Chapter 207

Chapter 207

The journey of three became five, significantly enhancing their safety. Wu Qijie alone was enough to deter those with ill intentions.

After introducing Ning Yuzhou and Su Wangling to Wu Qijie, Qiao Leshan asked, "Young Master Su, Senior Wu, which direction should we take?"

Su Wangling wasn't much of a talker; apart from his initial introduction, he hadn't spoken since.

Of course, it could also be that his current condition was poor, making even speaking an effort.

Wu Qijie pointed in a direction and said with a smile, "Didn't Young Master Ning say we should go this way earlier?"

Hearing this, Qiao Leshan felt a sudden unease and decided to ask the young master of Linglong Fort again, "What does Young Master Su think?"

"Let's go this way," Su Wangling said weakly.

Everyone had no objections and flew off in the direction Ning Yuzhou had indicated.

The rolling hills were desolate and eerie, with a faint mist at the horizon that seemed to be a gathering of yin energy.

It was said that too many people died in the ancient battlefield here, and being a world where heaven and earth were inverted, the yin energy lingered and eventually accumulated, affecting the judgment of cultivators.

As they flew over, they scanned the area below.

This stretch of hills was so barren that not even a single weed could be found. Occasionally, traces left on the hills hinted that this place had once been a battlefield. Since it was near the entrance to Tianzhiyuan, cultivators had already searched it thoroughly, leaving nothing noteworthy behind. Therefore, everyone continued flying toward the mist-covered area without lingering.

Along the way, Wu Qijie asked Qiao Leshan, "Young Master Qiao, where did you come from? When I saw you on the Feilong Guild’s airship earlier, I thought I must have been mistaken."

A cultivator at the Yuanhuang realm wouldn’t make such mistakes; this was just a way to start a conversation.

Qiao Leshan wasn’t really stupid. Although he didn’t know why Wu Qijie chose to travel with them, given their current strength, they had no right to refuse. Having a cultivator at the Yuanhuang realm as protection was safer than traveling alone.

He hadn’t forgotten about those cultivators who mysteriously came to Tianzhiyuan, suspecting that their intentions weren’t simple.

"We came from Danfu City," Qiao Leshan answered honestly.

Wu Qijie hummed in acknowledgment and then suddenly said, "Actually, we heard recently that your family announced your death. We didn’t expect to see you here."

Qiao Leshan’s brows twitched as he replied, "Indeed, everyone in the Qiao family thought I was dead."

"What happened?" Wu Qijie asked, looking surprised.

Qiao Leshan felt there was no need to hide the truth. After finding his brother, he intended to seek justice and clarify matters with the Qiao family. Since the family scandal would eventually become public knowledge—indeed, it had already spread once—there was no harm in sharing now.

He recounted his misfortune but omitted the details of Ning Yuzhou treating him, only mentioning that he had encountered an accident in Yunchuan Sea and had luckily met Ning Yuzhou, traveling together since then.

Even if Qiao Leshan was naive, he knew his injury was unusual. Who knew if someone was backing Qiao Daxun? Without knowing the full situation, he wouldn’t risk revealing Ning Yuzhou’s abilities, lest it bring trouble upon him.

Wu Qijie said, "You’re quite lucky. If something had truly happened to you, Qiao Leshan wouldn’t have let the Qiao family off easily."

Everyone knew how much Qiao Leshan valued his only younger brother. It was said that the old ancestor currently overseeing the Qiao family managed to break through to the Yuanhuang realm thanks to treasures bestowed by Feixian Island, all because of Qiao Leshan. He wanted to elevate the status of the Qiao family and ensure a powerful ancestor protected his brother who remained in the family.

Since he couldn’t bring his only sibling to Feixian Island, he aimed to create a strong family for his protection, even sending most of his cultivation resources back to the Qiao family to help its disciples grow.

However, Qiao Leshan’s efforts inadvertently fed the Qiao family’s greed, leading them to target his only sibling for more resources.

Qiao Leshan smiled bitterly, thinking that if he hadn’t met Ning Yuzhou, he might already be dead.

In a way, he was indeed fortunate.

Just then, Su Wangling began coughing again, a suppressed cough that seemed to wrench his heart and lungs out.

Unable to resist, Qiao Leshan asked, "Is Young Master Su alright?"

Su Wangling and Qiao Leshan were considered geniuses of the same generation in the Flying Star Continent, similar in age, cultivation, and background. Whenever they accomplished something, people compared them.

However, they rarely interacted. Though not friends, they weren’t enemies either, merely acquaintances.

