From Miao Huanyu's warning, Young Master Jun finally understood why there could only be one "Candidate": because the path they trod was best walked alone, bearable with two, strained with three, but absolutely impossible with more than three!

Once that number was exceeded, the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree would never be seen again!

Of course, this three-person limit did not include the master of the Spirit Herb Garden. This meant that based on Jun Moxie's current combination, one more person could still be added. But... ever since that one incident where the Sacred Tree showed resistance, no one had attempted to add anyone, and instead, only one person participated each time.

For Miao Huanyu to bring two people this time was an unprecedented event in hundreds of years!

Miao Huanyu stood in the center, Miao Xiaomiao to his left, and Jun Meixie to his right.

Everything in this space was utterly indistinguishable from the outside world. Stepping onto the grass, the grounded feeling, and the fragrance of wild grass drifting around, all made Jun Moxie realize that this world was not an illusion, but entirely real!

After walking out for a short distance, when he looked back, clouds and mist had already cut off the way back, a vast expanse of white, showing no sign of the people who had entered with them...

"This is the Sacred Tree Domain. Among all places in the Spirit Herb Garden, this spot is perhaps the strangest."

Miao Huanyu spoke slowly as he strode forward, "This grassland is boundless, yet within it, there is absolutely not a single spirit herb to be found! Because the Sacred Tree does not permit it, the spirit herbs are unable to grow!"

Jun Moxie and Miao Xiaomiao had already been wondering why, upon entering, precious rare spirit herbs were visible almost everywhere in the surrounding woods, yet here, not a single one could be seen—not even the most common spirit sprouts or grasses?

Now, hearing Miao Huanyu's explanation, they understood that the barrenness of this place was all the machination of the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree! They exchanged a look, both thinking: This Seven-Colored Sacred Tree appears to be a highly possessive, even selfish entity. However, upon careful consideration, Jun Moxie found it understandable, much like how powerful Xuan Beasts ensure no other Xuan Beasts inhabit their vicinity; the intrusion of another would inevitably trigger a great battle. A spirit herb rich in spiritual energy can similarly hinder the growth of surrounding flora! It is just that this Seven-Colored Sacred Tree is more domineering... its range of influence is simply more vast...

Suddenly, a breath of fresh spiritual energy wafted over from a distance. Miao Huanyu’s spirit lifted: "We've arrived."

The two looked up and saw that in the center of the great grassland, where there had been nothing before, a tree that could absolutely be called 'colossal' now stood!

The trunk diameter of this tree was at least over a hundred meters! It shot upward, its branches and leaves lush, seeming to directly pierce the heavens!

And the leaves of this giant tree were all in a strange, nine-pointed shape, emitting different colors. At first glance, they were normal jade-green, but upon looking again, they had turned red, then black, purple...

The leaves of this tree were constantly shifting color!

As the three approached, all the nine-pointed leaves of the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree simultaneously flipped backward, and the entire tree actually tilted back slightly—like a giant standing firm against the sky, arrogantly surveying the tiny shrimps before it...

Young Master Jun froze, his eyes wide: Damn it! A tree that acts so arrogant, this is too anthropomorphic...

It must be said that a tree with a trunk diameter exceeding a hundred meters, Jun Moxie had never seen in either of his worlds—if this were to be felled, how many double beds could be made from it! The leaves rustled loudly, clearly conveying one message after another: "The youths from the Illusionary Mansion have come to pay respects to Lord Sacred Tree again! What good things have you brought for this old one..."

"Respected Lord Sacred Tree, today marks the day the Illusionary Mansion opens the Spirit Herb Garden once every hundred years. In order to better attend to Lord Sacred Tree, the Illusionary Mansion has carefully selected two young talents to come and request a test of compatibility. We implore Lord Sacred Tree to open your all-knowing, discerning eyes and investigate, to determine the path of the Spirit Herb Garden for the next thousand years."

Miao Huanyu bowed slightly, speaking to the tree with utmost reverence.

Jun Moxie blinked. What was this situation? This wasn't a myth, was it? A tree that could actually understand and speak human language? And yet, Lord Huanyu was so deferential to it... Could it understand him?

The leaves of the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree rustled wildly, and the trunk itself visibly swayed a few times.

The three present clearly felt: This tree seemed to be in a very pleasant mood right now! And quite excited, in fact...

Miao Huanyu looked somewhat surprised: This had never happened before, had it? Did his respect make it so happy? But he had said the same words before... and never saw it this ecstatic... The leaves continued to rustle, seemingly like the roar of tens of thousands of people: "Those two juniors, step forward one pace!"

Jun Moxie curled his lip. What hadn't Young Master seen? This so-called roar of ten thousand people was merely a frequency causing all the leaves to vibrate in a specific pattern simultaneously, creating an auditory effect. Yet, this alone proved that the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree truly possessed consciousness, and apparently, a considerable degree of wisdom!

