Jade Flat Peach

"How are you?"

Cao Jinxing walked over to Lu Kunlun.

"Just flesh wounds."

Lu Kunlun shook his head. "I've got medicine inside my robe."

Cao Jinxing reached in and took out a porcelain bottle. Seeing [Primordial Chaos Pill] written on it, he poured out a pill and gave it to Lu Kunlun, then said with a smile, "Seems joining a sect has its perks. You get miraculous medicine without working yourself to death. Your master really does dote on you."

The [Primordial Chaos Pill] was a miraculous medicine of the Beggar Gang. Since beggars were "adept at eating venomous snakes, often swallowing them with wine," their pills also had unique detoxifying properties.

Had Lu Kunlun been more careful, noticed something wrong before entering the cave, and swallowed a pill, he would not have fallen victim either.

"Don't remind me. I made a complete fool of myself today."

Lu Kunlun smiled wryly, but he was an easygoing man and would simply take the lesson to heart.

The [Primordial Chaos Pill] could regenerate flesh and mend bones. With Cao Jinxing helping him absorb its medicinal power, the wounds around both shoulder blades healed rapidly. The effects of the [Power-Dissolving Powder] weakened, and he gradually returned to normal.

Lu Kunlun stood and moved his arms, then said earnestly to Cao Jinxing, "You saved my life. A thank-you won't do it justice."

Cao Jinxing said, "Save me someday and return the favor."

Lu Kunlun laughed heartily and nodded. "Deal!"

Cao Jinxing turned toward the peach grove. "These trees around the edges are just ordinary ones. The jade flat peaches should be farther inside. Come on, let's take a look."

The two headed deeper into the peach grove, one behind the other.

After walking about fifty meters, they saw Old Zhou and Wei Wuyan lying beneath a tree. By now, not only had their governing vessels been sealed, but their acupoints had also been blocked.

Cao Jinxing raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Does what you said earlier still stand?"

Wei Wuyan looked him up and down. Seeing his handsome bearing and extraordinary skills, he said, "Before today, I'd have hated someone like you most of all! But now you've saved us, I find you rather likable. My word is worth its weight in gold. I keep my promises!"

Cao Jinxing said, "Don't forget, we came to take the jade flat peaches too."

Wei Wuyan said, "Nobody can resist treasures of nature. At least you have principles about how you get them! That guest over there, surnamed Lu, followed Old Zhou before, didn't he? If this lot had found out about him, they'd have tortured him for answers."

Lu Kunlun had long known that Old Zhou was the key to finding Wei Wuyan. He could have gathered experts from the gang and seized both man and treasure by force. The trifling rules of the Ghost Market could hardly stop the world's greatest gang!

But he had chosen to follow the trail. From beginning to end, he had never bullied anyone with his influence, much less considered killing them. That was the fundamental difference.

Lu Kunlun said, "Don't think I'm that kindhearted. Still, I really never intended to kill you."

He stepped forward twice. "I hope you'll both keep your word. Killing isn't our goal, nor do we have any interest in it."

He glanced at Cao Jinxing.

Cao Jinxing nodded.

With several quick finger strikes, Lu Kunlun released their sealed acupoints.

He unsealed their governing vessels as well.

He looked at Old Zhou.

Wei Wuyan's martial arts posed no threat, but Old Zhou's poison arts were rather troublesome.

Old Zhou said, "No need to look at me like that. I wasn't the one who discovered this place, and the jade flat peaches aren't mine either. Do whatever you like."

"Oh?"

Lu Kunlun asked in surprise, "You aren't interested in treasures of nature?"

Old Zhou said, "Apart from wine, nothing I've already tasted interests me. Imperial banquets, home cooking, treasures of nature, rare mountain delicacies and wild game-they're all just things to go with my wine." Otherwise, he could never have patiently spent more than twenty years selling wine, much less left the peaches for Wei Wuyan.

"You're actually a lot like my master."

Lu Kunlun breathed a sigh of relief and said, "He loves wine more than life itself. All that drinking has altered his sense of taste, and nothing else interests him."

"Follow me."

Wei Wuyan led the way.

The other three followed him deeper into the peach grove.

By then, the moon was high overhead.

A sliver of moonlight shone through a crack in the cave ceiling. Refracted and intensified by more than a dozen enormous mirror stones, it spread over the hundreds of peach trees, illuminating the entire cavern as brightly as day.

