Ye Qiu’s face was full of shock.
There is a saying about ginseng, “A hundred years makes it ginseng, a thousand years makes it a king, ten thousand years makes it the king of kings!”
At this moment, the ginseng before him was like a towering tree. Such a large ginseng could not be found in the secular world. Based on Ye Qiu’s estimation, this ginseng was likely between thirty thousand and fifty thousand years old.
“Little Dot, you’ve made a great contribution.”
Ye Qiu beamed with joy. With this ginseng king, there was no doubt his cultivation could break through again.
“Swish!”
Suddenly, Little Dot leapt onto Ye Qiu’s shoulder, arching its back with its fur standing on end, as if startled.
“What’s wrong?” Ye Qiu asked.
Little Dot raised its paw, pointing.
Ye Qiu was about to investigate when Elder Longbrow and the others arrived.
“I say, you little rascal, why are you running so fast? Don’t you know to consider an old man’s weary limbs?” Elder Longbrow grumbled.
“Hmm?” Fairy Hundred Flowers stared at the towering tree, letting out a surprised gasp, saying, “This tree seems extraordinary.”
Elder Longbrow, hearing this, immediately looked at the towering tree, his eyes lighting up as he said, “This is ginseng!”
“No, that’s not right!”
Elder Longbrow shook his head, rejecting his own assumption, saying, “Ginseng can’t grow this large.”
Then, Elder Longbrow frowned, “Strange, it looks exactly like ginseng. If it’s not ginseng, then what is it?”
Ye Qiu said, “This is a ginseng king, roughly thirty thousand to fifty thousand years old.”
“What, a ginseng king?” Elder Longbrow was taken aback.
Fairy Hundred Flowers said, “A ginseng king this large could be used to refine high-grade Yellow Tier pills. If the alchemist is skilled enough, it could even produce top-grade Yellow Tier spirit pills.”
The speaker was casual, but the listener took it to heart.
Ye Qiu’s eyes flickered upon hearing this.
Unexpectedly, Elder Longbrow quickly stepped forward, shielding the ginseng king behind him, then said to Ye Qiu and the others, “This ginseng king was discovered by this old man. No one is allowed to snatch it from me, or don’t blame me for turning hostile.”
Ye Qiu cursed, “Old man, have you no shame? The ginseng king was clearly discovered by me, alright?”
Lüluo chimed in, “When we arrived, Young Master Ye was already here. Elder, on what basis do you claim this ginseng king is yours?”
Elder Longbrow said to Lüluo, “Little girl, you’re being unfair. This old man nearly got bitten to death by those little beasts to save you, and now you’re siding with this rascal? Could it be you’re blinded by love?”
“Elder, don’t talk nonsense.” Lüluo glanced at Ye Qiu, her face reddening, and said, “Elder, you did save me, but Young Master Ye also saved me!”
“Besides, I’m just stating the truth. The ginseng king was indeed discovered by Young Master Ye.”
“Little girl, you’re mistaken. This ginseng king is mine because it has my name carved on it.” Elder Longbrow finished speaking, and with a burst of true energy from his fingertip, he carved four large characters on the sturdy trunk.
“Property of Longbrow!”
The others, seeing this, were filled with disdain. They had seen shamelessness, but never to this extent.
“Little rascal, you already have so many treasures. Don’t fight me for this ginseng king.”
Elder Longbrow, after speaking, tried to emulate Lu Zhishen uprooting a willow, hugging the trunk with both hands and pulling with all his might.
The ginseng king’s trunk was simply too thick. Elder Longbrow’s hands couldn’t fully encircle it, and his whole body clung to the trunk, straining with effort, looking remarkably like a little teddy from the secular world.
Ye Qiu laughed, “Old man, are you that desperate? Shall I catch you a female monkey later?”
“Go to hell.” Elder Longbrow glared at Ye Qiu, then released his hands, rolling up his sleeves as he said, “Damn it, since you don’t like the soft approach, I’ll go hard.”
With that, Elder Longbrow gripped his Demon-Subduing Sword.
Ye Qiu thought Elder Longbrow would cut the trunk with a single swing, but instead, the old man used the Demon-Subduing Sword like a hoe, digging around the ginseng king.
Half an hour later.
Part of the ginseng’s root was exposed to the air, white and tender like a lotus root, exuding a rich fragrance.
By now, Elder Longbrow was sweating profusely.
Though his cultivation was not weak, this was, after all, physical labour, and he was no longer young.
Seeing Elder Longbrow panting, Ye Qiu kindly said, “Old man, let us help you dig. Many hands make light work.”
“No need.” Elder Longbrow refused outright, saying, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re scheming. Want a share, do you? Not a chance.”
Ye Qiu snorted, “A dog biting Lü Dongbin.”
Elder Longbrow continued digging, and after an unknown amount of time, gradually, the ginseng’s entire root was exposed to the air.
It looked remarkably like an oversized white radish, glistening white, with roots several metres long, weighing a thousand catties.
“My goodness, it’s massive!”
Ye Qiu’s mind was shaken. Let alone a ginseng this large, even a radish this size was unheard of.
“What a pity, the ginseng king falling into the old man’s hands is simply a waste of a treasure.”
Suddenly, Ye Qiu took a step forward.
“Little rascal, what are you up to?”
Elder Longbrow, who had been keeping an eye on Ye Qiu, shouted loudly when he saw him step forward.
Ye Qiu didn’t speak and raised his foot, preparing to approach.
“Stop right there!”
Elder Longbrow shouted sternly, “Little rascal, I’ll say it again, this ginseng king is mine. No one is allowed to snatch it from me.”
“I know I’m no match for you, but if you try to take my ginseng king, I guarantee, from this day forward, you’ll lose me as a friend.”
“Don’t think I’m joking. I’m serious.”
Ye Qiu said, “I’m worried you’re in danger.”
“Even if there’s danger, I don’t need your help.” Elder Longbrow was utterly ungrateful.
Ye Qiu asked, “You really don’t need my help?”
“No need.” Elder Longbrow added, “Get back, now.”
“If that’s the case, then take care of yourself.” Ye Qiu shrugged, retreating to his original spot, then glanced at the top of the ginseng king’s trunk, where purple energy gathered like a canopy.
“Hmph, if there was danger, it would’ve appeared by now. You’re clearly just trying to steal my treasure.”
Elder Longbrow muttered under his breath, then hugged the ginseng king, laughing excitedly, “It’s mine, it’s mine…”
“Old man, be careful!” Ye Qiu shouted urgently.
“Don’t disturb me.” Elder Longbrow, clutching the ginseng king as if it were a peerless beauty, was utterly enraptured.
Drip!
Suddenly, a drop of water fell on his head, followed by a second, a third…
More and more.
“Huh, it’s raining in the tomb?”
Elder Longbrow found it strange, looked up, and instantly, his heart clenched tight.
