Chapter 4, Soul-Stirring Forest

Xu Zongyi gritted his teeth to endure the discomfort; at this moment, he could no longer hear the sounds from the outside world. His entire head was buzzing, and he crawled forward bit by bit on the ground, his spirit having suffered a significant impact

I want to give it a try! '' Xu Zongyi looked at them

At the end of the Soul-Draining Forest, there is a trail marked by bloodstains, where the blood is mingled with the soil.

Xu Xianchu was left dumbfounded: "This kid has no appreciation for valuable things, it's infuriating. If my ancestors from the Xu family, who chose to bury themselves, knew that he possessed this item and reacted this way, they would surely be so enraged that they would jump out of their graves. I originally thought this item only existed in legends, as it hasn't appeared in the world for a long time."

Xu Zongyi exhausted all his strength, gripping the ground with his ten fingers, dragging his body forward in a crawl, with dirt filling the gaps between his fingers

Damn it, this kid is really lucky; I didn't have this kind of luck back in the day!" Xu Chengyun secretly cursed, clearly very excited: "His father didn't have this kind of luck either; it seems that bloodline is also very important

The older generation once said that walking in the Earth Hall is akin to our future lives, destined to progress through layers of fog, facing life and death at any moment. How far one can go depends on one's own strength, the firmness of one's inner will, and boundless courage. Xu Xindie looked at Xu Zongyi with great seriousness. Although she did not understand why his bloodline could resist the poison of the Earth Hall, she naturally hoped that Xu Zongyi could go a little further.

Upon witnessing this scene, Xu Zhengdao and Xu Xindie both breathed a sigh of relief. They drew their own blood, letting it drip onto the ground, and two streams of radiant light flowed, simultaneously producing two seeds.

Only Xu Zongyi slowly approached the location of the Bixihua, feeling that his body was not seriously harmed, while Xu Xindie felt a bit worried in her heart

Forget it, I don't want to talk about it. Bad luck, let's not mention it. Xu Zongyi had a gloomy expression; he did not want his mood to affect Xu Xindie. Collecting his thoughts, he quickly asked, "Miss Xindie, what have you obtained?"

It is possible! Both individuals are very excited

There are also records regarding the Soul-Stirring Forest, the most important aspect being the need for unwavering will; one must absolutely not retreat. While this is easy to say, it is quite difficult to execute. Some individuals, upon reaching the halfway point, are unable to control their own bodies and perish within.

Xu Zongyi held the ceramic jar with both hands, and a subtle force allowed his injured wound to heal rapidly. The feeling of dizziness and unbearable discomfort that had plagued him suddenly dissipated, and he felt as if his entire body was filled with strength

Until Xu Zongyi reached the sea of withered flowers, he was still able to wave at her without any impact. While she was shocked in her heart, she also breathed a sigh of relief: "Then you may continue to move forward. I will wait for you here. If you feel that you can no longer go on, just let your blood drop to the ground, and you will obtain the fortune that belongs to you!"

If you feel you cannot hold on any longer, turn back quickly" Xu Xindie said hastily

Let’s do it this way: you approach step by step, and if you feel uncomfortable, quickly retreat. If it truly does not affect you, then continue to move forward. Xu Xindie clearly did not intend to proceed any further; thanks to Xu Zongyi, reaching this point was already a stroke of good fortune.

Xu Xindie looked at Xu Zongyi, who was completely unharmed, and exclaimed, "It is fortunate that you are safe and sound. How are you? Did you gain anything?"

The young calf is not afraid of the tiger, so let it be! Xu Chengyun smiled.

You certainly have some ability, Xu Tianzhe; Xu Tianmu will probably be so furious that he might spit blood.

"Not bad." Xu Zongyi gave a slight bow

"Hurry up!" Xu Zongyi shouted urgently and quickly ran forward

Xu Xindie and Xu Zhengdao exchanged a glance and ultimately agreed

I want to become strong, and I absolutely cannot give in here

"Zong Yi, do not go any further. You have already secured a spot in the top three. Both Zheng Dao and I recognize you as the first, so there is no need to take any risks for this." The tingling sensation on Xu Xindie's body quickly dissipated. Turning around, the sea of flowers had also vanished, and upon seeing the Soul-Draining Forest, she realized that it was simply impossible to pass through.

However, it seemed that a voice was telling him that as long as he retreated, the pain would dissipate. Xu Zongyi bit down hard on his tongue, the sharp pain bringing him back to some clarity: "No matter what, I have come this far, and there is no reason to retreat."

