Chapter 520: Ginseng Fruit Tree·Celestial Dao

In the depths of the universe, on the former homeworld of the Ginseng Fruit Tree clan, the last mutated Ginseng Fruit Tree had completely devoured the entire planet.

The planet’s surface was covered in a dense network of roots. Using spatial technology, these roots had all spread into the system’s sun.

The roots writhed intermittently, drawing energy from the sun and causing it to flicker erratically.

It had initiated its final plan: to use the sun as a core and connect five nodes, intending to repair the entire universe while simultaneously becoming the true Celestial Dao.

On the roots, countless wooden figures were at work, undertaking the massive task of linking five planets together.

‘As nodes, how could they remain sealed off from each other? Of course they need to be connected.’

‘As for the consequences? It understood them perfectly. It would be nothing more than the sacrifice of everything on those five planets.’

‘But it was worth it. After all, in its eyes, these humans were invaders.’

‘Once the plan is complete, it will ascend to become the true Celestial Dao and gain a whole, pristine universe.’

‘At that point, even if all life in the universe is destroyed, it could restore it with its power. Even restoring the glory of the Ginseng Fruit Tree clan would be no great feat.’

Everything was proceeding according to its plan—except for Red Meteor.

Because the Pure Yang Fire Seed had not yet been obtained, this planetary node was incomplete, and it also lacked a key foundation.

The flower bud on the head of the Ginseng Fruit Tree·Celestial Dao slowly bloomed, its human-like face gradually disintegrating.

Upon the flower bud, four points of light shimmered.

These were four of the Spirit Master humans’ Five Elements Spiritual Treasures—the very source of the Ginseng Fruit Tree clan’s destruction.

When the bud fully bloomed, a new life-form was revealed, one with the dual structure of a tree and a human. The source of the four shimmering lights was the space between this being’s eyebrows.

‘Using the Ginseng Fruit Tree clan as the genetic blueprint, combined with the Spiritual Power structure of the Spirit Master humans…’

‘…and combined with the Qianyuan Golden Mother, the Wind-Thunder Wood Element, the Profound Marsh Water Spirit, and the Earth Element, all I need is the final Pure Yang Fire Seed to complete the cycle of five elements.’

‘Then I will have the foundation to become the Celestial Dao.’

‘It’s a complete waste for these Five Elements Spiritual Treasures to be in human hands.’

‘To think that such magnificent treasures of the Celestial Dao are being used as mere weapons for combat. Heh.’

The unique life-form opened its eyes. *He* was the true Ginseng Fruit Tree·Celestial Dao.

The massive tree coiled around the planet was also him, but it was merely his husk, which had died long ago.

It was kept in a state of artificial life by the abilities of the Ginseng Fruit Tree clan. It served as both a vessel to nurture his new self and a crucial apparatus for his plan.

When the universal parameters shifted long ago, causing the last Ginseng Fruit Tree to cross paths with humanity, he had taken on a human-like, vegetative form.

However, this form was extremely unstable. He could only ensure his survival by being nurtured within his own dead husk.

After a long period of research, he finally found a way to stabilize himself.

That’s right: the Spirit Masters’ Five Elements Spiritual Treasures. He had to use these five items as his foundation to escape his unstable state.

Though he still lacked the Pure Yang Fire Seed, it didn’t matter. The four Five Elements Spiritual Treasures could sustain his life-form for a short time.

As long as he retrieved and fused with the Pure Yang Fire Seed before that time ran out, he would not only preserve his life-form, but his plan could also proceed without a hitch.

He slowly rose. The four principles of Metal, Wood, Water, and Earth spiraled around him, resonating with his being. With a single, slight movement, he could destroy a planet.

For him, this was tantamount to recovering a portion of the power he wielded at his peak.

‘Wait, what is that?’ As he rose and detached from his old husk, his perception and consciousness naturally expanded outward.

And then he saw it: a terrifying behemoth cruising through the cosmos.

It was a one-eyed giant bull with a serpentine tail, its white head incredibly striking.

But that wasn’t the point. The point was that the bull was the size of a planet, and if it didn’t change course, it would crash into his homeworld.

‘It’s alive? But I thought that aside from the lingering signs of life on the five elemental planets—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—there was nothing else living in the universe.’

He was the last remnant of the Ginseng Fruit Tree, a survivor of the great war. Of course he knew the state of things.

So for such a bizarre bull to suddenly appear… how could he not be shocked?

This put Ginseng Fruit Tree·Celestial Dao on high alert. ‘A sudden change is never a good thing.’

‘At this giant bull’s speed, it will arrive in three days at most.’

‘In that case, I’ll retrieve the Pure Yang Fire Seed first.’ Ginseng Fruit Tree·Celestial Dao had no intention of altering his plan to probe this Cosmic Giant Bull.

Once his five elements were complete, the bull would be no match for him, regardless of its origins.

He knew how to prioritize.

He immediately opened a spatial passage to Red Meteor, arriving in an instant.

The moment his foot touched the life-filled soil, plant-like roots began to sprout from it, as if trying to take hold.

