Weird Cultivation, I have a five-organ temple

Chapter 726 If you have anything to say, go and speak to the deity I summoned.

Zishu Xunshou and Lü Yang were hung upside down on the branches of the giant tree, like pieces of cured meat being dried in the sun, completely devoid of their former majesty and domineering presence.

Looking around, Shang Lu saw that the people hanging upside down on the giant tree were not just Zi Shu Xun Shou and Lü Yang. He saw a large group of people densely packed among the lush branches and leaves.

These people were not all guardian witches; some were powerful families who opposed King Ba and even threatened him.

Among these people, Shang Lu also saw several familiar faces, but he couldn't recall their names.

They were members of the Li and Wang families from Baiyi County.

After these families were wiped out by the Wei Wu Alliance and other powerful clans in Baiyi County, all the members of the clans were captured and escorted to Wushan.

Originally intended to be handed over to the imperial court for disposal, they were all unexpectedly "exiled" to this place by the King of Ba.

In addition, among these people hanging upside down from the giant trees were many spies from other countries, as well as sorcerers and warriors captured from the southern barbarian lands.

There were even some grotesque, inhuman faces that were demons and evil spirits captured from all over the country!
Da Zhu was also on this giant tree, but unlike the others, he wasn't hanging upside down among the branches; instead, he was inside a giant flower. However, he too was unable to move and looked to be in pain.

Pokeweed secretly activated its spiritual insight to observe carefully, and soon noticed the anomaly.

The bodies of the upside-down Zishu Xunshou, Lü Yang, and others were covered with a dense, eerie, slender, yellowish-brown vine that resembled venomous snakes. This was somewhat different from the vines that dragged the Nuo masked shamans, but they had something in common—they were all "alive."

These vines were not only mobile, but also grew rows of sharp thorns, like teeth, which pierced into the bodies of Zishu Xunshou and Lü Yang, sucking away their cultivation and life force.

The situation was even worse for Da Zhu, who was inside the giant flower.

That giant, dark red flower looked like a gaping maw, tightly gripping Da Zhu.

Countless crimson stamens grew from the petals. Although they failed to pierce Da Zhu's body, they enveloped him completely and continuously drained his cultivation.

Whether it was a coincidence or a deliberate attempt to intimidate, just as the group approached the giant tree and saw the people hanging upside down, one of them, who was covered in the aura of death and clearly resembled a corpse driver from the Chu Kingdom, suddenly began to wither and emaciate rapidly.

In just a few breaths, he became skin and bones, as if all his vital energy and flesh had been drained.

But the person was not dead yet. He opened his mouth, wanting to let out a painful howl, but he didn't have the strength to groan. He could only moan softly.

However, this is not over yet.

Just as everyone's gaze involuntarily fell upon him, his shriveled belly suddenly began to swell.

In just a few breaths, the corpse-driver's belly swelled up to the size of a drum, and it didn't stop there; it continued to swell.

"Bam—"

Finally, with a muffled thud, the corpse-driver's stomach burst!
But no blood spurted out, nor did any internal organs fall. Instead, strangely, a dark, seed-shaped fruit flew out from the corpse-driver's ruptured stomach.

The corpse-driving craftsman's belly had become a "birthing room" for nurturing fruit.

Everyone who saw it felt their scalp tingle and a chill run down their spine.

Just as the fruit was falling, several figures darted out from beside the blazing fire and pounced on the hemp-seed-like fruit with incredible speed. They each produced jade plates engraved with witchcraft patterns and, while chanting incantations, threw them at the hemp-seed-like fruit.

Soon, the hemp seed-like fruits were all caught by the jade plate, not a single one was missed.

Another figure flew out, took out a bag made of some kind of animal leather, and carefully put the hemp seed-like fruits into it.

After tying the bag shut with gold thread, the man affixed several talismans to it before sealing it in a broken wooden box. He then called out another person from the fire, handed him the contents, and ordered, "Send this to the Imperial Observatory immediately!"

The person who received the broken spirit wood box remained silent, but instead, carrying a strangely shaped lantern, used the technique of shrinking the distance to an inch to quickly move away from the strange, towering tree.

Shang Lu really wanted to follow this person to see how he left this secret realm, but Shang Lu also knew that anyone qualified to guard this secret realm was no ordinary person.

What's more, there's also this huge tree that exudes an eerie aura.

Acting rashly will only expose you.

