However, after hearing Zhao Min's words, their attitude towards her at least improved somewhat.
"Hahaha, your words are quite comforting. Alright then, you've got both slots!"
Ting Shan rubbed his still-sore neck. The dizziness in his head was rapidly receding, and he was already laughing heartily!
A major battle had concluded in just a few breaths.
"Alright, next up is the competition for the last slot within the clan!"
Ting Bixiao slowly stood up...
On a winding courtyard path, the tall youth who had taken the medicinal pill at the Sparring Arena was now hurrying outwards.
His master's furious voice was still echoing in his mind.
After Wusitu took the pill and regained consciousness, he was furious to learn that he had lost his qualification for the duel and had his slot given away because he had spied on the other party.
The tall youth couldn't help but scoff inwardly. He had originally not wanted to repeat some of the things he had seen and heard at the Sparring Arena.
But Wusitu kept pestering him, so he could only recount it all, which earned him a harsh scolding.
'You were careless and got poisoned yourself, so how can you blame others!'
Now, Wusitu had to meditate to dissolve the medicinal pill and couldn't go out. He had instructed him to report any news from the Sparring Arena immediately.
Although that Ting Shan was from the same lineage as the Clan Head, he was extremely fond of fighting. Once he started, it would be difficult for him to feign weakness and throw the match.
The other party had only secured one slot so far. If Ting Shan won, Wusitu would find a way to obstruct the last slot.
Just as the tall youth rounded the courtyard path and headed towards the main hall, he saw a tall young girl running in from outside.
He was stunned. This young girl was his own disciple, a piece of fine material with great talent in the clan.
"What are you doing back here? Weren't you supposed to be keeping watch over there?"
The little girl pouted her lips.
"Master, the duel is over. I only came back after hearing the Clan Head announce the rules for the last slot to enter the Wood Essence Pool!"
"Ah? How was it so fast? What was the result? Tell me quickly!"
The tall youth was shocked. It hadn't been long since he'd returned from the Sparring Arena. How was it already over?
A few dozen breaths later, the tall youth stood there, stunned on the spot. He hesitated, wondering if he should go and report the situation to Wusitu now.
'I'd better wait. Master is currently expelling the poison. A result this bad will only make him more agitated, and I'll just get another scolding. Nothing else will change...'
On a mountain cliff, the charming and alluring Shuang Qingqing was currently looking at the person opposite her with a serious expression, devoid of her usual carelessness.
The black-robed man in his thirties before her was continuously speaking about something using a voice transmission technique. As time passed, Shuang Qingqing's expression grew more and more grave.
Long after the two had stopped their voice transmission, Shuang Qingqing finally awoke from her contemplation. She waved her hand gently, her arm, like a white lotus root under the cyan gauze, carrying a light fragrance.
"You may go back. Have Elder Zhao continue the investigation. If there's any development, notify me by secret letter as before!"
The black-robed man didn't reply. His body silently blurred and turned into a light breeze, then disappeared.
'The most important part of my memory is missing. I finally know why I stayed on the Desolate Moon Continent back then. It was because my strength wasn't enough to absolutely suppress the other party!'
After standing for a while, Shuang Qingqing's figure also dissipated into light smoke.
Half an incense stick's time after Shuang Qingqing left, in the dense forest below the cliff, a black crow that had been foraging for food was hopping on the branches.
At a certain moment, its pair of dark eyes looked towards the now-empty mountain cliff and actually uttered a very low human voice.
"You are searching for some memories, and I am confirming your identity. I have now confirmed some of the people who are gradually getting closer to you. Their ancestors were the ones you knew back then. But why are you still alive?"
This crow had not the slightest bit of demonic qi. No matter how one looked at it, it was just an ordinary wild beast with not much intelligence. At this moment, however, cunning and mockery flashed in its eyes...
Three days later, four people stood before a rock wall deep within the Giant Wood Clan's territory: Ting Bixiao, Li Yan, Zhao Min, and a young girl with a somewhat nervous expression.
