Chapter 97: All Hidden Worries Dispelled, The Future Bright—The Ferocious Spirit Fruit!

“Sudden Enlightenment.”

Hearing the words of senior brothers Qingfeng and Mingyue, Lu Fei immediately grasped the key point and inquired, “What does this sudden enlightenment mean?”

Mingyue promptly smiled and said, “Junior brother, tell me the truth: at the beginning, when we asked you to chop firewood, did you feel it was beneath your talents?”

“No, not at all.”

Hearing Mingyue speak so directly, Lu Fei shook his head and seriously replied, “I’m not trying to deceive you both. The truth is, I was born in the wilderness of the wild mountains. After luckily awakening my spiritual intelligence, I joined a group of demons.”

“At the lowest level of the demon group, the lesser demons have to do very heavy labor every day, such as chopping firewood, carrying water, patrolling the mountains, and hunting.”

“Thanks to Master Meng’s kindness, I was fortunate enough to enter the Wuzhuang Temple and meet both of you senior brothers.”

“Everyone here cultivates with profound skill and works extremely hard.”

“How could I junior brother have the face to entertain such thoughts?”

Lu Fei’s sincere answer brought a smile to Qingfeng’s face, but Mingyue feigned a complaint, “Junior brother, you only needed to answer yes or no. Why say so much? It pains the senior brothers to hear that you suffered so much before coming here.”

“But here, now that you’ve entered Wuzhuang Temple, no other demon will dare to bully you.”

“If they do—”

At this, Mingyue pounded his chest and promised, “I will stand up for you, senior brother.”

No sooner had he spoken than Qingfeng burst out laughing.

Immediately realizing he had spoken boastfully, Mingyue blushed and quickly corrected himself, “Even if my strength isn’t enough, there are other senior brothers here with higher cultivation. If that’s still not enough, there are senior brothers who have already left the temple and entered the secular world. In short, no one will let you be bullied.”

Lu Fei somewhat understood the reason for Qingfeng’s sudden laughter: Mingyue grew up protected by the temple and his master, watched over by senior brothers. Apart from his Golden Core cultivation, he completely lacked experience in conflict or defending the Dao.

That was likely what Qingfeng found amusing.

But Lu Fei couldn’t laugh.

Since discovering he had arrived in the world of Journey to the West mythology, he had risked everything to venture out of the mountains.

In these eight or nine years of seeking immortality, he had walked much farther than in his twenty-plus years in his past life.

He took such great risks to come to Wuzhuang Temple not only to learn the orthodox immortal practices but also for the backing and protection Mingyue mentioned.

After all, in this harsh Three Realms, filled with immortals and Buddhas, the demon clans could only survive by depending on others.

As a background-less minor demon, he dared not go out to make a living, lest he be casually captured and killed by passing immortals.

Even if he could rely on a system to grow stronger, eventually reaching the strength of the Monkey King in his memories, without any background he would still be just a stronger demon.

No matter how rebellious a monkey is, reality still crushes him first.

Five hundred years trapped, then obedient, and only then comes the rest.

Everything was arranged clearly.

Didn’t the pilgrimage team in his memories encounter demons with backing who, even when defeated, survived under the protection of various immortals and bodhisattvas?

And those without backing?

Either struck dead by the Monkey King’s staff or smashed by Zhu Bajie’s rake.

How true it was.

“Thank you, senior brother.”

Lu Fei immediately bowed to Mingyue and said, “Junior brother’s safety will henceforth rely on you.”

Mingyue was pleased with Lu Fei’s attitude and snorted at Qingfeng, then raised his head proudly and began explaining the matter of sudden enlightenment.

“Junior brother, do you know that Wuzhuang Temple has a divine treasure?”

Mingyue said mysteriously, “The reason we can achieve sudden enlightenment is because of it.”

“Oh?”

Lu Fei immediately began to speculate and eagerly asked, “What divine treasure is it? Can you tell junior brother?”

But Mingyue teased, “Junior brother, finish chopping the wood today, and tomorrow I’ll take you to see it.”

