Chapter 104: Senior Brother Bestows a Treasure, A Heaven-Shocking Idea, and Visiting the Monkeys of Mount Huaguo!

When Lu Wufei left the high pavilion where his teacher, Zhenyuanzi, resided, the eastern sky was already beginning to glow with a faint, fish-belly white.

Walking back to his quarters, Lu Wufei encountered quite a few senior disciples who were already up and about.

"Good morning, Senior Brother," Lu Wufei greeted.
"Good morning, Junior Brother Bai," the senior disciple replied.
"Senior Brother," Lu Wufei continued, "I have just returned from the teacher’s quarters, and my name has been changed."
"Oh?"
"I am now called Lu Wufei," he explained. "You may address me as Junior Brother Lu, or simply Wufei."
"Understood, Junior Brother Bai."
Lu Wufei: "..."

Back in his room, Lu Wufei stepped inside. Little Bai, who had been sleeping on the windowsill, immediately squeaked and scampered over. Walking to the Eight Immortals table, Lu Wufei habitually reached for the teapot, only to find it completely empty. He immediately walked to the side to boil some water.

While waiting for the water to boil, Lu Wufei sat back down. With a thought, a long, slender, and exceptionally beautiful leaf appeared in his hand, radiating a faint, lush green glow. After looking at it for a moment, he recognized the shape—it seemed identical to the leaves on the Ginseng Fruit Tree deep within the backyard of Wuzhuang Temple. It was likely taken from that very tree.

After examining the leaf thoroughly, Lu Wufei extended his divine sense toward it. To his surprise, the leaf dodged. Yes, the green leaf in his hand had actually dodged—without any warning, it had evaded his touch.

"What is going on?"

Lu Wufei immediately reacted, narrowing his eyes. He didn't act rashly; he simply waved his hand.

*Bang! Bang!*

Two loud thuds echoed as the door and the wide-open windows behind him were instantly slammed shut. Lu Wufei then looked at the leaf in his hand, which was now lying motionless and emitting a faint light. He did not believe his eyes had deceived him; at such close range, he would have to be blind to be mistaken, unless someone had tampered with his perception. But this was the Wuzhuang Temple Grotto-Heaven. With his teacher Zhenyuanzi present, how could an outsider possibly enter? The anomaly had to be the leaf itself.

Over the past five years, Lu Wufei had read many scrolls in the temple’s library regarding cultivation, specifically focusing on pills, spiritual medicines, and magical weapons—topics closely related to his own path. Anything he didn't understand, he would ask his senior brothers, Qingfeng and Mingyue. It could be said that during his five years at Wuzhuang Temple, his cultivation had not only surged, reaching the Golden Core stage, but his knowledge of the cultivation world had also improved by leaps and bounds. Compared to when he first arrived, he was a completely different person.

His previous humility about only truly entering the path of cultivation after reaching the Foundation Establishment Demon General stage was not just talk; his prior knowledge had been far too scarce. This was the benefit of joining a major sect in a blessed land—the inheritance.

Returning to the matter at hand, Lu Wufei looked at the leaf. Recalling the knowledge he had read about weapons and treasures, his eyes filled with excitement. He extended his divine sense once more. This time, the leaf dodged again, though the movement was slight. Lu Wufei did not grasp the leaf tightly to force it; he continued to probe gently with his consciousness.

"Squeak, squeak."

Little Bai, standing on the table, noticed his "father" playing with something and reached out with its tiny paws to grab the glowing leaf. Lu Wufei stopped him and continued to approach with his divine sense. This time, the leaf dodged even less, as if slowly adapting to his presence. Lu Wufei pressed on, and finally, the leaf stopped moving. His divine sense successfully touched the leaf and instantly merged into its essence.

"This is..."

As he felt the information contained within the leaf, Lu Wufei’s face lit up with joy. According to what he had learned in the library, weapons and treasures in the cultivation world were divided into three levels: Magical Artifacts, Magical Treasures, and Spiritual Treasures. Magical Artifacts were the lowest, and Spiritual Treasures the highest. Magical Artifacts and Magical Treasures were further divided into Low, Medium, and High grades.

As for Spiritual Treasures, they could not be categorized merely by power, but by their degree of spirituality. A treasure only earned the title of "Spiritual Treasure" once it had nurtured a sliver of sentience. Regardless of type, their power far exceeded that of lifeless magical treasures. Legend had it that some Spiritual Treasures were so sentient they could assume human form and even cultivate.

Even the lowest-grade Magical Artifact was incredibly precious and difficult to obtain. Lu Wufei knew this well; among the Foundation Establishment Demon Generals at Langlang Mountain, very few possessed even a low-grade artifact. He himself had only received a low-grade black iron staff from General Bai after risking his life in battle—a weapon the General had previously used. Even that had made the other demon generals green with envy.

Lu Wufei had assumed the leaf-shaped treasure his teacher bestowed upon him might be a Magical Treasure—something he had never dared to dream of. But he had never imagined it would be a Spiritual Treasure!

A Spiritual Treasure! This beautiful, ginseng-fruit-shaped leaf was a defensive Spiritual Treasure!

At this moment, Lu Wufei’s heart surged with emotion. He had skipped the level of Magical Treasure entirely, leaping straight to a Spiritual Treasure that countless great demons and cultivators dreamed of. Such profound grace!

He stood up and bowed respectfully toward the place where his teacher, Zhenyuanzi, meditated. Sitting back down, he looked at the emerald leaf with growing affection. "This is the benefit of having a powerful master," he mused. "The disciple just goes down the mountain, and he casually bestows a Spiritual Treasure."

Branding an ownerless Spiritual Treasure was simple. Once he had left his mark, the green leaf flew up, dancing around him in joy. Lu Wufei chuckled, "From today on, you shall be called Green Leaf."

As if it understood, the leaf spun even more happily.

Just then, the sound of boiling tea signaled. Lu Wufei poured a bowl, drank the piping hot tea, put away the treasure, and placed Little Bai on his shoulder. He had to bid farewell to Qingfeng, Mingyue, and his other senior brothers before heading down the mountain.

After the farewells and receiving gifts—including a "Green Edge Blade" from Qingfeng and a black robe from Mingyue—Lu Wufei finally stood before the mountain gate three days later.

"Junior Brother, don't forget your promise. Come back and see us soon," Mingyue said, his eyes tearing up.

"I will," Lu Wufei promised. "Next time I return, I’ll bring you something delicious from the outside world."

Qingfeng added, "The outside world is dangerous. If you encounter an unbeatable foe, flee if you can. If you can't, don't hesitate to invoke the name of Wuzhuang Temple. With the teacher here, no one will dare to treat you unfairly."

"I will remember your teachings, Senior Brothers," Lu Wufei said, bowing solemnly.

Little Bai on his shoulder mimicked the gesture, squeaking, which made them all laugh.

"Goodbye, Senior Brothers."
"See you next time."

Lu Wufei stepped onto a cloud and soared into the sky. Looking back, he saw only the mid-section of the colossal Longevity Mountain, the rest shrouded in clouds. He headed toward the higher reaches of the atmosphere, deciding to take a detour to the Flower-Fruit Mountain in the Dongsheng Divine Continent.

He had long dreamed of seeing if the home of the Monkey King was truly as beautiful as the legends claimed. He wondered if the stone that gave birth to the monkey was still there, or if the monkey had already been born. If he appeared as an immortal, would the monkey seek to become his disciple? The very thought fueled his excitement.

He shifted his form into a streak of golden light, disappearing into the distant horizon.