The Sacred Beast's Tempting Reward
"Let's plant it here."
Looking at an open patch of ground ahead, Lu Changzhi spoke softly.
He opened the system and found the Dao Comprehension Tea Tree.
"Plant."
Lu Changzhi gave the command silently.
A light flashed over the open ground ahead.
In an instant, a tree appeared before Lu Changzhi. It looked incredibly gnarled and ancient, its age unknown.
A profound Dao resonance emerged.
Every vein on the tea tree's branches and leaves seemed to contain a unique power, inviting contemplation.
The tea tree's branches and leaves were lush, and each leaf bore its own unique pattern.
"Not bad."
Lu Changzhi clapped his hands.
At that moment, the system helpfully spoke up.
"The current plant has matured. Would you like to harvest it?"
Lu Changzhi's eyes lit up.
"Harvest."
The moment he spoke, a strong wind suddenly rose.
The branches and leaves swayed, and tea leaves filled the sky, swirling like a vortex.
At last, the tea leaves gathered into a bundle and floated in front of Lu Changzhi.
Lu Changzhi reached out to heft it.
Whoa-
It was heavy as a hammer!
"This should be enough tea to last me a while."
Perfectly satisfied, Lu Changzhi put the tea leaves away, then got up and left.
As for the Dao Comprehension Tea Tree, perhaps because it had just been harvested,
it looked somewhat more ordinary now, without the flowing Dao resonance it had possessed before.
He strolled back.
There, he saw Gu Chen deftly building his own lodging.
Lu Changzhi felt a surge of gratification.
It seemed his eldest disciple was a diligent man.
"Gu Chen."
Lu Changzhi called out to him.
"Master, what are your instructions?"
Gu Chen stopped his work and ran over.
Lu Changzhi took out a few tea leaves and handed them over.
"Go brew some tea and take a break."
Looking at the tea leaves in his hand, Gu Chen was startled once again.
Thanks to the system, he already knew what they were.
Dao Comprehension Tea Leaves!
An incomparably precious treasure!
His master was actually using something like this to brew tea.
Even he, a man with a system, had never received such treatment.
As expected of his big-shot master, who had returned to his original simplicity.
After taking the tea leaves, Gu Chen immediately set about preparing the tea.
"Please, Master."
Gu Chen thoughtfully brought out a small table and two reclining chairs and gestured for him to sit.
Now this is treatment.
Lu Changzhi was delighted.
No wonder everyone sharpened their heads to squeeze into cultivation.
No wonder.
It felt this good. Who wouldn't want it?
"Splash, splash, splash."
After Lu Changzhi lay down, Gu Chen brewed the tea and brought it over.
Lu Changzhi accepted it and took a small sip.
It was smooth on the tongue, slipping down his throat in a single stream.
In an instant, it was as if a hundred flowers had burst into bloom within his body.
It was also as if he had become one with heaven and earth.
The sensation was hard to describe.
It was truly a pleasure beyond compare.
It was hard to believe that a single sip of tea could bring someone to such a state.
He was beginning to understand, vaguely,
why this Dao Comprehension Tea was so precious.
Drinking it, he found that ordinary tea truly couldn't compare.
Meanwhile, Gu Chen poured himself a full cup, took a deep breath, and tipped his head back to down it in one gulp.
With the Dao Comprehension Tea, I can solidify the cultivation techniques and martial skills I've practiced before. I might even be able to bring them to perfection.
Dao Comprehension Tea wasn't meant to be savored.
It was such a wonderful cultivation resource. How could he waste it?
After drinking, Gu Chen hurriedly sat down cross-legged and began cultivating.
What a driven eldest disciple.
Lu Changzhi shook his head as he watched.
He was already a cheat user, so why was he still working so hard?
Had he considered anyone else's feelings?
Looks like I'll have to take on a disciple who knows how to enjoy himself when I get the chance. Otherwise, things will be a little too dull.
Lu Changzhi made his plans in silence.
Still, there was no rush.
He continued sipping his tea.
Time drifted by at leisure.
Before he knew it, evening had arrived.
At that moment, two figures came to Hidden Origin Peak.
Lu Changzhi sensed them and opened his eyes to look.
One of them was Cang Wenyu.
The man beside him seemed to be the peak master of Dharma Form Peak.