The girl was dressed in a long, emerald-green dress. Her cultivation was only at the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, yet she was slightly taller than Li Yan.
She exuded an ethereal quality, making one feel a sense of pleasure in both mind and spirit just by standing next to her.
The girl's name was Ye Mingxin, and she was the disciple who had won the competition over the past few days. It was hard to see from her how she had defeated those fierce clansmen.
However, none of this mattered to Li Yan and the others.
Ever since the girl had seen Li Yan and Zhao Min in the main hall, she had clearly become tense.
Especially when she looked at Zhao Min, her eyes, in addition to yearning for a powerful figure, held more of a deep fear.
She finally understood what it meant to be as quiet as a maiden, yet as ferocious as a flood beast when in motion.
Zhao Min had always maintained that cold, aloof expression that warned strangers away, which made Ye Mingxin only dare to stand far away, not even daring to say a word.
From the main hall to here, Ting Bixiao and the others had flown for the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn. Along the way, only Li Yan and Ting Bixiao spoke. Of the other two, one was silent, and the other didn't dare to speak much.
"Fellow Daoist Zhang, we have arrived!"
Upon seeing a rock wall only about forty zhang high, Ting Bixiao, with his large sleeves fluttering, had already led Ye Mingxin to land in front of it.
Li Yan and Zhao Min subsequently landed to one side. Within a three-thousand-li radius of Li Yan's Divine Sense, he found no Giant Wood Clan cultivators on patrol.
Moreover, he found no formations sealing off the surrounding area. The more this was the case, the clearer things became in Li Yan's heart.
Given its effects, the Wood Essence Pool was undoubtedly something countless cultivators dreamed of obtaining. Yet, not only was this place not heavily guarded, but it also gave the impression that one could come and go as they pleased.
This was definitely not normal. Li Yan became even more certain of the fact that a Nascent Soul cultivator was secretly guarding the Giant Wood Clan. Only then would there be no need for cultivators and formations for defense.
This place was already far from the Giant Wood Clan's settlement, but it was definitely within the range of a Nascent Soul cultivator's Divine Sense. This being the case, Li Yan couldn't be sure how many Nascent Soul cultivators the Giant Wood Clan actually had.
If there was one in the clan and one here, then the Giant Wood Clan's foundation was too profound.
Since they had arrived, Ting Bixiao didn't say much more. He had already explained most of what needed to be said. Only after they entered would a few points of caution need to be clearly explained in person.
The few of them stood before the rock wall, and Ting Bixiao flung his sleeve forward.
Under the watchful eyes of Li Yan and the other two, a small, palm-sized, azure-green tree flew out from his sleeve.
The moment the small tree appeared, a rich, clear, and spiritual aura sprinkled into the surrounding space. The fine, emerald-green branches and leaves emitted bursts of heart-refreshing, lush spirit qi.
Li Yan and Zhao Min couldn't help but exchange a glance.
The spirit qi emanating from this small tree was the purest wood spirit qi they had ever seen. Just inhaling a small amount made Li Yan and the others feel the magical power in their bodies begin to surge involuntarily.
It was as if a cat had been stimulated by the smell of fish; the spirit power restlessly stirred in their meridians.
Ting Bixiao, however, extended a hand, palm flat, and pushed forward. A beam of green light shot from his palm and struck the small tree.
The levitating small tree trembled and then suddenly embedded itself into the rock wall in front of it. The moment it embedded itself, the entire tree trunk emitted rays of brilliant light.
The small tree itself did not change in the light, but its branches and leaves grew and extended rapidly.
In just the blink of an eye, a three-zhang-high and three-zhang-wide emerald-green pattern formed on the rock wall.
It looked like a cave entrance on the rock wall, covered by a large area of emerald-green branches, leaves, and vines.
"Let's go in!"
Ting Bixiao nodded at Li Yan and Zhao Min. Then, his aura carried Ye Mingxin, who was behind him.
