Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 205 - The Fruit of the Sacred Tree (2)

When the sword mound collapsed earlier, a crack had briefly appeared, coming and going mysteriously. Gu Baiying stepped forward quickly and struck the ground with his Xiu Gu Spear. The bones were blown apart by the spear’s wind, but the ground remained seamless, with nothing visible beneath.

“There’s a lot of spiritual energy below,” Men Dong murmured. “I can feel it. The fruit of the Sacred Tree must be down there.”

“But how do we get down?” Tian Fangfang crouched with half his body on the ground, listening closely with his ear pressed to the surface. He then knocked with his Qianyang Axe, but no trace was left on the ground. He wondered, “Why did only Junior Sister fall? Could it be that she was recognized by the Sacred Tree? Perhaps she is the destined one for the Sacred Tree, so she could enter?”

“That is indeed a possibility,” Men Dong said with a stern face. His hairpins had come undone during the earlier crisis. “In the immortal cultivation world, some spiritual trees and herbs are nurtured by the world’s spiritual energy over many years and are not easily found by people. They may release a spiritual domain similar to a seal, where others cannot enter or find the entrance. The so-called destiny lies in this. One who is recognized by a spiritual herb and can enter its spiritual domain is truly destined.”

“Is that so?” Meng Ying’s calm voice came from the side. “But it seems there are multiple destined ones. Junior Brother Mu and Mimi are also missing.”

In their focus on Zanxing, they had not noticed that Mu Cengxiao and Mimi had also disappeared.

“Martial Uncle, what should we do now?” Tian Fangfang looked at Gu Baiying in confusion. “We can’t even find the entrance to this spiritual domain. Will Junior Sister and Junior Brother be in danger?”

Gu Baiying slammed Xiu Gu onto the ground. In an instant, countless qi tendrils burst from the spear’s tip, rapidly spreading into every corner of the ground.

The youth gritted his teeth and said, “We must find Yang Zanxing. If we don’t, I will tear this place apart.”

*

The surroundings were pitch black.

But in the pitch darkness, a tiny glimmer of light began to sparkle, growing larger and brighter, tearing a crack in the darkness. Zanxing rubbed her sore backside and felt a furry tail brush past her face. Mimi, with an illumination talisman in her mouth, gently scratched her hand to bring her back to her senses.

They were in a cave, similar to the one where the sword mound had been, but with some differences. The sound of trickling water was present, and Zanxing sat up, looking at her surroundings.

Before her was a tree.

Or perhaps it wasn’t quite right to call it a tree, as it was growing upside down.

The roots were anchored in the ceiling of the cave, and above them was an inky black abyss, its depth unknown. The canopy, however, hung down to their heads. The tree had black leaves, and amidst the dark expanse, golden fruits dangled heavily from the branches, dazzlingly bright.

“Is this… the Sacred Tree?” a voice came from beside her.

Zanxing jumped in surprise and turned to see Mu Cengxiao standing next to her, equally astonished.

“Junior Brother Mu? How did you fall down too?” Zanxing was surprised.

“When the sword mound collapsed, I lost my footing. By the time I regained consciousness, I was already here,” Mu Cengxiao said, surveying the surroundings. “But what about Martial Uncle and the others? Didn’t they fall?”

Zanxing looked around and shook her head. “It seems that only the two of us are trapped here.”

The word “trapped” was quite accurate. The cave walls surrounded them on all sides, and any attempt to probe with qi was rebounded, indicating that they couldn’t get out from any direction.

“What is this place, exactly?” Zanxing muttered to herself.

“I’ve heard Junior Brother Men Dong mention that some spiritual herbs and trees automatically form a spiritual domain to protect themselves from others. Perhaps we’ve entered the spiritual domain of the Sacred Tree. However…” Mu Cengxiao showed a look of confusion. “Why are only the two of us here?”

Zanxing didn’t have an answer.

The reason was likely that Mu Cengxiao was the main character of this story. The world’s destiny seemed to favor him alone, leaving others out. As for Zanxing, it was probably an accident; if she hadn’t just pulled Men Dong out of the way, it might have been Meng Ying who fell instead.

Thinking about this, Zanxing felt a sharp, lingering pain in her palm. She looked at her hand. The flower shape was now quite complete, and it seemed to be on the verge of breaking through her palm.

Every time she altered the plot or rewrote her destiny, the growth speed of this flower increased, and the pain became more intense. Zanxing had no doubt that when the flower fully emerged from her palm, it would likely mark the time Heaven’s Dao had destined for her death.

“Junior Sister, why are you staring at your palm? Is your hand injured?” Mu Cengxiao noticed Zanxing was silent, looking at her palm, and asked casually.

Zanxing withdrew her hand and looked ahead. “I was wondering if this might be the fruit of the Sacred Tree.”

The massive tree in front of them was indeed unusual, with only a few golden fruits hanging sparsely from the treetop. These fruits were the size of wild berries, rounded and golden, emitting a fragrant spiritual aroma just by smelling.

