Weird Ganoderma . . .
Cha Eun Xiao wasted no time in exploring the cave after reuniting with Li Wuliang. The cave appeared sparse, serving as nothing more than a rudimentary shelter, with its only notable feature being the collection of assorted bird feathers strewn about.
Measuring a mere two meters in width, the narrow confines of the cave painted a stark picture of Li Wuliang's past two years of existence. Observing this austere living condition, Cha Eun Xiao couldn't help but feel a mixture of sadness and amusement. "You've endured quite a life here," he remarked with a laugh. "It's a modest shelter, at least."
Li Wuliang joined in the laughter, his voice carrying an air of resilience. "I've been through the wringer, but having a roof over my head is a blessing in itself. I was utterly broken, and survival was a stroke of luck."
As they conversed, Li Wuliang began recounting the harrowing events that followed his plunge from the cliff. When he had fallen, the last coherent thought in his mind was an acceptance of impending death. The vast chasm seemed to confirm the futility of his situation, even in the best of conditions. Nevertheless, a peculiar turn of events occurred upon reaching the crimson and white clouds.
Instead of continuing his descent to certain doom, Li Wuliang found himself suspended within the clouds, an inexplicable force halting his fall. During this surreal interlude, the enigmatic energies within the red and white clouds imparted a measure of rejuvenation to his body. As he gradually regained consciousness, he discovered that some of his injuries had spontaneously healed. However, this newfound lease on life was accompanied by the unsettling sensation of his soul being subjected to a formidable external force.
Awareness dawned on him that his survival came at the price of undergoing an enigmatic soul-altering process. As if to underline the impermanence of his sanctuary within the clouds, the moment he regained consciousness, the protective hold of the clouds waned, and Li Wuliang plummeted earthward.
The descent was agonizing, yet paradoxically life-saving. Remaining any longer in the grasp of the clouds could have irrevocably damaged his soul. But as he tumbled from the skies, he sustained fresh injuries in the process. The whims of fate led to his landing on a mound of decaying bones, an experience that proved no less torturous.
Despite the searing pain, Li Wuliang mustered the last reserves of his strength and diverted his descent with a meager application of his remaining energy. While his physical suffering intensified, he narrowly averted being impaled on a jagged bone. It was pure fortune that his injuries allowed him to survive the ordeal.
In the aftermath of this traumatic fall, he struggled to stand on unsteady legs. Dazed, he encountered a life-saving sight—the brilliant crimson hue of a blood ganoderma nestled amongst the remains of the fallen. Li Wuliang harbored no hesitations; he seized the precious treasure and ingested it, its potent properties offering a lifeline. Although it did not effect an instantaneous recovery, the ganoderma played a pivotal role in preserving his vitality and strength.
Rejuvenated and facing the reality of his perilous situation, Li Wuliang was determined to survive at all costs. He cast his wary eyes about the environment, searching for a sanctuary that could aid in his convalescence. His persistence led him to discover the hidden crevice and the secret passage to the frigid valley.
Once there, Li Wuliang hoped to nurture his body and regain his strength through diligent cultivation. This desolate abode became his refuge for an extended period.
Listening intently, Cha Eun Xiao couldn't help but marvel at his friend's incredible tale. "How did you maintain your composure in such a place? Given your capabilities, even in your injured state, you should have recuperated long ago."
Li Wuliang snorted, an air of nonchalance enveloping his response. "Since the moment I fell from that cliff, I've encountered many inexplicable occurrences. First, there was my survival. I was nearly unconscious and could barely perceive anything. However, I distinctly recall being enveloped by something warm and tender. When I regained consciousness, I was on the precipice of impact."
"With nothing more than a last-ditch effort to preserve myself, I mustered the strength to slow my descent, which is what ultimately saved me. The bones didn't break my fall—I'm certain they wouldn't have been sufficient. Recall the skies we witnessed in the old days; we were falling for ten thousand meters. I landed on the pile of bones, and it was excruciating. When I finally descended to the ground, I had only a minuscule reservoir of strength to mitigate the landing."
He paused, then continued, "And that's where fortune smiled upon me. Just as I neared the earth, I used the last remnants of my strength to minimize the impact. The precarious state of the pile of bones might have proven fatal if a sturdy bone hadn't cushioned the landing. I could have ended up as a lifeless body, impaled by a pristine bone, the one that had spared me."
Li Wuliang concluded with a reflective tone. "I sustained grievous injuries, but for some reason, the red and white clouds were reluctant to relinquish me. It's a mystery to me why they chose to hold me up. Yet, this prolongation saved me, though not without consequences. I had to withstand a pull on my soul that was both agonizing and transformative."
Amazement etched across Cha Eun Xiao's features, echoing the unpredictability of the natural world. "It's as if you've been living a series of miracles,"
Cha Eun Xiao couldn't help but be captivated by the enigmatic tale of Li Wuliang's encounter with the life-saving blood ganoderma. He felt a sense of incredulity regarding the significance of this extraordinary find.
It was a story reminiscent of countless legends, often embellished with narratives of heroes compelled by their adversaries to make harrowing descents from treacherous precipices, only to miraculously emerge at the base, unscathed. In these fables, they invariably stumbled upon some invaluable and exceedingly rare substance, which, once ingested, conferred unparalleled power. These fabled heroes would rise from the depths, return to the realm above, exact vengeance upon their foes, and live out their days in happiness, often with a resplendent companion by their side.
Yet, Li Wuliang's experience did not precisely align with these fanciful tales.
"Indeed, the blood ganoderma was a potent source of energy," Li Wuliang explained with a tinge of sorrow. "It brimmed with vitality, offering renewal. However, there was something profoundly uncanny concealed within it, something that seemed illusory but soon revealed its startling reality. This is where my misfortune began. It became a veritable curse, leading me to a life of torment."
He continued, recounting the agonizing twist of fate that befell him. "One day, as my injuries were nearly healed, I experienced a surge of exhilaration as I sensed my cultivation gradually returning to me. It was a joyous moment. Yet, the very next day, a strange and unsettling energy surged within me. It tore apart my recovering wounds, inflicting agony akin to being torn asunder."
With a mischievous grin, Cha Eun Xiao remarked, "So, you had the good fortune to possess not one but two distinct energies within you—one that restored your body and another that tore it asunder."
With an air of amused satisfaction, he concluded, "What a stroke of luck that you bore this unique ordeal. It's an experience that undoubtedly distinguishes you from all others in history."
Unfazed by his friend's predicament, Cha Eun Xiao found solace in the realization that he had not been the one to partake of the curious blood ganoderma, secretly relieved that he had been spared such a bizarre and distressing twist of fate.