Chapter 552: Half-Sage Tree Slave

Feng Qing'er's noble and beautiful face flushed crimson with rage, her body trembling with fury. Xiao Yan's scheme was nearly flawless!

Feng Qing'er herself had done things betraying her clan; if exposed, not only would she lose her position as Holy Maiden, but she might even be imprisoned by her family, and worst of all, have her essence blood drained, rendering her a useless shell forever!

"Stop quarreling—this place is no place to linger. Everyone else has entered the Bodhi Ancient Tree. If we're surrounded, we'll all die here." Elder Feng Lan immediately transformed into her true form and unleashed the Demon Phoenix Bell to fend off the Eight Rank Peak super Fierce Beasts.

Jiu Feng gritted her teeth, formed a hand seal, and unleashed her bloodline power; her eyes erupted with Seven-Colored Divine Light. As the light swept across, the Fierce Beasts—already low in intelligence and driven mad by frenzy—suddenly froze as if pausing a timer.

"Go!" Jiu Feng shot Feng Qing'er a venomous glance, her eyes now laced with ruthlessness.

Seeing that ruthless glint in Jiu Feng's eyes, Feng Qing'er knew she could never explain herself clearly.

The Ten Heavenly Lords have always been cruel to their enemies. Feng Qing'er thought her bloodline evolution could let her defy the Ten Heavenly Lords, but in truth, she could never escape their palm—she was merely a tiny bird in their grasp.

Elder Feng Lan sighed and said, "Ah, Qing'er, you know our Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan places supreme value on bloodline. Though Xiao Yan is indeed exceptional, he is human—and given your current status, the only one truly suitable for you is Jiu Feng."

"Though Xiao Yan is an Alchemist and has done you favors… I hope you can understand."

Feng Qing'er wanted to scream: I understand! It's you who don't understand!

When all had rushed into the strange black mist and the beast tide devoured those unable to escape, the tide halted.

Even the Eight Rank Peak, nearly Nine Rank super Fierce Beasts stopped in their tracks, utterly unwilling to approach the Bodhi Ancient Tree or the strange black mist, their fierce eyes filled with deep wariness.

The attraction of the Bodhi Ancient Tree had made Xiao Yan and the others overlook the question: why didn't these Fierce Beasts enter the Bodhi Ancient Tree?

Not long after Xiao Yan and the others plunged into the strange black mist, a vast ancient tree with an enormous canopy stood alone on the boundless plain, roughly several thousand zhang away. A pure aura rippled above the tree, shifting constantly into myriad forms, appearing wondrous and unfathomable.

"Is this the legendary Bodhi Ancient Tree?!"

Gazing from afar at the ancient tree, steeped in antiquity, standing like a pillar between heaven and earth, Xiao Yan's heart pounded violently.

A Saint—so close!

"The Bodhi Ancient Tree?!"

Other factions following behind Xiao Yan also saw the ancient tree radiating primordial energy; their pupils shrank and they cried out in shock.

Not even Xun Er, born into a Dou Emperor Family, could hide her surprise; Gu Qingyang and Soul Jade and others were likewise stunned. Such legendary entities—even as ancient races with the strongest legacies on the Dou Qi Continent—they had never seen within their own realms, only occasionally glimpsed in Ancient Texts.

"What a Shen Mi Zhi Yi tree!"

Xiao Yixian, possessing the Zao Hua Saint's heritage of medicinal cultivation, had seen descriptions of the Bodhi Ancient Tree in the Zao Hua Scripture.

The Zao Hua Scripture of the Zao Hua Saint recorded that the Bodhi Ancient Tree was unquestionably one of the supreme Supreme Treasures of the Dou Qi Continent—there was only one such tree on the entire continent. Even a Zao Hua Saint with Zao Hua power could never cultivate a second.

Like Void Swallowing Flame and Pure Lotus Demonic Fire, it was utterly unique!

Even a Dou Emperor could never cultivate a second Bodhi Ancient Tree—the Dou Qi Continent itself could not birth a second!

It could rightly be called the World Tree of the Dou Qi Continent.

Even though they were far from the Bodhi Ancient Tree, they still felt its wonder and vastness. Its canopy spread across the heavens and earth like an ancient Sacred Artifact standing beyond time, radiating antiquity and desolation.

