Chapter 62: Gong Jin

“Spirit-Devouring Grass?”

Xu Zhengyang was momentarily stunned upon hearing it. He had once come across a record of this strange herb in an obscure book.

Although its name included the word “grass,” in reality, it resembled the Cordyceps sinensis known in Xu Zhengyang’s previous life — a hybrid of plant and beast!

This creature was innately capable of devouring the essence of plants to strengthen itself.

If a cultivator could seize a stalk that had just absorbed plant essence and consume it after refining—its medicinal potency could rival several years of bitter cultivation!

Precisely because of this—upon hearing Yang Hong’s words, Xu Zhengyang frowned and said, “Although this Spirit-Devouring Grass is indeed useful, it’s unusually slippery and extremely difficult to catch…”

“Exactly.”

Yang Hong spoke as he, dissatisfied with picking the snacks by hand, simply lifted the plate and dumped the contents straight into his mouth.

After finishing the pastries—

Yang Hong gulped down several cups of tea to soothe his throat before speaking contentedly, “I know my own limits. Moreover, I’m a Body Cultivator, so I don’t care much about Qi Refining cultivation. Initially, I couldn’t be bothered to get involved in this matter. But my master just couldn’t stand seeing me peacefully tempering my body, and forced me to catch the Spirit-Devouring Grass, even saying I’m not allowed to return unless I catch it…”

At this point—

Yang Hong looked pitifully at Xu Zhengyang and said, “So, Senior Brother Xu, save me!!”

While gathering parameter data of Tier 1 spiritual materials at home recently, Xu Zhengyang had also made a few gadgets from leftover materials.

Because of this—upon hearing that something so amusing was happening at Spirit Mechanism Peak, Xu Zhengyang immediately said to Yang Hong, “Let’s go to Spirit Mechanism Peak right now!”

“Alright!”

Seeing that Xu Zhengyang agreed, Yang Hong promptly pulled out two Paper Crane Talismans from his Storage Pouch, ready to use them for flying over.

“That’s too slow!”

Xu Zhengyang waved his hand to stop Yang Hong from activating the Paper Crane Talismans, then immediately unfurled the Azure Sky Crane Feather from his back.

Next—under Yang Hong’s envious gaze, Xu Zhengyang grabbed Yang Hong by the shoulder, lifted him up, and shot into the skies!

Immediately after—

Yang Hong, who had never experienced such a thrilling ride, let out a shriek that echoed throughout the entire Floating Mist Mountains!

...

Moments later, at Spirit Mechanism Peak—

A disheveled Yang Hong clung to a crooked willow tree, vomiting uncontrollably.

Xu Zhengyang pretended not to understand and asked, “Junior Brother Yang, are you alright? Your master’s Golden Rosy Cloud-Crossing Boat flies much faster than my Azure Sky Crane Feather! How come you’re perfectly fine flying for days on his flying boat, but after flying just a short distance with me… you’re reacting like this?”

By now, Yang Hong had recovered.

Although his face was pale, his tone was extremely resolute as he said to Xu Zhengyang, “I will never, ever let you carry me flying again! Absolutely!!”

“I just wanted to save some time.”

Xu Zhengyang replied as he casually waved his hand, casting a Cleansing Technique to rid Yang Hong of the foul stench, and said, “No time to lose, we should go find that Spirit-Devouring Grass now! If we wait until it finishes digesting the plant essence it just absorbed and hides in some remote crevice— then even if the Sect Master himself came here— he might not be able to find any trace of that Spirit-Devouring Grass!”

“Mm.”

Yang Hong nodded and asked Xu Zhengyang, “Then what should we do?”

“I plan to use formations to search.”

As Xu Zhengyang spoke, he headed straight toward the authority hub of Spirit Mechanism Peak — the Divine Mechanism Palace, while saying, “But setting up formations on someone else’s territory is too presumptuous. I need to first pay a visit to Elder Gong. Only after obtaining Elder Gong’s permission will I proceed.”

To Yang Hong, the Dao of Formations was truly profound and obscure.

