As his voice resonated through the air, his hands moved once more, mirroring the mystical hand seals of the Devil Sprouting Fruit. The spiritual dragon, once fierce and majestic, dissolved into nothingness.
Though the spiritual hands were invisible to the naked eye, his keen perception could trace their every movement. By attuning himself to the flow of Spiritual Strength and meticulously replicating the sequence of seals, he imprinted every motion in his mind, from the first seal to the final, seamless transition. The mastery of the technique, once foreign, was now within his grasp.
When Xiao Hua unleashed the unfamiliar hand seal, a surge of boundless Spiritual Strength gathered in his palms, spiraling into formation along an eerie and mysterious trajectory, as if guided by some ancient, unfathomable force.
The Devil Sprouting Fruit was truly astonished. Ever since it gained consciousness, never had it felt such shock. For the first time, a genuine expression of disbelief crossed its face.
It never imagined that a mere human, let alone a child, could wield its own technique. The boy's movements were rough and unpolished, the signs of one who had just glimpsed the secrets of this Soul Skill. Yet, despite the clumsiness in his motions, there was no mistaking it—the child was performing its very own hand seals.
As the hand seals slowly took form, the vast and terrifying Spiritual Strength surrounding him began to coalesce. A faint, illusory spiritual mouth, lined with countless sharp fangs, appeared around his palm. However, compared to the one formed by the Devil Sprouting Fruit, this mouth was cruder and less defined, lacking the refinement of a true master.
Yet, what truly amazed the Devil Sprouting Fruit was not just the boy's ability to memorize and replicate the seals upon seeing them once. It was the sheer depth of his Spiritual Strength foundation. This doesn't mean the child's talent exceeds itself, but instead it shows his firm and unwavering foundation was a testament to profound teaching.
Whoever had guided him clearly possessed an understanding of Spiritual Strength that surpassed even its own. Such teachings had been deeply ingrained within the child, making what was difficult for others seem effortless for him. With the right opportunities, he would face no barriers in mastering Soul Skills—what others found arduous, he would grasp with ease.
Moreover, the spiritual dragon he summoned earlier, though incomplete, revealed that he already possessed a rudimentary knowledge of Soul Skills. Now, with the Devil Sprouting Fruit's technique, he was not only refining his understanding but mastering it at an alarming pace.
Yet, the Devil Sprouting Fruit did not feel offended as Xiao Hua used this moment to delve deeper into the mysteries of Spiritual Strength and Soul Skills. On the contrary, it felt a sense of pride, as if the boy had become its disciple. It was only natural now to witness how far this child could go with the Soul Skill it had mastered.
With a surge of Spiritual Strength, the spiritual mouth opened wide. The force of its suction was palpable, drawing in the surrounding Spiritual Energy, while its sharp fangs distorted the very fabric of space, causing dark-black spatial cracks to spread from its maw.
A piercing, soul-shaking screech echoed through the medicinal forest, rattling the essence of anyone who heard it. The spiritual mouth advanced, neither too slow nor too fast, its approach heralded by a raging storm of Spiritual Energy.
Xiao Hua's gaze remained fixed on the approaching spiritual storm. In that fleeting moment, his hand motions grew smoother, the flow of his fingers becoming fluid, as if he was nearing the completion of the technique. But just as his movements reached the critical point, they abruptly halted.
A deep, primal roar erupted from his throat.
"Go!"
With that cry, the terrifying, mysterious mouth formed by his Spiritual Strength surged forward. Wherever it moved, it tore open the space around it, creating deep spatial rifts that rippled with frightening power.
A terrifying force erupted throughout the ancient medicinal forest as the two invisible spiritual mouths, brimming with overwhelming Spiritual Strength, drew closer to one another. The air between them crackled with violent, devouring energy, creating a storm of destruction that shattered the very fabric of space. Spatial cracks, jagged and dark, spread ominously between the two as their collision became inevitable.
In the blink of an eye, the two spiritual mouths clashed, biting into each other with ferocious force. The impact caused the spatial cracks to expand even further, the rippling energy growing ever more terrifying. Yet, amidst this world-shattering collision, no sound was heard. Instead, an eerie silence blanketed the forest, as if the heavens themselves held their breath.
Bang!
But the silence was fleeting, lasting only a breath. In the next moment, an overwhelming storm of spiritual energy brewed at the point of impact, a chaotic maelstrom of power beyond comprehension.
Pfft–!
Grughk–!
The spiritual storm had barely taken form when its violent energy whipped through the air, crashing into Xiao Hua and the black orb's spiritual body. The sheer force struck them like a hammer, sending Xiao Hua coughing up blood, while the black orb grew dim, its spiritual form becoming dangerously transparent.
