Chapter 1852: Spirit Tree Shadow Traces

The Mortal World

Illusion or reality? Qin Sang felt a moment of confusion.

As he traveled along, about twenty bubbles had been burst by him, and many more shattered by the light waves.

All signs indicated that the scenes within the bubbles were illusions and not real.

Yet, he had inexplicably pulled out a piece of red tile from one of these illusions.

Qin Sang held it before his eyes, turning it over and examining it repeatedly. He confirmed that the tile was real.

It felt slightly cool to the touch, its surface lustrous, and it seemed to have remnants of dew.

The red tile was likely forged from a special spirit rock, upon which restrictive runes could be inscribed.

He didn't know if it was because it had left the bubble or if the octagonal mountain pavilion's restrictions had long been eroded by time. The runes had lost all their power, making their origin indiscernible.

It was evident from this that the octagonal mountain pavilion was the work of cultivators, and these were definitely not mere illusions.

“Are the bubbles passages to a grotto-heaven, or is it that a grotto-heaven has shattered, with its fragments becoming bubbles, existing in a strange state between illusion and reality?”

Qin Sang couldn't find an answer, but he didn't feel discouraged; he had long grown accustomed to such mysteries.

During his years in Zhitan, he had witnessed too many phenomena that defied common explanation. The reason for this was that his cultivation was insufficient, and his understanding too limited.

Putting away the red tile, Qin Sang continued to dive deeper. Soon, he saw another bubble. He lunged towards it and reached out to grasp it.

His hand entered the bubble without any resistance.

Just like before, the bubble shattered upon contact, all its scenery vanished, and his hand was empty.

He didn't give up and continued to try. It wasn't until the fourth bubble that he finally pulled out another item.

Qin Sang looked up at the giant rock resting in his palm. He was momentarily speechless.

The enormous rock was nearly a hundred zhang tall, resembling a pebble. The stone itself had no extraordinary qualities; it was merely an ordinary rock.

The scene within the bubble had been a broken cliff. This stone stood atop the cliff, nearly half of it protruding, on the verge of falling.

Qin Sang had seen a stone cave on the cliff, clearly an immortal's abode. His original intention was to retrieve something from inside the cave.

It proved that what one could grab, whether a treasure or an ordinary object, was entirely a matter of luck.

He released true essence from his palm, and the giant rock turned into dust.

From his previous encounters, Qin Sang surmised that the Vajra Bodhi Tree was likely growing inside one of the bubbles. However, even if he found that bubble, he might not be able to retrieve a Vajra Fruit.

“Since these phenomena were caused by the emergence of the Vajra Bodhi Tree, the tree itself should be different, right...?”

Qin Sang mused inwardly and continued to cut through the waves.

Subsequently, whenever a bubble approached, he would attempt to grab it. The items he pulled out were bizarre and varied, but unfortunately, none were of much value.

Gradually, Qin Sang began to discern a pattern.

The deeper he ventured into the valley, the higher the chance of grabbing something from a bubble. The process of bubbles flying out of the valley seemed to be a transformation from reality to illusion, until they completely vanished into nothingness.

Some time later, another discovery confirmed this pattern.

'Bang!' As Qin Sang reached out to grab the bubble in front of him, a faint blue light suddenly appeared on its surface, blocking his fingers.

His eyes flickered, and he scrutinized the bubble.

Inside the bubble was a clearly man-made platform. Surrounding the platform stood four stone pillars. The pillars were bare, their purpose unknown.

He applied a little force with his palm. With a 'snap,' the blue light dissipated, and the bubble shattered.

Immediately after, the stone platform and pillars from within the bubble inexplicably appeared before Qin Sang.

The four stone pillars were perfectly intact, a thousand zhang tall, and exuded an aura of ancientness and decay.

Qin Sang was slightly surprised. He pondered for a moment, then made no move. Just then, a wave of light crashed over them, and the stone platform and pillars instantly turned to dust.

It was after discovering these pillars that Qin Sang felt as if he had crossed the boundary between illusion and reality.

