Chapter Twenty-Seven: Second-Tier Wonders

“Senior Brother Shao Tan!”
Xiaolong and the others shouted in unison, but Sun Meng didn’t wait for them at all. He picked up speed and left Shaolin Temple behind.
“Well, that’s that. We have nothing to do with this matter now,” Xiaolong said a little dejectedly.
“In fact, it might be for the best. Even Abbot Sanzang is treating this with such caution—if we went, we’d probably just get in the way,” Xiaohu remarked as he walked toward the training ground. In his eyes, it was better to focus on honing his martial arts so he could truly assist Abbot Sanzang when the time came.
Xiaolan, watching Sun Meng’s departing figure, stamped her foot in frustration but remained at Shaolin. She knew she couldn’t possibly keep up with Sun Meng and Sanzang moving at full speed; she could only stay at the temple.

Meanwhile, Sun Meng hurried after Sanzang and finally caught up to him at the inn.
“What are you doing here?” Sanzang looked at him. “Go back! I can handle this myself.” If the witch hadn’t yet arrived, he’d have gone to the secret realm alone by now.
“Master, I don’t think it’s truly dangerous, is it? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have succeeded alone all those years ago,” Sun Meng replied.
Sanzang nodded. “That’s right. Only the final trial is difficult; the rest just require caution. But can you withstand her magic?”
Sun Meng nodded again. “Master, I always feel like I fall just short when facing trials of will—perhaps because I lack experience. Besides, who knows what’s become of Elder Xuanfeng and the others? Having one more person means more strength, doesn’t it?”
Since Sun Meng wasn’t like Xiaolan and the rest, Sanzang finally agreed. After ordering tea, the two sat in the main hall, waiting for the woman’s arrival.

At midnight, moonlight scattered across the snow, sparkling. A carriage descended from the sky, stopping before the inn.
The doors opened, and a woman strode in excitedly. Upon seeing Sanzang seated, her smile grew even more radiant.
“Sanzang!”
She spoke softly, hurrying to sit beside him.
“Why are you looking for Xuanfeng and the others?” Sanzang opened his eyes, though he did not look at her.
“Sanzang, it’s almost been fifty years. I can’t wait any longer!” Her coquettish tone was so charming that even Sun Meng nearly lost himself, and she hadn’t even used any enchantments—this was pure emotion.
He pinched his thigh, closed his eyes, and steadied himself with martial will to resist her mental influence.
“You know they aren’t strong enough to retrieve the Fruit of Immortality. Why didn’t you come to me?” Sanzang asked.

Sun Meng’s lips twitched. Was it just him, or did Sanzang truly have feelings for this woman? Should he perhaps excuse himself?
“Sanzang! I knew you cared for me most. I haven’t hurt anyone in these fifty years—I’ve always listened to you!” she said, pouting. “You’re here to help me, aren’t you? If you get me the Fruit of Immortality, I’ll rescue those two myself!”
“Enough! Stop using your magic—it no longer works on me. Since you haven’t done evil, I’ll help you one more time! But my disciple will handle the rescue. You just come pick us up afterward.” Sanzang stood and headed outside.
The woman happily nodded, slipped her arm through his, and rested her head on his shoulder as they left together.
Sun Meng took the driver’s seat. The carriage was protected by spells, shielding them from the wind and snow, so it wasn’t cold. The journey was the same as yesterday. When they reached the spot in the woods, the carriage rose into the air, and in the blink of an eye, they found themselves in a different environment.
All around, the plants were even lusher than in a primeval forest; even a random tree trunk was two or three meters wide. As the carriage moved on, they finally arrived at the foot of a towering mountain.
“This is it. We go up from here—the Fruit of Immortality grows atop the tree on the summit,” Sanzang said, getting out.
“The trees here are incredibly dense,” Sun Meng marveled, unable to see any path up, only a tangle of vines and roots.
“There’s only one tree,” Sanzang replied, handing his robe to the woman, then turning to Sun Meng. “Xuanfeng and Zhaozhen are probably trapped halfway up. Use fire—vines will retreat from it. Knock them out and bring them here; she’ll break the spell.” With that, he leapt, shrouded in a blue aura, traveling dozens of meters to land on a tree.
Immediately, the branches came alive, grasping for him, but he dodged nimbly and soon was just a distant speck.
Sun Meng dashed up the mountainside. As the vines reached for him, it felt as if he could sense their movements before they happened. Ever since he failed trying to control the Black Fox King’s shadow, this intuition had emerged. Realizing this, he stopped splitting his attention—he let his instincts guide him, sprinting upward.
The more he relied on this instinct, the sharper it became. He even seemed to glimpse his own figure ahead, and by mimicking those movements, the vines always just missed him.
Soon, he spotted Elder Zhaozhen and Elder Xuanfeng ensnared in the branches.
He struck a firestarter; a flame danced, kept steady by his inner energy. The vines recoiled swiftly, but as he reached to haul the elders out, the vines surged back, madly attacking.
Sun Meng was ready. His body turned golden—invoking the Invincible Vajra Body. The vines shattered instantly. He grabbed one, lit it as a torch.
“Elder Xuanfeng? Elder Zhaozhen?” Sun Meng called cautiously. Both elders opened their eyes and struck at him.
Startled, Sun Meng realized he’d almost reached out to them. Was this... foresight? Amazed, he activated the Shadow-Stealing Skill, sending his shadow to control theirs.
Only then did he step forward, pull them out, and rouse them. The next moment, both attacked as before—exactly as he’d foreseen!

But this time Sun Meng was prepared. With their shadows under his control, both elders froze.
He exhaled in relief, knocked them out, and slung one over each shoulder, racing down the mountain.
The woman looked at him. “Have you seen Sanzang?”
Sun Meng set the two elders down. “Master hasn’t come down yet. Dispel the spell on them first!”
She nodded, murmured an incantation, then said, “It’s done.” Suddenly, her hair turned white and wrinkles appeared on her face—she seemed to age twenty years in an instant.
Noticing Sun Meng’s surprise, she leapt into the carriage, hiding inside. “Let me know when Sanzang returns.” Even her voice was hoarse with age; clearly, her time was running out.
Sun Meng looked up the mountain, but there was still no sign of Sanzang. After a moment’s thought, he dashed up again—he, too, wanted to see what kind of tree could bear the legendary Fruit of Immortality.
Curiously, the vines no longer attacked him, allowing him to ascend much faster.
Before long, the whole mountain began to shake as if struck by an earthquake.
A peal of laughter echoed—not Sanzang’s.
Then, countless fruits tumbled down the slopes, red and flawless like apples. He picked up a few. The system quickly identified them: spiritual fruits filled with life energy—eating them would replenish one’s spiritual strength.
After inspecting a dozen or so, all the same, Sun Meng stopped collecting and hurried to the summit. There he saw Sanzang staring intently into the crown of a giant tree, whose trunk bore a human face, mouth wide in laughter—the source of the voice.
“Second-tier wondrous item: Source-Gathering Fruit Tree. Absorbs spiritual energy and life force to bear fruit. Bears fruit every fifty years: four hundred first-tier spiritual fruits, ninety-eight second-tier spiritual fruits, one Life Essence Fruit, one tree seed.”
Sun Meng’s eyes sparkled. “Where is the tree seed?”