Chapter 009: The Divine Tree of Thorny Bushes, Eight Divine Seedlings

In the dark corner beneath the clock tower, Mu Yi Zhuo's gaze was somber as he fixedly stared at Ye Nian'an

Although the three individuals had thick skins, they could not bring themselves to admit their mistakes on the spot and grovel; their faces turned bright red as they fled in panic.

The realm of cultivation has not seen an immortal for countless years, and the concept of immortals has even become a legend. Chang Wu is the cultivator with the greatest opportunity to become an immortal in nearly ten thousand years.

However, over there, Xing Lao Liu has gone mad, and hardly anyone has gone to help. A few who usually have a good relationship with Xing Lao Liu hesitated, wanting to go over and take a look, but immediately someone reminded them: "Don't forget, it has only been half a day since Lao Liu went down and he has already gone mad!"

Wuluo opened the bag and took a look; the seeds were emerald green, encased in a layer that shimmered like gemstones. Wuluo calmly put the bag away, then pointed at the jade essence in the cabinet and said, "I want this item; please wrap up the jade essence for me."

He took a storage bracelet, packed the jade essence together, and handed it over to Wu Luo. Wu Luo did not return, wearing the bracelet on his hand: "Alright, I will go right away"

In fact, if it were not for the hidden danger posed by the Abyss of the Departed, countless noble families in the cultivation world would be vying to send their own people in.

Qiao Hu seemed to want to intervene, but ultimately deemed his own life more important and silently nodded in agreement

However, during the struggle for this treasure, Chang Wu was severely injured and ultimately went missing. It was unexpected that he had been captured and taken to the Ruolu Prison. The person who captured him must have known that Chang Wu had obtained an extraordinary treasure, but they certainly did not realize that this treasure was merely a bag of inconspicuous "water jade rice" seeds. As a result, after Chang Wu's death, this item was surprisingly unwanted and was casually given to Qiao Hu, ultimately benefiting Wu Luo.

Everyone began to murmur with a buzz, and on each person's face was an expression of terror

Xing Lao Liu was unable to place even a single jade essence into the formation, which signifies that his enhancement of the array has failed, necessitating the dispatch of someone anew. Originally, everyone thought there would be at least another month of peace, but unexpectedly, they would soon have to draw lots again

The cabinet was filled with good things, yet Wu Luo looked over and secretly shook his head.

... ...

Ye Nian'an also felt helpless, lightly waving his left hand and saying: "I need not say anything more, let us draw once more"

As soon as the seeds fall into the soil, they immediately take root and sprout, growing rapidly. Wu Luo watched with great delight. In just the span of a meal, thousands of tree seeds had grown into towering trees, lush and vibrant, bringing life to the desolate cave world.

As everyone gathered, Ye Nian'an appeared on the balcony of Wangshan Pavilion. The old man still looked disheveled, but his expression was not very pleasant: "Old Sixth Xing has not been able to place a single jade essence spirit into the formation."

Everyone was taken aback: How could this be? That old demon is not dead!

These precious dishes cost ten pieces of jade each, and three plates would consume a prison guard's entire monthly salary. However, at this moment, when one's future wealth and life are at stake, who would dare to be stingy? There is a fear that Wu Luo might not appreciate it

As soon as he entered, Wuluo quickly took out the bag of seeds he had obtained from Qiao Hu and examined it carefully

Three prison guards stood in place, their faces pale and extremely awkward

The more powerful old demon lord is absolutely beyond their capacity to withstand. If one day misfortune were to befall them, Wu Luo would be their only hope for survival

There is no shortage of fine treasures and books of the fifth and sixth ranks, but for Wu Luo, these treasures do not hold the value of becoming a "personal treasure." Moreover, with Wu Luo bearing the "List of Deities," there is no need for any treasures at all

The prison guards gathered around in a noisy swarm, all eager to settle the bill with Wu Luo

The small parade ground is located beneath the "Wangshan Pavilion" where Ye Nian'an works. It is not large, essentially a stone platform paved with blue stones, capable of accommodating a thousand people. Given that the total number of people in the Lu prison does not exceed four hundred, it would indeed be quite spacious.

