Chapter 768

Chapter 768: The Laurel Treasure Tree

As Fang Lie stepped into the cursed lands, he silently moved forward. His goal was to find the most precious Pure Yang Immortal Fire in this place.

For others, trying to locate a single flame within a vast area spanning millions of miles, without the ability to extend their divine sense very far, would be nearly impossible. It could take hundreds or even thousands of years to encounter it, as this place is simply too large!

However, Fang Lie was different because he possessed the immensely powerful Heavenly Dao Turtle, a treasured item that allowed him to easily find the Pure Yang Immortal Fire as long as he entered its vicinity.

But the chaotic Heavenly Dao laws in this area, along with the inexplicable and terrifying Curse, significantly reduced the Turtle’s scanning capabilities.

For a month, Fang Lie used the Heavenly Dao Turtle for exploration almost every day, yet he found nothing.

Despite this, Fang Lie did not lose heart and continued to push deeper into the cursed lands.

Then one day, Fang Lie suddenly felt a strange fatigue. Given his cultivation level, which surpassed that of late-stage Thunder Tribulation experts, he should not have felt this way from just traveling.

Surprised, he quickly raised his hands for inspection and was shocked to discover that his hands had changed; they were no longer the delicate and slender fingers he once had. Instead, they were wrinkled and dull, resembling the skin of an old person.

What was more alarming was the dozens of grayish-black spots on them, like the effects of a plague.

This revelation left Fang Lie in utter shock. He hastily scanned his body with his divine sense, only to find that the same black spots were everywhere on him. It seemed that they were absorbing the surrounding Curse power, growing larger and larger.

Clearly, this was the result of the local Curse power eroding him. At this rate, Fang Lie would not last long before being doomed.

While this discovery terrified Fang Lie, it also made him fully aware of the horrifying nature of the Curse in this place.

Since refining the Congenital Glaze Nascent Fetus, he had gained a special divine skill called ‘Glazed Body,’ which allowed his physical form to become as hard as glaze, providing him with incredible defense.

Although his cultivation was not yet at the highest level due to time constraints and was only half complete, it still granted him formidable defensive strength.

Currently, regardless of divine skill, Dao magic, or brute force, anything not exceeding the Eighth-rank treasure’s level was nearly ineffective against him.

A full-force strike from an Eighth-rank treasure was nearly equivalent to a full strike from a Thunder Tribulation Immortal. This meant that Fang Lie’s body had become so tough that even in front of a Thunder Tribulation Immortal, he would hardly be affected.

Yet, this hardness and strength could not stop the slow invasion of the Curse power, highlighting the true terror of this cursed place!

Fortunately, Fang Lie had prepared in advance, obtaining a wealth of information about this area from Mo Qianxun. How could he fail to be alert?

In fact, the body he was in was a fake; it was a blood clone. Even if it died, it didn’t matter.

Fang Lie’s true self was concealed within the Space Treasure he carried. When this clone could no longer hold out, he would simply switch to another clone, allowing him to last a long, long time.

What Fang Lie did not know was that shortly after he left, two Black-clad Masked Men arrived at the spot he had occupied.

They no longer appeared at ease; instead, they were exhausted and gasping for breath.

"I say, senior brother, it seems we have encountered something big this time. That guy has been here for a month and is still unscathed. Something doesn’t add up!"

"Maybe, like us, he has a treasure to deal with the Curse?" the other guessed. "After all, this place is extremely dangerous; who would come here unprepared?"

"Oh, if that’s the case, we can’t keep following him. My Spirit Evocation Incense is down to half; if we continue, it’s going to be hard to return safely!"

"Let’s go. This guy has exceeded what we can handle. We can report back to the Organization, and others will clean him up!"

"Heh, he’s just a scoundrel who doesn’t know any better, daring to come here. It’s basically asking for death. Too bad once we report, we won’t be able to claim his treasure!"

"Forget it, forget it. At least we’ll still get some benefits; that’s much better than coming back empty-handed! Let’s go!"

With that, they turned and left.

At that moment, Fang Lie remained completely oblivious to their conversation. He continued moving forward, using the Heavenly Dao Turtle to check the location of the Pure Yang Immortal Fire every day.

Half a month later, Fang Lie’s clone finally couldn’t hold on any longer. Gray-black patches covered its body, and its once-golden wings had turned dull.

Fang Lie himself now resembled an elderly man nearing the end of his Lifespan.

Sensing his body’s drastic changes, he knew waiting longer risked damaging his divine sense guarding this place.

He withdrew his divine sense, letting the clone dissolve into flames. Summoning a fresh clone, he had it retrieve the storage treasures and continue onward.

Calculating, Fang Lie found this clone had lasted 45 days – not bad. At this rate, his hundreds of clones could persist for ages!

Time passed indeterminably in the desolate landscape. After losing three clones, Fang Lie finally spotted something.

Not the Pure Yang Immortal Fire, but a silver laurel tree towering thousands of feet high. Its radiant glow pushed back the Curse’s influence for a hundred miles.

Rare spirit herbs grew around it, many tens or hundreds of thousands of years old – treasures Fang Lie had never seen.

Those he recognized were all premium ingredients for ninth-rank spirit pills. Any single herb could cause a stir, making even Semi-Immortals covetous!

Yet Fang Lie’s immediate reaction was to flee – not approach.

Records he’d studied warned: "Moon Palace Divine Laurel. Guarded by unknown forces. Approach and perish. Heed this!"

An appended tale told of two cultivators – Semi-Immortal master and Thunder Tribulation apprentice – who’d entered near lifespan’s end seeking fortune.

Spotting the tree, the master rushed forward only to crumble into ash instantly. The fleeing apprentice glimpsed only a shadowy attacker.

After escaping, the apprentice later sold the tree’s location to major powers including Mo Sect. Investigations revealed it as Guanghan Palace’s greatest treasure – the Moon Laurel Divine Tree.

Legend claimed this Immortal Realm-descended spiritual roots repelled all corruption and Curses. Its leaves could cure even Earth-Immortal-level Curses.

This made Guanghan Palace the Left Dao’s natural enemy. Through underhanded schemes, the Heterodox Sects and Heretical Schools eventually destroyed them.

But destroying an ancient sect’s Dao lineage invites retribution. Though not the strongest in the Immortal Realm, Guanghan Palace’s healing arts had earned them powerful alliances.

When their Mortal Realm branch fell, the furious Immortal Realm Guanghan Palace rallied forces to crush the arrogant Left Dao completely.

Fang Lie certainly desired such a treasure. But seizing it meant provoking Guanghan Palace’s unreasonable women – unwise for minimal combat strength gains.

Even if possible, he’d avoid it. Curses didn’t threaten him anyway.

This incident revealed the ruins hid many treasures – but most were perilously guarded. Fang Lie refocused on his true goal: the Pure Yang Immortal Fire.

Obtaining it might let him breach the Linglong Qi Locking Tower. Successfully Advancing to the Golden Pool would make him the world’s undisputed strongest – capable of rivaling any Semi-Immortal!