Refining Ruins Cauldron

Faced with the temptation of the Daoist Spirit Fruit, some people eventually couldn't resist.

The first to rush out was a disciple of the Glazed Tile School, who had just entered the late stage of Foundation Establishment and was considered a rare genius within the Glazed Tile School.

His gaze was fixed on the spiritual fruit on the tree, and his figure shot out like an arrow.

"Mine! All the Daoist Spirit Fruits are mine!"

The man roared, as if he had gone mad, his eyes fixed on the spiritual fruit, unable to see anything else.

His cultivation level exploded instantly, and his speed was as fast as lightning.

With a swift movement, the mud pit that had swallowed countless spirit beast corpses seemed unable to stop him.

Once there's a first one, there will naturally be a second, and a third.

One after another, figures rushed into the depths. Since they couldn't fly, they could only run.

There are only eight Daoist Spirit Fruits available; if you're slow, they'll be gone!

Seeing that the disciples of the other two major sects had already set off, the Longevity Sect naturally did not want to fall behind.

However, Gu Qingyun suddenly stepped forward and blocked the way for everyone.

"Don't rush."

Everyone was puzzled and didn't understand.

Don't rush?

How can we not be in a hurry?

There were only eight spirit fruits. Although many people had died or been injured, there were still dozens left. There were far more monks than porridge. If you arrived a second late, you wouldn't even get a scrap of soup!

"Junior Brother Gu, if we don't go now, we might not even be able to snatch any leaves!"

"Yes, Senior Brother Li Wei, people from other sects have already set off. Are we just going to watch them go?"

"Without the spirit beasts blocking their way, seizing the spirit fruits will be a piece of cake for them. If we don't go now, they'll be gone!"

Not to mention them, even Li Wei looked troubled, bewildered and anxious as he looked at Gu Qingyun.

He really didn't understand what the latter was up to.

"The Daoist Spirit Fruit blooms once every hundred years and bears fruit once every hundred years. It is a product that combines the essence of the secret realm's heaven and earth, so how could it be obtained so easily?"

Gu Qingyun spoke slowly, his expression serious.

"Wait a minute, let them scout ahead first."

He had noticed earlier that the spirit fruit was already ripe, and the golden core spirit beast could have easily taken it, but it stayed by the tree, not daring to make any rash moves.

Moreover, apart from it, no other Foundation Establishment spirit beasts in the vicinity dared to approach.

Gu Qingyun's intuition told him that the Daoyun Tree was definitely not as simple as it seemed on the surface.

Now that things have come to this, it's too late to start again. Li Wei let out a long breath, tried to calm himself down, and finally uttered four words.

"I'll listen to my junior brother."

"I also think Junior Brother Qingyun makes a good point."

Xu Qingran followed up.

With these two people on their side, the members of the Changsheng Sect could only suppress their emotions and wait and see after exchanging glances.

Without these three top-tier combatants, there is absolutely no chance of winning the fight for the spiritual fruit.

Going there would only be a waste of time and effort.

On the Liuli Sect's side, although most of the disciples had already fought their way out, Jiang Chuan, as the leader, did not move and lagged behind the group.

When he saw the people from the Longevity Sect being stopped by Gu Qingyun, his expression changed drastically.

An ominous premonition welled up in my heart.

Jiang Chuan quickly shouted, trying to stop the doorman.

"Disciples of the Glazed Tile School, retreat!"

However, the first to set off were the people of the Glazed Tile School. It was too late for him to say anything now, as the vanguard had already arrived at the location of the Dao Rhyme Tree, only a dozen meters away.

Asking them to give up now is as difficult as climbing to the sky.

"These Dao-infused spiritual fruits are all mine! Supreme Dao Foundation, Core Formation, Golden Core Realm, here I come!"

The leader appeared like a madman, his face contorted with madness and a look of wild joy.

However, the moment he stepped into the ten-meter radius of the Dao Rhyme Tree, an unparalleled pressure acted upon him.

Click!

In an instant, many of the man's bones were broken, and his body crashed to the ground, sinking three-tenths of an inch into the mud.

puff!

He vomited blood violently, and he could feel as if his internal organs were being compressed into a ball!

Moreover, what's most frightening is that the pressure is constantly increasing.

"what!"

A pig-like scream rang out, but no matter how the person struggled, their spiritual power was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, having no effect whatsoever.

Bubbling and gurgling, the mud beneath them kept rising, like a gaping maw, gradually swallowing them up.

That feeling of despair and helplessness can probably only be understood by those who have experienced it firsthand.

Even before being completely swallowed up, the man couldn't utter a cry for help.

This sudden scene completely stunned everyone behind them.

Jiang Chuan wanted to rescue him, but it was too late. He could only watch helplessly as his fellow disciple was buried and turned into nourishment for the Dao Yun Tree.

Gu Qingyun's expression was solemn. Only at this moment did he realize that there was actually a magic array within a ten-meter radius around the Dao Rhyme Tree!

It seems that the magic circle not only restricts spiritual power, but also suppresses any creatures that get too close.

No wonder that golden core spirit beast didn't dare to approach and only circled around the Dao Rhyme Tree!

In an instant, screams of agony filled the air.

Those disciples who rushed into the magic array had no chance to regret it, just like the person who was devoured.

Spiritual power had no effect, and his body was forcibly pressed into the mud, becoming nourishment for the Daoist Tree.

What's most chilling is that the process of being devoured is extremely slow, as if magnifying death infinitely.

Once trapped in it, you can only watch helplessly as you step by step onto the road to the underworld, with no chance of turning back.

Behind them, many cultivators regained their senses and looked at those who had been swallowed by the mud, their brows furrowing into tight knots.

They were all relieved that they hadn't run too fast, otherwise they would have ended up in the same situation as these people!

Greed ultimately became the weapon that destroyed them!

The members of the Longevity Sect were all pale-faced, filled with lingering fear.

If Gu Qingyun hadn't stopped him, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

What use are all those Daoist fruits if you're dead?!

At this moment, everyone understood Gu Qingyun's good intentions, and their eyes showed more respect and gratitude towards him.

In a way, Gu Qingyun just saved all of their lives!

Jiang Chuan's face turned grim. He turned around and looked at Qiu Wentian and Gu Qingyun.

He was at his wit's end and could only pin his hopes on the prodigies of the other two major sects.

Gu Qingyun frowned slightly, his spiritual sense already spread out, firmly locking onto the Daoist Tree.

The magic array surrounding the Daoist Tree is at least of the fifth grade level. Not to mention Foundation Establishment cultivators, even Golden Core realm experts would not be able to break it easily.

Without breaking the formation, seizing the spiritual fruit would be a pipe dream.

On the surface, this place has become a dead end.

Gu Qingyun stroked his chin, searching for a flaw in the magic array.

Since someone was able to seize the spiritual fruit and successfully form their core in the past, there must be a method to it.

It's just that I haven't found it yet.

There is no such thing as a wall that cannot be sealed!

Gu Qingyun narrowed his eyes, withdrew his gaze, surveyed the entire room, and fell silent for a moment.

The most casualties were suffered by the Liuli Sect in the quagmire.

Nearly half of the people forced their way into the magic array, and there was no hope of saving them.

Jiang Chuan's face was so gloomy it looked like it was about to drip water.

Watching fellow disciples being swallowed by the quagmire, sacrificing so many, only to end up not even getting the Daoist Spirit Fruit!

How could he possibly accept this?!

Not only him, but everyone else present felt the same way...