World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 631: Qinghua Has a Divine Tree

On the way back to Fengmo, Wang Sheng thought of a pair of unfortunate companions: Liu Yunzhi and Shi Qianzhang. He had entrusted them with Qinglin's broken sword before sending them back home to Earth.

Fortunately, Huai Jing had remembered them. When they entered the wormhole earlier, he also sent a communication talisman to notify the two and stop them from wasting their time.

Since Qinglin was still alive, his sword naturally did not have to be placed at the Sword Mound.

Once Liu Yunzhi and Shi Qianzhang returned to Xinghai City, the base of Earth's cultivators would grow a little livelier.

Wang Sheng reviewed the events of recent days. He realized that things had steadily improved ever since he and Lishang had risked their lives to kill Tan Lang, with few setbacks along the way.

They had weakened the Celestial Wind Sect again and again. The thirteen qi planets' situation had finally begun to stabilize, and a three-way balance of power had largely taken shape. Within the Xinghai Sect, he had also gained a certain degree of influence, while Yao Xingzi and Lishang both accepted and supported the growth of his fellow Earthlings.

Qinglin had been saved, which added another precious source of combat strength to Earth's cultivation world. Moreover, Wang Sheng had subdued Long Aotian and even renamed him Long Liekong, further strengthening their forces and, by extension, the Xinghai Sect.

Mu Wanxuan steadily advanced in her cultivation. He himself had met their forefather and obtained the Great Dao sword case and the Myriad-Slaying Sword Intent. After several milder fights, his Daoist realm had also risen significantly.

Sword cultivators truly grew stronger in combat.

Wang Sheng now felt confident that he could reach the Heavenly Immortal Realm within three hundred years, and that was a rather conservative estimate. Once he did, he would be able to destroy the Celestial Wind Sect. This modest wish had already been placed on his agenda.

After returning to their residence, Wang Sheng, Mu Wanxuan, Huai Jing, Fan Tuantuan, and Zhang Zikuang gathered to discuss the next step of their plans.

"The Celestial Wind Sect probably has difficult days ahead of them," Fan Tuantuan said. Holding a small notebook, she presented her analysis in an orderly manner. "According to our latest intel, the experts of the North-River Sword Sect appear to have already left the Celestial Wind Sect. When the troops withdrew from the Fengli Sect's planet, they allegedly departed immediately.

"The condition of the Celestial Wind Sect's sect master is unknown. He still seems to be unconscious, and his Primordial Spirit suffered severe damage. Meanwhile, the Fengli Sect has recently begun recruiting members on a large scale. Although they're constantly showing goodwill toward the Xinghai Sect, we should still remind the Xinghai Sect to maintain some distance.

"We should continue keeping a low profile and avoid letting the Heavenly Court expert behind the Fengli Sect discover the existence of the Small Immortal Realm. That concludes all of my points."

"Amitabha," Huai Jing intoned. "Her Highness Yaoyun should be the one to decide who owns the resources in the Small Immortal Realm."

Zhang Zikuang grinned. "Absolutely. Those are relics that the immortals of the Heavenly Court left behind, after all. Her Highness holds the right to allocate them, and this is already accepted back home.

"Without permission from Fei Yu or Her Highness, we cannot move anything inside the Small Immortal Realm, especially since a palace spirit guards each great palace. At most, we can take a soak in the Immortal-Nourishing Pool."

Wang Sheng asked, "How are our number of cultivators looking?"

"It has not increased much. The situation is being properly controlled," Zhang Zikuang replied. "However, according to observations and calculations over the past few years, the peak levels of Earth's primal qi have started to decline. Since the cultivators' demand for it rises as they advance, we'll have a shortage in our hands in roughly six hundred years.

"We still have a lot of time left, but we already have projects that require large amounts of primal qi. For example, in recent years, we have been developing a primal qi cannon. It consumes the equivalent of the full enchanted power of a Grand Immortal-Ascension Realm cultivator with each shot. Though it's still only a prototype, that estimation is quite generous."

"Let's set our deadline to three hundred Earth years, which is thirty thousand years out here." Wang Sheng laughed softly. "Are we really so useless that it'll take us longer than that to claim a planet or two?"

Everyone smiled at once.

