Chapter 703

Chapter 703: Earth Courtyard

Li Hui returned to the group, finding a calmness that was absent before. The enemies who had been secretly watching him had vanished, scattering like frightened birds and beasts before he arrived.

“Hey, it’s one thing for others to run away, but I wanted to test Xun Zuoyuan’s avatar with my talismans, hoping to find his true form. What are they running for?”

Prime Minister Turtle sneered, “You say that! You took down a Mid Stage Wood Demon, killed a Late Stage Sound Demon, and turned the evidently strong Manuer to ashes. No matter how many tricks you pulled, you must have done something right! If I were you, I’d keep my distance and definitely wouldn’t go within a thousand yards of you.”

“What a pity! I had prepared for some serious bleeding, planning to make a few bold moves before my strength hit rock bottom. But it seems these guys sensed my murderous intent. They are no easy prey.”

Prime Minister Turtle lamented, “Are you really considering risking it all for a rebirth of your Heart Talisman? That is a rare Dao Fruit. Even in my previous life as Huang Long, few could achieve such a feat. Whenever a Dao Fruit appears, whether complete or not, it showers glory and ranks in the realm of immortals. If a Dao Fruit brings blessings to all beings, it attracts a flood of merit, drawing forth numerous Gods and Buddhas for guidance, allowing one to head to the Western Pure Land to hear Buddha teach.”

“Oh? The Dao Fruit was so valued in ancient times?” Li Hui felt underestimated, realizing how impressive a Dao Fruit truly was, receiving such high regard.

“Of course! Achieving the Dao is immensely challenging. The Dao Fruit connects to heavenly forces and stirs up the world’s fortune. How are you feeling? Can you clear the Destroying Dao Talisman?”

“Hmm, I am starting to get a handle on it! This thing would find it challenging to destroy my Dao Fruit, but mine is defective and needs a rebirth to compensate for its loss. So far, I don’t see any more destructive signs; it should be more complex than that; otherwise, it would be too dull!”

“Your Dao Fruit is that powerful?” Prime Minister Turtle was astonished. He sensed that Li Hui already had a way to forcefully remove the destruction talisman.

“Manuer’s Dao Fruit is still immature. She’s using my talismans to hasten its growth, but she knows little of its true power. My Dao Fruit not only drops when ripe but has also gone through training beforehand. Its main ability lies in deducing talisman methods. So, she shouldn’t have used the talisman against me; attacking with her just-matured Dao Fruit would have been more suitable.” Li Hui walked forward with the group. The practitioners regarded him as a fellow Traveling Realm practitioner, while those of the same realm treated him as an equal.

Everyone knew Li Hui was formidable, keeping him in the back while many practitioners cleared a path ahead.

Thus, two days and two nights passed with Li Hui simply following along. He didn’t need to engage; even when strong creatures appeared, they were dealt with by the Traveling Realm practitioners around him.

On the third day, Li Hui’s vitality suddenly plummeted, and his cultivation fell sharply. While everyone wondered if Sect Leader Li Da was severely injured due to the Sound Demon, just a moment later, his depleted vitality returned to normal, and his cultivation healed inexplicably.

Yuan Ciheng furrowed his brows and asked, “Junior Brother, are you alright?”

“Ha ha, I’m perfectly fine!”

Seeing Li Hui smile genuinely, Yuan Ciheng relaxed.

Prime Minister Turtle, filled with curiosity, secretly transmitted a message, asking, “What happened, Li kid? Didn’t you say it would take seven or eight days to manifest? Why did it happen now?”

“It’s nothing! Just good news.” Li Hui calmly replied, “Manuer is still somewhat decisive. When she truly attacked me with the Dao Fruit, she hid it deep within the Destroying Talisman, trying to convert my Dao Fruit. This is amusing; she believed my Heart Talisman was a poison cup that could be downed away; instead, she found herself in a lake, melting her own Dao Fruit.”

“Ah? You melted her Dao Fruit?” Prime Minister Turtle found it quite remarkable.

Li Hui explained, “She refers to me as Master Li. While practicing talisman methods, she cannot escape the scriptures and talismans I imparted, so she subtly fell into line with the Dao. After merging the Dao Fruit, I was inspired. I’ll head to the earth’s core; I might be able to do something extraordinary!”

“Extraordinary? Do you have a way to reap the benefits and attract all the Jade Hearts of the Earth Courtyard?” Prime Minister Turtle thought this would be the limit.

“No, I plan to place Manuer’s Dao Fruit within the earth’s core, converting the entire Dharma Demon world into a gigantic treasure cabinet, helping everyone nurture their bodies for the fastest ascension.” Li Hui spoke lightly as if it were a trivial matter.

“What? What are you saying? To help everyone swiftly advance, how immense must the karma involved be? If too many practitioners ascended together, horrific calamity power would converge from other worlds!” Prime Minister Turtle felt a chill at the mere thought of such a scenario.

“It won’t happen so quickly; at first, it will just increase the survival chances of ordinary people. The greatest benefit of using the earth’s core as the treasure cabinet lies in helping me absorb the Dao Traces of heaven and earth…” Li Hui accelerated his cultivation, feeling a piece of tiles begin to glow in his heart, as if transforming into glazed tiles, clear and transparent.

Two more days passed, and the group finally cut through the passage to enter the earth’s core.

Within the core, brilliant rays floated around. Strangely, such depth underground didn’t lack illumination; instead, it was filled with brightness, with rare flowers and odd herbs growing in many places, alongside huge crystal clusters. The ground was covered with rivers of lava, and countless waterfalls cascaded from heights.

“So many Heavenly Treasures and Earthly Treasures!” The group felt a surge of excitement.

The Traveling Realm practitioners in the team called out, “Focus! The earth’s core has formidable formations set by ancient experts, along with many terrifying Yuan Magnetic Beasts guarding them. We must follow the lava rivers to search. If anyone strays from the lava, you will not be rescued due to your greed.”

“Understood!”

Many practitioners regained their composure, realizing that beneath the beautiful colors lay deadly dangers. They quickly collected their thoughts and reminded themselves not to be disturbed by external factors. In truth, searching along the lava rivers was the best method to encounter many treasures; why take risks? Especially those dark stones could likely yield the Jade Heart of the Earth Court.

Counting from the entrance, there were thirty-six lava rivers of varying sizes, prompting the team to split into smaller groups.

Li Hui glanced from a distance and chose a river of moderate size to head upstream. Those close to him hurried to follow, drawing some laughter from others.

Practitioners whispered among themselves, wondering if Li Hui had suffered severe injuries, forcing him to yield and take refuge in the river to avoid competition.

Once Li Hui moved on, many breathed a sigh of relief; regardless, one less competitor meant great rewards ahead for them.

At that moment, Li Hui quickened his pace, notifying those nearby to be casual. In just a few steps, he had slipped upstream in the river, swiftly departing the lava to plunge deeper into the earth’s core.

A humming sound echoed as a fierce formation within the core detected an intruder, operating at a bizarre speed. Yet, it swept past without capturing a single strand of hair.

Li Hui continuously surveyed his surroundings, merely passing through the formation. He didn’t even glance at the Heavenly Treasures and Earthly Treasures guarded there; once he succeeded, all those riches would belong to him.