"Soul Jade and the others have already passed ahead."

Xiao Yan suppressed his inner fervor, waved his hand, and surged forward toward the distant ancient tree. Behind him, Xun Er and the others, ignoring rest, immediately followed with swift movements.

As Xiao Yan and the others took flight, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan finally arrived.

"Is that the Bodhi Ancient Tree?"

Upon seeing the Bodhi Ancient Tree, a refreshing sensation surged into their hearts—even Jiu Feng, still furious, forgot her anger, her eyes filled with awe.

The Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan lived upon their own Divine Tree, one of the top trees on the Dou Qi Continent—but it paled beside this Bodhi Ancient Tree.

"If we could live upon it, our clan might evolve a bloodline rivaling the ancient Heaven Phoenix, becoming an entirely new race!"

One elder trailing Jiu Feng murmured to himself; though impossible, every member of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan nodded, their eyes brimming with longing.

If they could dwell atop the Bodhi Ancient Tree and be nourished by it long-term, their bloodlines would surely mutate and evolve—becoming a new super beast race rivaling the Ancient Dragon Clan!

Feng Qing'er, with the highest bloodline among them, felt it most clearly: merely breathing in a trace of the ancient tree's aura had loosened her bloodline. If she could obtain a Bodhi Seed—even without refining it into an Elixir, swallowing it raw—she would gain immense benefit!

As the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan landed, still stumbling from exertion, they saw the ancient colossal tree standing between heaven and earth. Seeing Xiao Yan and the others already racing toward the Bodhi Ancient Tree, they could no longer hold back and barked: "Follow them!"

"Yes!"

Hearing this, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan's elite, though exhausted from expending their bloodline power and Dou Qi, gritted their teeth and nodded. Instantly, figures flashed forward again, urgently chasing after Xiao Yan and the others ahead.

Xiao Yan's group moved swiftly; the several-thousand-zhang distance took only minutes to cover. When they reached several hundred zhang from the Bodhi Ancient Tree, Soul Jade and his party suddenly appeared in view.

Seeing the Soul Sovereign warriors standing motionless, Xiao Yan and the others paused in surprise. Could these guys actually be waiting for us so patiently?

"Something's fishy. Stay alert. Be ready to flee at any moment."

"Understood."

Xiao Yan murmured softly, gradually slowing his speed, then landed gently not far behind Soul Jade's group. His gaze swept over them, then lifted toward the nearby Bodhi Ancient Tree.

Viewing the Bodhi Ancient Tree up close was another breathtaking spectacle: its trunk, thousands of zhang tall, stood like a pillar connecting heaven and earth, thickly coated in ancient energy. Its canopy was immense, spreading so widely it could cover half a City. Thick, potent pure auras radiated from the tree, drifting through the sky, occasionally forming wondrous, shifting phenomena.

Sunlight poured down, illuminating the ancient tree, giving it a translucent glow. A powerful Life Force, enough to shock Xiao Yan and the others, spread outward.

Hai Bodong took a deep breath, and an invigorating sensation flooded his senses. He exhaled slowly and said, "What a refreshing feeling."

Heavenly Flame Lord nodded and said, "The Bodhi Ancient Tree truly deserves its legendary reputation."

Yet Xiao Yan felt a deep unease within—this unease stemmed from his powerful Spiritual Soul, especially after cultivating the Emperor Soul Scripture. His Soul Force Perception had grown sharper; he could always sense lurking danger. But this unease now was subtle—if he didn't concentrate, he might miss it entirely.

"Xiao Yan!! I'll fight you to the death!"

As Xiao Yan pondered, a sharp wind rushed from behind. Feng Qing'er's eyes blazed with fury; her right palm condensed wind-thunder energy and slammed forward. With a wet *puff*, she spat blood—her Asura Slave Seal erupted—but she endured the soul-searing pain to strike Xiao Yan.

"Ah, why bother?" Xiao Yan sighed, turning and throwing a punch.

Xiao Yan's fist, wrapped in glazed golden light, met her palm instantly. Already vastly weaker than Xiao Yan, and further weakened by the Asura Slave Seal, Feng Qing'er's attack felt weak and feeble.

That seemingly fearsome wind-thunder palm imprint shattered instantly, flinging her backward with a spray of blood.