The two of them were flung back, as if they were kites with their strings severed, tumbling through the air. Their bodies skidded across the ground, carving deep scars into the earth that stretched over a hundred meters. Only after the long, painful slide did they finally come to a stop.
After being sent flying, Xiao Hua and the black orb lost control of their Soul Skill, and the spiritual energy storm surged in intensity. Violent ripples of Spiritual Strength roiled within, creating an immense pressure that weighed heavily on one's soul. The storm stirred the energy of heaven and earth, sending it into chaos, turning the entire atmosphere wild and violent.
The storm expanded into a colossal force, spanning over a thousand feet, with the spiritual mouths vanishing and transforming into an invisible, spherical vortex. Black lines wove across its surface like veins of dark energy, pulsating with destructive power.
The crushing pressure from the storm pressed down on Xiao Hua and the black orb, forcing their expressions to change. Both understood that when this energy storm exploded, it would unleash a blow capable of obliterating their very existence. Yet, despite their awareness, they were powerless to stop it—unable to regain control over the raging storm.
Suddenly, an enormous green-colored spatial line appeared in the sky. A massive crack, spanning a hundred feet, tore through space. This green rift shimmered with a haunting darkness, an abyss that sent a primal fear through the heart of any who gazed upon it.
As the spatial crack formed, the rapidly spinning energy storm began to slow. In the blink of an eye, the storm was violently pulled into the green crack, its immense force being swallowed by the dark-black void beyond. The once-devastating storm was sucked into the abyss, disappearing without a trace.
With the storm contained, the green-colored rift swiftly mended itself, sealing the tear in space. In an instant, it vanished completely, as if it had never existed. The once-raging energy storm that had threatened to destroy the forest had disappeared, leaving behind an eerie silence that engulfed the ancient medicinal forest—as though the terrifying event had never occurred.
"I can't believe you, child." A melodious voice resonated through the clearing as a jade-haired woman, draped elegantly in emerald robes, appeared. Shaking her head, Lady Azure sighed. "I told you this was training, not an invitation to throw your life away..."
"It's not like I expected things to turn out this way, Sister Azure..." Xiao Hua chuckled wryly, rubbing the back of his neck. Even he hadn't anticipated their fight escalating to the point where the very fabric of space would be torn apart.
However, despite the chaos, he could feel the profound growth within himself. After battling the Devil Sprouting Fruit, his mastery over his Spiritual Strength and control had noticeably improved. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he thought to himself—this truly had been an effective training for refining his Spiritual Strength.
Lady Azure, paying no mind to his response, shifted her gaze to the black orb with two horns. Her lips curled slightly into a smile as she asked, "So, do you think this boy is worthy of you?"
The black orb glanced at her before turning its attention to Xiao Hua. It seemed to ponder for a moment, then gave a slight nod. Without another word, it turned and disappeared into the forest, its form vanishing like a fleeting shadow.
"Boy, follow it. That's your reward for earning its recognition." Lady Azure glanced at Xiao Hua with a playful smile, her tone teasing. "Meanwhile, I'll help myself to even more medicinal ingredients with your Storage Rings!"
She raised her hand slightly, revealing two familiar rings resting in her palm. Xiao Hua instantly recognized them—his Storage Rings. They had been taken from him when the Devil Sprouting Fruit cast its illusion. Lady Azure, confident that Xiao Hua would emerge victorious, had swiped the rings and wandered off to explore the ancient medicinal forest on her own.
With a mischievous grin, she flashed the rings before his eyes. Then, in a swift motion, her figure transformed into a streak of green light, darting in the opposite direction from where the Devil Sprouting Fruit's spiritual essence had fled.
"I wonder why she's always so eager to gather medicinal ingredients..." Xiao Hua mused, tilting his head in confusion as he pondered Lady Azure's odd behavior.
Shaking off the thought, he refocused his attention on the path the Devil Sprouting Fruit had taken. Without hesitation, his body blurred into motion, leaping onto the thick branches of the ancient trees. Like a shadow in the wind, he swiftly followed the trail left behind by the Devil Sprouting Fruit's spirituality.
After following the path for some distance, Xiao Hua halted on a thick branch, standing silently as the forest suddenly cleared. What unfolded before his eyes left him utterly still, his gaze locked in place. A wild joy that was impossible to contain lit up his face.
In front of Xiao Hua was an enormous lake, about a hundred feet in size. The water was unnaturally clear, yet despite its clarity, the lake's depths remained hidden from view. However, what truly captured his attention was not the lake itself.
His focus was riveted on a small island floating at the center of the lake, slightly larger than a typical house plot. At the heart of the island stood an extraordinary jet-black tree with a faint golden hue. Its silvery branches stretched outward, completely enveloping the island, casting a thick shadow that blocked out any light.