“Will senior brother keep his word?”

Lu Fei’s interest soared. “Then I’ll be waiting.”

Mingyue laughed happily. “I wouldn’t lie. Just focus on chopping the wood.”

With that, Mingyue and Qingfeng walked toward the kitchen, while Lu Fei resumed his firewood chopping, his mind wandering to the ‘divine treasure’ Mingyue had mentioned.

According to his memories, it must be the Heavenly Spirit Root—the famous Ginseng Fruit Tree of Wuzhuang Temple. Its fruit, called the Ginseng Fruit or Herb-Returning Pill, blooms once every three thousand years, bears fruit every three thousand years, ripens after another three thousand years, and is only edible after ten thousand years.

In a lifetime, it only produces about thirty such fruits.

If one is fortunate enough to smell the fruit, they can live for 360 years.

Eating one grants life up to 47,000 years.

Such a divine treasure.

If he could be lucky enough to eat one in the future...

“Ah,”

Shaking his head, Lu Fei controlled his thoughts and refrained from dreaming too much.

Being accepted into Wuzhuang Temple was already a blessing he had cultivated through countless lifetimes.

His next task was to focus on cultivation and strive to improve himself.

As for other matters, one phrase perfectly captured his current mindset:

“If gained, I am fortunate; if lost, it is my fate.”

He would think no more.

With this thought, Lu Fei concentrated again, lifted his axe, and continued chopping the wood before him.

“Bang.”

“Bang.”

Time passed slowly.

As the light in the sky sank westward, the sky darkened.

Inside the small courtyard kitchen, the aroma of cooked rice began to waft.

One by one, the senior brothers clad in blue robes arrived punctually, drawn by the scent, and began dinner.

In fact, considering the scale of Wuzhuang Temple, there were only forty-nine disciples in cultivation at this time, including Lu Fei and Master Zhenyuanzi, which was not many and left the temple somewhat spacious.

But compared to other immortal masters who disliked taking disciples, these were quite a number.

Other senior brothers walked back and forth in the courtyard but did not disturb Lu Fei, who was focused intently on chopping wood in a corner.

He was so absorbed that each axe stroke became deliberate: how deep the wood should be split, how many strikes to finish a log, how long it took to chop one piece.

However, he could no longer enter the state of sudden enlightenment he experienced at noon.

“Bang.”

“Bang.”

Lu Fei chopped wood with focus while the other senior brothers, seeing this, did not approach to disturb him.

Not long after, when the senior brothers finished dinner and began to leave, Qingfeng and Mingyue stepped out of the kitchen and approached Lu Fei in the courtyard corner.

“Senior brothers.”

Lu Fei stopped and bowed, noticing that Mingyue was holding a bowl of rice.

Qingfeng said, “Junior brother, rest first. Eat, then continue.”

Mingyue smiled and handed the bowl of white rice to Lu Fei.

Lu Fei was somewhat hungry and did not hesitate, setting down his axe and taking the bowl.

It was truly white rice—each grain round, plump, crystal-clear, and fragrant.

“Here, junior brother.”

Mingyue then handed him a pair of bamboo chopsticks.

Lu Fei accepted them, asked no questions about side dishes, and took a large mouthful.

Only one thought remained in his mind: “So fragrant!”

It truly was.

Chewing the plump rice grains, Lu Fei felt as if he were consuming a rich spiritual energy, and it was not tasteless either.

Instead, it was genuinely soft, sweet, and aromatic.

Such rice—what need was there for side dishes, and what dishes could possibly match it?

For Lu Fei, he could eat as much as was given.

Thus, in just a few bites, the small bowl was emptied without a single grain left, even licking the bowl clean.

Then, holding the empty bowl, Lu Fei looked eagerly at the two senior brothers and said, “Is there more? Another bowl, no, two bowls.”

Seeing this, Mingyue laughed and shook his head.

Qingfeng explained with a smile, “There’s no more, junior brother. We use black wood over a thousand years old as firewood and the spiritual spring water under the underground spirit root to cook. It takes a whole day to make this pot of rice. Every senior brother eats just a measured amount.”

