Chapter 553: Ginseng Fruit Tree

A low humming rumble, heaven and earth trembled, furious thunder and a great abyss—under the boundless cataclysmic storm, demonic fire filled the sky, sweeping over countless troops; the whole heaven and earth seemed shrouded by a vast net, those demonic shoots kept growing, heaven and earth shuddered, everywhere leaves fluttered, each leaf shimmering with an eerie glow. As countless souls were sucked into the demon tree, it began to flower and bear fruit; demonic perfume drifted through heaven and earth, erasing lifelong memories. Innumerable low-level cultivators, each as if their three souls and seven spirits had been torn away in an instant, turned expressionless and numb, like walking corpses.

In this apocalyptic scene, the cultivators of Tianji Shengyu felt an unprecedented panic. They watched those once-familiar fellow cultivators now turned into soulless husks; fear and despair in their hearts intensified. The demonic shoots grew at an astonishing speed, twisting and spreading like living things, covering the earth and devouring everything.

The demon tree's branches and leaves swayed in the gale, emitting a heart‑pounding rustling sound, like a demon's whisper tempting living beings toward doom. The strange light flowed across the leaves like evil eyes, peering into each cultivator's soul. As the demon tree kept growing, it began to exude a peculiar fragrance, like mist spreading gradually, eroding the cultivators' minds.

Cultivators tried to block the fragrance with magical treasures and arts, but found it pervasive—even the strongest shield could not fully keep it out. Lower‑level cultivators were affected first; their eyes lost their former luster, replaced by emptiness and bewilderment. Their movements grew stiff, as if some force controlled them, and they no longer had their own will.

As time passed, more and more cultivators fell under the demonic fragrance; their memories were washed away, their identities erased, turning them into walking corpses. These self‑lost cultivators began unconsciously attacking their still‑clear‑minded fellow cultivators, making the already chaotic situation spiral further out of control.

In this disaster, some cultivators began trying to flee the land covered by demonic shoots.

But no matter where they fled, they seemed unable to escape the omnipresent demonic fragrance.

Some cultivators, in despair, chose to end their own lives, hoping death would let them escape this endless nightmare.

Yet some cultivators displayed extraordinary courage and wisdom in this disaster.

Only by finding the source of the demon tree could this disaster possibly be stopped.

The demon tree's growth requires vast amounts of souls as nourishment, and those souls drawn into it are precisely the source of its power.

Cultivators began trying various methods to protect their souls, using special formations to seal the souls so the demon tree could not absorb them.

A low humming rumble…

At that moment, after the demon tree had absorbed enough nourishment, mysterious fruits appeared on it, each resembling an infant and emanating a crimson mist.

At that moment, all cultivators of Huanyu were shocked to the point of their scalps going numb, unaware how this anomaly had arisen.

The demon tree feasted on souls, wantonly slaughtering living beings, yet now the fallen spirits had condensed into infant‑like fruits—something unheard of and unseen before.

The cultivators gathered together, staring dumbfounded at those strange fruits.

Their outward appearance was no different from a newborn infant, yet the crimson glow betrayed an evil and ominous nature.

These fruits swayed gently on the demon tree's branches, as if mocking the cultivators' helplessness and fear.

"What is happening? What are these fruits?" a young cultivator asked in a trembling voice, his eyes filled with confusion and panic.

"There has never been any record of this; the demon tree's power has surpassed our understanding," an elderly cultivator replied in a deep voice, his brows furrowed, worry flashing in his eyes.

As time passed, the fruits gradually ripened, their crimson light growing brighter and even beginning to emit strange waves outward.

The cultivators felt a strong unease, as if something even more terrifying were about to happen.

"We must take action; we cannot let these fruits continue to exist!" a cultivator stepped forward, his voice firm and powerful, trying to boost everyone's morale.

"But what can we do? Attacks are useless against the demon tree," a female cultivator said anxiously, unease flickering in her eyes.

Just then, a learned cultivator stepped forward, holding a tattered ancient tome, his face grave.

"In ancient legends there exists a wicked thing called the Netherworld Blood Fruit; it feeds on the souls of living beings and, when mature, can release powerful evil spirits." His voice was low, tinged with a tremor, "These fruits are probably the legendary Netherworld Blood Fruit."

Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts filled with even greater dread.

If these fruits are indeed Netherworld Blood Fruits, then once they mature the evil spirits they release will bring a catastrophe that could topple the entire Tianji Shengyu.

