Lingzhiling#

Deep in the woods, beneath the trees, Where mountains green and waters please, It guards its friends with gentle ease, But gathers strength when threats it sees.

In the highland bounds, a famed wine estate thrived, renowned for its medicinal brews. These beverages, with their enchanting aroma and exquisite flavor, were beloved by the people, and its business flourished. The master of the estate had two sons, coming of age, noble in their aspirations yet prideful in their hearts. Cared not for the art of brewing, they spent their time seeking the company of heroes, heedless of their father's admonishments.

It was at this time that a bereaved family in the village uncovered a disturbing incident-the desecration of their loved one's grave. The villagers gathered there, only to discover the shattered coffin lid and clusters of fungi where the corpse should have lain. Such sporadic incidents had occurred before, yet remained unresolved, prompting the brothers to uncover the truth.

Day after day, they scoured the mountains. Until one fateful night, as the two stealthily returned home in the darkest hour, they caught a glimpse of a figure disappearing into their brewery cellar. They pursued the presumed thief, only to discover a monstrous creature capped with a blood-red lingzhi mushroom. Without hesitation, the brothers lunged forward, slaying the creature on the spot.

The sounds startled the master, who arrived only to find the lingzhi creature lying dead. Filled with a mix of anger and frustration, he revealed that the creature was in fact the brewer of the finest beverage of the estate. His sons, who had been intent on showcasing their conquest, were filled with shame and regret, and dared not utter another word.

Their business dwindled in the years that followed; a once grand manor in disarray. Unable to endure the situation any longer, the brothers resolved to leave home in search of a new life. Prior to their departure, the aged master hosted a grand feast, bidding farewell to them alongside relatives and friends. Curiously, after their departure, the business suddenly flourished once more. Only the master knew the reason behind it. Every midnight, two monstrous beings, bearing an uncanny resemblance to his sons, with lingzhi mushroom caps atop their heads, would toil to craft the finest brews for the brewery.