...
Near the first stone cave in the desolate ancient battlefield, a cluster of towering trees grew, reaching into the clouds.
They stretched their branches and stood tall, their lush leaves emitting a golden radiance. Separated by a hundred meters, their sharp tops pierced the sky, resembling giant warriors wielding sharp swords.
Xu Mu and Qiongqi gazed at the vast spectacle before them, their faces silent, yet their hearts churning like a tempest.
After sixteen days of arduous travel, they had arrived at the Heavenly Tree Tomb without incident.
This place attracted all the Domain Lord realm powerhouses, so Xu Mu and Qiongqi had prepared themselves mentally for a scene of grandeur. Yet, upon witnessing it, they were profoundly shaken.
Each tree here seemed like a dark palace sealing a demon god.
Numerous ancient and obscure inscriptions were carved onto their thick trunks.
After a brief moment of shock, they both narrowed their eyes, trying to decipher the writings, but could only discern the beginning and end.
The central part of each trunk was shrouded in a mysterious mist.
As Yun Miaomiao had said, only those recognized by the Heavenly Trees could receive their inheritance. Beneath each Heavenly Tree, numerous familiar figures sat cross-legged, all of them Domain Lord realm powerhouses clearly undergoing the inheritance process.
Xu Mu surveyed his surroundings, gazing from afar at the figures beneath each Heavenly Tree. Soon, he located where Yao Huo and the others were and, with Qiongqi, glided downwards on the wind.
"Senior Yao Huo, we've arrived!"
Xu Mu transmitted his voice to Yao Huo, who was seated beneath a Heavenly Tree. However, Yao Huo seemed not to hear, offering no response, his brow furrowed tightly.
The golden miniature figure atop his head, a concentrated manifestation of his Dharma Aspect, trembled violently, indicating he was receiving the inheritance.
Yao Huo was too preoccupied to attend to him, leaving Xu Mu feeling adrift.
At that moment, a familiar voice reached his ears:
"Haha, you've finally arrived."
Xu Mu turned at the sound and was immediately enveloped by the scent of alcohol.
"Senior Wine Immortal!"
Xu Mu's long hair was blown back by the wind, his face alight with surprise. He recognized the white-bearded old man holding a wine gourd as the Wine Immortal Daoist, who had aided him in the first level.
He was a boundary-ranked expert at the Half-step Human King realm, his strength comparable to Yao Huo's.
"It seems you've spent quite some time in the second level, boy. Arriving this late."
The Wine Immortal Daoist smiled, his eyes narrowed, and he patted Xu Mu's shoulder. He had been waiting for Xu Mu here for a long time, enduring the temptation of the Heavenly Tree inheritance just for the latter's safety.
After all, Xu Mu had offended too many people. Without protection, he could easily encounter trouble in a space filled with Domain Lords.
And if something were to happen to Xu Mu, his own senior brother would force him into a predicament.
"Uh... it wasn't that long, really. I was rushing from the ninth stone cave, and the journey took many days."
Xu Mu scratched his head, recalling the events in the second level. Then, he asked with sudden curiosity:
"Senior Wine Immortal, how did you pass that chess game?"
The Wine Immortal Daoist took a sip of wine and replied dismissively:
"Chess game? What chess game?"
Xu Mu was taken aback:
"Weren't you also forced to play a game of Go with yourself by the two ghost immortals in the second level?"
The Wine Immortal Daoist paused, then seemed to recall something and burst into laughter:
"Ah, I know what you're talking about."
"I glanced at that chess game from afar and knew something was amiss. So, I conjured a lightning spell and blew up the stone table directly. It seemed to activate some sort of restriction, which tore apart the entire space. I almost died in there."
"Fortunately, I was lucky and wasn't caught in the blast, so I managed to walk out and reach the third level."
The Wine Immortal Daoist spoke, then casually took another swig of wine, revealing a missing tooth.
Xu Mu listened, his eyes wide with disbelief as he looked at the old man before him.
The Wine Immortal Daoist had destroyed the stone platform left by Fuxi, and its restriction had torn the sky apart. He had been lucky to escape unscathed and thus passed that level?
This was utterly preposterous!
"He's lying to you," Qiongqi said to Xu Mu with a look of exasperation. Brother Hao Han could actually believe such a story, it was beyond words.
"You're quite the comedian," Xu Mu said with a wry smile. How could a boundary-ranked expert from the White Cloud Taoist Temple act so rashly?
The Wine Immortal Daoist's words were clearly intended to conceal the truth, and it wasn't appropriate for him to pry further into the underlying story.
The Wine Immortal Daoist continued with a smile:
"Heh heh, the past is irrelevant now. Let's talk about you. What are your plans now?"
Xu Mu thought of the demon god and his eyes narrowed slightly. He asked:
"I heard that someone leaked the location of this Heavenly Tree Tomb, which is why all the Domain Lord realm powerhouses came. Senior, do you know who spread the news?"
