Chapter 181: Eating Soft Rice—I'm a Professional!
"That's... a Dou Di?" Xiao Yi Xian stared blankly at that black-clad figure and spoke with a trembling voice.
Although it was only an image from who knew how many years ago, that aura still made her very soul tremble.
This sensation was even more intense than when facing Zi Yan's father, Zhu Kun.
In this world, aside from those Dou Di experts who existed only in distant, ancient legends, who else could possess such overwhelming majesty?
Jiang Yun, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes and studied that black-clad Dou Di, silently speculating to himself.
Within the cluster of light, that black figure stood before the ten-thousand-zhang colossal Bodhi Ancient Tree.
Suddenly, this figure began launching attacks against the Bodhi Ancient Tree. And faced with his assault, wave after wave of heaven-surging, terrifying energy also spread forth from within the Bodhi Ancient Tree. Under this dreadful exchange, even this very stretch of heaven and earth collapsed and crumbled...
Xiao Yi Xian watched the fierce clash within the cluster of light in shock, finding it somewhat hard to believe.
"The Bodhi Ancient Tree... could actually trade blows with a Dou Di???" Xiao Yi Xian felt that the shock she had received today was simply far too overwhelming. Who could have imagined that the legendary Bodhi Ancient Tree actually possessed the mighty power to contend against a Dou Di?
No one answered Xiao Yi Xian. At this moment, within Jiang Yun's eyes, a purple halo swirled as he stared intently at that Dou Di's every move.
Within the cluster of light, the images accelerated, dancing swiftly, until finally pausing at the very last scene.
That black figure was suddenly struck ruthlessly by a destructive fierce wind that shot forth violently from outside the cluster of light. In the end, along with his body and this stretch of heaven and earth, he exploded into absolute nothingness...
"Hiss—"
"The Bodhi Ancient Tree... actually joined forces with a Dou Di to kill another Dou Di!!!" Watching that black silhouette explode into nothingness, Xiao Yi Xian's heart gave a fierce, violent lurch.
"Extraterritorial Evil Clans!" At the same time, gazing at the black airflow that rose after that black-clad Dou Di exploded in the image, an almost imperceptible murmur escaped Jiang Yun's lips.
At this moment, he was eighty percent certain that this black-clad Dou Di was a member of the Extraterritorial Evil Clans who had invaded the Dou Qi Continent. Most likely, he had been injured while battling experts of the Great Thousand World's camp, accidentally discovered the Bodhi Ancient Tree, and sought to devour it to heal his wounds.
Who could have imagined that the Bodhi Ancient Tree possessed such mighty power? It had waited until an expert of the Great Thousand World's camp arrived, and together they had slain him.
Within the cluster of light, the images did not disperse. The black airflow produced by that black-clad Dou Di's fall—the moment it appeared—surged rapidly into the Bodhi Ancient Tree. And as these streams of air entered, the pure qi permeating the Bodhi Ancient Tree was visibly, faintly, tinged with a trace of hidden, sinister chill.
"Jiang Yun, was the Bodhi Ancient Tree contaminated by negative energy?" Xiao Yi Xian watched scene after scene within the images and looked toward Jiang Yun beside her.
"Yes. It seems that sinister, chilling aura we saw earlier was precisely the black airflow left behind after that black-clad Dou Di fell—which is why the Bodhi Ancient Tree has developed this problem!" Xiao Yi Xian's question pulled Jiang Yun's attention back. Gazing at the now-vanished images, he answered.
"Puff!!!"
Now, within the Bodhi illusion realm, the cluster of light slowly dimmed. Then, it condensed into a formless mass and shot into Xiao Yi Xian's forehead with lightning speed. A stream of strange information allowed her to understand many things.
Seeing this, Jiang Yun's gaze flickered.
It still chose the more compatible Xiao Yi Xian!
Xiao Yi Xian kept her eyes slightly closed, digesting this strange stream of information. Only after a long while did she slowly open her eyes. Within them was already a new layer of understanding. From this information, she had learned a great many things.
The more precious a heavenly treasure or earthly rarity, the more difficult it was for spiritual intelligence to be born from it. It seemed to be a restriction imposed by the heavens upon such uniquely blessed spiritual objects.
The Bodhi Ancient Tree could be called the number one supreme treasure of the Dou Qi Continent. The length of its existence was difficult to imagine.
Yet, despite the accumulation of these countless ages, the Bodhi Ancient Tree had never evolved a complete spiritual intelligence. It lacked true wisdom. It merely possessed some basic functions of a spiritual object—autonomous protection or counterattack.
"You want me to help you expel that malevolent spiritual intelligence?" After digesting the information in her mind, Xiao Yi Xian's gaze shifted toward that emerald-green ancient tree before her and asked softly.
"Rustle!" Hearing Xiao Yi Xian's words, the Bodhi Ancient Tree immediately swayed, as if nodding.
Seeing this, Xiao Yi Xian felt helpless in her heart. Shaking her head, she said, "You think far too highly of me. That's something left behind by a Dou Di. How could I possibly have a way to resolve it?"
