From the current view, the tree’s canopy was massive, with several hundred spiritual weapons hanging from it. Some were broken, others exquisite, indicating they likely came from different groups of people.
The complete annihilation of such a large number of people—what kind of danger could have caused it?
“Should we just forget it?” Tian Fangfang asked cautiously, “We only have a few people. Isn’t it a bit hasty to go in like this?”
As soon as the words were out, Men Dong spoke up, “No, that’s not it.”
Zanxing asked, “What’s not it?”
The young boy pursed his lips and looked at the trunk of the tree, more precisely, at the roots of the tree, under his own feet. Men Dong whispered, “My spiritual sense detects a rich aura of spiritual fruit here, but…” He murmured, “It’s underground.”
Underground?
The Snake Shaman had said that a sacred tree grew in the treasure land, bearing fruit. Naturally, trees grow on the ground. If they grow underground, they’d be sweet potatoes.
“Junior Brother, are you sure you’re not mistaken?” Meng Ying asked.
“Not at all,” Men Dong replied firmly, pointing downward, “It’s right beneath us.”
This made things tricky. Regardless of whether the fruit was underground or not, to find the sacred tree’s fruit, they needed to approach the tree. But there was a seal left in front of the tree, and breaking the seal might lead to unknown dangers.
“Martial Uncle…” Tian Fangfang asked, “Should we go in or not?”
“Now that we’re here, how can we not go in?” Men Dong, who was always concerned about Gu Baiying’s spiritual vein, was afraid they might back out, “As long as we break the seal and find a way to get underground, I’m sure we’ll find the sacred tree’s fruit. If we don’t go now, what if someone else picks the fruit?”
“I agree with Junior Brother,” Meng Ying nodded, “Seventh Martial Uncle’s spiritual vein can’t be delayed any longer, we should make plans as soon as possible.”
“I agree too,” Mu Cengxiao added, “A cultivator who lacks the courage to face challenges loses their way.”
Tian Fangfang looked around, gritted her teeth, and said, “Fortune and danger go hand in hand. Let’s go for it!”
With everyone’s stance clear, Zanxing also felt she couldn’t be an exception and said, “I can do it.”
Gu Baiying, the only one left to speak, looked at the tree. He was not particularly worried himself, but with a group of juniors, including some with low cultivation levels, he had to consider their safety. However, with the others urging him on, he reluctantly agreed, “In that case, I will open the seal first. You all follow me closely, and if anything seems off, back away immediately.”
Everyone agreed.
The seal was left by some predecessor and contained a high level of spiritual energy, indicating the person who sealed it was likely a powerful figure. Gu Baiying, holding Xiu Gu, approached the giant tree. Suddenly, he thrust the spear into the seal. In an instant, a whirlwind of fierce winds erupted, blowing everyone around chaotically.
The power of the seal was weakening. The invisible barrier was slowly dispersing, becoming thinner, and would soon disappear.
At that moment, Zanxing felt a sharp pain in her chest. The Xiao Yuan Pearl which had been dormant for long inside her suddenly ignited a small flame, which blazed fiercely. The seal on the giant tree seemed to have some kind of fatal attraction for her, making her unable to resist moving closer.
The sensation was overwhelming and irresistible, and at the same time, a spreading sense of suffocation gripped all her senses, causing Zanxing to double over in pain.
“Junior Sister?” Meng Ying was the first to notice something was wrong and hurried to support her, “Why is your face so pale?”
Zanxing couldn’t respond.
Seeing this, Gu Baiying quickly withdrew his spear and rushed to Zanxing’s side, “What’s wrong with you?”
“Could it be that the fluctuation of spiritual energy after the seal was broken affected Junior Sister’s energy, just as it did in Wufan City?” Mu Cengxiao suggested, “The recent disruption in the spiritual energy might be too much for her.”
Men Dong, looking worried, asked, “Then…”
Gu Baiying interrupted, “Yang Zanxing is the priority right now. Let’s put aside the issue of the seal.”
The group helped Zanxing to a nearby cliff away from the tree to rest.
Strangely, the farther they moved from the tree, the more the discomfort eased. Although Zanxing still felt weak, it was not as painful as before, and she could manage to catch her breath.
“How do you feel now?” Gu Baiying asked.
“I’m fine,” Zanxing leaned against the cliff and looked at the tree, “Martial Uncle, I feel like there’s something wrong with that tree.”
The Xiao Yuan Pearl usually remained inactive. Although it has now turned into a demonic object, in the past, it always helped Zanxing escape danger at crucial moments. The fact that the pearl reacted so strongly before the seal was even fully broken indicated that there was something unusual about the tree.
Gu Baiying paused at her words, “What did you notice?”
“I don’t know,” Zanxing shook her head, “I just feel uneasy. The closer I get to the tree, the more uncontrollable the spiritual energy becomes.”
“Should we continue?” Tian Fangfang asked cautiously.
With the seal half-broken and seeing Zanxing’s condition, it didn’t seem like they could proceed immediately.
“Stay here and rest for now,” Gu Baiying said after a moment of thought, “I’ll check the surroundings to see if I can find anything else. Meng Ying,” he instructed, “Take care of Yang Zanxing.”
Mu Cengxiao said, “Martial Uncle, I’ll go with you.”
“No need,” Gu Baiying replied, holding his Xiu Gu spear, “If there is real danger, you won’t be able to handle it.”
Zanxing thought to herself that this might not be entirely true, given that Mu Cengxiao was under the protection of the Heavenly Dao.
Gu Baiying left alone, and the rest waited by the cliff. Zanxing gazed at the tree from afar, feeling an increasing sense of unease. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something extremely dangerous lay beneath that tree.
Hopefully, it was just her illusion.
Gu Baiying was gone for quite some time, and by the time he returned, Zanxing had already fallen asleep.
Meng Ying, seeing him come back, asked, “Martial Uncle, did you find anything?”
Gu Baiying shook his head, “The valley floor is covered in snow, and there’s nothing here but the tree. I didn’t find any signs of people.”
It seemed that finding the sacred tree’s fruit would still rely on dealing with the seal.
He glanced at the sleeping Zanxing, and Meng Ying explained quietly, “Junior Sister’s spiritual energy fluctuated earlier and was quite depleted, so I let her rest for a while.”
Gu Baiying nodded and said, “I’ll guard the seal in front of the tree to prevent any accidents. Once Zanxing wakes up, we’ll discuss what to do next.”
Meng Ying naturally had no objections.
Gu Baiying went to sit in front of the seal on the giant tree, placing his spear in the snow beside him. His red clothing stood out vividly against the white snow.
Men Dong thought for a moment, then jogged over and sat down next to Gu Baiying.
As the snow continued to fall, Gu Baiying asked, “Why did you come out?” and, at the same time, cast a rain-shielding spell above Men Dong’s head.