The Wine Immortal Daoist pondered for a moment, then shook his head:
"I don't know."
"This Heavenly Tree Tomb is actually not far from the first stone cave. Yet, before the news was released, no one had ever found this place."
"When we arrived, we were all awestruck by the scenery. After grasping the general rules, everyone plunged into seeking opportunities and inheritances. Although I've been idle, I had no way to investigate who spread the message."
Upon hearing this, Xu Mu's unease resurfaced. He then asked:
"So, Senior, what are you doing here? Why aren't you seeking inheritance at the Heavenly Trees?"
"I'm waiting for you."
The Wine Immortal Daoist stared at Xu Mu with a smile, his mind already calculating:
"Alas, waiting so many days. The opportunities are right before me, yet I can't partake. My good senior brother, if you don't pass me the third stage of Gui Cang when we return, I'll be cursing!"
Xu Mu was unaware of the Wine Immortal Daoist's inner thoughts. He only remembered suspecting the old man of having homosexual tendencies in the first level.
At that moment, cold sweat trickled down his back:
"Waiting for me for what... Senior, please don't joke. My sexual orientation is perfectly normal!"
Xu Mu's righteous declaration left the Wine Immortal Daoist speechless, his face darken. He shouted angrily:
"What are you thinking, you brat!"
"I'm waiting for you because my senior brother wants me to take you as my disciple!"
The Wine Immortal Daoist's tone was displeased. He huffed and puffed, continuing:
"My senior brother, from across half the world, divined that his successor would appear here. So, he ordered me to bring that person back. And when I arrived here, I found you."
"Your talent is exceptional, no, it can even be described as unparalleled in the world. Moreover, you possess abundant Dao Source within you. You are undoubtedly the successor my senior brother foresaw, so I naturally have to protect you well, lest there be dire consequences!"
Xu Mu was somewhat surprised. A peerless expert from the White Cloud Taoist Temple wanted to take him as a disciple.
And he sent a boundary-ranked expert all this way to the Domain of Strange Night to find him?
He scratched his head and said hesitantly:
"Senior, if I may be frank, this is too sudden. I can't fully trust you yet. And even if I did, I'm not prepared to leave the Domain of Strange Night at the moment, as I hold an official position..."
The Wine Immortal Daoist interrupted Xu Mu, saying:
"Stop, stop, stop. Kid, I know you're from the Demon Extermination Division. After you revealed your talent, they will also offer you generous cultivation resources. You might think you don't need to come to our White Cloud Taoist Temple."
"But I must tell you, our White Cloud Taoist Temple has always passed down its lineage through a single disciple. We have never taken a second. This alone surpasses many other sects, because your master will pour all their effort into you."
The Wine Immortal Daoist's expression was serious. He looked at Xu Mu with utter sincerity:
"And the one who wishes to take you as a disciple this time is my senior brother."
"Although he is not on the Grand Celestial Ranking, I can guarantee that his strength is on par with any of the top ten on the ranking. It's just that he has never left the Taoist temple since he began cultivating, so his reputation is not widely known and he hasn't been recorded on the ranking. But his strength is undoubtedly formidable; he is a Human King. Becoming his disciple would not be a loss for you!"
"Human King?!" Xu Mu's eyes widened, his heart trembling violently. Domain Lords were already few and far between on the continent, let alone Human Kings.
They were the pillars of major dominant forces, possessing absolute authority. A single one could easily establish a super-sect.
And now, the Wine Immortal Daoist was telling him that a Human King realm expert wanted to take him as a disciple.
If anyone else had said this, Xu Mu might have dismissed them as insane. But coming from the Wine Immortal Daoist, it carried significant credibility.
After all, the latter was a ranking expert and also from the White Cloud Taoist Temple, whose monks were known for their benevolent deeds.
Thus, for a moment, Xu Mu was at a loss for what to do.
This was a rare opportunity. If he were to become a disciple of a Human King, his cultivation speed would undoubtedly skyrocket, perhaps even faster than Fuxi's guidance in a short period. This was because the latter was a real person in this world and could answer many of his questions regarding the use of his abilities.
But did he really want to leave his home and become a disciple of the White Cloud Taoist Temple?
Xu Mu was conflicted and remained silent.
Seeing this, the Wine Immortal Daoist sighed and then smiled, patting his shoulder:
"It's alright, kid, you have plenty of time to think!"
"In any case, before I leave the Domain of Strange Night, you must give me an answer. Of course, it would be best if you could come with me immediately, but I can accept other circumstances as well; there's no coercion."
Xu Mu looked at him solemnly and cupped his hands, saying:
"Senior, I promise you, whether this matter succeeds or not, you will always be a respected elder and friend to me."
The Wine Immortal Daoist was momentarily stunned, then laughed heartily:
"Hahaha, very well. But I still hope this matter will come to fruition."
"So for now, focus on what's in front of you and put everything else aside."
"The Heavenly Tree's opportunities will be very beneficial for your cultivation. You cannot miss them!"
...