Chapter 472 - 471: The Tragedy of the Snake People, Immortal Divine Medicine

This continent, hidden deep in the sea, is wrapped in a bubble-like substance serving as a barrier layer.

It is the power of rules at work here.

The main purpose of this barrier is to resist seawater.

Li Jing smoothly pierced through the barrier without any impediment.

Suspending in mid-air, Li Jing gazes down, his face a mask of disquiet.

Within his line of sight, at least a thousand dead bodies of Snake People are visible.

These were beings from two different Snake Man tribes.

In the thick forests of the continent, he could see countless other beastly corpses...

Observing such a scene, Li Jing slightly furrows his brow.

He is not exactly sympathetic towards the calamity that the Snake People have suffered.

He has never been a saint.

He agreed to give refuge to the Ancient God’s Descendants earlier primarily for Quan Chang’s sake, and secondly, because it was a convenient solution, unrelated to Shenmin who had previously asked for help.

Li Jing is somewhat puzzled at the moment.

Why would a Sky Demon, who had planned to raise the Ancient God’s Descendants like pigs, eliminate the Snake People?

Especially, the one hidden among the Snake People had obtained a crucial position which was extremely beneficial to their scheme.

By putting the Snake People to destruction, did he not waste all his efforts?

What baffled Li Jing even more was...

The death toll was not limited to two Snake People tribes.

All other creatures living on this continent had been massacred as well.

In Li Jing’s perception at this moment, no traces of life remained.

In other words...

In his range of perception, there were no living entities, not even a bug!

This...

Wasn’t this a bit too much?

Ling Ling, sitting on Li Jing’s shoulder staring at the corpses scattered all over the continent, felt a touch of discomfort.

Although she anticipated something, witnessing it triggered her instinctive disdain and revulsion towards the scene.

As a Spirit of Origin, representing the origin of life...

Loving life was her instinct.

In fact...

Ling Ling never takes a life.

Faced with this sight, the normally insouciant Ling Ling sighed sorrowfully and turned her face away.

"There’s nothing here. Can I go back first?"

Li Jing was briefly taken aback on hearing this and nodded subconsciously.

Thanks to the symbiotic contract, he was somewhat attuned to Ling Ling’s emotions.

Her spirits seemed lowered at the moment, and she wasn’t as lively as usual, apparently due to the distressing state of the continent.

Just as he was about to open the Little Universe and send Ling Ling inside, the little creature pointed northeast.

"The Life Tree supporting this space is in this direction. Its growth isn’t great, but the person who planted it seems skilled. They confined its influence within the continent. With all the creatures here dead, it’s pointless for it to remain. You might as well put it in your Little Universe later."

Taking a pause, Ling Ling continued,

"An additional Life Tree won’t create a prominent impact on the Little Universe, but it would be somewhat beneficial in the long run. You have plenty of divine blood that can aid the growth of the Life Tree. It’s a good deal for you."

Upon hearing this, Li Jing paused slightly.

He wouldn’t mind collecting a Life Tree.

Ling Ling also mentioned that an extra Life Tree could have a positive effect on the Little Universe.

However...

As if understanding his concern, Ling Ling reassured,

"Don’t worry. The Life Tree plays a similar ’enlightening’ role in allowing space to accommodate life. Once the state of spatial stability is achieved, even without a Life Tree, it won’t be affected."

She continued,

"You can consider that this place, although not forming a universe of its own, started evolving life-related rules from the moment the Life Tree sprouted and has gradually perfected them. The withering or removal of the Life Tree won’t influence the established rules but some evolutionary benefits of life would cease to exist."

Having listened to this explanation, Li Jing nodded and with a thought, sent Ling Ling into the Little Universe.

Once again, he raised his eyes.

"Ruan Ya."

"I’m here. What are your orders, Venerable One?"

Ruan Ya responded respectfully.

Having been inside Li Jing for some time, she had a deep understanding of his volatile and evolving power.

Just a little while ago...

He had even summoned the power projection of a top-tier Western God.

Just by sensing it inside Li Jing’s body, she confirmed that this entity was capable of taking on a Demon Lord-level Sky Demon with its projection alone.

This was...

Simply outrageous!

And then just now, Ruan Ya witnessed something even more terrifying.

Thanks to having advanced to the later stage of Tenth Realm and possessing the mark left behind by the Charming Spirit, she recognized Ling Ling’s nature as soon as she saw her.

Not just that, Ruan Ya perceived a profound power from the harmless Ling Ling, one that was no less than, or even surpassing, the Original Demon.

