73: Three divine treasures, two spiritual roots

At the same time, five hundred li away from the Taiyi Sect mountain gate, at the Peak of an inconspicuous low mountain.

Demonic clouds obscured the sun!

Hundreds of ferocious demons with malevolent Auras were entrenched there, their dense Devilish Qi mixed with a fishy smell, almost solidifying!

A hundred-zhang-tall Adamantine Ape Demon pounded its chest with iron fists, emitting mountain-shaking "thump! thump!" thuds. A Violent Bear Demon's tusks protruded, and its foul-smelling drool dripped like a waterfall, corroding the rocks with sizzling sounds. A Blood Demon's face was as pale as paper, and the blue veins under its skin creeping like living things, exuding a bloodthirsty craving. A Succubus's skirt fluttered, and a sweet, intoxicating fragrance drifted with the demonic wind, but it couldn't hide the cold calculation in her eyes.

This dense mass of demons, none were below the King Rank!

Even more alarming, there were twelve figures exuding the terrifying pressure of the Dominator Rank!

"Peng Yun," a gaunt, ugly, thin man (Corpse Wolf Dominator) asked in a sharp voice, addressing a demon with brilliant golden wings on its back (Golden Roc Dominator Peng Yun), "Have you patrolled all corners of this world?"

Peng Yun's golden eyes scanned the entire scene, his wings vibrating slightly: "That's right. This world is about ten thousand li in circumference, and it should be a Small World built around a powerful Sacred Artifact." His voice had a metallic quality, "But apart from that Human Race Sect ruin, I haven't found any traces of living beings; it's completely dead silent."

"Hmph!" A hundred-zhang-tall Mountain Shaking Bear Demon (Overlord Dominator) rumbled like thunder, "If that's the case, if there truly is an Opportunity in this world, it must be within that Sect!"

"Precisely!" Peng Yun nodded.

"It seems... a forceful attack is the only way!" The Corpse Wolf Dominator extended a withered claw, its seven-inch-long sharp nails gleaming with an eerie light, and its crimson tongue licked the tip of its claw, making a grating "hiss" sound, "Those Revenant... won't be easy to chew."

"Giggle, giggle..." The purple-eyed Succubus (Thousand Illusions Dominator), who had been quietly observing, let out a bell-like laugh, enchanting all beings, but there was no mirth in her eyes, "Corpse Wolf brother, you worry too much. I've already probed them. Although those Revenant have a grand presence, and some even have Auras comparable to ours, in reality... they are nothing but a mirage, mere appearances!"

Her beautiful eyes swept over all the Dominators: "The power sustaining their 'existence' is extremely limited. Once they exert their full strength, at most... they will be exhausted and vanish in just a dozen breaths!" The Succubus Race's innate perception was fully displayed at this moment.

"Oh?" A Rift Earth Ox Demon (Brute God Dominator) with a thick black armor and an ox head on a human body grumbled, "If that's truly the case, then it's not impossible! The ruins of this great Human Race Sect, even if there's no blood food, must have plenty of treasures! Just the Sacred Artifact itself, capable of supporting a ten-thousand-li Small World, is a priceless treasure! Obtaining it would make this trip worthwhile!"

"Hmph!" The blood-haired man (Blood Night Dominator), who had been silent and whose Aura was as cold as the Nine Nether's ice, suddenly spoke, his voice effeminate but with bone-chilling killing intent, "Brute God! That Sacred Artifact... is destined to be mine, Blood Night's! Don't seek your own death!"

"Blood Night!" The Brute God Dominator's ox eyes glared in anger, and the demonic Qi around him erupted like a volcano, "Others may fear your Blood Demon Clan, but my Ox Demon Clan does not!"

It seemed as if two terrifying Auras were about to collide!

"Enough!" An old man (Mystic Ram Dominator) with white hair and beard and huge ram horns shouted in a deep voice, an invisible Aura separating the two belligerent figures, "We face a great enemy! Let's first discuss how to break through that Human Race Sect! As for the ownership of treasures... each will rely on their own abilities!"