Zhang Zikuang then sighed. "Fortunately for us, Fei Yu, you cultivated a few steps faster and came out earlier. That has helped with setting up the plan.

"With how fast Earth's top cultivators are progressing right now, we'd really only have a tight window if the plan only allows Ascended Immortals and above to leave the Realm of Exiled Immortals."

Huai Jing snapped his fingers. "Since the situation is already so optimistic, I think it's time to add another matter to the agenda."

Wang Sheng asked casually, "What is it?"

Huai Jing seriously replied, "Naturally, it concerns your senior sister's cultivation. Has Bu Yu not told you yet?"

Mu Wanxuan blinked gently. Smiling warmly, she shook her head. "No hurry."

Fan Tuantuan muttered, "Are you sure? Why have you been looking in that direction every day lately, then, Senior?"

Wang Sheng felt somewhat puzzled. "What are you all talking about?"

Zhang Zikuang cleared his throat and said in a booming tone, "Right now, we are facing an opportunity to add a powerful new warrior to Earth's cultivation world. Fei Yu, you have to accept this trial and allow your Daoist partner to become a true powerhouse."

Grinning, Fan Tuantuan clicked her tongue. "This trial could be very exciting."

An exciting trial that can turn Senior Sister into a true powerhouse? A bold thought crossed Wang Sheng's mind. Is this about uniting her yin with my yang?

Interrupting Wang Sheng's pleasant speculation, Huai Jing smirked and remarked, "Amitabha. Dirty thoughts aren't allowed in front of a monk. Anyway, allow me to explain."

When he had intoned the Buddha's name, he had imbued it with a subtle trace of a Buddhist art that instantly calmed one's Dao Heart.

"How much do you know about Fairy Bu Yu's previous life, Fei Yu?"

"A Golden Immortal, a divine maiden, and a disciple of Emperor Qinghua," Wang Sheng replied softly. Under the table, he gently took hold of Mu Wanxuan's somewhat restless hand and looked into her slightly dimmed eyes. "But whoever she was in her previous life, that belongs to the past. In this life, she is my senior sister."

As though no one else were present, Mu Wanxuan pressed her lips together in a faint smile and met Wang Sheng's gaze. A moment later, she remembered that others were nearby. She quickly closed her eyes, gathered her thoughts, and assumed the posture of focused cultivation.

"As far as I know, Fairy Hua Qing descended into the world during the Primal Era. She was an innate divine tree and also one of the innate spiritual roots. Although her existence didn't defy heaven like the Peach Tree of Immortality[1] or the Jianmu Tree[2], her origin was still extremely rare. Her divine tree appeared in the world when the Three Realms were established, and Emperor Qinghua later moved it to the Eastern Sky Region.

"Unfortunately, the divine tree cultivated too much, and when the Ancient Era began, the Great Dao obstructed the primordial beings' human transformations. Hence, the divine tree failed to take shape, existing between spirit and matter.

"Later, the divine tree requested Emperor Qinghua's assistance. He sealed her cultivation, drew out the spirit of the divine tree, and used the Six Paths of Reincarnation's power to recreate a body for her. That was the birth of the divine maiden Hua Qing.

"Hua Qing cultivated step by step until she reached the Golden Immortal Realm. The Heavenly Court then appointed her as a proper deity, placing her in charge of all trees in the Eastern Sky Region." Huai Jing paused, then smiled. "That's why I once mentioned Fairy Bu Yu's origins are in no way inferior to those of Empress Nuwa's descendants."

Wang Sheng had already grasped the key point. "If we find that divine tree, will my senior sister advance rapidly in her cultivation?"

Still smiling, Huai Jing replied, "Advancing at an incredible pace may be difficult, but it will certainly be of great benefit. At the very least, it should allow Bu Yu to quickly reach the peak of the Primordial Immortal Realm."

Wang Sheng immediately grew spirited. "Where is the divine tree? Now that the thirteen qi planets are finally stabilizing, I can take her there and search for it."

"It's probably located at Emperor Qinghua's former cultivation site," Huai Jing said. "After the Heavenly Court was defeated, Emperor Qinghua vanished without a trace. Some say he died in the great war, while others say the Five Heavenly Declines severely affected him, forcing him to hide and recover.

"Bu Yu can sense the general direction of that place, but she does not know how far away it actually is. That's where the problem lies."

