Chapter 1428: Scratch My Back and I’ll Scratch Yours

“He killed Yi?” the group exclaimed in shock. They had heard all sorts of rumors about Yi that practically portrayed him as the greatest hero alive. And yet, someone like that had died from being schemed against? Even though Pang Meng hadn’t been weak, regardless of how they looked at it, he was still quite lacking compared to Yi, right?

The large mulberry tree’s leaves fluttered in a strange rhythm as it said, “That was what some people who passed through Mulberry Forest said. Furthermore, from time to time, I saw Pang Meng enter a deranged state where he would repeatedly shout ‘I’m sorry, master’, ‘Don’t blame me, don’t blame me’, and other such things. I believe that should be enough to prove the rumors.”

The group fell silent when they heard that. It seemed the rumors were most likely true.

Yun Jianyue said, “It isn’t all that strange. No matter how powerful Yi was, he didn’t have an invincible body. A spear you can see is easier to stop than a hidden arrow. Pang Meng was also Yi’s disciple, so if he schemed against his master, he might very well have had a chance. Our Holy Sect had many powerful individuals who were killed by people close to them over the years.”

The others thought to themselves that that was indeed the case. They couldn't help but sigh. Even a great hero like that had actually ended up falling at the hands of someone close to him.

“Right, what about Yi’s wife, Chang’e?” Zu An asked. When he saw the women’s weird expressions, he quickly explained, “Earlier, Pang Meng seemed to be calling out Chang’e’s name before he died.”

Am I really that much of a pervert in their eyes? No matter how pretty Chang’e is, she’s still someone else’s wife!

“In the past, some travelers who passed by this Mulberry Forest said that the reason why Pang Meng took Yi as his master was because he was an incredible archer himself, someone who had claimed to have skill not inferior to Yi’s own. He was unconvinced of Yi’s prowess and challenged him to a competition, and it was only after he lost that he took Yi as his master and learned his archery skills. However, others said that Pang Meng was completely stunned when he saw Yi’s wife Chang’e and took Yi as his master in order to get closer to her,” the great mulberry tree replied.

Zu An’s expression was strange. He thought to himself, Even though Cao Zei died, his spirit seems to have existed even back then.[1]

The big mulberry tree couldn't even move, so the fact that it knew so much was already quite incredible. Just how gossipy were those travelers from the past?

“That Pang Meng was a shameless person, as expected!” Yun Jianyue harrumphed. She had already thought that there was something wrong with his expression back then.

Yan Xuehen and Yu Yanluo nodded in deep sympathy. As women, and furthermore extremely pretty women, they had always had many men around them. No matter how those men tried to hide it, however, the sinister thoughts within their expressions hadn’t escaped the women’s notice. Previously, Pang Meng’s gaze had been filled with undeniable desire, but he had even tried to hide it. That only further proved there was something wrong with his character.

“I also heard a traveler mention that the reason why Chang’e ate the immortal medicine was not because she was greedy for immortality and abandoned Yi, but rather because she was forced to by Pang Meng. Helpless to do anything else, she could only eat the immortal medicine to protect herself,” the giant mulberry tree said.

“Not even death can wipe out this despicable Pang Meng’s crimes. Not only did he turn on his master, he even wanted to take advantage of his martial mother!” Yan Xuehen exclaimed in a rare show of anger. According to her values, even one of those acts was already disgraceful, let alone both of them!

“Indeed. Even in our Holy Sect, someone like that without any bottom line would be chopped up into pieces as punishment,” Yun Jianyue said, no longer maintaining her charm skill. Even though her outfit was the same as before, she was once again full of killing intent.

Yu Yanluo felt a bit absentminded. In the past, hadn’t all the disasters in Cloudcenter Commandery happened because her brother-in-law lusted after her beauty?

Zu An began to think to himself. Pang Meng had been a wild boar, so he couldn't help but think of Zhu Bajie. When he thought about Chinese mythology, he realized that it was precisely because Marshal Tianpeng[2] had harassed Chang’e that he was exiled to the mortal world and reincarnated as a boar. Was there a connection between the two stories?

Several dark green leaves suddenly fell in front of the group, and they subconsciously caught them.

The mulberry tree said, “The Dongting Lake ahead is full of miasma, making it easy for those who pass through it to die from its toxicity. Bring these leaves with you; they can shield you from the miasma. Furthermore, carrying them with you will help heal your injuries.”