Jun Moxie's eyes darted around...

Jun Moxie stepped forward as instructed, Miao Xiaomiao staying beside him, though her expression was somewhat fearful... After all, Miao Xiaomiao had never witnessed such a bizarre event. In her understanding, the Sacred Tree before her was already a "divine" existence...

Suddenly, the leaves let out a sharp whistle, and a voice formed from spiritual power boomed angrily: "You junior! What is that expression on your face? How dare you show disrespect to Lord Sacred Tree? Do you know what a heinous crime that is?"

It turned out Jun Moxie's curled lip had been seen by "it"—"The Sacred Tree's wrath instantly changed the winds and clouds in the Spirit Herb Garden!

Miao Huanyu inwardly groaned: It looks like this Seven-Colored Sacred Tree is going berserk again... Just like the previous times, it was jubilant one moment and inexplicably furious the next. But there was nothing one could do but withdraw in dejection. This time, just like before, no one had actively provoked "it"... "it" was inexplicably getting angry again... Jun Moxie stared dumbfounded at the tree, watching it tremble violently, seemingly unable to contain its rage.

"Scram! All of you, get out of my sight!"

The tree suddenly roared with mental power: "This Lord Sacred Tree does not wish to see you minuscule humans!"

"Are you sick?"

Jun Moxie asked the curse out loud, sounding genuinely bewildered. While approaching, Young Master Jun had noticed there wasn't a single fruit on this tree, which had already soured his mood. Looking around, even though the space seemed endless, he couldn't see the second or third Seven-Colored Sacred Trees that Miao Jingyun and Miao Huanyu had mentioned the Illusionary Mansion had painstakingly cultivated. Young Master Jun’s malice had already begun to rise... Now, this mere tree dared to curse the Lord Xie Jun? This was utterly intolerable!

Even more so, "You! What did you just say, junior?"

The Seven-Colored Sacred Tree roared in fury.

"What did I say? I said are you sick!"

Jun Moxie yelled back without the slightest regard for the utterly shocked expressions of Miao Xiaomiao and Miao Huanyu beside him: "I realize those predecessors from the Illusionary Mansion spoiled you rotten! What's so great about you? You're just a tree! Because you've lived a few extra years, you think you're amazing? With such a massive body, you can only bear two sets of sacred fruits every year—aren't you ashamed? You dare to be so self-satisfied; if I were you, I would have found a crooked branch to hang myself... Oh right, you are a tree, you can hang yourself, provided you are a crooked-necked tree, although you look relatively straight..."

"Waaah! You junior are spouting nonsense, you truly infuriate this Lord Sacred Tree!"

The Seven-Colored Sacred Tree shook its body left and right, causing the earth to tremble: "Junior, your wild words! This Lord Sacred Tree will absolutely not spare you!"

Suddenly, with a "whoosh," a powerful hurricane erupted. Two roots, as thick as swimming dragons, abruptly burst from beneath the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree. They lashed out lightning-fast towards Jun Moxie, coiling around his entire body. Then, with a "boom," a large hole suddenly appeared in the exact center of the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree's trunk. The two roots flung Jun Moxie inside, and in an instant, the tree trunk sealed shut, leaving no seam visible. The two roots sank back into the ground, the trunk stopped swaying, and the leaves ceased rustling... A profound calm settled!

This Seven-Colored Sacred Tree had actually eaten Young Master Jun...

Miao Xiaomiao let out a moan, nearly fainting, her face turning ghostly white.

"Lord Sacred Tree!"

Miao Huanyu exclaimed in shock: "He is young and ignorant; please, venerable Lord, be magnanimous and do not hold it against him; please show mercy!"

"This junior spouted profanity and spoke disrespectfully; how could this Lord Sacred Tree allow him to blaspheme so casually? If he is not taught a lesson, what about the future?"

The Sacred Tree's leaves rustled: "You two need not worry. This Lord will only teach this a lesson; I will not harm his life. You two should leave for now! When this has been properly disciplined by me, this Lord will release him!"

Miao Huanyu was dumbstruck.

Just let them go? Did that mean this trip would once again be in vain? This place was only accessible once every hundred years—to enter and then immediately leave? Was this a joke?

"Lord Sacred Tree... please, I beg you, be lenient..." Miao Xiaomiao pleaded, "He is a good person; can you please not discipline him?"

"What is all this nagging? Hurry up and scram!"

The Seven-Colored Sacred Tree seemed to become irritated. It suddenly shook its trunk, and the hurricane rose again, plunging the surroundings into momentary chaos. The entire world descended into darkness, truly a place where one could not see their hand before their face, nor recognize the person opposite them!

When Miao Xiaomiao and her father could see again, they found the area before them empty—only a vast grassland remained. As for the overwhelmingly huge Seven-Colored Sacred Tree, it had vanished without a trace...