Volume One: The Soul-Drawn Gourd and the Flame Spirit Lantern Chapter 103: Digging Deep and Storing Abundantly (Part Two)

Inside the cave, a biting cold pressed in. All around, eerie green ghostly flames flickered, casting a spectral glow. Xiao Yulou, Li Hetang, and Min Wenhua chatted casually, occasionally glancing at Gu Mo, who was cultivating the ghost energy before them.

Gu Mo sat cross-legged, his entire body enveloped in shimmering green ghostly energy. With eyes tightly closed, he adjusted the intensity of the ghost energy’s outward flow according to the methods Xiao Yulou had taught, aiming to refine it to its optimal state.

This was the quietest night in recent days...

Suddenly, Xiao Yulou shook off his robe’s sleeve and slapped his forehead with his palm.

“Ah! How could I forget something so important!”

Before Li Hetang and Min Wenhua could voice their confusion, Xiao Yulou reached into his robe's voluminous sleeve. With a clang, boxes of snacks, supplies, and several bolts of cloth appeared before them.

Looking closely, there were instant noodle cups, sausages, stewed eggs, chips, canned goods—everything one might need. As for the cloth, though all black and yellow like Taoist robes, it was far better than the experimental suits they had.

Min Wenhua was stunned speechless, his voice faltering.

“Master Xiao... what’s going on here?”

The ethereal Taoist simply waved his hand lightly, dismissing the details with a carefree air.

“I was truly exhausted before… I failed to thank you promptly for your rescue, Brother Wenhua. Please forgive me.”

Min Wenhua smiled sheepishly, glancing at the ample folds of Xiao Yulou’s robe. He felt the master was like a living Bodhisattva, a savior in times of hardship.

“Master Xiao, how can your robe hold so many things?”

Xiao Yulou, unpretentious, opened the left sleeve wide, revealing a spacious interior filled with Taoist artifacts. The sheer volume made even the iron-willed Min Wenhua break into a sweat.

“Master Xiao, is this the legendary ‘remote retrieval’?”

The master smiled faintly, meeting Min Wenhua’s eyes.

“Brother Wenhua, don’t be surprised yet. These supplies will at least ease your immediate difficulties.”

Hearing this, tears of gratitude welled in Min Wenhua’s eyes, his voice choked with emotion.

“Master Xiao, on behalf of these children, thank you!”

He was about to respectfully kowtow when Xiao Yulou laughed and clasped his arm warmly.

“Brother Wenhua, these humble supplies are but a small token, hardly worth mentioning.”

Min Wenhua’s face lit with sincere joy.

Then Xiao Yulou cleared his throat, looking Min Wenhua in the eyes.

“Brother Wenhua, I have a somewhat impertinent request…”

Min Wenhua immediately cupped his hands and smiled.

“Please speak, Master Xiao.”

Xiao Yulou laughed heartily, then turned his gaze to Li Hetang.

“As you know, the three of us came here with a purpose. Perhaps the children’s memories hold some clues. If Brother Hetang investigates carefully, everything will become clear.”

These words warmed Li Hetang’s heart.

Min Wenhua nodded firmly.

You don’t bite the hand that feeds you—a timeless truth. Besides, Min Wenhua had experienced Li Hetang’s memory probing before without ill effects, so he agreed readily.

Just then, Gu Mo, still cultivating, slowly opened his eyes, examining the green ghostly energy surrounding him.

“Brother Xiao…”

At the soft call, Xiao Yulou, Li Hetang, and Min Wenhua immediately looked over.

Gu Mo sat cross-legged, shrouded in a translucent green ghostly shield, as delicate as a transparent glass dome.

It seemed his ghost energy shield had taken form.

Xiao Yulou smiled slightly at Li Hetang, who rose without hesitation and approached Gu Mo.

Crackling, Li Hetang clenched his fist, knuckles cracking crisply.

Without warning, he swung his fist hard.

A crisp sound echoed.

The ghostly shield around Gu Mo shattered like cherry blossoms scattering to the ground.

Seeing this, Gu Mo’s face went pale as wax, his twisted features etched with grievance.

Before he could speak, Xiao Yulou bowed deeply, chanting “Boundless Celestial Honored One.”

The three all turned their gaze to the Taoist.

“Brother Gu, look beneath you!”

At this, all eyes shifted downward.

The scattered fragments of ghost energy seemed to possess a will of their own, rushing back toward Gu Mo.

In a blink, the green ghostly energy surged back into his body.

Witnessing this strange scene, Gu Mo was utterly baffled.

“What the hell is this?”

Xiao Yulou chuckled, looking at Gu Mo.

“Brother Gu’s ghost energy is truly unique! Though the shield can’t yet withstand heavy blows, it’s clearly reusable!”

Gu Mo raised an eyebrow, half-believing.

“Really? That’s pretty good!”

With that, the ethereal Xiao Yulou flicked his robe sleeve and stood before Gu Mo.

“Brother Gu, you can now use the souls refined inside the Soul-Attracting Gourd to increase the ghost energy’s density. In just a few days, your ghost energy shield will improve dramatically!”