Upon the silvery branches grew strange dark-violet fruits, each glistening with such clarity that one could see their own reflection on their smooth surfaces. These fruits, no larger than a finger, resembled grapes—save for the two devilish horns protruding from the top of each, just above their pedicels.
But what truly seized Xiao Hua's attention were three peculiar fruits nestled above the trunk, encased within wooden cages formed from the tree's branches, as though guarding them. Unlike the dark-violet fruits, these three were an ominous shade of black, as if they absorbed all light that touched them, while faintly glowing with a silvery sheen. Like their counterparts, they had two horns, though the black fruits' horns were tiny, mere sharp bumps on the surface.
The most striking difference, however, was their size—each black fruit was no larger than a bean, significantly smaller than the dark-violet fruits.
"Devil Sprouting Tree... And there are three black-grade Devil Sprouting Fruits!" Xiao Hua's body trembled in disbelief. He had expected to see one, but three? That defied all convention.
Normally, the competition for Spiritual Strength, the elusive and powerful energy required to nourish such rare fruits, would allow only a single black-grade Devil Sprouting Fruit to grow on the Devil Sprouting Tree. Yet before him, three of these incredibly rare fruits hung in perfect harmony.
Xiao Hua's eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze swept over the entire lake, sensing something peculiar about the area. He hadn't noticed it at first, but now he realized—the Spiritual Strength here was unusually dense. So dense, in fact, that if someone with a weaker soul were to stand here, they would likely feel an overwhelming pressure crushing down upon them.
Placing a hand thoughtfully on his chin, Xiao Hua pondered the reason behind this phenomenon. His eyes lingered on the lake, curiosity brewing within him. Could this be the source? He couldn't help but wonder if a unique formation array was at work here, gathering Spiritual Strength in such abundance.
With the sheer density of Spiritual Strength in this area, it became clear why no magical beasts dared to claim this place as their territory or even approach it. Moreover, the strong spirituality possessed by the Devil Sprouting Tree eliminated the need for any guardian beast to protect it.
Though his Chaos Gate didn't require a formation array to gather the natural energy of Heaven and Earth, the future faction he planned to establish in the Central Plains would certainly need such arrays. A formation array that could focus and gather pure Spiritual Strength would be invaluable.
Even Lady Azure, with her vast knowledge and deep experience, admitted her limitations when it came to arrays formation. While she could forcefully create a spatial passageway to enter ancient ruins or set up strong defensive arrays, her expertise in arrays that gathered the natural energy of Heaven and Earth was lacking.
The challenge of creating such unique and mysterious formation arrays far exceeded that of standard arrays used for attack, defense, or illusion. It was the most intricate and perilous of all arts, requiring precision and mastery over the natural flow of energy. Failure in setting up such an array wouldn't just result in death—it could trigger a catastrophic backlash. The wild and violent energy of Heaven and Earth could surge out of control, unleashing a terrifying force capable of annihilating thousands of meters in an instant.
Xiao Hua shook his head, pushing aside his thoughts about the potential formation array at the bottom of the lake. Even if there was one, he wouldn't be able to investigate it right now. He still felt uneasy after witnessing Lady Azure's strange behavior—there was something ominous in the air, and he couldn't afford to waste time.
His body flickered, turning into a blurry shadow as he leapt across the surface of the lake, his feet skimming the water with each step. In moments, he reached the small island at its center. Despite the tree's dense branches blocking most of the light, it emitted a faint, eerie white glow, allowing him to see clearly.
Xiao Hua's eyes swept the area, scanning for any signs of danger, but found nothing threatening. He turned his gaze toward the three black-grade Devil Sprouting Fruits nestled within the dark-black tree's trunk. Without hesitation, he took a step forward, approaching the massive tree.
When he was about three meters away from the trunk, a sudden fluctuation of Spiritual Strength rippled through the air. From the top of the tree, three translucent black orbs emerged, slowly descending until they hovered before the tree's base. Though they had no eyes, Xiao Hua felt their gaze upon him, scanning him with an unseen intensity.
After a brief moment, two of the orbs turned toward the third, as if communicating silently. The third orb gave a subtle nod, and all three refocused their attention on Xiao Hua. The dark-black tree trembled slightly, releasing a faint silvery glow.
Then, in an instant, the light intensified, growing brighter as the entire tree began to dissolve, its dark form dissipating into tiny specks of silvery light, like fireflies dispersing into the night. Within moments, all that remained was a small wooden platform, cradling the dark-violet fruits and the three black-grade fruits at its center.
Xiao Hua raised his head, noticing the disappearance of the three black orbs. He now understood what Lady Azure meant by recognition—it seemed they had been testing his abilities, determining whether he was truly worthy of them.
