Chapter 2350: Jianmu

The sea of clouds automatically parted, and the heroic man descended beside the Imperial Platform. Sensing the changes within, he couldn't help but turn pale with shock. So much of the Imperial Platform's essence had suddenly vanished; it couldn't be natural depletion. Someone had stolen the essence right under his nose! The platform's tremor indicated that a thief had infiltrated, stolen the essence, and disrupted the balance between the platform and the sacred mountain. The thief must have been here just moments ago, but now there was no trace, and even with his cultivation, he couldn't detect them.

From the heroic man's sleeve shot out a streak of crimson fire, enveloping a token that was neither wood nor gold. When the Imperial Platform had trembled, he had activated this token to control the mountain-protecting formation, completely sealing Dengbao Mountain. He hadn't detected anyone forcibly breaching the formation, which meant the thief was likely still within the mountain.

“Whoosh!” The token shone brightly, instantly relocating all the witches to a single spot and bringing them under control. At the same time, the heroic man gained the power of the mountain-protecting formation. His eyes shot out brilliant divine light as his gaze swept over the faces of the witches. Startled by the sudden change, they appeared surprised and panicked, but he couldn't discern anything unusual about them.

“They aren't disguised as witches?” The heroic man's brow furrowed.

Outsiders could infiltrate Dengbao Mountain through two methods. One was to disguise themselves as witches, or hide within a witch's body, but this required deceiving the altar. It was important to know that this altar was no ordinary treasure; it had existed since the era of the Five Ancient Clans and Five Emperors. It was an ancient altar for worshipping heaven, which had been lost for a time before being rediscovered and placed here. Even descendants had not yet fully mastered its power. The second method was to seize a fleeting opportunity when witches entered Dengbao Mountain, blend in amidst the chaos, and do so without causing significant disturbance. Both methods were extremely difficult. An infiltrator would need to be very knowledgeable about the secrets of the Witch Clan and possess exceptionally high cultivation, likely being a Mahayana cultivator!

Thinking of this, the heroic man's heart sank, and he secretly became vigilant. However, he wasn't flustered. He had already sent word of the changes here, and presumably, a Celestial Witch was already observing the situation.

“Boom!” The sacred mountain trembled.

The token trembled, then swiftly flew into the high sky, emitting dazzling spiritual light like a fiery red sun. The sunlight bathed the land, illuminating every corner of the sacred mountain, but the result was the same as before. Just then, the heroic man seemed to hear something. A hint of surprise appeared on his face, and he abruptly looked towards the mountaintop.

Qin Sang was thrown into the Heavenly Eye Space by the Void Butterfly. At first, he saw a hazy grayness, but in an instant, his vision returned, and the surrounding scenery was completely different. He immediately noticed a four-sided platform, and an ineffable feeling welled up in his heart.

The length, width, and size of this four-sided platform were indescribable. It could be vast or tiny, existing only in one's mind. With a mere thought from Qin Sang, it could expand to ten thousand li in circumference, or even infinitely vast, and with another thought, shrink to barely accommodate a single person. It was indistinguishable whether it was real or illusory. The four-sided platform was severely dilapidated, with traces of damage everywhere, yet it still appeared ancient and mysterious. If one had to describe the feeling the four-sided platform evoked in Qin Sang, it was a sense of... divinity! Mortals would prostrate themselves before deities. Of course, Qin Sang wouldn't be so humble, and the four-sided platform wasn't a true deity.

“Stairway to Heaven!” Qin Sang knew where he was: Dengbao Mountain peak, the Stairway to Heaven! He didn't know how the Void Butterfly managed it; they had practically teleported here. While not unusual elsewhere, this was the Witch Clan's sacred mountain, with countless formations and restrictions.

Above the four-sided platform, streaks of colorful light, like threads of rain, descended from high in the sky. These colorful streams of light flowed continuously, disappearing into thin air as they reached the four-sided platform. Hiding within the Heavenly Eye Space, Qin Sang still felt a strong sense of danger, which emanated from these colorful streams of light. If not for the Void Butterfly's protection, even a single trace touching him would likely result in severe injury. Qin Sang didn't know what kind of power this was. It must be what Ghost Mother and Void Butterfly had spoken of: the remaining power on Dengbao Mountain peak after the Stairway to Heaven's destruction. These 'rain threads' were not calm; at times they were a gentle drizzle, at others a violent downpour, with no discernible pattern. Looking upwards along the threads, through the dense streams of light, he vaguely saw a massive void, seemingly containing a terrifying storm that made his heart pound.

At this moment, Qin Sang felt the Void Butterfly flying upwards, instantly piercing through the 'rain curtain,' arriving beneath the void, and then unhesitatingly plunging into the storm. The scenery in his vision changed drastically; they had entered a world of vibrant colors. Qin Sang saw streaks of strange gang wind, swirling wildly around like soft ribbons, yet these winds were not chaotic; they largely maintained a certain form. The gang winds had various colors and shapes, but each streak was extremely long, like giant snakes. The fluctuations they created as they danced carried the immense power of landslides and tsunamis. The overlapping fluctuations of countless gang winds converged to form a multicolored storm. Amidst the beautiful scenery lay a great terror! The Void Butterfly seemed like a lone boat in the ocean, caught in a hurricane. Its delicate wings could be torn at any moment, risking capsizing. But she was not as fragile as she appeared. She stood resiliently within the storm, her small figure dancing with the gang winds, a single flicker allowing her to cross dozens of them. She seemed to be searching for something, flickering a dozen times in succession before suddenly accelerating, rushing towards one of the gang winds.

