Chapter 1251: Wutong Venerable

Jiang Fan followed his gaze and was momentarily dazed.

Deep within the dark forbidden area, there was a thousand-year-old ginkgo tree. The ancient, towering tree, wide enough for ten people to embrace, stood tall and majestic. Its ginkgo leaves, like golden scales, cascaded down in an umbrella shape.

The wind blew. Leaves rustled down, like a flock of golden butterflies fluttering, or like falling meteors in the night sky.

Everyone was stunned. The deepest part of the terrifying Great Desolate Forbidden Area was, unexpectedly, a picturesque scene of earthly beauty.

"There... someone's there." Venerable Hongchen, with his sharp eyes, was the first to spot a young girl in a pale yellow dress, sitting cross-legged beneath the tree.

Her dark hair was styled into two braids, and her round, lovely face featured delicate features. She was a lively and radiant young girl.

At that moment, her eyes were slightly closed. She allowed the gentle breeze to rustle her dress. The yellow divine halo behind her head also emitted a soft, sacred glow in the wind.

On the divine halo, five flame marks were particularly striking. Her identity was unmistakable!

Venerable Wutong! A millennium had passed, yet she remained a bright and youthful girl.

It was as if time itself doted on her, unwilling to leave a single strand of gray in her dark hair or a wrinkle on her face. Seas turned into mulberry fields, and mulberry fields turned into seas again. Time itself had aged, but she remained unchanged.

Gulp! Someone, unknown, swallowed hard. The legendary Venerable of the Five Decays of Heavenly Beings, a supreme being among mortals, sat right before them. No one could remain calm.

Jiang Fan was also awestruck, unable to help but whisper, "She truly is a woman favored by the heavens."

He had seen eternal youth before. Empress Pearl and Empress Old Dream, two demon empresses, possessed faces untouched by time. However, they couldn't withstand a millennium of time; they would eventually turn to dust. Yet, Venerable Wutong remained exactly as she was, even after a thousand years.

His whispered words created ripples in space and time. Venerable Wutong's eyelashes trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes. Her large, round eyes were strikingly clear, black and white.

Her gaze was somewhat dazed. It seemed she had just awakened from a long slumber. As her vision gradually focused and she saw the group clearly, she softly scanned them.

When she saw Jiang Fan, a burning light flickered in her eyes. She scrambled to her feet, a healing smile gracing her lips, and two shallow dimples appearing on her cheeks as she exclaimed in surprise, "You're here?"

Holding her dress, she joyfully ran towards Jiang Fan. As she neared him, she slowly halted, maintaining a distance, and shyly lowered her head. She was both adorable and bashful.

Jiang Fan was slightly stunned. Was Venerable Wutong speaking to him? What was with the shyness?

Venerable Wuyu swallowed hard. At close proximity, he felt a suffocating pressure! His realm of Two Decays of Heavenly Beings was like a small boat facing a tsunami in front of Venerable Wutong. It could capsize at any moment.

He hastily cupped his hands and said, "This junior pays respects to Venerable Wutong!" The other five demonic path venerables also bowed respectfully. Venerable Lianjing also watched Venerable Wutong with trepidation, clearly feeling the immense pressure.

Venerable Wutong regarded them as if they were air. She only shyly faced Jiang Fan, saying, "I've been waiting for you for so long, come quickly!"

She extended her hand, shyly tugging on Jiang Fan's sleeve, and walked towards the ginkgo tree.

Jiang Fan didn't understand her intention. He silently followed her to the ginkgo tree.

As he got closer, Jiang Fan discovered that the tree trunk was covered with two names. One was "Wutong," and the other was "Lu Jiulin." There were hundreds of them. Most of the inscriptions were already blurred, making it impossible to trace the era in which they were carved.

"Senior Brother Lu, do you remember our promise?"

Wait! Jiang Fan abruptly looked at Venerable Wutong. She had mistaken him for Lu Jiulin!

"I'm not..." Jiang Fan wanted to correct her, but Venerable Wutong shyly took his hand.

A sensation of coldness, utterly devoid of warmth, enveloped him. Her bashful voice, accompanied by the scattered ginkgo leaves, softly drifted into his ears:

"Senior Brother Lu, Wutong has waited five hundred years for you."

Jiang Fan's heart trembled slightly. Venerable Wutong had not left the forbidden area, simply waiting for Lu Jiulin. Waiting for their unfulfilled promise! A wait of five hundred years!

The explanation on the tip of his tongue could no longer be spoken. Lu Jiulin had perished a thousand years ago in a deserted snowy landscape. The person standing before her was merely a stranger, here to convey a sorrowful truth. Her Senior Brother Lu would not come.

Perhaps due to cultivating the "Vansheng True Spirit Art," Venerable Wutong had mistaken Jiang Fan for Lu Jiulin. Pouring out five hundred years of longing to him. How could Jiang Fan bear to shatter the dream she had waited five hundred years for?

With a gentle gaze, he reached out and cupped Venerable Wutong's face, saying softly on behalf of Lu Jiulin:

"I've come to fulfill the promise."

"Wutong."

Mist welled up in Venerable Wutong's eyes, quickly forming tears, and she began to sob brokenly:

"I was so afraid I'd sleep forever and never see you again."

She threw herself into Jiang Fan's embrace, her tears quickly soaking his clothes. Her delicate body also trembled softly:

"I was cursed by the Giant Emperor. Each time, I can only awaken for one day before falling into a long slumber.""I was afraid of forgetting you, so every time I woke up, I carved your name and mine.""To remind myself the next time I awoke not to forget our promise.""Thankfully, by heaven's grace, Senior Brother Lu has finally come.""I don't have to worry anymore."

Jiang Fan looked at the dense inscriptions, deeply moved. These weren't just names. They were Venerable Wutong's longing, spanning five hundred years of time and space. Every stroke and mark was infused with affection. His throat felt as if something was lodged in it, rendering him speechless.

Venerable Wutong lifted her head, wiped away her tears, her eyes filled with anticipation for the future:

"Senior Brother Lu, since you're here, let's leave the Central Plains together.""Let's find a secluded paradise and plant two rows of ginkgo trees that you like.""Build a beautiful house.""Only heaven and earth, you and I. No one will obstruct us, no one will disturb us, and there will be no more partings in life or death.""Okay?"

So, their promise was to leave the Central Plains realm together. To find a secluded paradise and stay by each other's side. How similar was this to Ling Shu's wish?

Jiang Fan met Venerable Wutong's fervent gaze, unable to bring himself to tell her the truth.

"Senior Brother Lu, what's wrong?" Venerable Wutong asked, fearful.

Jiang Fan's heart felt as if it were being pricked by needles. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Okay!""We'll leave the Central Plains!"

With such a gaze, such a wish, how could he bear to refuse her directly? He could only agree first, then explain slowly later.

However, to Jiang Fan's surprise... Venerable Wutong's face was filled with excitement, and tears streamed down again. She nodded repeatedly, saying, "Good, let's go to that secluded paradise now."

"But, Senior Brother Lu, please wait for me for a moment.""First, let me absorb the world's Qi Luck and break through to the Great Sage realm.""Only then can I break through the world barrier."

She pointed a finger at the divine halo behind her. The five flame marks merged into one. Above her head, they coalesced into a grayish-white flame. It had no temperature, no color. It was like a drawn flame pattern. Lacking only a final touch to become a true flame!