Chapter 152

"Woof! Made a fortune."

But we need to translate faithfully, not add extra words. Let's translate each line.

We'll need to decide on translation style: natural English, not overly literal but faithful.

Let's go line by line.

Woof! Made a fortune.

Da Heigou beside him was excitedly barking, secretly delighted that today those experts guarding outside the Undying Mountain ended up with nothing.

Da Heigou beside him was excitedly barking, secretly delighted that today those experts guarding outside the Undying Mountain ended up with nothing.

Check: we need to keep all info. Yes.

Although these tea leaves are not yet mature, two leaves can match one, so after calculation there are over fifty leaves, and the harvest is certainly not small.

Looks like it's a bit dicey…

Yang Zhu walked around the Enlightenment Dao Tea Tree, already having formed an idea—the Enlightenment Dao Tea Tree cannot grow outside, so he just needed to dig up the soil beneath its roots together.

Just dig up the soil beneath the roots together.

Want to take it out? The tricky part is setting up a formation here to conceal the aura…

Da Heigou was incredibly sharp; he instantly grasped Yang Zhu's idea, his eyes lighting up at once—others might not manage it, but Yang Zhu definitely had a chance! 'Yes, though it's a bit tricky.' Yang Zhu nodded, fell into thought, then looked deeper: 'It probably won't come out, right?'

Boundless Heavenly Venerable, what on earth is in there? You're doing this and making my scalp go numb.

Duan De felt a chill down his back, warily gazing into the depths, where a terrifying fluctuation that made the heart palpitate seeped out, enough to engulf even the void.

Nothing much—I might stay here to comprehend the Dao, and it won't be short; before then, you should gain insight, and I'll guard the Dao for you.

After voicing his idea, the Holy Maiden of Yaochi and the others exchanged a startled look, then nodded in unison, and each sat down beneath the Enlightenment Dao Tea Tree.

No wonder it's famed through the ages as the Undying Divine Tree—secluding oneself here for two hours equals a month outside. The Holy Maiden of Yaochi exclaimed.

During the others' Dao contemplation, Yang Zhu condensed a Dao body to continue guarding, while he himself went to observe the nearby terrain.

He walked with his hands behind his back, leisurely and steady, his form hazy and mysterious, countless chaotic mists swirling around him; he would pause to ponder, his fingers tracing patterns in the void.

Afterward he pressed deeper, heading toward the vast black peak, along the way he saw the Nether River, the yellowish Yellow Spring waters bearing Netherworld Grass drifting up, which he scooped up in one hand.

This is a rare treasure; although consuming it causes the body to rot and the soul to erode, it also increases lifespan.

Back then, the old fiend who besieged the White-Clad God King had consumed this spiritual plant, thereby forcibly extending his life for several thousand years.

Yang Zhu would not consume it directly, but had another great use for it.

Going deeper, ancient structures appeared along the way, accompanied by a rich medicinal fragrance; Yang Zhu bypassed a ruin and restrictive dao markings, successfully pocketing over a dozen holy medicines.

The holy medicines all have ages exceeding ten thousand years, rare in the mundane world; they grow in the Undying Mountain, drawing on its special qi, acquiring a mysterious attribute, making them all the more precious.

It was meant for that useless Heavenly Prince anyway, so I just took it for myself.

Muttering to himself, Yang Zhu pressed on without Da Heigou and the others accompanying him, coming and going freely, unrestrained, like a ghost—his traces appearing and disappearing unpredictably.

The closer he got to the deepest part, the more killing intent and restrictions there were, as if disaster could strike at any moment.

Along the way Yang Zhu saw many bones that had been dead for over ten thousand years yet had not turned to dust; surely those ahead were unparalleled powerhouses.

Some were even more fearsome—after so many ages, the corpses still gleamed with crystalline luster, undecayed; at the very least they were ancient saints.

The Heavenly Court's Killer Saint Technique.

