Chapter 446: Immortal Tree

Shi Jin was also a bold yet cautious man, decisive and resolute by nature.

He quickly made his decision; without further ado, the chance to forge even a slight connection with a Nascent Soul True Monarch was worth the gamble.

After all, it is good to enjoy the shade beneath a great tree!

"Fellow Daoist Shi is truly a man of quick words and swift action; delightful!" Hua Tianxiong said with a beaming smile.

Shi Jin then asked, "So, how do we plan to get started?"

"No rush; let's first enjoy ten days or half a month in Tianlan Immortal City, for since this island is so vast, there must be many interesting things to see."

"We'll first investigate the lay of the land one by one."

"As for all expenses, I will treat you."

Hua Tianxiong said with a smile still hanging on his face.

"Fellow Daoist Hua is truly righteous enough to reach the clouds; I simply enjoy dealing with people like you, hahaha!"

Tianlan Immortal City.

Just after Qin Ming had departed, a golden streak of light tore through the sky, treating Tianlan Immortal City's fourth-grade top-tier protective great array as if it were nonexistent, and instantly landed upon the dome of the highest holy hall.

As the escaping light dissipated, it revealed an elderly man in splendid golden robes, with white beard and hair, possessing a kind brow and benevolent eyes, radiating the spiritual pressure of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

Inside the Tianlan Holy Hall, Xia Yuangong's figure flew out, and seeing the man in golden robes, he smiled: "Fellow Daoist Long Yangzi, what unfortunate timing; you have returned one step too late!"

Long Yangzi showed a hint of surprise, and seeing Xia Yuangong's triumphant demeanor, he curiously asked, "Brother Xia, why do you say this? Could it be that you have obtained some good treasure again?"

"Hehe! That True Monarch Wangyue from the Southern Wasteland Immortal Realm just left a moment ago; you happened to miss him," Xia Yuangong said with a chuckle.

Long Yangzi asked with great interest, "Oh? So it was him; I have long heard of this person, rumored to be an extremely inspiring legendary cultivator of the Southern Wasteland."

"It seems he rose from being a lowly spirit farmer at the bottom, step by step reaching a realm like ours; such great perseverance and great fortune are truly rare and precious; had I not been occupied with urgent matters, I would have gone to his Nascent Soul ceremony to beg for a cup of celebratory wine and forge a deep friendship."

"Indeed, Fellow Daoist Qin exchanged some items with me here for most of the day before departing; he should be heading to visit True Monarch Long Mu of the Penglai Sect."

"That old hag has beaten us to it by a step! Alas!" Long Yangzi shook his head, "Seeing how happy you old ghost look, you must have traded for something desirable from Fellow Daoist Qin? Bring it out and let me see it."

Xia Yuangong smiled freely, took out a jade box containing the demon core of a fourth-grade Blood-Scaled Demon Python, and handed it to Long Yangzi.

"A fourth-grade demon core!" Long Yangzi opened the jade box and was also startled.

Subsequently, after observing it clearly, he immediately furrowed his brows again, "It's just that the demon soul within has been destroyed, and most of the essence has been lost; what a pity."

The strength of fourth-grade shapeshifting Demon Sages is generally far superior to that of human cultivators of the same rank; an early-stage Demon Sage is already comparable to a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator in power, making them extremely difficult to kill.

Therefore, even for old monsters like them at the Nascent Soul stage, obtaining a fourth-grade demon core is incredibly difficult.

Even though the two of them serve as the main and deputy city lords of Tianlan Immortal City and have seen much and known much, they had only encountered demon cores of this rank on one or two important occasions, let alone obtained one.

With his mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, Long Yangzi himself admitted that if he encountered an early-stage fourth-grade shapeshifting great demon, he would have no certainty of killing it, at best managing a draw.

If he were to encounter a mid-stage fourth-grade Demon Sage, he would have no choice but to retreat three paces.

"Muhe Muhe Laogui Xia, did you ask him about the origin of this demon core?" Long Yangzi asked.

Xia Yuangong replied with a calm smile, "How could I ask such things? It was already fortunate enough that Fellow Daoist Qin was willing to trade it with me."

"Hmm, I just find it strange; this demon core seems extremely fresh, as if it were extracted from a demonic beast only within the last few years," Long Yangzi pondered slightly before saying.

