Chapter 148 Meeting Zu Lin(Qilin Ancestor)
"Legend has it that in ancient times, the Huangzhong Plum blossomed once per cycle, bore fruit once per cycle, and ripened once per cycle, yielding only nine fruits in three cycles."
"If a Celestial Immortal smelled its fragrance, they could gain ten thousand years of cultivation; a Taiyi Golden Immortal who ate a single fruit could instantly attain the Great Luo realm. It was truly a supreme sacred object."
"Unfortunately, after the end of the ancient era, the fortunes of the three races greatly declined. As the guardian of fortune for the beast lineage, the Huangzhong Plum suffered a backlash from this decline, resulting in a significant drop in its origin and a greatly reduced efficacy."
"Otherwise, how could the Huangzhong Plum's efficacy be so extreme!"
Looking at the Huangzhong Plum, Mo Zhang said with some melancholy.
"Great Luo Golden Immortal?" Hearing this, Feng Zichen couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement. A single fruit could grant enlightenment; how was that different from a Dao Fruit?
The Huangzhong Plum that produced this fruit could practically be called a Dao Tree.
However, although shocked, Feng Zichen wasn't envious. He also possessed top-grade innate spiritual roots, and more than one.
Not only that, his top-grade innate spiritual root remained undamaged, perfectly intact.
Moreover, he possessed a chaotic spiritual root far surpassing even the top-grade innate spiritual root—the World Tree. Therefore, it should be the Qilin Clan who envied him, not the other way around.
"It seems my understanding of top-grade innate spiritual roots is far from sufficient."
"After achieving the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, I need to study it thoroughly and see what other functions the Innate Star Tree possesses that I'm unaware of!"
Upon learning the effects of the Yellow Plum, Feng Zichen couldn't help but overturn his previous understanding of top-grade innate spiritual roots, planning to return and study it further to see if there were any undiscovered effects.
"By the way, I wonder if the World Tree can flower and bear fruit. The fruit of the Yellow Plum already possesses such powerful effects."
"Then, if the even better World Tree could flower and bear fruit, it would surely be even more extraordinary."
Thinking of the World Tree, Feng Zichen considered another possibility and became somewhat excited. If the World Tree could truly bear fruit, he would be rich.
"Fellow Daoist, snap out of it! His Majesty is waiting for us; we can't delay any longer!" Mo Zhang, having regained his senses, saw that Feng Zichen was also somewhat dazed and couldn't help but chuckle, quickly rousing him.
"I was being impolite; let's go now!" Feng Zichen bowed to Mo Zhang, and the two quickened their pace, heading towards the Qilin Temple.
Upon entering the temple, the Ancestral Qilin avatar had been waiting for some time, now looking at Feng Zichen with astonishment.
"Human Zichen greets His Majesty!" Upon seeing the Ancestral Qilin avatar in person, Feng Zichen quickly bowed.
"The Heavenly Divine Fiend? The one you just used was the Heavenly Divine Fiend from the Great Dao Venerable Pangu!" Waving his hand, indicating that Feng Zichen didn't need to be so polite, the Ancestral Qilin asked him.
"Indeed! In my early years, when I was traveling in Buzhou Mountain, I was fortunate enough to be favored by the Great God Pangu and luckily obtained a portion of the Great God's inheritance; this Heavenly Divine Fiend is one of them." Standing up, Feng Zichen replied.
Having already unleashed the Heavenly Divine Fiend, he had no intention of hiding anything. After all, the Pangu inheritance was a framework into which anything could be put.
"Your Majesty, this item is imprinted with the mark of the Chaos Demon God. It might be useful to you. Please accept it." With a thought, Feng Zichen took out the Chaos Origin Stone and said to Zu Lin.
Sensing its noble and vast aura, so different from that of the primordial world, Zu Lin felt a sense of dizziness, endless insights surfacing in his mind. He couldn't help but reach out and take the Chaos Origin Stone.
