Chapter 226: The Broken Branch of the Wu Dao Ancient Tea Tree (6k)

Thus, as time slowly passed, there was no movement around them.

Xuan Yuan Shuo’s face showed a hint of embarrassment, his eyes flickering with disappointment.

“I’ll go!”

Seeing this, Second Uncle rubbed his hands and stepped forward eagerly.

Zhou Qing barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Why is everyone so naive?

Yet he recalled how, when facing the legacy left by the Old Peng King, he had bowed three times using [Daily Appraisal] and successfully opened the Five-Color Barrier.

Afterwards, Number Six, in her restricted zone, performed incense-burning and kowtows beneath the few jujube trees offering temporary shelter, hoping for guidance.

And this world was vast, too mysterious; the higher their level, the more they encountered certain things—and the more they must believe with reverence.

Thinking of this, Zhou Qing could now understand them.

At the moment Second Uncle picked up the Great Demon Token, he suddenly realized something.

In the killing of the Peng Emperor, he had done absolutely nothing.

This time, he had merely come along to pick up leftovers.

Under Xuan Yuan Shuo’s suspicious gaze, Second Uncle let out a forced laugh and said, “Forget it, forget it—how could all the good fortune in this world belong solely to my master and me? One must learn contentment.”

Saying this, he tossed the Great Demon Token to Xuan Yuan Shuo.

After all, they would soon return to the interior lands; this place, including the Five-Color Barrier, had nothing to do with them anymore.

Xuan Yuan Shuo, unwilling to let go, immediately sealed away the entire coffin.

“Such a revered master perished in my Sacred Wu Empire—it is our failure. I wish to take him back for proper burial, as a sign of respect.”

Xuan Yuan Shuo said solemnly.

Second Uncle could only pretend not to notice, briefly searched the chamber, then led Zhou Qing out.

“Keep your voice down—the old monkey’s coming back!” Xuan Yuan Shuo suddenly spoke.

Zhou Qing nodded, his gaze fixed on the four still-unconscious Demon Kings.

Later, Second Uncle and Xuan Yuan Shuo would erase their memories and implant false ones, leaving no trace.

The three thoroughly searched the cave dwelling once more, confirmed nothing was left behind, then gathered all their gains to divide equally.

Looking at the suddenly empty cave and the two men haggling nearby, Zhou Qing let out a long breath.

His gains this time were likely the greatest—he had directly condensed a thousand Spirit Seals, leaving him only two-thirds short of becoming a Level-Three Array Master like Lin Shi.

Beyond that, he had personally experienced the strike of a Cutting-Spirit expert and swindled two Demon Emperors out of fifty supreme-grade spirit stones.

Though the jade bed went to Xuan Yuan Shuo, he had swiftly taken the Peng Emperor’s golden feathers and stowed them in his storage pouch.

Also, the jade slips containing Master Situ’s insights, plus the remaining items in the cave, were his one-third share by prior agreement.

As for Second Uncle, the ten-thousand-year Blood Ginseng alone guaranteed him a profitable trip.

“Hm?” Soon, he noticed a potted plant placed on a carved stone window ledge.

Yet the plant inside held only a bare, lifeless branch stuck in the soil, resembling a dead log.

Who knew the Peng Emperor was such a lover of life.

But why plant nothing but this dead branch in a proper pot? It was utterly baffling.

Just as Zhou Qing turned to leave and check on Second Uncle and Xuan Yuan Shuo’s division, the four-colored flower rooted in his spiritual sea suddenly trembled violently.

Zhou Qing’s eyes narrowed instantly; a strong premonition surged in his chest—he spun back toward the potted plant.

For the first time ever, the four-colored flower had reacted so intensely to an external object.

Could this pot conceal some profound mystery?

Without hesitation, Zhou Qing activated [Daily Appraisal].

Soon, detailed information returned.

