Chapter 390: The Ten Thousand Laws Spirit Fruit

Chapter 390: The Ten Thousand Laws Spirit Fruit

"Chu Ning, are you alright?"

Cen Ziqin approached Chu Ning with concern in her eyes.

"I'm fine," Chu Ning shook his head.

Then, he lifted his gaze to the six remaining Golden Core cultivators surrounding them.

Jiang Cheng, He Feng, Yuan Xiaolu...

Each of them wore expressions of shock, and perhaps even a hint of awe, as they regarded Chu Ning.

After all, he had just shrugged off attacks from two mid-Nascent Soul cultivators without a scratch.

And while several mid-Nascent Soul cultivators struggled against the might of the Outer Realm Demon, Chu Ning had gravely wounded it.

Adding to that, they recalled how another late-Golden Core cultivator had been effortlessly destroyed by the demon's attack, his Golden Core shattered.

It was clear to everyone that Chu Ning's strength far surpassed everyone present.

A few moments of silence hung heavy in the air before Jiang Cheng finally spoke up, offering a forced smile and a respectful bow, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for showing mercy during our spar. I never imagined your abilities to be so profound, Chu Ning. I realize now that I was but a frog at the bottom of a well."

Jiang Cheng's words came from a place of sincere emotion.

If he had been surprised by Chu Ning's ability to withstand Du Xianming of the Great Luo Sect during their previous match, then the display of power in the valley today had left him feeling downright fearful.

Jiang Cheng couldn't even begin to fathom how their supposed spar would have played out had Chu Ning chosen to employ these abilities.

He wondered how many exchanges he, the so-called number one Golden Core cultivator of the Cloudsoar Alliance, would have lasted against Chu Ning.

That title now seemed laughable in retrospect.

"Chu Ning, your reputation as the Cloudsoar Alliance's foremost Golden Core cultivator is well-deserved. I, Yuan Xiaolu, am truly convinced!" Yuan Xiaolu added, bowing respectfully towards Chu Ning.

"If not for you, Fellow Daoist Chu, gravely wounding that demon, who knows what fate would have befallen us," she continued, and the other Golden Core cultivators quickly chimed in their agreement.

"Indeed, Fellow Daoist Chu, your treasure is astonishing! To be able to gravely wound an Outer Realm Demon comparable to a mid or even late-Nascent Soul cultivator is truly remarkable!"

"Even the spells of the senior from the Taihe Court didn't seem to inflict such severe damage on the demon!"

"Your abilities are truly awe-inspiring, Fellow Daoist Chu. Thank you!"

Chu Ning listened to their exclamations and praise with a shake of his head.

"It was merely a stroke of luck that the demon was caught off guard, and my treasure happened to be effective against it. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy," he replied, his tone earnest.

Chu Ning's words weren't entirely false.

This Outer Realm Demon was different from the one they had encountered in the Golden Spirit Vein.

That demon had been at the Golden Core stage, and he could have put up a decent fight against it in a one-on-one confrontation.

But today's demon far surpassed him in terms of cultivation.

If the demon hadn't been unaware of the Black Mysterious Gold on his treasure, and if Chu Ning hadn't taken advantage of the unique defensive properties of the Undying Golden Body Shield, he wouldn't have been able to achieve such a favorable outcome.

Had the demon chosen to employ other abilities instead of rushing in headlong, Chu Ning wouldn't have been able to inflict such severe damage.

After all, while his Five Elements Spirit Sword was indeed powerful, with his current late-Golden Core cultivation, he doubted he could have driven it to injure a Nascent Soul cultivator so gravely.

There was indeed an element of luck involved.

However, the others took Chu Ning's words as mere humility.

After all, they had witnessed Chu Ning not only use the Five Elements Spirit Sword to wound the Outer Realm Demon but also observed the might of the Ice Shadow Sword Talismans he had unleashed earlier, which were clearly on par with the abilities of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Chu Ning didn't bother to explain further.

He recalled the three remaining spirit swords within him, his gaze falling on the two swords that impaled the demon's hands, pinning it in place. For a moment, he hesitated, but ultimately, he chose to leave those swords where they were, still restraining the demon.

