Chapter 437: The Heart of the Divine Parasol Tree
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Zhu Yi and Li Yuanfang assumed Lin Feng made a mistake of speech but little did they know that Lin Feng was laughing inside unscrupulously.
The Two Elements of Creation Formation was extremely complex. The reason that Lin Feng could control it was because this item was like the Avatar of Ares – it was a production from a system. If not, even if an immortal soul stage elder from the Samsara Sect’s Path of Hell was here, he would have difficulty figuring out the changes within the magic formation.
Even though only a single stanza was extracted, Zhu Yi and Li Yuanfang found the process of deduction extremely difficult.
After a moment, Lin Feng’s excuse was up and interrupted the deduction process and subsequently tested the two of them with simpler methods.
It was clear that Li Yuanfang’s face still wore and expression as if he had not gotten enough, but there was already immense gratitude in his gaze as he looked at Lin Feng.
He lowered his head and began to ponder. In his mind, thoughts were bouncing around and Lin Feng found his current state mildly amusing. "With regards to the path you wish to choose in the future, you not have to reach a conclusion so soon. Go back and think it over carefully," Lin Feng said to Yuanfang.
"You also need some time to recover from your injuries. Rest your mind, settle down and you can also take the time to arrange your thoughts."
Li Yuanfang nodded his head solemnly and replied, "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."
Lin Feng watched his turned back as Li Yuanfang was leaving and laughed again inside. "I have to watch it. If I fan the flames too hard in one go, it may become scorched. Cooking with a gentle fire is the way to go."
Once both Zhu Yi and Li Yuanfang departed from the scene, Lin Feng turned his attention elsewhere.
He flipped his palm and a bright-red piece of wood appeared in his hand. It was about a foot long, and the center of the piece of wood seemed to flicker with fire, as if it was alive and breathing. It was interchanging between light and darkness without pause.
As the piece of wood came into contact with Lin Feng’s skin, Lin Feng could immediately feel a tinge of warmth. The touch was hot yet it did not burn him, and possessed a sense of noble elegance.
The flames that were flickering like a beating hard at the center was unassuming, but once Lin Feng reached into it with his mana he immediately felt a majestic yet primal and exuberant life force – much like a flame that could never be put out.
Yet, the flames were not forceful or intimidating, but was one that could warm the world. The only thing was that it was empirically noble and aloof, and was faintly distant.
The lines and patterns on the surface of the piece of wood were curled and spiraled. One could faintly make out the outline of a Phoenix that was extending its wings in song.
"Who would have thought, who would have thought… I have managed to obtain a piece of the Divine Parasol Tree." Lin Feng was dripping with praise. The reaction of his Steel Tree Avatar upon first contact with this piece of wood was instant, and could feel that this item was extraordinary.
The Saros Steel Tree and the Divine Parasol Tree were both ranked in the Four Great Strange Trees, and were special word-changing breeds.
Lin Feng scrutinized the piece of wood and awe arose from within. "It seems as it this isn’t the normal wood of the Divine Parasol Tree. It feels like the heart of the tree…"
Even though it was only a small broken piece of the tree, but the vigor of the life force and concept of power embodied within was vastly superior to that of normal pieces of the Divine Parasol Tree.
Lin Feng had the embryonic form of a magic treasure called the Soul Creator Seal. After his ascension to the immortal soul stage, he could use it as the core with great chances of forging an extremely powerful magic treasure.
However, the Soul Creator Seal lost its flair and brilliance in front of the heart of the Divine Parasol Tree.
The life forces embodied within both objects were vast and exuberant, but the Heart of the Divine Parasol Tree was still a class higher. At the same time, Lin Feng could faintly feel that what he felt was only the tip of the iceberg of the true power of the Heart. Perhaps there were many more obscure and hidden things that he had no ability to or yet to discover.
This had nothing to do with his level of mastery. To engage in proper investigation, Lin Feng had to obtain the other pieces of the Divine Parasol Tree, or he could go through the Blood of the Phoenix.
