Chapter 8 – Path to the Heavenly Fruit
Jia Wei and Jia Yuwei's steps grew faster. Their breathing quickened, yet their eyes remained fixed on Fang Sei's figure who was only a few steps away from the Lightning Spiritual Fruit. Behind them, several other disciples also quickened their pace, hoping they still had a chance.
Fang Sei moved very cautiously. Now, he stood right in front of the Lightning Spiritual Fruit, its bluish purple glow both enticing and intimidating.
As his hand reached out
ZRAAAAKKK!!
Lightning struck again from the sky, shaking the ground nearby. A faint tremor spread around, but not strong enough to injure him. Fang Sei was startled for a moment, but he did not retreat. He only let out a soft snort, then swiftly grabbed the fruit.
A blue light shone in his hand as the fruit was firmly in his grasp.
Fang Sei turned and looked toward Jia Wei and Yuwei, who had just reached about three hundred feet from him. A thin smirk formed on his lips, a mocking smile full of triumph.
Without saying a word, he slowly stepped back and left the place with caution, keeping his distance from the possibility of another lightning strike.
Jia Yuwei clenched her fist, her eyes narrowing.
"He is showing off," she whispered softly.
"We were just a few steps too late," Jia Wei said flatly, though her expression was clearly displeased.
Several other disciples were still struggling to break through the distance and the lightning barrier surrounding the remaining Lightning Spiritual Fruits. Although one had been taken by Fang Sei, there were still several more, and they had not given up.
More than four months passed…
The weather in the Zhi region felt calm that day. Yet in a quiet place, Xieyi Zui was climbing the slope of a small mountain. She was not searching for anything extraordinary, only hoping to find a single Heavenly Spiritual Fruit to prove her worth.
Her face was calm, her breath steady, her steps full of patience.
Suddenly… the sky above her rumbled softly.
At the peak of the mountain far from where she stood, a golden white light began to shine, gentle yet radiating strongly. Slowly, from within that light emerged a shape resembling a floating crystal flower.
The Heavenly Spiritual Fruit.
Xieyi Zui's eyes widened in shock.
"That… is no ordinary fruit…"
The golden light shot into the sky, drawing the attention of the entire Zhi Region.
Elsewhere, Yuji Daofei opened his eyes. He halted his steps and looked toward the sky.
"It has finally appeared…"
The same went for Yun Xiwe, who looked toward the mountain peak with a face full of determination.
"It is time."
Other disciples who had yet to obtain anything quickly moved. Some even began fighting over the direction to take.
Meanwhile, in a quiet cave, Fang Sei was staring at the Lightning Spiritual Fruit he had stored neatly in his bag.
He tilted his head.
"What can I do with this?"
He still did not know the fruit's function, but his curiosity was soon replaced by the golden light shining from the distance.
That light illuminated the sky, sweeping across the trees, piercing through the mist.
Fang Sei stood and murmured,
"That… is the light of the Heavenly Spiritual Fruit."
Elsewhere, Jia Wei and Yuwei were still struggling to break through the lightning barrier they had faced earlier. Now they were almost within reach of another fruit. They had begun to understand the rhythm of the lightning strikes and adjusted their movements.
A little more…
But suddenly, they stopped. The golden light lit up the sky, making them turn instinctively.
"Do you see that?" Yuwei asked.
"Yes… that is not an ordinary fruit," Jia Wei replied.
Not far from them, Hui Baifa, who had reached about two thousand feet from the location of the Lightning Spiritual Fruit, also looked up at the sky.
A grin formed on his lips.
"The Heavenly Fruit… it has finally appeared."
He quickened his steps, still heading toward the lightning, but his thoughts began to waver. Should he continue toward the Lightning Fruit, or join the race for that golden white glow?
Xieyi Zui stood frozen at the lower slope of the mountain, where she had only intended to search for the Heavenly Spiritual Fruit earlier. The air around her had changed, no longer merely calm, but heavy and filled with energy. Her gaze slowly rose, following the golden white light now enveloping the mountain peak before her.
"Wha… what is that?" she murmured softly, her voice trembling with shock and awe.
A cool breeze blew gently, yet her body shivered. The Heavenly Spiritual Fruit. She knew, though she had never seen it in person, that nothing could mimic such a sacred light. Her heart trembled, not from fear, but from disbelief that she, a disciple without great ambition, could be the first witness to its appearance.
Her steps moved forward slowly, yet her eyes remained fixed on that light. Her right hand clenched tightly, her body filled with an unfamiliar drive.
"I must try… even if only to see it up close," she whispered, but with firm resolve.
