Chapter 275: Meat Lingzhi

Hearing those unfamiliar yet somehow familiar-sounding names, we were all momentarily stunned.

After a while, Hui Moqiong whispered, "If I remember correctly, the sects Elder Fang mentioned seem to be Daoist and Buddhist schools from the East China region, not far from Changshi."

Liu Junyan nodded, seemingly unsurprised, looking at Elder Fang with admiration: "This is cohesion. Elder Fang's cultivation may not be the strongest, but whenever he has a need, he will surely have a hundred responses."

He then turned to me and said, "Xiao Jiu is also such a cohesive person."

My face instantly flushed red; I glared at him resentfully, wondering why he's spouting nonsense now.

Can I compare myself to Elder Fang?

What do I have to compare with others?

Moreover, where would I get such cohesion?

Without Liu Junyan, who would know Xiao Jiu of the Wufu Town Pawnshop?

He is our cohesion.

Fang Chuanzong's phone calls went on for a while, inviting dozens of sects big and small; the other side obviously all agreed to send people.

Just as we thought it was over, Fang Chuanzong paused, caught his breath, tugged at the corners of his mouth, suddenly broke into a grin, and dialed a number.

That call rang three times before being answered.

Fang Chuanzong held the phone with both hands, wearing a fawning smile, almost bowing: "Senior Brother, are you up? Are you still in the East China region?"

"Ah? Not there anymore?"

"Oh oh, a few of my junior nephews happen to be handling business in Haishi? Could I borrow them for two days?"

"Not for free, of course not for free."

"The Plum Blossom Picture left by our master? I have it, definitely; you like it, I'll personally deliver it another day."

"Eh, eh, okay, I know..."

After saying many pleasantries, I felt Elder Fang's face was about to freeze from smiling; he finally hung up.

He lifted his hand, moved his mouth a bit, then continued making calls.

Next were the second senior brother, third senior sister, fourth senior brother...

My curiosity was instantly piqued—just how many senior brothers and sisters does Fang Chuanzong have?

In just this short while, he's already made over six calls; who knows how many copies of the Plum Blossom Picture, Autumn Fragrance Picture, etc., have been sent out.

Seeing him talk until his mouth was dry, Hui Moqiong handed him a cup of water; he gulped down a few sips, still on the phone.

Hui Moqiong leaned against the car wall beside him, openly listening.

Only after listening to the end did we learn that Fang Chuanzong is actually the thirteenth disciple of his master, and also a closed-door disciple.

He is the youngest junior disciple.

This isn't over yet.

Finally, he made another call to the organization.

But this call was clearly in code; I didn't understand it, yet I realized he was requesting support.

After he finally finished his busy work and sat down, Hui Moqiong hurriedly poured him tea.

The previous fearless, headstrong vigor had completely vanished.

Fang Chuanzong didn't notice these changes; he gulped down another two cups of water.

After setting down his water cup, he looked at Liu Junyan and said, "Seventh Lord Liu, all the forces I can mobilize nearby will gather in Changshi by seven tonight; what about your side? Any arrangements?"

"I hold two killing trump cards in my hand."

Outside, the raindrops seemed to grow heavier.

Patters pattered on the roof, making people uneasy.

Liu Junyan's words surprised us; he said, "First, the one undergoing tribulation tonight is not the jiangshi, but the three-eyed toad on his shoulder; second, I have a way to draw out the great lama hidden behind him."

Fang Chuanzong exclaimed in surprise, "The tribulation target is actually the three-eyed toad? Seventh Lord Liu, are you certain?"

"Certain." Liu Junyan said, "I have fought that three-eyed toad twice; this time I even cast spells at close range. When I personally peeled off the golden scale on its forehead, I saw its third eye still closed."

Everyone sucked in a breath of cold air.

"In other words, if that disgusting thing succeeds in its tribulation tonight, it will open its third eye and become a true three-eyed golden toad?" Hui Moqiong asked.

Liu Junyan nodded: "Buddhist scriptures once recorded that a thousand-year-old toad, upon enlightenment, grows a third fleshy eye on its forehead; after enduring heavenly tribulation, if the eye opens and it gains Buddhist affinity, it emits Buddha light and becomes a three-eyed golden toad; if it emits blood light, it falls into demonhood, becoming a meat lingzhi—huge, highly toxic, covered with an eight-character blood-red demonic sigil, able to walk through tens of thousands of troops as if through an empty land."

Liu Junyan spoke those words clearly, but hearing them all together, I only felt my head spinning a bit.

"Meat lingzhi?" Fang Chuanzong mused, "I recall the Special Affairs Bureau's archives once had a record of meat lingzhi, said to evolve from a thousand-year-old toad and usable as medicinal material when ingested?"

Liu Junyan said, "Perhaps, but what we see as ingestion is actually another kind of submission."

Now I understand: "In fact, it's not the jiangshi using the three-eyed toad to cultivate; rather, the three-eyed toad uses the jiangshi to aid its own cultivation. Given their years of practice, they cannot obtain Buddhist affinity, and once the three-eyed toad becomes a meat lingzhi, it will enter the jiangshi's body, like borrowing a corpse to return the soul."

A three-eyed toad that has awakened spiritual intellect, controlling a corpse akin to a mighty beast—what a terrifying existence that would be!

After a brief stunned pause, Fang Chuanzong asked, "Seventh Lord Liu, are you... sure you can seize that three-eyed toad before its tribulation?"

"Probably." Liu Junyan said, "The three-eyed toad has cultivated for years relying on the merit of the golden scale, already tasting the sweetness; even with spiritual intellect, it's still just a beast. Once it senses the golden scale again, it will instinctively rush toward it."

No wonder Liu Junyan said this is his first killing trump card.

Indeed.

Fang Chuanzong then asked, "And your second killing trump card..."

"Elder Fang, some things need not be probed to the root; you'll understand in time." Liu Junyan interrupted Fang Chuanzong's words.

Fang Chuanzong didn't press further, laughing heartily: "I trust Seventh Lord Liu, and I have absolute confidence in your abilities."

Turning to me again, he said, "Whether the opponent is the three-eyed toad or the jiangshi, even if that great lama appears, it can be considered a worldly matter—but that's an ancient battlefield, who knows how many yin soldiers lie hidden; these yin affairs... might still require trouble..."

"Xiao Jiu will not participate." Liu Junyan declared firmly, "She has just liberated eighty-one corpses and needs rest; I think the reinforcements Elder Fang finally summoned from the organization ought to include someone skilled in this, right?"

Though phrased as a question, Liu Junyan's tone was resolute.

Fang Chuanzong opened his mouth, hesitated a moment, then still nodded: "Yes, I have invited an heir of the Grave-robbing Colonel; it is said his family's ancestors had experience commanding Yin soldiers, perhaps he could be of help..."