Chapter 652: Chapter 652: So, We Are Just Doing a Lonely Task
People from the various major forces did not dare to pay a direct visit to Misty Sect but made a roundabout approach and contacted the Deputy City Lord of Whitefloat City first.
Within the City Lord’s Mansion.
The Deputy City Lord sat in the main seat, looking at the representatives of the various forces seated as guests, with a look of difficulty on his face.
Frankly speaking, although he was the Deputy City Lord, he had absolutely no say in the affairs of Misty Sect.
This matter had to be discussed with Gong Qingqiu.
Therefore, the Deputy City Lord said with a cupped fist bow, “Ladies and gentlemen, there is no hurry for this matter. We can make a decision only after the City Lord… that is, Elder Gong Qingqiu of Misty Sect, returns.”
“No rush, we can wait.”
The representatives of the various forces settled themselves in the City Lord’s Mansion, sticking around with no intention of leaving, as if they would not leave without seeing the Spirit Consolidating Fruit.
Seeing this, the Deputy City Lord felt very helpless.
He would have liked to send them away, but he was only in the Element Gathering Realm, while the leaders of the various forces were even in the Divine Origin Realm. How could he expel them?
Unable to best them in a fight, he had no choice but to let the situation be.
…
Barren Desert Secret Realm.
Three days had passed, and everyone left the secret realm to meet above the barren desert, looking at each other.
Boom!
The giant gates of the massive floating palace slowly closed while the sand dunes below swirled around like a gigantic vortex, swallowing the palace whole and completely disappearing.
This period of training had thus come to an end.
“Big brother, how many Spirit Consolidating Fruits did you find?”
“Me? I found five.”
Shi Lei spread open his hand, revealing five thumb-sized, lusciously red Spirit Fruits resting in his palm.
“I found fifteen,” Yan Ruyu said, holding a bamboo basket containing fifteen Spirit Consolidating Fruits, her face full of smiles. “Big brother, look how big and red they are; the quality is definitely very high.”
“Indeed, they are a bit redder and larger than mine,” Shi Lei scratched his head with an honest smile.
Mo Ying, Huo Yunjie, and other disciples each handed over the Spirit Consolidating Fruits they found. Some had gathered dozens, while others only a few.
In total, the harvest of Spirit Consolidating Fruits for Misty Sect exceeded eight hundred, enough to refine a large amount of Soul Condensing Pills or Spirit Consolidating Elixirs.
Gong Qingqiu looked at the Spirit Consolidating Fruits in the basket, her red lips curving slightly upward in satisfaction. She nodded and said, “It seems you all had a great harvest. This period of training is over, let’s return to the Sect!”
With a sweep of her sleeves, she transported everyone away.
Atop the desert.
The City Lords of Zhongyuan City, Ding Cheng, and others also had their gains. Each main city had gathered at least over a hundred Spirit Consolidating Fruits, enough to nurture several Divine Origin Realm powers.
“Heh, I didn’t expect such a large harvest this time. In the future, we too might have the opportunity to ascend to the ranks of Divine Origin Realm powers.”
“This time, we were also fortunate to have Sect Master Ye take action; otherwise, we could all have been killed by those abruptly appearing three-eyed creatures from the Foreign Clan.”
“After returning, I, as the City Lord, will erect a divine statue for Sect Master Ye and offer incense day and night as a sign of my gratitude.”
“You might as well send him a few more disciples. It seems Sect Master Ye’s favorite thing is to recruit disciples for Misty Sect,” someone suggested.
“You make sense. I will take more concubines as soon as I return to ensure that I can produce more little talents soon and send them to Misty Sect to become the envied disciples of Misty Sect,” the City Lord replied.
“I think you just want to take more concubines, right?”
“Ahem, let’s not reveal too much, gentlemen. Let’s disperse, let’s disperse!”
The City Lords of the five major cities bid farewell with cupped fist bows, then flew towards South Ming Country, soon parting ways.
…
Misty Sect.
Gong Qingqiu led a hundred disciples back to the summit of Misty Peak, ready to report to Ye Feng, but they all noticed the seven-thousand-zhang-tall Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree on the ground and were so stunned they thought they had come to the wrong place.
“What is this?”
“A super giant tree that’s several thousand to tens of thousands of zhang tall?!”
“Look, its upper body even resembles a human shape, with a nose and face, and its aura is tremendously horrifying. It gives me the feeling of facing the eighteen Supreme Elders.”
Shi Lei and other core disciples who had just returned gaped at the colossal Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree in astonishment.
