Strange Encounter in the Courtyard, The Spirit Behind the Scenes

The crimson fireball was half sunken below the horizon, yet it still had enough strength to cast a dazzling glow across the sky, with red clouds accentuating the rolling mountains, forming a striking silhouette.

"Looks like a chocolate cone..." Xiao Yue suddenly said, breaking the silence in the team channel.

The other four, whether they were drinking water, eating buns, napping, or meditating while controlling the little bowl, all turned to look at the distant conical brown mountain peaks, silently agreeing with him.

Canghai coughed. "Another day has passed. Which direction are we heading now? Should we decide by rock-paper-scissors?"

"I'm hungry again..." Xiao Yue rubbed his stomach and then shifted his gaze to the setting sun. "I really want to eat some red-hearted fried eggs..."

It's clear now, you're craving anything that looks edible... The others silently thought to themselves. Although it wasn't time for fasting yet, as Foundation Establishment cultivators, they could hold out for a few days without food or water. Xiao Yue had only eaten two buns earlier at noon, so he was just being greedy.

Du Chen also rubbed his stomach, not feeling hungry before, but after Xiao Yue's comment, he suddenly felt hungry too.

These past few days, the group had been relentlessly fleeing in the little bowl, not daring to stop. The current space in the bowl could fit several meditation cushions, and it could even expand if needed, but that would drain more spiritual power. The five of them took turns controlling the little bowl while others meditated, drank water, and ate, which was manageable.

Tong Xinfen suddenly spoke up: "Though escaping is urgent, it's getting a bit mentally exhausting flying non-stop. I set up the concealment formation on the little bowl this afternoon, so the pursuers shouldn't be able to find us for a while. How about we find a spot to rest for a bit?"

Canghai frowned. "Can the concealment formation hide us from Golden Core cultivators?"

"The jade slip on basic formations says that if an enemy higher than our cultivation level uses spiritual sense to scan, we're likely to be detected. But the system's skill description also mentions that the concealment formation can block tracking talismans. I think even if the Sect Leader comes, he can't possibly scan the entire continent with spiritual sense continuously, right?"

Canghai nodded in understanding. "Tracking talismans need to be used again after some time to keep track of a moving target. If they're blocked, the pursuers will only know our last location. Since we've flown hundreds of miles this afternoon, as long as we stay within the range of the concealment formation, we should be safe for now."

Tong Xinfen looked down from the bowl's edge. "Let's land the bowl, enlarge the space, and let everyone lie down and get some rest. I'll set up another concealment formation outside for double security. Oh, I have an idea. If we can combine talismans and formations, we might get even better results. Let's study it together later."

The five landed at the base of Chocolate Cone Mountain, finding a relatively flat area to set the little bowl down.

However, when they landed, the bowl tilted and crashed into the ground with a loud noise, causing the people inside to tumble about. After a brief moment of chaos, four of them got up, glancing reproachfully at the driver—Du Chen. Du Chen gave a dry laugh, scratching his head, accepting their silent reproach.

Canghai took over control of the little bowl, preparing to expand the space. Tong Xinfen also took out the formation plate, ready to set up the formation, when they suddenly heard the rustling of leaves from the forest not far away.

Is it a person or a monster? The five of them immediately stopped what they were doing and, alert, looked toward the source of the sound, weapons ready.

Soon, a person emerged from behind a small shrub—a man in his twenties, wearing brown cultivator robes and smiling warmly, his face appearing quite honest and kind. However, the five were on high alert and wouldn't be easily deceived by such friendly appearances.

"Everyone, stay calm. Normally, news shouldn't spread so quickly. Remember, we're not in the 21st century with widespread networks and social media. And this person is only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment. Let's observe before making any moves," Canghai reassured the team in their channel.

The man, with a goofy smile, slowly approached and stopped three to four steps away from the little bowl. He clasped his hands in a salute and said, "Greetings, fellow Daoists. It's getting late, so let me get straight to the point. May I ask if you wish to set up camp here?"

Canghai sat at the edge of the bowl, bracing himself, and politely responded, "May I ask what you have in mind, fellow Daoist?"

The young cultivator chuckled, took something out of his storage pouch, and when the five saw this, they all tightened their grips on their weapons. However, the young man simply opened his palm, revealing a miniature house in his hand.

"We cultivators often venture out in search of opportunities and sometimes can't find a proper place to rest, or are too busy to return to the city. But staying out in the open can be quite uncomfortable, don't you think?" He glanced at the five again, noticing that they weren't planning to come out of the flying magical artifact, and looked a bit surprised. "You're planning to sleep in your flying artifact? While it seems fine, it must be uncomfortable. But with this item, there's no need to worry."

In his palm was a miniature house, complete with several courtyards, pavilions, flowers, trees, lotus ponds, and rock gardens. Every room was finely carved, with intricate details on the windows and doors. The house looked incredibly lifelike.

"What do you mean, fellow Daoist?"

"Exactly as you think," the young cultivator replied with a smile. "Let me show you how it works." He surveyed the surroundings and added, "This space is a bit small, let me clear some room."

