Word Count: 2,544 Words
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Xiao Yan turned to examine the Asura silhouette behind him. The previously ethereal third face of the three-faced Asura had undergone a profound transformation.
Emerald veins spread across the entire third face like a network of blood vessels. He could clearly see jade-colored liquid flowing through them like lifeblood, pulsing with vital rhythm. From a distance, it resembled an embryo developing into flesh.
'Is it about to take human form?'
Xiao Yan still didn't know what effects the third face would ultimately possess. Even Hun Lao Gui had admitted that his own attempt to pass the tribulation for the third face had ended in failure.
Whatever the case, his Asura Soul Reaping Technique was finally advancing to the third face, and he now understood what kind of energy it required.
Xiao Yan released a long breath and dismissed the Clan Mark. As his cultivation gradually settled, he realized with astonishment just how much his strength had grown!
'Four-Change!' Joy surged through him. He had originally been at the middle Two-Change level, but after several days of continuously outputting Dou Qi while the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree infused him with its unique life force, he had condensed two additional vortexes. He had reached Four-Change and begun cultivating toward the fifth!
'My Spiritual Strength has improved too. It's nearly at the middle Heavenly State now.' Xiao Yan marveled at the discovery. The Bodhisattva Ancient Tree was truly miraculous; no wonder it was called the Dou Qi Continent's most wondrous heavenly treasure. Perhaps it lacked the destructive power of the Nihility Devouring Flame or the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame, but as a support treasure, it was absolutely unmatched on the continent!
While he basked in his joy and praised the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree, a low hum suddenly resonated through the space. The tree spirit extended several verdant shoots that plucked an emerald light cluster from the void. The instant this radiance appeared, Xiao Yan's heart skipped a beat!
'The Bodhisattva Heart!! Dou Saint!'
He shot up from the ancient cushion, staring at the tender shoots cradling that emerald light cluster.
Legend claimed that refining the Bodhisattva Heart not only granted immunity to all illusions and hallucinations but also bestowed the power to see through nihility and gaze directly upon truth itself. Becoming a Saint was merely a side effect!
Among the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree's three treasures, Bodhisattva Seeds were the most common, blessings scattered to mortals, as every appearance of the tree released a generous number of seeds like radiant gifts to the world.
The Bodhisattva Heart, however, was unique, manifesting only once every thousand years! Not only could it subtly transform one's constitution and enhance natural talent, but it could also directly elevate someone to the rank of Dou Saint, not merely Half-Saint!
The final treasure, 'Hundred Reincarnations Under the Bodhisattva Tree,' was the bestowal of wisdom. The Bodhisattva Ancient Tree had earned its title as the Tree of Wisdom not because it possessed great intelligence itself, but because it could grant wisdom to others!
Look at this! What does it mean to have a good boss and a good company! Overtime comes with overtime pay, and outstanding performance earns bonuses!
If this Bodhisattva Ancient Tree were to establish a 'Bodhisattva Ancient Hall,' Xiao Yan would sign up immediately!
Swoosh—
Two shoots moved like chopsticks, gently bringing the Bodhisattva Heart to his lips. With the slightest pressure, the treasure slipped into his mouth like jelly, disappearing with a satisfying slurp.
The moment he swallowed the Bodhisattva Heart, a magnificently cool life force flooded his entire body. The energy coursed through his meridians, and he could clearly feel years of accumulated injuries, hidden damage from cultivation, and the scars left behind from refining Heavenly Flames all being completely healed.
It gave him the sensation of returning to his origins, of experiencing a complete rebirth.
'So refreshing!'
And this was before he had even begun to properly refine the Bodhisattva Heart. If he truly started the process, the terrifying energy it would release could boost his cultivation by an amount that was simply impossible to imagine!
Just from swallowing it alone, he could already sense his cultivation beginning to loosen and climb once more.
No wonder the Bodhisattva Ancient Saint had been able to leap from a mere 2-star Dou Venerate straight to Dou Saint in one bound. The Bodhisattva Ancient Tree was simply too terrifying!
However, Xiao Yan hadn't yet discovered that his greatest gain wasn't the Bodhisattva Heart. The tree spirit slowly extended its shoots, preparing to bestow the final 'Hundred Reincarnations' and grant him wisdom, when an anomaly struck!
Whoosh!!
The temperature throughout the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree's space spiked without warning. A mass of black flame that absorbed all light while radiating none was releasing an unimaginable heat!
Rustle rustle!!
Bodhisattva Ancient Tree's spirit recoiled in alarm. Instinctive fear made it whip around to stare into the distance. Dazed by the joy of receiving the Bodhisattva Heart, Xiao Yan had completely forgotten that his biggest prize from this venture remained unrevealed!
