Chapter 1440: Ten Thousand Year Ghost Yin Tree

Zhao Hou glanced at Qian Yue, then led his group in pursuit. A palm-sized azure squirrel perched on Zhao Hou's shoulder.

"Fairy Ye, please come with us!" Qian Yue said in a deep voice, her tone full of temptation. "If we catch the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Herb, your efforts will be recognized. After we leave the Immortal Market, I will report truthfully. I can't promise more, but two spiritual items for Nascent Soul formation are certainly possible."

"Two spiritual items for Nascent Soul formation?" Ye Haitang was somewhat moved; the allure was immense, but so was the risk.

Everything Qian Yue said now was just an empty promise. If Ye Haitang agreed to cooperate, they could easily come into conflict with Myriad Beast Island. Should a fight break out, the Wang family might not fare well.

Ye Haitang didn't want to get involved in the competition between major sects; the risk was too great, and they could easily become cannon fodder.

"Fairy Ye, without our Myriad Sword Sect, you wouldn't even have been able to enter here!" Qian Yue's gaze became stern. "One should know gratitude. We are merely asking for your help in capturing the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Herb. Is the Wang family unwilling to assist our Myriad Sword Sect? Grand-Uncle Sect Master granted you five spots; is this how you treat us? I wonder what Grand-Uncle Sect Master will think when he learns of this."

Qian Yue's gaze became stern. If not for the small number of her fellow disciples and too many competitors, she would never have humbled herself to ask the Wang family cultivators for help.

With the conversation at this point, Ye Haitang could no longer refuse. After all, when they left the Immortal Market, they would still have to hand over certain items; Myriad Sword Sect wouldn't have given them five spots for free.

"How dare they speak to you like that? Should I kill them?" Zhao Meier's voice echoed in Ye Haitang's mind. Ye Haitang ignored her; she was not a bloodthirsty person.

"Alright! We will do our best to help you capture the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Herb." Ye Haitang agreed, communicating with Zhao Meier via divine sense: "Don't act recklessly. These people surely have life-saving treasures; it won't be that simple. They're not trying to kill me, so you don't need to intervene. Just stay hidden and don't get discovered."

Hearing this, Qian Yue breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "With Fairy Ye's words, we are reassured. Let's go! Don't let the people from Myriad Beast Island get ahead of us. They have spirit beasts specifically trained to find spiritual herbs, so their chances of finding the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Herb are quite high."

Qian Yue led Ye Haitang and her group in pursuit, disappearing into the azure bamboo forest.

After about fifteen minutes, they caught up with Zhao Hou and his group. Ahead lay an endless swamp. A purple miasma hung over the swamp, obscuring all flora and fauna, and there was no trace of demonic beasts. Numerous puddles of varying sizes dotted the landscape, from which bubbles occasionally rose, emitting a putrid stench.

Two Core Formation cultivators lay in the swamp, their faces purple, unmoving, their bodies slowly sinking into the mire.

"Where is the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Herb, Fellow Daoist Zhao?" Qian Yue asked with a frown. The Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Herb was skilled in wood-element spells, making it easier for Myriad Beast Island cultivators to track it.

"It disappeared once we reached here," Zhao Hou said, his brows deeply furrowed as he gazed at the swamp. "It likely used a wood-element evasion technique to escape. If we want to continue the pursuit, we must pass through this area. However, there are many third-tier demonic beasts beneath the swamp, and perhaps even fourth-tier ones!"

This swamp spanned over ten li. Two Core Formation cultivators, flying above, had been attacked by over a dozen third-tier demonic beasts, resulting in their deaths.

"Such a vast swamp," Qian Yue said, frowning. "Are you certain the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Herb is ahead?" If it was, they had no choice but to proceed.

Zhao Hou nodded. "I'm certain it's ahead."

"Junior Brother Sun, Junior Sister Li, deploy the Nine Palaces Heavenly Fire Slaying Demonic Sword Formation." Qian Yue summoned thirteen shimmering red flying swords, sending them soaring skyward. Three Myriad Sword Sect disciples also released their flying swords. Over twenty shimmering red flying swords circled erratically high above, chasing each other and emitting piercing sword hums.

A deafening roar of thunder rumbled from above. The more than twenty shimmering red flying swords converged, forming a massive red disc several thousand zhang in diameter. The surface of the red disc was enveloped in a layer of crimson flames, emitting a piercing sword cry.

"Nine Palaces Heavenly Fire Slaying Demonic Sword Formation, activate!" No sooner had Qian Yue's words fallen than dense red sword qi swept out, striking downwards. In addition, crimson fireballs materialized out of thin air, raining down upon the swamp below.

Explosions roared, flames billowed, and the swamp transformed into a sea of crimson fire, with flames leaping skyward.

Ye Haitang was secretly astonished. This sword formation was comparable to a fourth-tier fire-attributed formation. Myriad Sword Sect truly deserved its reputation as one of the ten great sects.

A piercing shriek emanated from the sea of fire, as if something was trying to escape, but it was futile. As dense crimson sword qi and red flames rained down, the swamp below became a raging inferno.

About fifteen minutes later, Qian Yue and the other three performed their sword incantations and recalled their flying swords.

The sea of fire dissipated, revealing a colossal pit over ten li wide. The pit was filled with scorched earth, utterly devoid of any living creatures.

"We can proceed now; let's continue pursuing the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Herb." Qian Yue's tone was calm, as if she were speaking of a trivial matter.

A flicker of apprehension crossed Zhao Hou's eyes. He had someone release a ten-foot-tall azure giant eagle, which circled the enormous pit a few times. Finding no anomalies, they felt reassured enough to fly over.

In under fifteen minutes, they stopped again. This time, they hadn't encountered demonic beasts, but rather a black tree over ten zhang tall.

The tree was entirely black, including its round leaves. It emitted a strong wave of Yin energy.

"This is a Ghost Yin Tree!" Qian Yue exclaimed, her face filled with shock. "This is an ultimate treasure for cultivating ghost-path techniques! It grows one zhang every thousand years, so it must be at least ten thousand years old!"

Ye Haitang's expression was solemn, and her gaze was fervent as she looked at the Ghost Yin Tree.

A Ghost Yin Tree could absorb spiritual energy from heaven and earth, slowly converting it into Yin energy. For ghost-path cultivators, even a thousand-year-old Ghost Yin Tree, let alone a ten-thousand-year-old one, was an invaluable treasure.

With this tree in hand, Ye Haitang's cultivation speed would significantly increase, far surpassing the effects of elixirs.

"A Ghost Yin Tree! Ye girl, you absolutely must obtain this tree!" Zhao Meier's voice rang in Ye Haitang's ear, full of temptation. "Our Myriad Ghost Sect's three foundational treasures, the Heavenly Ghost Banners, were refined using ten-thousand-year-old Ghost Yin Trees. This Ghost Yin Tree is perfectly suitable for refining into a set of magical treasures. You don't have a Natal Magical Treasure yet, so don't miss this chance."

Even if Zhao Meier hadn't said anything, Ye Haitang wouldn't have missed this golden opportunity.

She didn't have a Natal Magical Treasure yet, primarily because she was quite selective; ordinary magical treasures simply didn't impress her. This ten-thousand-year-old Ghost Yin Tree, however, was excellent.

"A Ghost Yin Tree! Hmph, no wonder the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Herb came here. The dense Yin energy here can conceal its aura." Zhao Hou's gaze was grim. The azure squirrel on his shoulder hopped onto his hand, and a flash of green light shone in its eyes.