This was a silvery-white gang wind. They only saw one end of it, as it stretched into the infinite distance. The Void Butterfly plunged into a large silver opening; the other gang winds vanished, and silvery light flowed through their vision. There was no up, down, left, or right here; it was boundless void. Qin Sang felt the Void Butterfly flying continuously forward, but he didn't know where exactly 'forward' was.

“Have we left Dengbao Mountain already?” The experiences of this period had surpassed Qin Sang's comprehension. He only knew that the Void Butterfly intended to lead him out of Dengbao Mountain, but seeing no sign of her stopping, it seemed they had not yet escaped danger.

Just then, Qin Sang faintly heard a sound. The sound came from the depths of the void, consisting of only two syllables, resembling two words. “Wither... Bury...” The Void Butterfly snorted, and her speed suddenly increased by another third.

“It's a witch curse!” Qin Sang immediately realized that a powerful Witch Clan member had intervened, and his mind couldn't help but tense up. Between the colorful streams of light outside, a wisp of black qi rapidly permeated. Wherever the black qi passed, plants grew wildly in the void, matured instantly, and then withered instantly. Death energy permeated the air, grass blades turned into nooses, and trees transformed into clawing, terrifying evil spirits.

At this moment, the Void Butterfly, using the power of the silver light, was about to cross some kind of boundary at extremely high speed. Immediately after, Qin Sang saw faint gray light appearing within the silver light ahead, intertwining with it, as if leading to another void. Just as the Void Butterfly was about to cross the boundary between the silver and gray light, a sudden change occurred! The gray light and silver light simultaneously underwent violent turbulence. The two spiritual lights collided fiercely, and the boundary instantly blurred, falling into chaos. The Void Butterfly's speed sharply decreased, as if trapped in a swamp, struggling desperately.

Seeing this, Qin Sang felt a strong sense of foreboding. Immediately, he heard the Void Butterfly say, “We're in trouble.” Her tone was calm, as if she wasn't the one facing trouble. It seemed an unforeseen change had occurred here, one that Ghost Mother and Void Butterfly hadn't anticipated. The Void Butterfly's failure to fully explore the Stairway to Heaven had finally sown a hidden danger. Qin Sang didn't know how to help the Void Butterfly and could only feel anxious.

The Void Butterfly was probably more anxious than him. This time, in stealing the Imperial Platform's essence, the Void Butterfly not only needed to retreat safely but also to conceal her true identity. Therefore, even if she could defeat her pursuers, she dared not stop and confront them. The Insect World was located within the Witch Clan's territory, and there was a Witch God's pact between the Spirit Insect Clan and the Witch Clan. Once the Void Butterfly's identity was exposed, powerful Witch Clan members could immediately track her down. She couldn't simply leave, as it would implicate the other spirit insects in the Insect World. Being recognized would render all her efforts futile.

Meanwhile, the black qi outside spread near the silver light, finally discovering their tracks. It suddenly paused, then entirely drilled into the silver light. The Void Butterfly didn't give up, vigorously flapping her wings. Qin Sang vaguely saw a round mirror, brass-like in texture. Its surface rippled, and a misty aura emerged. It was his first time seeing the Void Butterfly use an external object, so it must be an extraordinary treasure. Immediately, the light and shadows before him shifted; the silver and gray lights vanished, and they entered a realm of orange light. The Void Butterfly repeated her trick, and in the depths of the orange light, he saw gray light again, and the subsequent encounter was almost identical to the last. The Void Butterfly had no choice but to try elsewhere, but each attempt was fruitless. Every time the Void Butterfly tried to cross that boundary, it would trigger turbulence, severing their path forward. With pursuers closing in and their path cut off, they were in a desperate situation. Qin Sang was already considering how to save his life if caught by the powerful Witch Clan members.

However, even in darkness, a ray of dawn always exists. The Void Butterfly suddenly let out a soft 'Eh?', her voice tinged with surprise and joy. The treasure mirror adjusted its surface, a flash of light appeared, and it carried them away from the spot. Seeing this, Qin Sang's hope rekindled. He found that the Void Butterfly had brought him into a blue space. The blue light here appeared somewhat profound, almost greenish-black. Previously, all spiritual lights, regardless of color, felt much the same to Qin Sang. But upon seeing this blue light, Qin Sang immediately sensed a difference, then discovered something seemingly within its depths. The residual power of the Stairway to Heaven could destroy everything, leaving only emptiness everywhere. What could possibly exist in such a place? He gazed intently. This object was the source of the blue light, yet its true form was gray. The object was elongated and exceptionally massive, winding for hundreds of feet, irregularly curved, thicker at one end and thinner at the other. Numerous branches extended from its main body, and it was covered in countless slender filaments, resembling a section of a tree root.

