Chapter 164: The Mysterious Thief
Inside the Xuanwu Sect's main hall, Zhang Songwu heard Han Yu's inquiry, and his expression immediately became awkward. His hand stroking his beard trembled slightly as he stammered hesitantly.
Han Yu's gaze sharpened as he said solemnly: "Sect Master, if you face difficulties, please speak plainly." The old sect master sighed heavily, as if having made some resolution.
"Very well, this old one shall speak the truth." He gestured for the attendant to withdraw and lowered his voice: "Actually... this tea tree has an extraordinary origin."
"It was obtained by our Xuanwu Sect's founding ancestor during a dream journey to the upper realm." Jiang Che's eyes lit up, even setting down his wine gourd.
"Correct." Zhang Songwu's expression grew solemn, "Our ancestor once had a grand dream, seeing a mist-shrouded tea garden in the immortal realm." Being obsessed with tea, he secretly plucked a tea seedling.
Who knew that upon waking, he actually held that very seedling in his hand? Han Yu's eyebrows rose slightly, clearly intrigued by this legend.
"This tea tree is what we now call Dongming Mist Sprout." Zhang Songwu continued, "This tea offers limitless benefits to cultivators, but is only effective when consumed three times in one's lifetime."
Drinking it in the Xuanying Realm allows comprehension of heaven and earth's spiritual energy. In the Longevity Realm it grants understanding of worldly truths, and in the Celestial Human Realm it enables glimpses into the profound mysteries of the Great Dao.
Thus it is hailed as the foremost spiritual tea of the Xuanying Continent. Jiang Che gasped: "This tea actually possesses such effects? No wonder the Zhao family values it so greatly..."
Zhang Songwu appeared even more astonished: "Young Friend Jiang sought to acquire Dongming Mist Sprout without even knowing its uses?" But Han Yu keenly grasped the crucial point.
"Sect Master has yet to explain why you cannot sell tea branches to us." He used "sell" rather than "gift".
"You two wish to buy tea branches only to attempt cultivation yourselves." Zhang Songwu smiled bitterly: "If this tea tree could be transplanted, it would not deserve the title of Xuanying Continent's foremost spiritual tea."
Let alone transplantation, tens of thousands of years ago a Saintly Sovereign once tried to seize the tree. He discovered that once it leaves Xuanwu Sect's territory, it immediately withers.
Even with the finest spiritual springs and immortal soils, it cannot survive. Therefore... "So Sect Master's earlier offer to gift tea branches was merely polite formalities."
Han Yu calmly finished his sentence, "Because this tea tree simply cannot grow elsewhere." The old sect master looked ashamed, bowing: "My apologies, my deepest apologies."
"You two should return when the new tea is harvested three years hence." This old one will personally welcome you then.
After hearing Zhang Songwu's explanation, Han Yu remained silent for a moment before speaking: "Sect Master Zhang, even knowing it may be impossible, I still wish to try." Please name your price.
Zhang Songwu stroked his beard, his expression troubled once more: "This... this..." He stammered "this" for quite some time before finally sighing.
"Very well, since this old one has already spoken, I cannot go back on my word." But while the tea leaves have a price, the tea branches are priceless.
"Then what are your conditions?" Han Yu bowed to Zhang Songwu: "Please speak, Sect Master. Anything within our power, we will do our utmost."
Zhang Songwu pondered, his eyes suddenly lighting up as he said: "To be honest, in recent years Xuanwu Sect has been plagued by a thief." This intruder frequently steals spiritual medicines from our herb garden.
Leaving it in utter disarray. "A thief?" Jiang Che laughed: "A top-tier sect in Ling Province like yours, actually suffering from theft?"
Zhang Songwu's old face reddened as he sighed: "It's truly embarrassing." That thief appears and disappears like a ghost, coming without trace and leaving without shadow.
We've set up countless traps but haven't caught even a hair. The most infuriating part is... He hesitated, but finally said:
"Once, after stealing herbs, the thief actually left a note in the garden with four large characters written: 'Thanks for the hospitality'!" A sharp glint flashed in Han Yu's eyes.