He had some impression of him in his memories.
Lu Changzhi immediately rose and called out,
"Sect Master Cang, Peak Master Cai."
"Hm?"
Both men froze for a moment and stared at Lu Changzhi with strange expressions.
"Changzhi, you brat, you took in an impressive disciple and got so happy you forgot my surname." Xu Kun shook his head helplessly.
"My surname is Xu, not Cai."
Lu Changzhi was taken aback, then laughed. "I remembered it wrong without realizing it."
At that moment, Cang Wenyu looked at Gu Chen and said with admiration,
"As expected of someone with spirit-grade aptitude. He's only just arrived at Hidden Origin Peak, and he's already entered a state of sudden enlightenment. It truly makes one..."
Halfway through his sentence, Cang Wenyu frowned.
The next moment, a light flashed in his eyes, and his hawk-like gaze snapped to the teapot on the table.
"This tea..."
He beckoned with his hand, and the teapot flew into it.
The next moment, the Dao Comprehension Tea Leaves inside flew out.
"These tea leaves... are they Dao Comprehension Tea?!"
Visibly moved, Cang Wenyu suddenly cried out in shock.
The next moment, his expression changed slightly.
Swish.
With a raised hand, he cast a soundproofing formation around Gu Chen.
Then he fixed his gaze on Lu Changzhi.
"W-where did this come from?"
His arm trembled slightly as he spoke.
Beside him, Xu Kun's eyes were wide as well.
Dao Comprehension Tea was a legendary treasure of heaven and earth, astonishingly valuable!
Lu Changzhi's throat moved as he prepared to answer.
Suddenly, the system's voice rang in his ear.
"Cang Wenyu is asking you where the Dao Comprehension Tea came from and intends to eat your tea leaves. Choose:"
"One: Tell him the truth and say you have another sackful. [Reward: Immortal physical body; struck by lightning at midnight for ten years]"
"Two: Make up an excuse, saying you obtained it by chance, and share some with them. [Reward: Low spirit-grade illusion formation ×1; experience ×100]"
"Three: Pass the blame to your disciple and share some with them. [Reward: Random sacred beast ×1; experience ×50]"
The words on the tip of his tongue paused.
Lu Changzhi quickly read through the options.
In all fairness, as he remembered it, both Cang Wenyu and the other peak masters had treated him well.
But...
Sorry, Sect Master. Sorry, Peak Master Xu.
Sorry, my eldest disciple.
The reward of a sacred beast really is too tempting!
"Ahem."
Lu Changzhi cleared his throat.
He turned to glance at Gu Chen, who was still in a state of sudden enlightenment, and said,
"Actually, my disciple Gu gave it to me as a token of filial respect. I didn't expect it to be so precious."
"Gu Chen gave it to you?"
Both men looked slightly surprised.
Cang Wenyu quietly clenched the tea leaves in his palm and hurriedly asked,
"Changzhi, do you have any more?"
Hearing this, Lu Changzhi immediately put on a troubled expression.
"There isn't much left. I doubt there's enough to brew more than a few pots."
Pfft.
Cang Wenyu nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.
Brewing something so precious in water and drinking it like ordinary tea?
And using so much at once?!
What a reckless waste of heaven's gifts!
At that moment, an invisible holy light shone from him.
He, Cang Wenyu,
would save these poor Dao Comprehension Tea Leaves today!
Xu Kun: "Me too!"
But before Cang Wenyu could think of a reason to ask for some,
Lu Changzhi took out a handful of Dao Comprehension Tea Leaves and said seriously,
"Sect Master Cang, Peak Master Xu, this is all I have left. Since it's useful to you, please take it."
The two men froze and looked at the Dao Comprehension Tea Leaves in Lu Changzhi's hand.
There... had to be dozens of leaves there, right?
Not much left? Only enough for a few pots?
Good thing they had discovered this, or the loss would have been far too great!
Quick-eyed and quick-handed, Cang Wenyu stepped forward to accept them. Then he patted Lu Changzhi on the shoulder and said solemnly,
"Changzhi, the sect will remember your contribution."
At the same time, the system's voice rang out in Lu Changzhi's mind:
"Congratulations, Host, on completing the mission. Rewards obtained: random sacred beast ×1; experience points ×50."
"Would you like to draw it now?"