Chapter 2044

At this moment, the tree in the picture suddenly rustled loudly, and leaves fell like rain. Passing residents were startled, for there was no wind at all—how could the tree be shaking?

He Lingchuan immediately felt that familiar throbbing again.

Huh, could it be… this tree is calling him?

This was originally a seed of the Treasure Tree King, possessing the ability to enter and exit the Qingming realm. After being swallowed by the Great Square Vase, it was planted in Panlongcheng, and now its height exceeds twenty zhang, its broad canopy able to shade half of the South Gate Square. In the scorching summer, many residents come here to cool off and escape the heat.

Just thinking about the Treasure Tree King's stature, one knows it still has great room for growth.

Speaking of which, how long has it been since he last returned to Panlongcheng, and yet the tree's leaves have already turned partially gold-red, very beautiful.

These random thoughts flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern, and then he saw something mixed among the colorful falling leaves of the Jialuo Tree, which had fallen out of the Hao Yuan Golden Mirror!

Put plainly, it had fallen out of the Panlong World, dropping into this steaming, toxic fire cauldron world!

He Lingchuan didn't hesitate—he grabbed it, stared intently—

It was a fruit, bulging in the middle and pointed at both ends, shaped like a lemon.

The soul-capturing mirror beside him exclaimed: "Eh, isn't this the seed of the Jialuo Tree?"

Indeed, the seed He Lingchuan had seized from Fengmo Mountain before looked just like this, except that one was golden, while this one is gold with a hint of red—not only bearing fiery red patterns, but under the faint glow of the Hao Yuan Golden Mirror, the seed's surface also shimmers with a rich, wandering red light.

Based on this alone, one can see it is no longer a pure Jialuo Tree seed.

Who knows what kind of anomaly occurred inside the Great Square Vase's internal space? He Lingchuan recalled that gray, misty valley of unknown name, filled with pits and holes and trees. The Great Square Vase can turn divine souls and immortal spirits into saplings—who knows what else it could turn the Jialuo Tree into.

But the Great Square Vase never does useless work; the Jialuo Tree suddenly throwing him a seed must be a present aid.

What to do with the seed? Of course, plant it in the ground.

He Lingchuan swung his treasure halberd like a hoe, clanging and banging as he struck the ground seven or eight times, digging a small hole, then pressed this odd-looking seed into it.

Actually, he didn't need to press it—the seed sank into the ground upon contact.

Those outside the cauldron could see his every move, and couldn't help but exclaim: "What is he doing?"

"A wood seed! It's a mutated Jialuo Tree seed!" Qingyang could recognize Jialuo Tree seeds at a glance, but this one's color was off, and its divine power fluctuation was also wrong!

Thinking again about the Jialuo Tree's traits, then about the Treasure Tree King, Qingyang instantly sensed something amiss.

Although she knew the Jialuo Tree had no fire-resistant property, He Huo didn't seem like someone desperate and grasping at straws, and this seed looked somewhat abnormal. So she urgently urged the Wood Sovereign True Lord: "Quickly expel that thing! He's going to burst your treasure cauldron!"

The Wood Sovereign Cauldron can, according to the master's will, move anything out of the cauldron. Earlier, Qingyang and the others had exited this way by passing through the furnace wall.

No matter what He Huo buries inside, quickly getting it out is the right thing to do—it must not be allowed to take effect inside!

In her anxiety, she spoke with a hint of command. The Wood Sovereign True Lord had a gloomy expression, with no time to quibble.

After a few breaths, that thing had not been thrown out by the Wood Sovereign Cauldron.

The Wood Sovereign True Lord's wooden face showed little expression, but his tone began to grow impatient: "No, it's stuck at the cauldron's bottom!"

"What's going on?"

"This seed has fused with the Wood Sovereign Cauldron, like ink dropped into clear water—it's hard to separate again. It…"

Without the Wood Sovereign True Lord needing to say more, everyone saw exactly what had happened.

Right before He Lingchuan's eyes, two lush green leaves sprouted from the small pit at the cauldron's base. This tender vitality clashed strangely with the scene of active molten furnaces, almost apocalyptic.

The surrounding fire toxins had no effect on it whatsoever.

In just fifteen or sixteen breaths, it grew from a tiny sprout into a seedling half a person's height.

At the same time, the green fire at the cauldron's base weakened, and the internal temperature rise stopped!

It not only fears no fire toxin, but can even absorb the green fire inside the cauldron.

Absurd!

At this moment, the Soul-Capturing Mirror in He Lingchuan's mind let out a sharp cry:

"Behind you!"

The treasure mirror and his mind are in sync—it can communicate without being held in his bosom.

The mirror warned him: there is danger behind him!

But the sapling is growing vigorously and needs He Lingchuan's protection. He cannot, as before, leap and jump around in this space to dodge attacks.

Immediately, a long, round, and bulky shadow emerged from the cauldron wall!

He Lingchuan initially thought it was an unusually thick vine, but when it swayed its head, he realized he was mistaken:

This is a giant snake.

Its body diameter rivals that of the Crescent Gate, covered in dark, hard scales, with only two blue lines behind the ears, extending all the way to the bony prominence at the back of the neck.

Just the dark red forked tongue it flickers out is over a zhang long!

It doesn't blink, but the cold light in its eyes makes living creatures before it tremble with fear!

This is absolutely not a creature originally inside the Wood Sovereign Cauldron.

Upon appearing, it didn't even greet anyone—it charged straight for the small sapling!

Judging by its tonnage, even if it did nothing but roll over it directly, it could crush and break the sapling!

He Lingchuan swept his long halberd, and several halberd winds slashed forth. This is an innate trait of the treasure halberd, called "Wind-Slaying, Wave-Breaking." The gang wind he unleashes, when it reaches the giant snake, has already become a wind blade over a zhang high!

If this move were used by the Chao Hai Night King, even the Azure Dragon would have to avoid its edge; He Lingchuan hasn't reached that realm yet, but his gang blade also carries a faint sound of wind and thunder, and is formless and traceless.

Yet the giant snake's flicking tongue is extremely sensitive to changes in the air. Its massive body somehow dodges every wind blade with agility. As it lunges, it opens its blood basin wide—its maw stretches to a full 130 degrees, and its half-zhang-long fangs flash with a chilling white light.

He Lingchuan was about to exert force when a black light flashed beside him—something came from behind and struck the giant snake's cheek with a sudden impact.

The giant snake was instantly flung sideways, rolling several times on the ground.

It was Xu Tu who had arrived to kill.

"Guard your sapling well!" Xu Tu's words rang in He Lingchuan's ear, "Pan Qing Immortal Lord, give it to me!"

It turned out this giant snake's immortal title was Pan Qing Immortal Lord.

In the blink of an eye, the old ox and the black snake were locked in combat. The former relied on charges, while also being careful not to be entangled by the opponent.

Pan Qing True Lord's fangs carry deadly poison, and Xu Tu himself wasn't sure he could withstand it.

He Lingchuan took off his cloak and draped it over the sapling:

"Protect the sapling!"

Given his understanding of Qingyang, the other party wouldn't have arranged only a single countermove. Their trouble has only just begun.

This sapling was given to him by the Great Square Vase; it is most likely their only way to escape the Wood King Cauldron, so it must be well protected and not allowed to wither.

The cloak drifted down, turning into a mass of red mist that tightly enveloped the entire sapling.

(End of chapter)