【Wu Dao Ancient Tea Tree: This is a branch severed from the Immortal Divine Herb—the Wu Dao Ancient Tea Tree. After countless years of wandering, it was accidentally retrieved by Situ Jiuyao from a ruin.】

【He did not recognize it; only after obtaining the Five-Color Array Disc did he idly pick it up. After the Peng Emperor Feng Xuanling killed him, no memory of this item was found, so out of curiosity, he planted it here.】

【Unfortunately, they did not know that reviving the Wu Dao Ancient Tea Tree requires extraordinarily strict conditions.】

【But if successfully cultivated, a cultivator need only meditate nearby to enter a state of sudden enlightenment—aiding breakthroughs, comprehending techniques, even glimpsing the mysteries of Heaven and Earth’s laws.】

Reading the description, Zhou Qing clenched his hands tightly, his heart pounding.

“Immortal Divine Herb? Wu Dao Ancient Tea Tree? Sudden Enlightenment? This this this…”

Suddenly, someone slapped his shoulder, startling him out of his trance.

“I called your name twice and you didn’t answer—what’s wrong?” Second Uncle handed him a storage pouch, eyes filled with concern.

Before Zhou Qing could answer, Xuan Yuan Shuo strode forward to the potted plant.

His gaze swept over it, then his lips curled into a smile: “Didn’t expect this to be a treasure—you’ve got good eyes, kid.”

As he spoke, Xuan Yuan Shuo pulled out the branch and examined it closely.

Zhou Qing’s heart tightened; he cursed inwardly.

Careless—I shouldn’t have shown any unusual reaction before a Cutting-Spirit expert.

But the next moment, Zhou Qing was stunned: Xuan Yuan Shuo merely glanced at the branch, then casually dropped it on the ground and upended the pot’s soil.

“This pot is entirely forged from Purple Spirit Silver—worth two or three supreme-grade spirit stones if sold,” Xuan Yuan Shuo beamed.

Second Uncle immediately stepped forward, picked up the branch, and examined it too.

But after a moment, he, like Xuan Yuan Shuo, discarded it without a second thought and crouched to sift through the spilled soil.

Soon, Second Uncle burst into laughter: “Old Shuo, you slipped up—look what I found!”

He pulled from the soil a dull-looking Wood-element supreme-grade spirit stone.

“Though it’s lost some energy, it’s still worth four or five regular Spirit Stones.” Second Uncle grinned triumphantly.

Xuan Yuan Shuo immediately slapped his forehead in regret.

He’d been so afraid Second Uncle would snatch the pot, he’d ignored what was inside.

Zhou Qing stared blankly at the two, speechless.

What kind of fools are these? Buying the casket and returning the pearl?

Of course—such an Immortal Divine Herb as the Wu Dao Ancient Tea Tree was unimaginably rare; ordinary people simply wouldn’t recognize it.

Even Situ Jiuyao, from a Level-Five Cultivation Nation and well-traveled, and Feng Xuanling, the Demon Emperor with innate affinity for spiritual herbs, didn’t know it.

Even Second Uncle, a Prince of a Level-Four Nation, gifted and experienced across sects, didn’t recognize it—proof of its strangeness.

Yet soon, Xuan Yuan Shuo picked up the branch again.

After all, why use such precious Purple Spirit Silver for a pot and place a Five-Element supreme-grade spirit stone inside? The Peng Emperor wouldn’t do this without reason—perhaps the branch held something special.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing’s heart tightened again, pounding as he silently prayed they wouldn’t uncover the branch’s secret.

“Crazy!” After careful inspection, Xuan Yuan Shuo confirmed it was merely an ordinary dead branch, muttered, and tossed it aside again.

Then he turned to Second Uncle and Zhou Qing: “Enough. We can leave.”

Second Uncle nodded, then looked at the four lying Demon Kings.

They exchanged glances, understanding each other, stepped forward, and pressed a finger to each King’s forehead, constructing false memories of their pre-coma state.