"Perhaps... perhaps let Jiang Yun try. He's far more capable than I am. He might have a way to help you!"
Xiao Yi Xian first spoke with regret, then looped her arm through Jiang Yun's. With a trace of pride on her face, she spoke.
"Rustle, rustle..."
The moment Xiao Yi Xian's voice fell, the Bodhi Ancient Tree swayed. Instantly, the pure qi that the Bodhi Seed above their heads had transformed into rapidly surged into the ancient tree's body.
And as this pure qi entered, the sinister chill permeating the Bodhi Ancient Tree appeared to fade somewhat.
"Using Bodhi Seeds to expel those negative emotions?" Seeing this, a glimmer of understanding dawned on Xiao Yi Xian. Yet she still shook her head. "But I don't have that many Bodhi Seeds!"
"Rustle—"
The Bodhi Ancient Tree immediately reacted. Swaying, point after point of green light drifted out from within its body, finally hovering before Jiang Yun and Xiao Yi Xian.
Under the glow of the light, Xiao Yi Xian's face was somewhat blank with shock. These Bodhi Seeds before her were even more crystalline and translucent than the one they had obtained. They were clearly purer than the Bodhi Seed she held in her hand by who knew how many times...
"So many..." At a rough count, there were no fewer than twenty. Even the serene Xiao Yi Xian couldn't help but rub her brow. A single Bodhi Seed in the outside world was enough to draw countless experts into a frenzied scramble.
Yet now, what had appeared before her eyes were a full twenty-plus.
"How extravagant!" Thinking of using these Bodhi Seeds before her to expel the negative emotions, Xiao Yi Xian couldn't help but sigh quietly.
"Rustle, rustle..."
Having waited for a long while, as if growing impatient, the Bodhi Ancient Tree swayed once more, seemingly urging her on.
Seeing this, Xiao Yi Xian subconsciously raised her head and glanced at Jiang Yun. "What do we do?"
Hearing this, Jiang Yun smiled and rubbed Xiao Yi Xian's head, speaking softly: "This is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity. Who knows—you might enter Dou Sheng even faster than me!"
Hearing Jiang Yun's words, Xiao Yi Xian was immediately delighted. Raising her hand, she touched Jiang Yun's face and said gently, "After this, I'll be the one to protect you!"
Having said this, Xiao Yi Xian spread her palm open. With a "poof," the Living Creature Flame danced and leapt in her palm. Seeming to sense the Bodhi Ancient Tree, this major figure of the wood attribute, the Living Creature Flame was noticeably more active than usual.
With a light laugh, Xiao Yi Xian casually picked up a Bodhi Seed and tossed it into the flame.
Within the Bodhi Seed was contained exceptionally formidable energy. Even with the aid of a heavenly flame, wanting to refine it was still considerably difficult. What was more, Xiao Yi Xian's strength was still only at the Dou Zong level—at this moment, she felt even more powerless and strained.
"Rustle, rustle..."
Watching the sweat trickling down Xiao Yi Xian's forehead—as if even a single Bodhi Seed was difficult to refine—the Bodhi Ancient Tree immediately swayed. Then, a mass of green light was released from within the tree body, forming an emerald-green, ancient meditation mat at the base of the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
Then, the Bodhi Ancient Tree extended a branch, wrapped it around Xiao Yi Xian, and seated her upon that meditation mat.
The moment Xiao Yi Xian sat upon the meditation mat, streams of energy—so pure it was terrifying—poured directly into her body, overwhelming and blanketing, like a tidal surge.
With a "bang," Xiao Yi Xian effortlessly broke through Dou Zong and entered the Dou Zun realm.
In the next instant, Jiang Yun felt as if he were watching a perpetual motion machine. Xiao Yi Xian tirelessly manipulated the heavenly flame, refining the Bodhi Seeds in the air.
Finally, after half a day, that Bodhi Seed transformed into a crystalline, translucent liquid. It slowly evaporated, turning into a wisp of pure qi tinged with faint emerald green.
This wisp of pure qi ultimately entered the Bodhi Ancient Tree's body in its entirety.
And as this wisp of pure qi poured in, the Bodhi Ancient Tree immediately trembled. Then, an exceedingly faint wisp of black qi quietly seeped out, ultimately transforming into nothingness and vanishing completely.
Watching Xiao Yi Xian now proceeding smoothly on the right track, a smile on his face, Jiang Yun surveyed his surroundings. It seemed he still couldn't leave for the time being. In the end, he slowly walked over to a corner, sat down cross-legged, and began quietly cultivating.
The Bodhi Ancient Tree swayed its body, seeming to turn its head and glance at Jiang Yun. After a moment of thought, it once again erupted with a mass of green light from within its body. Another meditation mat took form.
In the next instant, Jiang Yun felt himself silently change positions. Sensing how he had been pulled over by the Bodhi Ancient Tree just now without the slightest ability to resist, Jiang Yun looked at the Bodhi Ancient Tree and spoke with solemnity: "Many thanks, Senior Bodhi."
