Chapter Nine: The Exchange

Since entering this place, Mo Fan had been silently pondering the words of Ling Yazi, a figure he had never even seen before. He hoped to find a breakthrough hidden within Ling Yazi’s speech.

“Heh heh, Senior Ling Yazi, I know you’re a great person, a truly good man who wouldn’t take those nonsensical things to heart,” Mo Fan said with a forced chuckle, his insincerity so blatant even he found it hard to bear. Yet, he shamelessly continued, “Let’s start anew. I’m the youngster Mo Fan. It’s an honor to meet you, senior!”

“No, no, no! Don’t flatter me. I’m a cheat, a man of shady dealings. Please don’t crown me with any ‘Good Man’ awards—I can’t bear the honor!” Ling Yazi replied, a hint of jest in his voice.

“Heh, I’m just a young lad, and you’re a senior master. You should carry the demeanor of a true expert; otherwise, you’d be...” Mo Fan feigned a pose, deliberately trailing off.

“Otherwise what?” Ling Yazi’s tone sharpened, a flicker of anger surfacing. It was clear he was sensitive about how others judged him.

“If you insist, I’ll say it,” Mo Fan smiled slyly, a half-smirk playing on his lips, reveling in his little scheme.

Silence fell over the space. Ling Yazi said nothing in response, neither forbidding nor permitting Mo Fan to speak further, as if lost in deep contemplation.

The atmosphere grew still and tense. Mo Fan’s heart throbbed with anxiety. Having finally found a potential solution, he was unwilling to let it slip away so easily.

Thus, in the quiet, both men harbored their own secret thoughts.

Cough, cough, cough!

A cough echoed through the mist.

“Ah, it seems there’s no other way!” After a long pause, Ling Yazi’s voice sounded again, noticeably weaker. He seemed like an autumn leaf about to fall from this illusionary realm.

After another extended silence, Ling Yazi sighed deeply, saying, “All things in this world must return to dust and earth. Even a sage of a generation cannot resist the marks of time. If one could ascend the path to heaven and become a true immortal, what a magnificent scene that would be...”

His tone grew desolate, voice fading like a dry branch scorched by fierce flames, waiting for time to reduce him to ashes.

“Young man, it no longer matters what kind of person you think I am. I have lingered too long in this mortal world; it’s time to leave. But before I go, I must ask a favor of you. Will you accept it or not?” Ling Yazi suddenly swept the mist away before Mo Fan, appearing in his line of sight for the first time.

Mo Fan was struck dumb by the sight of the old man. His hair was pure white, with a long white beard flowing down. His once sharp eyes had dried up, devoid of any vitality.

His pale face looked as if coated in white wax, withered and lifeless.

“Senior, what has happened to you...?” Mo Fan asked, startled by Ling Yazi’s appearance.

Before Mo Fan could finish, Ling Yazi interrupted with a mournful sigh, “I am fading away, but there is still one unfinished wish in this world. I hope you can help me fulfill it.” He waved his large, bony hand, and a golden hairpin appeared in his grasp.

Staring intently at the golden hairpin, Ling Yazi lamented, “Gui Feng, I have broken my promise. I have not found the Forgetting River Flower or the Waters of the Other Shore you sought.”

After a long silence, he waved his hand again, sending the golden hairpin into Mo Fan’s palm. Closing his eyes, he murmured, “Take this hairpin to the Shui family in the Southern Region and give it to a woman named Shui Guifeng. Tell her: ‘If the phoenix does not marry, the cliff will not wed. If the phoenix marries, the Door of Emptiness shall retreat.’ As your reward, I will reveal the cure for the Devouring Poison disease and how you can open the way through the desolate domain.”

Ling Yazi finished speaking and awaited Mo Fan’s response.

Unexpectedly, Mo Fan was dumbstruck, staring blankly into the void, drool trickling from the corner of his mouth, making a rather unpleasant sight.

“Of course, you may refuse, but then whatever you seek to know is off the table. After all, with me, Ling Yazi, there is no such thing as a free gain,” Ling Yazi said calmly.

“I agree!” Before Ling Yazi finished, Mo Fan eagerly said yes, silently thinking, “With such an offer, only a fool would refuse. Delivering a hairpin is hardly difficult.”

