Chapter 221 – The Tree of Ten Thousand Laws
"Grandmaster!"
When Gu Mo arrived at Qi Chunde's courtyard, someone else had already beaten him there—it was none other than Hou Chunyu, a late-stage Nascent Soul True Lord.
"This… this actually worked!"
At this moment, Hou Chunyu's gaze was fixed on Qi Chunde's courtyard, his heart filled with disbelief. His disciple's experimental cultivation method—against all expectations—had really succeeded.
Alongside shock and astonishment came joy. No matter what kind of fortuitous encounter Qi Chunde had obtained, being able to witness his disciple step onto the path of Nascent Soul was something that, as his master, filled Hou Chunyu with happiness.
But the joy didn't last long before a thorny problem sprang to mind: how was Qi Chunde going to withstand the Nascent Soul Tribulation?
Hou Chunyu had once held a few treasures specifically for withstanding tribulations, but hadn't he already given them to Xiao Hua for her own advancement? Who would have thought that within such a short span of time, another disciple of his lineage would also be facing the Nascent Soul Tribulation?
Since he himself had none left, Hou Chunyu could only turn to the Valley Master. After all, while Qi Chunde was his disciple, he was also a disciple of Shennong Valley. Normally even disciples had to use contribution points to exchange for treasures, but given Qi Chunde's current situation, drawing upon such items in advance should not be an issue.
"Grand-disciple, have your master wait for me at the Tribulation Valley." Hou Chunyu gave Gu Mo a quick instruction, then hurried off to make preparations for Qi Chunde's tribulation.
"Hahahaha!"
Not long after Hou Chunyu left, Qi Chunde's hearty laughter resounded from within the courtyard. A moment later, brimming with surging energy, Qi Chunde stepped out.
"Master, has your Golden Core Dao Seed sprouted?" Although Gu Mo had already guessed, he still asked aloud.
"But of course."
Qi Chunde nodded. With Gu Mo's constant supply of Solar Energy, the Golden Core Dao Seed within him had finally begun to sprout. Naturally, Qi Chunde was still suppressing it, not letting it fully unfold—otherwise he would be forced to face the Nascent Soul Tribulation immediately.
"Disciple, to the Tribulation Valley."
Qi Chunde beckoned. The sprouting of the Dao Seed could not be held down for long, so he needed to head there without delay.
"Congratulations, Junior Brother Qi!"
"Uncle Qi is truly incredible!"
…
On the way to Tribulation Valley, Qi Chunde did not employ his Wood Escape technique but instead walked on foot. Partly because it was inconvenient to stir his internal energy at this moment, but also—quite clearly—because he wished to show off a little.
After all, many had once dismissed his self-created cultivation method. Now that it had borne fruit, Qi Chunde naturally wanted everyone to see it.
Unfortunately, halfway through his attempt to make an impression, Hou Chunyu dragged him away.
"What are you dawdling for? Hurry up and prepare! Who knows what sort of tribulation that odd cultivation method of yours will provoke." Hou Chunyu tossed Qi Chunde straight into the Tribulation Valley.
At this moment, the Valley Master and several elders were already present.
Compared to Xiao Hua's previous tribulation, Qi Chunde's attempt to break through to Nascent Soul drew even greater attention. Xiao Hua might have been mysterious, but in the end she was not human. However extraordinary she was, her path was hers alone.
Qi Chunde, on the other hand, was different. He had created an entirely new cultivation method. If his path could be proven viable, would it not mean that other disciples of Shennong Valley could also follow in his footsteps?
Everyone knew Qi Chunde was not at the Great Perfection of Golden Core, not even the late stage—he was only in the mid-stage. Yet he had bypassed two realms and was now directly attempting to break through to Nascent Soul. He had done so without pause, and without redeeming a single pill to aid his advance.
Such a unique case—if it could be replicated—could mean that Shennong Valley would produce far more Nascent Soul True Lords in the future.
This was a matter that touched upon the Valley's very future—how could it not command attention?
"That old fellow's showing off again!"
Watching Hou Chunyu bustling about to arrange the tribulation formation, the other elders in the distance couldn't help but feel sour. When Xiao Hua had succeeded in advancing to Fourth-Rank Demon King, Hou Chunyu had bragged in front of them for ages. Now that his own disciple was breaking through, who knew how long he would boast this time?
