My son is about to break through.

Sacred Land of Mountains and Seas
At this moment, inside the palace.

A white-haired Taoist priest dressed in white sat cross-legged on a futon. His face was handsome, his eyes were half-closed and half-open, and he seemed to be one with the entire celestial palace.

suddenly.

The Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas slowly opened his eyes.

Those eyes were as deep as the boundless starry sky, with strange phenomena of collapsing mountains and drying up oceans emerging in the depths of their pupils, as if reflecting the birth and death of all things.

Before him floated a golden rune—a message from the Xuan Tian Immortal Dynasty.

"The rare and precious materials needed for the cultivation of the Nine Tribulations Celestial Venerable..."

The Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas read the message aloud in a low voice, his voice calm and resonant, echoing throughout the celestial palace.

A moment of silence.

He waved his hand gently.

"Om-"

The Daoist aura outside the Immortal Palace rippled slightly, and a thought crossed mountains and seas, reaching the depths of the Holy Land.

About half an hour later.

A figure strode across the ripples of the void, rushing from afar and landing outside the Immortal Palace.

The newcomer was dressed in a green robe, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. A faint sword aura swirled around him, and with each step he took, a green lotus naturally bloomed beneath his feet, supporting his figure.

Although his aura was somewhat restrained, it subtly revealed an unstoppable sharpness.

It was Gu Xianlin.

He straightened his robes, his expression respectful, and bowed deeply before the celestial palace.

"Disciple Gu Xianlin greets Master!"

"come in."

The voice of the Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas echoed from inside the hall.

Gu Xianlin then stepped through the Daoist light curtain and entered the Immortal Palace.

The hall was empty, with only the futon in the center and the ancient totems carved on the four walls.

There are scenes of the beginning of chaos, the great war between gods and demons, the rise of the human race, and the establishment of holy lands—each totem contains endless Daoist wisdom, and even ordinary celestial beings might fall into enlightenment after taking a few glances at it.

"Disciple meets Master."

Gu Xianlin bowed again.

The Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Gu Xianlin, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

"You are at the peak of the third tribulation, only one step away from the fourth tribulation. You have only been a disciple of the Holy Land for tens of millions of years, yet you have made such progress, far surpassing all the holy sons of the past."

Gu Xianlin respectfully replied, "It is all thanks to Master's guidance and the nourishment of the Holy Land's resources; this disciple dares not take credit for it."

The Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas waved his hand: "I summoned you here today not to test your cultivation."

He paused, his gaze becoming deep.

"Have you heard any news from the Xuan Tian Immortal Dynasty?"

Gu Xianlin nodded: "This disciple already knows that Father has emerged from seclusion and is searching for rare and precious materials that can help the Nine Tribulations Celestial Venerable cultivate. This matter has already spread throughout the four and a half million Celestial Domains of the Celestial Dynasty."

After a moment of silence, the Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas slowly spoke: "I happen to have something here that might be useful to your father."

As he spoke, he slowly raised his right hand and gently made a sweeping motion in the air.

"laugh--"

A crack silently appeared in the space.

The crevice was not a chaotic turbulence, but an independent miniature universe.

That universe was only a hundred feet in circumference, yet it contained the sun, moon, and stars, and the three thousand Great Daos flowed within it. At its center floated a completely black wooden box.

The wooden box is simple and unadorned, with no decorations on its surface.

but--

The moment it appeared, the Daoist aura flowing throughout the entire Immortal Palace paused.

It's as if the wooden box itself is the embodiment of the Tao, the condensation of rules, and the microcosm of chaos.

Around the box, a misty aura of Daoist energy, visible to the naked eye, permeated the air, sometimes manifesting as the collapse of galaxies, and sometimes as the beginning of the world, mysterious and unpredictable.

"This thing..."

The voice of the Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas carried a hint of complexity and reluctance, but more so a sense of determination.

"You need to take it back to the Xuantian Immortal Dynasty and personally hand it over to your father, the Emperor."

He gently pushed with his palm.

A black wooden box floated out from the spatial rift and slowly descended toward Gu Xianlin.

The movement of the wooden box left traces in the void, which lingered for a long time, as if imprinted deep within time and space.

Gu Xianlin looked solemn and solemnly accepted the wooden box with both hands.

The wooden box felt cool to the touch; its texture was neither gold nor wood, but rather indescribable.

Even more miraculously, the moment the wooden box landed in his hand, Gu Xianlin felt that the sword intent and even his soul within his body began to resonate spontaneously.

It was as if the contents of this box could trigger the root of all Tao!
"Master, what exactly is in this box?"

Gu Xianlin couldn't help but ask.

The Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas looked deeply at the wooden box and slowly uttered six words.

"The leaves of the Enlightenment Tea Tree".

"Om-"

Gu Xianlin's expression changed drastically.

Enlightened Tea Tree!

Leaves!

These six simple words shocked him more than any earth-shattering supernatural power or supreme secret technique!

As the holy son of the sacred land of mountains and seas, Gu Xianlin's knowledge far surpasses that of ordinary celestial beings.

