Chapter 190: Awakening!
Within the space where the tree spirit resided, Jiang Yun slowly opened his eyes.
And as he slowly opened his eyes, this space, saturated with the aura of life, suddenly rippled with faint, strange, peculiar fluctuations.
At this moment, within Jiang Yun's eyes lay the vicissitudes of life , as if he could see through all things. They contained the light of endless, boundless wisdom. Deep within the depths of his eyes, the profound mysteries of life and death swirled and rotated, as if they were the most fundamental, primordial power between heaven and earth.
The aura upon his body was completely drawn inward and concealed. Not a trace of it leaked outward. He looked just like an ordinary, common man.
A long while later, Jiang Yun slowly exhaled a mouthful of turbid qi. Within that pair of strange, peculiar eyes, familiar, lively spirit began to slowly, gradually emerge.
"Truly a wondrous journey!" A voice, somewhat hoarse and even carrying the aura of ancient age, quietly issued from Jiang Yun's lips.
In the next instant, he lowered his head and gazed at the soft, delicate form in his arms. That figure with beautiful eyes and gleaming teeth, skin as smooth as congealed cream—his face was filled with endless, boundless tenderness. He spoke softly, "But fortunately—I had you accompanying me through it all."
"Jiang Yun..." Xiao Yi Xian raised her head and gazed at Jiang Yun's face, giving a gentle, tender smile. Only, this time, her arms wrapped around Jiang Yun even more tightly than before.
The two had, within the hundred cycles of samsara, tempered and trained themselves in different identities and roles. Yet in the end, through all the twists and turns, they would always, always come together—never abandoning one another. This bond and devotion was deeply, profoundly etched into both of their memories.
Just then, the emerald-green trunk of the Bodhi Ancient Tree rippled and undulated. The two's bodies—as if within liquid—melted and passed through the incomparably hard, solid tree body, emerging from within.
"Many thanks to Senior for granting us this opportunity!"
After emerging, the two turned together to face the Bodhi Ancient Tree. Cupping their fists, they spoke with gratitude.
Their harvest from this journey had been immense. Jiang Yun's strength had broken through to the peak of Half-Saint. His soul realm had also broken through to the mid-stage of the Heaven Realm. It could be called ascending to the heavens in a single bound. And within his body, there was still a Bodhi Heart that had yet to be refined. After refining it, Dou Sheng would also no longer be an obstacle.
What was more, compared to the increase in his strength, his advancement in alchemy, spiritual array arrangement, and the Dao of life and death was even greater. Jiang Yun was now supremely confident that once his strength was raised sufficiently, he could refine any pill on the Dou Qi Continent.
In the way of spiritual arrays, he had left everyone else far, far behind in the dust. If not for the lack of array diagrams, he would dare to challenge grandmaster-level spiritual arrays.
In just half a month's time, he had been completely and utterly reborn!
But though Jiang Yun's harvest had been so great, Xiao Yi Xian's harvest was even more terrifying. With the Bodhi Ancient Tree's particular favor and preference—even though they had entered the hundred cycles of samsara together—Xiao Yi Xian had still received even greater care and attention than Jiang Yun.
With the Bodhi Ancient Tree's help, the Bodhi Heart had been completely refined. Xiao Yi Xian was now already a two-star Dou Sheng. Moreover, the Living Creature Flame she had only just obtained had, during this process, been completely branded and marked by her. She only needed a single, thorough process of refinement, and the Living Creature Flame would be entirely under Xiao Yi Xian's control.
When that time came, her strength would once again receive another boost. It could be said that the seal Jiang Yun had arranged—before it had even begun its work—had already been rendered utterly obsolete.
If word of this got out, it would drive countless people mad with envy. In just half a month's time, Xiao Yi Xian had gone from a nine-star Dou Zong to breaking through to a two-star Dou Sheng. It was simply horrifying, shocking beyond belief.
And her current alchemy—compared to Shen Nong, it was likely in no way inferior.
Hearing Jiang Yun and Xiao Yi Xian's thanks, the emerald-green ancient tree branches of the Bodhi Ancient Tree swayed and bobbed. The leaves rustled and whispered as they shook, responding to the two's gratitude with a laughing sound.
