Chapter 201 - Arc 13: Wild Beast Plains | Chapter 201
Translator: Lynn
Thank you Meg for the ko-fi! Here’s your bonus chapter
Sponsored chapter (1/1)
>
After multiple planting attempts, Xiaolu Peak had transformed into a verdant landscape filled with lush greenery and vibrant vegetation. While it lacked blossoming flowers, it exuded a picturesque, flourishing scene.
A bit below the peak, a spacious flat area stretched out, partially shaded by some dense trees on either side. Half-concealed within this tranquil setting was a cave entrance.
At the cave’s entrance, a young man dressed in green robes could be seen. His countenance was strikingly handsome, adorned with a warm and friendly smile. His gentle and amiable gaze had a way of making people feel at ease upon first sight. However, at this moment, he sat cross-legged on a patch of dry earth, carefully inspecting an object cradled in his palm.
It had been more than half a month since the events at Ruyi Xianzhuang, and during this time, Xu Ziqing had been instructed by his senior brother to tend to his wounds and refrain from excessive activity. However, he couldn’t bear the thought of being cooped up in the cave all day long. As his condition improved, he began to venture outside the cave each day to bask in the warm sunlight. The object he held in his hand was a Sacred Immortal Tree seed.
This sacred tree seed was no longer than a finger’s joint, with a shape reminiscent of an apricot pit, resembling the alluring eyes of a beautiful woman. Its lustrous, jade-like appearance was truly captivating.
Placing a single seed in the palm would instantly convey the tremendous power of Yang wood within, a power that was not fiery but rather upright and exceptionally harmonious. Breathing in its essence made one feel warmed without a sense of urgency. As Xu Ziqing examined the Sacred Immortal Tree Seed, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat perplexed.
Naturally, he harbored some desire for the sacred tree in Ruyi Xianzhuang, which bore such rare and precious Immortal Fruits. Obtaining a seed like this, he naturally assumed he could try to cultivate it.
Initially, he had hoped that the “Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique” from his legendary exercise would be effective, but to his surprise, this technique had no effect. Frustrated, he sighed.
Three days prior, Xu Ziqing had made an attempt to plant the divine tree seed. Just as he had with other plant seeds in the past, he had selected an empty spot, carefully buried a plump tree seed, covered it with soil, and then activated it with “The Art of Transformation of All Things.”
All three steps proceeded quite smoothly, and the true essence was absorbed by the Shenmu seed. A connection formed between him and the seed. However, what he didn’t anticipate was that the Shenmu seed immediately began to voraciously absorb the spiritual energy from the heavens and earth.
In a matter of mere moments, a substantial vortex of spiritual energy formed in the air, funneling toward the divine tree seed. Simultaneously, the spiritual veins beneath the ground began to tremble intensely, nearly depleting half of the spiritual energy within the blink of an eye.
This tremor within the spiritual veins caused Xiaolu Peak to shake, rousing Yun Lie from his meditative state at the summit.
Startled, Xu Ziqing acted swiftly, retrieving the divine tree seed from the ground to halt the trembling of Xiaolu Peak. The magnitude of this shock left him hesitant to take further actions.
Subsequently, Xu Ziqing became alarmed and sought out an ancient book at the Shifang Pavilion that contained information regarding the whirling sacred tree. He exchanged merit points for the book and delved into its contents. This deeper understanding made him realize the superficiality of his previous knowledge and how narrowly he had averted a catastrophe.
The Immortal Sacred Tree was one of the rarest trees in the world. Though it wasn’t among the top ten spiritual roots, acquiring its seeds was an incredibly daunting task, and planting them was even more challenging.
For the sacred tree seeds to sprout, they needed to be nurtured by wood energy at a higher level than the sacred tree itself, allowing them to break through the surface. For a hundred years, they needed to be watered with the same type of wood energy to facilitate smooth growth.
After ten thousand years, the sacred tree would bear its first Immortal Fruit.
It was clear that the wood energy contained within the Immortal Sacred Tree was already the purest first wood energy. If a higher-level wood energy was required, did it need the essence of wood?
However, first wood essence or second wood essence was rare and precious even after ten thousand years. Securing sacred seeds was difficult, let alone facilitating their sprouting by watering them with the same wood energy every hundred years. This was a herculean task, one that even large, well-established sects with deep resources might struggle to accomplish.
After realizing this, Xu Ziqing chuckled at his own naivety. The truth was that if the Possessing Sacred Tree were so easily accessible, there would be countless specimens in the Three Thousand Worlds. In the Qingyun world, Ruyi Xianzhuang possessed the only one.
If such a plant were readily obtainable, why would monks eagerly flock to Ruyi Xianzhuang, or why would the villa distribute its sacred tree seeds generously?
Additionally, Xu Ziqing recognized that, while he had absorbed the essence of Ethereal Wood, his wood energy was purer than that of many wood-attributed monks. Nonetheless, his cultivation level wasn’t sufficient for him to benefit significantly from this essence, as it was primarily deposited in his flesh and blood and nearly entirely absorbed by him.
