Chapter 96

This crystal bun actually had no taste at all, not even the slightest hint of flavor. Even water has a faint, inherent taste, but after putting this crystal bun in his mouth, Lu Zheng couldn’t detect even the slightest hint of flavor. If he hadn’t continued chewing, he wouldn’t have been able to confirm that he was eating the crystal bun at all.

The previous five buns had different colors and corresponding flavors, but this crystal bun had no flavor at all, as if it had no color either. However, this didn’t mean the crystal bun was tasteless. On the contrary, for Lu Zheng, it was the best-tasting bun in the entire plate.

After experiencing the extremes of the five flavors, this crystal bun seemed to transcend all taste. In its complete lack of flavor, it gave Lu Zheng a real and tangible sense of another extreme taste, as if it were the origin of all flavors or the sum of all flavors. The more Lu Zheng chewed, the more amazed he became. This extreme taste seemed to come not from the crystal bun but from his own heart.

While chewing, Lu Zheng also secretly anticipated what changes this strange crystal bun might bring to his body. The previous five buns, after their flavors disappeared, had caused various changes in his body. What changes would this crystal bun bring?

“Gulp.” Lu Zheng swallowed the crystal bun and closed his eyes involuntarily, focusing on the sensations in his body to see what the crystal bun would bring.

In a void, a golden dragon roared and soared through the sky. Lu Zheng opened his eyes and found himself back in the dream. Wasn’t he clearly in the Quzhit Pavilion?

Just as Lu Zheng was about to ask the golden dragon, his body suddenly trembled. He opened his eyes again and found himself still in the pavilion. Mr. Le, his teacher, and Xin'er were all sitting in their places, and the crystal bun had just fallen down his throat.

“Ah, big brother, your hand!” Xin'er’s voice of alarm rang in his ear.

“What’s wrong with my hand?... Ah!” Lu Zheng lifted his right hand and was so frightened that he shook it vigorously, as if trying to throw it away.

When he lifted his hand, he was shocked to see that it had turned transparent, and he could see the bones inside, which were golden!

“Lu Zheng, don’t panic! This is because of the bun you ate. It will be fine in a while!” his teacher’s voice came from behind.

Hearing his teacher’s words, Lu Zheng stopped shaking his hand and lifted his other hand to look. Indeed, his left hand had also turned transparent, with golden bones, the joints clearly visible, looking very strange. The more Lu Zheng looked, the more surprised he became. How could his hands be like this, and why were his bones golden?

Lu Zheng looked at Xin'er, whose face was full of shock, eyes wide open, and mouth covered, unable to speak. He then looked at his teacher and Mr. Le, who both had a matter-of-fact look in their eyes, showing no surprise at all.

“Teacher, what’s happening?” Lu Zheng was confused and a bit scared. He was worried that his whole body might be like this and didn’t dare to open his clothes to check. As he said this, he suddenly thought, “What about my head? Is it also transparent? Can I see my brain?” The thought made him even more terrified.

Li Yi said, “You don’t need to worry. These six buns are the extremes of the five flavors and are very beneficial to you. You will understand this gradually. As for your body turning like this, it’s because of the last bun you ate!”

So it was really because of the crystal bun. Lu Zheng perked up his ears, not wanting to miss a word his teacher said. Li Yi continued, “You should have experienced the changes the first five buns caused in your body, such as the black bun making you feel refreshed and your tongue more sensitive. Similarly, this crystal bun will cause some changes in your physical body, making it transparent!”

Li Yi then turned to Xin'er, who was still in a daze, and said, “Xin'er, go back to your room.” Although Xin'er was worried about Lu Zheng, she obediently left.

After Xin'er left, Le Zhongping said, “Lu Zheng, take off your clothes.”

“Forgive me, teacher.” Lu Zheng didn’t understand but still undid his shirt and carefully folded it, placing it on a mat. He looked around and realized he was in the Tianyuan Pavilion, with his teacher and Mr. Le standing beside him.

After taking off his clothes, Lu Zheng looked down and saw that his entire body had turned as transparent as crystal. When he looked down, he could see his internal organs, one of which was beating, and a drum-like “thump, thump, thump” sound reached his ears, which was his heart beating.

Lu Zheng quickly looked away. He never thought he would see the inside of his body one day. His body began to tremble, and a strange feeling washed over him, a mix of absurdity and amazement!