The Brute God and Blood Night snorted, each reining in their Aura, but the hostility in their eyes remained undiminished.

Inside Taiji Hall

Xiao Zhuo directly found a side hall next to Immortal Master Azure Heaven's meditation room and settled in, immersing his mind in the panel and beginning to frantically add Attribute Points to the Great Beginning Sealing Art!

This supreme Legacy originating from the Taiyi Sect was extremely profound and difficult!

Even a powerful figure like Immortal Master Azure Heaven had only barely reached the Minor Achievement stage in two thousand years.

Among the six Shattering Realm Grand Elders who participated in sealing the demonic Qi passage outside back then, the most accomplished one had not even broken through to Major Achievement!

However, guided by the complete Legacy Jade Slip, Xiao Zhuo, by the power of adding Attribute Points, only spent ten opportunities to push this peerless Sealing Art to the Meticulous Realm!

Buzz!

Countless profound runes in his mind instantly connected and reorganized! A new, unique skill information emerged:

Taishi Space: After thoroughly comprehending the Origin runes of the Great Beginning Sealing Art, one can condense the power of Taishi to construct an independent spatial Seal, imprisoning targets, and can even banish this sealed space to the endless Void Realm turbulence!

The moment the Great Beginning Sealing Art reached the Meticulous Realm, Xiao Zhuo's vision suddenly elevated!

He seemed to have seen through the essence of this cloud heaven mirror Small World—the entire world's foundational structure was woven around the supreme profound principles of the Great Beginning Sealing Art!

Such a mighty power that could shape a ten-thousand-li Small World was as vast as a star sea, far beyond what he could achieve at present.

Xiao Zhuo tried to cast the Taishi Space himself; currently, his limit was only to construct a Seal space of a hundred zhang in circumference, which, compared to this magnificent cloud heaven world, was like a firefly to the bright moon.

After comprehending the Taishi Space, Xiao Zhuo immediately sought out Immortal Master Azure Heaven again.

He already had a more perfect plan in mind, perhaps... without requiring this venerable Elder to burn himself out!

"Xiao Zhuo! What did you say? You cultivated the Great Beginning Sealing Art to the Meticulous Realm?! And... you have a better way to resolve the Demon Abyss?!" Immortal Master Azure Heaven, upon hearing Xiao Zhuo's words, felt as if he had been struck by lightning, suddenly springing up from his withered meditation cushion!

His figure transformed into an afterimage, appearing before Xiao Zhuo, his withered, eagle-claw-like hands gripping Xiao Zhuo's shoulders tightly, and his cloudy eyes erupted with an unprecedented light of excitement!

Boom!

The terrifying pressure of a Shattering Realm Peak expert vibrated uncontrollably, causing the candles in the hall to flicker violently, their flames wavering as if they might extinguish at any moment!

"Immortal Master!" Xiao Zhuo's face paled slightly from the sudden impact of the pressure, but he still nodded with unwavering eyes, "This junior is indeed confident! This method also requires your vigorous assistance, Senior, but... it does not require you to sacrifice your Divine Soul or Divine Thought!"

"Is that so..." The excitement in Immortal Master Azure Heaven's eyes receded like a tide, replaced by a deeper stillness and blankness. He slumped his hands, as if all his strength had left him, and staggered back to the cold stone platform. The awe-inspiring pressure around him that could shake heaven and earth instantly vanished without a trace, his voice ethereal like smoke, "No need for sacrifice... Hehe... But now that the Sect has fallen, only this withered, decaying body remains to guard the empty mountain... Even if I cling to life, what good would it do? Where can I go?"

"Senior!" Xiao Zhuo took a step forward, his voice resolute, "Precisely because only you, Senior, remain of the Taiyi Sect, you should cherish yourself even more and rekindle the flame!"

