The God of Heavens

Chapter 197: Harvesting Immortal Treasures Under the Enlightenment Tree, Capturing the Xuanwu in the Immortal Mountain!
The sunset glow over the empty city painted the entire ancient city red.

Lin Yu, dressed in white, stood on the Star Gazing Platform, his fingertips tracing the smooth, jade-like stone railing. This high platform, where the Great Emperor Wushi once stood, remained crystal clear even after hundreds of thousands of years.

The little girl lay on the back of the big black dog, her little hands tugging at its fur, while four exquisitely beautiful children shared a string of candied hawthorns—if you ignored the fragments of sacred artifacts they occasionally spat out of their mouths, they really looked like children from an ordinary family.

"It's those four living ancestors again? Why are they back?" A cultivator exclaimed in a low voice in a teahouse on the street.

His companion immediately chimed in, "When the celestial artifact appeared, countless powerful figures fought over it, yet these mere children ultimately obtained it. I heard that several senior figures, unwilling to accept this, went to reclaim it, and in the end..."

"Shh!" The third person quickly stopped them, gesturing to several young masters from prominent families nearby, "Can't you see the descendants of those powerful figures are all here?"

The young scions of those aristocratic families sat by the window, their faces ashen. They would never forget how, when their ancestor summoned his divine weapon to demand an explanation, the little girl named Jinling had used her baby teeth to bite a notch into the weapon.

"The one next to them." The young monk suddenly fell silent.

Everyone turned to look at the white-clad figure. The image stone recording the destruction of the Yin-Yang Sect was still circulating in various auction houses, and the figure that descended on an imperial weapon in the image was now standing on the Star Gazing Platform three hundred feet away.

"The Holy Son of Yaoguang." Someone squeezed out this title through gritted teeth.

"They've even brought the Holy Son of Yao Guang with them this time," a scion of a noble family said, his voice trembling. "Are they still not going to let us go?"

Thinking of the various rumors about the Holy Son of Yaoguang, a sense of gloom settled over the group.

Lin Yu suddenly turned his head.

With just a glance, the entire street fell silent instantly. The scions of prominent families in the teahouse immediately became trembling with fear, their faces flushed red.

"Big brother, they're scared." The little girl swung her toes, her innocent words making the faces of the people in the distance even paler.

Black King grinned, revealing his gleaming white fangs: "Woof! Should I go collect some compensation for emotional distress?"

"No need." Lin Yu withdrew his gaze, a chaotic aura rising deep within his pupils. At the edge of his vision, the outline of the Undying Mountain appeared and disappeared in the twilight. The mountain possessed a majestic aura, as if it had stood since the beginning of time, displaying a vast and ancient grandeur.

Jin Yao suddenly tugged at Lin Yu's sleeve: "Master, there are bugs watching us."

Four children had somehow formed a circle around him, each with a candied hawthorn skewer in their mouth, their eyes sharp as knives. Lin Yu didn't need to turn around to know that at least seven divine senses from different families were watching them.

"Do you want me to crush you?" Jin Yue asked, sucking on her fingers, her childish voice clear and crisp.

In the shadows beneath the observatory, the consciousness of a certain elder from a powerful family trembled violently.

"brush!"

Lin Yu chuckled, then suddenly formed a hand seal, countless Dao patterns flowing between his fingertips. With a wave of his hands, a dark rift was torn open in the void. He turned to the crowd and said, "Let's go."

The little girl hugged the Black Emperor's neck obediently, while the four little ones excitedly jumped and followed.

The moment they stepped into the black hole, the entire city of Wangkong felt a chilling aura emanate from it. The young masters from those aristocratic families turned ashen-faced and slumped in their chairs, unable to move for a long time.

The black hole slowly closed, leaving only a ripple of space spreading across the ancient platform. The sunset remained, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.

……

This is a primeval region, a vast and boundless wilderness. Ancient trees reach for the sky, and divine vines cover the ground. Strange beasts often appear here, making it both bizarre and terrifying.

After traveling over a hundred miles, the Immortal Mountain came into view.

This is a black mountain range, majestic and towering, like the king of mountains and the emperor of peaks, its terrifying aura making one's heart tremble.

The group transformed into streaks of light and sped away, arriving in the Undying Mountain Range in a flash. All around them stood towering black peaks, lush vegetation, and mirror-like lakes dotting the landscape.

"I never thought I would voluntarily venture into this mountain. It's like deliberately stepping into the gates of hell," Black Emperor exclaimed. It was still somewhat dazed. How could it have acted so rashly as to come here to search for medicine? This was not the time when the Great Emperor Wushi was alive.

"It's alright, I'm already prepared. The Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron is on my person. If things don't go well, I can unleash the ultimate divine power to break through this place."

Lin Yu revealed that the Supreme Being of the Forbidden Zone usually sleeps in a deep state to reduce energy consumption, with only some subordinates taking turns to patrol. Under such circumstances, the Dragon Cauldron is sufficient to protect them.

"Alright, for the divine medicine, for the evolution fluid, I'll risk it all!" Greed overcame fear, and Black Emperor felt he could do it again.

