“Haha, treasure of the gods? If there really is a treasure of the gods, it wouldn't be their turn to get it.”
Li Qiye sneered and said.
Li Shuangyan glanced at him and asked:
“What is it then?”
Obviously, Li Qiye knew the Evil Infested Ridge very well.
“The god of death…”
Li Qiye's eyes narrowed, then he continued:
“The god of death has been hungry for millions of years. Finally, it can no longer tolerate it.”
Whenever Li Qiye squinted his eyes like this, Li Shuangyan couldn't help but shiver. She understood that this matter was much more terrifying than her imagination.
“We're going.”
Li Qiye commanded Niu Fen.
“Young Noble, where to?”
Niu Fen never questioned Li Qiye's commands; he immediately obeyed.
“Back to the Cassia Lotus Tree.”
Li Qiye continued:
“Those bags of straw are only going to their deaths, to become delicious nutrients. There is no way they will be able to suppress that devilish thing!”
Li Qiye rode the snail back to the Cassia Lotus Tree. Seeing his return, the group of Gu Tieshou couldn't help but sigh in relief. Gu Tieshou asked:
“What happened over there?”
Even though he didn't allow the disciples to leave this peaceful ground, he still saw the bloody light up in the sky.
“A disaster.”
Li Qiye jumped down from Niu Fen and told Gu Tieshou:
“Elder Gu, if there are still disciples outside, tell them to return immediately. All disciples, from now on, are not allowed to leave outside of this tree for more than ten zhang.”
“I have recalled all of them. I will tell them and not allow them to leave.”
Seeing his solemn demeanor, Gu Tieshou hurriedly responded.
When the bloody light lit up the eastern sky, Gu Tieshou didn't know whether it was an auspicious or ominous sign, so he immediately recalled all of the disciples in order to avoid any unexpected events. In reality, after the light appeared, Gu Tieshou was always waiting for Li Qiye to come back. Without Li Qiye, he — as the first elder — was anxious and even a bit afraid. Right now, Li Qiye had unknowingly become the foundation of the CLeansing Incense Ancient Sect. They had complete confidence in Li Qiye's strategies. On the contrary, without his presence, they became uncertain.
While Gu Tieshou was conveying his command to the others, Li Qiye approached the Cassia Lotus Tree. Before it, he sat down on the ground and clasped his hands together to form a cross. Then, he silently prayed to communicate his intention:
“That year, I joined forces with you and slayed the evil existence. You already know that this existence didn't die. I had planted a seed here in preparation for the future, in order to stop the evil existence from being reborn…” [1. Li Qiye is addressing the tree in a respectful manner, as one would with their equals]
“Now, as you are already aware, my preparation that I had left behind that year was destroyed. And now, the evil existence has a chance to be revived. For the Evil Infested Ridge, I will personally go once again. If you won't go, I will not force this matter. However, I will need the lotus bones and holy water to create a formation to exterminate the reviving evil existence…”
Li Qiye sat on the ground and silently prayed to the Cassia Lotus Tree.
This was not the first time the group of Li Shuangyan saw Li Qiye with such an appearance. At this moment, they knew that the tree in front of them had its own awareness. As for why Li Qiye referred to it as the Cassia Lotus Tree, they did not know. [2. “Own awareness” raw is Tong Shen. There are two meanings to this, either that this tree had became a god, or it had its own spirit capable of communication. I chose the second meaning to play it safe – but there is a chance that the author is intending to describe this tree as a deity]
Under the intercession of Li Qiye, from above, a new branch was silently and slowly born. Then, many new extraordinary branches suddenly began to extrude from the tree.
The branches coming out of the tree's body was about as big as an arm, but they was white as snow. At a first glance, they appeared to be white bones that were as glossy as white jades. Each of these white bony branches not only caused others to be fearful, but also another inexplicable feelings, as if there were the sounds of the grand dao emancipating from within.
The sudden appearance of the white jade branches on the tree's body caused Li Shuangyan and Tu Bu Yu to be dumbfounded. This giant Cassia Lotus Tree really had its own consciousness.
When their mouths were still wide open, these branches begin to give birth to many blossoming buds. Then, they were suddenly in full bloom. At this moment, everyone clearly saw that these buds were lotus flowers with six petals; each lotus flower was as big as a hat.
When all of these lotuses were in full bloom, all of the people present felt as if their souls were leaving their bodies — they were completely at ease. In this moment in time, they felt that the lotuses in full bloom were resonating with their grand dao. The one who felt it the most was Li Shuangyan, who had a natural born Pure Crystal Physique and cultivated the Void Imperfection Physique.
At this moment, Li Shuangyan's entire body was like a holy lotus, blooming. In a flash, her immortal brilliances thrusted up to the sky and the music of the grand dao began to play. They were very gentle, but these gentle and faint sounds, in the ears of others, carried the sensation of the godly bells, causing their hearts to beat faster.
Right now, Li Shuangyan seemed to be a banished fairy from the heavens, descending on this mortal world — supreme and peerless. She was impervious to all universal laws and untainted by all existences; she was pure without any trace of defects, like a True Immortal in the legends.
Seeing Li Shuangyan's appearance, everyone became touched. Even Li Shuangyan was emotional because she could feel that her Void Imperfection Physique greatly benefited from these lotuses in full bloom. It was as if they were tailored just for her physique.