“I see.”

Lu Fei was enlightened and a little regretful for having eaten so quickly.

It reminded him of Pigsy eating the Ginseng Fruit in his memories.

Just as he thought of Pigsy, he recalled the scene when the pilgrimage party passed through Wuzhuang Temple and the Monkey King destroyed the Ginseng Fruit Tree.

Now that he had joined Wuzhuang Temple and had foresight from his memories, he would never let that scene happen.

“Senior brother,”

Lu Fei smacked his lips, savoring the rice’s taste, and asked, “When will we eat again next time?”

Qingfeng smiled and answered, “Around the same time tomorrow. Since the spiritual rice needs enough cooking time, mealtime is basically fixed.”

Mingyue added, “If junior brother can get up early to help tomorrow, maybe we can have rice ready sooner.”

“Oh!”

Lu Fei was delighted. “I can get up. When exactly is early morning?”

Qingfeng continued, “Get up at the hour of Yin, spiritual rice must be put on the stove by the hour of Mao.”

Lu Fei quickly calculated: Yin hour is 3 to 5 a.m., Mao hour is 5 to 7 a.m.

So waking around 3 or 4 a.m., putting the rice on at 5.

“I understand. I will get up early.”

Lu Fei asked, “After waking, should I come call for you two senior brothers, or wait for you?”

Because of different duties, Lu Fei had been assigned simpler tasks like chopping wood and carrying water. Cooking spiritual rice was a more advanced task, requiring enough experience and cultivation.

But to integrate quickly into Wuzhuang Temple, Lu Fei didn’t mind doing more.

Pleased by such diligence, Qingfeng said, “Junior brother, just wait for my call.”

Lu Fei nodded, “Alright.”

After some more instructions, Qingfeng and Mingyue took back the empty bowl and left.

Lu Fei resumed chopping the remaining firewood.

Though Qingfeng said the leftover black wood could be saved for tomorrow, Lu Fei decided to finish it before resting.

Not long after, Qingfeng and Mingyue, having finished their kitchen chores, greeted Lu Fei and left the courtyard.

Lu Fei was left alone, axe in hand, continuing to chop.

When night fully fell,

“Bang!”

The half-log before him finally cracked open under a precise final strike, completing today’s task.

He gathered and stacked the chopped firewood neatly.

Only then did he leave the courtyard and head to his room.

During the day, Qingfeng and Mingyue had taken him around much of Wuzhuang Temple and arranged his lodgings.

The temple was quiet now.

Except for flickering lights near the main hall and a few lit rooms in the senior brothers’ lofts, everything else was plunged in darkness.

Lu Fei did not wander aimlessly but went straight to his room.

It was the last room on the second floor of a large loft building.

From the window, he could see a lush bamboo grove, very serene, which he liked.

“Click.”

Closing the door, Lu Fei washed up and got into bed.

For disciples at the Golden Core stage such as those at Wuzhuang Temple, quilts were used for meditation rather than sleeping.

Qingfeng and Mingyue had arranged the same for him: only a thin quilt on the bed, nothing else.

Lu Fei sat cross-legged against the bedpost.

He did not immediately begin breathing exercises but summoned the virtual panel within his body.

Lines of pale white virtual ink characters appeared before his eyes.

[Host: Lu Fei]
[Realm: Late Demon General (125/10000)]
[Experience: 456/6000]
[Soul Power: None]
[Skill: Demonic Breathing Method (Complete)]
[Abilities: Staff Technique (Mastery) (308/2000); Spear Technique (Proficient) (311/500); Archery (Proficient) (88/500); Harpoon Technique (Proficient) (65/500)]
[Divine Arts: Micro Step (Mastery) (82/2000); Heavenly Wolf Devours Moon (Intermediate) (929/1000); Earth Escape (Intermediate) (898/1000); Swift Step (Intermediate) (752/1000); Surprise Attack (Intermediate) (225/1000); Whisper (Intermediate) (219/1000); Within the Micro (Intermediate) (31/1000); Breath Hold (Proficient) (331/500); Tiger Roar (Proficient) (198/500)]

Looking at the flickering data, Lu Fei felt a little uneasy.

