Chapter 317

He Pingsheng put away his items, then piloted the Eight-Treasure Boat back the way he came.

After a little more than half a day, he returned to the valley entrance.

He continued along the main valley—Mulong Gorge—and spotted a side valley untouched by any traveler; he entered it and gathered several second-rank spiritual herbs.

He also found dozens of third-rank immortal fruits.

Yet these immortal fruits were utterly common—they were the primary ingredient for the third-rank elixir 【Juyuan Pill】, consumed by those at the Core Formation realm: Tianyuan Fruit.

Of course, Tianyuan Fruit's uses extended far beyond just making Juyuan Pill; it was also one of the main ingredients in the Bu Dao Pill.

But the main reason this item was not precious was because its uses were too widespread, causing countless families in the cultivation world to cultivate it, resulting in massive supply.

Having emerged from this side valley, He Pingsheng had already been inside Mulong Gorge for two or three days, so the side gullies he encountered henceforth had all been stripped clean by others.

He had no interest in entering places others had already ransacked.

Enough, enough…

No more!

What he had acquired was already sufficient; no need for excessive greed.

He Pingsheng continued along the main path, and after a day arrived at the very end of Mulong Gorge.

The end of Mulong Gorge resembled the earlier Jinlong Gorge.

Both were open expanses, like plazas, and at the center of each plaza stood a colossal divine tree.

The divine tree was thick—requiring ten or so people to encircle it—and towering, reaching a hundred zhang high, lush and verdant, with impossibly dense foliage.

At this moment, numerous cultivators had already seated themselves around the divine tree.

He Pingsheng's gaze turned to the rear of the tree; just like in Jinlong Gorge, three sides were ringed by mountains, all steep and nearly vertical.

Without even looking, he knew a formation must be sealing off the area behind, preventing cultivators from entering the Shuilong Gorge beyond.

The formation blocking access to Shuilong Gorge would open only on the tenth day.

He Pingsheng first found a spot to sit, then fixed his gaze on the divine tree.

Because from time to time, someone would walk toward the tree, seemingly verifying their Dao with it to obtain the legendary 【Suo Luo Holy Fruit】.

He Pingsheng had barely sat down when the Ninth Imperial Prince approached.

"Hehe…"

The Ninth Imperial Prince chuckled amiably, uninvited, and sat right beside He Pingsheng: "We've fought, now we're acquainted—I still don't know your Dao title!"

"Please tell me."

"Don't worry—I mean no harm!"

"After all, that kind of thing—I'd rather no one knew about it!"

"If I were going to attack you, I'd make a grand spectacle—it wouldn't benefit me!"

He Pingsheng smiled and said: "Xu—I'm surnamed Xu…"

"Oh…" the Ninth Imperial Prince said. "So you're Brother Xu… I've already tried it—I got three 【Suo Luo Holy Fruits】. Look…"

The Ninth Imperial Prince pulled three greenish fruits from his storage ring and placed them in his palm.

The fruits were small, about the size of grapes.

Yet on their thin skins, mysterious runes shimmered and flowed.

"Is this…?" He Pingsheng glanced, slightly startled: "This… is Dao?"

"Yes!" the Ninth Imperial Prince nodded. "Dao is the force of cosmic rules—think of it as the fundamental rule of Wood element!"

"Usually, after reaching Nascent Soul, one must comprehend the rules of heaven and earth—but this Wood element's primordial rule? No need to comprehend—just swallow it!"

"It will advance your Dao further!"

"But… hehe… you must have a Wood spiritual root to benefit."

"Do you have one, Brother Xu?"

He Pingsheng said nothing—only pointed his right hand forward.

Puch!

A thorn vine pierced the ground and sprouted upward.

"Respected Ninth Imperial Prince, your memory is truly poor…" He Pingsheng smiled sweetly.

The Ninth Imperial Prince's face darkened instantly. "I'd forgotten that—congratulations then…"

"Since you have a Wood spiritual root, Brother Xu, go beneath the tree and verify your Dao!"

He Pingsheng said: "Not yet—I'll wait."

He studied the Ninth Imperial Prince curiously. "Are you also a multi-spiritual root?"

After all, earlier, the Ninth Imperial Prince had attacked him with Fire-element techniques and Thunder techniques.

Now he'd obtained these Suo Luo Holy Fruits—and had a Wood spiritual root.

Clearly not a single-element root.

"Hehe…" the Ninth Imperial Prince chuckled. "My spiritual roots are special—I possess all Five Elements!"

"Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—all complete!"

"Hahahaha…"

Here, the Ninth Imperial Prince grew downright proud: "Though my roots are currently worthless, once I reach Nascent Soul, all karmic debts will be repaid—hehehe…"

He Pingsheng stared in astonishment: This guy was proud of his Five-Element root?

But he understood why.

In ordinary sects, Five-Element roots were despised—but in the imperial family, they were treasures.

Yet cultivation and achievement weren't determined solely by spiritual roots.

Sometimes, fortune and opportunity mattered ten thousand times more than roots.

"Are you a single Wood spiritual root?" the Ninth Imperial Prince asked again.

He Pingsheng said: "You'll be disappointed—I'm the same as you: Five-Element root."

"What?" the Ninth Imperial Prince gasped. "So we both have Five-Element roots? What fate!"

"Wonderful, wonderful… Brother Xu, why don't we become sworn brothers?"

He Pingsheng's face darkened instantly: …………

This…

Damn it!

Is this Ninth Prince mentally deficient?

There are tens of thousands of Five-Element roots in the world—do you plan to swear brotherhood with every one?

"We'll talk about it later!" He Pingsheng's gaze turned to the divine tree.

At that moment, someone arrived beneath the tree.

It was a woman—whom He Pingsheng recognized: Su Zhen.

She slowly extended her right hand, pressing her pale palm against the divine tree's trunk.

She closed her eyes and meditated.

One breath. Two breaths.

After three breaths, a low hum vibrated through the air.

Then two Suo Luo Holy Fruits fell from the tree, hovering motionless in midair before Su Zhen.

And Su Zhen's fruits were far larger than the Ninth Imperial Prince's.

As big as apricots.

"Mid-rank?" the Ninth Imperial Prince exclaimed. "This woman is no ordinary cultivator—she obtained two mid-rank Suo Luo Holy Fruits!"

He Pingsheng asked: "Do Suo Luo Holy Fruits have ranks?"

"Of course…" the Ninth Imperial Prince said proudly. "They're divided into low, mid, and high rank: low like grapes, mid like apricots, high like chicken eggs."