In the deep-blue sky, wisps of clouds appeared out of thin air, rapidly expanding and joining together. They barely managed to cover up the great banyan tree’s cloud-like canopy, but unlike regular clouds, they seemed a little unnatural.
Li Qingshan sat down with his legs crossed in a tree hole near the canopy. He chanted something softly as he devoted all of his attention to casting a technique. Even with his ability to control water, using the Spiritual Rain technique over such a large area was not an easy feat. He required the accompanying incantations.
The spiritual qi in his dantian receded like the tide as the cloud constantly grew thicker. Sunlight was unable to pass through anymore, and it obviously went from white to black. Rain filled with spiritual qi constantly accumulated; it was like a sponge filled with water, waiting for a satisfying rainstorm.
As for Hua Chenglu, she arrived at the very bottom of the great banyan tree. The roots of the great banyan tree and the sun vines twisted and entangled with one another. Very soon, she found a suitable location and pressed her hands against the roots of the sun vines, using the Method of Springtime Bloom to produce a rainbow-like glow from her hands.
The sun vines that resembled dragons in size trembled under this small force. With their instinct to absorb spiritual qi, they accepted all of this power, and the trembling constantly intensified.
Basically no technique could harm mature sun vines, but the objective of this power was not to attack but to impel. Like how people immune to poison were still vulnerable to aphrodisiacs, blooming and fruiting as plants ran deep within their instincts.
Hua Chenglu’s spiritual qi was completely drained very soon. Immediately, an aerial root wrapped around her, channeling pure wood spiritual qi into her body.
The sun vines developed flower buds first. A while later, golden sun flowers bloomed resplendently. The glow they produced was as radiant as the sun.
The Great Banyan Tree King said, “Alright, I feel much looser now. Thank you! The nectar from the sun vine flowers is very precious to you, so go collect some!”
Hua Chenglu eased up and smiled. Ever since she entered the Great Banyan Tree King, she finally saw light again. It had only been a few days, but it felt like an entire lifetime.
Li Qingshan also received the Great Banyan Tree King’s message. His chanting stopped, and with a swoosh, the “sponge” in the air seemed to be violently wringed out. Rain poured down, sprinkling on every leaf before flowing down along the bark. The sun vine flowers bloomed even more resplendently under the dark rain.
Li Qingshan arrived outside the tree hole. He saw Hua Chenglu busying about from flower to flower like a butterfly. The Great Banyan Tree King’s voice rang out in his ears again, “Come take your gift!”
Li Qingshan arrived in the canopy under the Great Banyan Tree King’s instructions. The branches and leaves weaved together, reducing his visibility to three meters. The branches swayed gently, and the foliage all gave way, paving a path.
Li Qingshan arrived at the end of the path and saw a pitiful little flower on a thick branch. It seemed to be composed of thousands of fluffy stamens, white in the centre and fading to red on the edges. It did not stand out very much, completely unable to compare with the Great Banyan Tree King’s colossal body or the huge, resplendent sun vine flowers.
“Is this the gift?”
“Don’t rush, don’t rush!”
Time seemed to speed up. The colour of the tiny flower deepened before turning into a tiny fruit that went from green to yellow.
Of course, it still did not stand out very much.
“Pick it quick,” the Great Banyan Tree King said, urging him. His voice sounded rather lethargic.
Li Qingshan extended his hand and picked the fruit. He fiddled with it in his hand. “Thank you, fellow, but is this fruit edible?”
He checked it with his soul sense, but he did not sense much spiritual qi inside. Instead, it gathered another type of power, which was a powerful will similar to soul sense. He had absolutely no idea what it was for.
“Li Qingshan, give me the fruit in your hand, and I’ll forget about all the grievances between us!”
Si Qing’s voice suddenly rang out from the sky, and it sounded a little urgent. When he saw the banyan tree bloom and fruit, even his eyes widened. The Fruit of Wisdom!
He had once requested the Great Banyan Tree King submissively exactly for this Fruit of Wisdom. The Great Banyan Tree King had always been known for his wisdom. The fruit he produced could not allow cultivation to advance drastically and skyrocket, but it did contain a crystallisation of the Great Banyan Tree King’s wisdom, able to unlock the wisdom and ability to comprehend within people.
This was different from the brainwashing and instillment of the Wisdom Imbuement technique. Instead, it was enlightenment and development, similar to the “A Blow and a Shout” from buddhism. The effects of this blow would vary. If regular people received it, their minds would clear up a little at most. It might not even have any other effects. However, it had wondrous effects on cultivators whose cultivation had halted due to a bottleneck.
In order to undergo the third heavenly tribulation and reach the realm of kings, Si Qing obviously needed a Fruit of Wisdom very much, but the Great Banyan Tree King denied his request. The mental effort and energy required to produce a Fruit of Wisdom was even more than performing Wisdom Imbuement ten times.
Li Qingshan had only killed a few burrowing mites and cast a technique, yet he received such a generous reward, which made Si Qing even more envious.
Hearing Si Qing’s words, Li Qingshan obviously understood that this was something good, so he immediately shoved it into his mouth and chewed away. The taste was much more sour and astringent that he imagined it to be, but as soon as he thought of Si Qing’s ugly expression, his mood immediately took a turn for the better. He leaned against the branch and ate happily.
