Chapter 35: Transplanting the Spirit Fruit Tree

At this moment, the submissive and somewhat dull-looking white-robed disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect was none other than Du Yucheng, the man who had brutally killed his fellow cultivators in this demon beast cave just a few months ago.

However, standing before several Foundation Establishment seniors, his face had reverted to his characteristic honest and simple expression. His eyes darted occasionally between the Foundation Establishment cultivators, showing none of the ferocity he had displayed when killing Wu Ziyuan.

After escaping the pool that day, Du Yucheng did not return to Qinghe County. Instead, he traveled thousands of miles to Guyang Mountain, the entrance to the Xiaoyao Sect, and directly offered the news of this Water Spirit Fruit tree to the sect.

To avoid drawing unwanted attention, he did not mention that the Liu family had organized several families in Qinghe County to hunt demon beasts here. He merely claimed that he had accidentally stumbled upon the pool and discovered both the Water Spirit Fruit tree and the Black-Feathered Python.

A single Water Spirit Fruit tree was a spiritual object capable of influencing the very foundation of the Xiaoyao Sect, with immeasurable value. The news brought by Du Yucheng even alerted Master Guangling, the Sect Leader in charge of secular affairs.

Upon learning of this, Master Guangling immediately dispatched a group of sect disciples led by Tian Qinghu, bringing Du Yucheng back to this pool.

This time, the Xiaoyao Sect was not only there to slay the Black-Feathered Python occupying the area, but had also sent a mid-grade Level 2 Spirit Plant Master, intending to transplant the Water Spirit Fruit tree directly into the sect's spiritual medicine garden.

Among the Five Elements Spirit Fruit trees planted in the entire Xiaoyao Sect's garden, only a dozen or so were a thousand years old and capable of bearing fruit. Finding a mature, wild Five Elements Spirit Fruit tree in the wild was an unexpected windfall for the sect.

A Five Elements Spirit Fruit tree normally begins to bear fruit only after reaching a thousand years of age, typically producing one spiritual fruit every hundred years. If planted in high-grade spiritual soil and meticulously cared for by high-grade Spirit Plant Masters, the maturation time of the fruit could be shortened.

It was precisely through the strict control of the two primary ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill—the Five Elements Spirit Fruit and the Jade Marrow Golden Lingzhi—that the Xiaoyao Sect had dominated the cultivation world of the State of Wei for thousands of years.

After arriving at the Xiaoyao Sect, Du Yucheng used this Water Spirit Fruit tree not only to successfully join the sect as an inner disciple but also to receive a reward of several hundred spirit stones.

Furthermore, Master Guangling had promised him that if he could reach the ninth level of Qi Refinement before the age of sixty, the sect would provide him with a Foundation Establishment Pill.

In Master Guangling's view, however, Du Yucheng's talent was mediocre. Even with the increased cultivation resources provided by joining the Xiaoyao Sect, reaching the ninth level of Qi Refinement before sixty would be no easy feat.

Although he had promised a Foundation Establishment Pill for the future, that was still decades away. Given his ordinary spiritual root talent, Du Yucheng was unlikely to ever obtain it.

For the sect to spend a few hundred spirit stones to add an insignificant disciple in exchange for a Five Elements Spirit Fruit tree was an incredibly profitable bargain.

It was under Master Guangling's careful arrangements that the Xiaoyao Sect group embarked on this mission to the Fuyun Mountains.

For the sake of this Water Spirit Fruit tree, the Xiaoyao Sect had not only sent the peak Foundation Establishment cultivator Tian Qinghu but also the core disciple Li Yungong, whose combat strength was equivalent to the late stage of Foundation Establishment, along with Cheng Ziyan at the fourth level of Foundation Establishment and Wei Shaoyun at the second level.

As long as they did not encounter a Level 3 demon beast or a Golden Core expert, the success of this mission was virtually guaranteed. This clearly demonstrated the importance the Xiaoyao Sect placed on this single tree.

Inside the cave, Tian Qinghu sensed the fluctuations of spiritual energy and said with a smile, "There is indeed a Level 2 spiritual vein here. No wonder such a spiritual object as a Water Spirit Fruit tree could be born."

Aside from Du Yucheng, the Qi Refinement cultivator, the others nodded upon hearing this. As Foundation Establishment cultivators, they had already felt the spiritual energy surging from the spiritual vein beneath the water upon entering the cave.

