came to be?”
Following Yan Mountain’s tradition, he wouldn’t leave even the tree behind. To avoid the situation of withering on Yan Mountain’s soil, he jumped on the raft and crammed the whole island in the immortal’s storage ring.
He looked around and saw hundreds of ghosts swimming closer, “Return at once!”
With the valiant effort of the wild boars, Chen Ming returned to the sh.o.r.e. He looked back at the feeble water, “This was a dangerous trip but luckily nothing bad happened.”
The wild boar leader said, “Great Immortal, Great Immortal, take me with you!”
Chen Ming rolled his eyes, “You’re lucky you met me. Stop attacking the secret domain entrance to the Jade Void Temple and tell the others not to leave it and I guarantee you will all live worry-free lives!”
The leader said, “Great Immortal, I want to go with you.”
Chen Ming thought it for a bit, “Put away that Heart Enlightenment Fruit core on your ear and make sure you forget everything about this matter. If you obey me, I will take you with me.”
Chen Ming didn’t want his disciples to find out he traveled with pigs.
The wild boar leader put away the fruit core and nodded, “Many thanks, Great Immortal!”
He took him outside the secret domain and when Black Tiger saw Chen Ming had a wild boar behind him he asked, “Mountain Lord, how’s the situation inside?”
Chen Ming pointed at the wild boar leader, “This thing is the beast tide’s leader. From now on, they will be Yan Mountain’s mounts. If a savage beast doesn’t listen, talk to this pig.”
Black Tiger eyed the wild boar with skepticism, yet the leader groaned in his face, “Elder brother from the fiend race, leave it to me! If there’s any who doesn’t obey I will skin him!”
At this point, Black Tiger was dumbstruck, A talking savage beast!
Chen Ming returned to Yan Mountain. He went to a hill that could contain the island, dug it out, then planted the island in its place.
Right when the Heart Enlightenment Tree fell, Bifang Crane brought little sunflower, little carp, and the rest of the spirits. Bifang Crane pointed at the tree, “Chen Ming, I feel close to this tree. I want to rest in it as it seems that it can help me grow!”
Chen Ming stared wide-eyed at the Hear Enlightenment Tree, It can do that?
If a Heaven Spirit Vein grew up, what Spirit Vein would it become?
Bifang Crane followed with, “With this tree, little firebird will soon be born!”
Chen Ming smiled as he caressed its head. As expected of the leader of Yan Mountain’s spirits. He is looking after all of them!
Bifang Crane’s eyes had a sudden spark in them. “Oh, it is about to be born and might get scared. We should go together and appease him.”
Chen Ming nodded, The effect of this Heart Enlightenment Tree is awesome!
He followed Bifang Crane down the mountain and saw it disappear in a mountain range. When it came back, he was holding little firebird. Yet now, it was hanging by the candy apple in Bifang Crane’s claw.
Bifang Crane said, “Chen Ming, quickly draw the spirit pact!”
Chen Ming looked with appreciation at Bifang Crane, A caring guy through and through! He quickly drew the spirit pact and so, Yan Mountain had a new Spirit Vein and a new spirit.
With the spirit pact, little firebird felt Chen Ming was more familiar and under Bifang Crane’s care, it went to play with the other spirits.
Chen Ming felt at peace at the heartwarming scene. He turned to the Heart Enlightenment Fruits, It’s time I refine sigils for Yan Mountain disciples.
The disciples found something was different from before. Their thinking was clearer, and the parts they didn’t understand about cultivation became obvious in an instant, “So that was what Master meant about Dao Initiation realm’s bottleneck. As long as I move the spiritual power in a certain, it will change bit by bit!”