Cen Ziqin, too, recalled her flying sword treasure, but it returned to her in a pitiful state—its spiritual essence completely drained, and its blade battered and dented.

It was clear that her primary treasure had been completely destroyed by the demon's attack, an unfortunate loss that brought a hint of sadness to her face.

Noticing this, Chu Ning quickly offered comfort, "Ziqin, don't worry about your destroyed treasure. When we return to the sect, I'll refine another one for you."

As he spoke, he gestured to the turtle shell she held, "For now, keep this with you for protection."

Cen Ziqin nodded slightly. She had used this turtle shell on multiple occasions, but today was the first time she truly grasped its incredible defensive capabilities.

Earlier, when facing the spells of the two mid-Nascent Soul cultivators, the shell had remained completely unscathed, a fact that surprised her greatly.

A thought occurred to her, and a hint of confusion crossed her face as she asked, "Just now, when the two seniors from the Alliance attacked us, was it because they suspected us of being allies with the Outer Realm Demon?"

Instead of answering directly, Chu Ning turned his gaze to Jiang Cheng and He Feng.

The two renowned Golden Core cultivators from the Returning Origin Sect had their faces transform at the question.

Jiang Cheng quickly shook his head, "Fellow Daoist Chu, we truly know nothing about this matter. Master Lu didn't inform us either."

As he spoke, a hint of wariness crept into his eyes, and the other Golden Core cultivator from the Taihe Court even took a step back, as if preparing to flee.

Having witnessed Chu Ning's prowess, they feared that he might hold a grudge against the two Nascent Soul cultivators who had attacked earlier and take his anger out on them.

Chu Ning noticed their reactions and the subtle shift in their expressions, and a faint smile played at the corners of his lips as he said, "There's no need for you all to be on edge. I won't take action against any of you.

However, after witnessing what had transpired, it was doubtful that any of the remaining cultivators in the valley felt no fear towards Chu Ning.

Chu Ning paid them no further heed and turned to Cen Ziqin instead. "The Alliance's Nascent Soul elders might have had some suspicions about the appearance of this Outer Realm Demon, but they weren't entirely sure. Both Comrade Zhuang and I displayed abilities beyond that of ordinary Golden Core cultivators during our match, which made us objects of suspicion. Senior Lu and the others testing us just now was likely an attempt to gather more information."

Chu Ning smiled at Cen Ziqin as he spoke, "Speaking of which, you might have gotten involved because of me. Whether that's true or not, we won't know until the elders return."

Chu Ning glanced towards the entrance of the valley. "We don't know when the elders will be back, so let's continue cultivating and resting here for now."

Chu Ning had just discovered the benefits of absorbing and refining the energy in this place, and he wasn't willing to waste any more time.

"Alright!" Cen Ziqin replied softly.

The rest of the cultivators, having heard Chu Ning's intention to cultivate, dared not disturb him and quickly dispersed.

However, after the previous incident, everyone chose their spots with caution.

No one dared to cultivate near Chu Ning and Cen Ziqin, and the areas around Zhuang Zhong and the late Golden Core cultivator who had perished at the hands of the Outer Realm Demon were also left empty.

The remaining six cultivators paired up and sat at a distance from each other.

Whether they had been close before or had formed an alliance during this ordeal, Chu Ning didn't know, and he didn't care to find out at the moment.

Sitting cross-legged, Chu Ning didn't immediately start cultivating.

His mind turned to the words spoken by the Outer Realm Demon earlier.

"It seems like the appearance of this Outer Realm Demon isn't solely because of the Spirit Fruit of the Ten Thousand Laws Tree. It's attracted by the energy floating in this world." Chu Ning mused to himself.

"And from what it said, it seems to be absorbing it at a fast rate, and with my own absorption speed... It attracted the attention of the Nascent Soul cultivators, leading them to test us." Chu Ning felt a twinge of regret.

He guessed that this energy was a fusion of spiritual energy and the power of origin. But why it was able to merge here, and what the relationship was between the power of origin and spiritual energy, was a complete mystery to him.

The Outer Realm Demon might have a better understanding of this energy, and it would be helpful if he could get some answers from it.