“Good!” Ling Yazi said, touching Mo Fan’s forehead with a finger. “This is the route to the Shui family. Remember it well. When you grow strong enough, go on my behalf. Now, I will tell you how to solve your problem. I don’t want you to die before completing this task. That would truly be a disservice to Guifeng.”

As he spoke, Ling Yazi coughed again, his complexion worsening. It was clear he had little time left.

“Actually, the Devouring Poison disease is not incurable; the process is just extremely difficult,” Ling Yazi said, sitting cross-legged. Mo Fan followed suit, sensing the old man was about to impart much knowledge.

“Years ago, I found some information about the Devouring Poison in an ancient manuscript. It is a rare and deadly toxin. Those infected with it, if their vitality is strong, can survive up to seven days. After seven days, death is certain. Ordinary people perish instantly upon infection, or barely survive a short while.”

“You have survived this long, and your life force remains tenacious. It shows you are a person of great destiny. There must be something within you resisting the spread of the poison,” Ling Yazi said, fixing Mo Fan with a penetrating gaze that made him feel transparent and exposed.

The intensity startled Mo Fan, filling him with dread.

“Heh, don’t worry. I have no interest in the treasures you carry,” Ling Yazi waved his hand with a smile. “To completely cure the Devouring Poison, one must find nine legendary ingredients: the Forgetting River Flower, the Waters of the Other Shore, the Blood Tear Pearl, the Ashura Bone, the Thousand-Year Blood Lingzhi, the Rootless Nine Lotus Grass, the Twin-Eared Immortal Vine, the Drunken Bamboo Leaf, and the Red Root of Hongdu. Collect these in the proper quantities, find a top alchemist, and have them concoct a pill. Taking it will cure the disease.”

“What... what are all these? I’ve never even heard of them. How am I supposed to find them?” Mo Fan’s eyes widened in disbelief. His hope of curing this strange disease rapidly diminished.

Still, he pocketed the list Ling Yazi gave him, resolving to try his luck once he ventured into the greater realms.

Seeing Mo Fan’s expression, Ling Yazi said nothing more.

Not only were the nine items Mo Fan sought seemingly mythical, but even Ling Yazi himself had spent most of his life searching, yet failed to find the two most crucial ones, the Forgetting River Flower and the Waters of the Other Shore, let alone all nine.

“Your wild Thunder Domain is known as an immortal realm during the Wild Age,” Ling Yazi remarked, his eyes filled with envy as he spoke of Mo Fan’s body. Taking a deep breath, he continued:

“In the era when true immortals existed, the Wild Thunder Domain was called a prodigy, both in cultivation talent and combat power. Once awakened and grown, it would tower above the entire Tianyan Continent.” Ling Yazi’s excitement was palpable, but his frail body could not endure much exertion. Even speaking those words was a great effort.

“Alas, since then, there have been no more true immortals, nor any Wild Thunder Domain,” Ling Yazi muttered. When Mo Fan tried to ask more, he stopped him, unwilling to waste precious time. His existence was waning.

“Mo, have you ever heard this saying?” Ling Yazi asked. “‘Qinglian Kiln Ridge’s Undead Peak blocks the Jiuzhou path. West Ridge’s Panlong thousands of branches, beware entering the maze of illusions.’”

Mo Fan shook his head.

“Undead Peak is called the first peak of Kiln Ridge. It’s not only tall but shrouded in mystery, capable of blocking anything flying over it. Panlong Mountain is the premier peak of West Ridge, known for countless treasures. Legends say it is the remnant embodiment of an ancient god. It is also a place of great opportunity.”

“I once had the fortune—and misfortune—of entering its depths. I nearly didn’t make it out, buried inside. But I gained much from the experience. Because of those gains, I soared to the Saint’s Ninth Heaven realm. Yet, I failed to comprehend the world fully, could not ascend the heavenly path, and thus never became a true immortal. This remains my greatest regret.”

“After you leave here, go there. You may find what you seek. Panlong Mountain has always been a place where miracles are made.”

“West Ridge, Panlong Mountain!” Mo Fan’s eyes gleamed with fierce determination. He had resolved to make the journey, no matter the cost.