They had been away for only three days, and at the foot of the mountain in the northeast direction of Misty Peak, by the shore of Spirit Lake, an earth-shattering giant tree had suddenly risen, utterly terrifying!
The exclamations of the crowd caught the attention of the Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree.
It bent down, scrutinizing the disciples standing at the summit of Misty Peak with its huge, clear eyes, and cracked a smile.
“Young ones, we are fated!”
Upon hearing this, the Thousand-Year Ancient Pine rolled its eyes.
“Here it comes, again!”
The Thousand-Year Ancient Pine had long been unable to endure the Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree, who was clearly the one it helped cultivate the Spirit Consolidating Fruit for, yet the credit was all snatched away by the Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree, shameful!
“Pre…Predecessor, who are you?”
Gong Qingqiu stood in front of the disciples, cupped his hands towards the Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree, and asked loudly.
“Elder Gong, this here is the Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree that the Sect Leader has recently recruited from the Ninth-Level Battlefield in the Spirit Origin Realm.”
Wang Ling stepped forward and explained.
“What tree?”
Gong Qingqiu and disciples like Shi Lei thought they had heard wrong, showing incredulous expressions.
“The Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree! It is now the second Guardian Elder of our sect, specifically nurturing the Spirit Consolidating Fruit and is also a High-Rank Demon Emperor level Ancestral Tree.”
Shen Yu, a second-generation disciple, explained.
He didn’t go to the Barren Desert Secret Realm this time, hence he knew of the origins of the Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree.
“Hiss!”
Gong Qingqiu and the others were stunned.
This was the Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree specially bred for cultivating the Spirit Consolidating Fruit?
In that case, wouldn’t our Misty Sect not need to go out in search of the Spirit Consolidating Fruit anymore?
Thinking this,
Gong Qingqiu released the basket of Spirit Consolidating Fruit, his gaze shifting and laying eyes on the thousands of Spirit Consolidating Fruit nurtured by a vine on the Thousand-Year Ancient Pine, suddenly feeling that the fruits in the basket were less enticing.
If there were so many Spirit Consolidating Fruit in the sect, then what was the purpose of our toiling missions outside?
“So, did we do this mission for nothing?”
Gong Qingqiu murmured to himself.
“Cough cough, actually, Elder Gong, your mission outside this time was somewhat fruitful, at least… it served a training purpose,” said the Thousand-Year Ancient Pine with a cough.
“…” Gong Qingqiu was at a loss for words.
“Elder Ancient Pine, where is the Sect Leader?”
Gong Qingqiu suddenly remembered he still had to report back.
“The Sect Leader is in seclusion,” the Thousand-Year Ancient Pine said, looking towards Yan Ruyu, “Ru Yu lass, hurry and help me with the nurturing.”
“Alright!”
Yan Ruyu loved to quicken the growth of spiritual medicine.
She soared into the air, her hands sweeping over the thousands of Spirit Consolidating Fruit on the vine, sprinkling dew-like Life Spirit Force, causing them to quickly redden and advance toward maturity.
“Lass, your talent is truly heaven-defying, could it be the legendary Life Spirit Body?” the Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree couldn’t help but praise.
“Grandpa Ancient Tree really has a discerning eye, I am indeed a Life Spirit Body. The Sect Leader said I could accelerate the growth of spiritual medicine,” Yan Ruyu nodded her head.
“Hehe, you actually called me Grandpa Ancient Tree, so endearing. Very well, then you’re fated with me, I grant you a hundred… oh no, a thousand Spirit Consolidating Fruit!” The Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree laughed heartily, its voice thunderous, and deafening.
The corner of the Thousand-Year Ancient Pine’s mouth twitched.
Ni Ma!
Always knowing only to say “you’re fated with me” and then giving away Spirit Consolidating Fruit, has it considered my feelings?
I am the one nurturing the Spirit Consolidating Fruit now!
The Thousand-Year Ancient Pine roared internally.
If it weren’t for the fact it couldn’t win in a fight, the composed Ancient Pine would’ve also wanted to rise from the ground and engage in an earth-shattering battle with the Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree!
“Shameless!”
Inside the Sect Leader’s Great Hall, Ye Feng muttered.
He was in the midst of arduous cultivation of “Spatial Codex” Volume One, but he was aware of everything happening outside.
He had thought the Spirit Consolidating Ancestral Tree was mature and reserved, but who would’ve guessed this fellow was a chatterbox, and also crafty and cunning, a shameless old man through and through!
Rip!
Just then, the ethereal “Spatial Codex” in front of Ye Feng rapidly disintegrated, turning into countless white glows merging into his body, plunging him into an unknown abyss.
“It’s coming!”
He held his breath, his eyes widened.