PCJ – Chapter 544 Traces of the Immortal’s Shadow

“Hey! Look, a wild rabbit!” Xu Chuan’an pointed ahead excitedly. Not far away, a rabbit was staring blankly at the group from the Wild Fruit Team. Startled by Xu Chuan’an’s shout, it immediately turned and bolted.

Xu Chuan’an was the first to give chase, but the rabbit vanished in the blink of an eye.

“That’s weird. I saw it run this way, but now it’s gone. There’s nothing here—how could it just disappear?” Xu Chuan’an looked around, scratching his head and muttering.

The entire Wild Fruit Team had followed. Zheng Wendong laughed and said, “Xu Chuan’an, did you even manage to catch a single hair from that rabbit?”

Li Wenjuan glanced disdainfully at Zheng Wendong. “So crude.”

“It’s really strange. I chased it here, and then poof—it was gone. Look, there’s nowhere for a rabbit to hide here.” Xu Chuan’an said, gesturing around.

Zhang Jiaohua looked at the area and also felt something was off. That spot seemed oddly indistinct.

“Xu Chuan’an, just admit you lost it. The rabbit ran off and you’re making up stories to save face,” Xu Xiaoting teased.

“No, really. I was fast! But as soon as it got here, it vanished—as if into thin air.” Xu Chuan’an searched the area carefully but couldn’t find any place the rabbit might be hiding.

Zhang Jiaohua walked over and immediately sensed that there seemed to be an invisible wall there, blocking his way forward. An ordinary person might be unconsciously guided by their senses to walk around it, but the illusion couldn’t deceive Zhang Jiaohua. Still, he couldn’t force his way in either.

“This is a formation!” Zhang Jiaohua was startled. Not knowing the formation’s structure, he had no way of finding the correct way in. Could the rabbit have known the way in? Or was it pure luck?

“Jiaohua, what’s wrong?” Chen Cheng noticed something strange in his expression.

“It’s nothing. I just thought this place seems too quiet.” Zhang Jiaohua forced a smile.

Chen Cheng nodded. “Yeah, it is quiet—almost like it’s soundproof. I can’t even hear birds.”

Everyone started feeling uneasy about the place.

“Let’s head back. We’ve picked enough fruit anyway. The others are probably waiting.” Li Wenjuan quickly added.

Zheng Wendong announced loudly, “Time to head back!”

At camp, all three teams had returned with a good harvest. However, the mushrooms and wild herbs needed expert inspection by Zhang Jiaohua. A single toxic mushroom or herb could spell disaster.

Zhang Jiaohua carefully sorted the mushrooms and indeed found several poisonous ones.

“These mushrooms—see how bright and layered they are? That usually means they’re toxic. Safe mushrooms tend to be smoother and duller in color. In nature, bright colors are a warning. If you bring these back, you’re practically asking for death.” Zhang Jiaohua explained while separating the poisonous from the edible ones.

He looked very focused on the sorting, but his thoughts were still on the strange place in the mountains. What exactly was that place? Why was there a formation? Could it be a legendary immortal dwelling?

He planned to investigate again that night.

Most of the main ingredients had been brought in by Wang Yiwei from the city. The wild herbs, mushrooms, and fish were just to enrich the meal and give everyone a sense of achievement. If they relied on these to fill their stomachs, most would still go hungry.

That evening, after dinner and a few group activities, everyone was exhausted and quickly went to sleep in their tents.

Zhang Jiaohua quietly slipped out of his tent, ready to head back to the mountain and investigate. But just then, Xu Xiaoting followed him.

“Jiaohua, where are you going?” she whispered.

Zhang Jiaohua had already sensed someone following. Hearing her voice, he recognized her instantly.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I’m just taking a walk,” he said. Now that she was here, he had to put off his plan.

“I couldn’t sleep either. Mind if I join you? It’s better to have company out here in the wild,” she said with a smile.

“It’s fine, really. You should go back and rest. I just need some fresh air,” Zhang Jiaohua tried to politely send her away.

“It’s okay, I’ll just get some air too. Not sleepy anyway. Hey, look! There’s a boat in the reservoir!” Xu Xiaoting suddenly pointed.

Zhang Jiaohua turned—and there really was a boat drifting on the water under the dark night sky. A small lantern lit the boat, which looked like a small, ornate house with carved beams and elegant decorations. The soft yellow light glowed from within, but the windows were opaque and shadowy.

That boat hadn’t been there earlier—it was pitch dark when he first came out. So where did it suddenly come from?

Could it be, like the rabbit, it emerged from a hidden formation?

He quickly covered Xu Xiaoting’s mouth and made a shushing gesture. She nodded in understanding, and he let go.

“What is that?” she whispered.

Zhang Jiaohua motioned again for silence. They didn’t know if the occupants of the boat were friend or foe. If they were hostile cultivators, leading them back to the camp would be disastrous.

He pulled Xu Xiaoting into a nearby bush. The boat floated for a while—then sank beneath the surface.

“It sank! Zhang Jiaohua, what was that? Don’t tell me we just saw a ghost!” she said, clearly frightened, clutching his arm.

“Don’t worry, it’s not a ghost. Maybe just a mirage. You’re a top student from Fourth High, don’t be so superstitious,” Zhang Jiaohua said with a chuckle.

But Xu Xiaoting was skeptical. “If it was just a mirage, why’d you cover my mouth? You were afraid they’d hear us, weren’t you?”

“No, I was just worried the mirage would disappear if we spoke,” he said, making up a benign excuse.

She wasn’t quite convinced. “Don’t lie. I already felt something was off back in the mountains. Zhang Jiaohua, is this area around Xiyun Reservoir… not very peaceful?”

“You’ve got quite the imagination,” he laughed, trying to dismiss it.

But Zhang Jiaohua knew clearly that the boat was no ghostly apparition. If it were some spirit entity, he’d sense it. A true haunting would bring with it a biting chill—not what they just experienced.

“Really?” she asked uncertainly.

“Yes, really. Now stop overthinking and go get some rest.” He walked her back to the girls’ tent before heading off again.

When he reached a clearing a bit further from camp, he called out toward the reservoir:

“Come out.”

A strange voice echoed from all around. “Heh heh, bold little one. Just don’t cry when you see us.”

“Cut the spooky act. I don’t have time for this. Come out now, or you’ll regret it.” Zhang Jiaohua raised his hand, and a spirit sword the size of a pen appeared, hovering in the air before shooting forward.

“Whoa! You actually attacked!” a man leapt out from the reservoir. He looked to be in his 30s or 40s, oddly dressed in a full business suit and tie—like some successful office worker.

“What are you people doing tonight, acting all mysterious?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“I should be asking you! You show up at my doorstep acting all high and mighty?” the man shot back.

“This isn’t your private property. The reservoir’s been here for decades—it belongs to the public,” Zhang Jiaohua said flatly.

“Rubbish! Our Xiyun Sect has protected this area for over a century. That reservoir’s only been around for a few decades. We chose not to fight the authorities over land—doesn’t mean we don’t belong here,” the man retorted.

“Still, you shouldn’t have scared my friend,” Zhang Jiaohua said, giving him a hard stare.

“Don’t get cocky—we’ve got lots of people in the Xiyun Sect,” the man warned, stepping back cautiously.

His cultivation was weak—Zhang Jiaohua could handle him easily. But who knew how many more there were?

“Are you the last one left?” Zhang Jiaohua asked, probing.

“Of course not! Our sect is vast and powerful!” the man bluffed.

“Then call your leader. I want to borrow something,” Zhang Jiaohua said.

“What do you want to borrow?” the man asked warily.