Because of this, when encountering Su Wangling, Qiao Leshan, though curious about their purpose, didn’t overly guard against them.

But he hadn’t heard that the young master of Linglong Fort was so weak. Had he recently suffered some injury?

Su Wangling didn’t respond.

Wu Qijie said, "For now, it’s fine." Despite saying this, his brows were slightly furrowed.

What did "for now" mean?

Wen Qiao and Qiao Leshan couldn’t help but look at him. Seeing they didn’t elaborate, they refrained from asking further.

Ning Yuzhou glanced at Su Wangling’s pale face, recalling the blood pill he had taken earlier, and wore a thoughtful expression.

At that moment, Wu Qijie asked, "Young Master Qiao, when Qiao Daxun ambushed you, did he use any particular method to try and kill you?"

Not sure what he meant, Qiao Leshan cautiously replied, "I don’t know. I was severely injured and couldn’t see clearly."

"After you were injured, did anything unusual happen?"

"…No."

Disappointment flashed across Wu Qijie’s face, evident and perplexing.

Wen Qiao looked at the silent Su Wangling again, sensing she understood why Wu Qijie had chosen to travel with them.

Could it be that the young master of Linglong Fort had also been ambushed like Qiao Leshan?

Though confused, Qiao Leshan didn’t delve deeper and instead asked, "Senior Wu, why did you come to Tianzhiyuan?"

Wu Qijie put away the disappointment on his face and said, "Naturally, we're here to find something. Otherwise, who would come to this place? What do you think?" He asked Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou, not neglecting them despite their lower cultivation levels, showing he was a very amiable senior.

Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou both nodded in agreement, fully supporting him.

Qiao Leshui then said, "When we were gathering information in Qingyuan Town, we heard that many cultivators have recently come to Tianzhi Plain. Could it be they really don't fear danger?"

"Since there's treasure, what danger do they fear?" Wu Qijie smiled, "People die for wealth, birds perish for food. With enough benefits, even the most dangerous places will have people daring to venture."

"Really treasure?" Qiao Leshui widened her eyes, "Senior Wu, do you know what kind of treasure it is?"

"On this, I do know."

Hearing this, Wen Qiao and the others all looked over. They had tried to gather information in Qingyuan Town but couldn't learn anything. They didn't expect Wu Qijie to admit so readily and claim to know.

Su Wangling covered her lips with a white handkerchief, suppressing a cough that rose to her throat, without stopping Wu Qijie.

Under their gaze, Wu Qijie said, "Those people are all here to search for the Divine Tree."

"Divine Tree?"

The three were taken aback, somewhat surprised by this revelation.

Although in Qingyuan Town, they did suspect there might be treasures in Tianzhi Plain, they hadn't delved deeply into it.

Even if there were treasures, with so many cultivators entering Tianzhi Plain, including those at the Primordial Emperor realm like Wu Qijie, it wasn't something low-level cultivators like them could get involved in. Their primary goal was to find someone, so they didn't bother trying to figure out the details.

Wu Qijie observed their reactions, noting everything, and secretly nodded.

It seemed these three were truly here just to find someone. Or perhaps they knew their limits and understood that with their current cultivation, they couldn't participate in such matters. They chose to focus on their own safety instead.

What use is having treasures if one loses their life?

"In fact, while there are rumors of a Divine Tree, few have confirmed its existence or location. Most of these people are here just to try their luck," Wu Qijie continued.

"How did they know about the Divine Tree in Tianzhi Plain?"

"It's said that half a year ago, there was a sudden disturbance in the aura of Tianzhi Plain, attracting the attention of the Primordial Emperor realm ancestors. They rushed to investigate and sensed the clear aura of the Divine Tree, which led to disciples from major sects coming here for training..."

Wu Qijie briefly shared the information that other cultivators had kept secret, enlightening Wen Qiao and the others who had been unable to gather accurate information.

If Primordial Emperor realm cultivators sensed the clear aura of the Divine Tree, it made sense why they could confirm its presence. The significance of the Divine Tree meant this information wouldn't be disclosed to lower-level cultivators, who knew little.

No wonder they hadn't heard any news related to Tianzhi Plain when they were in Danfu City.

Those who learned the news through various channels wouldn't foolishly reveal it, fearing more cultivators would be attracted. Yet, despite this, those who knew still came from afar.

Wen Qiao recalled how those people on the flying boat were so wary, finding it somewhat amusing.

They hadn't even seen a glimpse of the Divine Tree yet, but they were already guarding against those who hadn't arrived in Tianzhi Plain, fearing they would compete for it.