Further down, Qin Sang encountered a bubble with residual blue light every so often.

Protected by the blue light, the scenes within these bubbles had not yet begun to transform into illusions. They were real.

Qin Sang guessed that the blue light was likely a special kind of restrictive force.

As each bubble shattered, revealing various real objects, Qin Sang felt as if he were traveling through a fragmented world. Unfortunately, he had yet to discover any ancient cultivator's abodes.

However, none of this mattered. Here, Qin Sang sensed the presence of wood spirit energy drifting through the space!

It was only a faint wisp of wood spirit energy, but it invigorated him. He immediately followed the sensation to search for its source.

Before long, Qin Sang found the source of the wood spirit energy.

It was still a bubble. Inside, it was lush and green. He could only see dense canopies and countless green leaves, estimating there were dozens of ancient trees.

Qin Sang reached out to test it, and all his worries vanished. The blue light restriction could protect the bubble from vanishing, but it did not completely seal off the inside from the outside. Wood spirit energy could still seep out.

It was also possible that due to the vibrations of the sea of light, the blue light restriction itself had developed a flaw. However, Qin Sang did not yet understand the fundamentals of the blue light restriction, so he couldn't discern where the flaw was.

This was undoubtedly a good thing. Qin Sang fully activated his Spiritwood Body to sense the wood spirit energy within the valley.

Although it was all wood spirit energy, the aura emitted by different plants varied. High-grade spirit wood emitted a purer and more concentrated aura. The Spiritwood Body possessed acute perception, capable of distinguishing subtle differences. Utilizing this, he might have a chance to find the Vajra Bodhi Tree.

The Spiritwood Body, Heavenly Eye divine ability.

Aside from being outnumbered by Spirit King You and other demons, Qin Sang's methods were no less effective, perhaps even superior. What followed was a silent struggle.

As he continued to descend, the bubbles gradually became denser.

Initially, when Qin Sang encountered bubbles that seemed to hide mysteries, he would act to break them open, hoping to obtain something.

Gradually, Qin Sang stopped attempting to break them open frequently, because the blue light restrictions on the bubbles' surfaces grew increasingly stronger, making it impossible to break them open at will.

He kept his goal firmly in mind. Even if these bubbles truly contained treasures, missing out on the Vajra Fruit because of them would not be worth it.

After some time, the wood spirit energy in the void noticeably increased. It came from all directions, swept by the light waves, and continuously diffused.

Qin Sang focused on the purest and most concentrated strand of wood spirit energy within his perception and kept moving towards it.

After a period of searching, he actually gained quite a bit. His Qianjun Ring now contained several more spirit herbs.

The time Zhitan had existed was the time for spirit herbs to grow. It couldn't be counted in years or months. The spirit herbs had long since matured, their medicinal properties at their peak. Yet, with no one to harvest them, these treasures remained neglected.

Unfortunately, he still hadn't found the Vajra Bodhi Tree.

'Hmm?' Just then, Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. The faint green light originally surrounding his body suddenly brightened.

The green light enveloped a large area around him, then immediately locked onto a direction. After a brief sensation, he was overjoyed.

He had sensed a new trace of wood spirit energy, far purer and more concentrated than that of the spirit herbs. Even if it wasn't from the Vajra Bodhi Tree, it was still extremely valuable.

Without hesitation, he immediately changed direction and pursued the source of this wood spirit energy.

Meanwhile.

Elsewhere in the valley. Marquis Dingxiang and another demon marquis in white armor were gazing at a bubble before them, their faces filled with pleasant surprise.

Inside the bubble, golden light shimmered, and amidst the dazzling golden light, a spirit tree stood prominently.

Due to the angle, they could only see the tree canopy, but it was enough.

Among the leaves of the canopy was a spiritual fruit. It was precisely a Vajra Fruit!

“I didn't expect us to find it first!” The white-armored demon marquis rubbed his palms, his face full of excitement. His gaze was fixated on the Vajra Fruit.