Wuluo was fortunate; in a moment of kindness, he unexpectedly obtained such a precious treasure

Once the two individuals had walked far away, the guards finally dared to discuss among themselves

Those who had bullied Wu Luo in the past were now filled with trepidation, fearing that Wu Luo would remember old grievances and, when the time came, would stand by and do nothing in the face of danger

Qiao Hu's complexion was pale, and his rough hands tightly gripped a bamboo skewer, remaining silent.

The Demon Lord Mu Huang, Chang Wu, obtained this bag containing thousands of seeds, which has the potential to give rise to a Tree King, thus providing him with the opportunity to ascend to the immortal path

Wu Luo originally intended to stubbornly deny any responsibility; he came from a demonic background and did not see anything wrong with such behavior. However, he did not expect that when he took a firm stance, the old demon actually became anxious: "Not at all?"

This is not water jade rice, but a legendary divine tree known as "Pengjing." Once planted, this divine tree can instantly grow into a towering giant, emanating boundless spiritual energy, thriving endlessly. It is said to be the first choice of ancient immortals for providing spiritual power to their celestial realms.

Xing Lao Liu was bound by the Bloodlight Chains, and Tuoba Taotian forcefully stuffed a Qingming Pill into his mouth, only to be bitten by Xing Lao Liu. After being thrown into the Demon Severing Array for half a day, Xing Lao Liu let out a furious roar, spewing forth a ball of demonic fire that incinerated himself completely

Having taken control of the Land of Abundance, Wu Luo felt pleased and continued to descend along the Panhun Rope, entering the depths of the Liren Abyss just as before

The facts were indeed similar to what Wu Luo had speculated. In a fit of rage, the old demon lord ranted wildly, and before Xing Lao Liu could even place the jade essence, he was driven to madness by the old demon lord's words. The old demon lord also held a grudge against the Ruo Lu prison, so he deliberately passed a magical curse to Xing Lao Liu, which enabled him to unleash his demonic power and slay numerous colleagues.

The gruesome state of Xing Laoliu's death left everyone in the Ruoyu prison trembling with fear. Those who had pleased Wu Luo felt somewhat reassured, believing that if their turn truly came, they at least had a chance for reprieve.

The drawing of lots has concluded, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief, glad it wasn't themselves. Wu Luo fiddled with the bamboo stick in his hand, glancing around to see who the unfortunate soul would be that he would target next for extortion. Wu Luo anticipated that he would soon hear a piercing scream.

That madman has secluded himself again

Wu Luo is not the kind of inexperienced minor cultivator who would recklessly snatch a precious spiritual talisman upon seeing it. He carefully contemplates and analyzes, choosing what truly suits him. This is a valuable experience gained from his previous life of traversing the world, a level of wisdom that even an ordinary person who has lived nine lives may not possess.

Just as Wu Luo was feeling somewhat disappointed and was preparing to casually select some jade pieces, suddenly a pocket in the corner of the cabinet caught his attention

Qiao Hu was clearly also prepared to part with it despite the pain. Seeing Wu Luo's gaze fixed on that spirit talisman, he gritted his teeth and took it out: "Here, take it."

He glanced at it and discovered that this talisman was a thunder talisman. Once activated, it could unleash twelve bolts of furious lightning, possessing tremendous power. However, its attack method was singular and excessively forceful, consuming an enormous amount of spiritual energy. For the current Wu Luo, such a talisman was merely a useless trinket.

Only Ye Nian'an on Wangshan Pavilion revealed a faint, inscrutable smile, standing with arms crossed as he gazed at the distant Wuluo and Qiao Hu

The bell rang twenty-one times, and everyone had already arrived. Clearly, no one had slept well last night. The matter concerning Old Six Xing was agitating everyone's nerves.

However, after a while, no one spoke, which made him somewhat puzzled. Gradually, everyone began to discuss: "Who could it be?"

On the second day, before dawn, a series of urgent bells rang out, causing immediate chaos throughout the Ruolu Prison. The sound was the alarm bell of Ruolu Prison; once it rang, everyone, including the head chef of the cafeteria, had to gather at the small parade ground within thirty chimes.

The cabinet was enormous, completely blocking the entire wall. Qiao Hu unlocked the lock on the cabinet and, using his unique technique,解除 the three layers of restrictions before finally opening the cabinet door

After another meal's time, a bright yellow auspicious cloud condensed atop each large tree's crown. This was the spiritual energy cloud exhaled by the divine trees as they drew nutrients and water from the ground. This spiritual energy would gradually disperse throughout the entire cave world.

Everyone drew lots in turn, and Wu Luo felt no psychological pressure at all, but ultimately did not draw himself

The entire cabinet contains more than 200 pieces of jade essence, as well as two pieces of jade essence soul, but they are all of standard volume and not as large as the one before Wu Luo.

He turned to leave, but Wu Luo cheerfully grabbed him and said, "I am not doing this for nothing; I won't engage in anything that offers no benefit. What you present must not be too shabby; it should at least impress me."

The enormous cabinet door is tri-fold; after being pushed open in succession, the cabinet is filled with various precious treasures

The Tree King reaches directly to the heavens, capable of bearing sacred fruits, producing divine branches, and generating spiritual leaves, with boundless wonders.

At this moment, everyone looked at Wu Luo with different eyes. The three prison guards standing in front of him had pale faces, clearly understanding what fate awaited them.

Wu Luo merely let out a cold laugh, glanced at the wooden bucket that had fallen to the ground, and immediately someone came over holding a bowl of emerald green rice, eagerly saying: "Brother Wu, you haven't had enough to eat, have you? Please, eat as much as you like; it's on me"

The old demon smiled slyly: "Certainly, certainly!"

Nonsense, if he really goes down this time, it is unlikely he will come back up. That old demon is much stronger than before

If the Lu Prison is indeed a lucrative position, then those imprisoned here are all notorious figures. The death of any one of them would leave behind a vast amount of treasures. Although Qiao Hu is not adept at scheming, the share he receives each time, as per the usual practice, is already considerable

As night fell, the entire Rolu Prison sank into a silence filled with an atmosphere of unease

Ye Nian'an on Wangshan Pavilion was also taken aback. Everyone had high hopes for Qiao Hu, who was known for his rigid yet upright character. Ye Nian'an had originally planned to promote him to team leader, but unexpectedly now...

The more divine seedlings there are, the higher the rank of the tree kings born after enduring fierce competition. Wu Luo felt immense joy in his heart; with eight divine seedlings, how powerful the tree kings would be!

Xing Lao Liu ultimately could not escape this calamity. In his fury, he unexpectedly unleashed a form of sorcery from the demonic gate, burning his own essence blood to elevate his power fivefold, making him nearly invincible. However, in the end, Tuoba Taotian intervened, cleaving Xing Lao Liu's octagonal copper hammer with a heavy iron sword, while the divine talisman of destiny suppressed all of Xing Lao Liu's power.

Qiao Hu has his own principles for living, so he initially rejected Wu Luo's proposal. However, who is not afraid of death? As Wu Luo persisted, a glimmer of hope for survival arose in Qiao Hu's heart. After pondering for a moment, he no longer declined: "Alright, follow me."

Wu Luo furrowed his brows, while another guard stepped forward impatiently, reaching out to grab his neck, cursing loudly: "Damn it! Didn't you hear us telling you to get lost? Do you really think that after a trip to the Abyss of the Departed, you can cultivate and become a significant figure in the Ruolu Prison? You are still just a dog. Remember this: starting today, you are not allowed to eat at the human's table!"

Moreover, as long as the number of tree species exceeds one thousand, a Tree King will be born. The greater the number of tree species, the higher the rank of the Tree King that is born

Ye Nian'an's voice was deep, yet to the ears of the crowd, it was akin to a clap of thunder

A talisman, even if it is of the ninth rank, is exceptionally rare; it is likely that Li Qingyu would be willing to exchange his fifth rank Golden Fish Sword Formation for this ninth rank talisman. However, in Wu Luo's eyes, this talisman holds little value

Qiao Hu looked at him, his eyes clearly filled with struggle. In the end, he let out a gentle sigh: "No need, that old demon has become even more formidable. It was already a stroke of luck that you were able to return last time. If you go down again this time, I fear... it would be better if I went myself."

These are the "Divine Seedlings," from which the future Tree King will emerge among these eight divine seedlings

Of course not! Wu Luo puffs out his cheeks and glares.

And the master of this mark is one of the Demon Lords: Demon Lord Mu Huang, also known as Chang Wu

Hahaha! The people around burst into laughter, waiting to see the spectacle.

There is a mark on the bag that is so faint it is almost invisible, depicting a small tree. What makes it unique is that the tree has only five leaves, with three on top and two at the bottom

Qiao Hu answered honestly: "In the past, there was a prisoner who died, leaving behind a pile of messy things. They took all the good items, and only gave me this bag of water jade rice seeds, which I have just left here."