Lin Feng thought to himself, "There was a Phoenix that followed the Kun Peng into the Secret Manual. Perhaps its target was this Heart of the Divine Parasol Tree."
The Phoenix sung from the summit of the mountain; Upon the mountain grew a Parasol Tree which faced the rising sun.
In ancient times, there was saying about using the Parasol Tree to lure out the Phoenix. The Phoenix had a strong sense of family and loyalty to its kind and had a very special connection to the Parasol Tree. The two entities were basically partners in life.
To the best of Lin Feng’s knowledge, the Phoenix race travelled independently in the Barren Expanses of the demon world. They kept out of other’s conflicts, and others also avoided incurring their wraths due to their immense power.
Besides the natural strength of the Phoenix race, there were incredibly powerful demons which turned from Divine Parasol Trees that had lived for a dozen millennia. Their strengths could even rival that of the Phoenix race.
Both races stood by each other and were partners without question. When combined together, even Greater Demons like the Heavenly Charms Grand Sage would not take them on without a good reason.
The Phoenix race, along with the Divine Parasol Tree, lived together in harmony but separate from the rest of the world. They existed almost solely in the Barren Expanses. Even though they were not complete shut-ins, they hardly travelled outside of their own world.
The Kun Peng demon race was one of the few races that had connections to the Phoenix race.
Lin Feng weighed the Heart of the Divine Parasol Tree on his hands and began to contemplate. "If I don’t handle this thing properly, it may become a problem. However, if I do it right I could possibly unleash unexpected results."
"It’s a pity that the information that I have is not good enough to make a proper judgment. If only I could obtain more information."
When the Immemorial Kun Peng’s body separated, the Black Jade Demon Phoenix remained inside the Black Feather half of the Kun Peng’s body, but the Heart of the Divine Parasol Tree remained inside Lin Feng’s half.
Lin Feng shook his head and decided to put this thing aside for now. He looked up at the void outside Mount Yujing. He could feel the movement of the purple energy in the air and the separation of two thin rays of light. The rays of light were not real rays of light, but rather a form of mana and consciousness.
Lin Feng lowered his head and noticed that the two rays of light came from the residence of the Jieyu couple.
"Tsk tsk. Their desire to vanquish me will never die." Lin Feng let out a laugh. "However, it’s no use. I should take the time to think about how I should deal with the Qiong Qi demon race. Who knows whether the few Greater Demons can once again use the Nine-Luminaries Heaven-Crushing Formation?"
"Underestimating the enemy will lead to my own demise."
...….
Under the starry night and amongst the wild meadows, a girl clad in green was strolling along with a carefree demeanor.
Yet, it seemed as if her entire being was one with Heaven and Earth and they could not be separated. She opened her stride and was the one walking, but it seemed as if she was not the one moving – rather, it was the Heaven and the Earth beside her that were moving.
The green-clothed girl stopped walking abruptly and raised her hand to draw a light circle in the sky. The flickers in the light circle seemed to show the silhouette of a young man standing there. However, it was extremely intangible and it seemed as if his whole being was an illusion.
"Big Senior?" The girl was Yan Mingyue, and the person that she could call Big Senior was the most outstanding disciple of the Great Void Sect of his generation – Lin Daohan, who currently held the mantle as the All-Under-Heavens Strider.
Lin Daohan opened his mouth and said, "Junior Yan, I will have to travel to the Barren Expanses in the near future and I will not have the time or the energy to worry about other things. I’m going to have to trouble you on this expedition to conquer the Qiong Qi demons."
His voice was plain and normal. It was not coarse or deep, and neither was it bright and clear. It was not shrill but neither was it charming.
The most special characteristic was that there were no special characteristics. "Extremely typical" would be the most accurate phrase to describe his voice.
However, this kind of "extremely typical" had a faint tinge of tenacity, and seemed to embody the profound theory of the life’s simplicity.
