novelapdf Chapter 319 Ancient Mulberry Tree
Chapter 319 Ancient Mulberry Tree
Zhang Xingyao and the others had never seen such a towering ancient tree before. It must have been planted here when the secret realm was established to grow to such a size.
Ten thousand years?
Or even longer?
"This wood is probably at least a low-grade fifth rank, right?"
"No, this wood itself has not reached the fifth rank; it is currently only a top-grade fourth rank. However, if the power of the entire secret realm is mobilized, it will be equivalent to the fifth rank."
Yue Yi, with his sharp eye, explained:
"This wood is called the Yuan Sang Ancient Tree. It is a rare material for refining weapons. It is said to be impervious to water and fire. Ancient Qi Refiners often liked to add this material when refining weapons. However, because it grows too slowly, it can only be used after it has grown for a thousand years. Nowadays, it is almost impossible to find in the outside world."
There was a hint of regret in his eyes:
"This wood is over ten thousand years old. If it were in the outside world, it would be at least a seventh-grade tree, enough to make a Nascent Soul cultivator fight over it... It's a pity it grows in a secret realm..."
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately understood.
Due to the inherent rules of the secret realm, nothing that grows within it can break through to the fifth rank. If this happens, the secret realm will inevitably collapse.
This ancient mulberry tree was originally planted here by the Divine Wood Sect, who intended to harvest it after it grew to a certain age. However, a great calamity struck, and the entire sect was wiped out. This secret realm is now left unguarded by any cultivators.
So over the long years, this tree took deep root in the earth, constantly absorbing nutrients and spiritual energy to grow stronger. However, only its body grew stronger; in essence, it could never reach the limit of a fifth-order spiritual tree.
Therefore, in the eyes of outsiders, the ancient mulberry tree here has no other use besides being able to mass-produce fourth-order magic weapons.
"Can't we transplant this tree to an outside place?" Lin Qing asked, frowning after hearing this.
"Of course, but at least a Nascent Soul cultivator would have to do it. As I just said, this tree has become connected with the secret realm over the past ten thousand years and has become the master of the secret realm. Once it is separated, the secret realm will collapse. It is not impossible to send a Golden Core cultivator, but if they are not careful, they will be swept into the spatial turbulence caused by the collapse."
"Since they can't leave anyway, why bother keeping Yuan Yao and the others confined?"
"This problem is easy to explain. It's simply that this tree wants to possess the bodies of these people and escape from the outside world. Think about it, any monster or spiritual plant that has developed sentience, who wouldn't want to continue climbing the Great Dao?" Yue Yi explained.
Zhang Lingyu nodded. This former Golden Core cultivator had already guessed all of the Yuan Sang Ancient Tree's plans.
"Let's go. Yuan Yao and the others are just ahead. If there's no mistake, they're being held captive inside the Yuan Sang Ancient Tree."
A drop of blood hovered between his fingertips, obtained from Yuan Yao's parents. Through the bloodline attraction technique, he had become increasingly able to pinpoint the location of things after entering the secret realm.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they took a step, the same overwhelming pressure surged from all directions again, as if it would crush them all in the next second.
In this world, the ancient mulberry tree is the master, and controlling them is a piece of cake.
In addition to the constant pressure, dozens of swaying figures appeared in the distance.
These people were dressed in uniform dark green clothing, with wooden armor over them. Their flesh and blood were still intact, and their color was even comparable to that of an infant.
Strangely, each person's skin had dense, wood-like patterns, and coupled with their blank stares, they were already walking corpses.
"It's a wooden puppet!" Yue Yi's face darkened as he sensed the immense vitality emanating from the puppet's body.
"That's right. If I'm not mistaken, these wooden puppets were all disciples of the Divine Wood Sect in life. They probably died in the secret realm or at the hands of the Yuan Sang Ancient Tree, and were refined into wooden puppets by it."
While channeling magical power into the Spirit Puppet Transformation Box to resist the constant pressure, Zhang Lingyu also unleashed the six Xuan Ting Flying Swords.
Since it was just mentioned that this wood is impervious to water and fire, the Burning Yuan Heart Flame probably won't have much effect on it. It would need to reach at least the Golden Core level to work, otherwise it would just be a waste of one's own mana.
At the same time, he slapped the spirit insect bag, releasing all the Spirit Devouring Peaks.
This place is full of spiritual plants and herbs, and there is not even a trace of demonic beasts. In addition, the wooden puppets in front of us are full of the vitality of the Yuan Sang Ancient Tree, which is an invaluable source of nourishment.
So as soon as it left the spirit insect bag, it rushed towards the wooden puppets like a madman.
"clang!"
Zhang Xingyao struck one of the wooden puppets with his sword, only to find that his sword couldn't penetrate the surface armor at all. Instead, it fueled the puppet's arrogance, and the puppet threw a punch at him.
"Damn scum, he's really hard to kill."