He immediately activated the Whisper divine art and listened carefully.

His teacher was Master Zhenyuanzi, whose cultivation was earth-shakingly profound.

He worried that summoning the system panel might alert his master.

Time passed slowly.

Through the Whisper divine art, he only heard the sound of wind.

This immediately relieved Lu Fei’s mind.

As he suspected, the virtual panel within his body had evaded Master Zhenyuanzi’s notice.

Because of this virtual panel, Lu Fei’s journey to become a disciple involved not only the dangers on the road but also the risk of being discovered as having a ‘cheat’ or special advantage.

The benefits of becoming Master Zhenyuanzi’s disciple were worth this risk.

If discovered, he planned to be upfront with Master Zhenyuanzi.

Given Master Zhenyuanzi’s protective nature, even if he found out about Lu Fei’s peculiarity, it might not harm him.

At the same time, this was a test!

If Master Zhenyuanzi could detect it, then the same would likely apply to other great powers at his level or above, like the Buddha, the Three Purities, or the Four Emperors.

Currently, Lu Fei could not interact with those high-level figures.

But as his strength grew, it was only a matter of time.

Better to let Master Zhenyuanzi know first than to be discovered by unknown others.

That way, even if found out, he would have his master’s backing.

Thus, whether discovered or not, it was not a great disadvantage for Lu Fei.

This was why he had to leave the wild mountains and seek a master among the greats.

Of course, it was best not to be discovered at all.

The virtual panel was his trump card and greatest aid in this world; he did not want others to notice it.

Now that Master Zhenyuanzi showed no reaction, it meant others probably could not detect it either.

Lu Fei could finally relax.

Not dwelling further, Lu Fei turned his gaze to the various numbers representing his abilities.

Late Demon General was a realm he had broken through to just months ago on the white stone mountain path.

Speaking of which, the spiritual energy around Longevity Mountain was far richer than elsewhere.

This explained why his cultivation had advanced so quickly on the mountain path.

As for Wuzhuang Temple itself, the spiritual energy was even more abundant.

With the Heavenly Spirit Root Ginseng Fruit Tree, only a few sacred mountains and blessed lands in the mortal realm—such as the Western Paradise, Lingtai Fangcun Mountain, and Penglai Immortal Island—could compare.

Of course, these places each had their own gathering of spiritual energy and the Ginseng Fruit Tree.

The environment around Longevity Mountain had also been seriously damaged.

To the east lay the Flowing Sand River, eight hundred li wide, known for its deadly aura.

To the west was the White Tiger Ridge, home to the Bone Lady—“bones exposed on the plains, no rooster crows for a thousand li” aptly describes it.

All human desolation.

Of course, Lu Fei paid no mind.

In short, his cultivation speed at Wuzhuang Temple was far faster than in the wild mountains.

When he next returned to the wild mountains, it would surely surprise all the demons who knew him.

“Huh.”

Because each meditation and breathing exercise now yielded limited growth, Lu Fei had reduced how often he checked his panel.

The last time was two days ago, barely over forty points.

Even with two days of meditation, the increase was only a few points.

How had it suddenly jumped to 125 points? Clearly a big leap.

He recalled the past two days carefully.

Before entering Wuzhuang Temple, there had been no change.

After entering, he hadn’t had much time to cultivate.

There was only one possibility: the ‘sudden enlightenment’ while chopping wood in the courtyard.

Qingfeng and Mingyue had said his Golden Core stage was within reach.

“I’ll ask them carefully tomorrow.”

With that thought, Lu Fei let go of other worries and focused on the panel again.

Looking further down.

Soul power was nothing special—without large battles or worthy opponents, its experience grew slowly.

Lu Fei didn’t rely on it to improve other abilities.

He depended on time and proficiency.

The Demonic Breathing Method, an entry-level cultivation technique for demons, had been mastered by him.