After entering the valley, seeing its vastness and continuous vibrations, and with competitors nearby, they decided to split up to find the Vajra Bodhi Tree as quickly as possible.

Spirit King You went alone.

To guard against Qin Sang, Marquis Dingxiang and the white-armored demon marquis went together, while three other demon marquises traveled together, looking out for each other.

Splitting into three groups indeed proved highly efficient.

“I wonder how you intend to…” The white-armored demon marquis looked at Marquis Dingxiang, a hint of greed flashing in his eyes. No one knew how many Vajra Fruits a single spirit tree could bear.

Breaking open the blue light restriction on the bubble's surface, secretly hoarding a small portion for themselves, and presenting the majority to Spirit King You was entirely feasible.

His words were cut short by a cold snort from Marquis Dingxiang. “Marquis Yuan, watch your words! Don't let treasures cloud your judgment. Since we were the first to find the divine tree, His Majesty will undoubtedly reward us handsomely later. Why make extra trouble? Go report to His Majesty quickly, and then we'll break open the restriction, lest unforeseen complications arise!”

The valley was constantly vibrating, and the energies were chaotic. Their communication artifacts and divine abilities were greatly restricted, making it impossible to directly contact Spirit King You.

“Yes, yes, yes…” Marquis Yuan nodded repeatedly in a hurry, not daring to bring up the matter again. Together with Marquis Dingxiang, he enveloped the bubble in his qi and blood and flew towards Spirit King You's location.

They had just tested it. The blue light restriction on this bubble's surface was very sturdy, making it difficult to break in a short time.

The commotion caused by breaking this blue light restriction would undoubtedly be significant, and there was a mysterious expert nearby whose whereabouts were unknown. Naturally, they had to be careful.

Unfortunately, these bubbles couldn't be stored in spatial artifacts, otherwise, it wouldn't be so troublesome.

Marquis Dingxiang allocated some of his attention to staying vigilant, while Marquis Yuan focused solely on the bubble.

“Be careful,” Marquis Dingxiang reminded him.

The bubbles here were not entirely consistent. In the same location, some had already begun to turn illusory, while others remained real. They couldn't use past experience to determine where this bubble would begin to vanish. There must be other factors involved, not entirely related to location.

Therefore, they didn't dare to head straight for the valley exit with the bubble.

They feared crossing a certain point where the blue light restriction might suddenly vanish, catching them off guard, and leaving them no time to prevent the Vajra Fruit from turning into nothingness. That would be a cause for endless regret.

After all, their understanding of the blue light restriction was too limited.

As they were flying swiftly, Marquis Dingxiang's brows suddenly furrowed. He sensed something and abruptly turned around.

The deep blue light resembled ocean waves. The blue light at the crest of the waves was the brightest, forming undulating blue lines, outlining the contours of the light waves.

Layers of light waves followed one after another, and the bubbles amidst the waves were like fish in the sea, truly a beautiful sight.

However, amidst these light waves, there was a sharp flash of lightning, its keen edge fully revealed, disrupting the harmonious scenery. Its target was clear, and it came straight for them.

“It's him!” Marquis Dingxiang was deeply impressed by Qin Sang's Thunder Escape art. He recognized it at a glance and inwardly cursed.

The opponent seemed to know they had found the spirit tree and was flying towards them at full speed. His escape velocity was so swift that even seeing it again, Marquis Dingxiang was still astonished.

“What do we do?” Marquis Yuan was also extremely alarmed. Only now, seeing this escape light with his own eyes, did he realize that Marquis Ping's previous description had not been exaggerated in the slightest.

This person could suppress Marquis Ping and execute Marquis Gui in front of His Majesty. Marquis Yuan admitted he was no match for him, and even with Marquis Dingxiang, he felt uneasy.

Marquis Dingxiang knew that at their speed, it would be impossible to shake off this person. He stopped in place, his expression shifting between light and shadow.

In an instant, Marquis Dingxiang made a decision. “Marquis Yuan, go quickly and invite His Majesty! I will hold him off for a while!”