“What are these things? Why are they such a match for my physique?”
Li Shuangyan was surprised. If the world had lotuses like these, she would definitely accumulate them around her in order to grow her Void Imperfection Physique.
“Six Dao Lotus — stainless without defects, heavenly supreme, and sacredly unparalleled. Naturally, it would be perfect with your Void Imperfection Physique.”
Li Qiye said.
“Six Dao Lotus…”
Li Shuangyan couldn't help but to mumble and remember this name well. Of course, this was also her first time seeing this type of lotus.
Then, Li Qiye picked a lotus flower. When the lotus flower was plucked, the white jade branch on the tree's body fell off, so Li Qiye used the lotus flower to hold the falling branch.
Using the lotus flower to hold the branch, he handed it to Tu Bu Yu and said:
“Use your true flame to refine it and turn it into ashes. Remember well, use the lotus flower to carry the branch. Otherwise, the lotus bone will fall into the ground and disappear.”
Tu Bu Yu remembered the words of Li Qiye and used both of his hands to create a pure green flame. This flame turned into a cauldron, and he threw the lotus — along with the lotus bone — inside, and he refined them into ashes.
Tu Bu Yu plucked many lotus flowers to carry the branches, and he refined all of them.
“To be able to use the true flame of the Cauldron of Life to create a pure green fire cauldron, you didn't let the God of War Formula down.”
Li Qiye nodded his head and praised.
Tu Bu Yu wasn't arrogant. He cultivated the God of War Formula, so he naturally knew the amazing mysteries of the God of War Formula. If he couldn't do this, then he would have brought shame to the formula.
At this time, Li Qiye took out a jade bottle and shouted:
“Holy water is coming…”
The moment Li Qiye's words came out, there was an immediate spring of flying water from the sky. This stream of water came from the highest point of the giant tree and it came straight down into the jade bottle in Li Qiye's hand. The space inside the bottle was not small, but after a short period of time, the jade bottle was completely full.
After the stream disappeared, Li Qiye put away his jade bottle. At this time, Tu Bu Yu was also finished with turning the lotus flowers and lotus bones into ashes, and stored it in a treasure box.
At this point, Nan Huairen also copied the appearance of Li Qiye from earlier. He sat in front of the tree, with his hands clasped together into a cross, and quietly and continuously muttered.
Li Qiye slapped the back of his head and said:
“What are you doing?”
Nan Huairen dryly chuckled, then he smilingly said:
“I am learning from Big Brother. I'm praying to the godly tree and asking it to bestow a treasure for me. Heh, I see that this godly tree has its own awareness, and it will definitely be able to hear my prayers.”
Li Qiye slapped the back of his head yet again, then he glared at him and said:
“Even if this tree has its own awareness, you still wouldn't be able to communicate with it.”
Even Protector Mo glared at his own disciple and angrily scolded:
“If you can earnestly pray and communicate with it, then you are no longer Nan Huairen.”
After being scolded by his master, Nan Huairen was still laughing with his shameless thick skin.
“This tree has its own awareness.”
At this point, Li Shuangyan was standing next to Li Qiye while staring at this giant Cassia Lotus Tree. She couldn't help but gently ask Li Qiye:
“Did this tree really turn into a god?”
Li Qiye glanced at her, then back at the tree, and he finally said:
“If there are gods in this world, then it would indeed be considered one. However…”
Here, Li Qiye paused and didn't say anything else.
Hearing this, everyone here, including Li Shuangyan, Tu Bu Yu, and Niu Fen… All of them were in awe. Immediately, all of them — including Nan Huairen — stood in a dignified and respectful manner.
They looked at the Cassia Lotus Tree in front of their eyes and couldn't help but feel a sensation of fear and respect! The gods — they were legends from the ancient eras. The point in time when there was no one shouldering the Heaven's Will, no one claiming to be Immortal Emperors, there was the legend of the gods.
There used to be a saying like this: before the Immortal Emperors, the Gods ruled over all generations! Whether this saying was true or not, on one knew for certain. However, the gods were existences that were revered by all.
Li Qiye said that if the world had gods, then it would be considered as one. In other words, the Cassia Lotus Tree in front of them was capable of standing next to the gods. Even if there were no gods in this world, it was still frightening enough to leave people aghast.
Before, Gu Tieshou and many disciples only considered the Cassia Lotus Tree an extremely giant tree. At best, it was only a demonic tree that formed its own awareness. But now, Li Qiye's words left them in awe.
At this moment, not to mention the disciples, but even the protectors and sectional leaders were shivering in fear. Nan Huairen was scared to the point where his legs became weak. He quickly kneeled to the ground.
“My grandpa God, my ancestor God, no, grand character Tree God up high above, this brat is young and ignorant and didn't know that you were an existence higher than even the heavens. Two days ago, this lowly servant was a little naughty and peeled some bark from your body. Oh grand character Tree God up high above, please show your benevolence to this lowly servant; this brat is truly sincere and is admitting my mistake.” [3. Like Li Qiye from before, the “you” in this section is a more respectful version]
At this time, Nan Huairen was truly sincere. He pressed against the ground and slammed his head down out of reverence for the great tree.