Jun Mo Xie suddenly understood, a genuine wave of sympathy welling up in his heart. This space held only the Sacred Tree as a sentient being. When the people from the Illusionary Manor arrived, they treated the Sacred Tree with near-divine reverence, and this was precisely when the Sacred Village had lost its dearest friend and was at its lowest ebb…
Centuries later, after finally rebuilding some rapport, that very person was nearing the end of his lifespan, about to perish…
For a human of normal temperament, this situation would have driven them mad. It seemed this tree had endured this for nearly ten millennia, suffering at least forty or fifty identical, agonizing experiences…
No wonder his emotions were so unstable now, almost like a hormonal imbalance. “It’s truly no wonder,” he mused, “It’s like a bride who has married fifty husbands only to see every single one die prematurely…”
“I will deliver your message.”
Jun Mo Xie nodded gravely.
“Thank you.”
As he escorted Jun Mo Xie out, the Sacred Tree truly exhibited a sense of reluctant parting. With a sudden sound, Jun Mo Xie was propelled outward. Behind him, the leaves of the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree rustled violently, and the immensely thick trunk trembled slightly…
Though their time together was brief, the sharp, confrontational friction they had just experienced was a first for the Sacred Tree. Especially since he had ultimately received immense benefit from Jun Mo Xie—though he had also given much in return—the Sacred Tree’s innocent, childlike emotions struggled to accept the abrupt departure of Young Master Jun…
The rustling of the leaves was undeniably a sound of weeping…
Then a fierce wind erupted, and the colossal silhouette of the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree vanished completely in an instant…
“Jun Ye!”
From not far away came the ecstatic shout of Miao Xiaomiao, followed by a graceful figure soaring over like a young swallow. In a blink, she was clinging tightly to Jun Mo Xie, embracing him with such force that their bodies seemed on the verge of merging…
“Miao Xiaomiao cried out and laughed, then suddenly tears began streaming down, drenching the front of Jun Mo Xie’s robes as she sobbed against his chest.
These were not just tears born of suppressed terror, but also tears of lingering fear, tears of joy, and tears of sheer happiness…
Although only half a day had passed since she last saw Jun Mo Xie, for Miao Xiaomiao, that interval felt like centuries. Several times, she had nearly fallen into despair. This loneliness of waiting was an agonizing torment for a young girl in the bloom of her teens. Had it not been for the resolute belief that Jun Mo Xie would surely return, Miao Xiaomiao might have already collapsed…
Now, seeing Jun Mo Xie return safe and sound, how could she not be overjoyed? “Relax… I’m fine, better than ever.”
Jun Mo Xie gently patted the back of the beauty in his arms, soothing her softly.
In the distance, Miao Huanyu watched the intimately embracing pair, his face full of paternal relief. “Though the Sacred Tree still hasn't chosen a successor this time—the fact that my daughter’s future is secured brings a father no greater joy…”
Compared to that, everything else held little importance!
As the day waned, it was time to leave the Spirit Medicine Garden. The three walked slowly towards the entrance, where Miao Jingyun and others were already waiting. Seeing the trio return, they eagerly inquired about the inheritance.
Miao Huanyu sighed and recounted the events, leaving everyone deeply disappointed.
However, Jun Mo Xie immediately stepped forward and relayed the Sacred Tree’s final request, causing everyone to fall into thoughtful silence.
“…Even humans, with their brief lifespans, struggle to accept separation and loss so easily, let alone a sentient tree with an immense lifespan? I believe this must be an immense torment for it, especially experiencing the same painful cycle repeatedly, much like history looping back on itself. You were only concerned with the interests of the Illusionary Manor and never considered the Sacred Tree’s feelings… that was a grave miscalculation.”
What Jun Mo Xie said was blunt, perhaps even rude. Yet, these words rendered everyone present silent.
Jun Mo Xie naturally did not convey the exact words; he altered them slightly: The Sacred Tree wished for the current Spirit Medicine Garden Master, Miao Huanyu, to continue in his post for as long as possible, believing that this stability would solidify the Miao family’s authority—effectively meaning Jun Mo Xie had done the Miao family another massive favor…
“Replacing the incumbent is always troublesome; we certainly wish someone could hold the position indefinitely. Unfortunately, Huanyu’s innate constitution is too weak; he is only at the Divine Profound level now. Even if he wished to persist, how long could he truly last?”
Miao Jingyun frowned. “If not for that, why would we rush the Sacred Tree to select someone with suitable compatibility so quickly?”
“The Sacred Tree has naturally considered this. It asked me to bring something out for Uncle Miao.”
Jun Mo Xie gritted his teeth. For Miao Xiaomiao’s sake, he absolutely could not watch the Miao family’s authority slip away…
Jun Mo Xie reached into his robes, seemingly retrieving something. In reality, he plucked a cluster of Seven-Colored Sacred Fruits from within the Hongjun Pagoda, infused them with the purest Innate Spiritual Qi derived from three Celestial Ultimate Pills, then blended in a portion of a Refined Lotus, harmonizing it all with Wood elemental energy…
When he drew his hand out, he held a string of seven colorful fruits—each the size of a ripe peach, more than twice the size of the Sacred Fruits currently treasured by the Illusionary Manor, and emitting a natural aura that proclaimed their extraordinary nature!
“This is a parting gift the Sacred Tree entrusted me to deliver to Uncle Miao. These are Heaven-Grade Seven-Colored Sacred Fruits, which take five thousand years to cultivate one batch! Consuming these Heaven-Grade Sacred Fruits will grant Uncle Miao a thousand years of pure power and a thousand years of lifespan, completely without side effects!”