Ignoring Li Jing’s ever-changing and escalating personal strength for a moment, the relationships he holds are nothing short of mind-boggling!

To know about the Original Demon, who commands the respect of the mystical Western gods, and is intimate with an incredibly powerful Spirit of Origin.

Isn’t this someone...

Why isn’t he already in heaven?

Upon hearing Li Jing’s call, Ruan Ya doesn’t dare to show even a hint of negligence.

Over here.

After receiving Ruan Ya’s response, Li Jing whispers quietly.

"Didn’t you say Sky Demon’s plan is for the long haul? How do you explain what’s happening now?"

"This..."

Ruan Ya hesitates, then continues.

"Respectfully, Sky Demons’ actions are mostly unpredictable. We Sky Demons, internally and externally, don’t possess any credibility. The only thing that can somewhat restrain us, is the deterrent of power. The Sky Demon hiding within the Snake Man Clan is undoubtedly one of the invaders of the Chongyuan Holy Realm. The situation of the Snake Man Clan might be because he suddenly wants to keep all the benefits to himself."

"..."

Li Jing.

So, he just wants to keep everything to himself?

What kind of explanation is that?

But you can’t deny...

Ruan Ya’s explanation actually makes quite a lot of sense.

Being very clear from the beginning.

The actions of Sky Demons are unpredictable and lack credibility.

For a Sky Demon to keep their word and follow some pre-determined plan is very unlikely.

Especially the most powerful among-related Sky Demons...

Just when he didn’t know how to respond, Ruan Ya spoke again.

"Apart from that, I have another hypothesis which possibly fits better with the current situation of the Snake Man Clan."

?

Li Jing sent out a question mark and whispers quietly again.

"Can you finish your sentence in one breath?"

"Ahem!"

Ruan Ya coughs and resumes her speech.

"Perhaps the annihilation of the Snake Man Clan has something to do with the Life Tree which you and our superior mentioned."

"Life Tree?"

Li Jing is bewildered and asks curiously.

"You Sky Demons have the ability to devour others’ will and can read their memories. Shouldn’t you have known earlier if the Life Tree is with the descendants of the Ancient God..."

Before he could finish, he stops.

In the culture of the descendants of the Ancient God, the Life Tree isn’t referred to as the Life Tree. It’s called the Spirit Seed.

Thinking about it again...

Those who use the Spirit Seed to create a habitat for survival are the ancestors of the descendants of the Ancient God. Apart from a few of them, there isn’t much information available in their minds.

Could the problem...

lie here?

While he’s making this association, Ruan Ya continues.

"I can’t speak for other Sky Demons, but at least for me personally, there isn’t even a single mention of the Life Tree in the information I have obtained from devouring the will of the descendants of the Ancient God."

As she says this, she goes on to explain further.

"A Life Tree is an extremely rare treasure in this universe, much more precious than any other rare treasure. Its existence can positively influence all living beings within its range. Branches and leaves from the tree can be used in artifact refinement and alchemy to an astounding degree. However, the most valuable aspect of the Life Tree is that when it’s fully grown, it can be used as Immortal Medicine. Consuming a fully matured Life Tree can heal all wounds, revive life, and become immortal. The concept of immortality is incredibly distant for all mortals, yet it is a goal tirelessly pursued by countless powerful beings across the universe."

"Should a fully grown Life Tree appear somewhere in the universe and its location leak out, heaven knows how many peerless powerful beings would flock to it. They would stop at nothing to get their hands on it. Of course, an immature Life Tree is another matter since it’s impossible to cultivate it into maturity by human means. There are many treasures comparable to an Immortal Medicine like Life Tree, but without exception, none of them have a precedent of being artificially cultivated to maturity."

After saying all these, Ruan Ya pauses before adding.

"Of course, even if it’s not possible to cultivate it to maturity, the appearance of a Life Tree in the world and its discovery by others, will inevitably lead to numerous clashes. The disaster that fell upon the Snake Man Clan is likely related to a Life Tree. Perhaps they had a powerful method to seal the Life Tree that prevented others from successfully acquiring it even after its discovery. This might have irritated the Sky Demons who knew about the situation, causing their wrath leading to a massacre. Ordinary Sky Demons would not have been so impulsive, but there is one special case, the Furious Sky Demon."

After listening to Ruan Ya’s explanation, Li Jing’s expression became more peculiar.

This was the first time he had heard of the Immortal Medicine.

That being said.

There are bound to be wonders within the vast universe.

There are many things he hasn’t heard of.

What had caught his attention was.

