Thick clouds piled up, layering down, and streaks of purple light darted between them.
At this moment, it seemed as if time turned back, or as if the four seasons flashed by. Within sight, all the clouds surged forward, colliding and merging.
Finally, directly above the Longevity Fruit Tree, four special scenes of spring, summer, autumn, and winter formed.
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Four earth-shattering roars, the scenes of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, at the same moment, transformed into a scorching white light. A colossal white pillar, reaching from heaven to earth, suddenly appeared.
One end connected to the top of the fruit tree, and the other end connected to the very center of the sky.
Instantly, a massive white light pillar surged forth, momentarily rendering the entire Longevity Fruit Tree transparent. Fragments of time enveloped the tree, eventually converging into the seven fruits.
On this Longevity Fruit Tree, shaped like glazed glass and beautiful as a perfect creation, time began to distort. The power to subvert the ages was so immense.
So much so that the outer disciples of the orthodox and demonic factions, who were a thousand meters away, felt their scalps tingle and involuntarily retreated dozens of steps.
...
Such a transformation of heaven and earth, such a power to overturn mountains and rivers, was utterly beyond the resistance of these outer disciples in the Qi Condensation realm. They could only watch helplessly as the changes unfolded around the Longevity Fruit Tree.
After an unknown period, just as they worried whether the Longevity Fruits would truly mature, everything finally stopped.
Almost without warning, all of it, everything, vanished.
...
The changes around the Longevity Fruit Tree abruptly ceased.
The skin of the Longevity Fruits turned from green to pure white, and then mysterious runes appeared, covering them, greatly enhancing their mystique.
As the Longevity Fruits transformed, their fragrance intensified to the extreme, then faded, as if all their essence had been condensed into the fruits.
Light flowed across the entire Longevity Fruit, imbued with a sense of sentience.
Then, a gentle breeze blew, and it immediately knocked down six of the most mature Longevity Fruits.
Like weak willow catkins swaying in the wind.
The six Longevity Fruits, seemingly weightless, drifted and descended slowly in mid-air, captivating the hearts of all humans and beasts around them.
With a "whoosh," six afterimages flashed in the air.
Gu Yue Mingzhi, Qiu Qianren, Long Aotianpo, Ying Feiyang, Nangong Tuohai, and Zhang Wan'er, with lightning speed, snatched the six Longevity Fruits into their hands.
...
On the upturned palms of Gu Yue Mingzhi, Qiu Qianren, Long Aotianpo, Ying Feiyang, Nangong Tuohai, and Zhang Wan'er's right hands, rested six Longevity Fruits.
The Longevity Fruits were crystal clear, emitting a hazy aura from within, light as feathers, as if a gentle breeze would scatter them.
In the next moment, Gu Yue Mingzhi, Qiu Qianren, Long Aotianpo, Ying Feiyang, Nangong Tuohai, and Zhang Wan'er, in unison, took out jade boxes and placed their Longevity Fruits inside.
Then, each of them unleashed their formidable skills, broke through the surrounding beast hordes, and vanished without a trace.
...
Another half hour passed, and on the Longevity Fruit Tree, the last remaining Longevity Fruit was also nearing maturity.
At this moment, the atmosphere around was even more tense than before. The outer disciples of the Taiyi Immortal Sect and the Demonic Heaven Sect, along with the ferocious beast hordes, looked eager to make a move.
Hundreds of auras were fluctuating unstably, awaiting the moment the last Longevity Fruit matured.
Now, the outer disciples of both sects and the ferocious beasts must be nearing their breaking point, waiting for the moment to reveal their true intentions and fight to the death.
Wu Tao, standing not far away, gave a barely perceptible upturn of his lips. This outcome was exactly what he wanted.
There was only one Longevity Fruit, yet hundreds of cultivators and beasts coveted it. How could there be any possibility of unified action?
In such circumstances, at most, they would face chaos and fight individually. How could they possibly deal with him?
Wu Tao chuckled silently. The more chaotic the situation, the more advantageous it was for him.
As the last syllable of the word "kill" faded, dozens of figures and hundreds of beasts moved in unison, attacking each other while striding forward.
At this time, the bodies of cultivators or beasts occasionally fell to the ground.
