Chapter 83: Mushrooms?

Shen Duo smiled and nodded.
After the disaster aboard the Sailing Ship, Wei Dong had become a close friend to them.
Dick couldn't gauge Wei Dong's true strength, but that alone told him Wei Dong was far superior. He put up no objection. The perilous section of the Tianqing River was no place for just any illusionist; countless hidden dangers lurked there. Unless someone was at the level of a high-grade spirit illusionist or above, Dick would never recommend anyone venture into those waters.
The three made their decision, returned to their cabins to pack, and then met again on deck.
Shen Duo had Benyi return to his original form, and all three climbed onto his broad back, heading toward another river entrance.
Many illusionists watching from the deck showed envious looks, but they were well aware of their own abilities. Without sufficient strength, one would only become a burden in such dangerous expeditions.
Benyi flew swiftly, skimming so close to the river's surface that his body nearly touched the water. The river surged through the narrow channel, crashing at times against massive rocks that jutted into the flow, sending up splashes as tall as a man.
On both sides, jagged mountains rose, and small magical beasts lived among them, occasionally poking their curious heads from the undergrowth to observe the travelers. Wei Dong deliberately let out a strange roar, and the beasts, startled, vanished into the woods.
Night gradually fell. The banks of Tianqing River were lined with mountains, and many glowing plants scattered along the shore cast colorful lights, as if the river were bordered by a sea of flowers. Reflections of the plants shimmered on the water, twisting into countless serpentine shadows of vibrant hues.
Riding on Benyi’s back, feeling the night breeze and taking in the extraordinary scenery along both banks, it was a sight unmatched by the neon lights of any modern city.
As the night deepened, the riversides grew quieter, but soon the calls of magical beasts echoed from the shadows, strange and varied. They even glimpsed a long line of glowing deep-blue creatures moving across the river. As they swam, their shapes shifted, most often forming upright lines or inverted “V” formations, reminiscent of migrating geese—though these were aquatic, not avian.
The journey’s awe was no less than the spectacle of the purple reed forests seen upstream.
As night wore on, the glow from riverside plants faded, and silence settled with the arrival of midnight.
Still flying along the river, they gradually heard the roar of massive waters.
“It’s the sound of a waterfall!” Wei Dong exclaimed with delight. “I saw waterfalls like this in the Bright Mountains before, but none as loud as this!”

Shen Duo was equally eager—since arriving in this strange world, she had yet to witness a waterfall herself.
She communicated with Benyi through telepathy, urging him to fly faster.
Sure enough, as they approached, the sound grew louder, finally becoming almost thunderous!
The rushing river, confined to a narrow channel, reached the vast waterfall and plunged straight down from a great height!
After the waterfall, the river broadened, and the waters became calmer and gentle.
Standing on Benyi’s back, Shen Duo marveled at the sight before her—it was like a natural version of the Three Gorges Dam!
The river dropped from dozens of meters above, gravity forming a massive natural pool below. The overflow from the pool rejoined the wide river, and the clear waters were home to small magical fish.
Due to the terrain, the pool lay several dozen meters below the waterfall, with one side recessed, forming an open hemispherical shape.
Seeing such a magnificent waterfall for the first time, all three were spellbound. It was a pity that night obscured the grandeur of the scene, despite the glow of surrounding plants.
So they agreed to camp by the waterfall for the night.
They found a flat spot beside the vast pool and efficiently set up tents and built a campfire, showing their experience in outdoor survival.
Soon, three tents stood side by side. Shen Duo took out rhino jerky and some nectar fruit wine from her storage pouch to share with the others. She suddenly remembered she had not yet examined the storage pouch she had won from the father-daughter duo, Leo and Aisha; Aisha’s red jade bracelet had also been tucked away in her pouch.
Shen Duo placed the bracelet casually by the fire and began to explore the storage pouch. Leo truly deserved the title of beast-taming master; his pouch contained countless priceless treasures, as well as cooked food, drinks, and fruit. Shen Duo brought out several unfamiliar foods, and to her surprise, she found some dried mushrooms resembling shiitake.
Aisha’s pouch, however, held mostly gold coins and assorted jewelry.
Shen Duo took out the “dried mushrooms,” then selected a pot from her own pouch. Feng Jun watched her busily with his usual stoic expression, while Little Blue was intensely curious, winding around her wrist, motionless, watching her pull items from the pouch as if performing magic. Its big, watery eyes seemed eager to peer inside and see what treasures were hidden within.

Seeing its adorable look, Shen Duo reached out and stuffed a piece of delicious jerky into its mouth. Little Blue stared at her, eyes wide; the jerky was so big it nearly choked, prompting it to send a telepathic protest to Feng Jun, hoping he’d voice its dissatisfaction.
But Feng Jun said nothing, instead watching their interaction with amused interest.
As Shen Duo sorted through her pouch, she noticed Little Blue’s pitiful gaze. Its mouth was empty now, and she assumed it wanted more, so she reached for another piece. Little Blue, frightened, darted onto Feng Jun’s shoulder and shook its head desperately.
Shen Duo’s clear eyes were full of confusion. She asked Feng Jun, “Does Little Blue not want jerky? Isn’t it always a glutton?”
At her question, Feng Jun couldn’t help but laugh. In Shen Duo’s mind, the mighty eight-headed serpent—descended from ancient illusion beasts—was merely a foodie!
Little Blue, realizing how Shen Duo viewed it, stared at her forlornly, its big eyes brimming with tears, about to spill over.
Feng Jun stifled his laughter, coughed, and pointed to the small pile of dried mushrooms by the fire. “Little Blue wants these.”
At last, Feng Jun voiced Little Blue’s wishes. Little Blue, moved, nuzzled his wrist affectionately.
Shen Duo suppressed a twitch of her lips, picked up a dried mushroom, and said helplessly, “These haven’t been soaked yet. How can you eat them? Be patient, Little Blue—I’ll make mushroom soup for you soon, all right?”
Wei Dong finally couldn’t resist interjecting, “Xiao Duo, what is this? Mushrooms?”
Only then did Shen Duo realize this world might not have mushrooms, so she fumbled to explain.
She examined the dried mushrooms, turning them over. They looked exactly like mushrooms—just larger and more attractive than those from her previous life, but otherwise identical, even the color. “If these aren’t mushrooms, what are they?”
Wei Dong wanted to throw his greatsword to the ground, stomp in frustration, and howl three times to let off steam. Shen Duo had actually mistaken priceless treasures for vegetables... Truly, only she could do such a thing...