“It’s very likely,” Mu Cengxiao looked up at the tree and pondered for a moment before saying, “So that’s it. The roots of the Sacred Tree are above us, and the canopy is below. It seems it’s growing upside down.”

When Mu Cengxiao said this, Zanxing realized the truth. The tree they had seen outside the Snow Valley, covered in spiritual weapons, was actually the roots of this tree. The vines they had encountered underground were part of these roots, while the actual fruit-bearing canopy was below them. Even if someone found the treasure map, they would either be stopped by the tree covered in spiritual weapons or be killed by the Wuyou Sword if they went underground. Even if they were lucky enough to survive, the Sacred Tree’s domain would ensure they could never find the entrance. It was no wonder that, despite all these years, no one in the immortal cultivation world had ever found the Sacred Tree’s fruit.

“It seems the tree is very intelligent,” Zanxing looked at Mu Cengxiao. “Senior Brother, are we going to pick the fruit?”

Upon hearing this, Mu Cengxiao looked embarrassed. After a pause, he said, “The treasure map was given to you by the Snake Shaman, so the Sacred Tree’s fruit should rightfully belong to you.”

Zanxing stared at him in surprise.

In At the Summit of the Nine Heavens, Mu Cengxiao was not the type to be polite or considerate. He would seize spiritual fruits, herbs, and opportunities for himself without hesitation, and was both forceful and domineering. Now, with the plot twisted by her, even Mu Cengxiao had become a principled and friendly senior brother. It was hard to predict how things would unfold in the future.

Feeling inspired, Zanxing suddenly asked, “Senior Brother, have you ever considered finding eight wives in the future?”

“How could that be possible?” Mu Cengxiao looked at her in astonishment. “Why do you ask that?”

Zanxing smiled, “Oh, nothing. Just curious.”

Mu Cengxiao seemed a bit uneasy, cleared his throat, and said, “Junior Sister, the past was a misunderstanding and is best left behind. We are now fellow disciples, and I will consider you like a younger sister. You don’t need to do too much for me.”

Did he think she harbored ulterior motives or felt burdened by his actions?

Zanxing patted Mu Cengxiao on the shoulder. “Senior Brother, you needn’t misunderstand. Whether you prefer Sister Meng or Miss Liu, I support you. But right now, I’m not sure if it’s wise to pick the Sacred Tree’s fruit. My cultivation is still insufficient compared to yours. I’m still recovering my energy from the battle with the sword. It’s not suitable for me to handle this.”

“That fruit, even if picked, will be used to repair the spiritual veins for our Master. So don’t feel burdened. This is a very dangerous task.”

Having said all this, Zanxing looked at him earnestly. “So, you should be the one to pick it.”

She was not joking. Her palm was almost at the point where the flower inside might burst out. Who knew if picking the fruit might take away an opportunity that rightfully belonged to someone else? Mu Cengxiao, however, was different. Even if there were traps or dangers during the process of picking the fruit, as the protagonist, he would surely turn misfortune into fortune. It was better to leave such tasks to him.

Mu Cengxiao, unaware of Zanxing’s inner thoughts, acknowledged her concern. Seeing that Zanxing’s energy was indeed compromised, he didn’t argue further and leaped towards the branches.

As he got closer, he realized that the fruit seemed almost alive, pulsating as if it had a breath. The golden light and spiritual energy flowing on the fruit’s surface were rich. Mu Cengxiao carefully extended his hand and grasped the fruit. As soon as he touched it, he felt as if the fruit shivered slightly.

Taking a deep breath, he pulled the fruit down. The branch swayed slightly, and the fruit was successfully plucked.

Zanxing, watching from the side, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The surroundings remained quiet, with no sign of danger. The water flowing gently through the cave continued to trickle. However, Zanxing’s breath caught. “Senior Brother, something seems off.”

The area by the underground water was originally covered with a bunch of unremarkable vines and weeds. But once the golden fruit was picked, the vines began to bloom with many glowing flowers. These flowers were layered, like fireflies lighting up the darkness, their petals slowly unfolding.

“What is this?” Mu Cengxiao came back to Zanxing’s side, his gaze solemn as he looked at the flowers.

A sweet aroma emanated from the petals.

“It smells so good,” Zanxing’s nose twitched. “Senior Brother, do you smell that?”

*

On the ground, everyone was trying to find the entrance to the spiritual domain. As Meng Dong lay on the ground, listening for any sounds, his eyes suddenly lit up. “Liu Huan Ants?”

Several ants emitting a faint green glow scurried across the ground.

Tian Fangfang glanced curiously and asked, “What are Liu Huan Ants? These little ants look quite unique. Can they be exchanged for spirit stones?”

“Where there are Liu Huan Ants, there is Liu Huan Grass—without exception,” Meng Dong murmured. “The aroma of Liu Huan Grass, once inhaled, causes intense pleasure between men and women, leading to the rupture of the heart veins and the death of the soul.”

“This is bad,” he stood up, looking anxiously at the ground beneath. “They’re in danger!”