In the distance, a soft rumble echoed, as if the mountain itself was welcoming the challengers. But Xieyi Zui did not retreat. Though gentle and seemingly fragile, her spirit now resembled embers slowly igniting. She began climbing the slope toward the peak where the Heavenly Spiritual Fruit resided.
Xieyi Zui's steps slowly treaded the rocky path toward the mountain peak. The glow from the Heavenly Spiritual Fruit still shone majestically in the sky, like a sacred light calling to anyone bold or foolish enough to approach.
However, this journey was not easy.
The roots of trees along the slope moved faintly, as if alive. Some tried to grab the feet of anyone who passed. The air gradually grew heavy, making the chest feel tight. Pools of water at the roadside emitted a strange glow, as if containing poison or unknown energy. Even the sound of the wind seemed like faint whispers disturbing the mind.
Xieyi Zui nearly slipped on a crack between the rocks, her clothes stained with dirt, her feet scraped, yet she did not stop. Her eyes stayed fixed upward. The gleam of the Heavenly Spiritual Fruit made her body tremble, not from fear, but from an indescribable sense of grandeur.
From another direction, Yuji Daofei stopped at the edge of a cliff, looking toward the distant peak. His eyes were sharp and full of calculation.
"That fruit… will not be easily obtained," he murmured softly. There was no fear in his voice, but clear caution. He knew this terrain was not for the reckless.
Not far away, Yun Xiwe stood beneath the shadow of a large tree. The wind from above began to blow stronger. Her hair loosened and danced wildly. She closed her eyes for a moment, then spoke softly, as if talking to herself.
"This wind carries a message. The closer I get, the heavier it feels… but I will not retreat."
More disciples began to appear, hurrying in from every direction. Some slipped, some stopped from exhaustion, yet none wished to give up. They knew the Heavenly Spiritual Fruit was not just any fruit it was a path to an irreplaceable future.
But behind that determination, a shadow of tension began to grow. They glanced at one another. Not all would succeed.
And not all would survive.
The sky seemed to change color, as if signaling that time continued to flow without waiting for anyone. In the distance, Mount Lihai stood tall, keeping the Heavenly Spiritual Fruit at its peak, tempting the would-be disciples with a majestic aura and overwhelming pressure.
Yuji Daofei had reached about six hundred feet from the base of the mountain, his sharp eyes fixed ahead. He stood among large roots and thin mist, yet his focus remained unwavering. On another path with steeper terrain, Yun Xiwe had also reached about six hundred feet, though from the northern side. She took a deep breath, realizing the seemingly calm terrain concealed piercing spiritual pressure.
On the mountain slope, Xieyi Zui slowly stepped on damp, slippery rocks. She had nearly reached halfway up. Her breath had grown heavy, her left arm bearing scratches from thorny branches hidden within the bushes. But her gaze remained clear there was no thought of giving up.
Meanwhile, from a lower plain, Wang Xuei stood with her hands on her hips, gazing at the mountain from about one thousand feet away. She was in no hurry. Her gaze was sly as always, yet calm. She knew the mountain's terrain was not just a test of physical strength, but also a test of decision.
"I will wait. Let the others clear the path first," Wang Xuei murmured, leaning against a tree before sitting down casually.
The mountain wind began to blow harder. The sound of rustling leaves and the soft rumble from the peak seemed to test the determination of the disciples' hearts. None of them had yet seen the fruit with their own eyes, but they knew the prize above would change their fate.
Elsewhere in the Zhi Region, Jia Wei and Jia Yuwei had finally obtained the Lightning Spiritual Fruit. Their bodies still trembled slightly from the last lightning strike, but satisfaction shone on their faces.
"Finally… we did it," Yuwei said while steadying her breath.
Jia Wei looked toward her younger sister. "We must not let our guard down. Let's leave here before others arrive."
Meanwhile, Hui Baifa was still struggling through the harsh terrain. Sweat dampened his temples, his breathing ragged, yet his eyes remained fixed on the fruit he had yet to claim.
"That fruit… must be mine," he murmured with ambition.
Elsewhere, We Jita had just obtained the Heavenly Spiritual Fruit. He gave a small smile, then looked toward the sky.
"I hope you all succeed too…" he whispered.
He secured the fruit inside a cloth pouch, then turned his gaze northward to where the golden white light still shone above Mount Lihai.
"That must be the Heavenly Spiritual Fruit… In that case, I must go there. Perhaps they are there as well," he said firmly, then began running toward the mountain, passing through trees and the thin mist that had begun to descend.