Chapter 32: Bodhi Seed

On the sixth day of the Azure Underworld Secret Realm, the morning light was just beginning to break. Lin Chuan finished the spirit fruit prepared by Old Zi and looked at Zhang Lin and his two companions, who were still sitting in meditation to regulate their breathing. The spectral form of Old Zi floated beside them, his purple mist shimmering with a strange luster in the dawn.

"Are you all ready?" Lin Chuan clapped his hands. "We are heading to the west of the secret realm today; it is not a short journey."

Li Yun rubbed her eyes. "The west? I heard that third-level spirit beasts roam that area..."

Old Zi let out a soft huff, and the purple mist suddenly expanded, enveloping the four of them. The next moment, everyone felt their feet grow light, and they began to rise slowly off the ground.

"This... this is..." Wang Tiezhu’s eyes widened as he gripped Zhang Lin’s arm tightly.

"Flight!" Zhang Lin’s voice trembled. "This is something only a powerhouse at the Venerable Martial Realm can achieve!"

Lin Chuan watched their shocked expressions and chuckled inwardly. This was the result of Old Zi intentionally slowing down; even if Old Zi’s current cultivation was only equivalent to a Venerable Martial expert, his combat power and speed were comparable to that of a Saint Martial realm master.

As the purple mist rose, the four of them were already a hundred feet in the air. Wang Tiezhu kept his eyes squeezed shut at first, only daring to open a slit after Li Yun exclaimed, "Look down!"

The magnificent scenery of the Azure Underworld Secret Realm was laid out before them—rolling mountain ranges like winding giant dragons, lakes sparkling like pearls, and in the distance, a strange forest glowing crimson as blood.

"It’s so beautiful..." Li Yun murmured, having completely forgotten her fear.

Old Zi’s voice echoed in their ears: "Sit tight."

No sooner had he spoken than the purple mist accelerated abruptly. The howling wind whistled past, but it was completely blocked by the purple mist. The scenery on both sides blurred into streaks of color; the speed was breathtaking.

"Ah—" Wang Tiezhu finally couldn't help but scream, then immediately laughed out loud. "I’m flying! I’m actually flying!"

Although Zhang Lin tried to maintain his composure, his white-knuckled grip betrayed his nervousness. Li Yun, meanwhile, was completely immersed in the unprecedented experience, her eyes sparkling with childlike wonder.

Lin Chuan felt the wind rushing against him and felt a surge of excitement. This speed was a hundred times more thrilling than any transportation he had used in his previous life.

During the flight, Old Zi would occasionally veer off course. Whenever this happened, it meant he had discovered a treasure worth stopping for: a thousand-year-old spirit mushroom in a cliff crevice, profound ice iron at the bottom of a freezing pond, or even a spirit snake in the midst of molting—its shed skin was an excellent material for forging armor. These treasures, which usually required life-or-death struggles to claim, were now as easy to pick up as wild fruit by the roadside.

"Senior Old Zi..." Zhang Lin finally couldn't help but ask, "What... what exactly is your cultivation level?"

The purple mist rippled slightly, as if hesitating on how to answer.

Lin Chuan intervened at the right moment: "Old Zi was once a powerhouse at the late Royal Martial Realm. As for now... he probably still retains the strength of the Venerable Martial Realm."

"Late Royal Martial Realm?!" Li Yun gasped. "Isn't that even stronger than the City Lord of Tianyun?"

Wang Tiezhu started counting on his fingers: "Spirit Martial, Earth Martial, Sky Martial, Venerable Martial, Royal Martial... My god, wouldn't he be able to crush us with a single finger?"

Old Zi’s voice carried a note of pride: "Had I not been betrayed by villains, I would never have been reduced to this state."

Lin Chuan rolled his eyes in secret—this old man really knew how to put on a show. Zhang Lin and his wife exchanged glances, both seeing shock and... a trace of despondency in each other's eyes. Lin Chuan keenly sensed this shift in mood.

At noon, Old Zi chose a flat rock for everyone to rest. However, Zhang Lin and his wife seemed somewhat reserved, even choosing seats intentionally distant from Lin Chuan.

"Brother Zhang, Sister-in-law Li, what’s wrong?" Lin Chuan asked directly.

Li Yun managed a forced smile. "It’s nothing... it’s just that we realized with Senior Old Zi’s help, Brother Lin is destined to be a great figure in Tianyun City in the future. We... we..."

"We are just minor cultivators, not worthy of calling you brother," Zhang Lin added, his tone bitter.