Led by Du Yucheng, the group of five quickly reached the depths of the cave and saw their mission objective: the Water Spirit Fruit tree.

After several months, the Water Spirit Fruit tree, shimmering with blue spiritual fruits, remained as magnificent as ever. Seeing that the tree was unharmed, the tension in Du Yucheng's heart finally eased.

He knew all too well that from the moment they left the Xiaoyao Sect for the Fuyun Mountains, his fate had been entirely in the hands of these Foundation Establishment cultivators. If he failed to lead them successfully to the tree, he would likely become just another skeleton among those outside.

"Haha, it truly is a mature Water Spirit Fruit tree! As long as we can successfully bring it back, Martial Uncle Guangling will surely reward us handsomely."

Looking at the brilliantly glowing blue tree, Tian Qinghu turned to Cheng Ziyan beside him with a smile and asked, "Junior Sister Cheng, please examine this tree to see if there are any other issues and if it can be transplanted now."

Cheng Ziyan stepped forward. After carefully inspecting the tree, she frowned slightly and said to the group

"This tree is five feet tall and is approximately two thousand years old. It seems a spiritual fruit matured not long ago, but it is missing. The other fruits are still nearly a hundred years away from maturity. It can be transplanted at any time."

"Nephew Du, when you discovered this tree, did you see that mature Water Spirit Fruit?" Tian Qinghu's expression changed, his tone turning slightly somber as he questioned Du Yucheng.

Hearing this, Du Yucheng panicked instantly. He hurriedly knelt on the ground and explained, "I only stumbled upon this place by chance that day and did not see any mature fruit. The Black-Feathered Python guards this place day and night. With my lowly cultivation, how could I possibly steal a fruit right under its nose? If my Uncles and Elders do not believe me, you may search my storage bag."

As he spoke, Du Yucheng quickly dumped everything from his storage bag onto the ground. The spirit stones and miscellaneous items clattered loudly across the floor.

Cheng Ziyan glanced at the contents of the bag and confirmed that he indeed did not have a Water Spirit Fruit. Seeing how terrified he was, she spoke with a hint of pity

"Senior Brother Tian, that mature fruit was likely swallowed by the Black-Feathered Python. Having cultivated here for many years, the python must have come for that very fruit."

"Given how cowardly this boy is, he wouldn't dare steal food from a Black-Feathered Python's mouth. Even if he had the guts, he wouldn't dare deceive us," Li Yungong said with a look of disdain, glancing at the kneeling Du Yucheng.

The Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Wei chimed in, "Senior Sister Cheng is likely right. It is a pity we didn't get that mature fruit. If there had been one more, the sect would surely have given us more rewards. I suppose our luck just wasn't that good this time. At least we have the tree, so the mission is complete." He finished with a regretful sigh.

Tian Qinghu nodded thoughtfully after hearing them, then said indifferently to Du Yucheng on the ground

"Nephew Du, what are you doing? I was merely asking. You have performed a great service for the sect this time. Martial Uncle Guangling instructed me to look after you on the journey. Get up; kneeling like that is unseemly."

Only then did Du Yucheng stand up, looking dazed and still somewhat fearful. He stood to the side, lost, until Cheng Ziyan pointed to the ground, prompting him to start foolishly smiling as he gathered his scattered belongings.

After hearing Cheng Ziyan and the others, Tian Qinghu's expression softened slightly. He smiled at Cheng Ziyan and said, "Junior Sister Cheng, I will have to trouble you, our Level 2 Spirit Plant Master, with the transplantation of the tree."

"Senior Brother Tian is too kind. It is my duty to the sect; I wouldn't dare call it trouble."

After speaking, Cheng Ziyan nodded. She first produced a set of Level 2 formations to seal the spiritual energy at the tree's roots, then released a Level 2 spiritual tool unique to Spirit Plant Masters. She carefully excavated the entire tree from the ground and used Level 2 talismans to temporarily seal it.

The group carefully carried the Water Spirit Fruit tree out of the cave. Once they exited the pool, Tian Qinghu tapped his storage bag, releasing a small green boat about three inches long. The spiritual boat expanded with the wind, instantly reaching two zhang in size, and Tian Qinghu stepped onto it with a light leap.

The others followed onto the boat. Tian Qinghu performed a hand seal, and the boat instantly transformed into a streak of green light, flying away a hundred feet in an instant.