For Hou Chunyu's lineage to produce two tribulation-crossers within just a few short years was exceedingly rare in the history of Shennong Valley.
"This time Elder Hou may not have much to show off about. I know Qi Chunde—he cultivates a technique of his own creation. Whether he can safely cross this tribulation is far from certain." One elder shook his head.
Creating one's own method meant there was no precedent, no experience to draw upon. If some unforeseen mishap occurred, he could only improvise. But during the crucial moment of breakthrough, who had the time to "improvise"? A single slip, and it could mean annihilation.
Thus, Qi Chunde's breakthrough was fated to be far more perilous than usual.
"Master, when the time comes for me to break through… may I ask that the Valley Master and elders withdraw?"
Sitting cross-legged within Tribulation Valley to adjust his state, Qi Chunde spoke to the busy Hou Chunyu.
Qi Chunde knew his breakthrough would expose many secrets—things he did not want too many people to know. Every cultivator, every branch of a sect, had its own secrets; even sects themselves did not know all of them.
"No problem!"
Hou Chunyu nodded. Since breakthroughs directly affected a cultivator's safety, whether or not to allow onlookers was left entirely to the one crossing tribulation. For some, simply being observed could shift their state of mind, and even the tiniest shift could end in failure.
Hearing this, the Valley Master and the elders were not surprised, though they were disappointed. After all, this was the breakthrough of a completely new cultivation method, holding immense value for study and reference.
Still, the higher-ups of Shennong Valley did not withdraw far, so they could monitor Qi Chunde's condition at the first possible moment.
Soon, only Hou Chunyu and Gu Mo remained with Qi Chunde. As a direct line of master and disciples, there was no need for secrecy among them.
"Master, if things take a wrong turn, try this."
Gu Mo handed Qi Chunde a small vial. Inside was a portion of Fourth-Rank Sun Essence.
Though Gu Mo could not predict what his master would face during the tribulation, since Sun Essence had proven effective for the Dao Seed, it should also have an effect on its evolved form—the Tree of Ten Thousand Laws.
"Good!"
Qi Chunde nodded. He had received many such vials from Gu Mo over this time. It was precisely these Sun Essences that had allowed him to advance so rapidly.
"Disciple, watch carefully."
Qi Chunde gave a word of instruction as Gu Mo stepped back.
This time, Hou Chunyu did not stop Qi Chunde from passing on his insights. After all, Qi Chunde had already proven with results that his path was viable.
Since it was viable, there was no reason to prevent a master from passing his Dao to his disciple.
But before that could happen, Qi Chunde himself had to undergo one final trial. Only by passing this test and stepping into the Nascent Soul Realm would his path be considered truly perfect.
"All I can do as your master ends here. From this point on, it's up to you."
Having finished all the preparations, Hou Chunyu looked at Qi Chunde. If this tribulation attempt failed, then this moment would be the last time master and disciple ever saw each other.
The higher the realm, the greater the risk of falling during a breakthrough. For Golden Core breakthroughs, even if one failed with full preparation, there was still a chance to survive.
But for the Nascent Soul realm… failure meant almost certain death. No pill could preserve the life of someone undergoing a Nascent Soul tribulation—unless it was one of those unimaginably rare heaven-and-earth treasures.
As for such supreme treasures, whether Shennong Valley possessed any was unknown. And even if they did, they would be reserved for the sect's most elite core disciples.
"I will succeed."
Qi Chunde's eyes now burned with determination. Having come this far, how could he be willing to fail?
Seeing his disciple brimming with fighting spirit, Hou Chunyu decided not to say anything further. He quickly withdrew from the Tribulation Valley and joined Gu Mo outside.
From this point on, all they could do was quietly wait for Qi Chunde to complete his breakthrough.
"Hu~~"
Once silence fell around him, Qi Chunde took a deep breath. Then he stopped suppressing the sprouting of his Golden Core Dao Seed. In an instant, a tender green shoot pierced through the seed and fully emerged.
The very moment that tender shoot sprouted, dark clouds churned across the heavens, and bolts of dazzling lightning flickered within.
"Good… the Nascent Soul tribulation hasn't changed." Hou Chunyu let out a long breath of relief.
What they had feared most was that this unprecedented cultivation method would trigger a variant Nascent Soul tribulation. Normally, the Nascent Soul tribulation was a fixed form of heavenly trial; to make it change was almost unheard of.