Zu An looked at the leaf in front of him. It was clearly different from ordinary mulberry leaves. It was emerald green and coursed brilliantly with light. Rather than a leaf, it was more like a jade pendant. Just holding it in his hand filled his body with a refreshing sensation; the fiery pain of his wounds quickly faded, and his recovery speed improved.

“Thank you, senior,” Zu An said, feeling overjoyed. His injuries were one thing, but Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue’s injuries were still limiting their strength. With the leaves, they could have hope for a complete recovery.

Sure enough, both women had excited expressions. They could clearly feel the wonderful benefits of the leaves. Thus, they both expressed their gratitude as well, saying, “Senior has given us something so precious. We really do not know how to repay you.”

Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen had high statuses. Normally, others always called them ‘senior’ and not the other way around. However, in front of this tree that had lived for several tens of thousands of years, they didn’t feel wronged calling it ‘senior’ at all.

Yun Jianyue was baffled, however. As someone from the Devil Sect, she was naturally cautious about everything. Why had this mulberry tree treated them with such kindness for no reason?

Just then, the mulberry tree spoke slowly in an aged voice, “These leaves are not particularly precious to me. Giving them to you is just like losing a few strands of hair; there is no need for such thanks. Rather, I am the one who should be thankful to you for eliminating the Fengxi Boar disaster. That fellow damaged so much of the Mulberry Forest with its mouth over the years. Fortunately, you finally dealt with him.”

Zu An asked curiously, “Wait, if this entire Mulberry Forest is your body, why couldn’t you deal with it?”

The giant mulberry tree replied, “The Fengxi Boar was an ancient monster, and it had fused with Pang Meng, making it difficult to deal with. Furthermore, my abilities are more aligned with life than death and destruction.”

Zu An more or less understood what it meant when he sensed the powerful life force coming from the leaf.

“Does senior know anything about the immortal medicine?” Yu Yanluo asked. Zu An had asked several times about that subject; now, she was also interested. The tree had existed for a long time, so it could know some secrets of the past.

“I have indeed heard some things about immortal medicines. One is at Mount Kunlun’s Jade Lake, owned by the Queen Mother of the West. It is incredibly precious. Another is in the great wilderness, a Goldenrain Tree that grows on a red stone. However, I heard that it was seized by the human race’s emperor at some point,” the great mulberry tree replied.

Zu An was shocked, exclaiming, “There are actually two immortal medicines?”

The great mulberry tree replied with a chuckle, “Who said there was only one immortal medicine? Furthermore, there might be more than just those two. Only, they could grow in rare places, or their appearances could be too strange. Perhaps their surroundings are simply too dangerous, and that is why no one has discovered them yet.”

The group quickly became excited. They had thought that immortal medicines were nothing more than an unrealistic lie. They hadn’t expected such things to really exist! No matter how much a cultivator claimed to seek a simple life, one couldn’t remain indifferent upon hearing such a thing. Furthermore, cultivators fought against both people and the heavens in defiance of fate. If they didn’t have any desires at all, how could they possibly reach a profound cultivation realm?

The great mulberry tree said, “Immortal medicines have their own desire to grow. The most famous immortal medicines have already been monopolized by the strongest, and thus are not given out to others. Furthermore, they are intelligent. Even if you discover one, it does not mean you can catch it. However, if you can obtain an immortal medicine’s seed and you nurture it carefully, accompanying its growth, you might be able to make it acknowledge you as its master. Not only would it have its immortality-granting properties then, it could even greatly improve its master’s cultivation speed. It would be more useful than seeking out a mature immortal medicine directly.”

The group was shocked. They had never seen such information in any cultivation manuals. If word of that got out, it would completely topple many of the foundations of cultivation knowledge.

They continued to ask for information related to immortal medicines and the Celestial Emperor. However, the great mulberry tree spread out its wide branches as if they were its arms and said, “I do not know about these things. Do not forget that I am merely a tree. I have only heard a few things that passers-by idly chat about while passing through this forest.”

Zu An’s expression was strange as he thought, The things you said just now weren’t things ordinary travelers would know about, right? I wonder just what kinds of great figures stopped for some rest in this forest.

Seeing that they couldn't get any more information, Zu An and the others thanked the tree again. He said, “Senior has helped us so much. I wonder if there is anything else we can do for senior?”

It was the mark of a decent person to repay the favors others showed them. Since the tree had given them such precious mulberry tree leaves and told them so many secrets, they had to show a bit of sincerity, at least.

1. This might be referring to a character from a webnovel based on the Three Kingdoms period. ☜

2. Zhu Bajie’s title ☜