He naturally knew what the Enlightenment Tea Tree meant—

Chaos spiritual roots!

A supreme being born alongside chaos since the beginning of time.

Legend has it that the Enlightenment Tea Tree is rooted in the source of the Great Dao, and each leaf carries a complete set of the Great Dao's rules.

If a cultivator obtains a leaf, they can enter a state of enlightenment, where they are one with the heavens and man, under the influence of the Daoist aura emanating from the leaf. All the difficulties and bottlenecks they encountered in their cultivation will then be easily resolved.

These treasures are beyond description, beyond even the most precious natural materials.

It is an opportunity, a stroke of luck, and the key to defying fate!
"Master, could the Enlightenment Tea Tree you spoke of be the Chaos Spiritual Root that existed since the beginning of chaos and was later destroyed in the Great Calamity?!"

Gu Xianlin's voice was trembling.

The Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas nodded slowly, a look of reminiscence in his eyes: "Indeed."

"In ancient times, the race of evil gods emerged out of nowhere and broke out into a great war with the human race."

That battle affected most of the endless immortal realms, with countless Heavenly Venerables falling, and even Immortals shedding their blood. Countless immortal realms were reduced to ashes, and countless worlds were annihilated.

The Enlightenment Tea Tree was also affected by that battle.

His voice was low and desolate, and his gaze fell on the black wooden box.

"This piece in my hand is the one I brought back by chance from a chaotic wasteland back then."

"Master, this item is far too precious; I fear I cannot bear its weight..."

Gu Xianlin's voice was hoarse.

He knew all too well the value of this leaf.

If this item were taken out, it would be enough to drive countless Nine Tribulation Heavenly Venerables mad.

The Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas shook his head.

"No matter how precious a treasure is, if it is not used in a crucial place, it is no different from scrap metal."

"I originally planned to use this item to break through to the Ninth Tribulation Realm in the future, but now it seems that this treasure has other uses."

"Your father has risen to power in just tens of millions of years, yet he has already reached the Ninth Tribulation and is even able to suppress the Supreme God and withstand the killing intent of the immortals."

Such talent, such potential, is unprecedented.

"He may be the last hope of humanity in this era."

The voice of the Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas carried a heavy sense of mission.

"Three hundred billion years from now, the Heavenly Emperor Ziwei will undergo the tribulation of transcendence. If this tribulation succeeds, the Heavenly Emperor will transcend, and our human race will usher in an unprecedented golden age. If this tribulation fails..."

He didn't finish speaking.

But Gu Xianlin understood.

If the Heavenly Emperor Ziwei were to fall, the human race would lose its greatest pillar.

At that time, the immortals of the evil god race will surely come out in full force and slaughter the human race's territory.

And by then—

There are very few who are willing to step forward and carry the banner for the human race.

"This leaf of the Enlightenment Tea Tree is a waste in my hands, but in your father's hands, it may produce another top expert for our human race."

A hint of anticipation flashed in the eyes of the Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas.

Gu Xianlin remained silent.

He held the black wooden box in his hands, feeling as if this small box weighed as heavy as billions of stars. It contained more than just a single leaf.

It is also the master's expectation and hope for the future of humanity.

a long time.

He took a deep breath and bowed deeply to the Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas: "On behalf of my father, I thank my master!"

This bow came from the bottom of my heart.

The Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas waved his hand, his expression returning to calm.

"Go, quickly send this item back to the Xuan Tian Immortal Dynasty and give it to your father."

"Disciple understands!"

Gu Xianlin solemnly agreed and carefully put the black wooden box into his pocket.

The Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas closed his eyes.

Gu Xianlin bowed again, then turned and left the Immortal Palace.

After he left, the celestial palace returned to silence.

The Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas remained seated cross-legged on the futon. After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes, looked out at the endless chaos outside the hall, and murmured to himself.

"Gu Qingfeng, don't disappoint me."

"The fate of humanity may truly rest on your shoulders."

Three hundred billion years later, the Ziwei Heavenly Emperor will undergo the tribulation of transcendence, which will be the time when the great calamity of the human race will erupt.

If the Ziwei Heavenly Emperor were to fall, and no other immortal among the human race were to step forward to take up the mantle, then the outcome would be predictable.

however--

Among the human race today, although there are some immortals, there are very few who can truly carry the banner.

Gu Qingfeng's rise against the odds, making him an unparalleled genius of the human race, may be the key to breaking this deadlock.

Although the opponent has not yet truly entered the realm of immortality, no one can know for sure until the very last moment.

After all, anything is possible for such a prodigy.

more importantly.

The Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas even harbored a faint suspicion that the Xuan Tian Immortal Emperor might very well be the destiny of this era.

Every era has its chosen ones.

In every great calamity, a divine mandate will also emerge to give humanity a glimmer of hope for survival.

The former Heavenly Emperor Ziwei was like this.

Looking at the entire human race at present, in the eyes of the Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas, the probability of Gu Qingfeng being the chosen one of destiny is not small.