The fully grown Life Tree could be used as Immortal Medicine, but it was impossible to cultivate it to maturity with human effort.

Laying it down with a scientific approach.

If a Life Tree couldn’t be cultivated to maturity, there must be some essential elements missing that prevent it from growing further.

As for other treasures that could be considered as Immortal Medicine, Li Jing can’t say.

But as far as the Life Tree was concerned...

He felt the fact that it can’t grow to maturity might be related to the Spirit of Origin.

To begin with.

The Spirit Seeds that the descendants of the Ancient God held in their hands were given by Ling Ling, who gave plenty of them.

This kind of item wasn’t something that could be easily obtained.

Even with good luck, getting one or two was already a remarkable feat.

Ling Ling being able to give so many showed that it must be closely related to her, and there’s a high probability only Spirits of Origin like her have the ability to give them out.

Looking back.

Ever since Ling Ling arrived at the Little Universe, she seemed to always be sleeping on the Life Tree, hardly ever venturing too far.

This...

Instead of saying that this benefits her, it’s better to say that she, as the Spirit of Origin, shares a certain symbiotic relationship with the Life Tree.

Isn’t this thought provoking?

In nature, many plants rely on bees, insects or certain species of birds for their maturation and pollination processes.

Considering this, Li Jing chose not to think any further.

Whether the Life Tree’s full growth truly relies on spirits like Ling Ling is inconsequential to him.

Ling Ling signed a symbiotic contract with him, and wouldn’t leave him easily.

If there is a necessary relationship between the two, he already has the essential conditions.

If not, it doesn’t matter either.

The Undying Divine Medicine doesn’t bother him.

He doesn’t even care to understand what immortality entails, let alone pursue it.

Instead.

The Sky Demon who is responsible for all the tribulations faced by the Snake Man Clan, must die.

Ruan Ya’s speculation was plausible.

The Life Tree is the foundation of the Snake Man Clan’s habitat, and it surely must have been protected.

Not just the Snake Man Clan, but other tribes must have had similar arrangements.

The Sky Demon couldn’t take it away, so naturally, it was enraged.

Yet, Li Jing speculated.

The real reason behind the Sky Demon’s malice, massacring the Snake Man Clan, and not even sparing ordinary creatures, might be related to Ling Ling.

The so-called Spirit Seed claimed by the descendants of the Ancient God procured from the Consonance Sacred Spirit, are not a secret among some of the higher-status descendants. As long as they knew that the Spirit Seed is the seed of the Life Tree, they can easily gather the related information through their memory.

After discovering such a connection, wouldn’t the Sky Demon want to know more, even if it meant trying to contact Ling Ling?

The power of the Sky Demon that annihilated the Snake Man Clan would not threaten Ling Ling of course.

But if this information were to spread, it might bring a lot of unnecessary troubles that Li Jing couldn’t deal with...

That must be avoided.

Without thinking much, Li Jing moved towards the northeast direction that Ling Ling pointed out.

The connection between the complete growth of the Life Tree and the Spirit of Origin was something he could have confirmed with Ling Ling, but he felt there was no need for that.

On this matter, if Ling Ling was aware of it, it would surely be considered taboo.

Asking her about it might create unnecessary distance between them.

And if Ling Ling was not aware, asking her for confirmation would only add to her worries.

...

It didn’t take long.

Li Jing found the location of the Life Tree.

Hovering in mid-air, his expression was somber.

The place where the Life Tree is located was conspicuous.

It was planted right in the middle of a small island in the lake.

Despite being less than a meter tall sapling, it was unique against the green landscape of the island, easily noticeable at first sight.

However, right now.

Compared to the sapling of the Life Tree, the surrounding piles of countless corpses and blood-filled battleground were even more striking.

Numerous Snake People were dead here.

Not only Snake People.

There were countless bodies of giant beasts as well.

One glimpse would reveal at least the corpses of twenty Giant Beast Corps. Their colossal bodies formed a wall of corpses that encased the island, appearing as if they were a continuous mountain range.

Before this, Li Jing was perplexed.

He wondered why he hadn’t seen any giant beast corpses when he first came in, but as it turned out, they all died here.

Clearly.

These giant beasts and the Snake People, who died here, did so in order to protect the Life Tree.

Without paying much attention to the piles of corpses and rivers of blood around the island, Li Jing’s gaze fell on the island in the lake, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Just as he had previously anticipated.

The Life Tree is being protected separately.

Looking down at the moment.

The lake in which the island was located was almost entirely dyed red by fresh blood, except for the small area around the island.

The water was still clear.

In the surrounding area close to the island, there were no corpses of Snake People or giant beasts.