Meanwhile, Zhou Qing exhaled slowly, slipped over unnoticed, and swiftly tucked the branch into his storage pouch.

His face lit up with joy.

It seemed that everything in the Peng Emperor’s cave combined was less valuable than this single branch.

This time, he’d truly struck gold.

But whether he could successfully cultivate the Wu Dao Ancient Tea Tree depended on tomorrow’s [Daily Appraisal]—whether it offered new clues.

Otherwise, all was in vain.

Even if he told Second Uncle, the man wouldn’t believe him.

And since even Second Uncle, with his experience, had never heard of the Wu Dao Ancient Tea Tree, suddenly naming such a divine herb would raise suspicion.

After all, every time he recognized the disguised Second Uncle, the man already grew curious—what if…

Watching the two fully erase the Demon Kings’ memories, Zhou Qing weighed his options once more, then decided to keep the Wu Dao Ancient Tea Tree’s secret hidden.

He didn’t want to invite unnecessary trouble due to a moment’s impulse.

Who knew—he might be the one lying there next, having new memories implanted.

“The old monkey’s gone. Are you ready?” Soon, Xuan Yuan Shuo held the Great Demon Token, his expression cold.

Both nodded. As the cave opened, the three carried the four Demon Kings out and dumped them into the shrubbery beneath Hei Ling Peak.

Then Second Uncle seized Zhou Qing and swiftly departed from Great Demon Mountain.

Within moments, Chi Xiao Fen, Gui Yuan, and several other Demon Kings slowly stirred awake.

Their eyes were still dazed, but upon receiving the old monkey’s urgent message, they snapped alert, panicked, and rushed toward the summit.

…

“Zhou Shixiong!”

“Old Four!”

Upon seeing Zhou Qing return, Lu Yaoyao and Yan Xiaohu rushed forward excitedly.

Zhou Qing nodded slightly, signaling he was unharmed.

Xuan Yuan Shuo summoned Jiangpo Army and ordered them to gather everyone who had witnessed Zhou Qing transform into the Golden Peng during the contest.

“We’ve finished here. We’ll stay two more days, then leave!” Second Uncle said calmly to Xuan Yuan Shuo.

Xuan Yuan Shuo nodded, then smiled at Zhou Qing: “If you need help later, I’ll send someone to find you—same reward as before!”

Zhou Qing smiled faintly and replied simply: “Alright.”

Afterwards, the group parted ways, each to their own business.

“Mr. Lin!” Er Dadai and Zhou Qing blocked Lin Daochen and secretly handed him a storage bag.

Lin Daochen frowned in confusion, but when he saw the replicated jade slip inside, his eyes widened in shock, disbelief flooding his gaze.

“After this matter is settled, Zhou Qing and I have some business—we won’t be returning to the academy for a while. We hope these items may aid you!”

Er Dadai spoke earnestly, his eyes brimming with deep respect for Lin Daochen.

Lin Daochen was deeply moved.

The man before him was a Cultivation Master of the Soul Severing Realm, equal in status to the academy’s headmaster.

Yet he held no arrogance, even showing more reverence for his teacher than most students.

“Thank you. To have taught you and Zhou Qing is the greatest fortune of my life!” Lin Daochen’s voice trembled, his eyes reddening.

Zhou Qing and Er Dadai exchanged a glance, then bowed deeply in unison, respectfully saying: “We are equally honored.”

…

Three days later, everyone packed their belongings and took their leave.

But after traveling less than two days, Er Dadai halted the space vessel.

Immediately below, a figure dashed through the forest.

It was none other than Lu Yuanzhi, who should have left long ago.

“Master Lu!” Lu Yaoyao’s face filled with shock upon seeing Lu Yuanzhi.

She didn’t want to meet Imperial Consort Chen, yet couldn’t bear to abandon Lu Yaoyao—so she had stayed alone in this remote wilderness, waiting for them.

In an instant, Lu Yaoyao’s eyes filled with pity and shame.

