Chapter 1846: Diamond Bodhi Tree

The Human World

The vibrations from the altar continued, growing ever more intense. The tremors even spread beyond the altar, causing the ground to shake and plants to sway. A commotion immediately broke out in the military formations of both sides, as all cultivators and demon cultivators turned in unison to gaze at the altar.

Amidst the flowing auspicious clouds, an uncontainable golden light ascended. Gradually, the colorful clouds were almost entirely tinged with gold. This phenomenon had occurred countless times in recent days, but this instance was clearly unlike any before. The golden light's immense power and fierce impact were unprecedented, leading some to wonder if the altar's auspicious clouds would be shaken away, exposing its true form. Everyone sensed an impending anomaly, and their expressions grew tense.

Behind both military formations, at the source of the celestial phenomenon, Demon Kings and Grand True Immortals simultaneously flew to a higher vantage point, gazing at the altar with solemn expressions. Even with their keen sight and potent divine abilities, they could not pierce through the dense auspicious clouds to discern what was truly happening within the altar. The origin of the auspicious clouds was untraceable, but it was certain they were no ordinary clouds. They were likely connected to the altar's ancient grand formation or to divine abilities left behind by powerful beings, persisting since time immemorial. They could only remain outside the altar, patiently awaiting the outcome, hoping it wouldn't collapse. Otherwise, it might take hundreds or even thousands of years for it to regain stability.

Inside the altar, cultivators and demon cultivators had a clearer view. The sky-obscuring golden light formed waves of radiance that swept through every corner of the altar. It could be vaguely discerned that these light waves originated from nine sources—one large and eight small—which were precisely the nine Great Primordial Fetuses brought by the demon cultivators. After the ancient tree emerged, a tenth light source appeared, illuminating the entire altar like ten golden suns. Furthermore, the golden light emanating from the ancient tree was even more dazzling and expansive than that from the nine Great Primordial Fetuses!

Tree shadows swayed. The ancient tree seemed to grow out of thin air, rising from the ground and materializing within the golden light. Everyone's gaze was drawn to it, filled with shock, doubt, and even greed! Regardless of their expressions, the demon cultivators all had a hint of doubt in their eyes, as the ancient tree's appearance was completely unforeseen. They had followed the Great Sage's command, successfully deploying the Primordial Fetus Grand Formation with the goal of pinpointing the Divine Court's approximate location. Everything had proceeded smoothly. Once the grand formation was complete, the power of the Primordial Fetuses automatically converged toward a certain area, indicating a high probability that the Divine Court was concealed within that region. The Dao Court had not discerned their true intentions. Like headless flies, their attention was diverted by the constantly erupting golden light, and their formations became dispersed. Meanwhile, the demon cultivators, having planned in advance, were poised to seize the initiative.

The ancient tree's appearance was an unexpected event. This ancient tree was not within the area targeted by the Primordial Fetus Grand Formation and should be unrelated to the Divine Court. It was exposed when the golden light impacted an illusion, revealing the tree that had long been hidden within, unknown to all. However, the ancient tree's emergence created an immense stir. At that very moment, cultivators within the altar, regardless of how many layers of illusion separated them, could perceive the gradually solidifying tree silhouette. It was unclear where the ancient tree was rooted; only its shadow was clearly visible.

The ancient tree did not appear to be an illusionary projection. Cultivators closer to it could discern its massive trunk, gnarled root system, sturdy branches, clear leaf patterns, and fruits concealed among the foliage. The entire ancient tree glowed golden, exuding an ancient aura that filled observers with awe. This was undoubtedly an ancient tree, likely existing for thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of years, hidden deep within the altar, unknown to all. Its leaves resembled countless golden flakes, densely covering the entire tree, glittering like a vast golden canopy. In contrast to the luxuriant foliage, the fruits on the tree were exceedingly sparse. They were oval-shaped, plump, golden in color, and bore strange patterns on their surface.

While everyone was initially drawn to the peculiar ancient tree, those with extensive knowledge found their gaze fixed on its fruits, unable to look away. They gradually recalled certain ancient texts and secret lore, and expressions of astonishment spread across their faces.

"Could this be..."