Where is Tuoba Taotian? Why didn't he go to stop Wuluo?

This mark is generally unrecognized by most people, but it is quite familiar to Wu Luo. Before Wu Luo, there were many figures of the Demon Lord level in the Southern Wilderness, and these individuals were only one step away from reaching the same level of Emperor as he did

Water Jade Rice is also considered a good staple food in the cultivation world. The rice that Wu Luo and others usually eat is steamed from this Water Jade Rice

Wuluo shook his head

The result quickly spread: it turned out to be Qiao Hu

The prison guards who manage to survive in prison, regardless of their abilities, are at least sycophants and opportunists. Just moments ago, they were mocking Wu Luo, but when the ruthless Old Six went mad, everyone immediately recognized Wu Luo's value and deeply regretted having let someone else take the lead. One by one, they stood up in righteous indignation, angrily cursing the three, and even those who usually had the best relationships were rolling up their sleeves as if they were about to fight them

On one side, someone exclaimed with righteous indignation: "This is really too unreasonable. How can you let our Wu Ge'er eat plain rice? Master Chef, whatever good dishes you have, just bring them out. I will treat!"

Three prison guards stood in front of Wuluo and the book, one of them pointed directly outside and said: "Get out!"

Ye Nian'an indeed suffers greatly, watching his subordinates go to their deaths every month; this is by no means an easy experience

Ye Nian'an shook his head helplessly, and everyone felt a deep sympathy for Qiao Hu

This opportunity of his is precisely due to this generation of seeds

Most prison guards still do not have a favorable view of Wu Luo. Currently, they refrain from mocking him to his face, simply because the guards have learned to be cautious, just in case.

The most prominent feature in the entire room is a large sandalwood cabinet against the northern wall

Does this Wu Luo have a problem with his brain? Is he valuing money over his life?

To the west of Wangshan Pavilion, separated by a two-zhang wide bluestone path, stands a bell tower. The bell tower is taller than Wangshan Pavilion, ensuring that the sound of the bell can clearly resonate throughout the entire Ruolu Prison

Wu Luo cast a cold glance at him and simply said, "You three had better pray that you do not draw the quota for descending into the Abyss of the Departed, because I will never assist you. Therefore, you are doomed!"

These jade essences and jade essence spirits alone constitute a considerable sum. Qiao Hu seems to understand that the bag of water jade rice seeds is merely a supplementary item; Wu Luo is primarily interested in these jade essences

Suddenly, someone slammed the table and stood up, shouting angrily: "You little bastards, dare to bully our Wu Ge'er? If you don't get the hell out of here, I'll make sure you regret it!"

This treasure is none other than this bag of seeds

The text appears to be a series of sounds or expressions rather than a coherent message. Therefore, it does not translate into a meaningful English phrase.

The master chef in the kitchen responded half-heartedly: "Tiger meat, deer tendons, python gallbladders, all come from old fellows with a hundred years of cultivation; there are plenty of good things, it just depends on whether you can afford them or not"

Qiao Hu remained silent, shaking his head at everyone before turning and walking towards his room. Wu Luo quickly caught up to him and patted his shoulder: "Brother Qiao, do you want me to go in your place?"

Although the divine tree can grow in an instant, the tree king requires a long time to develop. Wu Luo is not in a hurry; even if the tree king were to mature now, he would have no use for the sacred fruits, divine branches, or spiritual leaves.

Although the crowd was unwilling, there was nothing they could do. Beneath Wangshan Pavilion, there was a ceramic jar containing bamboo sticks. The jar was reinforced with a formation that rejected all spells and soul detection, preventing anyone from seeing the contents of the bamboo sticks inside.

In his previous life, Wu Luo, due to his identity as the Emperor of the Southern Wilderness, was privy to many long-forgotten secrets of the demonic path, including this "treasure" obtained by Chang Wu.

Who knows, perhaps they have confidence in themselves. In any case, I certainly will not offend them, as there may come a time in the future when we will need their abilities.

The old demon chuckled dryly and said: "You cannot blame me for this; the spatial distortion below is to blame. I merely calculated that a treasure box would appear in that location. However, this ruin has been discovered by the righteous path for many years, and I fear that many secrets have been exposed. That item must have been taken by your own people. You simply lacked the fortune; you cannot hold me responsible."

