Chapter 578: Recruiting the Strong, Tearing Off the Mask
After much pleading and persuasion, Mo Yu finally convinced the ancient Bodhi Tree to help him. This tree, which had existed for countless ages, had been around since ancient times. Despite the eons of existence, it never fully developed intelligence. Perhaps its vast age hindered the development of its sentience, but whatever the reason, the Bodhi Tree lacked true wisdom.
Although it didn't possess complete intelligence, the Bodhi Tree still remembered Mo Yu's help in driving away the negative emotions of the Dou Emperor that plagued it. At its peak, the tree stood nearly 10,000 feet tall, but due to the torment from the Dou Emperor's negative aura, it had withered down to about 1,000 feet.
If the Divine Wood Lightning could indeed help the Bodhi Tree recover, it would undoubtedly be a blessing for the tree. Seeing the Bodhi Tree finally agree, Mo Yu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as he offered the Divine Wood Lightning to the tree. This Divine Wood Lightning, one of the top three treasures in the Dou Qi Continent, could be awakened and strengthened with the help of the Bodhi Tree, making it the perfect match for nurturing its growth.
It should be noted that, in ancient times, this very Bodhi Tree had participated in slaying a Dou Emperor, albeit with the assistance of another Dou Emperor. Nonetheless, its strength was formidable.
Although this process would take a considerable amount of time, the thought of obtaining the Divine Wood Lightning at its peak filled Mo Yu with excitement. At that moment, strange sounds began to emanate from the Bodhi Tree, followed by the eruption of green light that spread out like countless tentacles, wrapping around the core of the Divine Wood Lightning and drawing it into the tree.
As soon as the two made contact, ripples spread across the surface of the tree, and the Divine Wood Lightning slowly merged with it, becoming the energy core at the heart of the tree, motionless but full of power. The moment the Divine Wood Lightning entered the tree, Mo Yu could sense the vast sea of lightning within the core, suddenly surging like a storm. The green lightning inside roared to life like a dragon awakening from slumber.
At the same time, waves of pure and terrifying energy flowed from the tree into the Divine Wood Lightning, as if the tree were infusing it with lifeblood. In that instant, the Divine Wood Lightning erupted with blue lightning bolts, and a powerful aura began to spread from within it.
"As expected from the Bodhi Tree—it really works!" Mo Yu raised an eyebrow in delight as he saw the Divine Wood Lightning being awakened and growing stronger. At this rate, the Divine Wood Lightning could reach its peak form within three to five years, thanks to the Bodhi Tree's nourishment. Though the process would take time, Mo Yu was willing to wait.
While Mo Yu reveled in his success, the Bodhi Tree trembled, hiding the part of itself nurturing the Divine Wood Lightning. It then shook its branches, releasing strange waves that tore open several spatial rifts. From these rifts, several disheveled figures emerged—Xiao Yan, Xun'er, and the others who had entered the tree alongside him.
Suddenly finding themselves in this strange space, everyone looked shocked. Some even had lingering traces of fear on their faces, realizing that everything they had experienced earlier had been an illusion.
"What a terrifying Bodhi Tree," murmured even the strongest among them, like Xun'er and Hun Yu. They couldn't help but shudder, thinking back to the illusions they had just escaped. If it weren't for the unexpected turn of events, they might have been trapped in that illusion forever.
As everyone slowly recovered from their shock, they began to take in the vibrant and strange space around them. "The Bodhi Tree?" The space wasn't large, so their gazes quickly focused on the towering, jade-like Bodhi Tree in the center. Murmurs of disbelief spread among them.
After the harrowing illusions they had endured, their fear of the Bodhi Tree had reached its peak. Nothing seemed more frightening than dying in an illusion.
"Cousin Mo Yu!" Xiao Yan and the others fixed their gazes on the Bodhi Tree, but they soon noticed the slender figure standing beside it. They hurried over, voices filled with surprise.
"Ah, so you're here too," Mo Yu said with a smile when he saw Xiao Yan and the group.
"How did you get here? Did you arrive earlier?" Cai Lin asked curiously, noticing that Mo Yu seemed to have been there for some time.
"Haha, the illusion didn't trap me, so I arrived a bit before you. I also helped the Bodhi Tree solve a problem while I was here," Mo Yu replied simply.
"You helped the Bodhi Tree solve a problem?" Xiao Yan and Xun'er exchanged surprised looks. This Bodhi Tree, capable of controlling half-saint puppets and creating hyper-realistic illusions, actually needed Mo Yu's help?
But they didn't doubt Mo Yu's words. After all, he had always been full of surprises.