"The Vajra Bodhi Tree?"

Qin Sang, concealed within the flower field, could also sense the Primordial Fetus Grand Formation and behold the golden ancient tree. His eyes gleamed with brilliance, completely ignoring the Primordial Fetus Grand Formation as his gaze was firmly drawn to the ancient tree. Many memories churned in his mind.

The Vajra Bodhi Tree, a legendary and exceptionally rare spiritual root of heaven and earth, held no particular wonder in itself. Its true value lay in its fruits, which embodied the spiritual essence of the cosmos and the very essence of the tree. The fruit of the Vajra Bodhi Tree was known as the Vajra Fruit, ranked among the Ten Great Divine Woods!

"Vajra Fruit! It's actually Vajra Fruit!"

Qin Sang murmured. He was no stranger to the Vajra Fruit; a long time ago, one had appeared in the Minor Cold Domain, triggering a great upheaval that led to the Pure Yang Sect annihilating the formidable demonic sect, the Blood Nether Sect. Afterward, a Blood Nether Sect disciple took the Vajra Fruit, and its whereabouts became unknown. The Pure Yang Sect searched extensively but found nothing, and even Qin Sang had ordered Li Yufu and others to look for it during their travels in the desert, but to no avail.

It was precisely because of that particular Vajra Fruit that Qin Sang had gained some understanding of this divine wood, allowing him to recognize the ancient tree's origin at a glance. The Vajra Fruit that had appeared in the Minor Cold Domain back then was merely a single one, but here stood an entire Vajra Bodhi Tree! It is said that Vajra Fruits take an exceptionally long time to grow to maturity, and the Vajra Bodhi Tree only bears fruit once in its lifetime, though it yields more than a single fruit each time. The moment the Vajra Fruits ripen, the spiritual tree's vitality will be exhausted, though this is not discernible to the naked eye. Qin Sang stared, counting carefully. There were three or four visible to the naked eye alone. Including those hidden beneath the leaves and on the far side of the ancient tree, there were probably more than a dozen, and all were ripe!

"Hiss..."

Qin Sang's expression fluctuated wildly. He had never imagined Vajra Fruits would appear at this specific time and location. Even though Qin Sang had long decided to remain in seclusion, how could he sit still now? Facing a tree laden with Vajra Fruits, perhaps few in the world could maintain a calm heart. Furthermore, his destined spiritual sword could absorb spiritual wood to improve itself, and the Ten Great Divine Woods were among the most precious of all spiritual woods.

"Are these Vajra Fruits the objective of the Dao Court and Ghostfang Nation's struggle?" This thought flashed through his mind. "Something doesn't seem quite right..."

A flash of inspiration struck Qin Sang. Remembering the Primordial Fetus Grand Formation, he turned his head to look in another direction, narrowing his eyes slightly as he carefully sensed. The fluctuations of the golden light, the flow of the grand formation's spiritual energy... Qin Sang could only vaguely sense a few things, but he was certain that the formation's spiritual energy was clearly converging on a different area, seemingly unrelated to the Vajra Bodhi Tree; the two had little connection. Although he wasn't entirely clear on the purpose of the Primordial Fetus Grand Formation, Qin Sang could vaguely infer some possibilities.

"If the Dao Court and Ghostfang Nation are using this formation to search for something, they should be directly targeting the Vajra Bodhi Tree. Why is the spiritual energy deviating? Is it an accident?" Qin Sang mused inwardly.

Furthermore, Qin Sang didn't believe a few Vajra Fruits warranted such a massive mobilization from the Dao Court and Ghostfang Nation. Qin Sang was confident that, given the profound foundations of the Dao Court and Ghostfang Nation, they surely wouldn't be lacking in treasures comparable to the Vajra Fruits. The Ten Great Divine Woods, though highly renowned, were ultimately just ten types of spiritual wood.