Xia Yuangong said, "That's impossible, right? Fellow Daoist Qin likely obtained this demon core from somewhere else; with his newly advanced Nascent Soul cultivation, it is clearly impossible for him to have slain a fourth-grade demonic beast."

"Hmm, it seems this youth truly possesses extraordinary qualities," Long Yangzi nodded in agreement.

"It's not just that! Long Yangzi, do you know what item Fellow Daoist Qin exchanged with me?" Xia Yuangong asked with deep implication.

Long Yangzi frowned and asked, "What item was it?"

"It is the main material for refining Hunyuan Pills; not only is Fellow Daoist Qin a fourth-grade spirit planter, but he is also a genuine fourth-grade Pill King," Xia Yuangong replied lightly.

"And likely one of extremely high skill at that."

"What?!"

At this, Long Yangzi panicked; without another word, he directly transformed into a golden streak of light and rushed outward in pursuit.

"Long Yangzi, you have just returned; where are you going again?" Xia Yuangong asked, watching his departing figure.

"Naturally, I am going to chase after that True Monarch Wangyue; for a figure of such caliber, we absolutely cannot let the Penglai Sect snatch him away this time!"

Long Yangzi's anxious voice gradually faded into the distance as Xia Yuangong raised his hand, hesitating to speak.

"If he were truly so easy to lure, I would have already tied him down here; this Long Yangzi doesn't even think..."

Several days later.

Qin Ming piloted the Lingxiao Precious Carriage, sitting inside the cabin with an air of serene confidence, eyes closed in rest.

The Devouring Heaven Rat squatted on his shoulder, alternately employing various ancestral massage techniques, while also pouring spirit wine, peeling fruits, and delivering them directly to Qin Ming's mouth.

It also knew that on this journey, Qin Ming was gathering items for its Tribulation Crossing; regardless of anything else, it had to serve this powerful backer well.

Before long.

Qin Ming slowly opened his eyes, dark as ink.

"Master, how is this pressure? Hehehe!" the Devouring Heaven Rat said with a fawning smile.

"It's passable; you have already grasped the essence," Qin Ming said lightly.

"However, we have arrived at Penglai Island."

As he spoke.

A massive island emerged in the distance, several times larger than the spirit island of Tianlan Immortal City, gradually appearing within the range of Qin Ming's divine sense.

To be precise, it was the silhouette of a towering giant tree, connecting the heavens and the sea, standing proudly between heaven and earth with magnificent momentum.

As they drew closer, the giant tree became clearly visible.

It was a towering golden giant tree, lush with branches and leaves, as if standing atop the ocean, piercing the heavens and reaching the earth, supporting the entire dome of the sky.

Its silver trunk was even thicker than the main peak of Tianlan Xiancheng, standing tall and straight after tens of thousands of years of enduring vicissitudes, still bearing many marks of time.

The entire Penglai Sect, with all its palaces, jade halls, cave dwellings, and houses, was built upon the tree crown composed of layer upon layer of massive branches.

From the densely packed houses at the very bottom of the Lingdao to the immortal palaces nestled among the lush foliage.

Soaring straight up to the ninth heaven!

A phantom of a full moon hung suspended near the treetops.

Only the lower half of the entire Penglai Immortal Tree was exposed; everything above was shrouded in immortal mist swirling with clouds and fog, so dense that even Qin Ming's divine sense, comparable to that of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, could not penetrate it.

Such immortal mist either functioned like the Absolute Spirit Mist, capable of shielding and devouring divine sense, or it was an extremely sophisticated concealment array of the Penglai Sect.

"This is the legendary fifth-grade Divine Tree, the Penglai Immortal Tree!"

"It truly lives up to its reputation as the heritage immortal tree capable of nurturing Soul Transformation cultivators; this journey was indeed worthwhile!"

Qin Ming gazed at the Penglai Immortal Tree from afar, utterly shocked, his heart surging with a rare intensity of emotion.

Meanwhile, the Shi Tian Shu stood on Qin Ming's shoulder, frozen in place, its small mouth agape, having forgotten how to speak.

Its sense of shock was beyond words to express.

Even within the Small Xiao Lingjing, his natal spirit plant, the Yin-Yang Xuanteng, emitted a strange sentiment.

