Ye Feifei glanced at the Eight-winged Golden Scale Python flying in the air. 'To think it actually possesses the bloodline of an Ancient Fierce Beast. Perhaps it was fated to guard the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma here.'
'No wonder it rushed out the moment Ye Tian entered the cave. Ancient texts say that wherever heavenly treasures or rare Spirit Medicines appear, a powerful Fierce Beast will be standing guard. It seems that's actually true.'
Ye Feifei snapped out of her thoughts and said, "Brother Tian, since this Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma is so important, maybe we shouldn't take it. But if you take Ye Lin with you, who will guard it? It'll be a huge problem if someone else finds out!"
Ye Tian's expression flickered. 'What Feifei said is exactly what I was worried about.' He had so many questions, but no answers.
Ye Lin knew a few things, but its power was still limited, so many of its memories had yet to awaken. What it did know wasn't enough to answer his questions. 'Perhaps the only one who can answer them is the Divine Dragon Remnant Soul inside me.'
But that thing was frustratingly elusive. It was nowhere to be found when he needed it, yet it would pop up unexpectedly when he didn't. It would only appear in the face of true danger, and even then, only if Elder Qing wasn't around. If Elder Qing was present, that old Dragon Remnant Soul would simply sit back and do nothing!
Leaving Ye Lin here was out of the question, but if they left, someone else might discover the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma. That would be a real problem. For a moment, Ye Tian was in a bind.
"Boss, it's fine if you take two of the leaves. I eat them all the time. As long as one leaf remains on the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma, the other two will grow back very quickly. It's magical. But if you take all three, you'll have to wait several years for them to reappear.
I've tried it before, and that's the conclusion I reached. So don't worry!" the Eight-winged Golden Scale Python said.
Ye Tian glanced at the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma, which was radiating Energy, and said to Ye Lin, "If what you say is true, couldn't we just stay here and get an endless supply of Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma? Things are never that easy, are they?"
"Of course it's not that easy. The other two leaves grow back quickly, but they have no medicinal potency. Even if you harvest them, they won't do much good. The leaves of the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma need at least a year to become effective.
By my count, it's been almost two years since I last ate some, so there's no need to worry about a lack of potency if you take them now," the Eight-winged Golden Scale Python said.
Ye Tian understood what Ye Lin meant. 'Taking the leaves is easy, but protecting what's left will be hard. I can't just stay here and guard it myself!'
Perhaps because of their Soul Contract, the Eight-winged Golden Scale Python could sense some of Ye Tian's thoughts. "Boss, don't trouble yourself. Although I only have One Wing right now, I still have some special Divine Powers. You don't have to worry about protecting the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma."
"You can do that? What kind of Divine Power is it? Anything that can be called a Divine Power must be extraordinary!" Ye Tian said, overjoyed.
"Brother Tian, what are you two talking about? What Divine Power? I'm getting more and more lost. I know you can talk to Ye Lin, but you could at least let me in on it a little. You're leaving me out of the loop here!" Ye Feifei said with a laugh.
Ye Tian knew she was just teasing. "Feifei, Ye Lin says he has a Divine Power that can protect the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma. That way, we won't have to worry about someone taking it after we leave."
"Oh, so that's it! Well, let's see Ye Lin use this Divine Power! I've never seen a real Divine Power in my entire life, only stage magic!" Ye Feifei said with a laugh.
"Not so fast," Ye Tian said with a smile. "Let's take two of the leaves first. Ye Lin said this Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma is magical. If we take two leaves, they'll grow back quickly without harming the plant at all!"
Ye Feifei trusted Ye Tian implicitly. "Then go get them. I'll wait for you!"
Ye Tian didn't hesitate any longer. The Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma was a treasure that could greatly boost one's power after consumption. He planned to give one leaf to Ye Feifei and one to Ye Lin. With the Energy from the Dragon Pearl in his body, he didn't need one for the time being.
Besides, he had plenty of Spirit Stones in his Storage Ring. If he wanted to practice his Cultivation, he could just absorb the Energy from them. The only problem was that he couldn't take out the Spirit Medicine stored inside; he could only blame his own Power Realm for being too low.
Ye Tian walked up to the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma. After examining the three leaves, he chose the two largest and carefully sliced them off with his Fine Steel Sword.
The moment he held the leaves, a delicate fragrance wafted into his nostrils, giving him a refreshed and invigorated feeling. 'This scent would be wonderful if you were ever feeling troubled,' he thought.
Just then, Ye Tian saw the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma on the ground begin to tremble. The single remaining leaf suddenly split, and two new leaves began to sprout from it. Stems slowly emerged and burrowed into the ground. The sight was so magical that it left both Ye Tian and Ye Feifei gaping in astonishment.
The two new leaves then separated from the original, restoring the plant to its three-leafed state. However, these freshly grown leaves weren't golden, but merely a faint yellow. 'This must be why Ye Lin said they wouldn't be effective,' Ye Tian realized.
Just as Ye Tian was about to place the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma into his Storage Ring, a hearty laugh echoed from deeper within the cave, making both him and Ye Feifei jump in fright.
At the same time, the Eight-winged Golden Scale Python landed on the ground and quickly slithered aside, hiding itself. Ye Tian had no idea why it was doing so.
The sudden appearance of another person in the cave caught Ye Tian and Ye Feifei completely by surprise. They must have been too focused to notice the approach. 'Normally, I would have sensed them before they even reached the entrance,' Ye Tian thought grimly. He resolved not to let his guard down like that again.
Ye Feifei moved to Ye Tian's side, and the two of them stared at the newcomer. "To think I'd find a Top-Grade Spirit Medicine like the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma here. It seems this old man's luck is quite good indeed!
For you two brats to have found the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma means you're not so simple yourselves. Tell me who you are. If you do, perhaps I'll spare your lives," the man said.
The man who entered the cave was middle-aged. Neither Ye Tian nor Ye Feifei could discern his Power Level. Since one could only see the Realm of those up to Tier Three higher than oneself, the fact that they couldn't read his meant the man had, at a minimum, reached the Second Vein.
"And who are you to be here?" Ye Tian said, his voice even and unafraid. "We've already harvested the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma. You're too late. If you think we're easy targets, you're welcome to try."
'If this guy really dares to make a move, I'll make him suffer a horrible death,' Ye Tian thought. He had personally witnessed Ye Lin's strength; it could likely take down even Three Vein Powerhouses. From the looks of him, this man was at most a Three Vein expert. There was no reason to be afraid.
"Brat, you must have a death wish. Do you have any idea who I am?" the middle-aged man snarled. "Leave the Three-leaf Golden Ganoderma, and I might grant you the mercy of leaving your corpse intact. Otherwise, I'll annihilate you, body and soul."
"I don't give a damn who you are! Piss me off, and I'll make sure there's not enough left of you to bury!" Ye Tian roared.
Instantly, a tense atmosphere filled the cave, as if a battle could erupt at any second...