With a flick of his hand, he summoned his flying sword and swiftly cut down a few nearby trees. He then measured the space and nodded in satisfaction. Chanting a spell, the tiny house began to enlarge, soon transforming into a full-sized mansion. A beautiful courtyard appeared before them. The red-painted gates faced the five, and a faint mist surrounded the walls, obscuring the view.

The young cultivator continued, "This courtyard comes with pre-arranged defense and concealment formations. While staying here, you won't need to worry about disturbances, and it can also defend against external attacks. Moreover, if you place spirit stones in the formation's core, it can assist with cultivation. This is truly a must-have for both living and traveling. For only 9,999 low-grade spirit stones, you can own this elegant, uniquely designed portable manor."

Sang Tian couldn't help but laugh, "There are even salespeople in the immortal world? This guy must have crossed over. His way of speaking is so funny."

Though the group found the man amusing, they didn't trust him completely and remained on guard. They had only just landed by the mountain when this man appeared, offering portable manors for sale? It seemed a bit too convenient, as though a paparazzi squad had been waiting at a celebrity's usual hangout spot.

However, the young man seemed oblivious to their wariness and continued cheerfully explaining. He deactivated the courtyard's defense formation, causing the mist to dissipate. He then gently knocked on the door's beast-shaped knocker, causing the gates to creak open, allowing the five to see the courtyard inside. The young cultivator, seeing they still hadn't exited the flying magical artifact, didn't comment but instead walked around to the side of the courtyard, pointing out the location of the garden and pond.

The courtyard, from the outside, had red bricks, green tiles, flying eaves, and exquisite carvings. It had an ancient, serene atmosphere. Perhaps due to the formations, once the gates were opened, a refreshing, clear aura greeted them, and even though the five remained in the bowl, they could still smell the faint, elegant scent of flowers.

The young cultivator continued, "Don't hesitate! This item wasn't easy to make. I only have this one, and you might not get another chance if you miss this opportunity. If the price seems too high, I can be generous and offer a discount: 8,888 low-grade spirit stones. How about it?"

The group exchanged glances, their thoughts mixed with doubt. While the courtyard was certainly attractive, and the price seemed reasonable, was this person really selling something? Each of them used their respective skills to investigate, but they found nothing amiss.

Just then, the young cultivator's face twisted into a strange expression. He suddenly clapped his hands and laughed loudly, "Well, well."

The five of them suddenly felt dizzy, their hands and feet weakening. They tried to hold onto the bowl's edge, but eventually, they collapsed inside, their eyelids growing heavy as they drifted into a deep, drowsy state.

Moments later, three mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators emerged from the bushes—one tall and thin, one short and plump, and the third timid, occasionally glancing toward the bowl. The tall one smiled at the young cultivator, saying, "Good job, Tang Si. You really pulled off this deal. Tsk, this flying magical artifact is at least a mid-grade treasure. Looking at their clothes, they must be prime targets."

Tang Si grinned sheepishly. "They were on guard at first, but the scent of the Lotus of the Pure Heart isn't toxic. How would they know that only when they inhale

the fragrance mixed with the essence of the Qifang Tree will it induce a sleeping potion effect? And the Qifang Tree only grows in this area. This is an ancient family secret; they say it can even affect Nascent Soul experts, let alone these few." He and the three other cultivators burst into laughter.

After a brief chuckle, the short and plump cultivator walked up to the bowl, intending to loot it. The bowl's edge was about at his chest level, and he reached over, grabbing Du Chen's robes and trying to explore his storage pouch. However, just when he thought Du Chen was unconscious, Du Chen suddenly opened his eyes wide and grabbed the man's wrist. With a swift motion, he swung a broken piece of a door board and knocked the man to the ground.

From the moment they were poisoned, Sang Tian had already cast Detoxification on each of them.

Detoxification Technique: Removes one poisoning effect from the target and then continuously clears toxins every 2 seconds thereafter.

The four cultivators were stunned, unable to believe that the cooked duck not only flew away but even turned around and bit them back. Realizing that their targets were likely all stronger than them, they began to feel the urge to retreat. However, just then, a sheep's bleating sounded, and the tall, thin cultivator suddenly vanished. As the dust cleared, a fat sheep appeared, spinning in place.

The plump cultivator, who had been knocked down, was trying to get up when several thick tree roots suddenly erupted from the ground, entangling him. Du Chen, still inside the bowl, remembered that they couldn't leave it. He wielded the half-sword and chopped at the immobile cultivator.

The timid cultivator, realizing the situation was dire, immediately took out his flying sword to flee. However, an overwhelming fear surged from deep within him, causing his body to uncontrollably run in random directions.

Tang Si, with his honest face, rolled his eyes and then turned to run toward the courtyard gate. Halfway there, he suddenly stiffened, his body froze in place, and he slowly turned around.

Canghai asked, "What's the antidote?"

Tang Si, looking terrified, answered obediently despite his panic, "It's the lotus seed of the Pure Heart Lotus."

Canghai commanded, "Go and bring the antidote."

It seemed as though Tang Si had already prepared for this. With a stiff, reluctant gait, he walked over and, with tears in his eyes, handed his storage pouch to Canghai.