"This is...!"
Mao Wu was no longer in its usual Heavenly Flame spirit form but had reverted to its most primal state: a slowly ascending mass of black fire.
As the dark flames rose, their tendrils resembled miniature black holes, warping all surrounding light and space. Even within the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree's spirit realm, this power twisted reality like a pretzel.
'Is it evolving toward a Heaven Seed Flame?!' Xiao Yan's heart shook with disbelief. That shouldn't be possible. Only one Heaven Seed Flame of the Nihility Devouring Flame could exist, and even the one Hun Huzi currently used was merely an Earth Seed Flame.
According to his understanding, the Heaven Seed Flame served as a backup, formed by devouring all other Seed Flames to create a second flame nearly as powerful as the main body.
Refining a Di Tier Pill required two alchemists working in tandem, which in turn necessitated two flames capable of such a feat. The Nihility Devouring Flame's main body would assist the stronger alchemist while the other used the Heaven Seed Flame.
Of course, if one had the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame available, that would naturally be preferred. Hence why Xiao Yan considered the Heaven Seed Flame a final fallback.
Barring any unexpected developments, Xiao Yan would eventually face Hun Huzi in an alchemy showdown. Whoever won would take the lead role in refining the Di Tier Pill.
But now, he sensed Mao Wu undergoing yet another evolution!
'How is this possible... Could the Dou God's negative energy be the cause?!'
The Dou God realm remained uncharted territory. These beings had vanished so long ago that even Hun Tiandi didn't fully understand their capabilities, knowing only that a Dou God Bloodline was miraculous enough to transform an entire clan.
This time, Mao Wu had devoured most of a Dou God's negative emotions and obtained twenty-four of the purest Bodhisattva Seeds. The combination had shattered conventional limits, propelling it toward the level of a Heaven Seed Flame!!!
Xiao Yan watched the black fire floating in midair with nervous anticipation. An ordinary Seed Flame was roughly equivalent to a Heavenly Flame ranked beyond fifteenth place. An Earth Seed Flame corresponded to approximately the eighth through tenth rank, while a Heaven Seed Flame could probably reach the fifth or sixth!
Even if it couldn't match Xun Er's Gold Emperor Incinerating Heavenly Flame in raw power, it should at least rival the Life Spirit Flame or the Eight Wasteland Destruction Flame!
This was the real jackpot!!
What a Dou God left behind truly transcended all common understanding!
Xiao Yan had originally assumed he would need to refine the Bodhisattva Heart to break through to Dou Saint. But now, having already reached Four-Change cultivation, combined with the feedback from Mao Wu devouring the Dou God's energy and evolving to a Heaven Seed Flame, he might be able to break through directly. At the very minimum, he should reach Half-Saint!
The nearby tree spirit demonstrated that even trees could be stunned! That evil power born from the Dou God's negative emotions, the very force that had caused it such endless torment and peril, actually contained such incredible strength!
Though it wasn't entirely surprising. This negative energy had suppressed the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree for ten thousand years, eventually overwhelming the tree spirit itself. One could only imagine the power it contained.
Moreover, Xiao Yan had overlooked something: even an Earth Seed Flame possessed the might of the Tunling Clan. The black-robed Dou God had died right before the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree. Who with a mere Dou God Bloodline could possibly be stronger than an actual Dou God!
This negative energy lacked Origin Qi, true, but it contained the Dou God's power and bloodline! If Hun Tiandi ever learned that a dying Dou God's negative energy resided within the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree, he would probably come to claim it in person!
However, events continued to unfold one after another.
Within the tree spirit's light spheres, Xun Er and the others awakened one by one before being ejected into a space within the ancient tree's trunk.
Since Mao Wu had devoured the majority of the Dou God's negative energy, control over the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree now rested with the tree spirit. The malevolent soul illusions dissolved automatically, releasing Xun Er's group.
Xiao Yan's brow furrowed when he saw that Hun Yu and the others had also been expelled. He glanced at Mao Wu; the cat still needed more time to completely devour the remaining negative energy and finish its evolution.
'Before the Hundred Reincarnations... I should handle some troublemakers first.'
Though Xiao Yan held no personal grudges against these people, others might not necessarily feel the same way about him.
"Boss Tree, I'll be back shortly. Don't even think about running off. We still have the Hundred Reincarnations to get to," he said with a grin, cupping his hands toward the tree spirit.
Then, under the tree spirit's dumbfounded gaze, he stepped out of the spirit space in a single stride.
The Bodhisattva Ancient Tree watched his departing figure and rustled its branches with a soft, whispering sound.
What an interesting human.
