Taoist Lanxia and Zhang Xiangqi came to discuss outside the cave. Taoist Lanxia said: "Lingxiao Vine feeds on human blood. As long as the blood is not sucked dry, people will not die. Let's catch a few more people and feed them water every day."
It’s better to eat and feed Lingxiao Vine to suck blood than for the two of us to bleed every day.”
Zhang Xiangqi understood, raised his head and said, "I'll do it tomorrow."
The next morning, Zhang Xiangqi changed into a yellow tunic, went down the mountain alone, and sat on a stone on the roadside to the county seat.
In the morning, four men came from the city. They were dressed in tatters and spoke obscenely. Seeing Zhang Xiangqi's beauty and being alone on the roadside, they became lustful.
These four people were named Song Xinzhi, Wu Gaochi, Liang Junxian, and Zhou Hongshen. They were four gangsters who bullied passers-by outside the city and robbed them for money.
Song Xinzhi walked up, rubbed his hands and said with a lewd smile: "Little lady, you are here alone, who are you waiting for?"
Zhang Xiangqi smiled charmingly and said delicately: "I'm waiting for you."
"Waiting for me?"
Song Xinzhi pulled his neck back, looked back at the others, and laughed, "Did you hear that?"
The little lady is waiting for me!"
The four of them looked at each other and smiled. Song Xinzhi couldn't wait to say: "Since Madam is waiting for me, let's leave quickly and find a secluded place!"
Zhang Xiangqi also stood up, pursed her lips and said with a smile: "That's exactly what I meant!"
After that, he flicked the rising sun clock and all four people were included in it.
When they woke up, it was already midnight. When they looked down, they saw that they were already growing together with the roots of a vine that was glowing red. The roots penetrated deep into the internal arteries, and when they were pulled, they felt heartbreaking pain.
Heavenly beings are not like humans. They have no organs, flesh, and blood. They are injured and bleed. They take their appearance but not their reality. Lingxiao Vine feeds on blood. It does not really suck blood, but robs people of their vitality. It takes the meaning of killing and uncleanness.
Taoist Lan Xia and Zhang Xiangqi came in with torches to check, and saw five people piled under the roots of the Lingxiao vine. The vines had covered the entire cave wall, with flowers blooming like waterfalls.
Song Xinzhi shouted in horror: "Who are you! What have you done to us! What do you want to do!"
Zhang Xiangqi made a silent gesture to Song Xinzhi and said, "Don't be afraid, you won't die."
Song Xinzhi twisted his neck in panic: "Can't you die?
This damn thing has grown into my flesh! I can’t even pull it out!”
Zhang Xiangqi chuckled and said: "Of course you can't pull it out. If you pull it out, you won't survive."
"What on earth do you want to do!"
Song Xinzhi was hysterical at the top of his lungs.
The one at the bottom, Luo Jitong, was not dead yet. His face was bloodless and his skin was pale. He said weakly: "They want to use our blood to grow this Lingxiao vine."
"ah?
With our blood?
you?
Who are you?"
Song Xinzhi and Zhou Hongshen said the same thing.
Luo Jitong said blankly: "They are people from the Huoyun Sect. The few of us are the fertilizer for Lingxiao Vine."
Zhang Xiangqi smiled loudly: "Junior brother Luo, you have seen clearly. You will be indispensable for the Huoyun Sect to flourish in the future!"
Luo Jitong said coldly: "You will not get good retribution if you practice evil arts."
"retribution?
In the future I will be invincible, who can give me retribution?"
Taoist Lanxia spread his hands and raised his head, looking at the red flowers on the top of the cave.
Zhang Xiangqi said: "You can stay here with peace of mind. Don't worry, I will eat and drink well every day and I will never treat you badly."
Five living people were piled under the Lingxiao vine, and they were well-nourished. After seven days, they began to bear fruit.
In the evening, Taoist Lan Xia and Zhang Xiangqi came to investigate again. Luo Jitong, Song Xinzhi and others had already accepted their fate. They ate every day and waited for death without saying a word but with dull eyes.
