Chapter 344: Xinlan Ancient Tree
If someone could recognize the true appearance of this illusory man, they would be shocked, because he is one of the top strong men in the Douqi Continent today, the current patriarch of the Ancient Clan, Gu Yuan.
Although it was just a thought, his existence was perfectly integrated with the surrounding environment, as if he was part of the world. In the hustle and bustle of such a festival, no one could detect his existence, as if he was in an independent space, detached from the world.
He lowered his eyes, staring at Xiao Ling and Xun'er who were huddled together below, with an elusive emotion in his eyes.
"Alas, a girl cannot be kept at home when she grows up... I don't know if it was a wise move to let Xun'er go to the Xiao family back then. But now that things have come to this, let's just let fate take its course..."
"But this kid is really peculiar. He has this extremely pure and powerful vitality, and he has subdued five kinds of strange fire in his body at the same time. He has a soul that has reached the great perfection of the spiritual realm. He is barely worthy of Xun'er..."
"Xiao Xuan, it seems that your Xiao clan has a successor..."
……
As the last firework bloomed in the night sky, Xiao Ling and Xun'er's viewing experience at the Lianxin River came to an end.
Hand in hand, they walked slowly along the river bank, admiring the lanterns along the way. The lanterns were of various shapes, some like flying phoenixes, some like swimming koi, and each one carried the blessing and ingenuity of the maker.
They also participated in some traditional Lantern Festival games, such as guessing lantern riddles. In the lantern riddle area covered with colorful paper strips, Xiao Ling and Xun'er took turns guessing. Whenever Xun'er guessed a riddle correctly, her eyes lit up, and Xiao Ling encouraged her. Their laughter and cheers blended into the festive atmosphere.
Then, they tried to make their own lanterns. Under the guidance of an old artist, they cut the colored paper, pasted the patterns, and finally hung their own lanterns. Watching them drift away slowly on the river, they were filled with a sense of accomplishment.
In addition, they also tasted the special food of the festival, such as sweet and sticky Yuanxiao and various candies with unique shapes. Each kind of food was memorable and added to the joy of the festival.
As the night deepened, the lively atmosphere of the Lantern Festival slowly settled down. Xiao Ling and Xun'er strolled to the square in the center of the city, and in front of them was a huge tree that was a hundred feet tall.
The tree was so thick that it took dozens of people holding hands to barely hug its trunk. The tree had dense branches and leaves, like a huge green umbrella, almost covering the entire square in its shadow.
Every branch of the giant tree is hung with various love locks and prayer cards. When the evening breeze blows gently, the locks and cards make crisp tinkling sounds, like a lullaby in the night, bringing a warm atmosphere to this beautiful night.
The area under the tree was also bustling with people using their skills to carefully hang the small items they brought on the branches. Some jumped up to reach higher branches, while others helped each other and collaborated to hang the locks or signs in the right place.
Everyone was completing this small ceremony carefully, their faces filled with smiles of anticipation and satisfaction, as if at this moment, their wishes were quietly hanging on the giant tree along with these objects.
This tree is called the Xinlan Ancient Tree. No one can tell how many years it has stood in the center of the city. It seems to have been sleeping all the time, like a silent guardian, quietly guarding the peace of the city.
The cultivation method of the Xinlan Ancient Tree is quite special. It absorbs the essence of human emotions.
The joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness of the people in the city, every emotional fluctuation will be transformed into subtle energy and float towards this giant tree with the wind.
These emotional energies became the source of its cultivation, not only nourishing it but also maintaining the indescribable connection between it and the city.
Because of this, the legend in the city mentions that once Xinlian City encounters a crisis, the Xinlan ancient tree will awaken from its slumber, stand up and protect the peace of this land.
Standing in front of the trunk of the Xinlan ancient tree, Xiao Ling and Xun'er looked up at the towering ancient tree, and a feeling of respect surged in their hearts.
The branches of the ancient tree are thick, and the bark is engraved with traces of time. Its crown is like a green ocean, swaying gently in the breeze, making a rustling sound, as if telling an ancient story.
"The cultivation level of this tree is probably close to the eighth level. Although it is still dormant and accumulating energy, even with just a little bit of the aura it emits, one can feel its majesty and strength." After Xiao Ling sensed it a little, a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.
"Indeed, high-level plant-based magical beasts are rare, and species like the Xinlan Ancient Tree are even rarer. This is the first time I have seen one with my own eyes." Xun'er also nodded. She spoke softly, reaching out to gently touch the bark of the ancient tree, feeling its rough yet vital texture.
Xiao Ling withdrew his gaze from the top of the Xinlan Ancient Tree and turned to Xun'er, with a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes: "I heard before that if someone can climb to the top of the Xinlan Ancient Tree and get the recognition of the ancient tree, they can get a special opportunity. Although I don't know whether this rumor is true or not, I think it's quite interesting. Xun'er, are you willing to go up with me to take a look?"