Suddenly, she thought of something and asked, puzzled, "Senior Wu, since the Primordial Emperor realm seniors discovered the aura of the Divine Tree, why didn't they come themselves to search for it?"

Instead, they sent disciples from various sects and clans. Didn't they fear others would get it first?

"That's right, why didn't they come?" Qiao Leshui also asked, puzzled.

Wu Qijie laughed, "It's understandable you wouldn't know. This Tianzhi Plain is an ancient battlefield. It's said countless powerful beings died here, and their lingering resentment formed a kind of obsession. Higher-level cultivators are more susceptible to this obsession, and a single misstep could lead to madness, greatly harming high-level cultivators."

Cultivators who reached the Primordial Emperor realm cherish their lives dearly and wouldn't risk coming themselves. Instead, they send disciples from various sects to investigate first.

The three understood, looking ahead at the rolling hills, sensing the faint malevolent aura in the air, realizing its significant impact on cultivators.

Qiao Leshui then said, "Just sensing the aura of the Divine Tree without knowing the specifics, isn't it a bit reckless for everyone to come here?"

Wu Qijie glanced at him, "You're quite naive! The aura of the Divine Tree was so strong it permeated beyond Tianzhi Plain. Such a significant event proved the Divine Tree must be substantial, definitely present."

If the clear aura hadn't caused such a commotion, major sects wouldn't have specially sent disciples under the guise of training.

Of course, some who needed to know did, and many were drawn to the Divine Tree, unafraid of the risks.

Ning Yuzhou suddenly asked, "Can we confirm the species of the Divine Tree?"

Wu Qijie shrugged, "I haven't heard that from the Primordial Emperor realm seniors."

They likely only sensed the clear aura of the Divine Tree but couldn't identify the specific species.

This wasn't surprising, as Divine Trees rarely existed in the Lower Realms due to insufficient spiritual energy to support their growth.

For cultivators, the Divine Tree is an invaluable treasure. Its inherent absolute defense makes it highly sought after, whether used to craft weapons or other items, its uses are endless.

No one can resist the allure of the Divine Tree itself.

However, the Divine Tree is naturally protected, making it difficult for cultivators to approach, let alone take it away.

Otherwise, how could those Primordial Emperor realm elders allow cultivators to enter and search for it so easily?

***

Rolling hills stretched endlessly, and after several hours of flight, they finally left the hills behind.

They arrived at a lake.

The lake was vast, with no end in sight. At its center stood what seemed to be an enormous tree, rising from the tranquil surface, like an island in the middle of the lake.

Whether there was no wind here or for some other reason, the lake's surface was as still as stagnant water.

The dark blue water exuded a faint aura of yin and malevolence, typical of the environment in the Heavenly Plains.

Compared to the three strangers who were unfamiliar with the Heavenly Plains, the two from Linglong Fort remained remarkably calm.

Wu Qijie took a boat out of his storage bag and placed it by the lakeside. He and Su Wangling boarded first, then called out to the trio, "Hurry up and get on."

The three had no choice but to leap onto the small boat.

As the boat sailed across the lake, ripples spread wherever it passed, breaking the surface's tranquility.

Wu Qijie stood at the bow, while Su Wangling sat calmly in the middle. Qiao Leshui and the other two stood at the stern, observing the situation in the lake.

The water was unexpectedly clear, occasionally revealing some aquatic plants growing beneath the surface, but no fish were seen—only shadows that flickered by, uncertain whether they were fish or other creatures.

"Senior Wu, have you been to the Heavenly Plains before?" Qiao Leshui asked.

Wu Qijie grinned, "No, we're not really familiar with this place either."

The world was eerily quiet, much like the still lake. There was no wind, no other living beings, yet the five people on the boat dared not let their guard down.

The boat headed toward the giant tree at the center of the lake.

However, even after sailing for a long time, the distance to the tree in the center seemed unchanged, giving the illusion that they would never reach it.

"How come it feels like we're moving in place?" Qiao Leshui couldn't help murmuring, leaning over to look into the lake and suddenly letting out a cry.

"What's wrong?"

Everyone turned to look, seeing him with a startled expression, pointing outside the boat, "I, I just saw a pair of eyes in the lake, following the boat."

Wu Qijie and Wen Qiao leaned over to check.

The water remained clear and tranquil, with nothing but occasional glimpses of aquatic plants. No eyes were visible.

The two did not say anything. Wu Qijie said, "If you see any eyes again, remember to remind me."