World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 642: At Last, the Divine Tree!

Something about this feels off...

Wherever a great figure left behind a Daoist heritage, trials were inevitable.

According to Zhuge Lin, when the Five Heavenly Declines first descended upon Qinghua, he already understood that calamity could not be avoided. He began arranging layers of restrictions that incorporated the divine tree throughout his former residence. Afterward, he concealed the Great Dao that he had comprehended within them.

The Four Heavenly Ministers had followed Haotian in his rise during the Ancient Era. Qinghua fully deserved to be called immensely powerful. Moreover, he had ruled the Eastern Sky Region for millions of years. The value of the Daoist heritage that he had left behind required no further explanation.

Wang Sheng had inherited Ziwei's Daoist heritage, yet even that had not come easily. First, Chun Yangzi had to send the Seven-Star Sword Formation manual back to Earth safely along with the small bronze box. It also had to fall into the hands of the Pure Yang lineage, which was an essential precondition.

From the version of the Seven-Star Sword Formation that allowed one person to form the array alone, Wang Sheng then comprehended the Reversed Seven-Star Sword Formation. However, that only granted him the qualification to inherit Ziwei's Daoist heritage.

Only when he first sensed the Dao traces that Ziwei left behind did he gain recognition from the Great Dao of the Stars. His journey through Chaos had truly marked him as Ziwei's successor. Since then, only he could access and activate the Dao traces that Ziwei's fall had left behind.

Qinghua's method of passing on his Daoist heritage resembled the style of the endless space. He had set up a vast system of restrictions and established successive trial stages. Afterward, he would summon batches of cultivators. Whoever reached the end would inherit the Daoist heritage of the Heavenly Minister.

The Great Dao sword case functioned in a similar way. However, while the emperor's trial was fixed in place, Minghe had sealed his Great Dao inheritance within a scabbard.

When Zhuge Lin first explained all this, Wang Sheng had already formed a rough idea of what awaited him. He had assumed that he would simply escort his senior sister through each trial. What he had not expected was that Zhuge Lin was far from rigid or old-fashioned. He had already begun making arrangements for them.

"In a moment, I will have Wensheng escort you and Little Qing to the divine tree and assist her in entering it to cultivate. This process will inevitably activate the restrictions that the emperor had set. According to the rules he established, anyone who has already attained the fruit of immortality may not glimpse the Great Dao he left behind. The moment Little Qing enters the divine tree, Wensheng will be driven out.

"What follows will be beyond your control or mine. There is no need to panic. Since I assisted the emperor in creating these measures, I can prepare a map for you shortly. However, once the restrictions have been fully activated, they will surely attract ill-intentioned individuals.

"The emperor was kind, and the trials he left behind are not overly harsh. Still, it is possible that some of them may reach the vicinity of the divine tree just in time to interfere with Little Qing's cultivation. Someone will have to stand guard for her. That responsibility falls to you."

Wang Sheng frowned as he listened, though he understood what Zhuge Lin meant. "Please rest assured, Senior. I will not allow anyone to disturb my senior sister's cultivation."

"You alone may not be enough." Zhuge Lin pondered briefly. "I had hoped not to involve the Qiling Immortal Sect, yet upon reflection, we can only borrow the sect's strength. Wensheng, arrange for several capable Heavenly Immortals who have not appeared publicly. Have them assist Fei Yu in standing guard. This matter has to remain confidential within the sect. Choose only those who are trustworthy."

Zhenren Wensheng replied, "Rest assured, Master. I will handle it properly."

Wang Sheng and his senior sister exchanged a glance. Seeing the helplessness in Mu Wanxuan's eyes, he cupped his hands toward the eight elders of the Qiling Immortal Sect and smiled.

"Senior, allow me to stand guard by myself. Every cause has its effect. It would be best not to draw the Qiling Immortal Sect into this. If someone from the sect is seen protecting Emperor Qinghua's Daoist heritage, it may be difficult to explain the connection."

Zhuge Lin fell into thought.

Mu Wanxuan softly added, "It is fine."

Wang Sheng continued, "Please do not worry. If the situation turns against us, I will take my senior sister and withdraw. Cultivation is important, but it does not outweigh our lives."

The burly Golden Immortal seated at the end suddenly stood up. He had thick, blade-like brows, graying hair, and an imposing presence.

His eyes shone sharply. With faint anger in his tone, he shouted, "Are you looking down on the Qiling Immortal Sect, you little brat?!"

Zhuge Lin frowned and was about to rebuke him, but Wang Sheng merely smiled, unaffected by the pressure.

"Please do not take offense. My senior sister and I simply do not wish to involve others," the young sword cultivator replied. "We sought this place and came to see Senior Zhuge of our own accord. His willingness to let my senior sister enter the emperor's former residence to cultivate is already a huge help to us.

"The Qiling Immortal Sect now has a strong reputation, and it has tens of thousands of cultivators in its mountain gate. Becoming too deeply involved with the Heavenly Court is unwise. Countless immortal heroes have turned to dust, and the Three Realms fractured while ambition still burned.

"When the Heavenly Court was in its prime, it was incomparably powerful. Today, the forces that guard against its restoration and those who wish to eradicate every remaining immortal tied to it are just as formidable."

The burly Golden Immortal frowned and muttered, "You certainly have a way with words, Young Man. You are more long-winded than Senior Brother."

"Fei Yu has a point," Wensheng, the sect master of Qiling Immortal Sect, added. "We will act according to circumstances and provide support from the side."

