Word Count: 2,345 Words
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Feng Qing Er's noble, beautiful face was flushed crimson with rage, her entire body trembling. Xiao Yan's scheme was nearly flawless!
She had indeed done things that betrayed her tribe. Once exposed, losing her position as Saintess would be the least of her worries. She might be imprisoned by the tribe itself or, in the worst case, have her essence blood extracted and be reduced to a complete cripple!
The Tenth Tianzun had always been utterly ruthless toward his enemies. Feng Qing Er had believed her evolving bloodline would let her resist him, but the truth was painfully clear: she could never escape his 'Five Finger Mountain.' She was merely a small bird perched in his palm, nothing more.
"Stop arguing! We can't linger here. The others have already entered the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree's domain. If we're surrounded, every last one of us will perish!" Elder Feng Lan transformed directly into her true form and deployed the Demon Phoenix Bell to hold off the peak Rank 8 super ferocious beasts.
Jiu Feng gritted his teeth and formed hand seals. Bloodline strength erupted from within as seven-colored divine light burst from his eyes. The radiance swept across the battlefield, and those ferocious beasts, already simple-minded and driven mad by berserk factors, froze as if someone had pressed a pause button.
"Move!" Jiu Feng shot Feng Qing Er a vicious glare, a trace of ruthless cruelty now lurking in his gaze.
The malice in his eyes told Feng Qing Er everything. No amount of explanation would clear her name now.
Elder Feng Lan sighed. "Ah, Qing Er, you know how deeply our Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe values bloodline. Though that Xiao Yan is certainly outstanding, he's still human. Given your current status, the only one truly suited for you is Jiu Feng."
"Xiao Yan may be an alchemist who has shown you kindness, but... ah, I hope you can come to understand."
Feng Qing Er desperately wanted to scream: I understand! You're the ones who don't understand!
After everyone charged into that eerie black fog and the beast tide finished devouring those who couldn't escape, the monsters finally came to a halt.
Even those peak Rank 8 super ferocious beasts approaching Rank 9 stopped in their tracks, completely refusing to approach the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree or venture near that strange black mist. Deep wariness filled their savage eyes.
Drawn by the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree's allure, Xiao Yan and the others had overlooked a crucial question: why didn't these ferocious beasts dare enter its domain?
Shortly after Xiao Yan's group plunged into the eerie black fog, an enormous ancient tree appeared several thousand meters away, standing solitary upon the vast plain. Its canopy spread incredibly wide. Pure energy rippled above it, occasionally shifting into various mystical shapes that appeared wondrous and unfathomable.
"So this is the legendary Bodhisattva Ancient Tree!"
Xiao Yan's heart pounded violently as he gazed at this ancient tree that stood like a pillar between heaven and earth.
Dou Saint! So close at hand!
"The Bodhisattva Ancient Tree?!"
The other factions following behind also caught sight of the massive tree radiating its primordial aura. Pupils contracted everywhere as exclamations burst forth.
Even Xun Er, born of a Dou God Clan, couldn't hide the surprise in her beautiful eyes. Gu Qing Yang, Hun Yu, and the others all bore traces of shock on their faces. Despite their backgrounds as ancient clans possessing the continent's most powerful inheritances, none of their realms contained such a divine object. They had only ever glimpsed such wonders occasionally within ancient texts.
"What a wondrous tree," Little Fairy Doctor murmured.
Having inherited Saint Zhao Hua's herb cultivation legacy, she had read about the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree in the Creation Saint Classic.
According to its records, the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree ranked among the Dou Qi Continent's most supreme divine treasures, the only one of its kind in existence. Even Saint Zhao Hua, with his power of creation, could not cultivate a second specimen.
Like the Nihility Devouring Flame and the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame, it was utterly unique!
Not even a Dou God could cultivate a second Bodhisattva Ancient Tree, nor could the Dou Qi Continent itself give birth to another!
Calling it the World Tree of the Dou Qi Continent would be no exaggeration.
Though they stood at an extreme distance from the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree, its mystical grandeur was unmistakable. Its canopy spread endlessly, like an ancient holy relic standing through the ages, suffused with age and vicissitude.
"Hun Yu and his people have already moved ahead."