"Really... I never imagined such treasures could possess such high pride," Xiao Hua thought wryly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. His hand trembled slightly, and a peal of thunder resounded deep within his body. Beautiful blue lightning arced and danced along his arm, crackling with power.
With a wave of his hand, the blue lightning leapt from his arm, surrounding the Devil Sprouting Fruits and forming a light-blue box made entirely of lightning. The fruits—whether the dark-violet ones or the rare black-grade—could not be harvested by physical means. To pick them up physically would cause them to wither within a week. Only Spiritual Strength could handle such a task.
Given their unique nature, constantly devouring Spiritual Strength even as they grew, and the intricate method required to store them, it was no surprise that the Devil Sprouting Fruits were considered one of the most troublesome treasures in the world.
Even Xiao Hua found them a bit of a nuisance. Despite the fruits continuously drawing in the Spiritual Strength from the surroundings, the only viable method of storage required the very thing they consumed—Spiritual Strength.
Fortunately, Xiao Hua possessed the Heavenly Astral Lightning, a blue-coloured lightning which is brimming with vast amounts of Spiritual Strength. It would assist him in safely storing the fruits. If not for this, he might have had to call for Lady Azure's assistance—something he preferred to avoid, especially when she was busy collecting medicinal ingredients for him.
Now, the real challenge was figuring out how to store the fruits inside his Storage Ring since Storage Ring cannot store Heavenly Astral Lightning directly.
Boom!
"—!"
A thunderous explosion suddenly echoed through the ancient medicinal forest, shaking the very space around Xiao Hua. The ground trembled violently, as if an earthquake had struck the entire forest. Xiao Hua, caught off guard, lost his balance and dropped to one knee, his hand pressing against the earth to steady himself.
The tremors continued for a brief moment before finally subsiding. Xiao Hua let out a sigh of relief, rising slowly as he regained his footing.
Crack—!
Just as he felt a moment of reprieve, a sharp cracking sound like shattering glass rang out from above. Instinctively, he lifted his gaze toward the sky.
What met his eyes caused his heart to sink—a web of countless black spatial lines appeared in the heavens, rapidly spreading without showing a sign of stopping. From the center of this dark web, a massive crack, over a thousand feet wide, tore open the sky as if an unseen force was ripping it apart. Within the crack, there lay an endless, unfathomable darkness, a void so deep that it stirred fear in the souls of all living creatures within the forest.
However, it wasn't the spatial crack itself that struck terror into the hearts of those present. It was the overwhelming, suffocating presence that seeped from the crack. The aura carried with it an oppressive weight, as if the heavens themselves were bearing down on the forest. The air thickened, growing so heavy that it became difficult to breathe, and the spirits of every living being quivered under the pressure.
All except for two.
"Child, it's time to leave!" A tense yet familiar voice echoed beside Xiao Hua. He quickly turned his head to see Lady Azure, her expression dark and grave.
Without a word, Xiao Hua nodded in agreement. The terrifying energy that had permeated the air since the appearance of the spatial crack was unlike anything he'd ever felt, even compared to the Heavenly Lightning. If it weren't for Lady Azure's timely arrival, her presence acting as a shield against the overwhelming pressure, he doubted he would have been able to stand or even breathe. The desire to escape this ancient ruin surged within him.
Without wasting time, Lady Azure swiftly turned, her hands weaving intricate seals in the air. As she moved, the space around them became extremely distorted, the air itself warping with a sensation akin to an invisible prison closing in on them.
"Spatial Lock!" they both exclaimed in unison, their voices laced with shock.
Both Xiao Hua and Lady Azure knew the Black Plague Whale wasn't merely a Dou Zun, but a half-step Dou Di. Though its strength had been sealed and weakened to the Dou Zong level, it hadn't lost the abilities it had gained from its near-Dou Di realm.
This was a powerful ability reserved for those who had reached the Dou Zun realm. While some advanced Dou Zong could also use this technique, it required complex hand seals and considerable energy.
They had assumed the seals on the ancient ruins would sap its energy, leaving it too drained to waste power on a spatial lock. Instead, they thought it would focus on breaking free from its prison. This was worse than they'd expected. Realizing this, both their expressions turned ashen and grim.
—!
A deep, otherworldly bellow reverberated through the forest, its sound vibrating through Xiao Hua's very soul. His heart clenched, and with a feeling of dread, he slowly turned his head.
There, in the distance, a gigantic eye stared directly at him. Its gaze pierced through the distorted space and locked onto him with a crushing intensity. Xiao Hua's heart pounded wildly, and his body trembled uncontrollably under the weight of that gaze, as if his very soul was being judged.