This cavernous space was ten zhang high and over a hundred zhang wide, vast and spacious.
Near the innermost part of the cavern, an underground river flowed. In the middle of the river was a small island, barely a zhang across, where a solitary strange tree grew.
The tree was entirely black, three to four inches thick, no taller than four or five feet, its branches smooth and glossy with a faint sheen.
Its branches bore crimson leaves, long and narrow, each like a jade-crafted masterpiece, radiating red light from within, faintly illuminating the cavern.
Moreover…
The tree’s branches also held eight fist-sized fruits, their surfaces crimson with occasional glimmers of flowing light.
One branch had a broken stem, as if a fruit had been plucked.
“I see…”
So this was the mandrill’s opportunity.
These fruits were clearly far superior to Biluo Fruits. If the mandrill had claimed them all, it might have become a formidable demon, far stronger than it was.
But now, they were all Lu Zheng’s.
He reached to pick them but paused suddenly.
“Wait, is there some catch?” Lu Zheng blinked. “No rule saying I have to eat them immediately after picking, right?”
He recalled tropes from modern web novels, where protagonists never easily obtained treasures without complications.
“And what about guardian beasts?”
“Oh, right, that mandrill was probably the guardian, but it stole for itself and got killed by me.”
Lu Zheng stepped back, circling the tree, probing it and the fruits with his true qi.
Cautious, he prepared to flee if the tree attacked.
Well…
He touched the tree, but it didn’t retaliate.
Through probing…
Five of the eight fruits had stopped absorbing spiritual energy from the tree, locking all their energy within their flesh, each bit brimming with immense spiritual power.
The other three were smaller, not yet ripe, with spiritual energy still circulating, forming a cycle with the tree.
Even if detached, their energy wouldn’t dissipate, though their potency would be much reduced.
Lu Zheng’s eyes gleamed. Without hesitation, he plucked the five ripe fruits.
As for the remaining three…
He hesitated, then decided against taking them.
“Enough is enough. Greed isn’t good. I’ll leave them for someone fated.”
Suppressing his greed, Lu Zheng felt as if a veil had lifted from his eyes.
But the sensation passed quickly, and upon reflection, he felt no different.
Shaking his head, he stored the fruits in his gourd, then headed to the cave’s exit, escaping via Earth Travel Technique.
…
While chasing the mandrill deep into the forest, Liu Qingyan and the Five Elegance Manor women hadn’t followed.
One reason was they needed to care for Du Yueyao and others; another was their confidence in Lu Zheng.
He had defeated many formidable foes. A mandrill relying solely on physical strength was surely no match.
Besides, Lu Zheng had driven it off.
Leaving the valley, Lu Zheng retraced his path and soon reached the village, where he saw the group filling a large grave.
“Killed that mandrill?” Liu Qingyan approached, asking.
“Yes.” Lu Zheng nodded. “I chased it to its lair and finished it off.”
Liu Qingyan led him to a deep pit containing over twenty mandrill corpses.
Lu Zheng patted his gourd, tossing the mandrill’s body into the pit.
They filled the pit, burying the mandrills.
As dusk fell, Liu Qingyan said, “Let’s stay here tonight, then head to another village tomorrow.”
Everyone nodded. Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow, chuckling, “Tonight, let’s have a barbecue, then I’ll share something nice to cleanse the palate.”
“What is it?” Yu Mingxin, ever curious, asked immediately.
Perfect for playing the straight man.
Lu Zheng laughed, swiping his gourd, and flipped his hand, revealing a radiant red fruit in his palm.
“A spiritual fruit!”
Though no spiritual energy leaked, its shimmering surface confirmed it was a spiritual fruit.
Lu Zheng smiled, “I probed it with true qi. Its spiritual energy is a hundred times stronger than a Biluo Fruit. One fruit is enough for us all to share.”
The women gasped.
A fruit a hundred times more potent than a Biluo Fruit? It must take centuries to ripen. It was likely older than them!
“Great!” Liu Qingyan nodded eagerly.
Looking at Du Yueyao and her group, Lu Zheng smiled, “You can have some too, but just a little, to avoid over-nourishment.”
Spiritual fruits were safe for mortals, but too much could cause issues, as excess nourishment was a problem.
Du Yueyao smiled gently, while Yulan’s joy was written on her face.
“We’ll chop firewood!”
Knowing they could partake, even if not for cultivation or longevity, it would boost their health. Du Yueyao’s two guards burst with enthusiasm, chopping enough wood for ten days of porridge.
…
That night, a bonfire blazed.
They brought out grains, dried meat, and fruits, with the two guards eagerly helping with the barbecue.
Lu Zheng produced modern dipping sauces, and everyone ate heartily.
By mid-evening, sated, Lu Zheng took out the fruit, suspending it with cloud qi, then divided it according to their constitutions.
As the skin broke, juice flowed, releasing faint spiritual energy.
“Gulp…” One guard swallowed hard.
“Alright, eat quickly before the energy dissipates!”
“Thank you, Young Master Lu!”
“Thanks, Big Brother Lu!”
“Thank you for the gift, Young Master Lu!”
Lu Zheng, Liu Qingyan, and the five women got larger pieces, while Du Yueyao’s group received slivers smaller than a fingernail.
Swallowing it, the effect hit instantly.
Spiritual energy spread from the stomach, merging into limbs and bones, enhancing true qi and vitality.
Liu Qingyan’s cheeks flushed, her eyes misty, as if she’d drunk fine wine.
The five women were the same, and even Du Yueyao’s group felt euphoric, intoxicated by a single bite.
Fortunately, the fruit’s effect was gentle, and their portions small, so they recovered shortly.
“Goodness! This fruit’s effect is strong!” Lu Zheng marvelled inwardly.
After sharing the fruit, it was late. Thanking Lu Zheng again, they went to sleep.