Since arriving in this world, Qin Sang had successively sought guidance on artifact refining from Master Qi and Master Gu. He had also diligently collected artifact refining texts from this realm, achieving considerable gains. Concurrently, he had always kept an eye out for various spiritual woods and discovered that this world also had a concept of the Ten Great Divine Woods. In one ancient book, Qin Sang had come across some conjectures penned by an unknown senior. This senior suggested that being listed among the Ten Great Divine Woods did not necessarily mean these ten divine woods were the most precious spiritual woods in existence. Heaven and earth are vast, and spiritual woods are countless, no fewer than the stars in the sky. Why were only these ten specifically chosen? The names of spiritual woods are bestowed by cultivators, and thus, the so-called rankings must also originate from them. For the Ten Great Divine Woods to be singled out from all spiritual woods and widely circulated, there must be a profound reason.

Firstly, these spiritual woods are rare; what is rarely seen is precious. Secondly, the spiritual wood itself is extraordinary, possessing unique divine abilities or characteristics, such as Soul Nurturing Wood. Through the Soul Nurturing Wood, remnant souls like Bai Jihun's could endure endless ages, awaiting rebirth. Alternatively, a widely circulated and eagerly recounted story might be associated with the spiritual wood, allowing it to become universally known and gain widespread recognition. Such a story could be of a great catastrophe, a passionate tale of love and hatred, or even the spiritual wood being refined into a world-shaking treasure, thereby gaining its renown.

This senior cited an example: the true form of Yun Youzi, the Pure Blessing Divine Bamboo. The book mentioned a legendary divine seal called the Pure Blessing Divine Seal, which, according to records, was one of the supreme treasure seals of the Daoist divine path, containing boundless power. The names of the Pure Blessing Divine Seal and the Pure Blessing Divine Bamboo happened to align perfectly. Legend claimed that this seal was precisely forged from an entire Pure Blessing Divine Bamboo. The Daoist sect would not have casually named such a top-tier treasure seal. He speculated that the name "Pure Blessing Divine Bamboo" was linked to the treasure seal; it might even be that its original name was different, but it gained its current name from the seal and was instantly listed among the Ten Great Divine Woods. The authenticity of legends is hard to verify, and the treasure seal is now lost, but this still suggests something significant. Due to the accounts in this book, Qin Sang grew increasingly suspicious about the origin of this realm. A divine wood named after a Dao Court treasure seal, yet its legend could spread to other minor realms—this was absolutely beyond the capabilities of a small force confined to a single realm. This realm, the Dao Court, held too many secrets!

Qin Sang currently had no energy to delve into these matters. He was weighing the potential consequences if he were to join the struggle. Unless the Dao Court and Ghostfang Nation specifically needed the Vajra Fruits to refine some supreme treasure, they wouldn't have mobilized such extensive forces for merely a few of them. If the Dao Court and Ghostfang Nation's objective wasn't the Vajra Bodhi Tree, then there would naturally be no issue. Given that the Primordial Fetus Grand Formation and the Vajra Bodhi Tree appeared almost simultaneously, the opposing side couldn't possibly neglect their true objective and delay crucial matters. At most, they would only divert a few people to contend for the Vajra Fruits. Qin Sang's chances were considerable. If they were indeed here for the Vajra Fruits, Qin Sang could also fish in troubled waters while they were engaged in combat. As long as Qin Sang wasn't greedy and stopped after acquiring one or two Vajra Fruits, he likely wouldn't provoke a relentless pursuit. The weighing of pros and cons took only a fleeting moment.

Qin Sang deemed it feasible. His gaze swept across the flower field, and he decisively resolved to act! The foundation of the bone-white earth was firm, and the flower field was temporarily safe from collapse, leaving him with no further concerns. If there had been only a single Vajra Fruit, Qin Sang might have hesitated, but given the current circumstances, he would be unwilling to let such an opportunity slip by.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, another anomaly emerged. As the Vajra Bodhi Tree solidified, it was finally almost fully revealed before everyone's eyes. It resembled a towering ancient tree growing within the altar. But just as everyone intended to examine whether the ancient tree was real or an illusion, they suddenly saw the golden light on its outer leaves fluctuate, resembling golden flames that instantly engulfed the entire tree. The Primordial Fetus Grand Formation, having reached its peak, began to wane, and the golden light started to ebb. The ancient tree's light and flames blazed mightily, completely overwhelming the presence of the Primordial Fetus Grand Formation. It was as if the entire ancient tree was consumed by fire, the flames spreading to its roots. As the fiery radiance extended, the ancient tree once again became illusory. It was unclear whether it was turning to ash or merely concealing itself again, but the ancient tree's silhouette grew increasingly faint. Once the ancient tree vanished, finding it again would be no easy feat, unless a Great Sage intervened to refine another Primordial Fetus Grand Formation.

Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. Without hesitation, he darted out of the flower field space, swiftly conjured several hand seals, and completely sealed off the flower field's grand formation. After a glance at the ancient tree's phantom image, Qin Sang activated his Lightning Escape Technique and plunged without hesitation into the unstable illusion. Even if no one else could obtain the Vajra Fruits, Qin Sang was determined to locate the ancient tree's growing area before it vanished, intending to search for it at his leisure later.

Unlike Qin Sang, other cultivators and demon cultivators within the altar, observing the gradually fading tree silhouette and then the area indicated by the Primordial Fetus Grand Formation's spiritual energy, found themselves in a difficult dilemma. Although the two locations didn't seem too far apart, a choice had to be made. While Vajra Fruits were valuable, a tree laden with them was incredibly tempting. However, they carried a more crucial mission, one concerning the rise or fall of their factions. In the eyes of most Demon Kings and Grand True Immortals, mere external objects like Vajra Fruits could not possibly compare to the Divine Court.

True Immortal Ruoquan and his group recognized the Vajra Fruits. That True Immortal, who cultivated the Golden Seal Altar and whose talismans formed the Jade Bamboo Staff, stared fixedly at the ancient tree, unable to tear his gaze away. As he cultivated the Golden Seal Altar, building it required wood-element spiritual materials, with spiritual wood being the most ideal. This was the first time in his entire life he had ever witnessed one of the Ten Great Divine Woods.

"Do not be misled by demonic tricks again!" True Immortal Ruoquan let out a soft reprimand, casting an intentional or unintentional glance at that True Immortal. That True Immortal felt as though struck by a sudden realization, his mind instantly clearing as he awoke from his greed. The Vajra Fruits might not be real; it could be a trap set by demons to sow confusion. The True Immortal took a deep breath, resolutely withdrew his gaze, and seeing True Immortal Ruoquan and the others moving further away, he swiftly followed.

Elsewhere, True Immortal Wan and his companions were also drawn to the Vajra Bodhi Tree, mostly out of appreciation for such a rare treasure, though without the same urgency as the other True Immortal. The old Daoist gently flicked his whisk and chuckled, saying, "Once the main task is complete, it will not be too late to seek out that spiritual tree. At that time, this humble Daoist will accompany you all, and any Vajra Fruits obtained will be entirely given to you." Pausing, the old Daoist glanced towards the ancient tree, his eyes filled with meaning. "There should be other fellow Daoists in that direction," he said. "When we hasten to meet them, we might pass by the spiritual tree and casually pick a few fruits. If there's any surplus, and any of you are in urgent need of this item, this humble Daoist can even shamelessly ask for one or two on your behalf."

At his words, even True Immortal Wan's eyes brightened. They all bowed in gratitude, their minds greatly at ease. The old Daoist nodded with a smile, pointing his whisk toward the convergence point of the Primordial Fetus Grand Formation's spiritual energy. "The important matter takes precedence, fellow Daoists; do not be distracted," he said. "Upon success, virtue will spread throughout the Daoist sect, and the Dao Court's rewards will certainly be no less than the Vajra Fruits."

"As you command!"

The True Immortals, their spirits high, no longer paid attention to the ancient tree and followed the old Daoist as he flew away. Similar scenes unfolded repeatedly elsewhere. Regardless of whether they were Daoist True Immortals or Demon Kings and Demon Marquises, the vast majority would not have their resolve swayed by the Vajra Fruits. Those capable of cultivating to their level all deeply understood how to weigh pros and cons and would not sacrifice the greater good for minor gains. However, there were always exceptions. Especially for those positioned closer to the ancient tree, a slight alteration in their course would allow them to acquire the legendary Ten Great Divine Woods without much delay. Why wouldn't they seize such an opportunity?