This remark slowly faded the joy from Master Pang and the others’ faces.
Lady Xuanhua, however, touched her head, feeling something wasn’t right—how come as they talked, it seemed like something significant had entered her own mind?
She glanced at Xiao Yuying, whose expression was even more complex. Suddenly, she understood the source of this odd sensation:
This secret technique, or say realization, had always been passed down verbally in the Xuanwei Realm, even to the extent that masters would not pass it down to disciples, nor fathers to sons, but now, these Jiushan people were as if accustomed to candidly sharing their insights.
Even she and Xiao Yuying, outsiders, couldn’t help but immerse themselves in it, even wishing to contribute their strength.
The group arrived at the Medicine Garden, at the very center of which stood the Qingjing Bamboo.
The Qingjing Bamboo had just grown, only as wide as two fingers and as tall as a person, slender and small, swaying in the wind.
Master Qian of the Medicine Garden, upon seeing several high-ranking individuals from the sect come together, was not at all reserved but greeted Master Pang directly: "Master Pang, you’re here again today?"
Zheng Fa looked at Master Pang, whose chubby face blushed slightly as he softly said, "I feel more at ease looking at this Qingjing Bamboo every day."
Elder Yuan patted his junior’s shoulder as if he completely understood what he was saying.
Though small, the Qingjing Bamboo was of great significance to the Jiushan Realm. Compared to before, the changes in the Jiushan Realm had already shown that this plant could nourish the realm, to the extent that even if the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor were to be resurrected, their worries would be lessened.
Master Pang, on one hand, probably also felt jubilant about the security it offered, and on the other hand, knowing him, feared that it was because the Qingjing Bamboo could protect all of Jiushan Sect.
Master Pang... was likely the person who valued Jiushan Sect the most among his generation.
Zhang, however, whispered, "It’s a pity we can’t grow a second one."
Zheng Fa’s expression also turned grave, as this matter was precisely why they had come to the Medicine Garden.
Master Qian seemed to have been prepared, as he pointed to several mounds of soil nearby that had been dug open, revealing several newly rooted bamboo shoots that appeared to have been dried by the wind, devoid of any vitality.
With worry, Master Qian answered, "We’ve tried seven times; each time, they died at the rooting stage. I asked Master Pang to take a look a few days ago."
"It’s because of this Qingjing Bamboo." Master Pang pointed at the only surviving Qingjing Bamboo and said, "I examined it with my Void Spirit Eye and found that as soon as another Qingjing Bamboo takes root, this one will devour the other’s vitality and spiritual energy, leaving no chance for survival."
Master Qian added, "I thought it was because the Medicine Garden was too close, so I tried on other islands as well, but the result was the same. I suspect that within the Jiushan Realm, only one Qingjing Bamboo can survive."
"Yes, I’m planning to try again in the mortal world. If it’s still the same there, I’m afraid the Qingjing Bamboo has a nature of repelling peers."
Zheng Fa frowned, looking at the Qingjing Bamboo, and a thought crossed his mind as he spoke, "Do you think that only one can exist within the Jiushan Realm, or does this extend to the entire Xuanwei Realm, allowing only one among both?"
"There’s still that one in the Supreme Dao..." Elder Yuan began to speak, then suddenly realized, "The one from Supreme Dao has no roots!"
"Previously, I heard from Wuzhi of Leiyin Temple that this Qingjing Bamboo seems to be some Buddha’s Dao Fruit..." Zheng Fa brought up another matter, "When we discussed Divinity Transformation earlier, it seems there was a similar principle, only allowing a certain number of powerful beings."
After he finished speaking, everyone’s eyes immediately turned to the Blood River Ancestor.
The only living Divinity Transformation here, well, not quite dead Divinity Transformation, was just this one.
The Blood River Ancestor seemed confused for a moment, then honestly said, "I’ve not reached the realm of understanding the Dao Fruit, but speaking of which, the Divinity Transformations of the Holy Sect are all practicing the Saint Ancestor’s Daoist Skills, without any rejection. However, the Holy Sect and other Demon Sects are not harmonious; perhaps there is some reason for this."
Elder Yuan frowned and said, "The Dao Fruit is unique?"
"It does make some sense. If there could be more of this thing, why didn’t Supreme Dao cultivate more before?" Master Pang added, "If Leiyin Temple wanted one, wouldn’t sharing a branch be okay? What’s the point of fighting?"
"Eh, if the Qingjing Bamboo of Supreme Dao was gone, Leiyin Temple... wouldn’t they come for ours? Ours still has roots."
"They can piss off! This Qingjing Bamboo belongs to our Jiushan Sect!" Master Pang, who cared the most about the Qingjing Bamboo, cursed outright upon hearing this and then added worriedly, "This means, we must keep the matter of the Qingjing Bamboo a secret."
His words made sense; after all, Wuzhi of Leiyin Temple wasn’t very reasonable. If provoked, it would be troublesome.
Zheng Fa extended his hand toward the Qingjing Bamboo, and just as his hand touched the bamboo, his eyebrows knitted, and he abruptly withdrew his hand.
Zhang asked immediately.
"When you all touch this Qingjing Bamboo, do you feel any rejection or even lash back?"
Master Pang blankly replied, "I touch it every day, I don’t feel it..."
Zhang reached out and placed her hand on the Qingjing Bamboo, then shook her head.
After everyone else tried and only found that the bamboo seemed to disdain Zheng Fa alone.
"Do you... have something special?"
Zheng Fa was puzzled too; he was special indeed, the most special thing being the Yin Yang Jade Pendant in his mind, a remnant of Tianhe Venerable.
Could it be that the Buddha was also killed by Tianhe Venerable?
He touched the Qingjing Bamboo again, observing his own body with his Divine Sense, and this time, he discovered an issue—his hand had just touched the Pure Bamboo when the Fusang Wood within his body became slightly agitated.
"Heaven and Earth Spiritual Roots... repel each other?"
Hearing Zheng Fa’s words, everyone was surprised and puzzled.
After all, the concept of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Roots was something Jiushan Sect had never even heard of before, so some of their properties indeed remained unknown.