Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 192 - The Self-Cultivation of the Clown (1)

“Come quickly and see! We’ve found the Sacred Tree!”

Zanxing walked over and stood beside them at the edge of the cliff, following their gaze down below.

It was early morning, and the sun was slowly emerging from between the two cliffs. There was no morning mist in the Snow Valley. In the golden sunlight, the sea of jade sparkled, and amidst the cold snow winds stood a massive tree, rising from the ground.

In the midst of the vast snowy plain, the giant tree stood out vividly, covered in lush green. Among the dark green leaves, there were glimmers of light, as if the tree was adorned with pearls and jewels, dazzling to the eye.

It certainly seemed to be the Sacred Tree.

“But why didn’t we see this tree yesterday?” Meng Ying questioned, “Could it be an illusion, like in Wufan City? Just a trick of the eyes?”

“There’s a possibility,” Mu Cengxiao glanced at the ground, “But when we arrived here yesterday, it was already dark. It’s natural we didn’t see the tree. Maybe it’s only visible in the clear light of day.”

“Martial Uncle, is there anything wrong?” Tian Fangfang asked.

Gu Baiying shook his head, “I haven’t sensed any demonic energy.”

Zanxing turned to see that Men Dong was standing at the cliff’s edge, his face tight with concern, and asked, “Junior Brother, is something wrong?”

“It’s strange,” Mendo said, looking uneasy, “My spiritual senses can’t detect any spiritual herbs. If this is the Sacred Tree, I should be able to sense something from this distance, but there’s nothing.” He tugged at Gu Baiying’s sleeve, “Martial Uncle, could it be a trap?”

“Hey, no matter if it’s a trap or not, we don’t have another way to go now. We have to go down. Even if it’s an illusion, if it’s showing us the Sacred Tree, it means the opponent knows where the Sacred Tree is. We still need to go down. If we can’t find the Sacred Tree, Martial Uncle’s meridians won’t be repaired. It’s pointless to hesitate here. We might as well go down first and deal with whatever comes our way!” Tian Fangfang said bluntly.

Determined to find the Sacred Tree and gain more opportunities, Tian Fangfang wasn’t too concerned about the dangers. After some discussion, everyone agreed with his reasoning. Since there was no other path, they decided to continue descending into the snowy gorge.

Perhaps everyone had rested well last night. Today, descending the valley felt a bit easier than yesterday. The shadow of the giant tree became clearer the further they went down, and the shimmering light on the tree grew more dazzling. Under the sunlight, it was almost blinding.

“Is the fruit on this Sacred Tree really capable of repairing meridians?” Tian Fangfang wondered.

“What do you mean?”

“I remember hearing during my travels that there’s a legendary treasure tree, but instead of bearing fruits, it produces treasures, like the pearls and gold pieces in painted golden pavilions. From what I see, this tree is so resplendent and colorful, it looks more like jewels than fruits.” Tian Fangfang’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. “If that’s the case, we could dig up this tree and plant it in Gufeng Mountain. We wouldn’t have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of our lives. The Yinfeng Sect only dug up a spiritual stone mine to dominate the cultivation world. If we get this treasure tree for our sect, we’d be doing a great service!”

“Wake up,” Zanxing reminded him. “Even if it’s a treasure tree, it’s not like you can just harvest it like leeks. And look at that tree. Are you sure you can dig it up?”

As they descended further, it became increasingly clear that the tree almost occupied half of the mountain peak. Its dense green canopy seemed endless. The idea of digging it up seemed far-fetched.

“Then how about cutting off a branch and taking it back to see if it can grow?” Tian Fangfang suggested, settling for a compromise.

“This grafting technique might be a bit difficult.”

“Let’s not talk about that right now,” Men Dong’s face was turning purple from the cold, “Don’t you all think it’s getting colder here?”

Indeed, the weather was growing colder. Everyone was wearing specially made clothes from the Taiyan Sect, designed to ward off the chill. Especially Zanxing, who wore many layers and had several layers of anti-cold talismans attached inside. Even so, it felt like entering an ice cellar. The cold seeped into their bones with the wind, making their hands and feet stiff.

“With it being this cold, could it be the Abyss of Extreme Ice?” Tian Fangfang shivered.

Zanxing asked curiously, “What is the Abyss of Extreme Ice?”

“It’s a prison in the Demon Realm, an entire mountain range sealed in ice and snow. I heard that when the Demon King was alive, he sealed the guilty demon clans into the Abyss of Extreme Ice. The demons could not break free from the ice, and over time, the Abyss of Extreme Ice became filled with the dead demons. No demon has ever lived to come out from there,” Meng Ying explained.

Zanxing said, “It sounds like an ice cellar for storing supplies… here…”

“Not at all,” Meng Ying interrupted, “The Abyss of Extreme Ice is in the Demon Realm, not here. Besides, this place is a snowy plain, not an ice peak. If it were truly the Abyss of Extreme Ice, even we wouldn’t be able to escape, let alone move around here.”

Zanxing made a noncommittal sound.

Just then, Gu Baiying’s footsteps stopped ahead, and Mu Cengxiao called out, “Look!”

The group had already reached the valley floor, where they could see the full extent of the giant tree. This tree was enormous, with its trunk deeply rooted underground, making it hard to distinguish where the roots ended. Above, a large mass of green mist enveloped the mountaintop. What was even more astonishing was that on the branches of this giant tree, there were numerous weapons of various sizes hanging.

From swords and blades to axes and halberds, and even silks and satins. Yet strangely, among all these weapons, there wasn’t a single person in sight. It was as if the weapons had grown out of the tree itself.

“This isn’t a treasure tree; it’s a spiritual weapon tree!” Tian Fangfang gestured to Zanxing, “Junior Sister, didn’t your flower staff break? Go up and pick a weapon.”

Zanxing, momentarily convinced by this talk, took a few steps forward. Before Gu Baiying could stop her, Zanxing had already reached ahead, but the next moment, it was as if she hit some invisible barrier. With a thud, Zanxing was bounced back.

“What was that?!”

Gu Baiying frowned, “It’s a seal.” He pulled Zanxing behind him, “Be careful. There’s a seal left by a cultivator here.”

Seals are usually used to contain dangerous beasts or demonic entities, and with a seal here… The group’s gaze turned to the tree in front of them. Aside from the spiritual weapons hanging on its branches, the giant tree seemed to have no other abnormalities. Could there be some hidden danger?

The wind around them was silent, and the vast snow lay still. Only the luminous treasure tree stood firm against the wind.

“Martial Uncle, there might be something odd here,” Mu Cengxiao pointed at the weapons on the tree, “We see the weapons but no cultivators. Where have they gone? Could they have been harmed?”

At these words, everyone couldn’t help but shiver.