Imperial Cultivation Chapter 1358 - 1354: Ancient Tree

Every shadow is a manifestation of a special power that obstructs the Super Sensing Illumination. Ordinary powers are incapable of blocking such perception. Therefore, any force that can impede the Super Sense is by no means ordinary.

Consider the valley where the Flower God Sect resides, or perhaps another secluded forest. Instead of proceeding directly to the Flower God Sect's valley, he materialized near a particular forest, intent on discerning the nature of this peculiar power.

Even as he drew closer to the shadowy area, his Super Sense remained utterly ineffective in penetrating its depths. A seemingly innocuous Flying Knife emerged from his sleeve, gliding through the air with effortless grace toward the heart of the forest.

Within this Flying Knife, a fragment of his spirit was embedded, allowing him to perceive as if he were present. It navigated through the dense foliage of ancient, towering trees, brushing past leaves, and moving inexorably forward.

Persistence led it to the very threshold of the shadow. A slight frown creased his brow. The Flying Knife was his surrogate sight, and within the shadow, it revealed only a forest, nothing more.

What his ethereal eyes beheld was a dense grove of ancient trees, each reaching heights of twenty meters, with trunks so thick that two men would struggle to encircle them. They stood tall and unyielding.

The only oddity was the remarkable uniformity among these ancient trees; their sizes and heights differed only minutely, with variations scarcely noticeable. This, he mused, was not entirely unexpected.

Perhaps, years ago, a particular batch of saplings had been planted together. Given its proximity to the Flower God Sect, it was plausible that the sect's founder was responsible for their cultivation.

The Flying Knife continued its exploration, plunging deeper into the forest, while he simultaneously activated his Heart and Spirit Sensing. He meticulously surveyed the area within the shadow, determined to uncover the source of the anomaly.

He was certain that some unique power was actively hindering the Super Sensing Illumination, and his objective was to pinpoint this very power. Eventually, the Flying Knife halted its advance before a specific ancient tree, lightly probing its trunk.

"Ding..." A sharp, metallic chime echoed, as if steel had met steel. The Flying Knife, despite its legendary sharpness – capable of slicing through iron as easily as mud, and far surpassing the cutting ability of a true Green Blade Long Sword – could not penetrate the tree's bark.

This confirmed his suspicions; something was indeed amiss. "Ding ding ding ding..." The ringing continued relentlessly as the Flying Knife repeatedly struck the ancient tree, only to be repelled by the unyielding bark. Amidst the cacophony, the bark remained utterly unscathed.

Chu Zhiyuan, exercising restraint, did not immediately resort to his Golden Sword, choosing instead to allow the Flying Knife to continue its assault. A second Flying Knife then materialized, gently making contact with the tree trunk.

Through this second blade, he began to sense the power fluctuations emanating from the ancient tree. Concurrently, his Spring Acupoint subtly shifted, establishing a connection with the earth, allowing him to feel the potent Earth Power and sense the ambient Earth Qi.

He perceived the flow of Earth Power weaving a complex network, with these ancient trees serving as key nodes. In a moment of profound insight, he felt as though he were observing a grand chessboard, where a hundred pieces strategically surrounded a single central piece.

Each of these surrounding pieces occupied a nexus point within the intricate network formed by the flow of Earth Power. These ancient trees, it seemed, were instrumental in manipulating the Earth Power, creating a vast grid centered upon the primary ancient tree.

Consequently, this central ancient tree possessed the ability to command the Earth Power within a radius of one hundred meters. The first Flying Knife then gracefully retracted, soaring back into Chu Zhiyuan's sleeve from its aerial position. The second Flying Knife also detached itself from the ancient tree, drifting back to rejoin its counterpart.

With a deliberate step, Chu Zhiyuan advanced, harnessing the power of the earth to propel himself toward the ancient tree. A surge of raw terrestrial energy swelled like a raging torrent, converging from all directions towards the colossal tree. A fierce wind erupted from the ground, causing the ancient tree to thrash as if consumed by rage.

Chu Zhiyuan, however, met this fury with a serene smile, gently placing his right palm upon the tree's trunk. Within the silent expanse of his mind, the long-dormant Spirit Summoning Talisman flickered to life. A furious roar then assailed his ears.

He swiftly extended a wave of benevolent intent and amity through his palm, a gesture emanating from his very heart. The enraged roar abruptly ceased, replaced by an audible sense of bewilderment. Chu Zhiyuan continued to project his peaceful intentions, his touch soothing the agitated ancient tree.

The ancient tree expressed its confusion and doubt. Chu Zhiyuan persisted, conveying his sincere goodwill and explaining his curiosity, assuring it that he harbored no ill intentions. He also voiced his keen interest in its unique identity.

The ancient tree, in turn, communicated its own curiosity. Chu Zhiyuan then shared his background through a rapid exchange of thoughts: he hailed from Biyuan Heaven and was accompanying the disciples of the Flower God Sect, seeking to comprehend the ways of their sect.

This entire mental dialogue unfolded in an instant, far surpassing the speed of spoken words. The ancient tree continued to convey its fascination and lingering uncertainty, its initial anger completely dissipated. Chu Zhiyuan engaged further, sharing memories of the Flower God Sect's actions in Biyuan Heaven.

