Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Chapter 1658 - 1017: Qingyuan Grotto Heaven, Fox Clan Holy Tree (2)

"Eh!"

Qingyuan Fox Venerable looked at Yang Zhenshan with surprise, a hint of interest flickering in her amber eyes.

Her divine skill was a charm that could incite desire, disturb the heart, confuse emotions, bewilder perception, create illusions, devour souls, seize spirits, and enslave.

Although just now, she only gave it a light try, not everyone could resist it.

Seeing Chi Yuan’s besotted look, he was just a hair’s breadth away from losing clarity.

Yet, Yang Zhenshan actually resisted her charm, fully regaining consciousness, which greatly exceeded her expectations.

At this moment, Yang Zhenshan lowered his head and eyes, restraining his spiritual sense, not daring to look at Qingyuan Fox Venerable even once.

He knew his own situation best; he broke free from Qingyuan Fox Venerable’s charm, but it was thanks to the Life Realm Immortal Palace’s ability.

His divine soul had long fused with the Origin Core of the Life Realm Immortal Palace; charming him was akin to charming the Life Realm Immortal Palace.

The Life Realm Immortal Palace, being a spirit treasure level existence, naturally had much stronger resistance to charm than a Golden Core cultivator.

Seeing Yang Zhenshan so compliant, Qingyuan Fox Venerable no longer paid him attention, turning her gaze back to Chi Yuan.

Chi Yuan retreated further and further, now a hundred feet away.

"Farewell!"

In the end, he did not have the courage to confront Qingyuan Fox Venerable, giving up his Mountain Suppressing Seal and turning to enter the void.

Qingyuan Fox Venerable watched him disappear with a smile, then turned her gaze back to Yang Zhenshan.

"Boy, come with me!"

Having said that, she flashed and flew toward the depths of the mountain range.

Yang Zhenshan lamented silently in his heart; driving away a tiger to chase a wolf, the wolf had run, but now he had to face a fathomless old fox.

What other choice did he have? He could only obediently follow the enchanting old fox deeper into the mountains.

The two wove past mountain peaks, entering a forest, and then emerged on a verdant plain.

Suddenly arriving at this vast grassland, Yang Zhenshan was shocked, looking around.

In the endless expanse of Qingyuan, sparse trees grew, and seemingly at the limit of vision, there stood a tall tree.

Too far to see clearly, Yang Zhenshan was certain that this was not the Wanhua Mountain Range; it was a grotto heaven.

Indeed, the Qingyuan Fox Clan, with a Venerable like Qingyuan Fox Venerable, having a grotto heaven was no exception.

Yang Zhenshan never thought he would one day enter a grotto heaven of another power.

The Sun Cave Heaven didn’t count; the Sun Cave Heaven was an unowned grotto heaven, but this one was owned.

"Boy, keep up!"

Qingyuan Fox Venerable flew on the wind, Yang Zhenshan closely following.

"Many thanks to the senior for saving my life!" Yang Zhenshan pondered for a moment, thinking it best to show some obedience first.

Expressing gratitude for the life-saving grace was appropriate, as Qingyuan Fox Venerable had indeed saved his life just now.

"It may not be a life-saving grace; it might quickly turn into a life-taking vendetta!" Qingyuan Fox Venerable said with a slight smile.

"Uh! The younger generation believes in the senior!" Yang Zhenshan could only express submission.

"Hehe~~ So, where are you from? There shouldn’t be talents like you in the Wanhua Mountain Range!" Qingyuan Fox Venerable said.

Following her, Yang Zhenshan replied, "The junior is from the Yunxiao Mountain Range, a cultivator of the newly founded Sky Cloud Sword Sect in the Yunxiao Mountain Range."

"Sky Cloud Sword Sect?" Qingyuan Fox Venerable was evidently unaware of the Sky Cloud Sword Sect.

"Yes, the Sky Cloud Sword Sect was established by White Cloud True Monarch in alliance with Hidden Sword Mountain and Green Feather Mountain!" Yang Zhenshan explained.

There was nothing to hide; the founding of the Sky Cloud Sword Sect had long been known, and Qingyuan Fox Venerable’s ignorance was not due to narrow-mindedness but rather the sect not being noteworthy to her.

"Hidden Sword Mountain!" Qingyuan Fox Venerable nodded slightly, a trace of reminiscence in her charming eyes, "Pity that the Heavenly Sword True Monarch died too early; otherwise, he would be worth mentioning!"

Yang Zhenshan remained silent, indeed the Sky Cloud Sword Sect wasn’t significant in her eyes.

In no time, the two arrived beneath the large tree.