After all, the fact that the other party was able to reach this point in tens of millions of years is enough to show that the other party is extraordinary.

finally--

The sound echoed in the empty celestial palace before vanishing without a trace.

……

the other side.

Upon entering the Xuan Tian Immortal Realm, Gu Xianlin immediately came to pay his respects to Gu Qingfeng.

"My son, I pay my respects to my father!"

Gu Xianlin bowed respectfully.

Gu Qingfeng's gaze fell on the four boys, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.

"You're at the peak of the third tribulation, just one step away from the fourth. It seems you haven't been slacking off in the Mountain and Sea Holy Land all these years."

With his keen eyesight, he naturally saw through Gu Xianlin's cultivation level at a glance.

Gu Xianlin respectfully replied, "Your subject dares not be negligent."

Gu Qingfeng nodded slightly and asked, "You came back so suddenly today, is there something you need?"

Gu Xianlin took a deep breath, his expression becoming solemn.

He took out the black wooden box from his bosom and presented it with both hands: "Your Majesty, I have returned for two reasons. First, I have not seen you for a long time and miss you dearly. Second, I am here on my master's orders to give this to you."

Gu Qingfeng's gaze fell on the black wooden box.

At first glance, the wooden box looks ordinary.

But when he looked closely, his pupils contracted slightly.

On the surface of the wooden box, the seemingly simple black color was actually composed of countless extremely subtle Dao runes. These runes were not carved by humans, but were generated naturally, and each one corresponded to a basic Dao rule.

Even more terrifying was that the very existence of the wooden box was subtly stirring the Netherworld Dao within him.

It's important to understand that Gu Qingfeng's Netherworld Dao has now reached the Ninth Tribulation level, surpassing ordinary Daos. Anything capable of triggering its resonance is certainly no ordinary thing!

What is in this box?

Gu Qingfeng's voice carried a hint of solemnity.

Gu Xianlin solemnly said, word by word, "Your Majesty, what is contained in this box is the leaf of the Enlightenment Tea Tree."

"boom--"

In an instant, the rules governing the entire Imperial Garden, centered on Gu Qingfeng, trembled!

It wasn't that he deliberately released pressure, but rather that the four characters "Enlightenment Tea Tree" themselves contained a certain supreme Daoist charm, which resonated with heaven and earth.

For the first time, genuine shock appeared in Gu Qingfeng's eyes.

He reached out and the black wooden box fell into his palm.

The wooden box felt warm and smooth to the touch, with a peculiar texture. The subtle Dao runes on the box spontaneously began to circulate the moment they touched his palm, emitting a hazy starlight.

Without hesitation, Gu Qingfeng lightly tapped the lid of the box with his fingertip.

"Click."

A soft sound.

The lid of the box slowly opened.

"Om-"

There was no divine light soaring into the sky as I had imagined, nor any extraordinary phenomena as I had expected.

Only a small leaf, no bigger than the palm of your hand, lay quietly in the box.

The leaves are a chaotic color, sometimes gray, sometimes transparent, and sometimes shimmering with seven colors.

On the surface of the leaf, three thousand fine lines grow naturally, each line resembling a rushing river, containing endless mysteries.

Around the leaves, the void evolves naturally—

A single leaf is a complete universe of Tao.

Gu Qingfeng stared at the leaf for a full ten breaths before slowly closing the box lid.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and looked at Gu Xianlin: "Did the Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas truly bestow this item upon me?"

Gu Xianlin nodded emphatically: "What Master said personally is absolutely true. Master also said that he gave it to Father Emperor today in the hope that Father Emperor can fight for that sliver of hope for the human race."

Gu Qingfeng fell silent.

He looked down at the black wooden box in his hand, his expression complex.

Enlightenment Tea Tree Leaves!

He knew the value of these treasures better than anyone else.

The Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas actually bestowed such a treasure upon him without hesitation.

This favor is too heavy.

Even Gu Qingfeng felt a bit of pressure from the weight.

a long time.

"The Celestial Venerable of Mountains and Seas..."

Gu Qingfeng murmured the name, then nodded slightly in the direction of the Sacred Land of Mountains and Seas.

This is a promise.

A promise that needs no words, yet carries the weight of chaos.

"I will accept this item."

Gu Qingfeng looked at Gu Xianlin, his voice calm but containing an unprecedented firmness: "Go back and tell your master that I have accepted this glimmer of hope for the human race."

Gu Xianlin was startled, and his eyes shone brightly.

He bowed deeply once more:
"My son, I obey!"

Gu Qingfeng waved his hand:
"Go. Cultivate diligently and do not disappoint your master's expectations."

"Yes!"

Gu Xianlin respectfully withdrew.

Silence returned to the Imperial Garden.

Gu Qingfeng stood alone under the ancient tree, holding the black wooden box in his hands, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

a long time.

He murmured to himself, his voice slowly fading into the ethereal mist.

"The Enlightenment Tea Tree—" (End of Chapter)