Chapter 1088: Successful Core Withdrawal (1/2)

As for the changes the Divine Bamboo was undergoing, no one had a more direct feeling than Hou Chulan.

She could tell that its intelligence was soaring as it absorbed Nie Tian’s flesh power.

The Divine Bamboo had possessed a primal form of self-awareness when she had first refined it into her. This had allowed her to communicate with it.

However, their communication had never been crystal-clear.

She had assumed that it would normally take Heaven Nourished-grade treasures a long time to develop their intelligence.

The Divine Bamboo had been like a talented child at first. Even though it was full of potential, it needed time to reach manhood.

What Nie Tian’s flesh power was awakening was actually its intelligence!

As its intelligence improved, it gained a clearer sense of self-awareness, and a deeper understanding of itself.

This was the reason why it managed to find a way to work with her and fuse into her wood power core within a short time.

Hou Chulan’s abrupt call took Nie Tian by surprise.

He immediately backed away from the Divine Bamboo and Hou Chulan’s domain.

SHEW!

He returned to Huang Jinnan and Lou Hongyan’s side, where he observed with rapt attention. He then discovered that Hou Chulan’s domain had started twisting and morphing. The fragments of her spiritual cores that she had fused into her domain transformed into streaks of emerald green auras that returned to her dantian region in her lower abdomen, where they gradually took the shape of spiritual cores and descended back into her spiritual sea.

At the same time, the bamboo that was significantly taller than the others also shrank down, emanating glorious light.

The change in the Divine Bamboo seemed to trigger changes in everything around it, as every bamboo in the bamboo grove rapidly grew illusory and blurry.

“Core withdrawal is complete.” Lou Hongyan took a deep breath and fixed Nie Tian with a deeply amazed look. “Nie Tian, you seem to have triggered changes in that Divine Bamboo. Those changes allowed it to release and withdraw itself freely. Was it your flesh power that you fused into it?”

Huang Jinnan also looked at him with a disbelieving expression.

“Yeah, I suppose my flesh power helped that Divine Bamboo complete its upgrade,” Nie Tian said with an uncertain tone.

The five elders of the wood element sect, who had stopped gathering wood power for Hou Chulan due to Lu Yuxin’s arrival, also fixed Nie Tian with confused, shocked gazes, as if they were looking at an unidentified monster.

The five of them walked over. Wang Haoming, whose cultivation base seemed to be the highest, hesitated for a brief moment before bowing towards Nie Tian.

“We’ve got to thank and apologize to you, Nie Tian.

“Chulan was ready to make this breakthrough long ago. After we had everything prepared, she still insisted on sending Ruan Qingliu to your domain for you.

“We were confused and, to be honest, a little displeased that she would attach so much importance to your being here. We simply couldn’t fathom how a cultivator with your cultivation base could help her.

“But we know what you’re capable of now. It was eye-opening.”

Standing off to the side, He Lianxiong from the Heaven Span Pavilion didn’t say a word, his face as grim as a silent lake.

He had brought more than one powerful magical treasure, yet Wang Hongming and the others hadn’t thanked him so earnestly. All Nie Tian had done was spend a short while interacting with the Divine Bamboo, and he was receiving all the credit now.

How could he be happy about that?

With a faint smile, Nie Tian said with an attitude that was neither overbearing nor servile, “That’s very kind of you. Senior Martial Sister Hou asked for my assistance back when we were in the Domain of Heaven’s Origin, and I agreed to come. Besides, she promised me a reward. So I’m actually happy that I proved to be useful, and I’m not getting paid for nothing.”

“Of course,” Wang Haoming said with a broad laugh. “Our sect shall give you whatever you want as a reward.”

Now that Hou Chulan had completed core withdrawal, which was the last and most dangerous step, they didn’t have anything to worry about anymore.

Hou Chulan was the future of the wood element sect. Her advancing to the Saint domain successfully meant that the wood element sect now had a qualified successor.

At this moment, Li Xinfen said, “Well, if you don’t mind, I hope you’ll be there for her when she attempts to break through into the God domain too.”

Nie Tian touched his nose. “Of course I’ll be there if senior martial sister needs my help, but that’s only given I’m still alive when the time comes.”

“Still alive...?” Li Xinfen went blank for a moment. “Given your status in the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace and your abilities, how would you not be?”

Standing off to the side, He Lianxiong jumped in with an unpleasant tone. “Who can tell? Didn’t Mou Luo die recently? And he was a Son of the Stars too.”

The five elders of the wood element sect jerked their heads towards him, the warm looks in their eyes gone.

He Lianxiong sensibly shut his mouth.