Chapter 194: Will of the World Tree (1/2)
Chapter 194: Will of the World Tree [1. The World Tree was mentioned in a few previous chapters, including Chapter 109, Chapter 158, and Chapter 160]
It was impossible to fly very high in this place, because the wind speed increased with altitude. Meng Hao saw one Black Sieve Sect disciple who tried to fly up directly toward the top of the tree. Before he got too high, he screamed, and his body disappeared into a haze of blood and flesh.
The wind continued to pick up. It seemed as if it were filled with sharp blades, as well as a hard-to-describe pressure that made the three thousand meter area around the tree seem like a wall.
When Meng Hao entered the area, he felt the intense pressure pushing against him. The closer he got to the tree, the thicker the spiritual energy got. Of course, he could absorb it, and the closer he got, the more quickly he did so. His eyes shone brightly.
“Moving forward must be very difficult for everyone else, but for me, this place is like a holy land of Cultivation!” He looked up at the enormous tree in front of him, which stretched thousands of meters up into the sky. “Just exactly… what kind of tree is this?” He could sense that the spiritual energy in the place was not the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth, but rather, produced by the gigantic tree.
As all the Cultivators struggled their way toward the tree, up above the clouds in the sky, the members of the five Sects and three Clans watched on through the cloud vortex, eyes glittering.
They could see everything quite clearly.
Song Tian smiled. “Of all the heroes and Chosen of the various Sects and Clans that have come today, I wonder who will be the first to reach the tree?” The Nascent Soul eccentrics from the Sects and Clans all smiled.
“I’m afraid it’s difficult to say. I never imagined that that Song Clan’s search for a son-in-law would involve this treasured painting….”
“This tree must have been summoned by a will shard from the ancient World Tree. It was clearly painted by the ancient Daoist Grandmaster Shui Dongliu [1. Shui Dongliu’s name in Chinese is 水东流 shuǐ dōng liú - This is a somewhat odd name. Shui is a Chinese surname, which also means “water.” Dong means “east.” Liu means “flow.” So literally his name means “water flows east”] when he gained enlightenment at the legendary location in which the World Tree destroyed itself. It is said that with sufficient enlightenment, the tree itself can be summoned. This is truly a precious treasure capable of summoning that which is ancient.”
Han Bei sat off to the side, observing the Nascent Soul Cultivators and their discussion. She looked for a moment at Meng Hao in the cloud vortex. Her face was calm, giving not even the slightest clue as to what she was thinking.
Li Shiqi stared at the tree created by the will shard of the World Tree, lost in thought.
The Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Black Sieve Sect was a middle-aged man. “The World Tree’s will shard is capable of releasing the legendary ancient Heaven-replacing spiritual energy,” he said. “Unfortunately, it is useless to Cultivators, and will only be an obstacle to them. However, with a suitable Cultivation base, and sufficient enlightenment, the World Tree could be placed in that world. What a truly precious treasure! Eventually, it could be possible for this treasure to help these disciples make a breakthrough in their Cultivation base.” As he gazed at the cloud vortex, his gaze lingered on Meng Hao.
He had noticed Meng Hao some time ago, of course, but had maintained his silence and done nothing.
“This tree is indeed a will shard of the World Tree. The painting is entitled Ancient Will of the World Tree. It was gifted to me by the Eighth Sea Lord of the Milky Way Sea when I was one thousand years old. I brought it out today for the purpose of helping these members of the younger generation gain enlightenment of ancient times, as well as to benefit all of you. This painting will not belong to me much longer.” Song Tian laughed, shaking his head. “I intend to give this painting as a gift to whoever is the next son-in-law of this generation of the Song Clan.”
This caused the other Nascent Soul Cultivators to stare wordlessly at the cloud vortex, their eyes shining brightly.
Suddenly, Eccentric Song, who sat several places down, laughed and said, “Patriarch, would it be appropriate for me to have a little wager with these Fellow Daoists in regards to who will reach the tree first?”
Elder Fan from the Solitary Sword Sect laughed heartily. He took a swig of alcohol and jeeringly said, “All of us will naturally bet on our own Sect’s disciples. Elder Song, who will you bet on?”
“I bet on HIM!” said Eccentric Song, lifting his arm and pointing toward the cloud vortex at…
Meng Hao!
All of the Nascent Soul Cultivators followed the line created by Eccentric Song’s fingers to look at Meng Hao. The eyes of the Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Black Sieve Sect sparkled.
The Wang Clan Nascent Soul Cultivator frowned.
Elder Fan from the Solitary Sword Sect laughed and gave Eccentric Song a meaningful look.
“Excellent, what are the stakes?” said the Nascent Soul Cultivator from the Blood Demon Sect, a withered old woman with a full head of silver hair. Her voice was raspy, like bones rubbing together. She smiled hypocritically.
“I put up this Soul Fruit!” he said. He flicked his sleeve and pressed his fingers down onto his forehead. After the space of a few breaths, the illusory image of a small, cross-legged figure emerged.
In the blink of an eye, the small figure coalesced into an object that looked like a Spirit Fruit. It emitted a delicate fragrance.
This was none other than a Soul Fruit, something that Nascent Soul Cultivators could congeal into being from their Nascent Soul, and could compare to precious materials. Heaven and earth could produce Spirit Fruits, but to Nascent Soul Cultivators, their bodies were their own Heaven and Earth, and could naturally produce such fruits.
Soul Fruits are like good fortune from Heaven and Earth, and are the most precious treasures of Nascent Soul Cultivators.
Soul Fruits from others have replenishing powers, and to Nascent Soul Cultivators, are the most optimal source of healing and restoration.
Hearing Eccentric Song’s words caused thoughtful expressions to appear on the faces of the other Nascent Soul Cultivators. Not much time passed before all of them coalesced Soul Fruits of their own. Soon, eight of them hovered together in mid-air.
Eight Soul Fruits. To any Nascent Soul Cultivator, such stakes would be incredibly tempting. All of the Cultivators pretended not to be moved, but inwardly, they shook with excitement. They gazed through the cloud vortex at the various disciples.
Song Tian smiled and did nothing to prevent the proceedings. Of the two men sitting next to him, one was meditating with eyes closed, the other was closely watching the Cultivators in the cloud vortex, his face grim.
The Song Clan Dao Child, Song Yunshu sat calmly near Patriarch Song Tian. He said nothing, just smiled. Within his eyes flickered an intense light.
Eccentric Song seemed enlivened. His eyes shone as he gazed at Meng Hao in the cloud vortex.
“Alright, boy,” he thought, “I want to see the same skills you used that day in the State of Zhao. If you win, I’ll gift you with one of these Soul Fruits as a reward.” Because of what had happened in the State of Zhao, as well as various rumors he had heard in the Song Clan, Eccentric Song keenly anticipated Meng Hao’s performance.
As the people above placed their bets, the dozens of Cultivators down by the enormous tree continued to forge ahead. Because of the pressure pushing against them, they couldn’t move very quickly. But they continued forward nonetheless.
At the moment, the fastest of the group was Wang Tengfei. His eyes were red, and he moved forward recklessly. To him this was his only chance. If he joined the Song Clan, then he could start everything anew, and begin a new rise to prominence.