Currently, his breathing meditation efficiency was decent.

However, he was still waiting for Master Zhenyuanzi to bestow him a new cultivation technique.

After successfully becoming a disciple in the main hall that day, Master Zhenyuanzi had told him to seek him out in three months.

Lu Fei had asked Qingfeng and Mingyue, who said it was likely to be a transmission of techniques and spells.

He looked forward to it eagerly.

Scrolling down to abilities.

“Staff Technique” had reached mastery, the highest proficiency besides his completed breathing method.

Other skills like spear, archery, and harpoon techniques were less significant.

At his level, unless he acquired better weaponry, he wouldn’t change his weapons easily.

Finally, the most dynamic section: divine arts.

These represented Lu Fei’s real strength.

The divine art “Micro Step” had become more practiced than his own “Heavenly Wolf Devours Moon.”

It was currently the third most proficient skill after breathing and staff techniques.

With mastery, the speed and stride length of Micro Step far exceeded its beginner level.

Other divine arts, except for “Breath Hold” and the newly learned “Tiger Roar,” had reached intermediate levels with considerable growth.

Lu Fei now improved proficiency through practice and time rather than soul power.

As for the new divine art “Tiger Roar,” its meaning was clear—roaring, but silently.

It was an attack skill targeting spirit, soul, and will via sound waves—a rare special attack divine art.

This was a great surprise.

Moreover, Lu Fei had obtained “Tiger Roar” from a young tiger demon who had just awakened intelligence and recently become a demon.

In gratitude for this contribution, Lu Fei spared that troublesome tiger demon’s life.

Though by Lu Fei’s own moral standards, that tiger demon should have been killed.

Having reviewed his own progress, Lu Fei dismissed further thoughts.

He cleared the data and emptied his mind, starting the Demonic Breathing Method meditation.

Time slipped by.

He lost track of how long had passed.

When the sky outside was still pitch black, Lu Fei suddenly opened his eyes from meditation.

It was already the Yin hour of the next day.

He had promised senior brothers Qingfeng and Mingyue to get up early and help in the kitchen.

But perhaps he was too eager and woke too early.

He heard nothing outside for a long while.

Lu Fei resumed breathing exercises.

When the eastern sky faintly glowed with the first light of dawn, Lu Fei opened his eyes again.

Soon after, he heard footsteps from outside.

“Junior brother.”

Mingyue’s voice came.

“Coming.”

Lu Fei got up and left the bed.

Half an hour later, after some kitchen work, Lu Fei carried two buckets of water, following Mingyue deeper into Wuzhuang Temple.

“Junior brother, do you remember what I said yesterday?”

Walking ahead, also carrying a pole with two buckets, Mingyue glanced back.

Lu Fei’s eyes brightened immediately. “Is it the divine treasure you mentioned?”

Mingyue smiled mysteriously and nodded, “Yes, you’ll see it soon.”

Though he roughly guessed what Mingyue meant, Lu Fei was still a little excited.

That was the Heavenly Spirit Root Ginseng Fruit Tree, whose fruit rivaled the Queen Mother’s Peaches of Immortality.

Following Mingyue with the pole, Lu Fei turned a corner inside the courtyard.

The sky suddenly darkened before him.

At once, he felt the air thick with spiritual energy, condensed into misty strands drifting in the air.

Looking ahead, a vast, lush, and ominously dense giant tree blocked the sky.

A cold wind blew.

Lu Fei shivered, suddenly hearing crying overhead.

He looked up and saw among the dense, shadowy branches hanging several small children-sized, fully formed, delicate white infants struggling and crying in the wind.

[Author’s note: Thanks to “Book Friend 7262” for the generous reward of 2000 coins, and to “Ding Ding Dang,” “Book Mountain Old Forest,” “RudBo,” “Bamboo Garden Listening to Qin Xiao,” “Stealing a Floor’s Underwear,” “Model Worker of the Food Factory,” “Head of All Gods,” “Qiluo Xueyi,” and “Wang Ruojun” for their support and votes. Apologies for today’s late update.]

(End of chapter)