Chapter 1248: Ancestor Soul Tree's Opportunity

As Zhou Yuan's body crashed into the massive tree trunk, he felt as if he had broken through a thin film. But before he could fully register the sensation, the scene before him abruptly transformed.

He appeared to be standing on an ancient tree branch. His gaze swept across the surroundings, revealing a vast, circular cavern where branches snaked along the walls like enormous pythons.

Ahead, a jade-like lake shimmered, with mist gently swirling above its surface.

The expansive lake, with its vibrant emerald water, emitted a delicate fragrance that carried an astonishingly potent life force.

Zhou Yuan inhaled the scent and instantly felt his Spirit in his glabella hum and tremble, a clear sign of intense yearning. And it wasn't just his Spirit; his physical body and the Genesis Qi within him also showed signs of agitation.

“What a place!” Zhou Yuan exclaimed, his eyes burning with excitement.

He had previously felt a pang of regret for sacrificing ten Ancestral Soul Fruits to find this path, but upon seeing the jade-like lake, he realized he had made an immense gain.

The benefits here were so immense that not even ten times the number of Ancestral Soul Fruits could compare.

Above him, Tun Tun, sensing Zhou Yuan’s excitement, proudly patted his head. A thought, transmuted into words, entered Zhou Yuan’s mind: “Stick with Lord Tun Tun, and you’ll never be short on benefits.”

Zhou Yuan rolled his eyes, but considering that Tun Tun had indeed led him to such a magnificent place, he, being the more mature one, chose not to bicker.

Tun Tun, however, had no time for idle chatter with Zhou Yuan. Its beast eyes were also fixed eagerly on the jade-like lake. It knew that not every Ancestral Soul Tree could give birth to an Ancestral Soul Spirit Pool; such pools only appeared within Ancestral Soul Trees with deep, robust roots. Their luck was truly extraordinary, as the very first Ancestral Soul Tree they encountered upon entering the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven possessed such a Spirit Pool.

This Ancestral Soul Spirit Pool was a convergence of the immense essence it had absorbed from within the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven.

The Ancestral Soul Tree's growth also depended entirely on the potent essence concentrated here.

This place offered immense benefits for Tun Tun as well.

Plop!

Tun Tun shot forward, plunging headfirst into the Ancestral Soul Spirit Pool. There, it reverted to its massive original form, instantly generating huge waves. Its body seemed to become a black hole, continuously devouring the essence within the Ancestral Soul Spirit Pool.

Startled by the sight, Zhou Yuan couldn't help but exclaim, “Little rascal, leave some for me!”

Without further delay, he too leaped directly into the lake.

Plop!

As he entered the water, Zhou Yuan immediately noticed the slightly viscous texture of the emerald lake. Yet, the mysterious power it contained surged into his body the instant he made contact.

Feeling the stirring within his body, Zhou Yuan no longer hesitated and promptly sat cross-legged in the depths of the lake.

His mind gradually settled, and a massive suction force emanated from him, forming a large vortex around his body.

Innumerable emerald-green light particles seeped from the lake water, then, like birds flocking to a forest, they all streamed into Zhou Yuan’s body.

The Spirit, nestled in his glabella, was the first to react; it opened its mouth and gently inhaled.

Instantly, fully half of the emerald-green light particles that had streamed into his body were swallowed in a single gulp.

As that half of the emerald-green light particles were consumed, the Spirit immediately burst forth with a myriad of radiant colors. These colors converged behind its head, forming a mysterious and extraordinary halo.

At that very moment, Zhou Yuan distinctly felt his Spirit realm, which had been stagnant at the peak of the Middle Stage of Transformation, subtly begin to ascend once more.

“Such a profound effect…”

Zhou Yuan was overjoyed. He knew he had previously invested immense effort into strengthening his Spirit power, yet had always struggled to achieve his goal. Now, within this Ancestral Soul Spirit Pool, the once impregnable barrier around his Spirit seemed to be loosening.

Beyond the advancement of his Spirit, the remaining half of the emerald-green light particles within his body split into two portions. One portion circulated with his Genesis Qi, eventually settling into his Divine Dwelling and being swallowed in a single gulp by the Genesis Infant seated within.

The other portion, as it circulated, gradually integrated into his physical body, particle by particle.

At that moment, Zhou Yuan truly understood what joy felt like.

The Genesis Infant within his Divine Dwelling emitted powerful fluctuations, and its seven-inch form subtly showed signs of further growth.

His physical body began to hum with energy, emitting lustrous light. This mysterious glow then began to permeate deep into his very being. Under its pervasive influence, his flesh, meridians, and bones were continuously tempered and strengthened.

This was true joy — the triple advancement of his Spirit, Genesis Qi, and physical body!

An uncontainable joy surged within Zhou Yuan’s heart. Eventually, everything settled into a profound calm. He remained seated cross-legged in the lake’s depths, as a massive vortex formed around him. Countless emerald-green light particles continuously materialized, then surged towards him in waves.

He felt that after this experience, his strength should be able to advance another level.

At that point, he would be able to genuinely contend even against those with pseudo-Dharma Domains.

With his thoughts now calm and focused, Zhou Yuan fully immersed himself in this profound opportunity.

Within the Ancestral Soul Spirit Pool, waves churned. Two massive, distinct vortices continuously spun, both joyfully absorbing the Ancestral Soul Tree's accumulated essence of centuries.

However, neither the human nor the beast could have foreseen that this blissful absorption would last for an entire month.

While Zhou Yuan and Tun Tun were engrossed in the fortuitous opportunities provided by the Ancestral Soul Spirit Pool, the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven outside began to experience significant turmoil over the course of that month.

The source of this turmoil was not the usual conflicts between the various clans of the All-Beast Heaven. Instead, as exploration deepened, the true formidable enemy within the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven began to reveal itself.

It was none other than the Fiend Beast clan, dispatched by the Saint Clan.

When news of the Fiend Beast clan spread, all teams from the All-Beast Heaven within the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven immediately ceased their internal conflicts. This was because the high-ranking officials of each clan had issued a strict directive upon their arrival: every Fiend Beast that entered the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven must be eradicated.

Even without such a directive, the Rank 7 experts from the various clans who had entered the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven would never have let the Fiend Beast clan off easily. The animosity between the two sides ran deep in their bloodlines; any encounter was destined to be a fight to the death.

Consequently, over the course of the month, every encounter between the two factions erupted into brutal combat. The clashes were nothing short of savage.

A heavy scent of blood began to permeate the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven.