Chapter 587 - 594: Searching for the Bodhi Tree

Song Wanning took out an Elixir Pill and handed it to him.

"Thank you."

Wu Qingfeng thanked her, his expression weak. Although he was injured, he seemed incredibly relaxed.

From now on, he was no longer Wu Qingfeng of the Medicine King Sect, but the Loose Cultivator, Wu Qingfeng.

But now that he was free from Mu Zixu’s control, he felt as if he had been born anew.

He swallowed the Elixir Pill and finally began to recover, bit by bit.

After thanking Liu Xingzhi and Luo Hantian, Song Wanning took Wu Qingfeng back to the Ancient Cold Sect.

She didn’t leave in a hurry. Instead, she took a few more Elixir Pills to prevent any hidden injuries from taking root.

Liu Lan Yi had settled down in the Ancient Cold Sect. When she heard Song Wanning had returned, she went with Leng Qingzhu to visit her.

Learning that the trip had gone smoothly, the two of them couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Wan Ning, are you going back to the Demon Race?"

Liu Lan Yi thought of how Song Wanning had left the Fox Demon and She Yi behind and figured she would definitely go back.

"Not for now. I’m going to find the Bodhi Tree first."

Song Wanning shook her head.

With her current abilities, she couldn’t kill Gong Ye, so there was little point in going.

It was better to increase her strength first.

"Alright. If you need help, remember to call us."

"Our Cultivation might be a bit lacking, but we definitely won’t hold you back."

Liu Lan Yi said with a teasing smile, and everyone burst into laughter.

With Liu Lan Yi around, Leng Qingzhu had brightened up considerably and smiled much more often.

Song Wanning was happy to see this. She stayed with the two of them for a few more days before finally leaving the Sect with Wu Qingfeng.

Wu Qingfeng was very obedient, following quietly behind Song Wanning without a single thought of resistance.

’But a worry always lingered in the back of his mind: what if Song Wanning kills me after she finds the Bodhi Tree?’

’But... as things stand, I have no choice.’

So, all he could do was obediently lead Song Wanning toward the location of the Bodhi Tree.

The journey was smooth, and a month and a half later, the two finally arrived before a lake.

Since Wu Qingfeng had been here before, he remembered the route clearly. But when he saw the lake before him, he still froze for a moment.

He hadn’t been back in a long time, and the environment had actually changed.

Originally, this lake had been just a small pond. Not far past the pond was where the Bodhi Tree had been discovered.

’But looking at it now, could the Bodhi Tree have been submerged by the lake?’

Wu Qingfeng’s expression turned ugly. He had guaranteed that there was a Bodhi Tree here. Wasn’t this development just pushing him to his death?

’If Song Wanning thinks I’m lying to her, I won’t be able to defend myself.’

"Senior Song, this used to be a pond. I don’t know how it turned into a large lake."

"But I’m really not lying! The Bodhi Tree was right around here before!"

He hurriedly explained to Song Wanning, all the while watching her expression, ready to resist at any moment.

Even if he knew it was a path to certain death, he couldn’t just sit back and wait to be killed.

Hearing this, Song Wanning gave Wu Qingfeng a faint glance. She naturally knew what he was thinking.

It didn’t seem like Wu Qingfeng was lying, so the sudden change in the environment must mean something unexpected had happened.

Song Wanning’s brow furrowed. She released her little companions to investigate the surroundings with her.

Seeing this, Wu Qingfeng also began to search the vicinity, even extending his Divine Sense into the lake.

Song Wanning focused her Divine Sense on the location Wu Qingfeng had described, but the lakebed only held freely swimming fish and shrimp, and seaweed swaying with the current. There was no sign of the Bodhi Tree.

They flew further out and searched the area, but still found no trace of the Bodhi Tree.

"Impossible! It was here when I came before!"

Wu Qingfeng was growing anxious. He had checked everywhere, but there was no sign of the Bodhi Tree, as if it had vanished into thin air.

But he really hadn’t been lying.

"Could it be that someone else found the Bodhi Tree and took it?"

At this thought, Wu Qingfeng’s heart tightened, and he once again glanced at Song Wanning’s expression.

He never thought he would one day become so pathetic.

So meek and subservient.

Song Wanning’s expression darkened again. She was in a very bad mood.

’The Bodhi Tree is a great treasure!’

’Did someone really beat me to it?’

Her brow furrowed deeply. Still unwilling to give up, she decided to search again.

"Let’s try again. Maybe we missed something!"

With that, she once again spread her Divine Sense, enveloping the entire lake.

Wu Qingfeng’s heart was in his throat. He searched with extreme care, not daring to miss a single spot.

Several hours later, Song Wanning, who had been feeling discouraged, suddenly had a flash of insight.

"Something’s not right!"

She snapped her head up and looked at Wu Qingfeng.

"Have you noticed? The fish and shrimp in this lake... they’re repeating their movements."

"Even the swaying of the seaweed seems to follow some kind of indescribable rhythm..."

As if every movement was meticulously designed.

"What?"

Wu Qingfeng was stunned for a moment, then immediately extended his Divine Sense into the lake.

Soon, he discovered that the scene before him was indeed very similar to the one from several hours ago.

If Song Wanning hadn’t mentioned it, he never would have noticed. Who would have thought the fish and shrimp here would be repeating themselves at hourly intervals?

"Yes, Senior Song, you’re right! These fish and shrimp are all fake!"

"No, I should say this entire lake might be fake!"

Wu Qingfeng was suddenly excited. If the Bodhi Tree was still here, he could save his own life!

"Mm, I also suspect this is an illusion."

Song Wanning nodded. She even suspected that the pond Wu Qingfeng had seen before was also part of the illusion.

’So, who created this illusion?’

’Was it a Cultivator who intentionally wanted to hide the Bodhi Tree?’

’Or... was it the Bodhi Tree itself?’

According to the Golden Dragon’s inherited memories, a Bodhi Tree could also gain sentience, even take a physical form, and exist as a Spiritual Object.

Just like how some plants could cultivate into spirits and become Demon Cultivators, a Bodhi Tree, due to its different nature, would be of a higher grade after gaining sentience.

’If that’s the case, then this Bodhi Tree is truly extraordinary!’

Great interest sparked within Song Wanning, and her eyes filled with the thrill of a challenge.

’In that case, let me see just what it is that nearly deceived my eyes.’

And so, she and Wu Qingfeng began trying to find a way to break through the illusion before them.

Song Wanning had tried using the hairpin that dispelled restrictions, but there was no change at all. It seemed there were no restrictions here.

’Then, what could it be?’

Song Wanning’s brow was tightly locked as she threw herself into studying it with her full concentration.

She kept her Divine Sense focused on the fish, shrimp, and seaweed, carefully observing their movement paths and frequencies.

She didn’t miss a single motion, engraving every detail clearly in her mind.