Chapter Ninety-Eight: Wild Ginseng

The golden phalanx was utterly unremarkable, with not the slightest trace of fluctuation, yet this very bone had somehow held back the Judgment Spear’s assault, a sight that stunned all who beheld it.

“It is indeed a phalanx of the Great Roc Ancestor, though for some reason it appears to have been found here, and it seems as though it has even been refined by some ritual.”

The spirit within the Judgment Spear spoke again, its gaze holding a vast terror, as though an entire cosmos were collapsing within its eyes.

“Refined by someone? Just what sort of realm was the Great Roc Ancestor in?”

Lin Fan fell silent for a moment before speaking. He reached out and took the golden phalanx into his hand, hoping to uncover the secret within it, but in the end he discovered nothing.

“Beyond the ancestral realm, one may already be called the supreme ruler of heaven and earth, gazing down upon the four seas and the eight wildernesses, unrivaled and sovereign. Those sovereigns of the divine dynasties stand at that realm. I may as well tell you: they are emperors, enjoying boundless glory. Even my master is beneath an emperor.”

The Judgment Spear lamented deeply, its eyes carrying a faint hunger. To it, the Great Roc Ancestor’s bone also bore extraordinary significance.

“An emperor?”

Lin Fan drew in a sharp breath. Those two words seemed to carry some enchanted power, stirring his heart.

“They may be called gods, yet they are not gods.”

The spirit of the Judgment Spear shook its head, full of longing.

“If you want this phalanx, I can give it to you.”

Lin Fan said carelessly, though in truth he had given the matter deep thought.

First, he could not make use of the Great Roc Ancestor’s bone; in that case, even a relic from an emperor would lose its value. Second, he was deliberately testing the Judgment Spear. Most importantly, his relationship with the spear was only one of ordinary cooperation, and since the latter was far stronger than he was, it was worth drawing close to.

“I know what you are thinking, but the Great Roc Ancestor’s bone holds little meaning for me. I have already reached that critical threshold; one step more and I shall stand unmatched beneath heaven. I no longer need this bone, and a mere small fragment is of little consequence to me.”

The spirit of the Judgment Spear paused briefly, then shook its head, making its position clear.

“In that case, I shall keep it for myself. For now, let us leave this place. One day, the truth of the Great Roc Ancestor’s bone will surely come to light.”

Lin Fan felt a little discouraged. The older the ginger, the hotter it was; the Judgment Spear was unwilling to take on this karmic burden, and since that was so, he would have to bear it himself.

“Keep it for now. I will soon enter seclusion, because there is a force in this region that restrains me. I cannot remain exposed here for long, or I may very well be tainted by calamity.”

The spirit within the Judgment Spear had eyes like torches; it had already seen through Lin Fan’s intentions, but it did not expose them. In truth, the karmic bond between them had long since been formed.

A flash of light passed by, and the Judgment Spear vanished from before Lin Fan, returning once more to his heart.

“The Great Roc Ancestor’s bone? The emperor’s realm? Must I reach that level before I can see through your secrets?”

Lin Fan murmured to himself, studying the phalanx in his hand from every angle before finally putting it away in resignation.

“As for whether I can reach that emperor realm in my lifetime, I do not know. Perhaps only then will I be able to understand all the mysteries within myself.”

Lin Fan glanced at his own chest. There, besides the Judgment Spear, lay a shattered stone, known among men as the Saintly Statue of the Human Emperor.

Then his body moved, rising into the air and shooting straight out of the distant lake, into the mountains beyond.

At the heart of Mount Wangwu, prosperity reigned, utterly unlike the desolation seen from without.

Auspicious beasts roamed everywhere, medicinal herbs were endless, and thousand-year elixirs could often be found. Now and then, one might even encounter a herb with ten thousand years of growth, but at that level such treasures had long since attained intelligence and even formidable combat strength; they were by no means objects a Meridian Condensation cultivator could casually touch.

“Mount Wangwu is like a paradise, while the world outside seems like hell. These are two utterly different places; how could they exist here at the same time?”

Deep in the forest, a figure muttered to himself, holding a ginseng root in his hand. It was Lin Fan.

“You need not look at me. I truly do not know. When I first became aware, Mount Wangwu was already like this. It really has nothing to do with me. Let me go, and once I become a ten-thousand-year medicinal treasure in the future, you can come back to catch me, all right?”

The ginseng in Lin Fan’s hand suddenly spoke. It had actually awakened intelligence, and was able to converse normally with humans.

“I never meant to ask you anyway. I expect you have never even left Mount Wangwu to this day. Asking you would be the same as asking no one. It sounds like you want me to let you go?”

Lin Fan teased it. This ginseng had been found by him in a cave, likely the dwelling of some powerful figure from long ago. He had not expected that one of the unassuming little ginseng roots inside would possess intelligence. Still, he had no intention of consuming it, for its true body was only an ordinary wild mountain ginseng, with little medicinal power.

“No, no, no, that is not what I said. But I can tell you that Mount Wangwu is fraught with great danger. I often awaken to sense a powerful aura of corpse qi. There must be some ancient monster buried here.”

The wild ginseng shivered, remarkably human in manner. It had already taken on a human shape, and even if it had not yet reached ten thousand years, it was still at least several thousand years old.

“You certainly know quite a lot. Since you have remained in Mount Wangwu for so long, you should also know of many places where fortune lies hidden. Why not take me there?”

Lin Fan said with a smile. He had already been in the heart of Mount Wangwu for five full days, and during all this time he had not seen a single other person. Fortunately, he had this little ginseng spirit to keep him company.

“How would I know? You know full well that I have never left that cave dwelling, and have no idea what lies outside. Aren’t you making things difficult for me?”

The wild ginseng shook its head, wearing the expression of one who knew nothing at all.

Lin Fan said nothing, because he knew the ginseng was telling the truth.

“Dark clouds press upon the city until the city seems ready to collapse. I feel an immense pressure, as though the heavens themselves are about to change. Sometimes I wake in the dead of night, and this is not some passing whim, but a sign. I fear that not long from now, a tremendous upheaval will occur.”

Lin Fan sighed. He felt somewhat uneasy, wary of Mount Wangwu’s true secret.

“I told you already: hurry and leave this place. It is not just you; even I am nervous. This is a power of destruction. Once it awakens, the entire Mount Wangwu will be reduced to ruin. I advise you to go at once, and take me along with you.”

The wild ginseng grew cautious. It, too, was afraid of something, and did not dare say too much for fear of drawing attention.

“I have never doubted your words. But since I have already come here, I cannot leave now. I know you understand certain hidden matters, so why not tell me about them?”

Lin Fan’s eyes flickered with a smile. There was certainly something unusual about this wild ginseng; it could never be merely some nameless treasure-herb raised by a powerful being.