Zhou Qing, aware of certain inner truths, was deeply moved as well.

Lu Yuanzhi first bowed to Er Dadai, then a faint smile broke across her cold face: “Why are you crying? You look like a little cat with a muddy face. But perfect—this quiet setting lets me revise your cultivation plan.”

As she spoke, she pulled out a jade slip and waved it lightly.

Lu Yaoyao wiped her eyes and nodded firmly.

…

A month later, the group finally returned to Bai Yu Tai Xu Academy.

Upon learning Lu Yaoyao had returned, Li Daoxuan rushed over at once.

He had grown even more profound in aura since their last meeting—surely he would enter Soul Transformation within a few years.

Next, Er Dadai planned to take Zhou Qing back to Taiqingmen to attempt opening the first coffin.

But before that, he intended to travel for a time, seeking special items to preserve the vitality of the ten-thousand-year Blood Ginseng.

If such a divine herb withered and died in his hands, he would regret it for life.

After confirming Zhou Qing wouldn’t be traveling far soon, Lu Yaoyao peacefully re-entered the academy’s secret realm with Lu Yuanzhi to cultivate.

As for Third Senior Brother, Li Daoxuan seemed to need his help with a small matter, so the two departed together.

Thus, the entire inner courtyard residence was left with only Zhou Qing and that old hen for company.

Now, finally, he could calm his mind and properly tally the gains from his border journey.

Among them were nearly a hundred supreme-grade spirit stones, including eight fire-affinity and seven water-affinity ones.

In addition, there were various odd items, such as the great Peng King’s feathers—he planned to hand them to Zhang Wanbao at the right time for disposal.

In short, for a long time ahead, he needn’t worry about cultivation resources again.

Within his consciousness, the blood curse had been lifted.

His battles against Jiangpo Army and others had significantly strengthened his realm.

The cultivation insights left by Wu Tiangang, the two third-grade masters, and Situ Jiuyao, the fourth-grade array master, had greatly benefited him.

He had successfully condensed one thousand spirit seals, fully advancing to second-grade array master.

Of course, the most invaluable treasure of all was the fragment of the Awakening Ancient Tea Tree.

He had dared not reveal it during this time, fearing discovery—now, finally, he had a chance to re-examine it.

May fortune smile upon him!

As he initiated the appraisal, information swiftly returned.

【Awakening Ancient Tea Tree: This is a branch severed from the Immortal Divine Herb—the Awakening Ancient Tea Tree. Though seemingly dead, its vitality lies dormant, vast and inwardly contained.】

【If planted in spiritual soil, irrigated with Xuanbing Sui from the depths of a thousand-year frozen pool, supplemented by ten wood-affinity supreme-grade spirit stones arranged into a spirit-gathering array, and nourished with spirit fluid refined from three Yanling Flowers blooming in extreme yang locations, its vitality may be awakened.】

At this, Zhou Qing could no longer contain his joy—he burst into cheers, startling the dozing old hen, who flapped her wings and clucked loudly.

There truly was a way to awaken it!

But—

Zhou Qing’s face darkened instantly as he stared at the required materials list.

Spiritual soil, Xuanbing Sui, Yanling Flowers, and wood-affinity supreme-grade spirit stones—of these four, he’d never heard of the other three. The only one he knew, the wood-affinity supreme-grade spirit stone, he didn’t possess a single one.

And he needed ten.

At current market value, one wood-affinity supreme-grade spirit stone equals ten ordinary supreme-grade spirit stones—and is often unavailable at any price.

After all, who would trade one mid-grade spirit stone for a hundred impure low-grade ones to cultivate?

“Is it truly fate’s cruel twist?” Zhou Qing sighed helplessly.

But if he could truly revive this Awakening Ancient Tea Tree, it would be like having a [Sudden Enlightenment Scroll] at his disposal at all times.

Then wouldn’t the cultivation difficulty of his current Mingwen-level [Hundred Tribulations Blood Curtain] drop dramatically?