"Wait here," Zhuge Lin said as he rose to his feet. "I will prepare the map for you. Wensheng, bring some alchemical pills and treasured artifacts for Little Qing and Fei Yu."

Wensheng stood in acknowledgment. "Yes, Master."

He then turned and gave his elderly junior sister beside him an order. She agreed and left the pavilion to retrieve items from the sect's Daoist canon repository.

Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan looked at each other. With nothing more to say, the two intertwined their fingers and waited.

They had incurred yet another debt of gratitude. As long as individuals related to the Heavenly Court's lineage were still around, situations like this would likely happen again in the future.

In any case, they had already become deeply entangled with the Qiling Immortal Sect. From now on, karma would bind them together.

Though the two martial siblings were still too weak to stir the winds of the world, no one could predict what the future held.

***

After roughly half a day of waiting, Zhuge Lin finally completed the map. When Wang Sheng opened the jade slip, the contents were so dense that his eyes almost blurred. He forced himself to memorize the essential routes and markings.

The Qiling Immortal Sect proved exceedingly generous. They presented several chests filled with celestial pills and spiritual herbs. Every bottle contained high-quality medicine of different types, yet they were all practical in use.

Refining pills was their pride and foundation.

What truly surprised Wang Sheng was their willingness to part with two spiritual treasures. Though both were Forged Spiritual Treasures, each was extremely useful in actual combat.

One was a bronze pipe called the Heaven-Veiling Smoke. Once used, it could instantly spread thick smoke that blocked the six senses of everyone in the area. It was perfect for covering a retreat.

The other was a chessboard. Beneath its surface was a pattern of the yin and yang koi, but it had no real relation to the Great Dao of Yin and Yang. Still, it also served as a lifesaving treasure. Once cast out, it could randomly shift its user ten li away.

Protective spiritual treasures were rare to begin with. Even a Golden Immortal would hesitate before gifting one.

The Qiling Immortal Sect had gained wealth by selling alchemical pills. Even so, giving out two such treasures at once was enough to show how deeply the eight elders respected their master and how seriously they took his instruction to care for their two juniors.

Zhuge Lin repeatedly instructed Wang Sheng, Mu Wanxuan, and Wensheng about what could happen once the restrictions were activated. Meanwhile, the Qiling Immortal Sect finalized its own preparations.

When the restrictions opened, they would immediately shut down the three teleportation arrays on Qiling. They would delay the arrival of outsiders as long as possible and claim that spatial disturbances had disrupted the region.

Just as Wang Sheng had guessed, Qinghua's former residence had been turned into the sect's medicinal garden. It was not considered a vital area anymore. Most of the ancient herbs had long since been harvested.

They would declare the site a restricted ground of the Qiling Immortal Sect and attempt to block anyone who tried to force entry. However, according to Zhuge Lin, the situation would eventually spiral out of control. The sect would not be able to delay matters for long.

Once everything was arranged, Zhuge Lin's eight disciples left the pavilion and announced to the sect that his condition was stable. The cultivators gathered in the valley finally relaxed.

It was clear that their grandmaster of alchemy held considerable prestige within the sect. After the commotion died down and the immortals dispersed, Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan met with Cha Yue. Wang Sheng then explained that they could not push through with the transaction because Zhuge's health had suddenly worsened.

Cha Yue did not suspect anything. The sect master and elders had never mentioned the two, which suggested that they had simply been present at an unfortunate moment and remained inside throughout the incident. The eight had likely just been in too much of a hurry to bother driving them out.

The three left the Qiling Immortal Sect's mountain gate in an ox cart and returned to the great city where they came from. After parting with Cha Yue, Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan rented a residence in the city to rest. Three days later, they departed Qiling aboard the Shadowless Shuttle.

They first flew toward a planet that they had previously discovered. After several changes in direction and a wide detour, they finally headed toward the mustard seed realm.

The moment Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan stepped out of the Shadowless Shuttle, dense immortal light blossomed before them. Within the light, a vortex shaped like a gateway formed. They flew straight inside without hesitation.

Soon after, they found themselves in a small realm. Dense primal qi rushed toward them.

From afar, green mountains and clear waters stretched out, and above them, blue skies and drifting white clouds loomed. The gateway sealed shut.

Wensheng stood waiting just a few steps away. The Golden Immortal was a bit small, but he was refined and composed, his gaze calm and steady.

When he saw Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan, he offered a slightly stiff smile. "Please follow me."

"Thank you for your help, Senior."

"It is nothing," he replied in a low tone. "Are you certain you do not wish for a few elders to guard you from the side? We have disciples who have never appeared publicly. They are trustworthy."

Wang Sheng gave a Daoist salute. "We appreciate your goodwill, Senior. However, what concerns my senior sister and me is something we should face ourselves."

Smiling faintly, Wensheng nodded. "Very well."

He turned to lead the way and conjured a white cloud beneath their feet.

Without turning around, he calmly said, "You have so much resolve and courage that I just know you will be an extraordinary sword cultivator one day. Still, remember that excessive rigidity leads to breaking."

Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan exchanged smiles. Qing Yanzi often told them a similar line.

Due to the size of the realm, it didn't take them long to reach the mountains at its center, amid which lay a valley. The scenery within was remarkably similar to what Mu Wanxuan had once painted.

She softly muttered, "It's here..."

Right after, she fixed her gaze upon the great tree at the deepest part of the valley. She frowned slightly, and her lips pressed together. She finally felt her bond with it—and it was stronger than blood ties.

The tree appeared to be of ordinary celestial wood. Though it exuded an indescribable presence, it didn't immediately draw attention due to the abundance of rare flowers and strange fruits around it.