Who let him join the Sword Sect?!

The second meeting with Mr. Ichimoku was evidently not so pleasant.

Though the first meeting wasn't much better either.

When Zhang Ze and Li went around the Ancient Wood and saw Mr. Ichimoku, they found this mysterious fortune teller was being suppressed beneath a Stone Stele.

The ancient Stone Stele pierced through Ichimoku's chest, and where it touched his body, there was no blood flowing, only shriveled, blackened roots weaving and growing.

The forest around him was the same, dark red roots protruded from the soil, emitting a faint aura of death.

Only one thing was alive.

It was the green bamboo that beckoned Zhang Ze to this place.

The bamboo sprouted from Mr. Ichimoku's head, shaking as Mr. Ichimoku's head swayed.

Because of the bamboo and Ichimoku's amiable face, the bizarre scene was not terrifying; instead, it seemed a bit comical.

"Young Master, you're here, could you please lend a hand..." Ichimoku brightened upon seeing Zhang Ze, looking quite cheerful.

Listening to this somewhat Big Bad Wolf-like request, Zhang Ze took a step back and asked, "Rescue you?"

"No, no, can't be rescued, can't be rescued. It's the Village that has me pinned here, if you rescue me, the Village will come back." Ichimoku hurriedly waved his hand.

"I'm actually hoping you can pass my coat over." The bare-chested Ichimoku pointed at a tattered coat hanging on the fork of a tree branch to the right.

The roots of that tree also turned dark red, beneath the damaged bark, red veins gently trembled, and the branches of the tree seemed alive, shivering slightly.

Around the tree, there were plants beaten to a ragged mess, mostly some farm plants, bean vines, sweet stalks, and corn stalks.

Evidently, Ichimoku had wanted to retrieve that coat but had failed.

Zhang Ze flicked his fingers, sending out several Sword Qi to sever the polluted branches of the Ancient Wood and then extended his hand to capture the tattered coat.

"And then? Hand it to you?"

This coat was filthy, uncertain where it was picked up from.

Ichimoku waved his hand again.

"No need, no need."

"In the left pocket of the coat there's half a Turtle Shell, keep it safe for sure."

"In the right pocket, the Silver Coins are yours, please, Young Master, take them back."

"In the bottom hem pocket are some small change I picked up in Rising Dragon City, please temporarily keep it for me."

"After leaving this Secret Realm, help me return it to the Wang Family Butcher Shop, I stole their table."

"Also, help me apologize to those little fellows from the Beast Taming Sect, almost got them killed, I was supposed to release them today, but was discovered by the Village."

"Let me also apologize to you, for abruptly bringing Young Master here, it's my mistake."

After arranging all the trivial matters, Ichimoku started on the main business.

"I invited you here to request, Young Master, to kill both me and the Village."

He said it solemnly.

"So who exactly are you?" Zhang Ze did not respond but asked instead.

"Just a remnant soul broken from Flesh Spirit." Ichimoku tilted his neck, "Please, Young Master, move swiftly, after slaying me, please go to slay the Village's remaining body."

"You can do it, it's merely a Dragon."

Listening to Ichimoku talk this way, it was out of context, and his tone suggested it was something quite simple.

Zhang Ze was perplexed.

Besides, although he and Li were not suppressed by this Secret Realm's Restrictions, they could at most deal with a Golden Core strong enough to fight a soccer team.

Perhaps with some backup on the bench.

But to slay a dragon, such a long dragon...

Even though that heavenly dragon was a dead dragon, to have him, just a Golden Core, go slay it felt rather excessive.

Just as Zhang Ze was about to inquire further, he saw Li jump down from the shoulder.

Li clambered towards Mr. Ichimoku with quick little legs.

It recalled something.

"The Village is the Ancestral Dragon, born from Ancient Wood, with Divine Soul deceased, but the body remains. Are you transformed from a drop of its dragon tear?"

Li's voice was clear and articulate, quite unlike its usual three bites for every pig demeanor.

Ichimoku was puzzled upon hearing, "You? How do you know? Could you be..."

Before Ichimoku finished speaking, Li interrupted, "Forget it, asking you is too bothersome, let me dig some things out."

Li slapped its hands together; because it usually ate too much random stuff, it wasn't clear which Magical Artifact's Divine Technique it was using.

The spirit of the forest gathered toward Li's hands, the land in front trembled, and Ichimoku along with the Stone Stele nailed to him were lifted from the soil.

"It's here, indeed."

Under the Stone Stele was not a carved statue of Bixi, but a shrine.

The shrine housed a single green Spirit Pearl.

"Same old problem," Li muttered, reaching forward to grab the Spirit Pearl.

But nothing happened.

Embarrassed, Li stared blankly at its little hands for a moment, then realized, and jumped to the mound, climbing onto the shrine.

Once it got close enough, Li reached into the shrine.

Standing beside, Zhang Ze suddenly felt a repelling force. Just as he was about to offer help, Li had already pulled out the Spirit Pearl.

"What's this? Dragon Pearl?" Zhang Ze asked.

"No, it's the Village idiot's diary." After speaking, Li swallowed the green Spirit Pearl in one bite.

Li and Zhang Ze were spiritually connected, and the Village's fragmented memories surged into Zhang Ze's mind.

...

Zhang Ze, or rather the Village, opened his eyes.

He found himself lying in an Earth Vein, badly wounded, though life force was not completely cut off, but he was near death.

Just as the Village intended to shut his eyes for a while longer, he suddenly heard human voices.

A little boy's voice came from another part of the cave, followed by a little girl's voice.