Throughout his cultivation journey, this was the first time he had ever felt so powerless in the face of an enemy.
The wooden puppet was clearly only at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, yet it was impervious to water and fire. My Burning Yuan Heart Flame was completely useless, and the magic weapon couldn't even break through its defenses.
Even if a cut is made in the flesh, it is quickly filled with life.
Even if a cut is made in the flesh, it is quickly filled with life.
Seeing that his attack was useless, he could only defend passively. The wooden puppet did not know the magic it used in life, but its physical body had been irrigated by the vitality of the Yuan Sang Ancient Tree and was extremely powerful. It could defeat him step by step with just its fists.
He wasn't the only one dealing with the awkward situation; Lin Qing and her husband were also involved.
Their puppets were equally useless.
The only weapons capable of causing damage are Zhang Lingyu's six Thunder Flying Swords and the Soul-Devouring Bees.
And then there's Yue Yi, wielding a golden sword, who seems quite adept at handling things.
The wooden puppet's skin armor was incredibly tough, and the Soul-Devouring Bees initially couldn't break through its defenses at all; in fact, many of them were killed.
However, as soon as they absorb even a little bit of life force, they immediately begin to split and give birth to more Soul-Devouring Bees.
You're full of life, so I'll eat as much as I can.
The more you eat, the more you want to eat; the more you eat, the more you want to eat.
Soon, one of the wooden puppets was devoured by a swarm of bees until it was skin and bones. Just as it was about to collapse, a thick branch burst out from the ground and poured life into the puppet's body.
Without a doubt, it must have been the ancient Yuan Sang tree that made the move.
Having gained immense vitality, the wooden puppet's entire body was filled up again.
The Soul-Eating Bees were not alarmed but rather delighted, as they were worried about not having enough food.
Aside from the bees, no one present could be happy after witnessing this scene.
The ancient mulberry tree is enormous, not to mention the immense vitality within it. Furthermore, the other party is the master of the secret realm, and is nourished by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. If this continues, they will eventually be worn down and die here.
In the end, several more companions were added to the wooden puppet.
"This can't go on."
Zhang Lingyu took out a talisman from his sleeve and shouted, "Everyone, please step back."
When the crowd saw that he was holding a talisman covered in purple patterns, they immediately understood what he was going to do and quickly withdrew.
The Soul-Devouring Bees seemed reluctant to leave, as if they hadn't had enough to eat, but they had no choice but to disperse from the wooden puppet under their master's orders.
"boom!"
The next second, a violent explosion erupted inside the wooden puppet.
This is a mid-grade fifth-tier [Purple Lightning Karma-Guiding Talisman], one of the ones given to me by True Monarch Yunhe.
Since the Yuan Sang Ancient Tree is impervious to water and fire, using other methods would inevitably weaken its power. It would be safer to use the method of thunder.
The thunderbolts that filled the sky were like countless enraged silver dragons, raging and tearing wildly among the wooden puppets.
Even with a constant influx of new life to supplement and attempt to repair those charred cracks, it is ultimately a drop in the ocean.
For the first time in their lives, these people, who had lived for tens of thousands of years, showed signs of pain.
In just a few dozen breaths, under the onslaught of thunder, the wooden puppets could no longer hold on and collapsed one after another, eventually turning into charred remains.
But the commotion did not stop there. The entire secret realm seemed to have been fundamentally angered and began to shake violently.
In an instant, the sky turned from clear to overcast, with thick, dark clouds rolling and gathering, flashes of lightning appearing intermittently.
The spiritual energy became violent and chaotic, colliding in all directions and forming visible twisted vortices, clearly indicating that the power of the fifth-order talisman had exceeded its capacity to withstand it.
The ancient Yuan Sang tree rooted in the secret realm in the distance also reacted violently, its huge branches shaking wildly and leaves falling one after another, as if a green rain had fallen.
The earth trembled violently under its shaking.
As the master of the secret realm, the Yuan Sang Ancient Tree could not remain uninvolved. It was one with the secret realm and was also subject to the lingering power of the thunder.
However, the power of a single fifth-tier talisman, though enough to shake the secret realm, is ultimately still within the range that its profound foundation can withstand.
Nearly half an hour passed before the wisps of haze in the sky finally dissipated, and silence returned.
Taking this opportunity, Zhang Lingyu and the others also arrived at the location of the ancient Yuan Sang tree.
Only when you get close can you feel how big the tree really is and how insignificant you are.
"It's a pity that without breaking through to the fifth rank, one can only be trapped in this secret realm. What's the use of lording it over others?"
He shook his head and said loudly, "Fellow Daoist, we are not unreasonable people. Please come out and have a chat!"
To be fair, although the Yuan Sang Ancient Tree imprisoned Yuan Yao and the others here in an attempt to do something against the heavens, it hasn't happened yet, so there's no deep-seated hatred between them.
There is still room for everything to turn around.
