“This place is truly remarkable. I think I’ll seclude myself here for cultivation,” Shi Hao muttered, eyeing the golden pool before scooping up another cauldron of liquid for future use.
“Moo…”
In the distance, the roar of the golden ox echoed. The immortal metal creature was lingering nearby, having returned after hunting down powerful cultivators, now searching for its nest.
“Let’s go!” Shi Hao had no intention of confronting that golden ox. Even with a Burial Knight by his side, if a battle ensued, it was uncertain who would emerge victorious.
After all, that golden ox seemed to be a creature resurrected through immortal methods. Though it was currently in a weakened state, far from its former glory, it was still formidable compared to ordinary beings.
The Burial Knight remained indifferent, utterly composed, showing no emotional fluctuation even after slaying a powerful cultivator—like a withered log.
Yet, he followed Shi Hao without hesitation, swiftly retreating into the distant mountain range.
“Where did that Celestial Deity Tree go?” Shi Hao scanned the area, searching for an ancient tree hidden within these mountains. To him, it was even rarer than divine medicines.
The Burial Knight said nothing, merely trailing behind.
However, he found this young man somewhat unreliable. Hadn’t he just been clamoring to hunt down a group of old fiends from the foreign realm? Why was he now fixated on finding a tree?
“Since we’re passing through, might as well take a look. If I can take it with me, it’d be an unparalleled dao fruit!” Shi Hao nearly drooled at the thought.
He yearned for it. According to legend, if one could gather all four Celestial Deity Trees scattered across the world, they could merge into a single Immortal Tree of Longevity!
At that point, its value would be unimaginable—no longer a Celestial Deity Tree, but an Immortal Tree!
The fruit of a Celestial Deity Tree could instantly elevate one to the Heavenly Deity realm without any cultivation.
If the four trees merged, the effect wouldn’t be a simple sum—it would be an explosive, qualitative leap, an evolution beyond measure.
The fruit of the Immortal Tree was a supreme treasure, appearing only a handful of times throughout history. Legends claimed that consuming it would instantly elevate one to the True Immortal realm!
What an inconceivable power!
Precisely because it was so heaven-defying, an unseen force had split it into four trees. Some said it was due to the destruction of war, shattering the mother root into four fragments.
“Hey, old tree, wake up! One of your brothers is here—help me find it.”
Shi Hao eagerly pulled out an earthen basin containing a small golden tree, radiant as the sun, its gnarled branches exuding an ancient aura.
This Celestial Deity Tree was something Shi Hao had obtained from the Immortal Ancient Ruins during the competition among the younger generation of the three thousand provinces.
The basin itself was extraordinary—filled with Soil of All Things, a substance that preserved all things from decay and nurtured life. It was said that even Immortal Kings were buried in this soil.
For as long as the body remained, buried in this soil for millions of years, new life could emerge—though it might no longer be the original self.
Or perhaps it would still be the same, at least in body.
In any case, this soil was of unimaginable value, a priceless treasure Shi Hao cherished deeply.
Back then, it was this very soil that lured the Celestial Deity Tree into following him.
Before the golden tree could respond, the Burial Knight suddenly stirred, his silver pupils narrowing into slits like sharp blades. In an instant, he lunged forward, reaching for the Soil of All Things.
“What are you doing?” Shi Hao swiftly retreated, clutching the basin and raising the Great Luo Sword Embryo in defense.
“Burial Soil… where did you get this?” the Burial Knight rasped, his voice hoarse, his intent barely discernible. Communication between them had always been difficult, but they managed.
Shi Hao was stunned. Burial Soil?
He looked down at the sparkling grains—the legendary Soil of All Things, capable of burying Immortal Kings.
Now he understood. What the Burial Knight called “Burial Soil” was this very sacred substance.
“This soil nourishes all things, fosters new life, and contains the essence of primordial vitality. How can it be Burial Soil?” Shi Hao questioned skeptically.
“It is one of the rarest Burial Soils in legend, and you possess it!” The Burial Knight’s silver pupils gleamed as his tattered wings stirred, summoning a surge of black mist.
