From a martial arts disciple to a god through countless trials and tribulations

Chapter 342 Retracing the Path

The bronze ancient tree exudes a hazy, radiant, and vibrant light, resembling a mythical ancient tree from the mountains and seas, possessing a special power that seems to calm anger and bring peace of mind.

Chen Xuan stared at the figure climbing out from under the tree, a chill running through him.

"Wow!"

The figure that crawled out from under the tree was hazy, its flesh and blood formed from pure immortal energy, which was actually Doubu Qi.

It held a jade box in its hand, shrouded in mist and glowing with the light of sunset. It was unclear what was inside, but it gestured for Chen Xuan to come down and take it.

"?"

Chen Xuan was dumbfounded, because he had just transformed into a mortal and his body was empty. He was powerless and had no ability to take away the treasure.

Even hanging upside down by ancient tree vines like this, I felt a bit oxygen-deprived, my blood circulation was poor, and I felt dizzy and lightheaded.

"The fallen supreme being, is he a sage of the Doubu?" Yao Feiyue and the others glanced sideways, recognizing the figure that crawled out as a manifestation of Doubu Qi.

Chen Xuan was the first to enter, and his cultivation level was the lowest, because he was the first to be drained by the ancient bronze tree, and his destiny was revealed first.

"The supreme creation has appeared in the world. What is contained in the jade box?" Their eyes were filled with fervor. Even the successors of the most prestigious lineages were moved when they saw the treasure.

The mortal world is barren, and even immortal-level opportunities are rare. Now that a supreme-level fortune has appeared, let alone them, even a True Monarch would lose his Dao heart upon seeing it.

Chen Xuan's eyes shone brightly, his heart surging with emotion, and he asked, "How do we retrieve it?"

He was very excited. This was not a transmission of scriptures. After all, true scriptures and magical arts were just words and visualizations, and their value could not be accurately measured.

But the Supreme-level Creation is different. Even if it only contains some rare and precious materials and resources, once it is released, it is enough to drive the entire Five Directions Land into a frenzy.

"The final test." The immortal figure spoke, its face blurred, yet it seemed to carry a hint of a smile that sent chills down one's spine.

"??"

Chen Xuan was stunned upon hearing this and scratched his head.

"Are you playing games with me? If you don't want to give it, just say so if you want to harm people!" Yu Tianzi roared from the far right. When he was at the peak of his cultivation, he couldn't resist, and after becoming a mortal, he was even more powerless to break free from the shackles of the ancient bronze tree!

Yu Zhexian, Yao Feiyue, and Di Tian all looked grim; this was an unsolvable situation.

"Let's test the waters with the Heart-Piercing Vegetarian." Chen Xuan immediately used his strongest trump card, but the extremely fierce and evil aura that rose from his eyes quickly subsided, leaving only calm.

He was startled. The ancient tree vines binding his feet exuded a mysterious aura that calmed his agitated mind.

Chen Xuan felt uneasy. Xin Zhai's high status goes without saying, but at this moment, he suffered a defeat for the first time.

“This ancient bronze tree appears to be the [Emperor's Rest Tree] among the Divine Trees of Mountains and Seas.” On the left, Yu Zhexian spoke: “The Emperor's Rest Tree has the power to suppress evil and purify the spirit. Ancient Qi cultivators buried their bones under the tree, which maintained eternal peace and was not prone to the generation of evil spirits.”

The Classic of Mountains and Seas says: There is a tree called Dixiu. Its leaves are like those of a poplar, its branches are five-lobed, and it has yellow flowers and black fruit. Those who take it will not be angry.

The death of a high-level Qi cultivator is often accompanied by great calamities and the proliferation of evil spirits. Therefore, they are buried under this tree to prevent major upheavals.

At this moment, the Emperor Xiu Tree's ability to calm all things and quell anger is bringing Chen Xuan and Xin Zhai toward peace.

Chen Xuan suddenly realized why Wan Shizun hadn't considered using the Heart-Mind Fasting Technique to attack him when he entered this place!
Otherwise, given his personality, he would definitely be extremely hostile towards his enemies and fight them to the death.

The other party was the same; after being crushed by the ancient bronze tree, they immediately became obedient and did not do anything out of line.

"Damn it!" He had already fallen for the trap; the methods of the Supreme Creation were impossible to defend against.

But Chen Xuan wasn't one to give up easily. He pondered for a while, touched his eyes with his palm, and thought to himself, "Old Zhai, you really have to step up your game."

We don't expect immediate results, but at least we should be able to "sneak peek" at some useful information, right?
"Buzz!"

Something seemed to struggle for a moment in his eyes before returning to calm.