"Having a direction is good enough," Wang Sheng said. "The former residence of Emperor Qinghua should be somewhere in the Eastern Sky Region. There is no harm in searching for it."

Mu Wanxuan blinked gently and softly said, "Xinghai."

Wang Sheng smiled. "There is no need to worry about the Xinghai Sect. If danger arises, Buddhist Master Huai Jing can contact Daoist Master Qinglin to provide support. His Dao of the Sword is still above mine."

Fan Tuantuan added, "There should not be any battles breaking out soon. A triangle is the most stable structure, and doesn't the Xinghai Sect also have a sect master who can perform divination?"

"Let's go speak with the sect master and vice sect master right away," Wang Sheng said as he pulled Mu Wanxuan to her feet, even more eager than Mu Wanxuan herself.

Wang Sheng had understood the heaviness in Mu Wanxuan's heart for hundreds of years. The gentler she treated him in daily life, the stronger her will truly was.

Since leaving the Earth Qi Seal, Wang Sheng had rapidly grown stronger. Meanwhile, the once astonishing Fairy Bu Yu, admired by countless Daoist sects, had gradually become a supporting figure along with their master.

She rejoiced at her junior brother's growth, yet she also felt frustrated. Ever since she switched to the Dao of Balanced Yin and Yang, she had repeatedly encountered bottlenecks. Mu Wanxuan never spoke of these matters, yet she constantly pushed herself into seclusion and pressed forward without rest.

When they first began cultivating, she wanted to protect her junior brother and take care of him. But by the time they reunited, Wang Sheng was already close to reaching the Heavenly Immortal Realm, leaving Mu Wanxuan far behind. All she could do by then was turn her hopes into a quiet resolve not to hold her junior brother back.

She never spoke of the frustration in her heart. On the contrary, she always showed Wang Sheng her gentlest side while forcing herself to never stop cultivating.

At some point, all that filled her heart was her junior brother and cultivation.

Her silence did not mean Wang Sheng was unaware of her struggles, though.

Cultivation was difficult for others to assist with. Wang Sheng himself had to keep growing stronger to better protect Mu Wanxuan and Earth. He could not deliberately slow his own progress. Now, however, the situation had suddenly taken a hopeful turn. How could Wang Sheng not hurry?

The residence of Emperor Qinghua, the divine tree that he had sealed, and the life that had come before even Mu Wanxuan's previous life had all become a new possibility.

"Go ahead and search for traces of the divine tree without worry," Huai Jing said. "If anything happens in Xinghai, I'll handle it. When do you plan to depart?"

Wang Sheng smiled. "As soon as possible. I can't wait to see Senior Sister sweep across the Eastern Sky Region with the Great Dao of Yin and Yang."

"Pui." Mu Wanxuan raised her hand and lightly tapped Wang Sheng. "Immortality!"

Wang Sheng immediately surrendered and humbly accepted Mu Wanxuan's counterargument. "Yes, yes, immortality is what matters most. Fighting and competing are lesser pursuits."

Without further delay, the two concealed their traces and eagerly rushed out of the residence.

Fan Tuantuan whispered, "Are we still not starting the meeting? Weren't we supposed to discuss how to arrange the first group of cultivators?"

Zhang Zikuang stretched lazily. "There is still more than a hundred years left. What's the hurry? It must be nice to have a senior sister or junior sister. People like us will still have to attend matchmaking blind dates even if we achieve immortality."

Fan Tuantuan rolled her eyes. "If you cannot see properly, do not blame the organization for failing to assign you a partner."

Meanwhile, Huai Jing seemed somewhat preoccupied. He looked at the cup before him, a thoughtful expression appearing on his refined face.

"This Emperor Qinghua..."

"What is it, Buddhist Master?"

"Nothing. Shall we play a few rounds of Chinese chess before returning to cultivation?"

"Sure!"

1. A mythical peach tree in Chinese mythology that grows in the Queen Mother of the West's heavenly garden. Its peaches grant immortality, flight, or eternal youth to those who eat them. ☜

2. A primordial sacred tree in Chinese mythology. It grows at the center of the world and serves as a ladder or axis connecting heaven and earth, allowing gods, shamans, and legendary rulers like Fu Xi and the Yellow Emperor to travel between the realms. ☜