"There are currently three members of the Qiong Qi demon race who have mastered the Undying Demon Soul standing guard. One of them, the Grand Sage of Qiong Qi, is currently in the second level of the Undying Demon Soul and is also ranked within the ten Great Grand Sages of the demon races. The natural mantras and abhijnas of the Qiong Qi demons are also extremely powerful," Lin Daohan paused, then continued, "But the most important thing of all is the Nine Luminaries Heaven-Crushing Formation. This formation was broken at the Sea of the Northern Winds, but the formation map remains intact and was brought away by the Qiong Qi."
"From the information that I received earlier, the Qiong Qi are currently hoarding magic treasures for their magic formation. It’s inconclusive as to whether they have completed their task."
Lin Daohan said quietly, "If my estimations are accurate, then the demon races in the Barren Expanses also covet the formation map, and they must be continually searching for the Qiong Qi race’s location. Yan Mingyue, you need to be careful. Conquering the Qiong Qi is secondary – the most crucial issue is the Nine Luminaries Heaven-Crushing formation map."
"If this magic formation ends up in the hands of demons, the threat to the Divine Lands is extremely great."
"Don’t worry, Big Senior. I will be extra careful." Yan Mingyue replied and asked again curiously, "Big Senior, do you intend to head over to the Barren Expanses yourself because of what happened at the Secret Treasure of Kun Peng?"
Lin Daohan answered, "Yes, it is indeed because of what happened at the Secret Treasure of Kun Peng. However, it’s not because of the Kun Peng demon race – it’s because of the Phoenixes."
Yan Mingyue’s eyes sparkled. "The information being conveyed suggested that one phoenix accompanied the Kun Peng into the Secret Treasure. If only the Pure Yang Primordial Fire was required, the phoenix could have just remained outside. Big Senior, are you suggesting that all this is connected to the Phoenix race?"
"Yes, that is indeed the case," Lin Daohan replied calmly. "Therefore, avatars are not suitable and I have to go there in my original body."
Yan Mingyue nodded and asked once again, "Is Bai Guang on the Celestial Sect of Wonder’s Mount Yujing?"
Lin Daohan replied, "Yes. He has seen the magical stone of the Bastille Black Dragon, and is also currently residing inside the mountain. However, the level of prohibition on Mount Yujing is quite strong. The Transparent Telepathic Ring is unable to deliver messages out of the mountain so the exact location is still unclear."
"The fact that Bai Guang could use his mana to project his voice out must be because the Leader of the Celestial Sect of Wonders has permitted him to do so. Even when he was projecting his voice, the Transparent Telepathic Ring’s mana ripples were still blocked off."
Yan Mingyue shrugged her shoulders and said with a hint of indifference, "That’s a pity."
Lin Daohan’s tone was still one of composure and calmness like before. "It was a probing act anyway."
He changed the topic and continued, "However, there is one thing that I need you to help me confirm."
Yan Mingyue replied, "Go ahead, Big Senior."
Lin Daohan asked quietly, "From the information I obtained from Liu Xiang of the Mount Shu Sword Sect, the Leader of the Celestial Sect of Wonders’ true mastery isn’t that high?"
"Indeed. There has been such a theory. Junior Chen Gang once visited Mount Kunlun for this exact reason. Back then, the Celestial Sect of Wonders wasn’t formed yet."
Yan Mingyue continued to say, "But from the looks of it, it may not be very believable."
She glanced at the illusion of her senior. "Do you have another opinion now?"
Lin Daohan’s voice never once changed from the start. "I have my many suspicions – but I need confirmation."
The speed of his speech was neither slow nor hurried. "The problem lies in the fact that nobody has, to date, challenged the Celestial Sect of Wonders or backed him into a corner to the point where he has to unleash his full power. Therefore, I have some doubts but I have no way of making a proper judgment conclusion."
Yan Mingyue’s eyes flickered with a mysterious flair. "Big Senior, are you intending to catalyze his conflict with the Mount Shu Sword Sect?"