Si Qing’s expression did become as ugly as he imagined it to be. After Li Qingshan provoked him time and time again, he had already run out of patience. Li Qingshan was only a measly Foundation Establishment cultivator, yet he used Gu Yanying as his backing to behave so arrogantly.
“Li Qingshan, you will definitely die!”
“Heh, just the bunch of trash under you are capable of something like that?”
Li Qingshan spat out a seed with a smile before blanking out slightly. It was like a flash of inspiration had crossed through his mind. The inspiration was like an invisible string, threading together a lot of the disorderly information in his head.
However, if he were to describe the effects in detail, he would truly be stumped. His cultivation had not grown at all, and his soul sense had not strengthened either. However, the questions regarding the Arts of the Boundless Ocean he had asked the Great Banyan Tree King during the past few days suddenly became clear. Originally, he only listened to the Great Banyan Tree King and memorised his words so that he could slowly digest it in the future, but right now, he had understood some new things.
Apart from the Arts of the Boundless Ocean, the other cultivation methods, as well as the usage of moves in battle and minor details in life all underwent some indescribable changes. No matter what he thought of, he felt it was different from the past. It was as if he was looking at these problems from a new light and perspective. It was a very special and very novel feeling.
The Great Banyan Tree King said, “Others can teach you knowledge, but they can’t teach you wisdom. Although the fruit is known as the Fruit of Wisdom, you still need to search for true wisdom yourself. I believe there will be a day when you stand before me again, even wiser and stronger than now.”
“Of course. You’re a good person- no, you’re a good tree. Thank you for helping me, but there will be a day in the future when you will also need my help.”
Li Qingshan said seriously. He had benefited quite a lot from this trip. Just Si Qing’s behaviour demonstrated the value of the banyan fruit. It was probably greater compensation than what he deserved; it was like how even the debt of a single meal must be returned, and the grievance of a hostile glare must be resolved.
A puny Foundation Establishment cultivator was saying to a Daemon King who had reigned as a king for millennia, “You will also need my help.” This was definitely as arrogant as he could be in the eyes of others. They would definitely mock him. “With the Great Banyan Tree King’s identity, who knows how many people are willing to help him out. What gives a kid like you the right to say that?”
However, the Great Banyan Tree King would not brush aside this wild boast. Instead, his mysterious feeling became even more intense. Like how the Golden Cicada Spirit King firmly believed the Chant of Deva-Nāga would appear on Xiao An, this was not divination, but a form of gut feeling that people who had reached the realm of kings like them possessed.
“Though by then, it won’t be as simple as killing some insects and watering some plants.”
“Just as I wished. Perhaps we might even get the chance to venture outside this well and take a look together in the future!”
“That’s very similar to something an old friend of mine said.”
Li Qingshan thought of something. The Golden Cicada Spirit King and the Great Banyan Tree King must have known one another. Their temperament and nature were probably different from the other Daemon Kings.
According to a book he had read, there were plenty of ruthless and cruel Daemon Kings, with not a lot that were easy to get along with. It was probably a rarity for Daemon Kings to be as gentle as them. The Great Banyan Tree King upheld the path of nature, while the Golden Cicada Spirit King had always practised buddhism. To be able to meet them was truly a blessing.
However, he could not seek confirmation right now. A fragrance assaulted him from behind. Hua Chenglu heard Si Qing’s voice and rushed over. “Big brother Li, are you alright?”
Li Qingshan smiled at her before suddenly looking back. Peering through the rain and gazing at the end of the rainforest, over a dozen black specks appeared. Si Qing had already become all too eager to have him killed, so he directly transported his lackeys over here.
Li Qingsha basically felt the same. Hua Chenglu wanted to say something else.
Li Qingshan leapt out into the rain. The sky full of spiritual rain that continued to fall was pulled and guided along, condensing towards him and chasing after him. It was as if he had unfolded open a huge pair of water wings, soaring into the horizon.
Everyone’s eyes in the scarred man’s group shone viciously. They unleashed various attacks that collided together. The distance of less than ten kilometers was basically reduced to nothing in the blink of an eye.
In that moment, the rainforest vanished.
Hua Chenglu held her breath, only to discover that Li Qingshan and Si Qing’s lackeys had all vanished from the battlefield. She cried out, “Big brother Li!”
The Great Banyan Tree King said, “You still can’t help him right now, so just stay here for a few more days!”
Hua Chenglu nodded firmly as if she had made up her mind about something. She flew towards the sun vine flowers that bloomed resplendently.
……
As each question was met with an answer, time passed by slowly. Zhu Lie was very cooperative, basically telling her everything he knew, but he did not yield. Fire devourers never yielded to anyone, whether it was her or Si Qing. He was waiting for an opportunity.
He understood the rules of the competition extremely well. The lake battlefield would vanish very soon, and everyone would be transported elsewhere. By then, it would be the optimal opportunity for him to kill her. He refused to believe the technique this woman full of falsehoods had used on him was death gu. Even if it were, he had to take a gamble, as he had already remembered where he had once seen her.
He calculated silently. There were still fifteen minutes remaining before the transportation…
Ru Xin suddenly fell silent. She smiled. “Time sure waits for no one! I once swore that I would butcher all fire devours. Hehe, that’s really some innocent talk of a child. My happy childhood is gone forever, but you can count as the first!”