In the end, Shang Lu suppressed his impulse and let the Shadow Gu remain dormant.

But in his heart he was thinking: There really is something strange about the Imperial Observatory!
However, judging from the current situation, Wei Wu is imprisoned in this strange secret realm, hanging upside down on this giant tree, becoming its nourishment, or even the "birthing room" for nurturing fruit.

So what are the strange things hidden inside the Imperial Observatory?

While speculating, Shang Lu also realized something: they had previously thought that the King of Ba and the three dukes and other powerful figures had "fallen ill" because they had eaten the "divine flesh" given to them by the King of Chu, which caused them to go mad and become strange.

Now it seems that this is probably not the case.

The King of Ba and the nobles of Ba Kingdom probably have their own ways of seeking immortality and becoming immortals or gods!
However, this road, like the "divine meat" eaten by the King of Chu and his entourage, is eerie and strange, and is not even recognized or permitted by the common people.

Although the cannibalistic cultivation practices inherited from the Dark Ages are officially prohibited, they still secretly continue among these high-ranking officials, noble families, and powerful clans.

"These bastards, controlling cultivation resources isn't enough for them. In their pursuit of immortality and godhood, they disregard all taboos!" Shang Lu gritted his teeth and cursed inwardly.

Meanwhile, the Nuo-faced shamans who had been dragged there by the vines, while horrified, couldn't wait to speak up again. One shouted that he was "one of our own," and another volunteered to stay and serve in the secret realm.

They knew very well that once they entered this place and saw the secrets of this hidden realm, it would be difficult to leave.

The most urgent task is to save lives.

Moreover, while the secret realm harbors dangers, it also holds opportunities.

Perhaps they can gain something here, improving or even breaking through their limits!

However, their shouting only drew reprimands once again.

"Noisy!"

The person who had collected the hemp-seed-like fruit turned around.

Only at this moment did everyone get a clear look at his appearance.

However, he was a shaman dressed in five-colored Nuo robes and wearing a hideous Nuo mask.

"You shamans dare to make a racket in front of the sacred tree? Aren't you afraid of offending it and incurring divine punishment? Shut up!"

With a shout from the Nuo shaman, the several Nuo masked shamans being dragged by the vines immediately felt an invisible force sealing their mouths, rendering them unable to utter a sound.

"You have been chosen by the divine tree, and you must become its sacrifices!"

"This is your honor, and your greatest opportunity!"

Upon hearing this, the masked sorcerers, though their expressions were obscured by their masks, began to struggle violently. Unfortunately, their struggles were futile; instead, the vines dragging them along only accelerated the absorption of their sorcery energy.

They wanted to beg for mercy and curse, but because their mouths were gagged, they couldn't make a sound.

The vines that were dragging them suddenly sped up because of their struggles, allowing them to outrun the shamans carried by paper figures and palanquins and enter the area where the roots of the towering tree were entwined first.

These masked shamans were not like Zi Shu Xun Shou, Lü Yang, and the others, who were entangled in vines and hung upside down from the towering trees.

The intertwined roots, like venomous pythons that have smelled blood, suddenly sprang into action, coiling around the masked shamans and even engaging in a fierce struggle for them.

In an instant, the bones of these Nuo masked shamans were crushed and their bodies torn apart by the thick tree roots.

Their blood was not wasted at all; it was all absorbed by the tree roots.

Their internal organs and even their flesh were devoured by the tree roots, leaving nothing behind—the tree roots were cracked open, like the venomous mouths of snakes and pythons, not only devouring flesh and blood, but also consuming the flesh and blood of several Nuo masked shamans in an instant.

Soon, the masked shaman was reduced to a skeleton, with not a trace of flesh left, having been thoroughly devoured.

The vines then loosened their grip, allowing the Nuo masked shaman's withered bones to scatter among the roots, becoming part of the pile of skeletons.

The souls of several Nuo masked shamans were also sucked into this towering tree. They didn't even become ghosts or anything like that; they were completely devoured by the tree!

"Next, it's your turn."

"Don't worry, you won't die so soon."

"Your task is to nurture the divine fruit, which will allow you to live a little longer. Of course, this way of living is full of pain, and you might prefer to die sooner, hahaha..."

Amidst the sinister laughter, the Nuo shaman standing beneath the towering tree, illuminated by the firelight, began to perform Nuo dances and sing Nuo songs.

Vines shaped like yellow snakes hung down from the twisted, towering tree and quickly wrapped around the shaman on the paper sedan chair.