Gu Mo’s mood brightened.

But the next moment, his smile froze.

“Where the hell did the Gluttonous Ghost go?”

At this, a cold sweat broke out on Xiao Yulou’s forehead.

“Wasn’t the fluffball always in your pocket?”

Suddenly, Gu Mo twisted his face toward Li Hetang with a murderous glare.

Startled, Li Hetang tensed up.

“Brother Gu, don’t panic… check yourself first!”

Gu Mo began fumbling about.

Soon, his fingers touched something furry.

He held the sleeping fluffball Gluttonous Ghost in his palm.

“Damn! You scared me to death. If you’d gotten lost, I’d have nowhere to cry!”

He gently opened the creature’s huge maw and took out the Soul-Attracting Gourd, the Soul Igniting Lamp, and the Heavenly Measuring Stick.

Seeing this, Min Wenhua’s worldview shattered.

The iron-willed man turned to Li Hetang, puzzled.

“Brother Hetang, where on earth did you find these two extraordinary fellows?”

Li Hetang could only smile bitterly and shrug.

“Brother Mao, I can’t help it. I just work at a food supply company. These two are consultants—not my responsibility.”

The two warriors from different eras could only smile wryly.

The scene shifted. Xiao Yulou looked down on Gu Mo.

“Brother Gu, open the Soul-Attracting Gourd and slowly pour out some refined souls. Try applying them to your palm.”

Hearing such a bizarre suggestion, Gu Mo frowned in doubt.

“Brother Xiao, are you sure this is how it’s supposed to be used?”

Xiao Yulou’s subtle expression was caught by Gu Mo.

“Well, I’m not entirely sure… but isn’t the pursuit of knowledge about bold guesses and careful verification?”

Gu Mo glared fiercely at him, then gazed at the gourd, lost in thought.

“According to the Underworld Queen, this gourd can refine lost souls. But when I got ghost energy, I wasn’t really clear about it.”

After a long pause, Gu Mo gritted his teeth and steeled himself.

“Whatever! At worst, I go crazy again!”

Looking at Xiao Yulou, he said,

“Brother Xiao, we’re brothers. If I suddenly go mad, you have to go easy on me!”

Xiao Yulou nodded solemnly.

Taking a deep breath, Gu Mo twisted open the gourd’s lid.

A muffled pop echoed.

He carefully began pouring.

Suddenly, a roar—

Green ghostly flames burst to life on Gu Mo’s palm, sending a bone-chilling cold through him.

Shivering, Gu Mo quickly closed the gourd and looked at Xiao Yulou, bewildered.

The master exclaimed, wide-eyed,

“Brother Gu, rub it evenly! Like hand cream!”

Gu Mo nearly fainted at the absurdity.

“Brother Xiao, can you be a bit more credible?”

Though skeptical, Gu Mo complied.

Though the refined souls in the gourd were intangible, like air, the penetrating cold was oddly pleasant.

Laughing heartily, Gu Mo looked at Xiao Yulou, who nodded with conviction.

Taking a deep breath, Gu Mo began to harmonize his own ghost energy with the refined souls.

Once again, green ghostly flames burst forth all over his body.

Following this, Gu Mo instinctively formed a ghost energy shield.

Xiao Yulou, standing nearby, immediately noticed a difference.

“Brother Gu, this method works!”

Gu Mo was stunned.

“Um… Brother Xiao, what did you say?”

Xiao Yulou beamed.

“Your ghost energy shield is purer than before!”

Gu Mo slowly raised his hands.

Sure enough, the ghostly flames on his palms were far more refined than before.

Gu Mo’s rapid progress even stirred a hint of envy in Xiao Yulou.

“Brother Xiao, how should I cultivate next?”

Xiao Yulou glanced around the empty cave and said softly,

“No rush. Once these children awaken, we’ll give this cave a complete makeover.”

Gu Mo was left puzzled.

Regardless, his strength had improved considerably.

Time passed swiftly; several days slipped by.

Xiao Yulou was surrounded by many children.

In the center of the crowd stood a large pot, simmering with vegetables and freshly caught wild chicken.

The enticing aroma filled the cave.

The sly Taoist entertained the children with magic tricks, using the space inside his robe sleeve.

Laughter and joy echoed throughout the cave.

Nearby, Li Hetang leaned against the cold cave wall, deep in thought.

Though he had probed the children’s memories with his abilities, no useful clues emerged.

The deeper the mystery, the more Li Hetang worried about the safety of their code-named target, O.

Yet reason told him that for now, the three needed intelligence and rest.

Blind action could backfire and ruin everything.

Clearly, the White Lotus Sect’s fiends had conducted many experiments on these children.

But why? That puzzled Li Hetang.

Did these children share something in common?

Did they all possess supernatural abilities?

Surely the White Lotus Sect wouldn’t resort merely to kidnapping and extortion!

The more he pondered, the more confused he became.

Suddenly, a series of loud thuds echoed nearby.

Each impact shook the entire mountain.