"We must destroy these fruits before they mature!" a cultivator shouted loudly, his voice full of resolve.

The cultivators began pooling ideas, seeking a way to destroy the Netherworld Blood Fruit; it was a race against time, and failure would bring unimaginable consequences.

"We could try using pure spiritual power to purify these fruits; perhaps it could halt their maturation," a female cultivator suggested, her voice carrying a hint of hope.

"Not bad; we can also combine formations, using the power of heaven and earth to suppress the fruits' evil aura," another cultivator added.

The cultivators immediately sprang into action, splitting into teams: one responsible for gathering pure spiritual power, the other beginning to set up complex formations.

Time was short; everyone raced against the clock, hoping to find a solution before the Netherworld Blood Fruit matured.

With the cultivators' relentless effort, pure spiritual power began to gather, and the formations gradually took shape.

They placed all their hopes on this operation, each exerting their utmost effort.

Finally, at the critical moment when the Netherworld Blood Fruit was about to mature, the cultivators completed the formation's layout. They infused pure spiritual power into the formation; it instantly blazed with brilliant light, forming a huge light shield that enveloped the Netherworld Blood Fruits.

"Look, the light of those fruits!" a cultivator exclaimed in shock.

The Netherworld Blood Fruit's crimson light remained undiminished by the shield, and its growth speed showed no noticeable decrease.

However, at that moment the demon tree seemed to sense the threat, beginning to shake violently, trying to break free of the formation's bonds.

The Netherworld Blood Fruit emitted an evil aura; at that moment every fruit opened its eyes, each gaze containing a sun‑petal pupil—if it were a demon serpent's eye, it could see into people's hearts.

All the cultivators saw the unforgettable presence in their hearts, dully ceasing their actions and walking toward the demon tree.

As the Netherworld Blood Fruit's eyes opened, an invisible wave swept across the entire Tianji Shengyu—a force that struck straight at the soul, making every cultivator's heart clench.

Those eyes seemed to wield magic, able to pierce the cultivators' mental defenses and touch their deepest fears and desires.

The cultivators, one after another, halted their spells and attacks, their faces showing bewilderment and confusion, as if some mysterious force were drawing them, and they involuntarily walked toward the demon tree.

Their steps became mechanical and heavy, like puppets bereft of self‑awareness.

"No, no! I cannot be controlled!" a young cultivator struggled, sweat beading on his forehead, his hands gripping his own skull tightly as he tried to resist the force controlling him.

But his gaze soon turned vacant, and he finally let his hands fall limp, joining the procession toward the demon tree.

The many cultivators, under the gaze of those strange eyes, seemed to have their souls drawn out, and the beings they longed to see appeared one by one before them.

These beings were either the persons they most desired deep inside, or their worst nightmares, or the realms they most aspired to—varied and manifold.

Under the power of the Netherworld Blood Fruit, these illusions became so real that the cultivators could no longer tell truth from falsehood.

An elderly cultivator, tears streaming down his face, reached out trembling hands toward the demon tree, as if to embrace an unseen figure.

That hoarse voice, full of longing, said: "Junior sister, is it you? I can finally see you again."

His steps were unsteady, yet he resolutely walked toward the demon tree, his eyes holding only the image of the one he constantly thought of.

A young female cultivator, usually lively and cheerful, now showed fear, her hands clasped over her head as she kept backing away, muttering: "No, don't come near, I don't want to see you!"

Her eyes brimmed with panic, as if she had glimpsed something utterly terrifying; her body was gradually drawn by the Netherworld Blood Fruit's power, and she involuntarily moved closer to the demon tree.

A middle‑aged cultivator, usually silent and reserved, now beamed with wild joy, shouting: "I finally got it! This is the treasure I've long dreamed of!"

His hands seemed to cradle an intangible treasure, his face lit with an obsessed smile, his steps quickening as if he wished to offer that treasure to the demon tree.

A young cultivator, now also bewildered, his eyes revealing curiosity and longing for the unknown, said: "Master, where are you? You said you'd take me to ascend."

His voice carried a hint of immaturity, yet it was also full of longing for power; his steps unconsciously followed those illusions, walking toward the demon tree.

Among these cultivators, there was an old cultivator whose eyes showed clarity; his voice was loud and strong: "Don't be deceived by the illusions! These are all phantoms created by the Netherworld Blood Fruit!" He tried to awaken the controlled cultivators, but his voice sounded so feeble under the power of the Netherworld Blood Fruit.