Good. Xu Zongyi continued to walk forward

Both individuals felt a sense of panic in their hearts

"The great creation must be hidden inside." Xu Zongyi, feeling somewhat unconvinced, reached into the ancient pottery jar and pulled out a shriveled seed, which looked quite unappealing.

Hahaha, he is indeed Xu Chen's son, but unfortunately, his father is too unruly and carefree. It is only when the matter comes to light that he realizes the importance of the child's life, which is truly regrettable. On that day, in order to protect Xu Zongyi's life, Xu Chengyun almost got into a fight with the people from the Chaos War Phoenix Clan. In the end, he decided to place him in the Rizhayan Courtyard, which can be considered an explanation. Over the years, this humble life has not led Xu Zongyi to willingly fall into depravity: "Dragons give birth to dragons, and phoenixes give birth to phoenixes."

"Do not wait for me, I am fine." Xu Zongyi felt that there was not much wrong with his body, it seems that he has a special constitution

At that moment, he ran with all his might, but just as he was about to reach the end of the Soul-Draining Forest, a strong wind arose, causing the branches and leaves to shake even more violently. Eight zhang away, Xu Zongyi suddenly coughed up a large mouthful of blood and fell to the ground, his head spinning, feeling dizzy and extremely uncomfortable all over, nauseous and wanting to vomit, unable to stop convulsing. At this moment, he was less than two zhang away from the entrance of the forest, yet he could hardly distinguish the direction.

Having crawled out of the Soul-Draining Forest, he felt that he had exhausted all his strength

You all approach the sea of flowers first to get a feel for it. If there are no issues, we will proceed quickly. Xu Zongyi looked at the hundred-zhang sea of flowers, which was exceptionally brilliant, yet also concealed endless dangers

For Xu Zongyi, the Soul-Draining Forest has already vanished, but in the perspectives of Xu Zhengdao and Xu Xindie, the Soul-Draining Forest still exists, thus what he gains is not very clear to him

Xu Zongyi also closely followed, passing through the second layer of trials, the Sea of Stifling Flowers

"It won't happen, so don't worry." Xu Zongyi smiled brightly. Although Xu Zhengdao appeared cold and aloof, he felt justified in having spoken fairly.

For so many years, he has never known

What should I do

At this moment, a forest appeared before my eyes

Xu Zhengdao was somewhat surprised as he looked at his back. Although he also wanted to take a step forward, reason told him it was not possible. He was just one step away from reaching the peak of the Qi Gathering Realm, with energy flowing throughout his body

The scene before me has returned to clarity; looking back, all the miasma grass has vanished, as they have already passed the first layer of trials

Xu Zongyi deeply agreed with what she said; Xu Xindie genuinely wished him well from the bottom of her heart

What's wrong? Xu Zongyi looked at the sea of flowers in front of him, colorful and vibrant, swaying without wind, layers of flower waves pushing forward, it looks magnificent and beautiful.

Xu Zongyi is well aware that if he really gives up here, then his whole life will truly be over.

He turned around and looked at Xu Zongyi and Xu Xindie with slight surprise: "Oh? I didn't expect that you two could also come to this place"

Not far in front of the two people, there is a sea of flowers

In front of the sea of flowers, there stood a figure, dressed in white, with a handsome appearance and an aloof demeanor; he was Xu Zhengdao from the Winter Court

Xu Xindie and Xu Zhengdao ran a distance of ninety zhang and already felt their bodies tingling, but they hurriedly pressed on and quickly passed through

Xu Xindie and Xu Zhengdao gradually drew closer, stepping into the sea of flowers, and indeed, it had a remarkable effect

"Generally, when this object appears in the world, there will be great calamities between heaven and earth." Xu Chengyun calmed down, furrowed his brows, and said in a deep voice: "Recall that during the era when this object emerged, it was the most turbulent and dark period for the entire human race."

Before him, Xu Zongyi was covered in blood, struggling desperately, on the verge of death at any moment. Xu Xianchi watched with a sense of pity: "It is precisely because his parents have a solid foundation and deep roots that he can survive here with a non-cultivating body. If it were anyone else, their soul would have been shattered by the impact, and even if they did not die, they would become a fool. However, to have the qualification to enter the Soul-Dispersing Forest, which can only be accessed after breaking through to the Concentration Realm, this kid is truly remarkable. His willpower is at least as strong as that of his father back in the day, if not stronger!"

