Chapter 270: Yanhuo Green Lotus

“Such divine treasures, once they appear, surely fall into the hands of Nascent Soul Old Ancestors?” Qin Sang remarked with emotion.

The places where the Ten Divine Woods emerge are inevitably surrounded by danger. Those with weaker cultivation cannot even reach them. If one's strength is insufficient, even if they are lucky enough to obtain such a treasure, it would only invite disaster, potentially leading to their demise.

“Not necessarily!” Cloud Wanderer shook his head. “Among these three occurrences, one involved a spiritual bamboo, the Clear Fortune Righteous Bamboo, revered as the most righteous among the Ten Divine Woods. At that time, numerous Nascent Soul cultivators and transformed demonic beasts participated in the struggle, yet legend has it that the Clear Fortune Righteous Bamboo managed to escape on its own. Its whereabouts remain unknown to this day, and no one has ever heard of anyone using a magic treasure refined from it.”

“It escaped while surrounded by Nascent Soul cultivators and transformed demonic beasts?” Qin Sang was stunned. “Did the Clear Fortune Righteous Bamboo develop sentience and already transform into a demonic beast?”

“It's hard to say; it might have been hidden by someone,” Cloud Wanderer replied. “It is extremely difficult for demonic creatures to transform, and for something of the Ten Divine Woods' caliber, even developing sentience would invite heavenly jealousy. The tribulation of transformation must be incredibly difficult to overcome. After all, the path of immortality is fraught with hardships…”

Cloud Wanderer likely recalled his own cultivation journey, sighing deeply. Qin Sang, recalling his own experiences along his path, resonated deeply with the sentiment.

“What about the second time?” Qin Sang pressed.

“The second instance involved the Abyssal Blood Mulberry, also one of the Ten Divine Woods. This wood is a legendary substance of extreme defilement. Magic treasures refined from the Abyssal Blood Mulberry can unleash a divine ability called the Blood-Filth Divine Light, which can corrupt others' magic tools and treasures. If a magic tool is of slightly inferior quality, it might be directly ruined. Even a magic treasure, if struck by the Blood-Filth Divine Light, would suffer significant damage to its spirituality and require a long period of nourishment to recover.

It is said that the Abyssal Blood Mulberry that appeared at that time was accidentally shattered during a struggle among several Demonic Sect Nascent Soul cultivators present, its fragments scattering deep within Boundless Valley. Even now, cultivators enter Boundless Valley to search, hoping to find a piece. After all, a divine ability like the Blood-Filth Divine Light can directly secure victory in a confrontation.

“However, Boundless Valley is not easy to trespass into. As the saying goes, 'Man dies for wealth, and birds die for food.' If you can't find the treasure, you'll lose your life instead.” Cloud Wanderer said with a touch of irony.

“Boundless Valley?” Qin Sang thought back carefully; he didn't seem to have heard that name before. Among the famous secret realms in the Ancient Immortal Battlefield, there didn't seem to be one called Boundless Valley.

Cloud Wanderer smiled. “Boundless Valley isn't in the Ancient Immortal Battlefield. It's a forbidden land deep within the Heavenly Rift Mountains. Most who enter this place are Demonic Sect cultivators, and countless have died there; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say corpses litter the ground.”

Qin Sang nodded inwardly. So it was in the Heavenly Rift Mountains.

The Heavenly Rift Mountains are vast and boundless. Within their wild expanse are many forbidden zones and similar dangerous places, all of them exceptionally perilous.

“The third time is even more interesting.

It is still unclear which of the Ten Divine Woods appeared that time. Shortly after that incident, the Pure Yang Sect suddenly launched a massive attack on the Blood Nether Sect. Acting alone, they annihilated the then-major Demonic Sect, the Blood Nether Sect, in one fell swoop, executing its leader on the spot and shocking the entire Minor Cold Domain!

Later, rumors circulated that the one who obtained the divine wood was a low-cultivation disciple of the Blood Nether Sect.

Whether there was a connection between these two events, outsiders offered various theories, making it a bewildering mystery.

However, news suspected to have been released by the Pure Yang Sect later spread that the Blood Nether Sect disciple had already fled with the Ten Divine Woods, leaving the Minor Cold Domain.

“Only the Pure Yang Sect itself knows the truth of the matter,” Cloud Wanderer said with a somewhat playful tone.