The ancient tree still harbored doubts, and in response, it shared a series of images, presenting its own perspective on the matter.

These visions were a disarray of images, yet they clearly portrayed the inception of the Flower God Sect, its eventual settlement within the adjacent valley, and the subsequent construction of numerous dwellings and grand edifices.

The populace burgeoned from scarcity, culminating in the gradual materialization of a Mystic Flower within the confines of the valley.

This particular Mystic Flower was typically concealed within the Void, rendering it imperceptible to the naked eye.

Every disciple affiliated with the Flower God Sect assumed a meticulously arranged, distinctive formation, collectively mirroring the intricate pattern of a rose, unfurling in successive layers.

The assembled two hundred disciples stood in profound silence and reverence, their hands forming an identical seal, exuding an aura of solemnity and dignity.

After a period of quietude, a Mystic Flower would slowly manifest in the heavens above.

It appeared as if its presence had always been predestined, merely deigning to reveal itself.

Through these visualized echoes, Chu Zhiyuan was afforded a distinct glimpse of the Mystic Flower.

It took the form of an immense rose, comparable in size to a hot-air balloon, seemingly sculpted from luminous Mutton Fat Jade, emanating a soft, gentle radiance.

Against the backdrop of the Flower God Sect disciples' intensifying devotion, it descended from a height of one hundred meters, undergoing a continuous metamorphosis.

Its jade-like substance transformed, gradually becoming translucent, then developing an exquisite clarity, as if fashioned from pure crystal.

Just as it neared the upturned faces of the assembled individuals, it abruptly ignited, coalescing into a brilliant luminescence, which then subsided, dispersing into innumerable radiant tendrils that penetrated the disciples' very beings.

An immediate, fervent expression dawned upon their countenances, their features alight with fervor, their spiritual Qi surging dramatically.

Observing this spectacle, Chu Zhiyuan fell into deep contemplation.

Could this be a form of sustenance, a bestowal of power?

He keenly observed that the quantity of essence absorbed by each individual Flower God Sect disciple was not uniform.

Furthermore, the amount they received bore no discernible correlation to their current level of cultivation.

To what, then, was it attributed?

With the assimilation of this essence, their cultivation surged forward, propelling their advancement at an accelerated pace.

Gleaning insights from the visions, he ascertained that this sacred ritual was performed on a monthly basis.

Consequently, the disciples of the Flower God Sect experienced rapid and substantial progress in their cultivation.

Revisiting these imprinted memories with meticulous repetition, he detected an unusual pattern: the number of disciples remained rigidly constant.

Since achieving the figure of two hundred and sixty-five, it had not deviated in the slightest.

It appeared that two hundred and sixty-five represented the absolute limit, or perhaps, the requisite number for the formation of their sacred array.

He sighed, realizing that the ancient tree's perceptions were, after all, confined to the superficial, failing to unveil the true origin of the Flower God Sect or the precise circumstances of the rose's manifestation.

It was as if the rose had perpetually existed, only to be discovered and subsequently utilized by the sect's founder.

Nevertheless, the knowledge he had acquired was substantial.

He hypothesized that this colossal rose served as the very means by which the Super Sensing Illumination was obstructed.

And this rose, he surmised, was the definitive fount of the Flower God Sect's formidable power.

Should he succeed in annihilating this rose, he could inflict a devastating blow upon the Flower God Sect, potentially eradicating them entirely.

With this resolute thought, he examined his own hands, then directed his attention to his Lao Gong Acupoint.

Ever since attaining mastery over the Second Layer of the Human Element Skill, he had not yet had the opportunity to fully unleash its latent might.

The present moment seemed opportune for testing the true capabilities of the Second Layer of the Human Element Skill.

This conviction solidified, he withdrew his hand from the ancient tree's spectral embrace.

Prior to departing the arboreal entity's influence, he first conveyed a parting intention.

Before him materialized a shimmering Gate of Light, and from its depths emerged Chu Liezhao.

From Chu Liezhao's flowing sleeve, a resplendent pavilion unfurled – the Heavenly Illusion Pavilion.

Upon the appearance of the Heavenly Illusion Pavilion, Chu Zhiyuan propelled himself upward with incredible force, ascending to an altitude of two hundred meters, before executing a sharp turn, gliding effortlessly into the distance.

He soared like a majestic eagle, rapidly approaching the crest of a nearby mountain.

He passed directly over the valley, traversing the very location where the rose was wont to appear.

Without encountering any impediment, the rose did not materialize, nor was there any indication of detection.

He harbored no apprehension regarding discovery by the inhabitants of the valley below.

With the Heavenly Illusion Pavilion now active, their sensory faculties were utterly neutralized, their perception of reality replaced by illusory phantasms.

"Who goes there?!" A sharp, commanding voice suddenly echoed from within the valley's depths.

Chu Zhiyuan experienced a jolt of surprise.

Against all expectations, an exceptionally potent expert from the Flower God Sect had managed to breach the suppressive influence of the Heavenly Illusion Pavilion and detect his presence.