CHAPTER 110: CHAPTER 110: RETURNING TO PEACH BLOSSOM PLAIN

"Quick, let me see! I’ve never seen what a Lingzhi horse looks like!"

Shen Ying’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the basket. "Rest assured, the ground is full of old peach tree roots. Even if we keep it outside, it can’t escape Peach Blossom Plain."

"That’s good," Lu Zheng replied with a smile.

According to ancient tales, when an injured person encounters a Ginseng Person or Ginseng Horse, they kindly extract a small piece of reishi from their body for the person to consume. The injured person quickly heals and becomes even healthier than before.

Therefore, as long as the Lingzhi horse’s source is not depleted, it is possible to continuously draw from it. With proper care, it should be able to recover.

Lu Zheng had never considered this before: firstly, he never thought he could actually capture a Lingzhi horse; secondly, he didn’t know how to care for it; and thirdly, he hadn’t imagined that the Lingzhi horse could communicate with him simply.

So, Lu Zheng felt a bit reluctant to harm it.

Of course, Lu Zheng wasn’t kind enough to set it free. After all, not only did he himself need the reishi from the Lingzhi horse, but his parents and relatives in the modern world also needed it for health maintenance. Missing this chance would mean losing it completely.

And he certainly couldn’t bring the Lingzhi horse to the modern world to care for it.

Thus, considering that the Lingzhi horse seemed only able to move around on land, and knowing that Peach Blossom Plain belonged to Shen Ying, Lu Zheng decided to ask her.

"Don’t worry, it can’t leave Peach Blossom Plain, and the old peach tree roots are abundant. They can absorb Moonlight Essence and Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, which is sufficient for the Lingzhi horse’s growth and recovery. You can cut a small piece from it every few months."

The Lingzhi horse trembled, unsure whether to rejoice at its survival or lament its fate as a long-term reishi supplier.

Walking into the yard, Lu Zheng placed the basket on the ground, lifted the lid, and pulled out an iron cage.

Inside the cage lay the Lingzhi horse, looking quite listless.

Before coming to Peach Blossom Plain, Lu Zheng had changed all his gear. He swapped his canvas backpack for a bamboo basket and replaced the nylon net with a simple iron cage.

Seeing such an adorable little creature, Shen Ying’s eyes turned into crescents.

Lu Zheng asked, "Should I open the cage?"

Shen Ying nodded repeatedly, "Go ahead!"

So Lu Zheng opened the cage, and the once listless Lingzhi horse instantly turned into a blur, darting out of the iron cage.

However...

"Chirp chirp!"

"Ouch! Ouch!"

Just as it reached a spot not far from the yard gate, it seemed to hit an invisible wall and was bounced back.

"Buzz!"

Lu Zheng felt a tremor in his Mind Jade Seal, as strands of the Light of Fortune poured in.

Thirty-four strands!

This was a complete trap for the Lingzhi horse, altering its fortune forever.

Lu Zheng remained composed, but he was quite surprised, "Even a Lingzhi horse can bring me fortune? And so much at once?"

"Little guy, you can’t escape, so just obediently come to big sister~"

With a radiant smile, Shen Ying approached.

The Lingzhi horse quivered but dared not evade, and could only remain frozen as Shen Ying picked it up and held it in her arms.

Then, in a gesture of appeasement, it snuggled in Shen Ying’s arms, causing ripples.

"Gulp——"

Lu Zheng swallowed hard.

"Hehe——"

Shen Ying, still holding the Lingzhi horse, looked at Lu Zheng with a giggle of pleasure and self-satisfaction.

Returning to Lu Zheng’s side, Shen Ying curiously asked, "The Lingzhi horse is vigilant and agile, able to sense living beings and avoid them in advance, moving like the wind. How did you capture it?"

Lu Zheng blinked and recalled the scene from that day, suddenly realizing.

He was indeed puzzled about how he captured the Lingzhi horse so easily. This little one seemed quite foolish, not as difficult to catch as the legends claimed.

So the truth was...

On that day, Lu Zheng had traveled back to the modern world, making the Lingzhi horse think there was no one around. Thus, it sped up to its maximum.

Then Lu Zheng returned, appearing before it out of nowhere.

That’s when it met its doom...

It didn’t lose to Lu Zheng but to the Mind Jade Seal.

Yes, it was a justified defeat.

Understanding this, Lu Zheng laughed, "Of course, it’s because I’m naturally brilliant and powerful, with cultivation reaching the skies. Catching a mere Lingzhi horse is nothing, easily achieved!"

Shen Ying’s beautiful eyes turned, and without further questions, she held the Lingzhi horse with one hand, and wrapped the other around Lu Zheng, heading for the front hall of the estate.

"You’ve been in the mountains for a few days; let Uncle An prepare something delicious for you to eat first."

...

"I’ve noticed that the Taohua Temple in the Peach Grove is nearly completed. When you return, Lu Lang, tell the County Government Office there’s no need to appoint a temple priest; just send incense and paper offerings from time to time."

While serving Lu Zheng a piece of vegetable, Shen Ying said, "Uncle An and Uncle Qian are usually unoccupied, so they can host the temple guests."

Lu Zheng nodded, "Alright."

"When the Taohua Temple opens, Lu Lang, you must come~"

"No problem!"

Lu Zheng nodded, suddenly recalling the matter of the spring water, "Oh right, I also collected some spring water in the mountains. The Lingzhi horse was caught because of this water."

"Oh?"

Lu Zheng put down his chopsticks, took out a gourd from the basket at his feet.

The gourd was not small, an artisan product Lu Zheng bought in the modern world, with a good design for holding various liquids.

Opening the gourd, a fragrant aroma wafted out.

"Chirp chirp chirp!"

"Water! Water!"

Lying in Shen Ying’s arms, the Lingzhi horse suddenly squirmed.

Shen Ying also perked up, "What a delightful smell, what kind of water is this?"

Lu Zheng handed the gourd to Shen Ying and recounted the events from the mountains.

"This water is quite special. I was worried there might be some powerful demon guarding it, so I didn’t dare go up. I plan to bring some to White Cloud Temple for my master; let’s see if he’s interested."

Upon hearing that Lu Zheng intended to involve Daoist Mingzhang, Shen Ying couldn’t help but chuckle, "People usually find good things to offer to their master, and here you are, dragging your master to find good things!"

Lu Zheng lifted his chin, looking at the gourd, "Isn’t this a great gift for my master already?"

Shen Ying raised the gourd to her lips and took a small sip.

"Gulp——"

Her lips parted slightly, and her jade-like throat moved gently as she drank a sip of the spring water.

The sweet spring water flowed down, making Shen Ying feel lighter all over, with the Qi within her body suddenly becoming more active.

"Great spring water!" Shen Ying’s beautiful eyes shone brightly.

"Chirp chirp!"

"Water! Water!"

With a smile, Shen Ying poured a small cup of spring water from the gourd and offered it to the Lingzhi horse’s mouth.

"Sip sip——"

Shen Ying’s smile remained unchanged as she swiftly cut a small piece from the reishi on the Lingzhi horse’s back like a blade.

"Chirp chirp!"

"Delicious! Delicious!"

The Lingzhi horse focused solely on drinking, merely frowning without glancing back.

Smiling, Shen Ying handed the half-hand-sized piece of reishi to Lu Zheng, "With this spring water, the Lingzhi horse can recover even faster."