This tree grew on the Green Jade Altar, with a trunk ten yards in circumference, skin like coagulated jade and amber, exuding an amber glow. Gold patterns curled around it, resembling a fox’s tail gliding, with brilliant light cascading down, and halos swirling between the patterns, making the entire tree seem immersed in liquid gold.

The canopy spread like an umbrella for thirty yards, with branches drooping crystal-like vines, each strand like icy silk, ending in fox-ear-shaped fruits with golden tips, dewdrop-like skin that felt warm to the touch.​

The roots encircled the base of the Green Jade Altar like green mist entwining a rock, seeping amber resin on moonless nights, dripping onto the altar’s surface, forming transparent fox shapes without other peculiarities. Beneath the altar were nine crescent springs, water clear reflecting the tree’s shadow, mist steaming like pink gauze, blending with the tree’s energy.​

The wind rustled the vines, fruit and leaves clashed with sounds like shattered jade, enhancing the tree’s ancient serene presence, standing unmoved for millennia.

Yang Zhenshan looked up at the tree, eyes filled with a trance.

This was a divine tree! A true divine tree.

It could be called a fourth-order spirit plant, or a void spirit plant because fourth-order spiritual objects only existed in the void!

Of course, Yang Zhenshan’s trance wasn’t just because it was a fourth-order spirit plant but also because the tree harbored a vast vitality force.

"It is the Clear Spirit Amber Holy Tree of my Qingyuan Fox Clan! It was transformed from the divine soul of the first generation demon venerable of our Fox Clan!" Qingyuan Fox Venerable said faintly.

Yang Zhenshan was taken aback, "Transformed from a divine soul? Isn’t this a Void Spiritual Object?"

"Haha, you do know quite a bit. It comes from the Void Spiritual Object, but to grow in the real world, it must be nurtured by a divine soul!" Qingyuan Fox Venerable explained.

"Nurtured by a divine soul!" Yang Zhenshan mused thoughtfully.

He vaguely grasped some things.

If it was indeed as Qingyuan Fox Venerable said, being the artifact spirit of the Life Realm Immortal Palace made sense.

The real world wasn’t just the main world; grotto heavens were also part of the real world, though typically the real world referred to the main world or the great world.

"You mentioned that this venerable had a life-saving grace to you; now is the time for you to repay it!" Qingyuan Fox Venerable said leisurely, her voice full of charm that made Yang Zhenshan’s heart restless.

Yet, at this moment, Yang Zhenshan’s divine soul connected with the Origin Core of the Life Realm Immortal Palace, so he wasn’t swayed by the charm.

"What command does the senior have? As long as it’s within the junior’s power, I will do my utmost," Yang Zhenshan said.

Qingyuan Fox Venerable looked at him, her beautiful face once again showing a faint smile.

"You seem quite unusual, being able to resist my words of charm!"

"The junior just has a relatively strong divine soul," Yang Zhenshan replied.

Qingyuan Fox Venerable laughed, her brows arching, her laughter enchanting yet extreme, but Yang Zhenshan could only keep his head down, not daring to take a glance.

"A strong divine soul, haha, you’re the first to claim a strong divine soul in front of this venerable!"

She laughed sweetly, and in the next instant Yang Zhenshan felt a powerful divine soul force envelop him.

Yang Zhenshan’s body stiffened, and within his sea of consciousness, the Seven Treasures Soul Suppressing Tower spun rapidly again, even the myriad lotus leaves emitted a hazy radiance.

"Oh! Not bad, indeed your divine soul is superior to ordinary people, and even protected by a divine soul treasure, quite rare!"

"But what is this?"

Qingyuan Fox Venerable noticed the anomaly in Yang Zhenshan’s sea of consciousness, displaying a look of astonishment.

Don’t blame her for laughing earlier; the charm divine skill focused primarily on the divine soul, and she was extraordinarily powerful in this aspect.

In terms of divine soul strength alone, few in the entire Wanhua Domain could compare to her.

Yang Zhenshan claiming divine soul strength in front of her was akin to showing off in front of a master.

As she sensed the anomaly in Yang Zhenshan’s sea of consciousness, her amber eyes showed a thoughtful look.

"You seem to harbor many secrets!"

"In front of the senior, the junior has no secrets," Yang Zhenshan said cautiously.

Qingyuan Fox Venerable stared at him, her divine soul force constantly enveloping him, making him feel unprecedented pressure.

At this moment, Qingyuan Fox Venerable’s divine soul force wrapped around his sea of consciousness like a babbling stream, slowly infiltrating it.

This was an intrusion, a strong oppression.

Yang Zhenshan lowered his eyes, focusing on the divine tree before him.

This divine tree contained a vast vitality force, though he wasn’t confident he could extract it.

However, it wasn’t that he had no chance at all.