Chapter 344

Chapter 344: Continuing on the Path of the Tao, the Celestial Tree Takes Root

Next to Li Hui, Chef Zhao walked the culinary path, while Huo Qiniang ventured into divination. Zhong Yuan and Jin Feng focused on talisman methods, and Mingming had yet to set her path. Surprisingly, the pirate-turned-disciple, Song Zining, followed the Haotu Sect’s practices diligently.

“Qian San, Dui Er, Gen Qi, metal thrives in fire, and wood weakens in metal…” Qiniang’s divination tool came from Wan Nest Island, effectively calculating formations and restrictions.

She hurried back, retracing her steps twice before she found her footing, and with each step, lotus flowers bloomed beneath her, bringing her to the tree’s base. Looking up, she saw a tree full of blossoms and inhaled deeply, feeling her pores open.

“Good job!” Li Hui praised, noticing how skilled Qiniang had become in divination, as if she was born to find a way to survive. Reflecting on their past, he realized both she and Chef Zhao had indeed faced many hardships and survived.

It was no surprise! After enduring numerous calamities, even the least talented would develop an extraordinary zeal for surviving, unlike anyone else.

Yao’er exclaimed, “I finally see the mother tree! I did indeed come from here, having grown here for some time, nurtured by this main body to become a peach. Hehe, Father, I’m so happy!”

“Don’t get too carried away! If only we could take this nearly six-thousand-year-old Golden Jade Peach Tree with us!” Li Hui pointed the circular mirror talisman from the Mysterious Pearl at the outside scenery, projecting it before him.

Yao’er shook her head, “The main body’s roots are set too deep on this Flying Peak, as if it is forged into the ground, impossible to move even a bit. Besides, there are many restrictions and formations directly imprinted on the tree, acting as both protection and limitation. Hehe, I want the mother tree to get sick a little.”

Li Hui paused for a moment, then chuckled, “I see, you want the Golden Jade Peach Tree to self-nurture. The disciples on Cui Wei Peak have catalyzed it too much; even if the tree is robust, it cannot withstand such upheaval.”

“Father is right; I don’t want the peaches, just three branches!” Yao’er shouted, “Little Xuan, come here and lend your golden scissors to me.”

Moments later, a giant crab scuttled over, waving its pincers, “I’ve said a thousand times, that’s called Golden Scissors!”

“Hurry up, there’s no time!”

Before long, Huo Qiniang approached with the golden scissors and, following the guidance, snipped off three red-veined branches with a crisp “snip, snip.” Then she asked in disbelief, “Is that it? Don’t we need to pick any peaches?”

“Seven Sister, it’s fine,” Yao’er transmitted, “How sturdy is the Golden Jade Peach Tree? Ordinary treasures can’t budge it; there are few exotic treasures that can cut its branches, but Father’s Dragon-Cutting Stone scissors can. The main body has no intelligence, more like a house, and I am the master; three branches are more than enough.”

Li Hui rubbed his hands in delight, not expecting things to progress so smoothly. Finally, he could make up for the regret in his heart. After consuming Yao’er’s life peach and taking away her opportunity to transform, he could now reunite with the path of the Tao!

As the three branches fell, a loud boom echoed from the Mysterious Pearl. Yao’er’s core began to grow wildly, expanding from three zhang to ten zhang, brimming with blossoms and radiant colors. It nearly matched the outside Golden Jade Peach Tree in appearance.

Simultaneously, all the spiritual plants and demon plants inside the Mysterious Pearl began to grow rapidly, increasing in size by at least twenty or thirty years.

Suddenly Yao’er said, “Father, throw me two ginseng roots!”

Li Hui knew she meant those from the Ginseng King; he tossed the roots over. There were two more loud booms from the Mysterious Pearl, releasing a fragrant medicinal aroma as spiritual energy surged around. Many precious spiritual plants began to expel clouds and mist, their rare flowers and odd herbs swaying in excitement.