After all, the Yuan Sang Ancient Tree is a spiritual tree that has lived for tens of thousands of years and is the master of this secret realm. Shouldn't we give it some face?
But after nearly several dozen breaths, there was still no movement from the tree.
On the contrary, the ground beneath their feet trembled violently, as if thousands of roots were trying to break through the soil and suppress them here.
"So you're going to refuse a polite toast only to have to drink a forfeit one, huh!"
Zhang Lingyu sneered, took out several more mid-grade fifth-rank talismans and held them in his palm, saying coldly, "Fellow Daoist, we've come to reason with you, but if you ignore us, then let's try a different approach?"
"These three talismans are all from the previous [Purple Lightning Karma-Drawing Talisman]. Casting them at such close range, I'm afraid you'll also perish!"
In an instant, the earth stopped shaking, and everything returned to calm.
After a while, a huge human face slowly appeared on the trunk of the ancient Yuan Sang tree. Its mouth opened and closed, causing the heavens and earth to tremble: "Young man, you may try. As the master of this secret realm, I can withstand the power of just three mid-grade fifth-rank talismans."
"I have lived for tens of thousands of years, and my body is full of vitality. With the continuous supply of spiritual energy, I will be able to recover in just a few years."
"But what about you? Once you've used up your talismans, what other tricks will you have left? You're all Foundation Establishment cultivators, and the magic weapons you have won't be of much use. In the end, won't you just obediently become my wooden puppets?"
"Don't blame me for being ruthless. You delivered yourselves to my doorstep. I warned you before you entered the secret realm."
These one words caused Zhang Xingyao and the others to change their expressions drastically.
Indeed, given the sheer size and vitality of the ancient mulberry tree, it's not impossible for it to withstand the onslaught.
"Who said I only have these three?" Zhang Lingyu scoffed, then took out two more.
"Only five, that's still not enough."
"Then add five more. If that's not enough, I can take out more." Zhang Lingyu held ten talismans in her palm, her smile undiminished.
These talismans were almost all his trump cards. The remaining two were his trump cards against peak Golden Core cultivators or Nascent Soul cultivators, and he could not easily reveal them.
But that doesn't mean he's gone.
Don't forget you also have the Spirit Puppet Transformation Box with you.
This magical artifact has its own internal space, which must contain many good things. Although you can't take them out on your own, you can trade them.
"Aren't you...aren't you afraid?"
The ancient mulberry tree was silent for a moment, then roared in fury:
"Once these ten talismans are used, I will surely perish, and this secret realm will collapse along with them. You are merely Foundation Establishment cultivators; do you think you can survive in this spatial turbulence?"
"What you said is true, senior. Even if we die here, our clan will still thrive under the leadership of the rest of the clan. But if you perish, senior, you will truly perish. You have lived for ten thousand years and still haven't been able to break through to the fifth rank. Are you really willing to be trapped here for the rest of your life?"
"Alright, let's die together then, I've had enough of living anyway!" After saying that, the Yuan Sang Ancient Tree's huge body began to shake, as if it really wanted to fight to the death.
"Who said we all have to die here? Look what this is!" Yue Yi, standing to the side, pulled out a talisman from somewhere and started waving it in his hand.
In an instant, the earth returned to calm.
While the group was still wondering, the Yuan Sang Ancient Tree exclaimed, "Great Teleportation Talisman! How could you, a mere early Foundation Establishment cultivator, possess a Great Teleportation Talisman?"
"Old man, don't worry about how I got them. If you don't agree to release them, we'll activate ten talismans, then use the Great Teleportation Talisman to break through the secret realm and leave. You'll be the only one who dies then."
"You really dare? Aren't you afraid those three dolls will die too? Don't forget why you entered the secret realm in the first place—wasn't it to save them?"
"Since we can't save them, let's give up. They're just three early Foundation Establishment cultivators anyway, and we can train them in the future." Before Yue Yi could answer, Zhang Lingyu had already stepped forward.
His expression was icy, as if he truly didn't care about the lives of Zhang Yuanyao and the other two.
"Even after thousands of years, the selfish and self-serving nature of cultivators remains unchanged. For the sake of their cultivation path and their own lives, they will abandon even their closest relatives as if they were worn-out shoes!"
After a long while, the ancient Yuan Sang tree gave a cold laugh before finally relenting:
"Since that's the case, then come in, take these three dolls, and get out of this secret realm!"
It's just a matter of letting them out; why not just let them come out directly instead of letting them go in?
Thank you.
Just as the group was about to object, Zhang Lingyu immediately retorted, then turned around and handed all the talismans to Zhang Xingyao, saying loudly, "Everyone, if I fail to get out, my family uncle will detonate the talismans, and then you can escape."
"Lingyu...you." Zhang Xingyao's expression was complicated. He knew that these words were deliberately said to Yuansang Ancient Tree, but he still had some concerns in his heart.
"It's alright, I know what I'm doing." Zhang Lingyu shook his head and turned to disappear into the ancient tree.
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