LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 12 - Da Huang Advances!Zhu Yuanzhang Takes Liu Bowen Up the Mountain!
Chapter 12: Da Huang Advances! Zhu Yuanzhang Takes Liu Bowen Up the Mountain!
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, five years had passed. It was the 20th year of the Hongwu era.
In these years, On Zhongshan, everything was as usual. There were no significant changes. If there were any changes, it would the few silver fish in Xuanwu Lake and the spiritual herbs in the medicine field.
There was also the Longevity fruit tree planted directly by the system. The Longevity fruit tree had grown for five years and finally sprouted branches. However, to bear ripe Longevity fruits, it might still take some years.
The Longevity fruit could extend life by twenty years.
Zhu Xuanji always remembered this!
Since ancient times, no matter the world. A fruit that could extend life could be considered a supreme treasure.
Besides the Longevity fruit tree, those spiritual herbs and seeds had matured batch after batch.
For example, the Life Source grass that could replenish vitality, and the Red Heart golden lotus planted in the lake. The lotus seeds of the Red Heart golden lotus ripened every six months.
Xiao Shu and Xiao Zhi had eaten countless of them. There was also the White Jade Spirit Mulberry fruit, which was planted in patches, and harvested in patches.
In these years, Zhu Xuanji had eaten quite a lot of them, his physique had greatly improved due to them.
Da Huang who followed him and also enjoyed these fruits as well. The White Jade Spirit Mulberry fruit had made Da Huang much sturdier. Visibly taller and more imposing!
There was also the Marrow Cleansing fruit. Zhu Xuanji didn’t just eat it himself. He also gave it to Da Huang, the old turtle, Xiao Zhi, Xiao Shu, Xiao Ya, and Xiao Ning.
After eating many Marrow Cleansing fruits, his body had developed a resistance to them! Later, Zhu Xuanji treated it like an ordinary fruit.
After all, he had long consumed all of the Grain Abstinence Pills rewarded by the system. Subsequent rewards did not include Grain Abstinence Pills.
He thought that it would be good if he could refine Grain Abstinence Pills himself someday. After all, during closed-door cultivation, taking Grain Abstinence Pills was quite convenient.
One day, at noon, Zhu Xuanji, as usual was sitting in the Spirit Gathering Array cultivating.
At this moment, he suddenly heard a system prompt in his ear.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host! Your spirit dog has successfully advanced to the lower grade of the Body Transformation Realm!]
[You have successfully received the enlightenment reward—Yellow Court Alchemical Scripture, 10 Dragon Vein Grass Seeds, 10 Blood Jade Ginseng Seeds, 10 Seven Star Grass Seeds!]
“Hmm? Da Huang advanced? Five years! Da Huang finally made progress! It wasn’t easy! According to the Atlas of Mountains and Seas, the cultivation realms of spirit beasts are roughly divided into the Enlightenment Realm, Body Transformation Realm, and Form Manifestation Realm! After the Body Transformation realm, each major realm is further divided into upper, middle, and lower sub-stages.
“Da Huang cultivated for five years, ate countless spiritual herbs and fruits, and finally progressed from the Enlightenment realm to the Body Transformation realm! It wasn’t a waste of effort! However, to go from the Body Transformation realm to the Form Manifestation realm, who knows how long it will take him. Though, the slow advancement speed of spirit pets is understandable.”
Zhu Xuanji was happy with the reward.
“Yellow Court Alchemical Scripture” and several spiritual herb seeds.
It was a small harvest! Originally, he thought Da Huang might be the last to advance.
Unexpectedly, Da Huang, despite his clumsy appearance, advanced the fastest. No wonder, he had the bloodline of the Heavenly Dog!
Zhu Xuanji stood up, walked out of the Spirit Gathering Array.
He looked around, but couldn’t find Da Huang’s shadow. He had planned to reward Da Huang.
“This guy! Where did he run off to again!”
Just as Zhu Xuanji was about to return to the Spirit Gathering Array to continue cultivating, he saw Da Huang running wildly from over there.
Shouting towards Zhu Xuanji, “Master, Master! The person you mentioned has come up the mountain again! But he’s not alone! There are two old men with him! One is Old Zhu! I haven’t seen the other before! I don’t know him!”
Hearing this, Zhu Xuanji raised an eyebrow.
The person Da Huang referred to was Zhu Biao! Since that year when Zhu Biao and Zhu Di came up the mountain to pay respects to Empress Ma, he had instructed Da Huang to inform him if Zhu Biao came up the mountain again.
Da Huang remembered it. Later, every year on Empress Ma’s death anniversary, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao would come to Zhongshan to pay respects.
Each time, Zhu Xuanji would watch from a distance. He occasionally called Zhu Yuanzhang, Old Zhu!
Over time, Da Huang also followed Zhu Xuanji in calling Zhu Yuanzhang as Old Zhu.
Hearing Da Huang’s words, Zhu Xuanji was quite surprised.
After all, the death anniversary of Empress Ma hadn’t arrived yet. Why had his nominal grandfather Zhu Yuanzhang and nominal father Zhu Biao come up the mountain!
Hearing Da Huang say there was another old man with them, Zhu Xuanji felt it was not simple.
He decided to take a look.
After all, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao wouldn’t bring an old man up the mountain for no reason.
“Da Huang! Lead the way!” Da Huang understood!
Immediately led Zhu Xuanji towards the mountain!
…
On the mountain path halfway up Zhongshan,
The Ming Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, dressed in black, was slowly walking along the mountain path with an old man in coarse clothing.
Unlike the imposing Zhu Yuanzhang, the old man in coarse clothing had a more peaceful expression. Like a friendly old man from the neighborhood.
Birds chirped in the lush forest on both sides.
The Ming Empire’s Executive Vice Emperor Zhu Biao followed behind the two, step by step.
At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang took a few steps towards the side of the mountain path and suddenly stopped. He raised his hand and pointed to the bottom of the mountain, and said to the old man in coarse clothing, “Bowen! Years ago, I ordered you to cut down ninety-nine dragon veins across the land! To extend the dragon energy of Zhongshan’s dragon vein for three hundred years! Now, twenty years have passed, you tell me whether the dragon vein of Zhongshan is improving or failing*!”
[*also rising or falling]