Chapter 14: Dreadful, I've Been Discovered

Without the slightest hesitation, he raised his hand and released a surge of true energy, moving with lightning speed directly toward Yun Yi’s location.

Yun Yi’s face paled in alarm. He had believed that his Blood Concealment Technique was enough to evade detection by any cultivator, yet he had not anticipated that his senior brother’s cultivation was so profound that even his faintest aura could be sensed.

His mind raced as he prepared to unleash his final escape move, but then an unexpected event occurred.

“Senior Brother, what’s wrong?” The voice of the younger disciple carried a hint of panic, clearly startled by the sudden action.

The elder brother did not reply but instead cast a cold gaze toward the spot struck by the true energy. There, an innocent insect was hit, instantly reduced to a bloody mess without a chance to struggle.

The elder brother frowned slightly, seemingly displeased with his miscalculation, but soon regained his composure.

“It’s nothing, just an insect,” he said lightly, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority.

“That scared me—I thought it was some kind of demon beast,” the younger disciple said, patting his chest, clearly rattled by the scene.

“All right, let’s continue on,” the elder brother said as he resumed his steps. The two pressed deeper into the forest as if the incident had never happened.

Yet for Yun Yi, hidden in the shadow of a rock, this moment was fraught with tension. Watching the insect that died in his place, his heart churned with complex emotions.

He knew that if not for that insect’s timely presence, he would likely have met a grim fate.

“Fortunately...” Yun Yi silently thanked his luck, hiding behind a leaf and cautiously maintaining a distance from the two cultivators, aided by the lingering effects of his Blood Concealment Technique.

He understood well that although his technique could conceal his form to a degree, in the presence of such sharp perception as his senior brother’s, it was like a candle flickering in the dark—easily exposed. Thus, he chose not to risk following too closely but to keep a safe distance and continue observing their movements.

After an hour, the two cultivators finally arrived at a patch of ground covered with strange mushrooms.

The mushrooms were vividly colored and emitted a faint glow, appearing unusually enticing.

“Senior Brother, so many mushrooms!” the younger disciple exclaimed excitedly, pointing at them.

“Don’t touch them recklessly,” the elder warned. “Though alluring, these mushrooms may harbor unknown toxins.”

“Ah, thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother,” the younger disciple said, quickly withdrawing his hand, unwilling to touch them lightly.

The two proceeded cautiously through the mushroom patch, careful not to disturb anything dangerous.

Suddenly, their attention was drawn to a lingzhi mushroom emitting a faint golden light.

This mushroom grew in a crevice between rocks, its shape unique and color enticing, clearly extraordinary.

“Senior Brother, is that the millennium lingzhi?” the younger disciple asked with excitement.

“Possibly,” the elder brother’s eyes gleamed, evidently attracted by the mushroom as well.

Hearing this, the younger disciple was eager to pick it.

However, just then, the elder brother suddenly stopped him.

“Disciple Mo, wait!” his voice held gravity. “Be wary of the surroundings; there may be poisonous insects hiding nearby.”

“Yes, Senior Brother,” the younger disciple immediately calmed himself and prepared defensive measures.

He carefully circled the lingzhi, scrutinizing every inch of ground and leaf.

Only after confirming no danger lurked nearby did he slowly reach out, ready to pluck the precious millennium lingzhi.

But just as his hand was about to touch it, a colorful, small poisonous insect darted out from the rock crevice, heading straight for his hand.

Yun Yi, concealed beneath a withered leaf and shielded by his Blood Concealment Technique, watched tensely.

Seeing the elder brother swiftly strike down the poisonous insect, saving the younger disciple’s life, Yun Yi could not help but admire his senior’s sharpness and decisiveness.

At the same time, he felt relieved that the younger disciple had withdrawn his hand in time to avoid injury.

“Thank you, Senior Brother,” the younger disciple said with gratitude and relief.

“You may pick it now,” the elder replied steadily.

“Yes, Senior Brother,” the younger disciple reached out again, ready to harvest the precious lingzhi. But at that moment, another unexpected event unfolded.

A snowy white rabbit suddenly appeared nearby, seemingly from nowhere.

Its appearance was ordinary, indistinguishable from a common wild rabbit, even seeming gentle and harmless.

However, having just been startled by the poisonous insect, the younger disciple was wary of any sudden living creature.

“Senior Brother, this rabbit...” his voice carried unease.

“It seems harmless,” the elder replied after a preliminary glance, though his gaze remained vigilant.

“Very well, Senior Brother,” encouraged by this, the younger disciple prepared to reach for the lingzhi once more.

But then, the rabbit suddenly emitted an unusual aura. Its eyes turned blood red as if possessed by some malevolent force.

“Disciple, that rabbit is not right!” the elder brother sensed the change immediately and swiftly pulled his junior aside, preventing possible harm.

Both stood firm, eyes fixed on the transforming rabbit.

Its body began to swell, strange patterns shimmered beneath its skin, and its eyes burned like blazing flames.

Clearly, this was no ordinary rabbit but a guardian beast of the millennium lingzhi, revealing its true form to protect the precious mushroom from being plucked.

“It seems this rabbit is the obstacle to obtaining the lingzhi,” the elder brother said in a low, resolute tone, his eyes firm with unwavering determination.

Hidden in the narrow gap between leaves, Yun Yi, aided by his Blood Concealment Technique, quietly observed this scene. He was deeply moved by the courage and resolve of these two cultivators. Though merely a mosquito, he sensed their steadfast dedication to seizing such a rare treasure at any cost.

“Senior Brother, what shall we do?” the younger disciple’s voice trembled slightly, clearly uneasy about the impending battle.

“Kill it,” the elder brother’s reply was brief and unequivocal, leaving no room for hesitation.

“Kill it...” the younger disciple seemed incredulous. He had expected a more subtle strategy—perhaps one distracting the rabbit while the other grabbed the lingzhi.

Yet his senior’s decisiveness and ruthlessness exceeded all expectations.