Xiao Yan suppressed the burning excitement in his heart and waved his hand, taking the lead as he shot toward the distant ancient tree. Xun Er and the others didn't even pause to rest before hurrying to keep up.
Just as Xiao Yan's group set off, the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe finally arrived.
"Is that the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree?"
A refreshing sensation washed over them at the sight. Even Jiu Feng, consumed by rage only moments before, momentarily forgot his anger as shock filled his eyes.
The Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe themselves dwelt in trees. Their divine tree already ranked among the Dou Qi Continent's finest specimens, yet it couldn't compare to the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree before them.
"If we could dwell upon it, our tribe might even evolve bloodlines comparable to the Ancient Heaven Phoenix, becoming an entirely new race!"
An elder following Jiu Feng murmured these thoughts to himself. Though the idea was impossible, every Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe member nodded, eyes brimming with longing.
If they could inhabit the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree and receive its nourishment over time, their bloodlines would inevitably mutate and evolve. They would become a brand-new super magical beast race comparable to the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe!
At the very rear, Feng Qing Er possessed the highest-grade bloodline and felt the effects most keenly. Merely breathing in a trace of the ancient tree's aura caused her bloodline to stir. If she could obtain Bodhisattva Seeds, even consuming them raw without refining them into pills would bring immeasurable benefits!
The Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe had barely landed, their footing still unsteady, when they spotted the ancient tree standing in the distance. The moment they saw Xiao Yan's group already racing toward it, they could no longer hold back. A deep voice commanded, "Follow them!"
"Understood!"
The Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe's experts had just burned through considerable Dou Qi unleashing their bloodline strength, but they gritted their teeth and nodded regardless. Figures flashed as they shot forward once more, urgently pursuing Xiao Yan's group.
Xiao Yan's group moved at incredible speed. The several-thousand-meter distance took only minutes to cross. When they arrived within a few hundred meters of the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree, Hun Yu's party suddenly appeared in their field of vision.
Xiao Yan and the others froze at the sight of those Hun Clan experts standing motionless. These fellows were actually waiting for them, obediently, without advancing?
"Something's definitely wrong. Stay alert and be ready to leave at any moment."
"Understood."
Xiao Yan spoke quietly as his speed gradually decreased. He landed a safe distance behind Hun Yu's group, his gaze sweeping over them before lifting to the nearby Bodhisattva Ancient Tree.
Viewing the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree up close proved an entirely different level of awe. Its massive trunk, spanning thousands of meters, resembled a sky-pillar connecting heaven and earth. Ancient aura permeated its bark. The canopy spread incredibly wide, enough to shroud nearly half a city in shadow. Extremely dense pure energy flowed from within the tree, rippling through the sky above and occasionally manifesting various mystical phenomena overhead.
Sunlight poured down at that moment, illuminating the ancient tree with crystalline radiance. A life force powerful enough to awe everyone present permeated the surroundings.
Hai Bodong drew a deep breath, and a refreshing sensation flooded his core. He exhaled slowly. "What an invigorating feeling."
Venerable Tian Huo nodded in agreement. "The Bodhisattva Ancient Tree truly lives up to its legendary reputation as a divine tree."
Unease stirred within Xiao Yan's heart, however. This sensation stemmed from his powerful soul. After cultivating the Emperor Soul Technique, his spiritual perception had grown increasingly sharp, capable of vaguely sensing any approaching danger. The current unease remained extremely subtle, though, nearly impossible to detect without careful attention.
"Xiao Yan!! I'll fight you to the death!"
While Xiao Yan pondered, sudden wind-breaking sounds erupted from behind. Feng Qing Er's eyes blazed with fury as she gathered wind-lightning power in her right palm and struck at him. Blood sprayed from her lips as the Asura Slave Seal erupted within her body, but she endured the soul-searing agony and pressed the attack regardless.
"Ah, why bother?" Xiao Yan shook his head with a helpless sigh and countered with a casual punch.
His fist, wrapped in glazed golden light, met her palm in an instant. Her strength already fell far short of Xiao Yan's, and with the Asura Slave Seal's interference on top of that, Feng Qing Er's attack felt almost pitifully feeble.
The seemingly fearsome wind-lightning palm print proved utterly fragile, shattered by a single blow. She was sent tumbling backward through the air, coughing blood.