A thousand years of power, a thousand years of lifespan—Jun Mo Xie seemed to be underselling it slightly. Just the freshly cultivated Seven-Colored Sacred Fruits alone surpassed the batch the Illusionary Manor had previously given the Young Master. Now, they were augmented by the Refined Lotus. Both miraculous items were cultivated within the Hongjun Pagoda world, far exceeding the previous top-tier items by immeasurable degrees. Frankly, the combined effect of just these two items could add at least a thousand years of power and a thousand years of lifespan—and that’s just the efficacy of the Sacred Fruit and the Refined Lotus, not counting the lifespan extension brought by advancement in his profound techniques…
Furthermore, the three Celestial Ultimate Pills could collectively grant one hundred and eighty years of pure profound energy, enough to elevate Miao Huanyu from the Divine Profound realm to the peak of the Supreme level. The power generated by the two batches of spiritual fruits would be sufficient to drive him from the peak of the Supreme realm straight through to the fourth level of the Venerable realm! He might even have a chance to advance to the Saint realm!
If everything went smoothly, Miao Huanyu’s original lifespan would reach nearly a thousand years due to his profound cultivation advancement. Combined with the extra thousand years granted by the Sacred Fruits—that meant nearly two full millennia of life!
Everyone stared, utterly dumbfounded!
Such heaven-defying items existed in this world?
For a moment, the breathing of all the elder figures grew rapid. “Let me reiterate, this is specifically designated by the Sacred Tree for Uncle Miao!”
Jun Mo Xie frowned slightly. The expression of the old fellows seemed off; they weren't…
“Nonsense! Who doesn’t know this is for young Huanyu? We are merely excited! You think we’d actually try to seize it? To put it crudely, even if we wanted to snatch it, could you stop us? Why the need to repeatedly state this is for your father-in-law from the Sacred Tree?”
One Saint Venerable sputtered, wagging his beard furiously.
The other elders chuckled sheepishly. Despite their grand pronouncements, they were indeed feeling tempted. After all, these were heaven-defying treasures capable of adding a thousand years to lifespan and power. However, upon hearing that these were specially sent by the Sacred Tree for the Master of the Spirit Medicine Garden, even those with colossal guts dared not lay a hand on them…
These were Heaven-Grade Seven-Colored Sacred Fruits that only appeared once every five thousand years. Who would dare covet them? What if they angered the Sacred Tree and caused it to cease working? Wouldn't the Spirit Medicine Garden become a hollow shell?
Besides, the Sacred Tree gave these miraculous things to Mo Junye; he had every opportunity to hoard them for himself—yet he did not conceal his fortune! What magnanimity!
If they harbored any selfish thoughts… wouldn’t they be worse than beasts? Outdone even by a junior?
Miao Jingyun’s aged face flushed crimson, his white beard trembling. Of all those present, this elder was the happiest, his joy even surpassing that of Miao Huanyu himself. After all, Miao Huanyu was his son, and father and son shared one heart. His son’s physical condition had always been a major worry for Miao Jingyun, and now that problem was solved! Two thousand years… that was more than enough!
Miao Xiaomiao was even happier, jumping and laughing, pulling her father’s hand and spinning in circles like an innocent, guileless girl, utterly unable to express the immense ecstasy bubbling up inside her…
“Oh, right. The Sacred Village Master mentioned that while the enhancements provided by the Heaven-Grade Sacred Fruit have no inherent side effects, the effect is so heaven-defying that the Heavenly Dao will surely initiate a series of Celestial Tribulations. It would be best to find a place that can shield against the tribulation beforehand, wait until the medicinal power is fully assimilated, and then emerge to face the trials. That way, success will be assured…”
Jun Mo Xie smiled faintly, offering a reminder. They couldn’t afford a repeat of Miao Xiaomiao’s previous close call.
“Yes, yes! The Sacred Tree’s foresight is impeccable. I have a way to handle this matter without fail, hah!”
“Today is truly a day of great joy…”
Miao Jingyun roared with laughter, stroking his beard, looking smug and confident.
This arrogant expression made the other strong figures who had entered feel intensely envious: What ‘great joy’? It’s certainly great joy for your Miao family—we haven’t gained anything! Not only did we gain nothing this time, but we likely won’t gain anything for the next millennium or so, left only to drool over it. Is this great joy? It’s more like great sorrow…
Miao Jingyun personally and reverently stored the seven fruits. Followed closely by Miao Dao and Miao Jian, the group hastily activated the passage connecting the Spirit Medicine Garden to the Illusionary Manor world, rushing back like a gust of wind…
Better safe than sorry.
The best course now was to immediately have Miao Huanyu go into secluded cultivation with the ancestor, Miao Qingcheng, upon their return. Then, he could completely digest the medicinal power of the Seven-Colored Sacred Fruit. With the ancestor present, guiding Miao Huanyu to withstand the inevitable Divine Tribulation would be an easy task!
Amidst the joyous atmosphere, Jun Mo Xie also raised the matter of returning to his homeland for a visit. His reason was simple yet clear: he had relatives outside, and if he intended to reside in the Illusionary Manor long-term, they would need to be brought in…
Miao Jingyun readily agreed this time, cautioning him to go quickly and return soon before vanishing. After all, ensuring Miao Huanyu’s successful advancement was the paramount priority right now…