A Deal For The Thunder Spiritual Ginseng

The thunder snake hissed, tasting the air with its tongue. Its prey's life force had vanished—another hunt completed. It slithered toward Fang Mo's charred body, ready to swallow him whole and leave nothing behind.

But just as its jaws opened wide, Fang Mo's heart beat once. His fingers twitched, then shot up and clamped around the snake's head. The beast writhed, trying to break free, but it couldn't. Fang Mo raised his head, his eyes dull and lifeless, staring at the creature that had nearly killed him.

Fang Mo sank his teeth into the thunder snake's neck, tearing its head off. He spat it aside and drank from the open wound. The demon beast's blood, rich with spiritual energy, surged through his body—healing, reshaping, rebuilding. Flesh that had been charred beyond recognition mended itself with unnatural speed, his ruined body breaking down and reconstructing in a speed visible to the naked eye

Unknowingly, Fang Mo was forging a physique far stronger than any ordinary cultivator's. Like a serpent shedding its skin, his charred flesh cracked and peeled away, revealing fresh and tougher skin beneath.

After his body healed, Fang Mo's consciousness returned. He licked his lips, and the heavy, iron taste of blood assaulted his senses. He looked at the snake's lifeless body and then at his own hand, understanding what had happened. Amazing, he thought. This demon beast's blood has incredible healing properties.

Fang Mo wanted to store some for later use, but everything in his body—including his clothes, satchel, and the Opening Meridian Solution—was gone. The only things left intact were the two stalks of Thunder Spiritual Ginseng, which seemed immune to lightning attacks.

A bitter smile tugged at Fang Mo's lips as he reflected on the events that had unfolded in the Storm Forest. The Opening Meridian Solution works, and my body can now handle it without dying after stepping into the first level of the Opening Meridian Stage. I'll still need cultivation resources and knowledge about the cultivation world for my cultivation. The situation didn't change. I still need to find a way to enter a cultivation sect.

He took the two stalks of Thunder Spiritual Ginseng and made his way to the forest's exit. Though now a cultivator, he didn't want to spend another moment in the Storm Forest. Even cultivators perished here, and he was the weakest among them.

When Fang Mo was only a few meters from the forest's edge, he came across several human corpses—or at least, what was left of them. Their flesh had been completely devoured, leaving only bones and their belongings. Surprisingly useful, he thought as he looted a bag, some clothes, and a sword from the deceased.

Sadly, he didn't find anything that could aid his cultivation. After leaving the forest, Fang Mo located the camp he had set up before entering. Just as he had imagined, the camp was no longer there. Only traces of its presence remained.

They probably thought I was dead and left without finding the Thunder Spiritual Ginseng. Now I'll need to find another way to participate in the Winter Immortal Conference.

Fang Mo sighed. His only option was to go alone to the capital and look for someone with the right to participate, who could bring him along, just like Yang Bo had planned to do.

At least this trip wasn't for nothing. I finally managed to cultivate. As long as I can produce more Opening Meridian Solutions, I'm sure I can increase my realm.

He wanted to continue cultivating, but he was currently unable to open more meridians. Only by doing so could he raise his cultivation to the peak of the Opening Meridian Stage. The other flasks of Opening Meridian Solution he had prepared for this journey were destroyed by the snake's lightning attacks.

"Sister Xiaoli, twenty guards have already died, and we still haven't found even a trace of the Thunder Spiritual Ginseng. Without venturing deeper into the Storm Forest, it's nearly impossible… Why don't we just head to the Winter Immortal Conference without it?" A female voice rang out, less than fifty meters away from Fang Mo. Though the woman spoke in a low tone, Fang Mo's heightened senses allowed him to hear her clearly.

From a distance, he watched as two striking women emerged from the forest, their robes torn and exhaustion etched across their faces.

"Sister Huiqing, with our talent, entering anything beyond a Mortal Sect will be difficult, unless we're willing to take a servant disciple's position. The Thunder Spiritual Ginseng is our only chance to join one of the strongest Earth Sects in the Five Empires Region."

As the women continued their conversation, Fang Mo approached them. "Excuse me, ladies," he said, clasping his hands together in a gesture of respect, trying to appear harmless and polite. In situations like this, any man would usually make a woman wary, but Fang Mo's handsome appearance seemed to soften their guard.

"Who are you?" Sister Xiaoli asked, her hand hovering near the sword on her waist.

Now closer, Fang Mo studied them more carefully. Sister Huiqing was curvaceous, with an oval face and short hair, while Sister Xiaoli, much slimmer, radiated an otherworldly aura, her face so captivating it could charm even the mightiest of kings.

Fang Mo raised both empty hands and offered a reassuring smile, showing he had no intention of fighting. "My name is Fang Mo. I came with Yang Bo, the son of the Cheng Hou State Lord. Unfortunately, I was separated from my group while escaping an ambush by deathweavers."