Jiu Feng watched Feng Qing Er's desperate attempt to prove her innocence through combat and curved his lips into a cold smile. If you're going to act, at least make it convincing. That palm strike was even weaker than the one you used on me!
"Xiao Yan, you just controlled me! It wasn't of my own will!" Feng Qing Er wiped the blood from her lips, fury blazing in her eyes as she glared at him.
To her utter surprise, Xiao Yan actually nodded. "Indeed. I did use a Spiritual Illusion technique to control you just now."
For a moment Feng Qing Er could only stare, stunned by his brazen admission. Then her face changed dramatically, draining of all color as she whipped around to look at the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe members behind her.
Sure enough, Jiu Feng wore a cold smile, mockery plain in his gaze. Even the other Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe elders shook their heads and sighed.
They clearly didn't believe her. She had been cast aside completely.
Jiu Feng ignored her presence entirely. Leading his people forward with measured steps, he smiled faintly. "Everyone, after such effort to reach this place, why have you stopped?"
Hun Yu turned around from ahead, his previously furrowed brow relaxing as he smiled. "Hehe, everyone has finally arrived. Since we all share the same goal of the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree, naturally we should wait and proceed together."
Everyone present offered thin smiles at his words. Those who had made it here were no fools. They had long since seen through Hun Yu's act. The man appeared kind on the surface but harbored extreme ruthlessness beneath. Anyone naive enough to believe such words had already been left behind in the beast tide, reduced to fragments in the beasts' stomachs.
Hun Yu didn't mind their perfunctory reactions. His face maintained its pleasant expression as he pointed toward the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree behind him. "That is our target. However, though we've broken through the beast tide, the truly difficult opponent... is still this Bodhisattva Ancient Tree."
Xiao Yan's group showed no surprise. If anyone believed this Bodhisattva Ancient Tree was truly just a harmless tree posing no threat whatsoever, they would have to be insane.
Everyone present understood perfectly well: this tree surely possessed terrifying means. Anyone who showed it disrespect would meet a horrible end.
"Young Master Xiao Yan, I see something wrong with this Bodhisattva Ancient Tree," Qing Lin suddenly transmitted, her expression grave.
"Hmm? What do you see, Qing Lin?" Xiao Yan's own Spiritual Strength had also vaguely sensed something amiss, though he couldn't pinpoint the specifics. Qing Lin, however, possessed the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, hailed as the Dou Qi Continent's premier mystical eyes, and could surely perceive things others could not.
"Hidden within the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree's green radiance is a somewhat chilling gray aura. This gray aura carries many negative emotions similar to those of humans. These emotions are very dangerous."
Xiao Yan's footsteps halted at once. He stared at the seemingly harmless Bodhisattva Ancient Tree in disbelief, his heart sinking. Could this thing be fake? Like the Lesser Thunderclap Monastery in Journey to the West, some kind of test set by the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree?
Shortly after Xiao Yan stopped, a humming sound suddenly emerged from the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree's trunk. A mass of brilliant radiance rose from within, resembling an enormous energy heart several meters in size that pulsed with powerful, rhythmic beats.
"The Bodhisattva Heart!"
The instant the Bodhisattva Heart pulsed, everyone's hearts thumped violently in unison, as though it could resonate with every last one of them simultaneously.
In that single moment, eyes reddened all around as every person present prepared to charge forward and seize the Bodhisattva Heart. But five eerie figures stepped expressionlessly from within the tree trunk.
As these five emerged, the surrounding space began rippling violently. Terrifying pressure flooded outward in all directions!
"Those are Half-Saints!"
"How is this possible?! Five Half-Saints!!"
"No, wait... these Half-Saint experts all seem to be puppets. They've been killed by the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree and turned into tree slaves!"
Everyone's faces turned extremely grim at the discovery. If even Half-Saint experts had been turned into puppets by the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree, who could possibly obtain the Bodhisattva Heart?
Half-Saint experts commanded formidable power even within Dou God Clans like the Gu and Hun Clans. Elder Tong Xuan, for instance, was merely a Half-Saint!
Now five Half-Saints stood as puppets under the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree's control. The sight chilled everyone present to the bone.
Hun Yu's expression shifted as well. He recognized one of the Half-Saint figures as a Hun Clan expert who had gone missing while searching for the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree. Not only had that Half-Saint perished, but his body had been made into a tree slave!