As the group pondered Mo Yu's words, the Bodhi Tree suddenly began to emit bursts of green light, as if something was about to emerge. Seeing this, Hun Yu and the others quickly stepped back. After their earlier experience, they were not about to take any risks.
Then, with a faint rumble, clusters of green light shot out from the tree, hovering in the air like stars.
"Bodhi Seeds!" someone gasped in shock.
"All of these are Bodhi Seeds?!" Hun Yu and the others stared at the green lights in astonishment. These rare seeds, nearly impossible to find in the outside world, had just been released in a cluster of over twenty!
"Grab them!"
After the initial shock, the crowd's eyes turned bloodshot. Torrents of Dou Qi burst from them as they lunged toward the green lights, trying to snatch the seeds. But Mo Yu simply smiled and waved his hand, and the green lights dodged their grasps, swiftly gathering into his palm.
"Many thanks to Brother Bodhi for the gift!" Mo Yu said with a grin, as he flicked his fingers, sending several seeds flying toward Xiao Yan, Xun'er, Cai Lin, and the others.
"Thanks, Cousin Mo Yu!" Xiao Yan and the group grabbed the seeds eagerly, expressing their gratitude with heartfelt smiles.
"Haha, it's nothing," Mo Yu said, shaking his head with a smile. He had already absorbed plenty of Bodhi energy while helping the tree, and the biggest prize of all—the nurturing of the Divine Wood Lightning—was far more valuable to him. A few seeds were hardly a big deal to share with his friends.
Meanwhile, Hun Yu and his group watched with dark expressions as Mo Yu distributed the Bodhi Seeds. The greed in their eyes flared, but they dared not act recklessly.
"Lord Mo Yu, isn't it a bit unfair to keep all the Bodhi Seeds for yourself?" growled a Dou Zun peak-level expert from the Western Sky War Sect, his eyes filled with anger.
Hearing the complaint, Mo Yu slowly turned to face the man, his gaze cold and menacing. He recognized the man as He Wuji, a peak Dou Zun expert.
Under Mo Yu's piercing stare, He Wuji felt a chill creep over his skin, but he still spoke up, albeit more cautiously. "We all went through the trials of the Bodhi Tree together. Isn't it unreasonable for you to keep all the Bodhi Seeds?"
Mo Yu sneered. "Unreasonable? How laughable! These Bodhi Seeds are the reward for helping the Bodhi Tree. What does that have to do with you? If you want one, you can join my Yuan Sect. If you achieve great merit, you might earn one."
"And if you want to take them by force… go ahead and try."
At these words, the half-saint Qingzhi stepped forward, unleashing a terrifying aura that instantly smothered the anger of the crowd. He Wuji's expression shifted as greed and fear warred within him.
"Lord Mo Yu, if we join Yuan Sect, is there truly a chance to earn Bodhi Seeds?" asked another peak Dou Zun, his eyes gleaming with interest.
Seeing an opportunity, Mo Yu nodded. "Yuan Sect was founded not long ago. As long as you achieve great merits, you'll have access to treasures, techniques, and even Bodhi Seeds."
With that, the man who had spoken, named Hong Tian, immediately clasped his hands in respect. "I, Hong Tian, wish to join Yuan Sect and follow Lord Mo Yu's orders."
Mo Yu smiled, flicking a Bodhi Seed toward him. "Welcome to Yuan Sect, Brother Hong. Here's your reward in advance."
"Thank you, Lord Mo Yu!" Hong Tian was overjoyed, grabbing the Bodhi Seed and swearing his loyalty.
Soon after, several others followed suit, pledging themselves to Yuan Sect. Even He Wuji couldn't resist the temptation, joining in with the others. Mo Yu had gained six powerful Dou Zun experts, significantly strengthening Yuan Sect.
At this point, Hun Yu, who had been silent, finally spoke, his voice icy. "Mo Yu, give my Soul Clan five Bodhi Seeds, and we can let this go."
Mo Yu paused, then looked at Hun Yu as if he were a fool, laughing coldly. "Who do you think you are? Five seeds? You're dreaming. I wouldn't even give you one!"
The words hung in the air like a death sentence, and the atmosphere turned tense. Everyone knew that things wouldn't end peacefully now.
Hun Yu's face darkened, and he finally nodded. "So, it's come to this. Do you think a mere half-saint can protect you?"
Before anyone could react, the space before Hun Yu twisted open, and a skeletal hand reached out from the void, gripping the air with terrifying force. Black mist surged forth, corroding everything in its path.
A raspy, coughing voice followed. "Hun Yu, it seems I must step in…"
Then, an old man in gray robes stepped out of the rift, his presence chilling everyone to the core.
(Chapter Ends)
Friends, if you want to read chapters in advance, subscribe to my patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10