Chapter 591: Questioning the Dao Tree

Old Ge also said, "Legend has it that although the Venerable Wood Spirit passed away, a wisp of his divine sense merged into the Questioning Dao Tree, which is why it possesses the power to divine good and ill fortune."

Jiang Tao was skeptical: "That works too?"

"Haven't you heard the saying, 'Entrust the body to the mountain's embrace'? These words, Old Ge could recite them backward," he said. "If one can be one with the mountain's embrace, one can be one with a giant tree. Is there a problem with that?"

Everyone agreed the guide was right; there was no problem.

He He Lingchuan scratched his head. The mysteries of the world are difficult for mortals to fully fathom.

Finally, it was their turn in line. They entered from the stone grotto beneath the tree roots and discovered a world within a world.

This stone cave was large and spacious, and the opening above was indeed remarkably smooth; it was hard to say if it had truly been sliced away by an immortal's sword back in the day.

Fluorescent spores were placed everywhere inside the cave, illuminating every detail of the grotto.

The main root of the Questioning Dao Tree was anchored in the stone cave, having already pierced the rock and entered the mountain, extending to an unknown depth. After it grew out of the stone cave, it grew taller and taller, and the aerial roots that hung down grew thick and strong, wrapping around the outer perimeter of the grotto, creating the wondrous sight seen today.

In this way, the low-lying terrain at the bottom of the cave, where the tree roots were deeply coiled, formed a depression. Rain and dew flowed along the trunk, forming a clear, shimmering pool at the base, deep enough to fit at least two people.

There were also fluorescent spores in the water, bobbing up and down, but the deep-water area was pitch black.

The tourists were all crowded here, surrounding the banyan pool three layers deep. Although the giant tree had many roots, only a dozen or so extended across or out of the pool to be touched by the crowd, so in reality, only a dozen or so people were divining at any given time.

Everyone else had to wait in line behind them.

There is no off-season for tourism on Tianji Peak, only peak season and even busier peak seasons.

Everyone was interested: "How does the divination work?"

Old Ge pointed to the other tourists: "Follow their example. Place one hand on the tree root, first silently recite the matter you wish to ask about—this establishes communication with the spirit wood—and then take a drop of blood from your fingertip and flick it into the pool."

He He Lingchuan noticed that the other tourists seemed to be doing just that. But some were too slow, occupying the spot for too long, and would be urged on by those waiting behind them.

Ye Zi fell from above every so often, floating in spirals on the pool's surface, drifting straight toward the tourists.

It was quite supernatural; the tourists asking for divination would always receive a leaf.

"Green leaves are auspicious; red leaves are ominous."

Just that simple and crude? Gao Gao Jilin asked curiously: "Can we only ask about good or ill fortune?"

Using leaves to answer meant the answer was either one or the other.

"Then what else do you want to ask?" Old Ge chuckled. "This is a tree! Not a person, it can't speak to you."

Jiang Tao pointed to a leaf drifting past his eyes and asked: "Then what does this count as?"

This leaf was half-green and half-red, and the tourist opposite it was also wearing a confused expression.

"That means it can be both ominous and auspicious," said Old Ge, who had led at least eight hundred guests here and could consider himself half a fortune-teller. "It depends on the person's own subsequent actions."

He He Lingchuan couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

During his last divination at the Immortal Spirit Lake Shrine, although the Turtle Spirit gave him a bottom-tier lot, at least there was a lot-verse to interpret.

This time it was even more extreme; the answers were effectively only "yes" or "no."

Since this was "Questioning the Dao," what question should he ask? A guest pointed to the water surface and said: "The leaf sank."

Old Ge gave a hum: "After the divination, if the guest doesn't take the leaf, it will sink to the bottom. Otherwise, the water surface would be covered in leaves, and no one would be able to tell whose was whose."

"Where do the leaves sink to?"

"Perhaps they flow out with the water, perhaps they are reclaimed by the roots," Old Ge countered. "Haven't you heard that fallen leaves return to their roots?"

Jiang Tao's eyes flickered: "The line is too slow, can't we just jump into the water and touch the roots?"

"No," Old Ge squinted at him. "You think you're clever? People have tried this method before, and it doesn't work! The Questioning Dao Tree simply ignores such people!"

He pointed to the tree trunk again: "Someone once jumped into the water to ask a question, and when it didn't work, he took out a knife to carve into it. He was skewered by the guards and thrown directly off Tianji Peak!"

He He Lingchuan was stunned. Scribbling and doodling here carried a risk to one's life?

Evil people must be dealt with by evil means. Old Ge sneered: "Order, this place values order!"

"The most incredible part is, just as that person was being skewered and thrown out, the Questioning Dao Tree dropped a leaf—bright red!"

If you're thrown off the mountain, do you still have your life? Of course, it's a great omen of disaster!

After waiting for nearly half an hour, it was finally their group's turn.

Jiang Tao went first, stroking the great tree and murmuring, then dripped his blood. A leaf drifted over—it was green.

"Auspicious!" He snapped his fingers excitedly. "Nice!"

Another guest, however, looked ashen: "Red, it's red!"

The leaf he grabbed was so red it looked like it was about to drip blood.

"Oh, that ominous? You've had a sign of bloodshed recently." Old Ge immediately pulled a handful of talismans from his waist. "Do you want a protective talisman? These were consecrated in the Chongyang Hall! Having something to save your life at a critical moment is better than anything else."

He He Lingchuan looked at him with disdain.

This guy had them prepared long ago, right? And the price was exorbitant.