“Elder Sister is mighty, Elder Sister is mighty!” the little demons cheered.

A massive aura emerged, wildly transforming spiritual energy to nourish the plants.

“What’s this? The Celestial Tree Blossoming Branch? It came to life?” Li Hui exclaimed in shock, realizing Yao’er was still inexperienced. She couldn’t catalyze many spiritual plants on her own; even if she did, they would quickly fade.

But now was different. Yao’er harnessed the exceptional nature of the Celestial Tree Blossoming Branch to breathe life into the entire garden of spiritual plants. If she could do this even before transforming, what would happen once she grew?

“Crack…” The heavens would not allow the Celestial Tree to revive, as if a heavy calamity was about to descend.

Li Hui felt worried as he saw Yao’er throw the immortal peach tree core, which immediately turned into wood chips scattered around the Celestial Tree Blossoming Branch.

The calamity hesitated, seemingly unable to pinpoint its location.

“Is this really possible?” Li Hui was taken aback.

Yao’er said proudly, “Of course! The immortal peach tree core is precious, but the five-thousand-year-old ginseng roots from the Ten-Thousand-Year Ginseng King are even more valuable. With their help, the Celestial Tree Blossoming Branch can take root and sprout. Tell Father this: within a short time, the spiritual plants will expand to three hundred hectares, but it requires an enormous amount of spiritual energy. I can gain a thousand years of Dao cultivation; the other younger siblings will have their own progress, but if I don’t seize the opportunity, how can I transform early to help Father?”

“So should I focus on collecting Miao Jade then?” Li Hui chuckled wryly. If only he could find a few Miao Jade veins, but they were incredibly hard to come by; he had learned that in the earth veins. Even if he had plenty of spiritual plants, he needed to find the right place to sell them. Even with the Haotu Sect’s capacity, it wouldn’t be easy to take them out during this time; did he still want to draw more attention?

Huo Qiniang grabbed five green peaches and hurried toward the entrance. The disciples from Cui Wei Peak would later discover that no matter how they catalyzed those five peaches, they would never regrow, and every peach picked from the tree would result in one less, not returning to normal for a hundred years.

“Master, I’ve divined that someone is following me! No, not just one person, at least three!” Huo Qiniang clutched her compass, feeling uneasy.

“Don’t panic, just do as you usually do and go to the market to sell items.”

“Items? Do we have anything left to sell?” Huo Qiniang was surprised.

“This!” Li Hui smacked his forehead, feeling a bit of a headache, “We really don’t have much to sell! Some items are too sensitive. Selling them in the Haotu Sect would mean trouble for ourselves! If absolutely necessary, we could sell clothes and monk robes, but I wonder if anyone needs….”

Alright! Selling clothes, she quickly went to the market to gather people and spread the news, only to be approached shortly by a group of cultivators.

“Seven Sister, don’t waste time; my brothers will stay with you! Haha, selling monk robes, and just in time; we’ve got a baldy here!” Huang Tongliang led the way, with Huang Shiqin following her brother.

Li Hui observed secretly, feeling somewhat surprised. Brother Yuan’s letter said they could go to the Great Xia, but he didn’t expect the travel group they pieced together to be quite peculiar, with many familiar faces.

The sharp-eared girl from Haofu, He Liu Ying, the boy Nian Ganchan who was infatuated with her, the capable Li Changtian, and the notably tall Xia Tianguan were all present. To his astonishment, Yuan Xiao Zhuo, the Dao body, and Yan Jinglun, the son of a monk and nun, were also part of the mix.

In addition to three men and two women, the group had as many as thirteen members.

He Liu Ying suddenly twitched her ears, her expression growing serious, “We’re surrounded, sixteen at the Gathering Spirit stage, three at the Condense Essence stage. Night Owl, it’s up to you.”

Among the three men and two women, a girl in black crouched low, pressing her palm against the ground. Huo Qiniang felt the darkness creeping in from both sides, and when she regained her senses, she found herself already near the Haotu Sect’s mountain gate.