Chapter 227

Chapter 227: Selecting Three Spiritual Plants

Li Hui had good fortune on his side; adversity had finally transformed into benefit! How could it not? While others struggled to enter, he calmly sat on the well platform of the grand Ancient Well, diligently making talismans. As a popular saying goes, the fortunate do not need to rush, while the unfortunate are left in despair.

Ge Yuntao panted heavily, just having crossed the nine hundred thirty-six steps of an untamed expanse, when he suddenly encountered a boundless poisonous fire that could damage one’s essence and devour one’s soul. Terrified, he shouted, “Fire Family members, come out quickly to break this predicament! If we don’t all contribute, we’ll be finished here!”

The Demon Cultivating Army was arriving, beginning their advance into the fortress with a loud clamor. Hongmo Zheng stood in front of Qian Qiu Yue, whispering earnestly, “If you have the chance, just leave! Zheng is arranging spies near Ge Yuntao; my brother has already entered the Black Fortress, and the earth axis is likely around here.”

“I never expected the workings of fate would lead you onto the path of a True Demon,” Qian Qiu Yue remarked, somewhat dismayed.

“True Demon or False Demon? I’m pursuing genuine feelings; all the will that the Hongmo Sect imposes on me is heretical. Tell my brother it’s not impossible to become a monk; he has to shave his head along with me,” Hongmo Zheng grinned, sensing icy gazes upon him, straightened his posture, and emitted an aura that made those around him avert their eyes.

“What? Hongmo Zhengfang has actually entered the Bosa stage? And he is steeped in demonic influence, hard to measure!”

Some demons exchanged glances, incredulous. “Damn it! Did Hongmo Zhenglun and Hongmo Zhenglin not team up to seize his opportunity? How did these two fools force him into such strength instead?”

“Think of the future! If Hongmo Zhengfang smoothly returns to the sect, he will secure his position as a true lineage heir. At that point, other disciples from the true lineage may be relegated to servants or sent far away. That old fellow behind him won’t miss this chance to reclaim some authority.”

“The momentum has been established; unless we create a pretext to have him lead the charge into the Black Fortress willingly,” the mastermind nodded, “Yes, let’s do it!”

Soon, Hongmo Zheng exploded with anger, “What? You want me to lead the way exploring the Black Fortress? Aren’t we on the same side? Hongmo Jiu and Hongmo Chu are in the opposing army; they are the targets you want to eliminate! Why are you targeting me instead? Is my family patriarch so little regarded that you wish to see the true lineage return?”

“No, you misunderstood.”

“Get lost! If you want me to explore the Black Fortress, I’ll demand a high price; only then will I discuss it.” Hongmo Zheng appeared furious, but his eyes gleamed with awareness, knowing he was being watched.

The internal strife within the Hongmo Sect was relentless, and Hongmo Xi harbored ill intentions, not to mention those driven by greed. It would indeed be odd if they did not try to pull something on him at this moment.

Qian Qiu Yue asked in surprise, “You really intend to lead the way?”

“I have no choice; I can only take it step by step. At least my brother is inside. I must lend him a hand in his plight,” Hongmo Zheng did not think that Li Hui’s low cultivation would lead to his demise in the Black Fortress. Instead, he believed the boy could stumble upon some bizarre mystery…

Nearly forty thousand cultivators entered the Black Fortress, many of them with exceptional talents, yet none received any special treatment; the light of soaring to high places did not descend upon them. They had resorted to shortcuts, while only Li Hui walked steadily, having navigated through the dense formations.

As for Ge Yuntao, regretfully, he was not human and had no right to an audience.

Liu Yao and the others actually made their way by a longer route, yet the ancient dynasty prioritized qualifications highly and only accepted Upper Tier Spirit Motion Marks cultivators. They barely qualified for the Middle Tier, falling far short!

The Black Fortress did not allow for cheating. Wan Nest Island had already suffered two rounds of attacks and could no longer block teleportation. Using talisman formations was indeed convenient, but they lost their opportunities in doing so. The term “opportunity” referred both to chances and relationships; a tiny error could lead to a huge mistake. If the Hongmo Sect army had pushed forward honestly, they would have gained benefits, but their only focus was on Ge Yuntao’s shortcut, unknowingly going astray!

Outside, confusion reigned but was temporarily unrelated to Li Hui. As he readied himself to enter the earth axis, he began to identify rare flowers and odd herbs along a winding path.

Most spiritual plants were unheard of, looking stunning yet unknown in their usefulness! With Guang Jin and Yu Zimao’s assistance, and after intensive mental review, he barely recognized about thirty to forty percent.

Recognizing thirty to forty percent was already impressive; his horizons expanded dramatically, yet the spiritual plants that met the criteria were extremely rare and far from the winding path.

What kind of spiritual plants fit the criteria? Naturally, those that possessed longevity-enhancing effects and could be consumed directly were preferred. Additionally, spiritual plants with body refinement properties were acceptable, while those that required alchemy to use were eliminated from consideration.

After continuous thought and selection, calculating how many steps he could take, he finally selected three spiritual plants: the Clear Spirit Cloud Tree with lychee-like fruits, the Morning Light Dusk Grass that emitted starlight, and the Green Emperor Yuanhong Vine.

The fruits of the Clear Spirit Cloud Tree could be consumed directly, providing significant benefits for body refinement. The entire Morning Light Dusk Grass could be ingested, aiding in longevity. Although it couldn’t extend lifespan, it maximized the effects of the peach of immortality. As for the Green Emperor Yuanhong Vine, its blood refinement method easily aligned with one’s meridians, making it suitable as a vessel for a Personal Artifact.

Body refinement, longevity, Personal Artifact—none of these three directions could be omitted!

Li Hui turned to Yu Zimao and said, “I’m about to start. Are you certain you won’t leave Wan Nest Island? You’ll take the risk to hide within the formations.”

“Positive,” Yu Zimao nodded. “Thank you for your kindness, no need to persuade me further. You should have over three thousand steps of the light of soaring to high places left; leave three hundred steps for emergencies. Be cautious; based on earlier estimates, you can obtain these three spiritual plants within two thousand seven hundred steps. Since I’ll be following you, using the light of soaring to high places to reach near the Morning Light Dusk Grass, you must move quickly without any pause.”

“No problem, leave it to me!” Li Hui rolled up his sleeves; he now possessed seven times his normal speed, and with the acceleration talisman he had hastily drawn, quickly picking the fruits of the Clear Spirit Cloud Tree would be a breeze. As for taking the whole tree, he might as well save that thought; the surrounding formation rings were interlinked, and one wrong move could be fatal.

He ensured everything was neat and tidy, applying all the spirit talismans to himself and preparing to enter the formation.

A moment later, with a swoosh, Li Hui and Yu Zimao’s figures blurred. The green light stretched towards a mist-covered big tree, and the dragon claw phantom flickered as the fruits vanished from the tree.

“Five hundred twenty-seven fruits! According to the text, they won’t spoil in two years, and the ones with seeds can even sell for money,” Li Hui sped away, reaching for the two-foot-high grass that sprayed starlight. He dared not uproot it entirely, but managed to pull half of it from the ground, stuffing it into his mouth with the soil, wasting no time at all.

“Thank you, young master! Wishing your path of the Tao flourishes,” Yu Zimao stayed where the Morning Light Dusk Grass grew, bidding farewell and disappearing from sight…