With his own strength alone it was hard to oppose this force, but he did not give up; he continued to earnestly call out his companions' names, hoping to awaken their consciousness.

"Quick, quickly seal your senses! Don't look at those eyes!" An elderly cultivator, after discovering the doubt, also shouted loudly, his voice filled with anxiety and panic.

If no action is taken, all the cultivators will become slaves of the demon tree.

Some cultivators followed his advice, quickly sealing their sight and hearing, attempting to cut off contact with the Netherworld Blood Fruit.

But the power of those fruits far exceeded their imagination; even with their senses sealed, the eyes that control the mind still lingered in their minds, impossible to dispel.

"We must join forces and use our will to oppose this power!" a female cultivator shouted loudly, her voice filled with determination and resolve.

She began chanting an ancient mantra, trying to awaken the cultivators' spirits, to free them from control; as her chant continued, some cultivators regained a hint of clarity, they began to support each other, jointly resisting that evil power.

However, the power of the Netherworld Blood Fruit was too great; even if the cultivators exerted their utmost effort, they could not fully resist it.

More and more cultivators fell under control, their eyes becoming dull and their bodies unresponsive.

The controlled cultivators began to provide nourishment to the demon tree; their vitality and cultivation level were ruthlessly drained by the tree, causing its growth speed to become even more rapid.

The demon tree's branches became thicker and sturdier, its leaves denser, and those Netherworld Blood Fruits became more vivid and evil.

In the Longyuan Immortal Sect beyond the heavens of History Tiger City, Longling, Daoist Qingxu, Abbot of Xiguangsi, Golden Peng King, Tiger King, Huang Daxian, Purple Yang True Person, Qin Shi Huang, Zhi Dun, Li Bai, and others, at that moment seeing the colossal demon tree spanning the heavens and earth across the sky, they exchanged glances, their faces full of disbelief.

They all understood in their hearts that the demon tree was a great ominous thing, yet at this moment all the earthly cultivators believed it to be the legendary ginseng fruit tree, one of the ten great innate spiritual roots.

Longling's voice, like thunder, rang in everyone's hearts: "Everyone, this tree is definitely not a ginseng fruit tree; the evil aura it emits is completely different from the auspicious qi of the innate spiritual roots, and must not be deceived by appearances."

Daoist Qingxu followed closely, his eyes showing a hint of worry: "What Master Longling the Demon Master said is absolutely correct; this tree's eyes can perceive people's hearts and control cultivators—such means are absolutely not the way of the orthodox path."

"Amitabha, this old monk can feel the endless suffering and resentment contained within this demon tree; its fruit has even devoured the souls of countless beings. It must be purified with Buddhist Dharma, only then can all beings be saved." The Abbot of Xiguangsi clasped his hands together, his countenance kind yet solemn.

"Hmph, what ginseng fruit tree? This is clearly a demonic object. How can we cultivators just sit by and do nothing? We must act immediately and destroy it!" The Golden Peng King's gaze was sharp, his voice tinged with a hint of disdain.

"What the Golden Peng King said is right; we cannot let this demon tree continue to rampage. The Tiger King is willing to take the lead, charging forward to sever its root veins!" The Tiger King's aura was like a rainbow, his voice like a tiger's roar in the mountains, shaking all directions.

Huang Daxian narrowed his eyes upon hearing this and gave a hehe laugh: "The Tiger King is brave, but this matter is probably not that simple. This demon tree can control people's hearts; we still need to plan carefully."

Purple Yang True Person stroked his beard, pondered, then slowly spoke: "What Huang Daxian said is reasonable; we must first steady our hearts and minds, not be deluded by the demon tree. Then, using formations and magical treasures, we will jointly oppose this demon tree."

The Immortal Poet Li Bai also said, "Everyone, although I am talentless, I too wish to contribute my modest effort; we must use the power of poetry to awaken the light in people's hearts."

Boom—

The demon tree's might was like swallowing the heavens and devouring the earth; its roots sank deep into the ground, its branches and leaves covering the entire firmament.

As its power continually swelled, the balance between heaven and earth was shattered, mountains and rivers trembled, as if the whole world shuddered under its overwhelming pressure.

The colossal demon tree became the lord of heaven and earth; its existence filled all beings with deep fear and despair.