“Ah, the aura of life,” Ginseng Fruit Tree·Celestial Dao sighed, feeling the sensory stimulus of the nutrients his roots were absorbing.

In that single instant, the ground around him turned gray and lifeless.

He was, after all, a being who could destroy a planet with a wave of his hand. Even a slight sip of life was a fatal blow to that region of the planet.

Therefore, to ensure his plan’s success, he did his utmost to restrain his botanical instinct—his thirst for the earth.

Otherwise, if he were to completely devour the life force of Red Meteor, his plan would be missing its final piece, even if he did obtain the Pure Yang Fire Seed.

He extended his perception slightly and located the holder of the Pure Yang Fire Seed.

‘What… is this life-form?’

‘It doesn’t look human,’ Ginseng Fruit Tree·Celestial Dao thought, puzzled.

The being was still draped in human skin, but that was all that remained of its humanity.

From its flesh to its soul, it had completely transformed into some kind of flame monster, and it radiated an aura of pure, unadulterated violence.

‘In terms of compatibility, it’s a perfect match for the Pure Yang Fire Seed. Like a vessel born for it.’

‘This could not have evolved naturally. Someone has altered the holder of the Pure Yang Fire Seed.’

‘And they were able to evade my perception. Whoever did this is powerful.’ Ginseng Fruit Tree·Celestial Dao’s expression grew grim.

—————–

Zuo Fan recovered from the Red Dragon Flame Demon’s memories, an irrepressible killing intent surfacing in his eyes.

He could feel his power swelling within him.

Fortunately, he was able to suppress the violent urge for destruction with his own willpower and the orthodox Flame Demon Body Refining Technique.

But that wasn’t the important part. What was important was the fatal attraction he felt toward Mu Can.

It was as if his body and soul were craving him.

He couldn’t help but swallow, then slowly rose and walked over.

He involuntarily seized Mu Can. A great maw split open on the Fire Elemental Flame Demon’s abdomen, and without hesitation, he stuffed Mu Can inside.

It was only when the sound of chewing started that Zuo Fan realized what he had done.

But it was too late. The maw on his abdomen had already healed over; he couldn’t spit Mu Can out even if he tried.

After devouring Mu Can, his body began an irreversible transformation.

His Fire Elemental Flame Demon form had been humanoid, but now he was changing into the form of the Dragon People, his flames turning a deep blood-red.

He had obtained the complete power of Xu Ziyang and Mu Can. The blood-red flames were a fusion of the Blood Sea Body and the true Flame Demon body.

Two blood-red Li Huo Giant Swords slowly extruded from his palms.

These were not swords he had condensed with the Innate Li Fire Sword Technique, but rather the Life-taking Saber from the *Blood Sea Life-taking Scripture*.

It was bizarre that the Life-taking Saber manifested as two swords, but their power was not to be underestimated.

When the transformation was complete, he felt, as if waking from a dream, the flame flickering between his eyebrows.

It was the Pure Yang Fire Seed, one of the Spirit Masters’ Five Elements Treasures.

“Tell me, who created you,” a voice spoke from nearby.

Zuo Fan turned to see a being that was a fusion of tree and human, far more lifelike than the wooden figure from before.

“Created me? I think you’re mistaken about something.” Zuo Fan raised an eyebrow. ‘He himself wanted to know, but after Xu Ziyang destroyed the Celestial Spirit Alliance, it all became an unsolved mystery.’

‘After all, the owner of Tang’s Candy Shop who had passed down the ancestral Spiritual Technique had died in a fire. No one knew the truth.’

“But that doesn’t matter. Killing you will be enough,” Zuo Fan said, though he had no idea about the origins of this strange plant-person before him.

One thing was certain, though: he had to kill him.

The Life-taking Saber in his hands transformed into ferocious draconic bone scales, which were then coated in blood-flame as he mobilized the power of the Pure Yang Fire Seed between his eyebrows.

His Dragon People form instantly transformed into a blood-red Red Dragon.

The Life-taking Saber attached to his body, becoming the White Bone Dragon Scale armor.

It all felt like instinct; he was proficient with this new form without needing any time to adapt.

Zuo Fan knew this was the result of fusing with Xu Ziyang and devouring Mu Can.

It also made him increasingly certain that the *Blood Sea Life-taking Scripture* from Seven Kills Zhenren was closely related to the Spiritual Technique he cultivated, and that this connection even included the Yanghuang Sect’s Sect’s Spiritual Technique.

He suspected that the ancestor of the owner of Tang’s Candy Shop might have been Seven Kills Zhenren, who was also Yanghuang Zhenren, the founder of the Yanghuang Sect.

Otherwise, there was no explaining why the legacies of these three Spiritual Techniques could complement each other so perfectly.

“Impressive courage,” Ginseng Fruit Tree·Celestial Dao praised. “It’s just that your strength is a pale imitation of your ancestors’.”

“In that case, I suppose I’ll use a sliver of my power to play with you. Let’s see how you measure up to the Spirit Masters of old,” Ginseng Fruit Tree·Celestial Dao said, a playful and interested glint in its eyes.