What A Good Luck . . .
Erhuo patiently elucidated the origins of the Ghost Ganoderma to Cha Eun Xiao. It was a complex amalgamation of innumerable souls, melding both brightness and darkness, layered with unending grudges. This eerie concoction had been further compounded by the presence of blood, flesh, and souls, all isolated in an enigmatic location. All of this was catalyzed by the Power of Contradiction, ultimately birthing the mysterious Ghost Ganoderma.
Cha Eun Xiao, after Erhuo's detailed explanation, had finally grasped the concept. However, one burning question remained: "How do we rid Li Wuliang of this power?"
Erhuo, casting a bewildered look at Cha Eun Xiao, responded with an air of disdain, as though baffled by the inquiry, "Remove it? That's a tremendous boon! An incredible stroke of luck! Why would you want to eliminate it?"
"Blessing? Good luck?" Cha Eun Xiao found himself puzzled by Erhuo's response. Nonetheless, he couldn't ignore Li Wuliang's plight.
Li Wuliang had awakened long before and was acutely aware of the agony that coursed through his body. He feigned slumber to shield Cha Eun Xiao from worry but was unable to conceal his torment. His closed eyes, occasional twitches, and furrowed brow betrayed the intense pain he was grappling with. Despite his formidable resilience, he could hardly endure it.
The malevolent dark power relentlessly gnawed at him, causing his recently healed injuries to rupture, unveiling raw, exposed muscles. He trembled involuntarily, his body wracked by excruciating suffering.
Li Wuliang clenched his teeth and kept his suffering hidden behind closed eyes and a silent mouth. The depth of his physical anguish was etched on his sweat-covered forehead, his pulsating veins a testament to the agony he bore. But sleep remained elusive under such torment, as pain was the archenemy of rest.
He was determined to conceal his vulnerability from his old friend, enduring the torment with unwavering resolve. His perseverance manifested in the pulsating veins and quivering muscles.
As Cha Eun Xiao observed Li Wuliang's ordeal, beads of perspiration formed on his own brow, and he muttered to Erhuo, "Erhuo... Is this what you consider a 'great blessing'? 'Good luck'? Let me ask you this... Who could endure such fortune? Such luck?"
Erhuo responded with an air of indifference, "If he can't bear it, he should die... Great blessings come at a price. One must take risks to attain such good fortune. No one attains great luck without sacrifices. If he can't endure a bit of pain, he doesn't deserve the great fortune. Perhaps it's better for him to pass."
Cha Eun Xiao was left in stunned silence. He hadn't expected such callous words from a cat, even though he knew the natural order often favored the survival of the fittest.
Li Wuliang continued to suffer, and as Cha Eun Xiao watched, he too experienced a different kind of pain—a pain of the heart.
Erhuo, on the other hand, remained unyielding and seemingly unimpressed with Li Wuliang's ordeal.
The disdain and frustration of Erhuo were palpable as it grumbled about the precious Ghost Ganoderma being consumed by "this stupid guy," expressing its belief that it should have been the one to benefit from such a magnificent treasure. It was quite irate about the situation.
"I've indeed gained numerous benefits," Cha Eun Xiao conceded. "I've absorbed soul power that should be more potent than the Ghost Ganoderma. Yet, having a Ghost Ganoderma would be excellent... It's exasperating. Does even a deity envy my fortune?"
Cha Eun Xiao found Erhuo's thoughts astonishingly self-centered and conceited, but he did discern one crucial piece of information from the cat's musings. The soul power he had introduced into the Boundless Space surpassed the Ghost Ganoderma in potency. The Ghost Ganoderma, resulting from the clash of opposing powers during the demonic war, was indeed a valuable item. Still, the surplus energy had crystallized into the extraordinary Chaotic Soul Clouds, which Cha Eun Xiao and Erhuo had been siphoning for years. Meanwhile, Li Wuliang had only absorbed a fraction of this energy.
As he observed Li Wuliang's plight and the intense agony he endured, Cha Eun Xiao decided to keep this knowledge to himself, not wishing to add further anguish to his friend's already excruciating predicament.
Cha Eun Xiao felt compelled to educate Erhuo, stating, "Erhuo... You mustn't think in such a selfish manner. When you've already consumed all the meat on the table, it's only fair to leave some soup for others. Your mindset is flawed. You shouldn't..."
Erhuo promptly interrupted with a nonchalant retort, "Well, after eating all the meat, what's wrong with saving some soup for tomorrow? All the world's treasures should be mine! Meow!"
Erhuo lifted its head and wagged its tail, attempting to amend its earlier response. "I mean, all should belong to us, to both of us! Together!"
Cha Eun Xiao sighed and acknowledged, "I suppose that's the best I can expect from you."
He continued, voicing his concern for Li Wuliang, "Perhaps the Ghost Ganoderma is a blessing from the heavens, but how long must he endure this pain?"
Erhuo shared its perspective through meowing, suggesting that one must endure suffering before achieving greatness. Only when darkness and light blend seamlessly into bipolar chaos would his cultivation reach unprecedented heights, making him invincible.
Upon Cha Eun Xiao's query about the duration of the ordeal, Erhuo contemplated for a moment before responding, "Around a dozen years, perhaps even longer."
Cha Eun Xiao sighed deeply, overwhelmed by the thought of over a decade of incessant pain. It was something that could test even the mettle of gods.
Desperate to find a solution, he implored, "Is there any way we can alleviate his suffering?"