Lin Chuan was stunned, then burst into laughter. "Is that all?"

He stood up, walked over to sit heavily beside Zhang Lin, and slung an arm around his shoulder. "Brother Zhang, have you forgotten how we met?"

Zhang Lin’s eyes reddened. "It’s not that... it’s just..."

"Just what, just what," Lin Chuan interrupted. "Even a guy like Old Zi, who isn't exactly a saint, knows how to repay kindness. How could I, Lin Chuan, ever look down on you?"

The purple mist suddenly churned violently, clearly dissatisfied with this evaluation. Li Yun let out a giggle, and the atmosphere instantly lightened. As for Wang Tiezhu, he was busy calculating their haul from the journey and hadn't noticed the conversation at all.

After the rest, the group continued flying westward. This time, Zhang Lin and his wife were noticeably more relaxed, even daring to joke with Lin Chuan during the flight.

"Our destination is just ahead," Old Zi suddenly announced.

Everyone followed his guidance and looked ahead, where a towering giant tree appeared on the horizon. Even from dozens of miles away, the sheer size of the tree was staggering—the trunk was as thick as a mountain, the canopy pierced the clouds, and it shimmered with a faint golden halo under the sunlight.

"The Ancient Bodhi Tree..." Zhang Lin murmured. "The legendary holy tree that only bears fruit once every ten thousand years!"

As they drew closer, the details of the ancient tree became clear. The trunk was covered in profound patterns, resembling natural runes; the leaves were heart-shaped, each one crystal clear as if carved from emerald.

"Be careful, there are third-level spirit beasts nesting in the canopy," Old Zi warned.

No sooner had he spoken than the purple mist surged, and a terrifying pressure swept out. A series of panicked cries erupted from the canopy as over a dozen six-winged, peacock-like beasts fled in terror, not daring to even look back.

"Are those... Six-Winged Spirit Sparrows?" Li Yun’s voice trembled. "They say a single one is enough to slaughter two or three Earth Martial experts..."

Old Zi gave a disdainful hum. "Mere third-level beasts, daring to squawk in my presence."

The group descended onto the canopy eight hundred feet in the air, where the lush branches formed a natural aerial platform. In the center of the platform, five golden fruits, each the size of a human head, hung silently, emitting an alluring fragrance.

"Bodhi Seeds!" Wang Tiezhu was so excited he nearly jumped. "A single one is worth a million spirit stones!"

Lin Chuan felt his own heart racing. He reached out to pluck one, only to find the fruit immovable, as if fused with the branch. Even when he channeled his full spiritual power, he could only make it sway slightly.

"Strange..." Lin Chuan frowned. "Why is it so firmly attached?"

Just then, the voice of Little Fatty came from the Blood Spirit Ring: "Try it with that black sword."

Lin Chuan’s eyes lit up. He retrieved the black longsword he had obtained in the Soul-Devouring Abyss from the ring. The blade remained dull and lusterless, yet it exuded a faint, heart-palpitating aura.

Lin Chuan said nothing and swung the sword at the connection point between the Bodhi seed and the branch. A black light flashed, and a three-foot-deep crack appeared on the trunk, from which golden sap slowly seeped out.

"It works!" Lin Chuan was overjoyed. After a few more strikes, the first Bodhi seed finally fell. He caught it quickly, the heavy weight in his hand bringing a sense of peace.

Soon, all five Bodhi seeds were harvested. Without hesitation, Lin Chuan handed three of them to Zhang Lin and his companions.

"No... we can’t take these!" Zhang Lin waved his hands repeatedly. "Senior Old Zi did all the work along the way; we didn't help at all."

Li Yun also firmly declined. "Brother Lin, these rightly belong to you."

Wang Tiezhu was clearly greedy, but seeing Zhang Lin and his wife refuse, he could only swallow his saliva and say he didn't want them.

Lin Chuan feigned anger. "What, do you look down on me?"

Seeing the three of them still refusing, he sighed. "How about this: I’ll take four, and you three can split one. Is that acceptable?"

After some back-and-forth, this compromise was finally accepted. Zhang Lin carefully tucked the Bodhi seed away, planning to split it after they left the secret realm.

After leaving the Ancient Bodhi Tree, Old Zi led the group to continue searching the secret realm. By the time the sky grew dim, they had found three more sources of precious resources.

"That is all for today," Old Zi said. "Tomorrow is the last day the secret realm will be open. We should prepare to leave."