He noticed both women visibly relaxing at the mention of Yang Bo's name, though Sister Xiaoli's lips curled into a disdainful smile. "I didn't expect that bastard Yang Bo to come looking for the Thunder Spiritual Ginseng too. With his talent, he could easily enter the Wood Turtle Sect as an outer disciple without it. Seems like he's just trying to strengthen his connections before joining."

After hearing their earlier conversation and her current words, Fang Mo began piecing together Yang Bo's motive. The fact that he possessed two stalks of the Thunder Spiritual Ginseng made this information even more intriguing.

"May I ask why Yang Bo was looking for the Thunder Spiritual Ginseng?" Fang Mo inquired.

Sister Xiaoli shrugged. "It's no secret. An inner deacon from the Wood Turtle Sect is searching for it. Anyone who offers him a stalk will likely earn a spot as an outer disciple. During the Winter Immortal Conference, it's common for deacons and elders to request spiritual plants in exchange for favors. In Yang Bo's case, his talent alone could get him in as an outer disciple. He's offering the Thunder Spiritual Ginseng purely to win the deacon's goodwill."

Fang Mo frowned. Yang Bo had been willing to risk the lives of his guards just to curry favor with someone in a sect he could enter on merit alone. That kind of calculated ruthlessness, hidden beneath a friendly exterior, made him dangerous. 

Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing I got separated from him, Fang Mo thought.

He now realized that, with the Thunder Spiritual Ginseng in his possession, he might gain entry into the Wood Turtle Sect, a powerful Earth-ranked sect. The problem, however, was that he didn't even have the qualifications to participate in the Winter Immortal Conference. He had no official backing and no recognized talent.

"Ladies," he began, "I happen to have a stalk of Thunder Spiritual Ginseng. Would you be willing to let me accompany you to the Winter Immortal Conference in exchange for it? I'm nothing more than a humble guard, but I'm deeply interested in immortal cultivation."

Since they were clearly here searching for the ginseng, Fang Mo assumed they had the right to participate. The two women were stunned for a moment, but their surprise quickly turned into excitement.

"You have a Thunder Spiritual Ginseng?! Let me see it!" Sister Huiqing exclaimed, stepping quickly toward him.

Fang Mo frowned. He didn't appreciate her commanding tone, especially since she hadn't agreed to the deal yet and was already making demands.

Sister Huiqing seemed to realize her mistake and blushed. She clasped her hands and bowed slightly. "Brother Mo, forgive my rudeness. I was simply too excited and lost my composure. I hope you can overlook it."

His expression softened. Her sincere apology made a good impression on Fang Mo. "It's fine," he replied. "So, are you willing to make the exchange? I don't have the right to attend the Winter Immortal Conference on my own, hence why I joined Yang Bo's group as a guard. But if you're willing to bring me along, I'll gladly give you the stalk of Thunder Spiritual Ginseng I have."

"Brother Mo," Sister Xiaoli spoke this time, her tone softer than before. "My name is Liao Xiaoli, and this is Shao Huiqing. We both hail from the Shan Lin State. To be honest, your Thunder Spiritual Ginseng is far more valuable than a spot at the Winter Immortal Conference. I don't intend to deceive you, so I want to offer all the spiritual stones we have in exchange, along with the opportunity to accompany us as our guard. Though it's not enough to fully compensate you, it's the least I can do."

Fang Mo nodded in understanding. He already knew he would be at a disadvantage in this exchange, but what else could he do? Lacking connections, his second-best option was to sell the Thunder Spiritual Ginseng somewhere and exchange it for a few spiritual stones. But what he truly needed wasn't just currency—he needed to enter a sect and gain insight into the ways of immortal cultivation.

Still, he appreciated Liao Xiaoli's honesty in offering this fair exchange before the transaction took place. People like her, who sought balance and fairness in their dealings, were rare. They might even be considered foolish, but Fang Mo respected such individuals.

"Thank you for your honesty, Liao Xiaoli. I'm more than willing to exchange the Thunder Spiritual Ginseng," he said.

He carefully took out one stalk of the Thunder Spiritual Ginseng, ensuring not to reveal the second, and handed it to Liao Xiaoli. She placed it gently into a jade bottle before securing it inside Shao Huiqing's bosom.

In return, she handed him around a hundred spiritual stones. It was far less than what he had earned from selling the Blood Lotus in the past, but Fang Mo didn't mind. At the very least, he now had a few coins to his name, which could also be used to aid his cultivation.

"Now that we've settled everything here, we should head back to Shan Lin State," Liao Xiaoli said. "We need to inform my father about the deaths of the guards before we make our way to the capital, so he can compensate their families."