Marquis Yuan was even more startled upon hearing this. Did Marquis Dingxiang not have confidence in fighting two against one to force this person back?

Marquis Dingxiang considered more. This person's escape art was extraordinary. They would find it difficult to harm him, while he could continuously skirmish, seeking their weaknesses and seizing opportunities.

If this person were to attack them separately and Marquis Yuan died first, he would be left alone and unsupported, unable to escape or notify Spirit King You. His situation would be even more perilous.

Spirit King You's warning made Marquis Dingxiang dare not underestimate this person.

However, Marquis Dingxiang considered himself to be among the top demon marquises in the Ghostfang Kingdom. Even if he couldn't defeat this person, he could resist him for a while.

“Fellow Daoist, be careful!” Marquis Yuan understood the gravity of the situation and obeyed the order. He immediately manifested his demonic form, summoned his escape light, and fully activated his divine ability, flying away rapidly.

He did not take the bubble with him, otherwise, if he were targeted by this person, he would surely not escape.

Marquis Dingxiang gently shook his magic robe and put the bubble into his sleeve. He gazed from afar at the rapidly approaching escape light.

The approaching enemy seemed to have guessed Marquis Yuan's intention. His escape light veered off, attempting to intercept and kill Marquis Yuan.

Marquis Dingxiang snorted coldly inwardly. His body transformed into white smoke and swiftly passed through dozens of light waves, blocking the path between the approaching enemy and Marquis Yuan.

“He must be going to fetch Spirit King You…” Qin Sang saw their actions and sighed inwardly.

After all, he was short on manpower, and the opponent had gotten there first. Fortunately, he had received guidance and tracked down the target.

Seeing Marquis Yuan's escape light vanish, Qin Sang knew there was no chance to intercept him now. He withdrew his gaze and fixed it on Marquis Dingxiang. A murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

Since that was the case, he would seize the spirit tree before Spirit King You arrived!

'Boom!' Their gazes met across the light waves. Both the human and the demon felt their minds tremble. Their expressions were solemn.

'Crack!' Amidst the thunderous sound, Qin Sang broke through the waves and revealed his form in a flash of lightning.

He looked at Marquis Dingxiang's sleeve. Qin Sang twitched the corner of his mouth, revealing a faint smile. Because of his strange appearance, it looked more like an evil grin to an ordinary person.

“Fellow Daoist, by blocking me, do you wish to share the divine tree with me? I am not greedy. Let's work together to break open the bubble. Considering you still need to present a tribute to the demon king upon your return, I will only take thirty percent, how does that sound?”

Marquis Dingxiang's face showed contemplation. He seemed to be genuinely considering the suggestion. Finally, with a regretful expression, he said, “This marquis does not dare to make such a decision on my own. How about we wait for His Majesty to arrive here and discuss it with you face-to-face? If we can turn conflict into peace, that would naturally be a joyous outcome for all.”

Qin Sang had not held much hope to begin with, nor did he dare to gamble on the demon king's disposition. He sighed faintly, raised his hand and pointed into the void, and a sword light, like lightning, shot directly towards Marquis Dingxiang.

Marquis Dingxiang was already prepared. He didn't utter any nonsense about 'first come, first served'. Not to mention their previous conflicts, even if they had been complete strangers meeting before a treasure, there was only one eternal principle: the capable shall possess it!

'Whoosh!' His long beard beneath his chin danced in the wind, and countless wisps of white qi wove into a net.

Marquis Dingxiang even directly summoned an elephant trunk; from its tip, two streams of white qi shot out, converging with the net to form a sturdy barrier in front of him.

Marquis Dingxiang's gaze passed through the mesh, watching the incoming Cloud Roaming Sword. His pupils constricted slightly.

“This sword is truly extraordinary! No wonder a single strike from it made Marquis Ping so disheveled…”

This thought flashed through his mind. Marquis Dingxiang lightly tapped his feet in the void, his body transforming into white smoke, and he rapidly retreated.