"You are indeed very fortunate. This item is indeed useful to me. I will accept it." Zu Lin was visibly happier after accepting the Chaos Origin Stone.
The voice continued from within him, "Take this primordial earth element essence! In the future calamity of humanity, I can do little to help you; use this as a token of my gratitude!"
As he spoke, Zu Lin waved his hand, sending out a beam of earth-yellow light that circled in the air before flying into Feng Zichen's body.
Rumble!
Divine light burst forth, and primordial earth element energy permeated the air. In Feng Zichen's spleen, a beam of yellow light gradually solidified, transforming into a Qilin, majestic and awe-inspiring, resonating with the Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird.
"Thank you for your assistance, Your Majesty!" With his earth element complete and three of the five elements in his chest aligned, Feng Zichen was naturally overjoyed, taking another step closer to becoming a Great Luo Golden Immortal.
"It's alright!" Shaking his head, Zu Lin said to Mo Zhang, "Mo Zhang, go and gather nine Yellow Plums and give them to Zi Chen Clan so he can take them back to the human race. This is a gift from my Qilin Clan to the human race."
Without waiting for Feng Zi Chen's response, Zu Lin dispelled his avatar, intending to return to his true form and comprehend the Demon God's Mark.
"Your Majesty…"
Feng Zi Chen had just begun to speak when he saw Zu Lin dispel his avatar, so he swallowed his words.
"I'm going to pick Yellow Plums. Would you like to come along, fellow Daoist?" At this moment, Mo Zhang stepped forward and asked him.
"Of course! Top-grade innate spiritual roots are practically Dao trees, possessing unparalleled mysteries. Just a glimpse is an immense opportunity; I certainly won't miss it." Feng Zi Chen wouldn't refuse. He smiled and followed Mo Zhang towards the location of the Yellow Plums.
Before long, the two arrived at a place shrouded in chaotic energy, where the Yellow Plums grew in the center. Through the gaps in the chaotic energy, the silhouette of a large tree could be vaguely seen.
"This place is filled with chaotic primordial energy. Anyone who is not a member of my Qilin clan and trespasses here will be instantly torn to pieces by the chaotic primordial energy."
"Therefore, please wait here for a moment while I go and pick some yellow plums for you."
Stopping Feng Zichen, Mo Zhang pointed to the chaotic primordial energy ahead and explained to him with a troubled expression.
"Understood! Understood!" Feng Zichen nodded in understanding. Anyone who obtains such a treasure will set up multiple layers of protection to avoid any accidents.
Even he himself, after transplanting the Innate Star Tree to Zichen Cave Heaven, hid it in the deepest part of the void, not daring to show it to anyone, for fear that if something happened, it would be too late to regret it.
"Thank you for your understanding, fellow Daoist." With an apologetic smile, Mo Zhang led Feng Zichen to a mountain peak and said with a smile,
"Didn't you want to observe the Yellow Plum Tree? This place is perfect for a full view. It was personally established by His Majesty for the clansmen's cultivation."
Standing on the mountain peak, Feng Zichen looked ahead. As far as the eye could see, there was a towering tree, its branches swaying, exuding a powerful aura that merged with the heavens and earth, vast and boundless.
"In that case, thank you very much, fellow Daoist!" Feng Zichen thanked him, looking at the tree ahead.
"No need for formalities, fellow Daoist. I'll be going now!" Mo Zhang cupped his hands and walked towards the Yellow Plum Tree.
After Mo Zhang had gone far away, the Primordial Dao Bell in Feng Zichen's sea of consciousness began to tremble gently, emitting mysterious fluctuations, helping him immerse himself in enlightenment and comprehend the Dao essence contained within the Yellow Plum Tree.
Meanwhile, as Feng Zichen was comprehending the Dao, the Hongmeng Dao Bell was not idle either. A tree shadow gradually appeared on its body—it was Huang Zhongli. The Hongmeng Dao Bell had imprinted its image onto the tree.
(End of Chapter)