"Hmm?" Chen Xuan was displeased, but still forcibly activated the Heart Fasting Technique and said coldly, "Useless things are not worthy of being regarded as my strongest trump card!"

"Buzz!"

A crimson glow suddenly burst forth from his pupils, like a leaping flame.

Sensing something, the ancient bronze tree extended a bronze vine, like a hand, towards Chen Xuan's eyes, attempting to block his view.

But it was too late; Chen Xuan's gaze had already fallen on the immortal figure under the tree.

"Open!" Chen Xuan shouted in his heart.

The next moment, the scene in his vision changed. His gaze pierced through the jade box and he saw a palm-sized alchemy furnace and a piece of jade paper that looked like an alchemy recipe.

"A supreme relic?"

Chen Xuan was greatly surprised. Was this the reward that the Supreme Creation had bestowed upon him?

The alchemy furnace was ancient and simple, with three legs and two handles. Its surface flowed with a faint Daoist charm, making it mysterious and unpredictable, and it was also shrouded in a misty fog and purple glow.

Beneath the alchemy furnace, there were some pill residues, crystal clear and white. The residues transformed into the shapes of pills, emitting wisps of heavenly destiny aura. This was an alchemy furnace used by a supreme being to refine heavenly destiny elixirs.
Furthermore, the alchemy furnace was still burning with intense flames, and human-shaped figures were struggling and burning inside, as if they were still refining something!
"Even supreme beings refine the Heavenly Mandate Pill?"

Chen Xuan was startled. Just as Yao Feiyue had said, this was indeed an evil saint.
But before he could think any further, the ancient bronze tree was blocking his way. He immediately turned his head and hurriedly looked toward the area where the Imperial Immortal was.

The supreme destiny of the others also manifested one after another.

Chen Xuan was not honest; he tried to peek at the supreme rewards that others would receive.

"Huh?" His pupils contracted. Inside the Jade Box of the Immortal Emperor, there was only a piece of jade paper that looked like a pill formula.

There is nothing else besides this.

what happened?

Chen Xuan's emotions were in turmoil. The ancient bronze tree moved very fast, its vines weaving into a large net that completely concealed the immortal figure of the banished immortal and the jade box, preventing Chen Xuan from peeking.

brush!
Chen Xuan reacted quickly, immediately turning his head to look at Yao Feiyue on the other side.

It turned out that the jade box below Yao Feiyue was completely empty except for a piece of jade paper!
Did the Supreme Creation not give Yu Zhexian and Yao Feiyue anything else?

He was filled with surprise and doubt. Then, his gaze turned to Di Tian on the far left, who was also about to transcend the mortal realm. His immortal figure, holding a jade box, was crawling out. But the ancient bronze tree was not one to suffer losses forever; it blocked his view in advance, preventing him from peeking any further.

What is hidden inside the jade box?

"Is it a scripture transmission, or a supreme treasure?"

Yu Zhexian and Yao Feiyue asked questions, looking at Chen Xuan almost simultaneously. Xinzhai was actually able to break through the restrictions of the Bronze Ancient Tree? This level is even more terrifying than those recorded in ancient history, far surpassing the Heavenly Fate Immortal Seed!
At the same time, they were anxious because the supreme fortune was no small matter, and if its value was too high, a fierce battle might break out.

For example, Xinzhai, which has just risen from humble beginnings, has not seen many good things and has an arrogant personality. It is very likely that they will steal their things, and then we will have no choice but to fight!

"Are you two out of your minds? Didn't you see the bronze tree blocking the way? How could I see it clearly?" Chen Xuan said angrily.

He stated that even when he was at his full strength, he could not defy the will of the Bronze Ancient Tree, let alone now, as Xinzhai is not as powerful as they imagine.

"Hmm?" Yu Zhexian tilted his head, his eyes fixed on Chen Xuan.

"Really?" Yao Feiyue blinked her pale golden eyes and asked with great doubt.

They were suspicious, and many people questioned Xinzhai, but a small number of people attached great importance to Xinzhai. They were that small group of people who were usually very cautious even when "provoking" him.

Moreover, the most important use of Xinzhai is to see through the fog.

"You freaks of destiny, you are far more powerful than me. How could I possibly do what you can't do!" Chen Xuan replied coldly, "I only vaguely saw a corner of a jade paper, which seemed to be an ancient method of inheritance."

He revealed some information, indicating that his level of spiritual cultivation was still very low and he could not see any further.

More information cannot be revealed, because only his jade box contains an ancient alchemy furnace.

Chen Xuan could vaguely sense that the ancient alchemy furnace was extraordinary. Although it was mottled, its true level must be above that of the [Giant God Weapon] furnace of the Immortal Yu Zhe.