In his eyes, only someone like Pei Zhen in the entire True Essence Sect, a senior elder with both virtue and talent and boundless magical power, could handle the Dao of Formations.

Because of this,

Yang Hong was stunned for a moment upon hearing Xu Zhengyang’s words and quickly asked, “Senior Brother Xu, you can already set up formations independently?”

Hearing this, Xu Zhengyang turned back to Yang Hong and said, “Back in Sunset Cloud Blessed Land—didn’t I set up a small formation that disguised the two of us as Geng Metal Sword Qi? That was how we easily passed through the Azure Edge Absolute Shadow Formation. You’ve already forgotten?”

Yang Hong was dumbfounded. “That thing was a formation?!”

“What else did you think it was?”

Xu Zhengyang said, and finally added, “You stay here and don’t move. I’ll be back shortly.”

With those words—

Xu Zhengyang had already quickened his pace toward the Divine Mechanism Palace.

...

After a series of notifications, Xu Zhengyang was finally led by a newly recruited inner sect disciple of Spirit Mechanism Peak to the side hall where Gong Jin was located.

Xu Zhengyang had previously seen Gong Jin in the Scripture Repository.

At that time—

Gong Jin was still a disheveled and sloppy old man.

But after taking charge of Spirit Mechanism Peak, as the peak head, Gong Jin could no longer be as carefree as before.

Although his appearance hadn’t changed compared to the past—after donning a Daoist robe that faintly radiated a treasured glow, he now looked like a white-haired youth with a celestial aura and an immortal’s demeanor!

His appearance perfectly matched Xu Zhengyang’s idea of what an immortal should look like.

“Greetings, Elder Gong.” Xu Zhengyang saluted Gong Jin.

“No need for formalities.”

As he spoke, Gong Jin glanced at Xu Zhengyang, then continued reviewing the paperwork on the desk while saying, “Speak. What matter requires you to see this seat personally?”

“Reporting to Elder Gong,”

Xu Zhengyang responded without delay, getting straight to the point, “With ordinary means, it’s truly difficult for this disciple to locate the Spirit-Devouring Grass. Because of this—I wish to set up a few formations within Spirit Mechanism Peak to aid in the search, and I hope Elder Gong will grant permission.”

“Set up a few formations?”

Gong Jin frowned upon hearing this, then asked with displeasure, “Did your master prepare them for you?”

“No, they were prepared by this disciple himself,” Xu Zhengyang replied.

“Oh?”

Gong Jin was half skeptical. He put down the cinnabar brush and said to Xu Zhengyang, “If the formations were truly devised by you, then feel free to do whatever you want throughout Spirit Mechanism Peak. But if you’re using formations your master prepared to search for that Spirit-Devouring Grass, then get lost at once! Don’t embarrass yourself here!”

Xu Zhengyang responded confidently, “Elder Gong, please be assured! This disciple will certainly rely on his own ability to locate the Spirit-Devouring Grass and dares not use any advantage to flaunt power!”

“Mm.”

Gong Jin nodded upon hearing this, then buried his head back in the paperwork and said, “Go, I grant your request.”

“Many thanks, Elder Gong.”

Xu Zhengyang said, saluted Gong Jin once more, and added, “This disciple takes his leave!”

...

As soon as Xu Zhengyang left—

Gong Jin waved his hand, and a Water-Mirror Technique appeared before him. He said, “What bold words! This seat shall see—just what kind of formation you can come up with to find that Spirit-Devouring Grass!”

After leaving the Divine Mechanism Palace—

Xu Zhengyang quickly returned to Yang Hong, who was waiting outside. He then retrieved a Jade Slip and over a hundred formation disks marked with serial numbers, which had been refined by him, from the Storage Pouch.

Then—

Xu Zhengyang said to Yang Hong, “This is the topographic map of Spirit Mechanism Peak. Follow the marked points on the map and place these formation disks according to their serial numbers at the corresponding locations. Be sure, absolutely sure, not to make a mistake!”

—

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