“Tree of the Great Dao?” Changmei Zhenren was stunned and asked, “What does it do?”
Ye Qiu said, “The essence of the Tree of the Great Dao is concentrated in its leaves. Swallowing one can greatly enhance one’s comprehension of the dao.”
“So miraculous?” Changmei Zhenren first lit up with joy, then grew gloomy. “I don’t know what’s wrong. The moment my finger touches a leaf, it just disperses.”
Ye Qiu said, “The leaves of the Tree of the Great Dao cannot be plucked by hand. You must communicate with it using spiritual force. As long as your spiritual force resonates with the tree, the leaf will come to you of its own accord.”
“Oh? Let this poor daoist try.” Changmei Zhenren sat down beside the Tree of the Great Dao.
He closed his eyes, released his spiritual force, and attempted to commune with it.
After a while, the Tree of the Great Dao gently trembled and released a hazy glow.
In the next instant, a leaf shaped like an immortal detached from the branch and shot with a whoosh into the crown of Changmei Zhenren’s head.
“The old man succeeded!”
Ye Qiu smiled at the sight.
After another period, Changmei Zhenren opened his eyes and said excitedly, “Little brat, it’s incredible.”
“I just received one leaf, and suddenly my comprehension of the dao increased more than tenfold. Many questions that puzzled me during cultivation instantly became clear.”
“You rest there for a bit. This poor daoist will continue.”
Changmei Zhenren focused his mind and devoted himself fully to communing with the Tree of the Great Dao.
Soon, the tree swayed again, and another leaf left the branch and entered his brow.
Changmei Zhenren did not stop. He continued the communion.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
In less than a quarter of an hour, he obtained ten leaves.
Still unsatisfied, he pressed on, but the Tree of the Great Dao seemed to fall into slumber and gave no further response.
Changmei Zhenren refused to give up and tried every method, yet he could no longer provoke any resonance.
“Old man, you have already taken ten leaves. That is enough,” Ye Qiu said.
Only then did Changmei Zhenren stand, saying regretfully, “I wanted to strip the whole tree bare, but it simply would not yield.”
“Still, ten leaves have brought me great gains.”
“My cultivation has advanced further. It will not be long before I break through the peak of the Nascent Soul stage.”
At this point, Changmei Zhenren glanced back at the Tree of the Great Dao and said, “Such a divine object left here is truly a waste. If only I could dig it up and take it away.”
He acted at once.
Changmei Zhenren brought out his spatial ring and tried to store the Tree of the Great Dao, but no matter what he did, the tree remained utterly motionless.
“You stubborn thing. Believe me when I say I will chop you down with one sword?”
With those words, Changmei Zhenren swung his right hand. The demon-refining sword coiled around his wrist slashed fiercely at the trunk.
Clang!
Sparks flew.
“Bloody hell!” Changmei Zhenren stared in disbelief.
The trunk had been struck, yet not a single mark remained, as though it were the hardest meteoric iron in the world.
“Hmph. If I cannot cut it, then I will uproot you.”
Refusing to accept defeat, Changmei Zhenren stepped forward, wrapped his arms around the trunk, and tried to pull it up like Lu Zhishen uprooting a willow.
“Up!” Changmei Zhenren roared. Veins bulged on his neck as he exerted every ounce of strength, yet the Tree of the Great Dao did not budge.
“How can this be?”
Changmei Zhenren deflated.
Just then, the medicinal marten leapt beneath the Tree of the Great Dao and sat cross-legged.
“Little one, what are you doing?”
“Could you also want leaves from the Tree of the Great Dao?”
“I advise you to save your effort. You are not even a demonic beast. It is impossible for you to resonate with the Tree of the Great Dao…”
Before Changmei Zhenren could finish, the Tree of the Great Dao suddenly trembled. Three leaves promptly detached from the branches, landed on the marten’s head, and instantly entered its skull.
“Hm?”
Changmei Zhenren froze.
He had never imagined the medicinal marten could resonate with the Tree of the Great Dao and receive three leaves at once.
Changmei Zhenren cried out in anguish, “This is my divine medicine!”
Ye Qiu said, “If not for the little one, would you have even seen the Tree of the Great Dao?”
“To speak without exaggeration, this Tree of the Great Dao was discovered by the little one. It should belong to it.”
Ye Qiu turned to the little one.
He could clearly sense that after receiving the three leaves, the medicinal marten’s aura had grown much stronger.
“The little one has also stepped onto the path of immortal cultivation.”
After a few minutes, the marten stood, ran to Ye Qiu’s feet, tugged at his leg with its paw, and indicated that Ye Qiu should try as well.
Changmei Zhenren hurriedly blocked the way to the Tree of the Great Dao and stopped Ye Qiu. “Little brat, a man must keep his word. You promised earlier that the next divine medicine we found would be mine.”
“Did I fight you for it?” Ye Qiu said. “If you have the ability, take the whole Tree of the Great Dao away.”
Changmei Zhenren said, “This poor daoist has already tried. It cannot be stored, cannot be cut, cannot be uprooted.”
“Then why are you blocking me?” Ye Qiu said. “Step aside and let me try.”
Though the Tree of the Great Dao was extraordinary, Ye Qiu had little interest in it. After cultivating the Nine Revolutions Divine Dragon Art, his comprehension ability had increased more than a hundredfold, so from the beginning he had no intention of competing with Changmei Zhenren.
Now he was willing to try purely because he saw the old man helpless and at a complete loss. Rather than leave the Tree of the Great Dao growing here alone, he might as well give it a go.
Changmei Zhenren said shamelessly, “Little brat, this poor daoist can step aside, but whether you manage to resonate with the Tree of the Great Dao or obtain any leaves, in any case, you will owe me a favour.”
“You will have to repay this favour.”
“If we encounter any treasure next, you must yield it to me. Do you hear?”
“Are you going to move or not?” Ye Qiu raised his fist and threatened Changmei Zhenren. “If you do not move, beware my fist has no eyes.”
Changmei Zhenren shrank back in fright and muttered, “I was only joking. Why are you getting angry?”
“Hmph. Cannot even take a joke. Stingy fellow.”
Grumbling, he reluctantly stepped aside.
Ye Qiu approached the Tree of the Great Dao, studied it for a moment, then sat cross-legged beside it, closed his eyes, and prepared to release his spiritual force to commune with it. Just then, Changmei Zhenren’s voice rang out.
“Little brat, if you can obtain twenty leaves, this poor daoist will not hold it against you.”
Ye Qiu ignored Changmei Zhenren and began circulating the Nine Revolutions Divine Dragon Art.
Unexpectedly, the instant he activated the Nine Revolutions Divine Dragon Art, the Tree of the Great Dao reacted.
Whoosh!
The Tree of the Great Dao shook violently. All its leaves, as though infused with divine power, erupted with light ten times denser than before.