This matter must not be easily revealed, otherwise others will definitely gang up on him, which would be asking for trouble and might even lead to unforeseen events.

"Just a page of a supreme technique inheritance?"

“There must be other supreme relics as well.”

Yu Zhexian and the others murmured to themselves, realizing that Xinzhai's cultivation level was indeed too low, and being in a mortal state, he could hardly utilize even a fraction of Xinzhai's power. Furthermore, the ancient bronze tree was still obstructing their view; being able to glimpse even a corner of the jade box's true form was already quite impressive. "Truly worthy of Xinzhai; such a miraculous ability to see through the fog is truly enviable!"

"Hmph! Such a rare and precious opportunity has always been obtained by those with the strength. You all had better keep a close eye on your jade boxes, or don't blame me for trying to snatch them away." Chen Xuan said threateningly.

Yu Zhexian and Yao Feiyue froze, their hearts pounding with fear. The last trace of doubt they had about Chen Xuan vanished, and their attention shifted to how to preserve their own destiny.

"You've gone too far," Yao Feiyue whispered. She was wary of Xinzhai and didn't want to cause a major conflict, but if the other party was greedy and attacked her, she wouldn't just surrender.

In fact, she had no intention of robbing Xinzhai at all; she was just lucky to keep her own share!
"I dare to do even more outrageous things!" Chen Xuan said fiercely, continuing to intimidate the other party, intending to dispel the evil thoughts of others in advance. At the same time, his pupils burned and he felt pain, as if his inner fast was about to burn out.

He seized the moment, tilting his head back to peer into the secrets of the ancient bronze tree.

"The problem really lies with the ancient bronze tree." Chen Xuan muttered to himself. With just one glance, he saw through some of the truth. The ancient tree's veins were like complex human meridians, and after absorbing their immortal energy, it was actually refining it.

Deep inside the ancient bronze tree, there was a pure white ball of celestial energy, floating and undulating, exuding a sacred aura!
Is this a wisp of immortal energy left behind by ancient sages?
“This immortal energy is slightly different from the immortal energy on the Five Directions Land; it seems to be cleaner.” Chen Xuan vaguely sensed the difference. This mass of immortal energy seemed to originate from ancient times and had not yet been polluted.

Could it be that not only is the transmission of the true scriptures problematic in the mortal world, but even the immortal energy has been tampered with?
Yes, those high-level cultivators perished, but the traces they left behind could be revived, possessing boundless divine power. As for the immortal energy in the world, who knows which ancient great cultivators refined it, it is very likely that it left indelible marks in the immortal energy.

Chen Xuan felt a chill run down his spine. There were far too many secrets hidden in the Five Directions Land. The more he knew, the more terrified he became, and the more uneasy he felt.

"Does the ancient bronze tree want us to use the immortal energy within it to retrace the path of Qi cultivation?" He calmed his mind and pondered.

Otherwise, as a mortal, one cannot do anything.

"Inhale it back!" Upon realizing this, Chen Xuan immediately activated the Yellow Millet Breathing Technique from the Heavenly Mandate Immortal Scripture: "It really works!"

As soon as he activated his breathing technique, he sensed the celestial energy within the ancient bronze tree trembling, and a wisp of celestial energy was drawn towards him, flowing along the branches and vines.

Most importantly, the ancient bronze tree tacitly approved of his actions and did not use its branches to "punish" him!
Before they transformed into mortals, if they dared to use secret techniques and true scriptures, the ancient bronze tree would immediately pluck a branch from them, calming them down.

"Wow!"

Soon after, Chen Xuan exerted great effort and finally managed to draw in a wisp of immortal energy, successfully establishing a connection with the ancient bronze tree. In an instant, the immortal energy ball vibrated, and even more energy surged over like a tidal wave.

His body radiated light, and the branches and vines binding him also emitted a soft glow, like a wide channel of celestial energy, rapidly transmitting pure energy into his body.

"Buzz!"

In an instant, Chen Xuan began his first ascension, with countless strands of immortal energy shooting out, some as clear as red jade, others as dazzling as gold threads, outlining a flawless immortal robe.

"Success!"

Chen Xuan was excited. He could vaguely sense that the realm he had returned to was more stable than before, forming its own unique system, as if he had undergone a great nirvana after washing away all impurities.

"This..." On both sides, Yu Zhexian and the others were stunned by what they saw. Chen Xuan had begun to recover his strength!

Why was that? They were puzzled.

At this moment, they were all trying to find a way to break the deadlock, but their results were not as significant as Chen Xuan's, and were far inferior.