"The person who built this hidden sanctuary was a true genius."

Lu Kunlun clicked his tongue in admiration. "Judging by the layout, they must have understood natural science. Just one tiny opening lets these peach trees bathe in sunlight and moonlight. Incredible!"

"That's not all."

Wei Wuyan said, "They also understood the five elements, the eight trigrams, and the arts of mystical formations. These peach trees could originally form an array, but years of neglect caused some problems. Otherwise, getting in would have been even harder. We're here."

He stopped.

The group passed through the peach grove and looked up. A large tree stood directly ahead, its luxuriant branches covered in peach blossoms, a breathtaking sight.

"Where are the peaches?"

Lu Kunlun stared dumbfounded. Everywhere he looked, there were flowers, but no peaches. What kind of jade flat peach tree was this?

Cao Jinxing was taken aback too. He knew these fruits could not grow in abundance, but he had never expected so few. Was it like the ornamental trees of later times, flowering without bearing fruit?

"Heh."

Wei Wuyan chuckled and sprang into the tree using his lightness skill. He picked three fruits in succession, then landed and held them out to the two men in his open hands.

"There were only five altogether. Old Zhou and I ate one each. You two can divide the remaining three. What? Were you hoping to eat your fill?"

With a teasing smile, he said, "Even Mister Five Willows only brought out three flat peaches back then. Although jade flat peaches are a degenerated form of flat peaches and require far less spiritual energy, this place is no great mountain or mighty river. How could it produce a whole treeful? You're far too greedy."

"Fair point."

Lu Kunlun smiled easily and glanced at the peaches. Two were the size of a fist, while the remaining one was only half-grown, about the size of an egg. He took one of the large ones and said to Cao Jinxing, "You take the rest. Your cat looks like it's drooling over them."

Cao Jinxing looked down and only then noticed that Fourteen had poked its head out of his waist pouch at some point. Its round eyes were fixed on the peaches, and it kept licking its lips.

Cao Jinxing smiled and did not stand on ceremony.

"Thanks."

Cao Jinxing took the remaining two, and Fourteen's gaze followed the peaches.

Cao Jinxing handed the smaller one to it and said, "Wait until we get back to eat it. This place isn't safe."

A fifth-grade treasure of nature contained tremendous energy, and absorbing it would cause quite a disturbance. This was no place to cultivate.

Xuan Yuan Fourteen was remarkably intelligent and nodded. Though its eyes practically glowed with craving, it merely hugged the peach inside the waist pouch, resisting the urge to devour it.

"We've got what we came for. Let's go."

"Mm."

Cao Jinxing did not want to linger.

Neither did Lu Kunlun.

Wei Wuyan and Old Zhou, however, wanted to stay a little longer.

Looking at the tree full of peach blossoms, Wei Wuyan said wistfully, "This place has been exposed. I'm afraid we won't be coming back... It would be a shame to leave all these peach blossoms unpicked. We're planning to gather some more and take them back to make wine."

"Then we'll head out first. Take care, both of you."

Cao Jinxing and Lu Kunlun retraced their steps, intending to leave and find somewhere to absorb the jade flat peaches.

They had just left the peach grove.

Cao Jinxing suddenly stopped.

Lu Kunlun turned back. "What's wrong?"

Cao Jinxing lifted his chin.

Lu Kunlun followed his gaze and frowned. Han Rong's and Wu Feng's bodies were still there, as were the three disciples at the cave entrance who had used the Water-Questioning Sword. But... Su Miaoyun's body was gone.

Only a pool of blood remained where she had lain.

Cao Jinxing said, "That sword strike definitely severed her heart meridian. To think she could still escape... The Bright Sect's methods really are extraordinary."

Lu Kunlun asked, "Then should we give chase?"

"We'll see whether we run into her."

Cao Jinxing had no interest in hunting her down. "For now, absorbing the jade flat peaches and strengthening our cultivation comes first. Even in the worst case, if she's still alive, it'll only take one sword strike."

"Mm."

Lu Kunlun nodded. He had never considered Su Miaoyun much of a threat anyway. Had he not let his guard down and fallen for her trick, things would have gone even more smoothly.

The two rushed out of the secret passage and swiftly left Black Mud Marsh...