Chapter 233

Chapter 233: Finally Getting the Upper Hand

Green Mountain was a sacred land, the resting place of a powerful saint of the Daybreak Phoenix Luan tribe. It was said that when the saint perished, ten great sages and countless Great Boundless cultivators were buried alongside them.

This ancient ground had given birth to the legendary Phoenix Soul.

Now, to Zhang Yang’s astonishment, Green Mountain had absorbed a wisp of the Daybreak Phoenix Luan’s remnant soul.

Even more incredibly, the soul’s final burst of power had shattered the barrier preventing them from harvesting the Great Path Sacred Fruits.

Could there be even greater mysteries hidden within Green Mountain?

Zhang Yang’s confidence wavered slightly—he sensed that this primordial peak would soon unveil far greater enigmas.

But contemplation would have to wait.

Across the battlefield, a certain woman was already scrambling to snatch divine fruits.

A single branch bore more than twenty luminous Great Path Sacred Fruits.

Neither hesitated.

Both figures exploded into motion simultaneously.

Moving at lightning speed, they became phantom streaks, racing toward the fruits from opposite directions, snatching them mid-flight. Their paths converged in a final, inevitable clash.

Remembering their previous struggle, Zhang Yang countered with Qiu Yinong’s own pinning technique.

As her sword clashed against his fist, he lunged forward with a sudden hip check.

Bang!

Caught off guard, Qiu Yinong was sent tumbling through the air.

She had anticipated Zhang Yang’s superior strength in a head-on clash, but her focus had been entirely on swordplay—never expecting such crude tactics.

"Mine!" Zhang Yang declared triumphantly.

Yet, instead of frustration, Qiu Yinong’s eyes flashed with smug satisfaction.

"Six fruits secured!" she declared.

Without even glancing at the remaining fruits, she transformed into a streak of light and vanished beyond the horizon.

Zhang Yang’s expression darkened.

She had outmaneuvered him.

They had agreed upon three fruits each, yet she had taken six.

Though Zhang Yang still held eighteen fruits in his grasp, an irritating sense of being played prickled at his spine.

His mood soured further when her voice echoed in the distance, full of gleeful mockery:

"Finally bested you! What sweet victory!"

Then, as if rubbing salt in the wound, her parting words rang out:

"Let psychological shadows disperse through self-purification! Even within Defensive Stronghold’s constraints, I will slay you!"

Zhang Yang’s eye twitched.

His irritation only grew when Flower Phantom suddenly materialized beside him, peering at him with amusement.

"Your robes are still intact… unless you used your hands to plunder lower regions?" Her gaze dipped suggestively.

Zhang Yang nearly struck her.

"Insolent wench!"

Was this how they perceived his hard-earned victory?

Flower Phantom smirked but took a step back. "Shall we cease harvesting, Master?"

"Cease." Zhang Yang growled.

Without the Daybreak Phoenix Luan’s remnant soul, no more fruits could be plucked—even if Qiu Yinong had stayed behind to assist.

As they withdrew, the ruptured space began mending itself, though sluggishly. Its edges crackled with chaotic cosmic energies.

Zhang Yang sat down before the Great Path Sacred Fruit tree, his gaze lingering on its otherworldly magnificence.

For the first time, he had truly witnessed the unmatched grandeur of the Great Path Sacred Fruit tree.

The name "Great Path" was not given lightly—it was an absolute truth.

As for the remnant soul of the Daybreak Phoenix Luan, Zhang Yang strongly suspected its true identity.

It must have belonged to the renowned matriarch of the Daybreak Phoenix Luan tribe, a legend said to have once rivaled figures like God King Taiyi, Ghost King Yingtian, Shui Lianyi, and the Soaring Saint.

She was once regarded as the ultimate goddess, with the potential to become a pureblood Daybreak Phoenix Luan.

And yet—

She had not completely perished.

Instead, she had clung to survival, relying on the power of the Great Path Sacred Fruit tree.

But more than anything, Zhang Yang marveled at the tree itself.

It was beyond miraculous.

It existed in a separate space, its fruits residing beyond the reach of normal time and reality.

This path—this Great Path—must be understood.

Even if he couldn’t fully comprehend it yet, he had to engrave the memory of this tree in his heart.