Yang Zhu found a piece of human skin peeled off, recording various killing methods on both sides, bizarre and employing every possible means, truly horrifying.

The Heavenly Court, as one of the ancient three great assassin divine dynasties, evolved from an assassin organization into a holy land, then became an immortal divine dynasty—its terrifying strength is easy to imagine.

It is precisely by relying on this Killer Saint Technique that their inheritance has become so mighty, striking terror at the mere mention of their name.

Yang Zhu kept the skin safe; if he gets a chance to study it, he will surely gain something.

As he passed several stone caves, a green glow flowed like breathing, utterly marvelous—these were divine ore. Yang Zhu stood before the cave, gazing long, and saw within its depths an unborn holy spirit absorbing the essence of sun and moon, exhaling the glow.

Perhaps sensing Yang Zhu's aura, the holy spirit froze for a moment, halted its breath, instantly crouched down—clearly it felt fear.

Yang Zhu guessed that after another million years, the holy spirit would certainly complete its gestation; once born, it would soon be able to prove the Dao and become an emperor.

But he didn't care at all, for that was too far in the future.

Afterward he passed a great lake where crocodile-like creatures churned, their massive bodies capable of collapsing mountains—also a peerless ferocious spirit.

Upon sensing his aura, the mysterious creature sank to the lake bottom, leaving no trace of movement.

The Sacred Body Dao Embryo together with the Beginningless Bloodline is enough to make all beings in the cosmos worship and fear it, none daring to act rashly.

Especially those long-lived creatures—some already existed in the era of the Beginningless Emperor, merely sealed into this age.

They have witnessed the rise of the mightiest emperor in history; to that aura they are as avoidant as snakes and scorpions, and deep in their bloodline lies a sense of reverence.

The mysterious qi of the Undying Mountain indeed can slow the flow of life's qi…

Yang Zhu would pause to gain insight at every special place; although the route should have taken less than half a day, he spent a full four days, reaping considerable gains.

Finally, he halted before a towering peak.

Before him, each black peak was grand and towering, truly the king of mountains and emperor of peaks.

Is the Stone Emperor inside…?

Yang Zhu muttered to himself, not daring to go further, lest he awaken whatever lay within.

He stood there a long while, observing the terrain, mildly shocked—it was as if he had seized the very craftsmanship of heaven and earth, a place nowhere else in the universe could be found.

If you dare to emerge, I will slay you.

Finally, Yang Zhu left a remark, turned and departed, returning to the side of the Enlightenment Dao Tea Tree; at this moment, the Holy Maiden of Yaochi and the others had nearly finished their contemplation.

Being able to sit beneath the Undying Divine Tree for several days straight already marks them as extraordinary talents; others would likely not even be able to enter that state.

Their cultivation was not low, especially after breaking through the Four Extremes Secret Realm; absorbing heaven and earth's essence was no longer that crucial, and to break through further they had to rely on insight.

In those few days they gained as much as over a year of external cultivation, the harvest was abundant, and they attained a deeper understanding of their own Dao.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi broke through on the spot, her cultivation rising from the first layer of Dragon Transformation to the second layer.

Partly due to his own talent, and partly because Yang Zhu gifted him the Heart of the Enlightenment Dao Tea Tree.

The Heart of the Enlightenment Dao Tea Tree shares the same origin as the Enlightenment Dao Tea Tree, similar to a Bodhi Seed, having unexpected miraculous effects; thus Yue'er's condition is the best among the three, and her gains are naturally the greatest.

Da Heigou and the Black Emperor each broke through a level, their Dao nature similarly enhanced, giving them different understandings.

Aren't these tea leaves going to be picked?

Duan De's face glowed red; thanks to Yang Zhu, he again obtained a tremendous opportunity, overjoyed to the point of being unable to close his mouth.

Back then Yang Zhu plucked only a single leaf and stopped, leaving him utterly puzzled—could there really be a way to take it away?

(End of Chapter)