He recounted to Immortal Master Azure Heaven the current situation: the dwindling Human Race outside, the rampant Demon Race, the precarious state of Jizhou City, and the urgent need for top-tier powerhouses to take charge of the Human Race.

Immortal Master Azure Heaven lowered his head, his withered fingers unconsciously caressing an ancient Jade Slip on his waist, covered in cracks.

That Jade Slip was once the token of the Taiyi Sect Head, and also a testament to its past glory.

Two thousand years of lonely guardianship had left his heart like dead wood, his form like a walking corpse. Had it not been for the mission of suppression bestowed upon the Taiyi Sect by the Yuan Realm's Heavenly Dao, which shackled him to this place, he would have long since followed his fellow disciples.

The news Xiao Zhuo brought, especially the phrases "no need for sacrifice" and "banish the Demon Abyss," was like a giant rock thrown into a stagnant deep pool, stirring up a thousand waves in his parched heart!

Beneath his robe sleeve, his already numb hand began to tremble uncontrollably.

A thousand years of deathly resolve had been chipped open, a subtle yet undeniable crack!

"As a Peak Shattering Realm mighty expert, Senior, once you emerge, you will be a pillar of the Human Race, enough to deter the Demon Race and protect all living beings!" Xiao Zhuo took another step forward, the gentle breeze he created rustling Immortal Master Azure Heaven's disheveled white hair, "What's more... the Legacy of the Taiyi Sect... must ultimately be rekindled by your own hands!"

"Then... as you wish..." Immortal Master Azure Heaven was silent for what felt like a century before his voice finally rang out faintly, filled with profound weariness and emptiness, "My Lifespan... is less than two hundred years. What... can I do?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhuo's eyes flashed with brilliance! Two hundred years!

If he could successfully "abduct" this Peak Shattering Realm master to become his and the Human Race's backing, what would there be to fear from the Demon Race?!

"Two hundred years are enough to make the banner of the Taiyi Sect fly again in the Yuan Realm! Enough to establish a Sect, widely recruit disciples, and let the Legacy reappear in the world!" Xiao Zhuo's tone was resolute, his left hand clenched into a fist, as if everything was under his control, "Even... one day, returning to its former Peak, is not a delusion!"

With that, Xiao Zhuo said no more, turning and leaving the meditation room.

He knew that the seed he had sown, named "hope," was too impactful for Immortal Master Azure Heaven, who had guarded for a thousand years.

He needed time to digest it alone, to struggle, to... grasp that sliver of hope.

The deathly resolve, frozen for a thousand years, had been pried open, and a faint but incredibly resilient spark of life, like a spring bud beneath frozen soil, was quietly sprouting.

Holding the highest authority granted by Immortal Master Azure Heaven, Xiao Zhuo arrived unimpeded at the Taiyi Sect's important area—the Rare Fruit Garden.

This place guarded the Taiyi Sect's greatest Foundation, which once dominated the Yuan Realm: two ten-thousand-year Spiritual Roots!

Since he had accepted the heavy responsibility of sealing the Demon Abyss, there was no place within the Taiyi Sect that he could not set foot in.

He had already perused all twenty-four Heaven-Grade Legacies in the Scripture Pavilion, as well as the three Divine-Grade Legacies that were the pillars of the Sect: the Great Beginning Sealing Art, the Primordial Chaos Golden Scripture, and the Taiyi Bright Scripture.

Among them, the Great Beginning Sealing Art had already reached the Meticulous Realm, while the Primordial Chaos Golden Scripture was a supreme internal Cultivation Technique that pointed directly to beyond the Shattering Realm, and the Taiyi Bright Scripture was exceptionally profound, capable of greatly enhancing one's comprehension of the Laws of Heaven and Earth, Concepts, and Domains, truly a divine aid for enlightenment.

The Rare Fruit Garden was located at the convergence of Spiritual Veins in the back mountain of Wentian Peak (Heaven Questioning Peak), covering an area of about ten mu.