He remained shrouded in darkness, his true form still unseen.
Shi Hao resisted using his Heavenly Eye, wary of provoking him.
He was dumbfounded. The Soil of All Things, capable of burying Immortal Kings, originated from the Ancient Burial Grounds? A supreme Burial Soil?
“Wait!” His mind reeled with implications. This revelation was staggering, hinting at profound karmic connections.
It suggested that the Ancient Burial Grounds were not isolated but intricately linked to the outside world.
“Only a handful of Immortal Kings sought this soil before death, burying themselves within it… Did they wish to become Burial Knights?”
Shi Hao’s scalp tingled, his thoughts in disarray.
“Impossible. Only our kind can become Burial Knights,” the mysterious being before him coldly refuted.
“You’re not dead? You’re truly a race?!” Shi Hao’s eyes widened in shock.
The Burial Knight glared at him, displeased by the disrespectful implication but choosing silence over retort. His demeanor made it clear—he was no ordinary corpse.
“Let me think!” Shi Hao waved a hand, overwhelmed by the implications of the Soil of All Things. His mind was a storm of revelations.
“Eh, little one, why’d you call me? Why is this corpse walking? Some ghostly romance between you two?”
After a long pause, the old Celestial Deity Tree finally spoke, its tone irreverent, like a cheeky rogue.
Shaking off his thoughts, Shi Hao said, “One of your brothers is here. Can you find it?”
He explained that another Celestial Deity Tree was rooted somewhere in these lands.
“Hmm, I sense it—a fragment of the mother root nearby. Let me try.” The old tree rustled its golden leaves, releasing a surge of energy that rippled into the distant mountains.
Soon, a response came.
A sacred aura emanated from afar.
“Let’s go!”
Clutching the basin, Shi Hao dashed deeper into the mountains.
There, they found another tree—not towering, but dazzling, its crimson leaves like fluttering Vermilion Birds, wreathed in flames.
Each Celestial Deity Tree had a unique hue. This one was scarlet, smaller than expected but no less majestic than the golden one in Shi Hao’s basin.
When Shi Hao had first discovered the golden tree, its canopy had dwarfed mountains. Now, it remained condensed within the basin, hiding its true form.
“Brother, come home! Don’t run!” the golden tree called out.
But the scarlet tree, spotting them, uprooted itself and bolted. Its two main roots moved like massive feet, carrying it swiftly across the terrain.
This wasn’t ordinary flight—it manipulated the earth itself, moving faster than teleportation. In a blink, it vanished.
Before disappearing, its voice echoed: “Consorting with Burial Ground ghouls? Trying to trick me? No chance!”
Shi Hao nearly facepalmed. This tree was just as shameless as its golden counterpart—clearly cut from the same cloth.
Having rooted near the Ancient Burial Grounds, this tree clearly knew what Burial Knights were—and wanted nothing to do with them.
“After it!”
The golden tree in the basin was more frantic than Shi Hao, urging pursuit, even attempting to uproot itself.
“Stay put! I’ll chase it!” Shi Hao couldn’t risk losing this one while failing to catch the other.
“Hey, a divine tree! It’s running—stop it!”
Suddenly, shouts erupted ahead. A group of foreign realm creatures had entered the mountains, blocking the scarlet tree’s path.
This time, it wasn’t just youths—two elders led the group, venturing deep into the Divine Medicine Mountain Range.
“Old tree, don’t fear! I’ll save you!” Shi Hao called from behind.
“It’s Huang! He followed us!”
“Haha, we were just looking for him, and he delivers himself! With Elder Nine-Eyes here, capturing him will be effortless,” someone laughed.
“Did you come here to die?” Shi Hao asked lightly as he approached.
How arrogant! The foreign realm beings sneered, their eyes cold with murderous intent, staring at Huang as if he were already dead.
“Fine. I’ll kill you first. I’ll bury every last one of you here—let your clans back home await shocking news!” Shi Hao laughed.
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