The witchcraft contained within the paper figures and paper sedan chairs was instantly absorbed by these vines, turning them all into ashes that scattered in all directions.

The Shadow Gu hidden in Wei Wu's body was to be hoisted up the towering tree along with him. Shang Lu was also waiting to be hoisted up so that he could make contact with Zi Shu Xun Shou, Lü Yang, and even Da Zhu.

However, just as the vines entangled the shaman, the shaman who was singing Nuo songs and dancing Nuo dances under the towering tree suddenly stopped and turned his head sharply towards the shaman.

The gaze projected through the Nuo mask was sharp as a knife, as if it wanted to dissect the shaman and examine him closely.

"A mouse has sneaked in!"

The shaman's voice was filled with shock and anger.

"What are those idiots outside doing? How could they not notice this?"

He moved swiftly and instantly flew to the side of the guard.

With a swift movement, a surge of witch energy erupted, instantly seizing the Shadow Gu hidden on the body of the guardian witch and dragging it away.

The Shadow Gu was terrified and tried to escape using its shadow, but the raging witch fire all around not only illuminated this secret realm hidden inside the mountain, but also hid all the shadows.

Without a shadow, the Shadow Gu cannot use any of its abilities.

The shaman who caught it didn't hesitate at all, and directly activated his shamanic energy to crush it with a "smack".

The shattered Shadow Gu transformed into a colorful shadow, falling from the witch's aura.

In the sky, the vines that covered this secret world swarmed in like sharks that had smelled blood.

Upon closer inspection, it is not difficult to see that these vines are different from those of the upside-down Zishu Xunshou, Lü Yang and others, as well as the vines that dragged the Nuo Masked Shaman earlier.

They are shrouded in shadow, looking as if they were made of shadows, and therefore fear the witch fire ignited by witchcraft and elixirs.

Because the light of the witch fire can make shadows disappear completely.

This time, however, they caught a whiff of the shadow and sensed an opportunity.

But soon, they all shrank back.

The shadows that the Shadow Gu transformed into after shattering were illuminated by the light of the witch fire, and they burst into bursts of flames.

Without shadows, the strange vines that resembled shadows dared not attack the group anymore, and could only continue to hide in places where the light of the witch fire could not reach, waiting for a new opportunity.

The Nuo shaman, having crushed the Shadow Gu, paid no attention to the vines' actions. His tone was cold and ferocious: "Let me see what kind of rat dares to follow me here!"

As he spoke, he formed a hand seal, and the flames from the Shadow Gu, under the influence of his sorcery, arranged themselves into a strange and eerie pattern, resembling some kind of sorcery rune array.

"Tracing back to the source!"

With a soft shout from the Nuo shaman, his shamanic energy immediately began to track the Shadow Gu, using it as a clue. He aimed to follow the magical connection between the Shadow Gu and Shang Lu, pinpoint Shang Lu's location, and even inflict severe damage on him!
When the Shadow Gu was discovered, Shang Lu withdrew his divine sense and severed the magical connection with the Shadow Gu.

Even so, Shang Lu did not let his guard down and immediately took out the Soul Sacrifice Platform to activate it.

He had just finished doing all that when he heard the warning from the Third Sister. Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately lit incense and communicated with the gods!

"If you have anything to say, go and speak to the deity I have invoked!"

Shang Lu sneered inwardly, placed the lit incense on the altar, chanted the incantation of a Nuo shaman, and loudly proclaimed, "Disciple Shang Lu respectfully invites the Divine Lord to grace us with his presence!"

Any deity will do; Shang Lu is not picky, he just hopes they can come quickly!
"Om-"

In the night sky outside, Venus, located in the west, suddenly shone brightly.

Immediately afterwards, the Taibai Star Lord's divine tablet on the soul-sacrificing platform burst forth with a dazzling white light.

In the hidden realm within Wushan, the Nuo shaman, performing rituals to trace the origins, is laughing maniacally.

"Haha, I've got you, you little mouse..."

But the laughter turned into a scream the next moment: "This power... how could it be?!"

The Nuo shaman hurriedly tried to stop the witchcraft that was trying to trace its origins, but it was too late.

A dazzling starlight lashed out from the burning fragments of the Shadow Gu and crashed into this secret realm.

It transformed into a sharp and violent sword light, with the force of splitting the heavens and earth, and slashed down at the Nuo shaman!
(End of this chapter)