Piercing screams, splashing blood, severed limbs, and grotesque heads painted a bloody battlefield in this serene and distant environment.
A world of blood, a world of combat, like a scene from the netherworld.
Wu Tao's pupils contracted. Looking ahead at the lives constantly dying and withering, his heart remained unmoved, as calm as still water, undisturbed by any ripples.
After a moment of contemplation, Wu Tao strode forward, following the crowd. However, he did not rush to the front. He advanced at a slow pace, fending off attacks from cultivators and beasts, his every move exuding a calm and unhurried demeanor.
Mixed within the slaughtering battlefield, Wu Tao personally witnessed the outer disciples and ferocious beasts at the forefront being overwhelmed by the disciples and beasts behind them, ultimately losing their lives.
In an instant, this small patch of land became a river of blood, with corpses strewn everywhere.
Wu Tao, however, steadily advanced, inching closer to the Longevity Fruit Tree.
When Wu Tao was less than ten steps away from the Longevity Fruit Tree, his expression tightened. He stamped his foot, and the Azure Bird Boots of Wind Movement flashed with blue light. He shot forward like a swift gust of wind, surpassing the outer disciples and beasts at the very front, and took the lead.
Wu Tao's rule-breaking action instantly drew the ire of the crowd. In the next second, he was assailed by the outer disciples and beasts of both sects.
Instantly, dozens of various magical artifacts whistled through the air, and hundreds of beasts roared, their monstrous energy surging forward.
Seeing this, Wu Tao's face showed no fear. Instead, he burst into laughter. Golden light emanated from his body. He formed hand seals, and as his hands moved apart, his formidable Magnetic Yuan Gang Qi coalesced into a true dragon and a divine tiger, which appeared in the air.
The true dragon and the divine tiger lunged at the dozens of incoming magical artifacts. Through various methods of blocking, controlling, restricting, and trapping, the dozens of aggressive magical artifacts' light instantly dimmed, and they temporarily stopped in mid-air.
Almost simultaneously, Wu Tao produced a dark, distinctive talisman. His entire spiritual energy poured into it like a "breached dam."
Then, a ferocious smile appeared on Wu Tao's lips. He flicked the talisman into the air and shouted, "Soul of the Demon, unseal!"
Roar!
Roar after roar echoed through the mountains, causing the leaves on the surrounding trees to flutter down.
The black talisman blazed with light. Within the dark radiance, soul after soul of demonic beasts, each enveloped in ghostly energy, appeared.
Although these beasts were merely souls, refined by ghost cultivators using special methods, their power was no less than that of real demonic beasts.
"Go!"
Wu Tao held his hand seals and gently pointed. Dozens of beast-soul specters, baring their fangs and claws, engaged in a fierce battle with the hundreds of approaching demonic beasts.
Ghosts howled, beasts roared. For a time, no one or beast in the vicinity could stop Wu Tao.
Seeing this, Wu Tao strode forward several more meters, the Longevity Fruit Tree now only an arm's length away.
Coincidentally, at this very moment, the last Longevity Fruit on the tree had also matured.
In their panic, the outer disciples of both sects and the demonic beasts unleashed their full power. Instantly, the true dragon and divine tiger were destroyed, and dozens of beast-soul specters were torn apart.
Dozens of "various" magical artifacts and hundreds of demonic beasts surged forward, surrounding Wu Tao from all sides.
The situation was perilous, fraught with danger. However, Wu Tao did not panic. He took out a thick stack of low-level talismans from his storage bag and tossed them into the air.
Quicksand Art, Rolling Stone Fall, Thorn Art, Earth Spike Art, Ice Needle Art, Wood Flower Falling Leaf Art, Mountain Breath Dust Art... and over eighty other low-level spells were simultaneously activated, temporarily blocking the attacks from all directions.
This throw alone cost five to six hundred spirit stones.
Wu Tao's expression grew increasingly solemn. At this point, he could no longer afford to feel the pinch. He fumbled in his storage bag and when his left hand emerged, a rope of golden light, about a foot long, was in his palm.
(New book being updated, please collect, please recommend tickets, please forward, give more. Thank you friends, your support is my motivation!)