Chapter 26: Strange Treasures One After Another (Part Two)

Sun Meng frowned at the booklet in his hand, but ultimately put it away. They were currently staying at Xiao Long’s house, still within Kaifeng city. The previous incident involving Xiao Jin’s revenge had been resolved satisfactorily, but what they gained from it failed to meet Sun Meng’s expectations. The secret medicine formula that could turn people into beasts was not recognized by the system as a rare artifact; instead, it was categorized as a temporary bloodline mutation agent.

Two days later, they set out and returned to Shaolin Temple.

The next morning, Sun Meng knocked sharply on Xiao Long and Xiao Hu’s door. “Hey, don’t tell me you think you’re still on vacation! Get up and start training!”

“Ah—!” Both rubbed their eyes and sat up, reluctant, but nevertheless got out of bed. This discipline was one of the achievements from their time training at Shaolin.

During breakfast, Xiao Lan glanced around. “How odd. Where’s Elder Zhao Zhen? I didn’t see him when we returned yesterday. Could he be ill?”

“That doesn’t seem likely!” Xiao Hu replied.

Just then, Elder Xuan Feng finished his meal and stood up. “I have something urgent to attend to. Shao Tan, let the abbot know for me.” With that, he hurried out, looking quite anxious.

“How urgent could Elder Xuan Feng be!” Xiao Long remarked, watching as the elder nearly broke into a run. “Could something have happened?”

Xiao Lan said, “I think we should follow him and see!” She looked to Sun Meng—after all, he was now responsible for their training arrangements.

“What’s this, you want to try a cross-country run?” Sun Meng also felt something was off with Elder Xuan Feng. He hadn’t heard of Elder Zhao Zhen having any pressing business out of town, either.

But it seemed Elder Zhao Zhen had left Shaolin a few days ago and hadn’t returned since.

The four set down their bowls and headed out together.

Elder Xuan Feng, once outside the temple, began to travel at full speed. If not for Sun Meng keeping pace, Xiao Lan and the others would have quickly lost him.

Soon, they arrived at the back door of an inn, where Elder Xuan Feng entered.

“Should we go in directly?” Xiao Hu asked.

“Best not to. If Elder Xuan Feng really has something urgent, discovering we followed him could make things worse,” Sun Meng replied. “There’s a stable over there—we can hide there for now.”

Though the three were reluctant to hide in a stable, they obeyed.

It wasn’t long before a carriage arrived at the inn’s main entrance. A woman stepped off—at a distance, it was clear she was young.

Soon, the woman affectionately took Elder Xuan Feng’s arm and they boarded the carriage together.

“I never knew Elder Xuan Feng had a sweetheart!” Xiao Long exclaimed in surprise.

Sun Meng flicked him lightly. “Don’t speak so carelessly. Elder Xuan Feng has been at Shaolin for decades—even if he had a lover, it wouldn’t have been hidden until now. Something isn’t right. Let’s follow them!”

The system’s scan indicated nothing unusual about the carriage, but his instincts told him there would be something to gain.

The four hurried after it, but the carriage sped up over the snowy roads and soon entered a forest.

They followed the tracks, but soon realized the marks had vanished. Searching ahead, they found no sign of tracks or the carriage.

“We lost them—were we discovered?” Xiao Hu wondered.

Sun Meng examined the ground. “No, it’s not that we lost them—the carriage disappeared. Let’s return to the inn; the owner might know something.”

They quickly returned to the inn—this time, no need to hide in the stable.

They pushed open the door and entered. Despite their quick pace, Xiao Long and the others were covered in snow, while Sun Meng, protected by his inner energy, was spared but still felt the chill.

Seeing guests arrive, the inn’s attendant stepped forward. “Gentlemen, would you like something to eat?”

“Where’s your boss? We need to speak with him,” Sun Meng said firmly, a look that brooked no nonsense.

Anyone running a business here—even an attendant—had developed a keen eye. These four were no ordinary guests.

“Of course, right away. There’s hot tea on the table, please wait a moment.” He quickly scampered upstairs.

Soon, the innkeeper descended. “Gentlemen, what can I do for you?” His face wore a friendly smile.

“We’re from Shaolin Temple. We just saw one of our elders here, who left with a carriage. Can you tell us who he came to meet? Or what they discussed?”

The innkeeper’s expression shifted subtly. “Well, we provide a meeting place for that person, but she simply rents a permanent room here. As for your temple’s elder, more than one has met with her.”

“It was Elder Zhao Zhen!” Xiao Lan exclaimed.

“That woman is definitely suspicious!” Xiao Long said.

“Indeed!” the innkeeper replied. “My father started this inn decades ago, and her appearance hasn’t changed at all! Because of this, I’ve never dared refuse her requests. But she’s never harmed anyone here.”

Sun Meng waved the innkeeper away. “It’s clear that woman isn’t ordinary. She possesses mysterious powers. Both Elder Zhao Zhen and Elder Xuan Feng have fallen into her hands—they might be in danger.”

“But we don’t even know where she is. How can we rescue them?” Xiao Long said. He’d rather face the Black Fox gang than such an enigmatic opponent.

“Shao Tan, the innkeeper said both elders were taken by that woman. Yet, in the past decades, nothing like this happened. I think she must have a reason for acting now. When we saw her, she didn’t seem like a martial artist—perhaps she bewitched the elders into helping her with something,” Xiao Hu suggested.

“You mean Elder Zhao Zhen failed, so she set her sights on Elder Xuan Feng. How does she decide which elders can help her?”

“Unless she succeeded at this before!” Sun Meng and Xiao Lan said in unison. They stood and headed for the door.

“Why leave so suddenly? I haven’t finished my tea!” Xiao Hu scratched his head and followed.

As he stepped outside, Xiao Long had it figured out. “If that woman truly lived for a century, and every few decades needed someone’s help, then the last person to aid her must have been a Shaolin elder or a powerful monk—and succeeded. That’s why she targeted Zhao Zhen and Xuan Feng!”

“You mean Abbot San Zang!” Xiao Hu exclaimed.

“You understand now? Just a slow reaction,” Sun Meng laughed. The group hurried to Shaolin Temple and reported the matter to San Zang.

“So it’s her. I can’t believe how quickly time has passed!” He gazed out the window, sighing. “It was around this time, years ago, that I met her in the mountains while chopping wood. She came seeking enlightenment, and I learned of her plight. I wasn’t strong enough in mind or cultivation then, so I agreed to help her retrieve the Fruit of Immortality from a secret realm.”

“The Fruit of Immortality!” Sun Meng and the others exclaimed.

Those words were enough to drive anyone mad with desire. They never imagined such a thing truly existed!

“It’s not so simple! It’s just a name. It only grants fifty years of youth, and if you don’t eat another fruit after fifty years, you’ll instantly die of old age. She’s a witch, but her talent is poor—she must be nearly two hundred years old by now, likely at her limit. Enough—let me handle this. Shao Tan, take care of the three of them until I return.” With that, Abbot San Zang strode out. When Xiao Long and the others went outside, all they saw was the abbot’s silhouette leaping over the wall.

“Looks like the abbot plans to resolve this himself. You all rest well!” Sun Meng said, then followed after. The Fruit of Immortality—just the name alone made it a rare artifact.

Even if Abbot San Zang truly intended to give the fruit away, the tree that bore it surely had some benefits to offer! Besides, the place was apparently a secret realm—there must be many treasures! At worst, even the witch’s cultivation methods could be acquired.

Well, Sun Meng was just daydreaming—but the audience couldn’t stand it!

The live comments were flooding the screen!