“Root of the Jianmu tree!” The Void Butterfly exclaimed softly, both surprised and delighted. Qin Sang's heart trembled at the words. This was Jianmu, one of the Ten Divine Woods! Among the Ten Divine Woods, Qin Sang had already obtained the Netherblood Mulberry, Auspicious Bamboo, Vajra Fruit, and Soul-Nourishing Wood. Now, he had finally seen another. Jianmu was arguably the most mysterious. Records about it were scarce, and legend had it that only one existed in the world, which had become extinct in ancient times. Even in the Five Elements Alliance's scriptures, mentions of Jianmu were very rare, consisting of only a few unverified legends, and its characteristics were entirely unknown. This aligned with a deduction Qin Sang had read: the Ten Divine Woods were chosen not merely for their rarity and extraordinary properties. There must also be a widely circulated story associated with the spiritual wood, which people enjoyed discussing, allowing it to become widely known and recognized.

“Jianmu, a hundred ren high without branches, with nine branches above and nine roots below. Its fruits are like hemp, its leaves like awns, where spirits pass...”“Jianmu, with green leaves, purple stems, black flowers, and yellow fruits. It casts no shadow at midday, and makes no sound when called upon. It is the center of Heaven and Earth...”“Jianmu, where all emperors ascend and descend.”

The ancient texts flashed through Qin Sang's mind. Regardless of the legend, all believed Jianmu to be a bridge connecting heaven, earth, and gods. Even a broken root section was so massive. He considered a possibility: the Stairway to Heaven might have been based on Jianmu, or perhaps even transformed from Jianmu itself! When the Stairway to Heaven was destroyed, only the residual root of Jianmu remained, hidden here. Its discovery by the Void Butterfly allowed it to see the light of day again. It was truly hard to imagine how powerful Jianmu was, no wonder the Void Butterfly was so delighted. The residual root emitted a blue light, as if some of its divine wood power still lingered. With the power of Jianmu's residual root, they might be able to escape from this place.

“Swish!” The Void Butterfly flew before the residual Jianmu root, fanning her wings, and shot out two streaks of gray light, enveloping the root. “She wants to take the residual Jianmu root!” Qin Sang understood the Void Butterfly's intention. Such a divine wood held immense temptation even for powerful cultivators. He was filled with envy. Such a large piece of Jianmu root, if swallowed by the Wandering Sword, would surely elevate its quality by several levels, and perhaps even grant it some powerful divine ability. The gray light enveloped the residual Jianmu root, about to retract it into the Heavenly Eye Space. Just then, the rootlets on the surface of the Jianmu root moved without any wind, and then with a flash of blue light, it vanished from their sight as if into thin air.

“This...” Both Qin Sang and the Void Butterfly were stunned, not expecting such a turn of events. They wondered if the Void Butterfly had accidentally triggered something, or if the divine wood possessed sentience and had avoided disaster on its own. The Void Butterfly's action was akin to trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice. Fortunately, after the residual Jianmu root vanished, the blue light didn't immediately dissipate. The residual Jianmu root must have been here for a long time, and some of its power still lingered. At this moment, the pursuers were drawing closer, and the chanting of curses was almost at their ears.

The Void Butterfly secretly lamented the missed opportunity. This was her only chance to enter Dengbao Mountain, and she had just missed the residual Jianmu root. However, she dared not cause further complications and quickly gathered the blue light. Unexpectedly, after the residual Jianmu root vanished, this void seemed to lose its support. The void tore apart, and they were surrounded by countless turbulent currents. The surrounding blue light oscillated wildly. Even hidden in the Heavenly Eye Space, Qin Sang felt terrifying pressure, as if he would be crushed.

“Boom!” Suddenly, there was a violent tremor, as if a terrifying force was trying to break in. The situation was extremely critical.

“You two go first!” The Void Butterfly spoke in a low voice.

“Where to?” Qin Sang had an ominous premonition.

“Luck!” The Void Butterfly tossed out a single phrase, then flung Qin Sang away. Simultaneously, a streak of gray light entered the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's body. Before parting, she honored her promise and imparted the method of transformation to the Heavenly Eye Butterfly. Then, without waiting for Qin Sang's response, a fissure appeared ahead. The Void Butterfly split half of the blue light, wrapped Qin Sang and the Heavenly Eye Butterfly in it, and cast them into the fissure. At the last moment, Qin Sang vaguely saw a butterfly silhouette before being swallowed by darkness.

***

*(Author's Note: During the May Day holiday, I took my family out. The Witch Clan arc is nearing its end, and I was planning to finish writing before taking a break, which would also be a good time to organize the outline. Unexpectedly, we encountered some trouble on the road, and only settled down late at night, so I couldn't write. The hotel environment is good, and I don't like crowds anyway. After two days of touring with my family, I plan to stay in the hotel. I'll take one more day off tomorrow, and updates will resume on the fourth.)*