…
A resonant hum rippled outward as strange waves spread throughout the area. Within a special trunk space of the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree, spatial rifts suddenly tore open one after another, and disheveled figures tumbled out. They were precisely the group who had entered the ancient tree alongside Xiao Yan. Xun Er and the others were among them.
Everyone's expression shifted dramatically upon suddenly materializing in this emerald-green, mystical space. Many faces still bore traces of lingering horror, a clear sign they now understood that everything they had just experienced had been an illusion.
Even Jiu Feng, who specialized in soul illusions, and Hun Yu, who possessed the Hun Clan's Divine Grade bloodline, felt a chill of lingering dread. These had not been ordinary illusions; even Jiu Feng's colored pupils had been unable to penetrate them!
If Xiao Yan hadn't possessed that Bodhisattva Seed to maintain his consciousness, even he would have required considerable time to break free.
"How terrifying, this Bodhisattva Ancient Tree."
"How strange. According to my clan's ancient records, the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree shouldn't be this sinister." Gu Hua's brow furrowed deeply.
As an extremely ancient Dou God Clan that had existed since the primordial era, the Gu Clan naturally possessed records of the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree's thousand-year appearances. They dispatched clan disciples every single time.
The Bodhisattva Ancient Tree was considered an exceptionally safe opportunity, in a sense a benevolent chance arranged by the Dou Qi Continent itself. No one who had returned from previous encounters had ever faced such bizarre experiences.
"Perhaps it's related to the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree's ten-thousand-year disappearance."
Everyone gradually regained their composure, containing their inner shock while beginning to survey this strange space brimming with vigorous life.
"Where's Xiao Yan?" Little Fairy Doctor and the others soon noticed his absence.
"Could Young Master Xiao Yan still be inside the ancient tree?!" Qing Lin's heart clenched as everyone turned toward the tree projection that had just expelled them.
Within this wondrous inner space stood a projection of the giant tree, ten thousand feet tall. They had been drawn into that massive shadow and subjected to terrifying illusions inside!
And Xiao Yan still hadn't been expelled!!
"Heh, he probably couldn't see through the illusions and got made into a tree slave." A flicker of joy crossed Jiu Feng's heart. If the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree had converted Xiao Yan into a puppet, that would truly be the day's best news!
"Jie Jie Jie, what a pity. The Xiao Clan won't get to be destroyed by my Hun Clan's hands a second time." Hun Yu shook his head, a regretful expression on his face. He had originally intended to use the head of the Xiao Clan's Little Clan Leader to claim merit.
Now that chance was gone.
At Jiu Feng and Hun Yu's words, the eyes of Cai Lin and the others turned ice-cold in an instant, fists clenching tight.
Yun Yun spoke softly. "Now isn't the time for battle. Besides, I believe he won't die so easily."
Nalan Yanran nodded in agreement with her Master's words. How could that fellow possibly die so quickly? She absolutely refused to believe it!
"Something's wrong... It isn't just Xiao Yan ge-ge who's missing. This projection of the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree is different from what we first saw. The Bodhisattva Heart is gone." Xun Er, by contrast, remained calm and quickly noticed that even the Bodhisattva Heart had vanished!
Everyone hurriedly looked toward the crown of the tree projection. The emerald light cluster that should have occupied the center had indeed disappeared!
"Could it be that brat Xiao Yan obtained the Bodhisattva Heart and passed the ancient tree's trial?!" Hai Bodong exclaimed in shock. No wonder they had been expelled; Xiao Yan had completed the trial!
The entire Yan Alliance showed looks of delighted surprise!
Good fellow, so he claimed the Bodhisattva Heart!
The previously smug expressions on Jiu Feng and Hun Yu's faces darkened the instant they saw the Bodhisattva Heart was gone. They ground their teeth in fury. The clowns had been themselves all along!
Gu Qing Yang spoke up. "According to ancient texts, the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree possesses three treasures. The first is the Bodhisattva Heart, the second is Bodhisattva Seeds, and the third is enlightenment under the Bodhisattva Tree. Since Xiao Yan still hasn't emerged, he might be undergoing that very enlightenment. This is a tremendous opportunity!"
Jiu Feng snorted coldly. "What Bodhisattva Tree enlightenment? The Bodhisattva Heart was simply reclaimed by the tree. He's definitely dead!"
"I refuse to believe he could obtain the Bodhisattva Heart."
"Whether you believe it or not doesn't matter. I obtained it all the same. What can you do about it?"
Xiao Yan's voice echoed from every direction within the special space. Then, under everyone's watchful gaze, he stepped out from the projection of the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree.
"Xiao Yan ge-ge!"
"Xiao Yan!"
Xiao Yan stood with his hands clasped behind his back as wisps of emerald light slowly emanated from his body, a radiance that closely resembled that of the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree itself.