"I did not expect that Zong Yi would be quite generous; even my great-granddaughter has benefited from it." an old man remarked

Xu Zongyi slashed his own wrists, and a large amount of blood gushed out, with Xu Zhengdao and Xu Xindie on either side

Good. Xu Zongyi's feelings are known only to him. Gritting his teeth, he has already made a decision in his heart: "Let's give it a try. If I can attain greater fortune, it will be more beneficial for myself. With a poor background, I can only rely on fate to fight for it"

There are no dazzling glories, only an ancient ceramic jar that appears out of nowhere, square and quite rustic, with hardly any patterns on it, looking as if it is used for pickling vegetables in a daily necessities courtyard

The Soul-Draining Forest is only ten zhang away, and he wishes to venture in.

Xu Xianchu fell silent, indeed.

He could only return the way he came, shaking his head all the way, feeling that it was truly too unlucky, too unfortunate

"Zongyi, you can definitely do it." Xu Zhengdao shouted sternly, having reached this point, all that could be hoped for was that Xu Zongyi could give it his all

In a state of physical and spiritual torment, he crawled slowly, letting out a heart-wrenching cry: "I must rise above others and ensure that Sister Xiao'e lives a good life"

The greater the creation that can be obtained

"He actually possesses such a bloodline?" Xu Xianchu was quite shocked

The Winter Court, governing the clan rules and family laws of the Xu family in the countryside

Xu Zhengdao was very eager to cross the sea of flowers; otherwise, he would not have been standing in the same place for so long, contemplating various methods

Oops! He was so angry that his eyes were about to roll back. He couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood, splashing it on the ancient pottery jar: "What is this thing? Seriously, treating me like this!"

I want to give it a try because I haven't felt any discomfort so far. Xu Zongyi looked at her, and some numbness and pollen quietly penetrated into his body, but it was easily resolved.

This forest is not large, and one can see from one end to the other. However, at the age of Xu Zongyi, those who can traverse through the sea of flowers are already rare, let alone crossing the Soul-Stirring Forest.

Xu Zongyi was not affected. Xu Xindie adjusted her breath. She thought it would be difficult to walk, but in the end, she easily walked the last five zhang without any difficulty.

Xu Zongyi roared, not even caring about his own life as he passed through the Soul-Cleansing Forest, and ended up with these two items. The anger in his heart can be imagined.

Yes, ahead is the Soul-Swallowing Forest. If you haven't reached the Concentration Realm and entered, you will undoubtedly die!

Xu Xindie looked at the sea of flowers before her and said, "It's best to stop while you're ahead; do not go any further."

The grace of dripping water, should be repaid by gushing springs.

Having just walked a distance of four zhang, the Soul-Soothing Tree swayed gently, and the rustling sound of its branches and leaves made Xu Zongyi feel dizzy, as if he were about to faint.

This is the Pollen of the Bixihua flower, which can make it difficult for people to breathe when dispersed. Currently, we have not yet broken through the Qi realm, and we cannot pass this barrier at all, unless we can reach a state where Qi permeates the entire body, allowing us to temporarily close the pores and rush through without breathing. However, with a distance of one hundred zhang, even if we hold our breath while running, the pollen will still permeate through our pores. Xu Xindie understood Xu Zongyi's stubborn nature and explained seriously: 'The pollen of the Bixihua flower is very special; it can penetrate into a person's pores, causing every part of the body to become paralyzed. Once our heart and lungs are paralyzed and cease to function, it will lead to death.'

If Xu Tianzhe and Xu Tianmu were to find out, they would surely regret it deeply. Who could have anticipated that a servant from a daily necessities courtyard could possess such a unique constitution

"Will it be a significant burden for you?" Xu Xindie also expressed her concern

Soon, their saliva caused the wound to heal rapidly, not to mention that they also carried some medicinal ointment with them to apply on him

But he still wants to take a chance

He focused his mind, took out a small knife, and stabbed it into his palm. The intense pain brought him back to his senses: "If I can just get through this grove!"

Upon witnessing this scene, Xu Zhengdao and Xu Xindie were extremely solemn and distressed, wanting to help him, yet feeling utterly powerless.

Firm in his beliefs, he resolutely entered the Soul-Stirring Forest

Xu Zongyi's blood can help neutralize the poison of the Zhuangxin grass, but it may not necessarily be able to resist the pollen of the Bixihua flower

The deeper one goes into the earth hall

"Not biological, indeed, one can see it clearly," Xu Xianchu remarked.