However, upon further thought, Chu Ning shook his head. Aside from not knowing if the demon had the answers, even if it did, it might not be willing to share them.

Since he couldn't figure it out, he decided not to dwell on it and just focus on absorbing and refining the energy.

Moreover, with the Nascent Soul cultivators absent, he could absorb and refine as much as he wanted without worrying about attracting attention.

Chu Ning closed his eyes and started circulating the Five Elements Chaotic Principles, absorbing the energy in the surroundings.

Just like before, as the energy entered his body, it stimulated his dual spirit plants and the droplet of the power of origin.

The three different powers quickly merged, strengthening his Golden Core and nourishing his physical body.

As the three powers converged, a powerful suction force was generated within Chu Ning, drawing the surrounding energy towards him at an accelerated rate.

If someone was sensitive to this energy, they would notice that the amount of energy converging on Chu Ning exceeded the combined total of the other seven cultivators.

Time passed slowly, and as Chu Ning absorbed more energy, the rate at which he refined his dual spirit plants and the droplet of the power of origin increased significantly. In just a few days, he had refined over one percent of them.

Chu Ning didn't know if this rate of refinement for the droplet of the power of origin was fast or slow, but for the dual spirit plants, it was over ten times faster than before.

During his breaks from cultivation, Chu Ning would occasionally observe the maturation process of the Ten Thousand Laws Spirit Fruit.

The white spot in the center was getting smaller, and the entire fruit was becoming more and more transparent, indicating that it was close to maturity.

On this particular day, as Chu Ning cultivated, Jiang Cheng's voice suddenly rang out in the valley.

"The Ten Thousand Laws Spirit Fruit is about to ripen!"

Hearing this, Chu Ning immediately stopped cultivating and looked up.

Indeed, the white spot in the center of the fruit had disappeared, leaving it crystal clear and shimmering on the branch, looking like it could fall at any moment.

Not only had Chu Ning stopped cultivating, but the other cultivators had also stood up, their eyes fixed on the Spirit Fruit, a mix of curiosity and eagerness in their gazes.

Among them, Jiang Cheng's eyes held a hint of anticipation, but also a hint of worry.

"Once this Ten Thousand Laws Spirit Fruit matures, it must be picked and consumed on the same day, or it will fall off on its own," Jiang Cheng explained. "But Senior Lu and the others aren't back yet. What should we do?"

Hearing this, Chu Ning furrowed his brows and asked, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, if the fruit is ripe, why don't we just pick and eat it? Is there some other rule regarding it?"

"There aren't any other rules," Jiang Cheng shook his head. "But do you all remember Senior Lu's warning about not entering within a hundred meters of the tree? It's because there will be a powerful pressure within that range, affecting one's spiritual sense, physical body, and cultivation."

But for us late-Golden Core cultivators, I'm afraid the most we can do is approach the tree's base. Even then, it might be difficult to withstand this oppressive pressure.

Not to mention flying up to pluck the spirit fruit."

As he spoke, Jiang Cheng's eyes lit up as he turned to Chu Ning and said, "However, Fellow Daoist Chu, your cultivation is comparable to a Nascent Soul cultivator. Perhaps you can give it a try."

Hearing Jiang Cheng's words, everyone once again turned their gazes towards Chu Ning.

"I'll give it a try," Chu Ning replied, lifting his head to glance at the Ten Thousand Laws Tree before agreeing.

"Right, Fellow Daoist Chu, the spirit fruit of the Ten Thousand Laws Tree cannot be stored in a storage bag or a jade box," Jiang Cheng reminded at this moment.

"When you pluck the fruit later, directly cut off the branch at the top of the tree crown with your flying sword.

Then, you can pluck the fruits one by one and distribute them to everyone."

Chu Ning nodded slightly, indicating that he understood, and then stood up and walked forward.

The rest, including Cen Ziqin, were curious and followed suit unconsciously.

The next moment, everyone's expressions changed slightly.

Especially Cen Ziqin, who was only at the mid-Golden Core stage, felt the pressure most intensely.

She felt that as she approached within thirty zhang, the pressure emanating from the Ten Thousand Laws Tree caused her spiritual power to fluctuate wildly, her body to feel as if it were under a thousand pounds of weight, and even her spiritual sense in her sea of consciousness to start rippling uncontrollably.