Xiao Ling had heard of this legend when he was strolling around before. It is said that anyone who can climb to the top of the Xinlan Ancient Tree and gain its recognition will get a rare opportunity.
But the legend also mentioned that the closer you get to the top of the tree, the stronger the pressure it exudes, so few people can successfully reach the top. Moreover, even if someone goes up, if they don't get the favor of the Xinlan Ancient Tree, they can only return empty-handed.
"Since Brother Xiao Ling said so, Xun'er is of course willing to accompany you to explore. Besides, Xun'er is also very curious about what the rumored opportunity is." When Xun'er heard Xiao Ling's words, her eyes flashed with excitement, and she responded with a smile.
The moment Xun'er nodded in agreement, Xiao Ling's mouth curled up with a happy arc. Without any hesitation, he quickly took Xun'er's hand, gently pulled her light body into his arms, and his other hand firmly wrapped around her waist.
Xun'er was a little surprised by Xiao Ling's sudden intimate action. She glared at him in pretended anger, but finally turned sideways and leaned on Xiao Ling's broad chest, with a hint of doting helplessness on her face.
Immediately afterwards, Xiao Ling's body shook, as if there was wind under his feet, and he took Xun'er and flew directly into the air, like a meteor across the night sky, flying towards the top of the Xinlan Ancient Tree.
Among the branches of the Xinlan ancient tree, Xiao Ling and Xun'er were like light elves, shuttling through the dense branches. Their speed was getting faster and faster, and the air around them was cut, making a whistling sound, as if cheering them on to climb.
During the flight, they also met other challengers who also had the dream of reaching the summit and were heading towards the top of the Xinlan Ancient Tree.
However, Xiao Ling and Xun'er's speed was simply beyond the reach of these people. They easily surpassed one competitor after another, like two meteors across the night sky.
The challengers who were surpassed were originally full of confidence, but when they saw that the two who surpassed them were such young faces, they couldn't help but reveal expressions of surprise. Their eyes were full of disbelief, and they were full of admiration for Xiao Ling and Xun Er's strength.
"Look at those two young men. They can fly freely in the air without using their fighting spirit wings. They are at least Dou Zong level warriors at such a young age. In Zhongzhou, such talents are rare, and they are simply one of a kind." A bystander couldn't help but exclaimed, with envy and admiration in his tone.
“See how they can easily withstand the pressure from the Xinlan Ancient Tree. Their strength is extraordinary. I wonder if they can get the legendary opportunity.” Another person also joined the discussion, with curiosity and anticipation in his eyes.
"Alas, ordinary people like us have no chance of having such good things happen to us..." Someone nearby laughed at himself, with a hint of helplessness and light-hearted humor in his words.
However, Xiao Ling and Xun'er were so focused on climbing that they didn't notice the envious and admiring looks around them, nor the discussions about their strength.
After flying for some time, Xiao Ling and Xun'er finally reached the crown of the Xinlan Ancient Tree. When they stepped onto this towering green paradise, the pressure that had become increasingly stronger as the altitude increased miraculously dissipated.
This ancient tree has experienced countless years of wind and rain, and it has lush branches and leaves. The diameter of the top of the trunk reaches an astonishing 30 meters.
The environment here is extremely clean, there are no nests of birds or monsters, and even a fallen leaf is hard to find, giving people a sense of transcendence. Standing on the treetops, Xiao Ling and Xun'er seemed to be on a huge green rooftop. Surrounding them were layers of green leaves, which swayed gently in the breeze, making rustling sounds, as if welcoming their arrival.
The moonlight shines through the gaps between the branches and leaves, casting mottled light and shadows, adding a touch of warmth to this green world.
Looking down from this height, most of Heart Chain City is in full view. The city streets are like flowing strips of light, the houses and buildings are like carefully placed toys, and the bustling crowds become insignificant.
The lights at night began to light up, as if someone had scattered countless stars in the sky, decorating the entire city with dazzling brilliance.
……
Standing on the broad crown of the Xinlan ancient tree, Xun'er looked around but did not find anything unusual.
"Brother Xiao Ling, we've already come up, but the rumored opportunity doesn't seem to come up on its own. Could it be that the Xinlan ancient tree doesn't have a good impression of us?" Xun'er retracted her gaze, somewhat puzzled.
After hearing what Xun'er said, Xiao Ling looked around curiously, but also did not find any obvious clues.
He smiled slightly and decided to take some action first.
"Let me explore the surroundings, maybe I can find something." As he said that, Xiao Ling closed his eyes, released his soul perception, and began to carefully sense everything around him.
After a while, Xiao Ling opened his eyes again. Facing Xun'er's expectant gaze, he smiled confidently and said, "I have found some clues. Come with me." His tone was relaxed and firm, and he was obviously satisfied with his discovery.
As he said this, Xiao Ling took a step and walked towards a specific direction. Xun Er saw this and quickly followed him, gently holding Xiao Ling's hand.
……
Xiao Ling and Xun'er walked towards the thickest branch of the ancient tree. The diameter of that branch was at least tens of meters, and it was thick enough for a purple crystal winged lion king to walk on it without feeling any pressure.