Then, with the swaying of its branches, from within the Bodhi Ancient Tree, expanse after expanse of emerald-green light suddenly burst forth. Faint, subtle, muffled sounds rang out. Point after point of emerald-green light shot forth, ultimately hovering and floating in the air of this space.
"Bodhi Seeds!"
This item was naturally not unfamiliar to Jiang Yun and Xiao Yi Xian. But looking at the dozen-plus Bodhi Seeds before them, the two no longer felt the same shock and awe as they had back then. This thing was already of little use to them now.
Still—why were there only fifteen Bodhi Seeds? Didn't the original story say there were over twenty?
Could it be that this time, even more Bodhi Seeds had been used up?
Rustle, rustle, rustle~~~
The Bodhi Ancient Tree swayed a bit, then transmitted some information, telling Jiang Yun and Xiao Yi Xian that they had already spent half a month's time within the hundred cycles of samsara.
Hearing this news, Jiang Yun was momentarily stunned. Then, looking at the Bodhi Ancient Tree, he asked, "Brother Ancient Tree, could you let me have a look at the situation outside?"
The Bodhi Ancient Tree swayed gently. One after another, densely packed clusters of light drifted out from within the ancient tree's body, spreading and filling the entire sky.
"It's actually this lively?"
Jiang Yun and Xiao Yi Xian fixed their gazes and looked closely. Within these clusters of light were all manner of figures. Among them were several familiar silhouettes.
Xiao Yan, Gu Xun'er, Gu Qingyang, and others. Even more were faces he did not recognize. But from their moves and the similar clan markings on their brows, it was not hard to tell—they were all geniuses of the imperial clans.
There were also a great many renowned, named geniuses of the Central Plains.
At this moment, after the previous ten-plus days of battle and fighting, the topmost, most elite batch of geniuses had tacitly, wordlessly chosen to cease hostilities. They had arrived beside the Bodhi Ancient Tree and were exploring and searching—
all in hopes of gaining the Bodhi Ancient Tree's favor!
But the Bodhi Ancient Tree had already fully recovered by now. Even those who possessed heavenly flames, like Xiao Yan and Gu Xun'er, had no way of truly obtaining the Bodhi Ancient Tree's acknowledgment.
"Brother Ancient Tree, how do you plan to deal with them?" Retracting his gaze, Jiang Yun looked at the Bodhi Ancient Tree beside him and asked with curiosity.
Hearing Jiang Yun's question, Xiao Yi Xian also cast a curious gaze over.
The Bodhi Ancient Tree had already recovered and was no longer under the influence of the Dou Di's negative emotions. In the past, these people would likely have long since been refined into puppets by the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
Hearing Jiang Yun's question, the Bodhi Ancient Tree swayed. Before the crowd outside could even react, a dazzling, brilliant golden light erupted from within the trunk—and in one fell swoop, enveloped and wrapped everyone within it.
"Not good—!"
The sudden, unexpected change threw Gu Nanhai and the others, seated high above in the clouds, into an instant panic. In a few flickering flashes, they appeared directly before the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
"What's going on?!" Seeing no trace or shadow of the crowd, the few of them instantly panicked. These were the most top-tier batch of geniuses within their clans! If any mishap befell them, they would be utterly unable to escape responsibility.
"The Bodhi Ancient Tree..." The hot-tempered Lei Chen stared at the Bodhi Ancient Tree. A wisp of pitch-black lightning flickered in his palm. His sharp, fierce, imposing aura made the others secretly alarmed in their hearts.
"Don't rush to act! Are you trying to get everyone killed?!" Suddenly, Gu Nanhai blocked Lei Chen and spoke in a deep voice.
Gu Nanhai's words instantly brought the crowd back to their senses. This Bodhi Ancient Tree was no benevolent, kindly entity! When it had first emerged, they had already probed it. Due to certain reasons at the time, they had very nearly been lashed to death. This Bodhi Ancient Tree was nothing like what the outside world imagined—harmless and gentle!
"I think... they must have entered the Bodhi Ancient Tree's trial. If they can pass it, they will likely gain no small benefits!" After careful thought, someone suddenly spoke.
Hearing this, the crowd's eyes immediately lit up. Exchanging glances, they all decided to first observe quietly and see how things developed.