Ye Mingxin's body followed involuntarily. Ting Bixiao took a step and entered the rock wall, which was now covered in brilliantly shining, verdant branches and leaves.
The branches and leaves on the rock wall immediately swayed, and Ting Bixiao and the other's figures had already disappeared.
Li Yan and Zhao Min exchanged a look. An instinctive vigilance towards an unfamiliar place arose in their hearts, especially Li Yan's.
But all of this was hard-earned. The negative thoughts flashed by in an instant.
Before their eyes was a stretch of green light. After a moment of disorientation, their vision brightened, and their feet were already on slightly soft ground.
What entered their eyes was a vast, lush forest. A rich, wood-attribute spirit qi, like a light green juice, permeated the entire forest like mist.
Underfoot were thick fallen leaves. These leaves were not like those Li Yan had seen in some forests before, where layers of years-old rotten leaves piled up thickly, exuding decay and old age.
Here, every fallen leaf shimmered with green and cyan light, twinkling and flashing, making one think at a glance that the ground was sprouting points of emerald-green crystal.
It made one feel as if they had been transported into a magnificent illusion, like a dream.
Both Zhao Min and the girl named Ye Mingxin had a flash of wonder and fascination in their eyes the moment they saw the scene before them. It was a fondness for beautiful things.
Li Yan only glanced at it, his expression not changing in the slightest. This was all seen by Ting Bixiao, who had entered first, and a hint of surprise appeared in his heart.
'This Zhang Ming's composure is so strong. The first time I entered, I was also captivated by the scenery here. But after this person entered, his Divine Sense has been steadily scanning from beginning to end, without the slightest fluctuation!'
Li Yan was now looking around for something like a pool, but he didn't find his target.
"Hehe, the Wood Essence Pool is not here. We must go deeper into the forest!"
Ting Bixiao chuckled.
And so, Li Yan and the others began to walk through the sparkling, dream-like forest, as if they were walking in a space of elves and fantastical creatures.
After about the time it takes for half a teacup to cool, when they rounded a large tree that blocked their path, one that would take a dozen people to encircle, a sparkling lake suddenly appeared before them.
The lake was only about twenty-odd zhang in size. The water was milky white, and as the surface rippled slightly, they couldn't feel any rich wood spirit qi wafting out.
Upon arriving here, Ting Bixiao stopped by the lake. Although he hadn't spoken to explain, it was undoubtedly clear to the other three that this was the Wood Essence Pool.
This was somewhat surprising even to Li Yan, whose Divine Sense had swept over it. Apart from the somewhat special color of the small lake's water, the group couldn't see anything else special about it.
As Ting Bixiao stopped, the three behind him also walked to the edge of the lake, but no one spoke.
"This is the Wood Essence Pool in our clan's sacred land. I don't think I need to say more about its effects. You must find it very strange why there's no spirit qi escaping from here, right?"
"Please enlighten us, Fellow Daoist Ting!"
Li Yan's Divine Sense had already scanned it several times, but he still couldn't detect any spirit qi from the lake water.
If this were in the outside world, no matter how Li Yan looked at it, it was just a pool of ordinary water with a somewhat special color.
"This place is the very core of this forest. All the wood essence will gather here!"
At this time, a solemn expression appeared on Ting Bixiao's face. However, he still didn't explain why he couldn't sense any spirit qi, but instead said something else.
Li Yan and Zhao Min exchanged a look, and both saw a trace of horror in each other's eyes, because the meaning contained in Ting Bixiao's words was too shocking.
'The forest we saw before is actually all comprised of spirit trees over ten thousand years old!'
According to Li Yan and Zhao Min's previous speculation, they knew that the so-called "Wood Essence Pool" was nurtured from the essence of a ten-thousand-year-old spirit tree, but they had always thought that the Giant Wood Clan only had one precious spirit tree over ten thousand years old.
They never would have thought there were so many spirit trees, which moved both of them.