The first major realm of cultivation is the Qi Induction Realm, and the second major realm is the Spirit Condensation Realm

"Just listen to his father, live in the most humble manner, and let him slowly climb up from below. This time, let him enter my scripture hall. The refinement he has undergone in the miscellaneous courtyard over the years is sufficient!" The old man in black looked pleased, clearly satisfied with Xu Zongyi's growth. His name is Xu Chengyun, the guardian of the Xu family from a farming background.

Xu Zongyi took a full fifteen minutes to recover his composure. He slashed his palm with a dagger and slammed it down on the ground, filled with vigor and determination

Thanks to Zong Yi's blood, I have been able to hold on until now. Xu Xindie smiled.

Xu Zongyi did not continue forward, but instead returned to Xu Zhengdao and Xu Xindie, saying: "I believe it may be due to the uniqueness of my bloodline. If you drink a bit more of my blood, we can break through together"

His mother belongs to the witch clan of the Xiangliu family. This clan has been nurturing poison within their bodies since childhood. Although Zong Yi has not practiced the techniques of the Xiangliu lineage, the innate bloodline he carries from the womb is naturally extraordinary, making it easy for him to handle their minor poisons. Another elder, dressed in black, spoke in a hoarse voice. If Xu Zong Yi were to see his figure, he would undoubtedly recognize him, for it was this elder who had taught him to read and write for many years.

He did not notice that the blood sprayed on the ancient pottery jar quickly dissipated and was absorbed by it

"Very well, we will wait for you here." Xu Zhengdao's expression was grave, and at the same time, he was extremely shocked. It should be noted that Xu Zongyi had not even entered the Qi Refinement stage, yet dared to venture into the Soul Forest. Such courage is indeed admirable

Xu Xindie and Xu Zhengdao also held their breath; their speed was faster than Xu Zongyi's.

He bit his finger again, letting several drops of blood fall to the ground, yet there was no reaction at all. It was only then that he confirmed that the suddenly appearing pottery jar and the shriveled seeds were the fortune he had obtained.

What do you plan to do with this child? Are you going to leave her in the miscellaneous courtyard forever?" The elder who spoke, named Xu Xianchu, is one of the prominent figures in the farming community, and Xu Xindie is his youngest great-granddaughter

"Do you think the Soul-Draining Tree is doing well?" Xu Xianchu's expression showed some concern

It has merely integrated into its own body, and at present, it is uncertain how to extract it. However, it can be affirmed that what has been obtained is not too bad, but compared to Xu Tianzhe's Heavenly Sword and Xu Tianmu's Azure Fortune Staff, the quality is indeed somewhat lacking.

Xu Zhengdao has been hesitant to move forward, also out of fear that he might not be able to endure it halfway and perish in the process

Xu Zongyi was taken aback. When he turned around, he found that the Soul-Draining Forest had vanished without a trace, leaving only Xu Zhengdao and Xu Xindie waiting for him

At the very least, he is not of the same kind as Xu Tianzhe and Xu Tianmu

Xu Zongyi was even more unaware that at this moment, two pairs of eyes were secretly watching him. On the ground where he was dragged, there was a long, mottled trail of blood

He was somewhat surprised; the square ancient pottery jar had directly entered his body: "What is going on? Is it just gone like that?"

I hope this dragon does not cause catastrophic disasters like his father did, and I do not even know whether he is alive or dead. Xu Xianchu said irritably, as now there are very few people in the Xu family who know about Xu Zongyi's background.

Just approaching made him feel a bit dizzy, at this moment, Xu Zongyi realized that his special constitution was of no use here

I have an excellent relationship with Xu Chen, but I secretly guide and teach this child because of his bloodline. Once he grows up, he can become the pillar of the Xu family in our farming community. Xu Chengyun's laughter was calm and composed

He endures immense pain at all times, forcing himself to crawl out of the Soul-Devouring Forest

The two individuals were able to pass through the trial of the Sea of Withering Flowers with his assistance, and they also understood that Xu Zongyi's bloodline was unique

Over the years, although he was in the miscellaneous academy, Xu Chengyun taught him to read when he was one year old, regularly providing him with books, most of which were essays and travelogues by the Xu family's ancestors from farming backgrounds. Through these, he learned a great deal, and although it was not cultivation, he was able to witness the life-and-death tribulations faced by his ancestors throughout the ages, as well as the interdependence of fortune and misfortune.