"You should study it too," Zhang Yang said. "One day, this might be the key for both of us to advance on the Great Way."

Flower Phantom hesitated. "My comprehension ability is too low."

Zhang Yang shook his head. "Then memorize it. Every single detail. Not just its shape—watch the way the leaves sway in the Great Path wind. Commit it all to memory."

Flower Phantom straightened, her expression turning serious. "Understood!"

She sat beside him, silently observing.

The two began to observe and commit everything to memory with absolute focus.

For Zhang Yang, this process was particularly challenging. He found himself unable to fully grasp the tree’s mysteries—it felt limitless, yet any clues remained elusive, as though it transcended even the path of a saint.

In the end, he chose to memorize it instead.

Two hours later, the Great Path Sacred Fruit tree vanished into the void. The immeasurable divine treasures that had once stabilized this space crumbled into dust, dissolving into the world.

"How much did you comprehend?" Zhang Yang asked.

The Flower Phantom responded awkwardly, "I only remembered one leaf."

Zhang Yang chuckled. "Don’t be discouraged. I only managed to remember one branch, along with a rough outline of the tree. Not much else."

The Flower Phantom pondered for a moment. "So it really is that difficult… It feels as though this leaf contains an incredible secret, but I can’t comprehend it. Every time I recall it fluttering, I feel as if there’s a profound mystery hidden within."

"Keep observing it. Feel it constantly. In time, you’ll gain remarkable insights," Zhang Yang said with a smile.

The Flower Phantom nodded eagerly.

It was like forging their inner selves—sharpening the soul to its utmost perfection. Even if it took her ten or eight years to grasp a single insight, by the time a century had passed, she might accumulate profound martial wisdom and step onto the path of a saint.

"Master, how many fruits did you gather?" she asked.

"Eighteen," Zhang Yang replied.

The Flower Phantom’s eyes lit up with excitement. "We can create eighteen saints!"

Eighteen saints!

Just saying that number was staggering.

It should be noted that even after ten thousand years of existence, sanctuaries, empires, and forbidden lands considered it an immense feat to have more than ten saints. Only the Ghostly Divine Platform and the Liu family were rumored to have over twenty.

If they truly created eighteen saints, adding to their ranks Chi Zhenyi and Liao Qingshan, they would have twenty in total.

This would elevate the Vast Forest to the pinnacle of the Southern Region.

Zhang Yang chuckled. "I have a feeling we can get even more."

The Flower Phantom’s eyes sparkled. "The Great Path Sacred Fruit tree has appeared!"

"Exactly," Zhang Yang said. "Qiu Yinong and I only took fruits from one branch. When the tree manifested, it was no coincidence that we accessed just that branch. That means… there are still more fruits to be claimed!"

The Flower Phantom trembled with excitement. "Our Vast Forest is about to rise to greatness!"

Zhang Yang, however, knew that they needed people.

And people were a far more troublesome matter.

They needed trustworthy individuals—cultivators willing to dedicate themselves to the Vast Forest’s cause.

Still, a particular figure came to mind—Yi Qianqiu, the Great Boundless Perfect Stage alchemist. If he fully recovered, he could become a saint of alchemy. With his abilities, he could greatly accelerate the growth of those at the Great Boundless rank. Perhaps, he could even be convinced to stay in the Vast Forest.

Overall, their situation was improving rapidly.

After taking a moment to enjoy the victory, Zhang Yang glanced at his storage bag.

"I’m broke."

Not long ago, he had been immensely wealthy, but the costs of his first Ascending to Heaven calamity, along with Lang Xiaotian’s numerous purchases and the rewards he had given to the Shura Specters, had completely drained his wealth.

Now, the immeasurable artifacts and divine treasures in his possession were few.

Besides the Crimson Sun Divine Rod and the Wolf King Spear, which had returned to the level of immeasurable artifacts but were not currently in use, he had almost nothing left.

"Actually, Master isn’t poor," the Flower Phantom said with a playful smile. "Someone has been storing a large amount of treasure for you."

Zhang Yang blinked, then grinned. "How could I forget about that? Let’s go—it’s time to collect!"

With renewed excitement, the two set off on their journey once again.