So that was the reason the Pure Yang Sect annihilated the Blood Nether Sect. Qin Sang nodded inwardly. The Pure Yang Sect was undoubtedly the foremost sect among the Eight Righteous Sects, and its sect leader's cultivation was unparalleled in the Minor Cold Domain. Presumably, no one would dare to seek verification at their doorstep.

“Senior, I've almost finished recuperating. Let me steer the boat now.”

Qin Sang stood up, offering to take over for Cloud Wanderer.

Cloud Wanderer was also greatly fatigued and naturally agreed. He informed Qin Sang of the method for controlling the spiritual bamboo flying boat, and with Qin Sang's assistance, he could still manage the bamboo boat.

The bamboo boat rapidly traversed underground. Even the magnificent and grand realm of lava flows had become tiresome to behold.

Qin Sang subtly glanced at Cloud Wanderer and sighed inwardly, “I hope the trial space isn't too far from the stone tablet, and that no more unforeseen events occur.”

The two took turns steering several times, steadily controlling the spiritual bamboo flying boat. They left the fire spirit beasts behind and continued without major incident, though not without moments of alarm.

Once again, Qin Sang felt his spiritual power reaching a certain level of depletion. When it was Cloud Wanderer's turn, Cloud Wanderer looked at Qin Sang with a puzzled expression, seemingly about to speak but then hesitating.

“Brother Qin… forgive this old Daoist for being direct,” Cloud Wanderer began, “Does your Dantian and Qi Sea have hidden injuries?”

Qin Sang froze for a moment, then instantly realized. Although he had always been careful to hide the damage to his foundation, with the fire spirit beasts relentlessly pursuing them, he had to exert his full power to control the spiritual bamboo flying boat, making perfect concealment impossible.

Cloud Wanderer was already skilled in alchemy and medicine, so it was normal for him to notice some clues.

Qin Sang had the Ebony Sword and the Ten Directions Yama Banner by his side, making him completely fearless of cultivators at the same cultivation level.

Moreover, Cloud Wanderer could only sense that his Qi Sea was damaged, but the extent and severity of the damage could not be discerned by mere observation. For this reason, Qin Sang was not afraid of Cloud Wanderer seeing through his true condition.

Furthermore, Qin Sang indeed had plans to consult someone skilled in alchemy and medicine to find a way to repair his foundation, and Cloud Wanderer was already on his list of potential candidates.

Since he had been noticed, Qin Sang openly admitted, “Senior possesses keen insight. To break through to Foundation Establishment, this junior used a secret technique, causing some damage to my Qi Sea. Although it doesn't significantly affect my cultivation, I've tried various methods, but none have cured it. It's always been like a persistent thorn, difficult to remove, a truly helpless situation.”

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Cloud Wanderer suddenly chuckled, which greatly surprised Qin Sang.

“Brother Qin, you and I truly share a profound fate,” Cloud Wanderer said. “Do you know that the hidden ailment this old Daoist incurred for breaking through to Foundation Establishment is in my primordial spirit? And like yours, it has become a chronic illness. I've traveled for many years just to find spiritual medicine to restore my primordial spirit, but unfortunately, it has never improved. Just now, the spiritual medicine I encountered underground was the Fire-Abhorring Green Lotus. I had thought… who would have guessed the green lotus seeds were already gone…”

Cloud Wanderer's smile faded. His brows furrowed deeply, and his gaze held profound weariness and regret as he let out a deep sigh.

“If I cannot cure this chronic illness,” he continued, “not only will I have no hope of reaching the Golden Core stage in this lifetime, but whether I can even break through to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment is uncertain…”

The Fire-Abhorring Green Lotus is a rare spiritual medicine. The green lotus produces twelve green lotus seeds, but these seeds must ultimately merge into a single one for its medicinal efficacy to reach its peak.

The green lotus seeds have the effect of nourishing the divine soul and strengthening the primordial spirit; they are a spiritual medicine that can only be found by chance.

To have been lucky enough to encounter the Fire-Abhorring Green Lotus, but lack the most crucial green lotus seeds.

It was fortunate that Cloud Wanderer's willpower was resolute; after experiencing such a swing from great joy to great sorrow, he could still face it calmly. Only when discussing the matter did a look of regret appear.