It was the first time in many years that Qin Ming had sensed such a reaction from this black vine.

In an instant.

Just as the Lingxiao Imperial Carriage was about to reach within a few li of Penglai Island.

A group of sect cultivators dressed in green robes, embroidered with maple-leaf patterns on their chests, flew towards them. Leading them was a female cultivator with a graceful figure and a beautiful face, possessing early-stage Jin Dan cultivation.

At this moment, she gazed at the extraordinarily luxurious carriage before her, which resembled a moving palace radiating five-colored treasure light, pulled by a third-stage late-period Profound Water Giant Crocodile.

It was truly magnificent and dazzling to behold.

She too was shocked.

Leading the cultivators behind her, she halted before the Lingxiao Imperial Carriage, took a deep breath, and bowed deeply with utmost respect, saying:

"Junior Wang Jingqiu pays respects to the Zhenjun; may I ask which senior we are honored to meet? What instructions do you bring to the Penglai Sect? Please allow this junior to return and inform the Nascent Soul elders of our sect."

From inside the carriage came Qin Ming's faint voice.

"There is no need; I have come to visit Daoist Long Mu, and she has already arrived."

Upon hearing that the visitor had come to seek Grandmaster Long Mu, Wang Jingqiu, a Jin Dan True Person, was suddenly startled.

Just as Qin Ming finished speaking.

Ripples spread through the void, and unnoticed, the figure of an old woman appeared, leaning on a brown Dragonwood staff, her aura causing one's heart to tremble.

Seeing this, Qin Ming immediately stored the Lingxiao Imperial Carriage, landed before her, and with a smile cupped his hands, saying, "Daoist Long Mu, it has been over ten years since we last met; how have you been lately?"

"Hehehe! Welcome, Daoist Qin, to our sect; this old skeleton of mine is still fairly sturdy, but you seem to grow younger with each passing day, making me truly envious," True Person Long Mu replied with a laugh and a return bow. "Please come to my cave dwelling for a chat and taste the spiritual mulberry bitter tea I have cultivated."

After a long while, the Shi Tian Shu finally recovered from its shock, stood on Qin Ming's shoulder, and cupped its hands, saying, "Long time no see, Senior True Person Long Mu."

True Person Long Mu held considerable affection for Qin Ming's spirit pet, nodding with a smile in response.

The disciples of the Penglai Sect, including Wang Jingqiu of the Jin Dan stage, immediately felt their hearts surge with emotion and hurriedly bowed, exclaiming:

"Disciples pay respects to Grand Elder Long Mu!!"

"Junior pays respects to True Person Wangyue!"

True Person Long Mu waved her hand, signaling everyone to withdraw: "Niece Wang, take the sect disciples to patrol other areas; leave this place to me."

"Yes! We obey Grand Elder's command!"

Subsequently.

Qin Ming followed True Person Long Mu into the bounds of the Penglai Sect, flying directly up to the canopy range of the fourth layer of the Penglai Immortal Tree.

Upon arriving here, their vision suddenly changed.

They discovered that this place possessed spiritual mountains, waterfalls, ranges, and great marshes, with spiritual qi and rosy clouds swirling in a hazy, ethereal mist.

Various kinds of immortal cranes and spiritual birds soared in flocks among them, with beast roars and bird calls rising and falling, resembling a fairyland on earth.

What surprised Qin Ming even more was that atop this tree canopy, numerous spiritual medicine fields were planted in an orderly fashion.

Lush, verdant, and thriving.

Many cultivators were busily working among the medicine fields and spiritual plants.

As they ventured deeper, Qin Ming passed a medicine garden and, seeing the various spiritual plants cultivated within, could not help but slow his pace.

Among them was one plant emitting purple spiritual light, over a zhang tall, growing three branches, and bearing several pear-shaped spiritual fruits.

"Fourth-grade mid-tier Purple Marrow Dao Pear Fruit!"

Behind it was a gourd vine crawling all over a black wooden trellis, upon which hung two green gourds the size of a palm.

What was miraculous, however, was that the gourds bore lines of golden spiritual runes, as if naturally formed, radiating astonishing metal-attribute spiritual qi, pure and unadulterated.

"Fourth-grade mid-tier Vajra Gourd!!"