A prison guard rushed in in a panic: "Hurry, hurry, go help! Old Six is going crazy, and seven or eight people can't subdue him..."

... ...

Those few people shuddered: Old Six Xing has now broken the shortest record for the Ruolu prison. This means that the old demon has not weakened, but rather has become stronger! Immediately, everyone cast Old Six Xing aside and went to curry favor with Wu Luo

Three hundred years ago, the Wood Emperor Demon Lord was once in his prime, renowned as the only figure at that time who had the potential to become the Emperor of the Southern Wilderness. Moreover, it was widely rumored that Chang Wu had obtained a treasure that would enable him to rule over the Southern Wilderness and even had the opportunity to ascend to the celestial realm.

Wu Luo did not require anyone's company and made his way to the ancient tower with ease. As he passed by Wangshan Pavilion, Ye Nian'an called out to him, throwing down a cloth bag from the window. Inside were a three-edged jade cong, a pair of diamond-shaped jade tokens, and a sufficient amount of jade essence.

Wuluo was not in a hurry to descend; instead, he first opened the Land of Abundance and scattered this bag of divine tree seeds.

Qiao Hu's house is three times larger than Wu Luo's. If Lu Yu is indeed a place where strength speaks for itself, then Wu Luo's house is the smallest in the entire Lu Yu, even smaller than the kitchen of the cafeteria.

"What is this?" Wu Luo picked it up and asked

The entire grove of divine trees consists of approximately seven to eight thousand large trees. As Wu Luo gazes out, he notices that among them, eight divine trees stand out distinctly, their leaves shimmering with a faint silver light, and on their sturdy trunks, a silvery essence flows faintly.

Wu Luo looked at the items in the cabinet; there were all kinds of magical treasures, jade essences, and cultivation techniques. He even discovered a ninth-grade spirit talisman inside a jade box.

The Demon Ancestor's heart was filled with darkness: "After this time? Do you still want more? Let me see if I won't finish you off in one breath!"

Lord Mozu immediately sensed his arrival. Without waiting for him to come into view, he let out a roar: "What is the matter with you? You took advantage of my generosity but failed to keep your promise!"

Wu Luo tied the bag to his hand and leisurely opened the Taiji diagram of the ancient tower's layers, stepping onto the Soul Climbing Rope

These individuals are also exceptionally gifted, displaying extraordinary talent. Each has their own area of expertise, within which they are unmatched.

He has not yet captured Wu Luo, when suddenly a frenzied roar erupted into the sky, heard throughout the entire Ru Lu prison

In the arena, Wu Luo pondered to himself: What is going on? The old demon seems particularly spirited this time. After a few moments of thought, he figured it out: Yes, the old demon had given me tremendous benefits last time, hoping that I would go again. As a result, when Xing Lao Liu went down, he saw it wasn't me and would surely fly into a rage. With the old demon's capabilities, he had previously only been playing around with them, but if he were to truly get serious, wouldn't Xing Lao Liu go mad in no time?

After watching it once, Wu Luo felt secretly disappointed. After some thought, he understood: although the benefits of the Lu prison are indeed substantial, this is relative. It is similar to Qiao Hu, who is merely a practitioner at the Nine Palaces realm and is not considered significant outside. Yet, he possesses such a considerable fortune and even a spirit talisman, which indeed qualifies him as a "wealthy household"

Wu Luo himself was in the wrong, so it was not wise to dwell on it too much: "After this time, you must provide me with some tangible benefits."

Wuluo was no exception; he hurriedly stuffed the Jade Essence into the Land of Heaven, threw on a coat, and rushed out the door, fastening his collar as he walked.

Everyone in the cafeteria was taken aback, all speculating about what had happened

However, the truly good things are not meant for Qiao Hu. Above him are Ye Nian'an, Mu Yizhuo, and many other foremen. Qiao Hu is merely slightly better than the average prison guard.

Wu Luo had nothing to say. Fortunately, he was heavily influenced by demonic traits, and with a defiant attitude, he rolled his eyes and shouted: "How can you still blame me? I went to the place you mentioned, and not a single feather was found. I see you are of considerable age; how can you, being so old, deceive a younger person like me?"

Although the room is large, the furnishings are rather few and simple, which aligns with Qiao Hu's character.