Seeing Feng Qing'er's attack, as if trying to prove her innocence, Jiu Feng sneered. You're acting terribly—your palm strike isn't even as strong as mine!

"Xiao Yan, you controlled me just now—I didn't do it of my own will!" Feng Qing'er wiped blood from her lips, glaring at Xiao Yan with fury.

To Feng Qing'er's surprise, Xiao Yan nodded and said, "Yes. I did use a Soul Illusion technique to control you just now."

Hearing Xiao Yan openly admit it, Feng Qing'er froze, then her face turned deathly pale. She turned to look at the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan behind her.

As expected, Jiu Feng sneered, her eyes filled with mockery. Even the other Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan Elders shook their heads and sighed.

Clearly disbelieving Feng Qing'er's words, they simply ignored her.

Jiu Feng directly ignored Feng Qing'er, leading the group forward at a slow pace, smiling faintly. "Several of you, having come all this way, why have you stopped?"

Ahead, the Soul Jade turned around, his furrowed brows relaxing into a smile. "Heh, you've finally arrived. Since all of you seek the Bodhi Ancient Tree, it's only natural to wait together."

Upon hearing this, everyone present laughed. Those who had made it here were no fools; they had long seen through the Soul Jade's act. This man appeared amiable on the surface, but inwardly he was utterly ruthless. Anyone who believed him had already been left behind in the beast tide, torn to shreds and swallowed by Fierce Beasts.

The Soul Jade paid no mind to their forced smiles, his face still wearing a faint smile as he pointed toward the Bodhi Ancient Tree behind them. "This is our goal. Though we've broken through the beast tide, the truest challenge lies in this Bodhi Ancient Tree."

Xiao Yan and the others felt no surprise. To think this Bodhi Ancient Tree was merely a tree with no threat would mean they were all mad.

Everyone present knew well: this tree must possess terrifying powers, and anyone who disrespected it would die horribly.

"Young Master Yan, I sense something wrong with this Bodhi Ancient Tree," Qing Lin suddenly said in a low voice, her face grave.

"Hm? What did you see, Qing Lin?" Xiao Yan's Soul Force also faintly sensed something amiss, but he couldn't pinpoint it. Yet Qing Lin possessed the Qi San Hua Tong, the so-called first miraculous eye of the Dou Qi Continent—she must see something others could not.

"Within the green light of the Bodhi Ancient Tree, there hides a cold, gray mist. This mist carries many human negative emotions—these emotions are dangerous."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan froze in place, staring in disbelief at the innocuous-looking Bodhi Ancient Tree. His heart sank. Could this thing be fake? Like the false Thunder Temple in Journey to the West—was this a trial set by the Bodhi Ancient Tree?

Soon after Xiao Yan halted, a sudden hum echoed—from the trunk of the Bodhi Ancient Tree rose a brilliant glow, a mass of energy resembling a heart several feet wide, pulsing with a strong, rhythmic beat.

"Bodhi Heart!"

At the instant the Bodhi Heart pulsed, every heart present thudded violently, as if the Bodhi Heart resonated with the deepest core of each person's soul.

In an instant, every eye turned red, everyone preparing to rush forward and seize the Bodhi Heart—when five strange figures stepped slowly from the trunk, their faces expressionless.

As these five figures emerged, the very space around them violently rippled, and a terrifying pressure suddenly spread through the air!

"These are Semi-Sages!"

"How is this possible? Five Semi-Sages?!"

"No—these Semi-Sages are all puppets. They were killed by the Bodhi Ancient Tree and turned into Tree Slaves!"

Upon realizing these Semi-Sage puppets, every face turned grim. If even Semi-Sages could be turned into puppets by the Bodhi Ancient Tree, who could possibly claim the Bodhi Heart?

Semi-Sages were formidable even among the Gu Clan and Soul Sovereign, the Dou Emperor Families—remember, even Tong Xuan Elder was only a Semi-Sage!

Now, five Semi-Sages had been controlled by the Bodhi Ancient Tree and turned into puppets. This sight sent a chill through every soul present.

At this moment, the Soul Jade's expression changed—he recognized one of the Semi-Sages as a former Semi-Sage of his Soul Sovereign who had vanished while searching for the Bodhi Ancient Tree. He never imagined this Semi-Sage had not only died, but been turned into a Tree Slave!

(End of Chapter)