The group headed deeper into the Undying Mountain, where array patterns were everywhere. A single wrong step could send them into other mysterious and terrifying areas within the mountain range.

Legend has it that these were all arranged by the Void Emperor. Back then, he wanted to fight the Dark Sovereign, but worried that he was not strong enough, so he set up many array patterns to assist him. Unfortunately, that great battle never broke out.

Fortunately, Lin Yu possessed the Eye of the Lord, allowing him to perceive the patterns in the array. Although the Black Emperor was unreliable, he was still knowledgeable. In addition, the little girl possessed extraordinary spiritual talent, enabling her to see phenomena that ordinary people could not. The three of them cooperated well, and their journey proceeded smoothly.

Before long, they arrived at a low, black hill. Looking around, they saw lush greenery all around, and at the foot of the hill was a tranquil lake.

“There’s an ancient tree over there that glows… I think I saw someone sitting cross-legged under it.” The little girl blinked her big eyes, pointing deep into the Undying Mountains, her tone full of surprise. “But when I rubbed my eyes, the person disappeared.”

"It must be an ancient tea tree that has attained enlightenment, or it must be an elixir of immortality!" Black Emperor's voice trembled, unable to hide his excitement.

Lin Yu activated his divine vision and gazed into the distance. In the heart of the Undying Mountain, he saw an ancient tree standing majestically. Its leaves were of various shapes and colors, with gold, red, and white shimmering in the light; its trunk was strong and vigorous like a dragon, ancient and majestic.

"Let's continue down the mountain. The Enlightenment Tea Tree shouldn't be in the central area."

Lin Yu took the lead. This place was covered with countless array patterns and various celestial formations. If one stepped on one, he would arrive at another world.

The only good news is that the creatures of the Undying Mountain in this outer area are not strong enough and were easily dealt with without causing any trouble.

There are many patterns, including black lines swirling with black mist, symbolizing a dead end, and golden lines flowing with light, winding and turning like a small dragon, leading to the depths of the mountains.

The big black dog carried the little girl and followed Lin Yu into the depths of the Undying Mountains. Soon they approached the location of the Enlightenment Tea Tree and could sense its unique aura.

Passing through the ancient, swaying trees, the Wudao Ancient Tea Tree comes into view. A hundred feet away, a divine tree stands tall, only three meters high, ancient and weathered, with the Great Dao flowing through it, ethereal and mysterious.

Its bark is cracked, like dragon scales opening, and its trunk is no more than half a meter thick, like a coiled dragon, winding its way into the sky.

The tree is covered in glistening leaves, each unique, shimmering with a divine light. Small tripods, divine bells, phoenixes, mountains and rivers, the Eight Trigrams… each leaf is like a small world, representing a different kind of Dao, swaying with a dreamlike radiance.

The various leaves, in all their strange and wonderful shapes, each possess a unique and precious Daoist charm. The entire tree shines brilliantly, dazzling and mesmerizing.

The tree trunk is ancient and majestic, showing the vicissitudes of time; the leaves are full of vitality, brimming with the charm of nature. The two blend together, mysterious and profound, as if the great principles of heaven and earth are condensed into one.

"One, two, three... one hundred and seven, one hundred and eight."

The big black dog's eyes gleamed green like a wolf's, and it was practically drooling.

"There are 108 leaves in total, just like in the legend, exactly the same number every year." It was extremely excited and couldn't wait to go and pick them all. Fortunately, it still had some sense and knew that this place was full of array patterns of the Void Emperor. If it wasn't careful, it would be teleported into the center of the Undying Mountain.

A sudden change occurred!

"Great Emperor! I see the Great Emperor!" The Black Emperor suddenly jumped up excitedly, almost knocking the little girl over. At the critical moment, Lin Yu reached out and steadily caught her, preventing the little one from falling to the ground.

"You stupid dog, what are you doing!" Jin Hao shouted in surprise. In this terrifying atmosphere, he was startled by the sudden shout.

"Great Emperor, is that you? Take Little Black with you!"

The big black dog ignored everything and rushed straight towards the Enlightenment Tea Tree, its expression one of extreme excitement.

"Don't move!"

Lin Yu pressed down with his large hand to subdue the restless Black Emperor, while simultaneously activating his Divine Eye to look around.

A hazy figure slowly strolled around the ancient tea tree, seemingly oblivious to the crowd.

A large bell floats above its head, with swirling, chaotic mist churning and swirling, hanging down in countless strands, mysterious and hazy, as if the long river of time were slowly flowing.

It was none other than the legendary Emperor Wushi, whose aura was exactly the same as that of Zishan. He sat cross-legged under the ancient tea tree, his large bell above his head disappearing into the heavens and earth.

After a moment, he seemed to understand something, looked up at the sky, and then slowly walked away against the flow of time, crossing the gate of time and disappearing into the depths of ancient times.

"Wang!"

The figure of the Great Emperor Wushi disappeared, soaring into the azure sky. The big black dog was excited, baring its teeth, as if it were about to go berserk.

"Snapped!"

Lin Yu slapped the big black dog on the head, suppressing the restless Black King.

"It's just a brand, stop going crazy!"