There was nothing else in the garden except two towering ancient trees, imbued with divine light and exuding a majestic Aura, facing each other from afar, each occupying a Spiritual Eye.

One tree, with gnarled branches like entwined dragons, over ten zhang tall, its leaves dark red like blood, shaped like maple leaves, with dozens of fist-sized, ink-black jade-like fruits hanging from its branches—the Ten-Thousand-Year dragon blood fruit tree!

The other tree was enveloped in a misty, clear radiance, its leaves translucent like jade, with wisdom's glow flowing through its veins, bearing an equal number of greenish-white, translucent fruits that seemed to contain the Dao's rhyme—the Ten-Thousand-Year wisdom seeking fruit tree!

These two Spiritual Roots were the greatest reliance of the Taiyi Sect when it once stood at the head of the Nine Sects!

The dragon blood fruit tempered the Foundation and brought about a complete transformation, while the wisdom seeking fruit enlightened wisdom and enhanced Comprehension Ability!

Both were supreme treasures that could defy fate and lay an unparalleled Dao Foundation!

Xiao Zhuo ignored the garden Elder (soul body) who sat motionless like a stone sculpture, paying him no mind, and walked directly towards the dragon blood fruit tree that exuded a majestic Aura of vital blood.

According to Immortal Master Azure Heaven, these two Spiritual Roots were also infected by Devilish Qi during the demonic calamity back then, and their fruits contained demonic poison.

But Xiao Zhuo possessed the Devouring Dao Body, impervious to all evil and capable of refining all things. This bit of Devilish Qi was instead a great tonic!

Even if Immortal Master Azure Heaven hadn't mentioned it, Xiao Zhuo would have sought them out, because the beast hide map had already clearly marked these two Treasure Troves!

Xiao Zhuo skillfully picked an ink-black dragon blood fruit.

It felt heavy in his hand, its skin cold, but inside it contained a volcanic, scorching energy.

Without hesitation, he swallowed the fruit in a few bites!

Boom—!

A torrent of incomparably overbearing heat instantly exploded in his abdomen!

Like billions of scorching lava snakes, it frantically flushed, expanded, and reinforced every single one of his Meridians!

A dense, needle-like stinging pain came from deep within his bone marrow; that was his Foundation being forcibly reformed and enhanced at a deeper level!

The terrifying Devilish Qi dormant within the fruit, capable of eroding the Sea of Consciousness, was no sooner than it emerged than it was greedily devoured and refined by the dense, gluttonous purgatory demonic patterns within Xiao Zhuo's body, transforming into the purest energy to nourish himself!

The demonic poison within was also easily refined by the Devouring Dao Body.

The dominance of the Devouring Dao Body was fully displayed at this moment!

This meant that Xiao Zhuo could consume dragon blood fruits in large quantities without any qualms, until their effect of enhancing his Foundation reached saturation!

This was not the first time he had tasted this Heaven-Defying spiritual fruit.

Since gaining access, he had come many times and tasted both types of spiritual fruits.

Now, his originally mediocre, even below-average, Foundation Aptitude had undergone a complete transformation under the continuous tempering of the dragon blood fruits, reaching the level of a relatively high-Aptitude young Genius!

For Xiao Zhuo, who relied heavily on adding Attribute Points for comprehension and sought to maximize cost-effectiveness, this was like adding wings to a tiger!

The better his Aptitude, the more astonishing the enhancement each of his Attribute Points could achieve!

After eating three dragon blood fruits, feeling the surging power within his body and his increasingly resilient Foundation, Xiao Zhuo clicked his tongue in satisfaction.

Then, he turned and cast his gaze towards the wisdom seeking fruit tree at the other end of the garden, enveloped in clear radiance and the Dao's rhyme, and walked towards it.

The enhancement of wisdom and Comprehension Ability was also what he urgently needed at this moment!