At the same time, Xiao Yan and the others, utterly powerless to resist, were pulled into an illusion realm by the Bodhi Ancient Tree—of course, the Bodhi Ancient Tree's intrinsic, essential illusion realm.
This illusion realm was, in its very nature, born and derived from the hundred cycles of samsara. It could temper and forge one's heart and mind within the illusion, rather than luring one into depravity and ruin within the illusion.
The Bodhi Ancient Tree's illusion realm originated from its power to grant a person a hundred cycles of samsara. Naturally, its effects were less than one percent of the original—yet it was still sufficient to temper and sharpen one's mind and spirit.
Now fully recovered, the Bodhi Ancient Tree was able to freely control the strength of the illusion, ensuring that no one would become lost and trapped within it, nor be refined into puppets—unlike those who had come seeking opportunities before.
And if among them there were those of outstanding, exceptional talent who managed to pass the Bodhi Ancient Tree's trial, they could receive the Bodhi Ancient Tree's reward. And even if they could not pass the trial, the experience within the illusion was, in itself, also a precious, valuable experience.
"So that's how it is!" Within the ancient tree's space, seeing that the members within those bubbles had all, one by one, entered the illusion to undergo tempering, Jiang Yun instantly understood. So this was why the number of Bodhi Seeds the Bodhi Ancient Tree had given just now was so few—some of them were meant to be used here!
Thus, Jiang Yun and Xiao Yi Xian remained within the ancient tree's space, watching the contents of everyone's illusions unfold. In the end, the Bodhi Ancient Tree distributed ten Bodhi Seeds—and Xiao Yan was, unsurprisingly, among the recipients.
"Boom—"
A thunderous, rumbling sound rang out. Under the delighted, surprised gazes of Gu Nanhai and the others, one spatial opening after another was torn open before the Bodhi Ancient Tree. And from within them, figure after battered, disheveled figure was spat out.
Suddenly appearing within this strange, peculiar space, the expressions of everyone changed. On the faces of many, traces of lingering shock and terror still faintly remained. It was clear that they all now understood—everything they had just experienced had been an illusion.
"What a terrifying Bodhi Ancient Tree..."
Even those with relatively powerful, resilient minds—like Gu Xun'er and Xiao Yan—could not maintain their composure at this moment. Recalling the earlier illusion, they could not suppress the impulse and sensation of cold sweat streaming down their backs.
"Xun'er..."
At that moment, the delighted, surprised voices of Gu Nanhai and the others quickly brought the dazed, disoriented crowd back to their senses. Among them, several figures, feeling the object within their chests, immediately revealed a flash of wild joy in their eyes. But very quickly, they all reined it in and concealed it, each putting on an expression of bewilderment and confusion.
Within the ancient tree's space, no longer paying attention to the situation outside, Jiang Yun looked at the Bodhi Ancient Tree beside him and asked, "Brother Ancient Tree, where do you plan to go from here? You and Xiao Yi Xian are so compatible and fated—why not leave together with us?"
Seeing Jiang Yun beginning to coax and lure the Bodhi Ancient Tree, Xiao Yi Xian very understandingly, smoothly stepped forward and said, "Yes... surely Senior Bodhi must also be quite lonely all by yourself. Why not travel with us and see the beautiful sights and scenery of the continent?"
"Rustle, rustle..."
Hearing the suggestions of Jiang Yun and Xiao Yi Xian, the Bodhi Ancient Tree gently swayed its body and emitted rustling, whispering sounds. But Jiang Yun and Xiao Yi Xian could clearly sense—it was refusing them.
"Very well. Should the opportunity arise, Xiao Yi Xian and I will come and trouble Brother Ancient Tree again!" Seeing this, and knowing that haste makes waste, Jiang Yun cupped his fists toward the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
As his voice fell, a pitch-black spatial rift appeared behind them within the tree spirit's space. Jiang Yun cupped his fists once more toward the Bodhi Ancient Tree, then pulled Xiao Yi Xian along as they stepped into the spatial passageway. To avoid bumping into the people outside, Jiang Yun had deliberately arranged the other end of the spatial passageway in a mountain range far, far away from this place.