"I don't believe it! The Great Emperor clearly went to the Immortal Realm, he was just one step away! Why won't he let me go!" The big black dog's fur stood on end, it roared madly, and spittle flew from its canine teeth.

Lin Yu shook his head inwardly. This big black dog was hopeless, deceiving itself and unable to distinguish between a human and a ghost. Just as he was feeling helpless, his eyes suddenly lit up: "Look! The Emperor is back!"

"What?!" Black Emperor turned his head sharply.

Beneath the Enlightenment Tea Tree, a dark shadow appeared, with a bottomless black hole beneath its feet, in which a jar carved with a ghost face floated up and down.

"Awooo—" The Black Emperor, who was furious just a second ago, froze instantly, its tail tucked tightly between its legs, like a mouse whose tail had been stepped on, and it quietly shrank back, wishing it could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

This abyss-like shadow was so dark that it was impossible to tell whether it was male or female. It was like a black hole that seemed to want to swallow everyone in, sending chills down one's spine.

"Ruthless Emperor!" The big black dog's fur stood on end, and its scalp tingled instantly.

Remembering that he had dug up her temple and desecrated her grave, his arrogance vanished without a trace.

Just moments ago he was clamoring to follow the Great Emperor Wushi, but now he seemed to have lost his soul, his manic disorder instantly "cured," and he didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

Before long, the Ruthless Great Emperor stood in front of the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree for a long time, pondering for a long time, before also leaving.

"So it really is a record from before the ancient times. The ancient emperor cultivated here and left an indelible mark."

The Black Emperor calmed down and realized that it was just an afterimage of the Great Emperor Wushi during his enlightenment. He immediately became dejected and lost his spirit.

After traversing a distance of over a hundred feet, the group finally arrived at the Enlightenment Tea Tree and witnessed firsthand the true appearance of this ancient tree that has endured the ages yet never withers.

The tree is three meters tall, gnarled and twisted, with crystal-clear leaves in various shapes, some resembling mist, others like a phoenix in the sunset, and still others like an immortal; its color is golden red and mottled, making it uniquely beautiful.

The big black dog moved with lightning speed, suddenly leaping forward and raising its paw to grab the tree.

"Shh-"

A divine light flashed, and Lin Yu acted in time, using his divine power to block the reckless big black dog.

"What do you mean?" The big black dog bared its teeth in displeasure.

"Don't do anything rash," Lin Yu explained. "The Dao leaves nurtured by the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree can only be picked after they are fully mature. If you act rashly, the leaves will immediately sink into the roots and stems, and you won't be able to take them away at all."

The big black dog sheepishly withdrew its paw, only then remembering the taboo.

“Unless…” its eyes darted around, “unless there is an undying divine root to attract it and hold the immature leaves in place. Don’t you have a humanoid undying divine medicine? Quickly take it out, let’s pick all the leaves off the tree! Two of these leaves combined are as effective as a mature Dao leaf.”

Lin Yu nodded slightly. If these hundred-odd Dao Leaves before him could be combined in pairs, their effects would be equivalent to more than fifty mature Dao Leaves—truly a rare opportunity. Although the Heavenly Emperor had previously gifted him quite a few Dao Leaves, such divine objects were always welcome in abundance.

Lin Yu acted swiftly, using the humanoid immortal medicine to collect all the Dao leaves from the tree. The leaves were crystal clear, imprinted with Dao marks such as Qilin, Divine Sun, and Bright Moon, shining with divine brilliance and naturally imbued with Dao charm.

These are rare and precious treasures! One piece can trigger a sudden flash of spiritual light, and eight or nine pieces can help one enter a state of profound enlightenment.

To break through the Four Extremes Secret Realm, cultivators must comprehend the true essence of the Great Dao. If they can enter a state of enlightenment multiple times, they may be able to break through their bottleneck. Such divine objects are priceless; even those possessing boundless wealth are unlikely to find a trace in the world.

"We've struck gold! What an incredible opportunity!" Black Emperor grinned foolishly. "Others work so hard to get one or two leaves, and we've just plucked the whole tree clean!"

It eagerly lay down on the ground: "Quickly sit down and meditate. Two hours of meditation here is equivalent to a month of arduous training outside!"

"Don't rush," Lin Yu reminded him, "Don't forget the real purpose of our trip."

"Oh right!" The big black dog jumped up suddenly, then scratched its head in confusion. "But how do we find the elixir of immortality? Do we really have to venture deep into the Undying Mountain? I'm warning you, it's not as simple as the outer area. If we run into a quasi-Emperor level being, we won't even have time to escape."

Lin Yu smiled confidently: "If the mountain won't come to me, then I'll go to the mountain."

"What do you mean?" Black Emperor looked bewildered.

Jin Yao explained, "What the master means is that we can use the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree to attract the Elixir of Immortality."

"What a joke!" The Black Emperor's eyes widened. "The elixir of immortality may indeed grant the ability to fly and teleport, but why should it listen to you? Do you think you're some ancient emperor?"

It thought the idea was utterly outlandish, as impractical as saying "Give me some face."

(End of this chapter)