Cen Ziqin immediately stopped moving forward.

At the same time, she called out softly to Chu Ning, "Chu Ning, the pressure here is beyond imagination. Be careful."

"Alright!"

Chu Ning replied softly, having already flown forward to within twenty zhang of the tree, and he was now experiencing the pressure brought by the oppressive force firsthand.

In fact, the effect on his spiritual power was secondary; the true test was the suppression of his cultivated physical body and spiritual sense.

Fortunately, in these two aspects, he was no less than a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Without further ado, he no longer walked but rose into the air, flying directly towards the top of the tree.

Seeing this, everyone's eyes naturally followed Chu Ning's figure.

When they saw that Chu Ning seemed completely unaffected by the pressure and flew forward steadily, albeit not very fast, their eyes widened in astonishment.

"This Fellow Daoist Chu's abilities are truly remarkable.

If it weren't for the fact that his aura is indeed that of a Golden Core cultivator, and that we know he only formed his core a few decades ago,

I'm afraid we would all think that he is a Nascent Soul cultivator."

He Feng couldn't help but transmit his voice to Jiang Cheng at this moment.

Jiang Cheng nodded, his eyes fixed on Chu Ning without saying a word. But from his gaze, He Feng had already seen the conclusion.

He Feng sighed softly in his heart.

Previously, Yu Changle of the Nine Lotus Sect had displayed inferior abilities compared to Jiang Cheng during their match.

Yet, he unexpectedly reached the Nascent Soul stage before Jiang Cheng.

This had already surprised many cultivators from the Returning Origin Sect.

And now, the Nine Lotus Sect had produced yet another extraordinary talent.

This Chu Ning hadn't even reached the late-Golden Core peak yet, but his combat power was already comparable to a Nascent Soul cultivator.

It was truly unimaginable what he would become if he reached the late-Golden Core peak or even the Nascent Soul stage.

Regaining his composure, He Feng turned his attention back to Chu Ning, who was now in the air.

At this moment, Chu Ning had flown to within fifty zhang of the tree crown where the spirit fruit was located.

He could feel the oppressive pressure more intensely than before.

"The pressure is strong, but it doesn't completely suppress my physical body or spiritual sense.

If I wanted to, I could even fly faster.

However, as the pressure increases, the energy here seems to become more concentrated as well.

If I could cultivate within a hundred zhang of this tree, my speed might even increase."

Chu Ning thought to himself, but he didn't show off his extraordinary abilities just yet.

Instead, he continued to fly towards the Ten Thousand Laws Tree's spirit fruit at a steady pace.

Fifty zhang, forty zhang, thirty zhang...

When Chu Ning approached to within about ten zhang, his expression turned serious.

The pressure emanating from the Ten Thousand Laws Tree was so intense that even he had to be cautious.

His flying speed also slowed down.

However, this pressure ultimately failed to stop Chu Ning.

Shouldering the oppressive force, Chu Ning flew directly to the top of the Ten Thousand Laws Tree.

He examined the lone branch that bore the spirit fruit and noticed that its color was noticeably lighter than the other branches, and its leaves looked fresher and more tender.

Recalling Jiang Cheng's reminder, Chu Ning didn't hesitate. He released the Wood Spirit Sword and cut off the branch.

"Fellow Daoist Chu has plucked the spirit fruit!"

Seeing this, everyone's faces lit up with joy.

Then, they fixed their eyes on Chu Ning, who was flying back with the branch and ten spirit fruits in hand,

until he finally landed in front of them, and they breathed a sigh of relief.

Holding the spirit fruits, Chu Ning turned to Jiang Cheng and asked, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, can this spirit fruit be eaten directly after plucking it?"

"Yes, you can eat it directly," Jiang Cheng replied, then sighed softly. "But it's a pity that Zhuang Zhong was possessed by an Outer Realm Demon, and Xu Daoist also died unexpectedly.

With two extra spirit fruits, we can't preserve them, and they will go to waste."

Hearing this, Chu Ning frowned slightly.

"Can I only eat one of these spirit fruits?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end