However, in just a moment, Yu Zhexian and the others understood what was going on. Xinzhai activated his breathing technique and reversed the flow of energy from the ancient bronze tree.

They couldn't help but click their tongues in amazement. Xinzhai was too daring. By constantly provoking the ancient bronze tree, he was the first to find a way to break the deadlock.

"Deep within the ancient bronze tree, there is usable immortal energy!"

Yu Zhexian and the others immediately followed suit, circulating their breathing techniques to resonate and search for the immortal energy inside the ancient bronze tree... Xinzhai had already taken the lead, and the situation was very bad!
However, the ancient bronze tree was so enormous that they could hardly find the exact location of the celestial energy cluster, making their progress extremely difficult.

"Is Xinzhai my lucky star?!" Unexpectedly, the one who made the fastest progress was actually Emperor Yu, who was the last to be reborn as a mortal.

His mortal body was torn into four pieces, and he was about to die, but he held on to his last breath and searched haphazardly. Luckily, he bumped into the exact spot and thus survived.

"Whoosh!"

Chen Xuan had no time to pay attention to anyone else; he was focused on absorbing energy. The first ascension ended, and the second one followed immediately, without any pause in between—the speed was outrageous.

Returning to the realm of enlightenment is far simpler than imagined.

One metamorphosis.

Secondary eclosion.

Three ascensions...

"Quickly!" On the far left, Wan Shizun felt uneasy. He found the location of the immortal energy ball and quickly resonated with it.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, once Xinzhai regains his freedom, he will inevitably take action against him, leading to a major battle.

“This is supreme immortal energy.” On the other side, Yu Zhexian carefully sensed the immortal energy he came into contact with, frowned and muttered to himself, “It is extremely pure, and seems to be impervious to external forces.”

This kind of celestial energy is extremely rare in the world and cannot be found anywhere else. Once absorbed, it can reshape their foundation.

"Hey!"

Chen Xuan focused intently, doing his utmost to absorb the immortal energy from the ancient bronze tree. Initially, the energy flowed in like a trickle, but now it seemed to have transformed into a mighty river, surging and rushing.

His strength recovered rapidly, and the feeling was wonderful like never before.

"Crack!"

With a long roar, Chen Xuan returned to the Daoist Canon. There was no such thing as a realm barrier; it had long been broken. He could absorb as much immortal energy as he could.

Time passes minute by minute.

The five beings inside the large coffin were desperately absorbing immortal energy, retracing their path of cultivating qi.

……

at the same time.

Outside, the situation is turbulent and tense, and can no longer be contained.

"We've been waiting too long." The extraterrestrial beings swallowed hard. The Supreme Coffin remained calm, preventing them from even getting a chance to pluck the peaches.

Were all those little guys dead in their coffins?
"This is bad; we're probably going to be exposed..."

The extraterrestrial beings were terrified. Looking up, they saw towering figures reaching the heavens and the earth standing tall in the Great Ruins, their numbers growing larger and larger, approaching fifty.

A pair of large, cold, and menacing eyes, like the sun and moon, looked at them with mockery, as if scrutinizing the food on the table.

"Our ancestor possesses the aura of immortals..."

"They can't come over, can they?" one of the figures thought to himself.

"boom!"

The heavens and earth roared as one of the Ancestral Land True Monarchs moved. In an instant, even more terrifying figures moved, converging on the Great Wilderness from all directions.

The desolate wilderness, at this moment, reconnects with the Great Ruins, and all sorts of terrifying figures are reflected in the sky above the Ascension Platform.

"Meow~"

In the Great Ruins, a clear meow rang out. A black kitten perched on the shoulder of a massive figure, straining its neck to look ahead.

"We're here! We're finally here!" she cheered, her face beaming with excitement.

Hanging on the enormous, dark figure were the figures of ox-headed and horse-faced demons, jade rabbits, roosters, and other ghosts, scattered like stars.

"Fellow Daoists from the Lesser Underworld, you've also come to join the fun." From afar, a True Lord greeted them with laughter.

"Meow!" The Black Cat Lady responded politely and cheerfully, even though the other party didn't pay any attention to her at all.

At that very moment, a majestic voice pierced through the clouds, stretching for hundreds of thousands of miles.

"An ancient immortal lord? Let's descend to the mortal realm to meet." The Great You Emperor True Lord was the first to reveal his true form, a smile on his face, and spoke slowly.

"This..." The old man in the shaman robe, who was holding a purple-gold scepter and called "Celestial Immortal," couldn't help but swallow. Then, an extremely unnatural smile appeared on his face.

"Is it a fake?" In the Taixu, the Black Cat Goddess had just arrived when she widened her jewel-like eyes and saw a great commotion.

(End of this chapter)