Taoist Lan Xia and Zhang Xiangqi looked up and saw several fruits hanging on the ceiling of the cave, which looked like melons. They were hollow inside and filled with green liquid.
Taoist Lanxia was confused: “What is this?
Is it bearing fruit?”
Zhang Xiangqi jumped up and picked one off. The two of them took a closer look and found that the melon looked like a cantaloupe, with translucent fingernail-thick flesh and a cavity inside, containing some green luminous juice.
Taoist Lanxia opened his Dharma eyes and saw that the juice in the fruit was shining with golden light. It was obvious that he was full of spiritual energy. He said excitedly: "It's done, it's a harvest!"
With that said, Zhang Xiangqi opened the fruit and drank the juice. Seeing this, Zhang Xiangqi picked another fruit and ate it herself.
After waiting for a while, the two of them noticed a surge of heat in their bodies. They hurriedly performed the exercises on each other and woke up in the morning.
Taoist Lanxia clapped his hands and laughed: "This fruit has ten years of magical power!"
Zhang Xiangqi also nodded, looked at the other fruits on the top, and said in a daze: "Yes, I didn't expect this vine to bear such wonderful fruits. It's not in vain that we have worked so hard to water it!"
Taoist Lanxia stood up: "We need to arrest more people!"
Zhang Xiangqi turned to look at Luo Jitong, and said with a ferocious smile: "Junior brother Luo, I will ask your senior brothers to accompany you right now!"
Taoist Lanxia had already fallen into madness and actually allowed Zhang Xiangqi to attack the outer disciples on the mountain. He captured five more people and piled them together at the base of the Lingxiao Vine.
Lingxiao Vine produced ten fruits in total, Taoist Lanxia ate six and Zhang Xiangqi ate four.
Taoist Lanxia's hundred years of cultivation, plus six fruits, means one hundred and sixty years of Taoism, which has surpassed the master Yinghua Zhenren of Shiyue Temple who has the highest cultivation level in Shannan Dao today.
Zhang Xiangqi originally had twenty years of magical power, but after eating four fruits, he was already on par with Taoist Linquan.
However, the outer disciples on the mountain disappeared inexplicably, which aroused suspicion. That afternoon, Zhong Xingchang went to Zhang Xiangqi's room.
Zhang Xiangqi asked: "Why did you come to me?"
Zhong Xingchang looked outside and whispered: "Uncle Master, how come all the outer disciples on the mountain suddenly went down the mountain and haven't come back for so long?"
Zhang Xiangqi shook his head: "I don't know, maybe they haven't been home for a long time, so they want to stay at home for a while."
Zhong Xingchang knew that there must be some secret hidden in the mountain, but Zhang Xiangqi didn't tell him, so he had no choice but to nod and go back.
After Zhong Xingchang left, Zhang Xiangqi went to Taoist Lanxia's residence and whispered: "If the outer disciples don't come back, Zhong Xingchang has become suspicious."
Taoist Lanxia thought for a while, then suddenly smiled ferociously: "Then don't do one thing, and don't stop doing the other thing."
Zhang Xiangqi saw that Taoist Lanxia was preparing to make a big move and asked seriously: "What should I do?"
Taoist Lanxia bared his teeth and said: "We might as well bury the whole mountain under the Lingxiao vine, and then go to the Lingquan Sect and the Biyue Sect to take revenge. Once we destroy them and come back, the fruits will be ripe again!"
Zhang Xiangqi stood up excitedly: "I'll go right away!"
Taoist Lanxia waved his hand: "No, call Zhong Xingchang."
Zhang Xiangqi went to Zhong Xingchang's residence and said, "The boss calls you."
Zhong Xingchang panicked: "Why does the leader want me?"
Zhang Xiangqi smiled: "Of course it's a great thing."
Hearing that it was a great blessing, Zhong Xingchang stood up and followed Zhang Xiangqi to Taoist Lanxia's room.