And just as the two were about to vanish—utterly concealed and hidden, so much so that even the Bodhi Ancient Tree did not detect it—a tower-shaped streak of light quietly, silently slipped into Jiang Yun's palm.
With Jiang Yun and Xiao Yi Xian's departure, the Bodhi Ancient Tree in the outside world suddenly began to tremble violently.
Then, a circle of jade-green light spread outward from the base of the Bodhi Ancient Tree. Under the spreading of this light, the ground seemed to transform into liquid. And the Bodhi Ancient Tree, following that liquid, slowly and gradually entered the ground.
Once the Bodhi Ancient Tree entered the earth, even a nine-star Dou Sheng would be utterly unable to locate it. Without special, unique methods, if one wished to see it again, they would have to wait until the next time the Bodhi Ancient Tree emerged into the world. But by then—it might well be a thousand or more years later.
"Boom!"
Under everyone's watchful gazes, the Bodhi Ancient Tree finally, at last, slowly submerged and sank into the earth. With the disappearance of that final wisp of emerald-green light, this stretch of grassland once again returned to being empty, barren, and desolate.
In the distant, far-off void—at the very instant the Bodhi Ancient Tree entered the earth, within the dark, pitch-black cosmos, a pair of eyes filled with slaughter and carnage abruptly snapped open. They swept over this stretch of heaven and earth with utter, cold indifference.
Demonic energy howled and roared. A figure slowly materialized within the dark, pitch-black void. The other's blood-red long hair billowed and danced freely in the wind. He appeared, at a glance, to be exceptionally, strikingly handsome. Only—the destructive, annihilating, violent brutality emanating from his body made the very void beneath his feet tremble and quake in terror.
On his handsome, striking face, there was not the slightest ripple of emotion or feeling. His blood-red pupils swept outward—cold, indifferent, utterly devoid of any sentiment.
At the same time, countless blood-red fierce gales howled and raged around him.
An indescribable, oppressive force spread forth overwhelmingly, blanketing everything. Within this dark, pitch-black, void space, blood-red clouds converged and gathered. Finally, they actually transformed into a blood-red torrential downpour, shrouding and enveloping the area around the man.
"What dense, vigorous life force..." The man's gaze was fixed intently, tightly upon a certain direction. A low, deep voice reverberated and echoed through the void. "I never imagined this trip would actually yield such an unexpected, fortuitous harvest."
Having thought this, the blood-haired man instantly transformed into a streak of blood-red light and shot forth rapidly in that direction.
Stepping once more onto Ancient Dragon Island—the strength of Dragon Island had, yet again, undergone an earth-shaking, heaven-overturning transformation. Aura after formidable, powerful aura lay dormant and concealed within Dragon Island. Jiang Yun estimated that the current strength of Dragon Island was already in no way inferior to the Yan and Lei clans.
"Every single time I see you, it leaves me utterly, completely incredulous. It's as if the bottlenecks that ordinary people face—to you, they simply don't exist at all?" Zhu Kun looked at Jiang Yun, already a peak Half-Saint, and could finally no longer suppress the sour, envious feeling in his heart.
"Heh heh—just luckier than most. I merely received the Bodhi Ancient Tree's favor, that's all!" Seeing this, Jiang Yun chuckled lightly and spoke without the slightest trace of self-satisfaction or pride.
"Your luck isn't just 'a little bit' good!" A stifled, pent-up breath lodged in Zhu Kun's chest. Looking at Xiao Yi Xian, then looking back at Jiang Yun, he spoke with a grumpy, displeased tone.
The emergence of the Bodhi Ancient Tree—Zhu Kun, as an Emperor Realm soul, had naturally sensed it. Only, according to the plan, the Ancient Dragon Clan was still lying low and could not afford to make any moves. Besides, they had even more important matters to attend to.
He just never imagined—Jiang Yun would actually give him such a tremendous, delightful surprise!
Hearing this, Jiang Yun could not easily answer. He simply smiled and gazed at Zhu Kun.
Seeing this, Zhu Kun raised his hand and tossed out cluster after cluster of light, each of varying sizes. "Take them. Even this old man is somewhat envious of you. These good things—even I have never had the chance to enjoy them. In the days to come—you'd best treat Zi Yan well."