It was night, and the moonlight filtered through the gaps between the branches, casting a mottled shadow on the branches under their feet, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.
After walking for a long time, the two stopped. Xiao Ling closed his eyes and used his soul perception to carefully explore the front. He unexpectedly caught a glimpse of vitality among the dense leaves at the end of the branches.
A breeze blew gently, and the leaves rustled, slowly revealing their secrets as they swayed. On a thick branch, a fruit was hanging.
The fruit is round and smooth, with a faint luster on the surface, as if it was kissed by the moonlight. Its color is deep violet, covered with delicate silver lines, which glimmer in the night, as if hiding the secrets of the stars.
The fruit exudes a fresh and elegant fragrance that makes people feel refreshed just by smelling it. It lies quietly on the branches, like a work of art carefully carved by nature, waiting to be discovered by the right person.
Xiao Ling and Xun'er looked at each other and saw surprise and curiosity in each other's eyes.
"This should be the essence fruit condensed by the Xinlan ancient tree. The energy contained in it is so huge that it is almost catching up with some eighth-grade elixirs. And I feel that this energy is not violent. Practitioners should be able to absorb it directly." Xiao Ling sensed it carefully, then touched his chin, with a hint of excitement in his tone.
"Brother Xiao Ling, this might be the opportunity we've been looking for," Xun'er said with a smile. Her eyes fell on the fruit, and then she turned to Xiao Ling gently, "You are already a Nine-Star Dou Zong now. If you use this fruit, it should be much easier to break through to Dou Zun."
Although this fruit is extremely precious, Xun'er has no selfish motives at all. The first thing she thinks of is Xiao Ling's current needs and interests.
Hearing Xun'er's words, Xiao Ling felt a warm current in his heart, but he didn't say much. He knew that Xun'er's identity would naturally not lack such treasures, and this fruit was indeed very suitable for him to break through the Dou Zun realm.
Xiao Ling nodded gently to Xun'er, then stepped forward, ready to reach out and pick the fruit that had been waiting quietly in the night.
"Hey, my two young friends, you have taken a fancy to my things, but are you planning to just take them away? That would be too rude." At this moment, a slightly vicissitudes of life voice suddenly sounded, and it was clearly heard by Xiao Ling and Xun'er.
The sound seemed to come from every leaf and every branch of the ancient tree, complementing the antiquity and majesty of this ancient tree.
Xiao Ling and Xun'er were not particularly surprised to hear this sudden voice. In fact, when they approached the fruit, they had already vaguely sensed a subtle atmosphere of being silently observed.
As the voice fell, the two focused their eyes on the front of the fruit. There, dots of green light began to flicker and gradually gathered, just like the stars in the night sky were attracted by some mysterious force and slowly landed on the tree canopy. These dots of light became brighter and brighter, and finally condensed into a clear human figure.
The figure looked like an old man, with skin like the texture of an ancient tree and deep eyes that showed the accumulation of years. He was wearing a robe woven from leaves, which swayed gently in the wind, giving people a feeling of being detached from the world.
As the old man appeared, his eyes fell gently on Xiao Ling and Xun'er. His face was full of traces of time, but he had a kind smile on his face.
Although his voice revealed his age, it strangely gave people a sense of calmness: "I am the spiritual incarnation of this ancient tree. I sensed your arrival and woke up from my deep sleep."
Then, he waved his hand gently, pointed to the glowing fruit behind him, and continued, "This fruit gathers the essence of the ancient tree. It will undoubtedly be of great benefit to you human practitioners. I guess that you came here for this reason and have a strong interest in this fruit."
"Indeed, we heard that there is an opportunity hidden on the top of the Xinlan ancient tree, so Xun'er and I came here specially. Now I am indeed interested in this fruit. It will be of great benefit to my cultivation. I plan to use it to break through my realm. I wonder if the senior can be generous and give it to me?" Xiao Ling nodded frankly and directly explained his purpose.
After hearing this, the spirit of the ancient tree fell silent and did not speak again. Xiao Ling and Xun'er also understood each other and did not disturb it, but just watched quietly.
After a while, the old man finally spoke again, with a hint of helplessness in his tone: "Originally, I planned to give some tests to those who came to the top of this tree. Only after getting my approval can I give him this fruit."
He paused for a moment and continued, "Although I cannot see your exact level of cultivation, I can sense the dangerous aura emanating from you. There is a very fiery power in your bodies that is naturally restrained against plant-based monsters like me. If I really want to be your enemy, I'm afraid I won't end up well. Under such circumstances, it would be inappropriate for me to test you frequently."
"Haha, Senior, as long as you have no plans to harm us, Xun'er and I will naturally not take any action against you. From what you said, are you willing to hand over this fruit to me?"
"Since I have received this opportunity from you, if there is anything I can do to help, just let me know and I will do my best."
Xiao Ling raised his eyebrows slightly, and asked politely with a hint of expectation in his tone.
(End of this chapter)