But "almost" didn't mean "never."
History recorded extreme cases. A Golden Core demonic cultivator, for instance, who had slaughtered too many innocents—when he attempted to form his Nascent Soul, he drew down a unique variant tribulation and was blasted to death on the spot.
There were also special physiques that could trigger variant tribulations. Certain extraordinary cultivation methods carried the same risk.
Of course, such cases were vanishingly rare across the long ages of cultivation history. Qi Chunde clearly hadn't reached that level of danger.
Even so, the ordinary Nascent Soul tribulation was already fearsome. Otherwise, Nascent Soul True Lords wouldn't be so few in number.
As the tribulation clouds gathered, they also condensed vast amounts of spiritual energy. Qi Chunde seized the chance to absorb it, feeding the tender sprout emerging from his Dao Seed.
Within just a few breaths, a young sapling manifested above Qi Chunde's head. It was not purely green—its trunk and leaves bore many colors, and its foliage came in countless forms. At least, Gu Mo could recognize the shadows of many different plants among them.
Hou Chunyu was baffled by this sight, but Gu Mo understood. This was because his master had fused countless spiritual plant genes. The "Tree of Ten Thousand Laws" was in essence a living repository of genetic essence. Each color, each leaf, represented the genes of a different spiritual plant.
Each plant's genes meant inheriting a plant's unique property. Even if the Tree did not yet hold ten thousand varieties, it likely contained nearly as many.
And more importantly, the Tree could still fuse new genes in the future—achieving true "ten thousand laws," or even surpassing that concept entirely.
The young Tree of Ten Thousand Laws continued to grow. Instead of stopping, it accelerated. Roots extended into the void itself, drawing in power directly from the fabric of space.
Ordinary spirit plants could never do this—only the fabled Heaven-and-Earth Spirit Roots were capable of feeding on the void.
Clearly, Qi Chunde had also gained a great fortune—obtaining some kind of Spirit Root, harvesting its genetic essence, and fusing it into his Golden Core Dao Seed.
With this ability to draw from the void, sustaining the immense energy demands of the Tree was no longer an issue. Without such a foundation, no matter how many abilities the Tree had, it would collapse quickly under its own burden.
Drawing both from the void and from the surging aura all around, the Tree of Ten Thousand Laws rapidly transformed from a sapling into a towering giant tree.
"Boom!!"
At the same time, the tribulation above reached maturity. A dazzling bolt of lightning crashed down, striking directly at the Tree.
Gu Mo and Hou Chunyu both held their breath. Qi Chunde's trial had truly begun.
"Come!"
Qi Chunde's lips curved into a smile as he gazed at the descending thunderbolt. He knew well: to become a Nascent Soul True Lord, one had to endure the tribulation. His cultivation of the Tree had long been prepared with this in mind.
At his command, a segment of the Tree's trunk suddenly glowed with violet light, crackling with arcs of lightning. That lightning shot outward and entwined with the falling tribulation bolt.
The two didn't clash head-on. Instead, the Tree's trunk guided the lightning inward, drawing it into itself.
Just like that, the first strike of the tribulation was absorbed.
"That trunk… it must contain the genes of the Thunderwood." Gu Mo immediately thought of a rare high-grade spirit plant.
Thunderwood—an extremely rare plant of the lightning attribute, innately attuned to thunder energy. It was a prime material for forging tribulation-resistant treasures.
By fusing its genes, Qi Chunde's Tree of Ten Thousand Laws had become its own living tribulation treasure—with results even better than expected.
"Boom!!"
Before Qi Chunde could savor the effect, the second bolt of lightning crashed down. The Thunderwood segment had yet to finish digesting the first strike, and clearly couldn't handle another so soon.
"Then let's try this."
Qi Chunde waved his hand. Several leaves drifted down from the Tree, transforming into layers of shimmering light screens. These were defensive techniques that certain plants used to protect themselves—now inherited through the Tree's gene fusion.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The heavenly lightning tore through screen after screen, until only a wisp of force remained to strike the Tree itself. But such a trace amount was nowhere near enough to shake it.
One after another, Qi Chunde revealed the myriad abilities of his Tree of Ten Thousand Laws. No wonder he had forbidden outsiders from witnessing this scene. After all, once exposed, these methods would no longer serve as hidden trump cards.
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