As they continued deeper, Qin Ming realized this was a spiritual medicine garden meticulously tended to perfection.

High-grade spiritual plants, rarely seen in the outside world, appeared one after another, a dazzling sight to behold.

"Azure Sea Qingxuan Flower, Three-Yang Crimson Gold Grass, Three-Faced Beast Heart Fruit, Black Jade Orchid Heart Grass, White Silk Epiphyllum..."

Originally, Qin Ming had thought that the spiritual plants in his Small Xiao Lingjing were already superior to all others.

But only after arriving here did he truly comprehend the profound foundation inherited from an ancient sect.

"Hehe! Daoist Qin, this is likely just True Person Long Mu's private medicine garden, not the true foundation of the Penglai Sect," the Qingyang Muhe Laogui, who had remained silent for a long time, chimed in as a timely reminder.

"After all, during the ancient era, the Penglai Sect was the second-largest spiritual plant sect, second only to our Qingyuan Sect."

He pondered for a moment before continuing, "However, even if we add up all the spiritual plants here, including that Penglai Immortal Tree, they still cannot compare to your Seven Wonders Treasure Tree and that strange black vine."

"To be honest, I never expected you to actually manage to cultivate the Seven Wonders Treasure Tree again; with such talent envied by heaven, it would be strange if you weren't struck by lightning..."

Hearing this, Qin Ming felt that the other party did not sound like he was praising him at all; gradually.

After walking to the end of the spirit herb garden, a lush bamboo forest appeared.

Qin Ming also recognized this plant; it was third-grade Jade Phoenix Bamboo, though its rarity was slightly inferior to the Void Spirit Bamboo he had planted on Moon Gazing Island.

Passing through the bamboo path, this place possessed a unique charm of leisure and elegance.

Within his line of sight, several simple huts and thatched cottages appeared, extremely plain.

In front of the houses lay a small lake spanning several dozen mu, covered in lotus flowers, with countless fish, shrimp, ducks, and waterfowl swimming within, creating a scene of serene lake light and water color.

The spiritual energy environment here was exceptionally dense, reaching the peak of the fourth grade.

He wondered how, above the canopy of the Golden Tree, this spirit vein had managed to spread its influence all the way here.

Qin Ming felt his horizons had expanded.

Long Mu Zhenjun led Qin Ming into this secluded, rustic dwelling, then spoke toward one of the huts: "Tian'er, we have an honored guest; brew a pot of Spirit Mulberry Bitter Tea for our guest on behalf of your master."

"Yes, Master!"

Creak!

The door opened, and a little girl of four or five ran out, her jet-black hair tied in two small braids, her pair of pitch-black eyes unusually lively.

Qin Ming slightly activated his Yin-Yang Mystical Mirror divine ability, sweeping his gaze over her.

He saw that her body was filled with an incredibly dense, vigorous vitality, even stronger than the verdant life force within many Nascent Soul old monsters!

Immediately, this dripping-green vitality formed the shape of a lotus flower within Qin Ming's vision!

'This...'

'This is actually a spirit plant?!'

"Born with spiritual wisdom, and a spirit plant assuming human form??"

Qin Ming saw through the mystery at a glance.

The little girl named Tian Linger was exceptionally well-behaved.

Skillfully, she took spirit tea leaves from a tea canister inside the hut, then ran outside to a spirit spring eye to scoop up spirit spring water.

Using special spirit wood to boil water for tea, the vessel employed for brewing was a blackish earthenware pot.

Watching the girl's obedient demeanor, Shi Tian Shu jumped down, approached her, and said, "How about I help you?"

Tian Linger showed no fear of strangers; her pretty face bloomed with a brilliant smile as she replied crisply, "Thank you for your kind offer, but this little one can manage! Please, Senior, rest and wait a moment."

"It will be ready soon."

She did not seem strange at all that a mouse could speak human language.

Shi Tian Shu revealed a look of suspicion, then crept closer to Tian Linger, arching its nose to sniff vigorously.

It couldn't help but wonder aloud: "Strange, why is there a scent of a heavenly treasure medicine?"

Immediately, it did not leave, but quietly lay to one side, watching Tian Linger burn incense and brew tea.

And from the moment Qin Ming stepped inside the hut, his attention had inevitably, whether intentionally or not, remained fixed on the little girl.

(End of Chapter)