Thus, when he employed his true energy to stimulate the divine tree seed, it triggered an insatiable absorption of spiritual energy. It was this absorption that led to the incident with the spiritual energy vortex. Now, with a deeper understanding, Xu Ziqing shook his head, musing over the situation.
If he hadn’t intervened that day, the sacred seed would have undoubtedly depleted the spiritual veins of Xiaolu Peak. Following that, many small peaks within a hundred miles might have fallen under his control. Thankfully, he had acted in the nick of time, saving Xiaolu Peak from this calamity and himself from potential disaster.
It was of utmost importance that Xu Ziqing’s possession of Ethereal Wood essence remained a closely guarded secret. The immortal realm was far from a safe haven; once this information reached the ears of malevolent entities, countless demons would be eager to capture him, intending to use his essence for their own nefarious purposes.
However, this incident drew the attention of many disciples and elders near the small peak, with even the master of Xiaozhu Peak inquiring about it. During Xu Ziqing’s moment of distress, it was Yun Lie who took charge, allowing him to evade further inquiries.
Following this episode, Xu Ziqing became even more cautious. His initial plan to incorporate the sacred tree seeds into his Dantian as a secondary tree using the “Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique” was temporarily abandoned.
The trees in his Dantian depended on his true energy for sustenance. Aside from his life-and-death-bonded Natal Tree Rong Jin, which consumed minimal energy, the other secondary trees, grown from seeds, relied on his true energy to fuel their magical properties and laws.
The Sacred Immortal Tree, with its commanding nature, could potentially drain his energy reserves if it decided to act against him. Therefore, Xu Ziqing shelved the idea of connecting with the sacred seeds for the time being.
Reflecting on his recent discussions with his senior brother about the small universe in the Zifu (Spiritual Sea), he began to realize something. His current cultivation level was not strong, and acquiring ten thousand wood seeds was a formidable challenge. However, once he advanced to the golden core and nascent soul stages, this task would become significantly more achievable. By creating another small universe, he could relocate the ten thousand seeds there, creating a world of his own. In this new world, he could directly draw energy from the heavens and earth, eliminating the need to access his dantian for nourishment.
With these thoughts in mind, Xu Ziqing temporarily set aside the matter of the sacred seeds and began to ponder another concern.
When his senior brother gave him the storage ring containing the yang tree seeds, he mentioned the idea of harmonizing the yang tree essence with the yin tree essence within his body. This was a generous offer.
However, he was unsure about the best method to achieve this harmony. His initial plan was to place the sacred seeds in his palm and use his abilities to attract yang energy, channeling it into his dantian for harmonization. Yet, since he had learned about the Sacred Immortal seed’s domineering nature, he hesitated to proceed.
As he contemplated this, he noticed a person descending from the peak with a measured gait. It was his senior brother, Yun Lie.
Seeing the faint hint of trouble on Xu Ziqing’s face, Yun Lie smiled slightly and called out, “Ziqing.”
Xu Ziqing raised his head with a warm smile in his eyes and asked, “Shixiong, have you finished your practice for today?”
Yun Lie nodded, glancing at the Shenmu seed in Xu Ziqing’s hand. He inquired, “What are you up to?”
Xu Ziqing raised the sacred seed, expressed his dilemma, and said, “Right now, it feels like I’ve got a treasure, but I can’t find a way to use it. I’m not sure what to do.”
Yun Lie walked over, sat cross-legged in front of Xu Ziqing, accepted the sacred seed, and began examining it closely.
Observing his senior brother’s deep concentration, Xu Ziqing thought his senior had a wealth of experience and asked, “What do you think?”
Yun Lie didn’t utter a word; instead, he placed the sacred seed in his mouth.
Xu Ziqing was shocked, exclaiming, “Senior brother, what are you doing?” In a bid to protect his senior brother, he reached out to retrieve the seed, fearing for his well-being.
However, Yun Lie’s movements were swifter than Xu Ziqing’s, and even in his best health, he couldn’t compete. With his lingering internal injuries, he fumbled in his attempt, and Yun Lie had to intervene to prevent him from falling.
Yun Lie reached out to support Xu Ziqing and injected a bit of his own true energy into him. He recognized the gravity of the situation and furrowed his brow slightly. “Don’t move,” he advised.
Struggling to contain the pain, Xu Ziqing refrained from moving. He said, “This posture is rather undignified; please help me sit up, senior brother.”
Yun Lie didn’t show any embarrassment, nor did he push Xu Ziqing away. In his usual decisive manner, he picked up Xu Ziqing, cradling him like a child, and let him rest on his shoulder.
In an instant, Xu Ziqing’s face flushed with embarrassment. He couldn’t help but call out, “Shi, Shixiong?”
Yun Lie remained in this position, unperturbed, and continued to gaze at the sacred seed. “You should rest and recuperate in bed. Don’t worry about appearances.”
Translator’s notes:
Hi! I will have one or two chapters to update this week^^
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
Support me on ko-fi for faster releases ^^