"Sect Master means..." "If you two can help Xuanwu Sect eliminate this menace," Zhang Songwu declared decisively, "this old one will authorize you to personally select and take one branch from the tea tree!"
"It's a deal!" Han Yu agreed without hesitation.
"It's a deal!" Han Yu agreed without hesitation.
Zhang Songwu immediately summoned a disciple: "Attend me, guide these two young friends to the herb garden."
After Han Yu and Jiang Che's figures disappeared outside the hall, Zhang Songwu finally sighed heavily, muttering to himself: "I hope they know when to retreat..."
He hadn't mentioned something else: three months ago, his own master—the Xuanwu Sect's Supreme Elder, a mighty Celestial Human Realm cultivator—had personally attempted to catch the thief. When that elder returned, he mysteriously told him: "From now on, let the thief take what he wants when he comes. Don't interfere. Just clean up the garden after he leaves."
To this day, Zhang Songwu couldn't comprehend what kind of thief could make his own master—a Celestial Human Realm cultivator—choose to turn a blind eye...
Since even his master couldn't resolve it, he couldn't imagine how these two Primal Origin Realm young friends could possibly solve it.
But they had shown kindness to his sect, and Immortal Spirit City now controlled most of Ling Province's spiritual medicine trade. He might as well let them try once.
Thinking of Ling Province's current situation, he, the esteemed Xuanwu Sect Master, felt like he was treading on thin ice daily. He couldn't help but sigh again: "Ah, being a sect master is truly difficult..."
...
Meanwhile, the guiding disciple led Han Yu and Jiang Che through several formations, finally reaching the herb garden entrance.
The moment they stepped inside, both froze—
How could this still be called a herb garden?
Spiritual fields were torn into chaos, precious spiritual medicines lay toppled about. Some were uprooted and discarded aside, others gnawed down to half their size.
Several century-old lingzhi bore clear bite marks, with half-eaten spiritual fruit cores scattered nearby.
Most absurdly, on a stone tablet inscribed "Xuanwu Sect Restricted Area," someone had used spiritual medicine juice to crudely paint a grinning face.
"This..." Jiang Che's mouth twitched, "You call this theft?"
The guiding disciple flushed: "You jest, Senior... It truly was the thief's doing."
Han Yu crouched down, picking up a gnawed spiritual medicine leaf for closer inspection: "When did this start?"
"Replying to Senior, it began two years ago," the disciple said with a pained expression. "At first, only a few spiritual medicines went missing occasionally. Then it grew progressively worse. The most infuriating part is..."
He pointed to a distant spiritual field overturned completely: "Last month, the thief dug up an entire patch of Purple Spirit Ginseng, only took the oldest root, and casually discarded the rest on the field ridges to wither under the sun!"
Jiang Che took a swig of wine, asking curiously: "You've never caught them? Not even a glimpse?"
The disciple shook his head: "Shamefully, no one in the entire sect has seen the thief's appearance. Now nobody dares guard the garden at night."
Han Yu scanned the garden's surroundings: "When does the thief usually strike?"
"Always at night," the disciple replied. "Sometimes every few days, sometimes not for half a month—completely unpredictable."
He pointed to a small hut beside the garden: "That's where the disciple guarding the garden used to stay. You two may use it freely."
After the guiding disciple left, Jiang Che plopped onto a stone stool, swirling his wine gourd: "Senior brother, you noticed too, right? This situation is very strange."
Han Yu nodded slightly: "A prestigious sect like Xuanwu Sect, even without a Celestial Human Realm guardian, catching a thief shouldn't be this difficult." He picked up a gnawed spiritual fruit from the ground. "Unless..."
"Unless they don't actually want to catch him! Or don't dare to!" Jiang Che finished with a laugh. "I think that old man deliberately wants us to back off."
A faint smile touched Han Yu's lips: "Unfortunately..."
"Unfortunately, we insist on catching this thief!" Jiang Che sneered. "I want to see what kind of petty thief can make an entire sect dance in circles!"
The brothers exchanged a knowing smile, both their eyes gleaming with eager anticipation.
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