Especially once mastered, this art wouldn’t just serve for combat—it could even condense a blood-wing phantom, instantly transforming slain enemies within range into [Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystals].

These [Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystals] contained pure energy, immensely beneficial to his cultivation—perfectly matching the vast energy needed for his Four Flowers at the Crown advancement.

This was a perfect cultivation loop!

“No—I must find Zhang Wanbao!” Zhou Qing grew increasingly eager, unable to sit still—he rose at once and headed straight for the Treasures Pavilion.

…

Returning to the bustling trading hub, Zhou Qing quickly spotted two familiar figures: Xiao Cancan and Li Shitao.

They were enthusiastically assisting customers.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing smiled knowingly.

He recalled how, after their journey from Lingyun Mansion, they had gone to visit the Lord of Haomiao Mansion.

“Big Brother Zhou!” Xiao Cancan, sharp-eyed, spotted him at once and cried out in delight.

Li Shitao instinctively glanced around, confirmed Yan Xiaohu wasn’t with him, and a faint, unnoticed disappointment flickered in her eyes—then she smiled and stepped forward.

“I’m so sorry—we promised to visit you at the academy, but Wanbao insisted we help him.”

Li Shitao said apologetically.

Xiao Cancan nodded vigorously: “We’re both from Lingyun Mansion. He came here alone, unfamiliar with everything—we couldn’t refuse. But we never expected his business to be this booming.”

As she spoke, she gestured to the bustling Treasures Pavilion behind them.

Zhou Qing’s lips curled into a knowing smile.

Zhang Wanbao was cunning as ever—he must’ve gone to great lengths to “con” these two into helping. But then again, it was a willing exchange.

He laughed heartily: “That’s business—those with ability always make it thrive. Brother Wanbao has a natural gift for commerce.”

“You two helping him truly eased his urgent need. By the way, is he inside? I need to speak with him.”

Zhou Qing scanned the busy shop and asked.

Xiao Cancan grinned brightly: “He’s right inside—I’ll take you!”

She turned and led Zhou Qing toward the back of the shop.

Through the crowded throng, once inside, they saw a rotund figure intently poring over a thick ledger, his brush occasionally scribbling notes.

Hearing footsteps, Zhang Wanbao looked up, saw Zhou Qing, and sprang up in delight: “Big Brother Zhou! What brings you here?”

He immediately set down the ledger and rose to greet him, ordering a servant to brew fine spiritual tea.

Zhou Qing sat down, smiling. As no one noticed, he subtly pointed outside, teasingly asking: “What’s going on here?”

Zhang Wanbao chuckled: “Just like I said when I left last time—I had confidence in myself.”

Zhou Qing immediately raised a thumb.

Zhang Wanbao gratefully said: “I owe it all to Big Brother Zhou. Otherwise, I’d still be wandering aimlessly in Lingyun Mansion.”

Zhou Qing waved his hand: “Don’t say that—it has nothing to do with me. You owe thanks to yourself—for having the courage to leave your comfort zone and become someone new.”

Zhang Wanbao scratched his head, embarrassed.

He quickly asked: “Big Brother Zhou, what brings you here?”

Zhou Qing’s smile faded. He solemnly handed over a storage bag: “See how much it’s worth.”

Zhang Wanbao took the bag, slowly extending his spiritual sense inside—and when he saw its contents, his eyes widened in shock.

His breathing quickened—he was stunned by the rare items within.

He gently pinched the bag’s opening, and a dazzling golden feather appeared in his hand.

He brought it to his nose, sniffed, frowned in thought, then said: “This is… Jin Chida’s feather?”

Zhou Qing nodded. He had to admit—Wanbao possessed extraordinary insight and perception for rare and bizarre items.

Born to be a merchant!

“These items are priceless. Are you certain you want to sell them all?”

Zhang Wanbao wisely didn’t ask their origin, but his eyes held a trace of doubt as he confirmed again.

(End of Chapter)