The guest looked pale: "Is this tree's divination... is it accurate?"

"Didn't I tell you? In matters like this, who dares to say for sure?" Old Ge patted his shoulder. "But you have some premonition in your heart, don't you?"

"I, I, sigh..." The guest looked bitter. "There is a matter that has kept me anxious, I didn't expect the outcome to be so ominous!"

"Come, come, let me help you ward off the disaster." Old Ge slipped the protective talisman around the man's neck.

The guest didn't think much and paid the money.

If spending money could avert disaster, who wouldn't be generous? "After you go back, act with caution; there might be a turning point."

The guest clutched at it like a straw: "Can this disaster be avoided?!"

Old Ge comforted him: "Perhaps!"

On the side, Gao Gao Jilin was also divining. This time, a small part of the leaf was slightly red, but the majority was a lush, oily green.

His expression was also quite colorful: "Both auspicious and ominous?"

He He Lingchuan watched and laughed: "I think it depends on how you handle the follow-up. Handle it well, and it's highly auspicious; handle it poorly, and it's a minor omen of disaster."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Don't look at it as just red and green leaves; in fact, the depth of the color seems to have its own meaning, not as simple as it looks at first glance.

He stroked the tree root and silently recited a question: "If I continue on the path I have chosen, is it auspicious or ominous, life or death?"

Because the spirit wood likely had the ability to read minds, he dared not speak clearly. Words like "Great Square Pot," "Panlong City," or "opposing Between Beijia" were not even mentioned.

But He He Lingchuan truly wanted to know. After all, those who had walked this path before him had all sacrificed their lives for the Dao.

To say he wasn't anxious in his heart would be a lie.

The blood was dripped, and everyone waited with He He Lingchuan.

Five breaths passed.

Fifteen breaths passed.

The leaves that drifted past all went to other people; He He Lingchuan's side was completely empty.

What was going on? He He Lingchuan scratched his head. Could it be that the calculation was too heavy and the spirit wood had crashed?

He waited a while longer, but no leaves drifted over.

Jiang Tao asked curiously: "What's wrong? Did you actually ask a question?"

"I did." Otherwise, why would he have come in? He He Lingchuan asked Old Ge: "Has this happened before?"

"Uh..." The gibbon also rubbed his own forehead. "No memory of it."

The Questioning Dao Tree was always very diligent. The results it divined weren't necessarily correct, but they were very fast. Otherwise, with so many years and so many tourists on Tianji Peak, how could it cope? The tourists waiting behind began to lose patience: "Do you know how to do this?"

"If you can't do it, step aside! There are so many people behind!"

Old Ge turned his head and let out a roar: "Shut up! Are you in such a hurry to be reincarnated? Will you wet your pants if you wait a few more breaths?"

As he opened his mouth to reveal his fangs, he looked ferocious, and combined with the two sturdy mountain spirits behind him, he had the words "I am not to be trifled with" written all over his face.

So the tourists behind didn't dare to argue, only muttering in low voices. Old Ge had thick skin, so of course, he couldn't hear them.

At this moment, a leaf finally drifted toward He He Lingchuan.

A red leaf.

No, to be precise, it was golden-red, its color as brilliant as the fiery clouds in the sky at dusk.

Moreover, the surface of the leaf had an even, waxy texture, reflecting a metallic sheen.

"Eh?" Was this really for him? He He Lingchuan squeezed two steps to the side.

Who knew the water flow would change, and the leaf still drifted toward him.

He could only reach out and pick up the leaf, shaking it at Old Ge: "What does this mean?"

Old Ge's monkey face was equally blank: "Never heard of such a thing."

He had led thousands of guests and had never seen the Questioning Dao Tree give such a leaf.

"Does the Questioning Dao Tree not drop yellow leaves?"

"It does, but they sink as soon as they hit the water; they don't drift to us." Old Ge pointed to the water surface. "Look."

By now, the other guests in the group had seized the time to divine. He He Lingchuan observed carefully; indeed, the banyan tree often dropped yellow leaves, but they would spin once upon hitting the water and then sink, never staying on the surface, let alone drifting to the tourists' eyes.

So the red-gold leaf in He He Lingchuan's hand was truly a rare item. The surrounding tourists also crowded around to look, clicking their tongues in wonder.

There were many locals here who had brought friends and family to divine, and they all said: "Rare, rare, never seen anyone get a leaf like this!"

The two guards inside the stone cave were also startled and came over to look. Finding it was a yellow leaf, they asked He He Lingchuan for his name and address, and the latter readily provided a fake name and address.

These two were also just following procedure; after hearing, they retreated with wooden faces and stood back in place, not asking a single extra word.

Dealing with so many noisy guests every day, they had long since learned to empty their heads and were too lazy to think about anything.

At this time, a guest of about fifty years old said: "I heard that someone else has received one before."

As soon as this was said, the surrounding clamor ceased, and everyone followed the sound to ask: "Who? Who else has received one?"

"It's the current General General Qingwu, General Hong! But I heard he received a yellow leaf; I don't know if it was this golden-red kind."

He He Lingchuan's heart stirred. Hong Chenglue had also received a yellow leaf here at the Questioning Dao Tree?

Gao Gao Jilin spoke up: "Are you certain?"

"How could I be certain?" The man waved his hands repeatedly, "It's just hearsay!"

Since there was no conclusion, the stone cave quickly returned to its original crowded and noisy state.

Other tourists came upon hearing the news, wanting to buy the golden-red leaf from He He Lingchuan as a collectible, and offered a price of five silver taels.

(End of chapter)