Could it be some kind of prohibition?

Li Jing guessed, his eyes turning gold.

With the Eye of True Vision overseeing, the correct answer was deduced.

It wasn’t a prohibition.

It was a seal of rules.

Just like the seal that envelops the entire continent, allowing it to exist in the deep sea, it involves the rules of water and air.

However, what differed was.

The rule imprint here prevents everything, making it impossible for external forces to enter or invade.

Upon assessing the situation, Li Jing casually pulled out the Unnamed Taoist Tool.

If it were a prohibition, he wouldn’t be able to dispel it without some thought.

As for the Rule Imprint, it was relatively simple.

He just needed to forcibly dismantle it.

Of course.

Only Li Jing could do this.

If it were someone else, they could just look and sigh unless they could suppress the rule imprinted here or wield a tool like the Unnamed Taoist Tool that could directly strike at the rules.

Only rules can break rules.

Without hesitation, Li Jing’s figure moved instantly forward to where the rule imprint was blocking and swung his club with all his power.

"Boom!"

A loud noise echoed.

The earth quaked, and the world darkened for an instant.

The rule imprint covering the island in the middle of the lake was robust.

As Li Jing struck, he was inadvertently pushed back.

Upon looking again.

The imprint on the island in the center of the lake stood unmoved, revealing no signs of trembling.

Seeing this, Li Jing slightly furrowed his brows.

Whoever had created a living space for the Snake Man Clan and laid down this rule imprint wasn’t just skillful but also incredibly powerful.

Even though he didn’t master the object-controlling skill compatible with the Unnamed Taoist Tool, the club was most powerful in his hands. His raw physical strength perfectly suited the use of the Unnamed tool.

In addition, the Limit Breakthrough skill, Divine Might, which affected serious items, was set to enhance the Unnamed Taoist Tool by default.

He had used almost all his strength in that strike.

Yet, he could not shake the rule imprint on the island in the lake.

If a Beings from the Eleven realms got hit by that, they would have lost plenty of skin, if not straight-out died.

No wonder the Sky Demon who exterminated the Snake Man Clan was furious...

Even a full-on strike with the Unnamed tool by Li Jing couldn’t shatter the rule imprint. With their Eleven-Realm strength, they could only stand by helplessly.

Taking a deep breath, Li Jing formed seals with one hand.

The next moment.

The wind and clouds gathered, the world changed its color.

!!!

Ruan Ya, who had been peacefully observing from inside someone’s body,

This...

What the hell is this?

Ancient Immortal Method!?

How the hell can this be an Ancient Immortal Method!?

Ruan Ya was astonished.

The concept of Immortal Method encompasses unique concepts from high-level spaces like the Immortal Realm and Outer Realm Sky, which do not exist in the temporal world.

It is somewhat similar to Forbidden Skills.

But it is more advanced than Forbidden Skills.

Above the Immortal Method, there are Ancient Immortal Methods.

It is said that these are spells that ancient immortals knew how to use.

But the difference between the Ancient Immortal Methods and Immortal Methods is mainly the terrifying power.

In high-level spaces like the Immortal Realm and Outer Realm Sky, there are Ancient Immortal Methods handed down from the distant past, and there are versions created by humans. Generally, only a few top powerhouses master them.

At this moment, witnessing Li Jing’s casting technique, Ruan Ya couldn’t help suspecting again whether someone was actually the reincarnation of a Venerable.

While she was shocked, Ruan Ya suddenly felt an extreme and fatal sense of crisis.

Under the strong urge to survive, Ruan Ya did not hesitate to transform herself into a tide of Demon Qi at the fastest speed in her life and spurted out from the pores around Li Jing.

Note.

It was an ejection.

Not oozing.

Going through the mouth was actually the fastest.

But Ruan Ya didn’t dare.

The Demon Qi scattered, then gathered not far away, and Ruan Ya reappeared in an embarrassing state.

In order to escape, she had exerted all her strength, even to the point of almost shattering her Demon body due to excessive force.

The next second.

She felt proud of her desire to survive.

A thunderous "boom" resounded, and the whole world darkened momentarily. Countless black astonishing thunders tore through space, striking down from the sky towards Li Jing.

Seeing this, Ruan Ya shivered all over.

Heavenly Punishment!

If she hadn’t run fast enough, she was afraid she would have been vaporized on the spot.

Looking at Li Jing, who stood still like nothing happened, a terrifying aura emanated from his body like a fierce beast from ancient times, Ruan Ya couldn’t help but rub her eyes.

Terrifying!