Le Zhongping said, “Lu Zheng, close your eyes and stand straight!”

Lu Zheng did as he was told, closing his eyes. He felt Mr. Le approach and touch various parts of his body, as if observing something. Not knowing what Mr. Le was doing, Lu Zheng’s heart raced. Why were his teacher and Mr. Le acting so strangely today? He couldn’t help but ask, “Mr. Le, what are you looking at?”

Mr. Le’s voice came from behind, “I’m looking at the yin poison in your body... Hmm, the divine aura is separating, just as I thought. But...”

The yin poison in his body? So that was it. Lu Zheng breathed a sigh of relief, his heart settling back into his chest. Why didn’t Mr. Le and his teacher say this earlier? He couldn’t help but say, “Mr. Le, stop tickling me, it’s itchy!”

Le Zhongping laughed and patted Lu Zheng’s face, saying, “You silly boy, you’re still ticklish. Alright, open your eyes and get up, put your clothes on.”

Lu Zheng opened his eyes, quickly put on his clothes, and then asked, “Mr. Le, can I borrow your mirror?”

Le Zhongping, who often checked his appearance, always carried a bronze mirror. He asked, “What do you want to do?” and handed the mirror to Lu Zheng.

“Nothing, oh!” Lu Zheng quickly took the mirror and looked into it. A golden skeleton stared back at him, and he was so frightened that he threw the mirror away with a scream.

“Hey, why did you throw it around? This is my favorite mirror, be careful!” Le Zhongping waved his hand, and the mirror returned to his hand. He looked at Lu Zheng and chuckled, “How did you scare yourself so much?”

Lu Zheng sat on the ground, covering his face, and said, “Xin'er must have seen everything! No wonder she was so scared, she couldn’t even speak.”

Suddenly, Lu Zheng thought of something and looked up, asking, “Mr. Le, why are my bones golden? Shouldn’t human bones be white?”

Upon hearing this, Mr. Le’s smile faded, and his eyes flickered as he glanced at Li Yi. Lu Zheng followed his gaze to his teacher. Li Yi stroked his beard and walked to Lu Zheng, saying, “Human bones aren’t always white. You have limited experience. Human bones can have various colors, though white is the most common. There’s no need to be alarmed!”

Since his teacher never spoke lightly, Lu Zheng nodded in relief and asked, “Teacher, when will I return to normal? I won’t stay like this forever, right?”

Li Yi said, “Don’t worry, you will return to normal in three hours.”

Lu Zheng breathed a long sigh of relief and asked, “Teacher, why did you give me these buns?”

Li Yi said, “The first five buns represent the extremes of sour, sweet, bitter, pungent, and salty flavors. They are to help you experience the essence of these flavors and their effects on your physical body, which is very beneficial. All things in the world have flavors, ultimately derived from these five flavors. Understanding their flavors can help you understand their functions. The essence of these five flavors is most helpful for you in discerning all things. As for the last bun, didn’t you see its effects?”

Mr. Le added, “I thought it would be delicious, and I was craving it for so long.” His tone was full of relief, and he looked at Lu Zheng with a smug expression.

Lu Zheng asked, “Mr. Le, what did you find when you checked the yin poison in my body?”

Mr. Le said, “Don’t worry. After checking, I confirmed my suspicions. The method I thought of is correct. However, we need to wait another year for the best opportunity. In the meantime, I will strengthen the seal to prevent the yin poison from acting up.”

After Lu Zheng left the Tianyuan Pavilion, Le Zhongping looked at Li Yi with a strange smile. Li Yi’s face showed a hint of embarrassment, and he asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Le Zhongping’s strange smile didn’t fade, and he said, “I’ve learned something new today. Human bones aren’t just white; they can be of various colors. Besides Lu Zheng’s golden bones, what other colors are there? Green? Red? Li Yi, what color are your bones? Are they black? Hahaha, Li Yi, I never thought you would lie one day!”

Li Yi, who rarely lied, was caught off guard by Le Zhongping’s teasing. He felt extremely embarrassed, avoided Le Zhongping’s gaze, and said, “It was a temporary measure, not a lie. What did you find when you checked the yin poison in Lu Zheng’s body?”

Le Zhongping stopped teasing and said, “We might need to ask the old Taoist Priest Dixin to come to the Riyue Pavilion. We might really be unable to teach Lu Zheng anymore!”