"Rustle, rustle..."
Hearing Jiang Yun's words, the Bodhi Ancient Tree swayed once more, emitting rustling sounds. Then, it seemed to turn once again toward Xiao Yi Xian beside them.
It seemed the special treatment Jiang Yun received was entirely on account of Xiao Yi Xian.
"Welp... I've become a kept man," Jiang Yun laughed bitterly in his heart. Then, it abruptly dawned on him—hadn't he grown up by eating Zi Yan's soft rice?
Was this picking up his old trade again?
The green-tinged space was saturated with vibrant life force. Here, there was no particularly precise concept of time.
At this moment, the two, quietly reaping their benefits, had no idea that the outside world had already erupted into utter chaos.
The Outside World.
Within a thousand li of the Bodhi Ancient Tree, hundreds of factions had gathered and encircled this place. The stench of blood hung heavy on them. On the ground further away lay countless corpses.
The innumerable corpses had transformed this former paradise into a brutal battlefield. Rivers of dark red blood, numbering in the hundreds, crisscrossed and intertwined across this land.
This sight made Shen Nong, who was watching from the side, secretly ache with distress. This was the place where he had lived in seclusion for a thousand years!
Yet, faced with the torrent of the entire continent, even he was utterly helpless.
At this moment, these hundreds of factions were closing in, staring from afar at the several contingents ahead.
Although the difference in numbers between the two sides was like heaven and earth, no one dared underestimate the opposing side. That was an army formed from the combined forces of seven great ancient clans: the Gu clan, Lei clan, Yan clan, Yao clan, Ling clan, Shi clan, and Hun clan!
Any single power behind them could turn the Central Plains upside down.
"Have your imperial clans not gone too far with your overbearing actions? This Bodhi Ancient Tree is an opportunity for cultivators across the entire continent—not the exclusive property of your few clans!"
Suddenly, from within the crowd, an aged figure stepped forward and glared furiously at the imperial clan forces ahead.
What followed was the heaven-surging aura of an old man who had already placed half a foot into the Half-Saint realm.
"Exactly! The Bodhi Ancient Tree is everyone's opportunity! The way you're acting, one would think it belonged exclusively to your imperial clans!"
"Hmph! I couldn't care less about other opportunities—but the Bodhi Ancient Tree... that won't do!"
"We have gathered here eighty percent of the Central Plains' powers! We absolutely won't let them act so wantonly!"
"..."
The old man's words immediately drew a resonant response from the Central Plains camp. Voices of support rang out one after another. The several Nine-Transition Dou Zuns, in particular, were the most furious in their hearts.
"Heh heh... Gentlemen, we have no intention of driving you out of the game entirely. It's just that the Bodhi Ancient Tree appears only once in a thousand years—hard to come by. Those of us with half our bodies already in the grave shouldn't crowd in and join the fun. Let's leave the stage to the younger generation!"
Watching the righteous, indignant Central Plains army, a white-haired elder from within the Gu clan stepped forward with a beaming, genial smile.
"Ha!" A cold laugh suddenly rang out from the crowd. A large, burly man roared, "I have no descendants! If you want to forbid me from seeking the Bodhi Heart—you're utterly delusional!"
"Boom—"
Before the burly man could even finish speaking, in the next instant, a giant hand descended from the void. In a split second, he was blasted into minced powder. A faint, bloody scent drifted through the air.
"Heh heh... Does anyone else have any objections?" After slapping a Nine-Transition Dou Zun to death, the elder swept his smiling gaze over the crowd.
Hearing the elder's words, and sensing the waves of Saintly might radiating from within his body, everyone felt a suffocating, oppressive weight pressing down on their hearts.
"Your people have gone too far this time!" Within the void, several figures stood silently. Shen Nong looked at Gu Nanhai, Yao Wangui, Yan Luo, and the others beside him and spoke in a deep voice.
"We're merely placing a restriction on the strength of those entering the contest—giving the younger generation more opportunities. In truth, there's no real difference!" Yao Wangui watched the scene before him and chuckled.
In truth, when the Yao clan first learned of the Gu clan's plan, they had wished to refuse. But Yao Wangui had persuaded them.
He had merely brought up a single name, and the Yao clan's Elder Council had instantly hesitated.
That name was—Jiang Yun!
Speaking of Jiang Yun's meteoric rise, among the several great imperial clans, if one asked which clan regarded him as the most glaring thorn in their flesh and spike in their eye, the Yao clan would indisputably rank at the very top.
Jiang Yun, this genius who had appeared out of nowhere, had actually reached such heights at this age—eighth-tier, nine-colored pills, a Heaven Realm soul. This had already left the so-called geniuses of the Yao clan's current generation utterly in the dust, beyond reach.
What was even more outrageous was that the other party's cultivation was also terrifyingly formidable. This truly made the Yao clan think of that Pill Tower Ancestor—who had single-handedly founded the Pill Tower.
The Yao clan absolutely could not be suppressed for yet another era!