Rumble!

As the sacred tree continued to grow and extend, the entire Cangwu Mountain rumbled and quaked with it, forming earthshaking visions.

Purple clouds rose and accumulated above the mountain, thunder and lightning intertwined in the air, and thousand rays of auspicious lights and divine rainbows shot across the sky like a shower. A sacred and grand atmosphere pervaded the entire area around Cangwu Mountain.

“Heavens!”

Many cultivators shuddered, feeling repressed and about to suffocate. Some of the less strong cultivators broke out in a cold sweat and almost collapsed to the ground on their buttocks.

The sacred majesty swept the world like a landslide or a tsunami. Even Grandma Jin He and other influential figures tensed up, terror-stricken.

So amazing!

But soon, a sound resounded like the chime of a bell.

Cangwu Mountain came to a still, standing solemnly like before, and a profound silence prevailed over all.

On the mountainside, the Ancient Dao Lantern Tree had transformed into a pillar-like sacred tree that seemed to be holding up the sky.

The dense branches extended to the heights of the void, like multiple paths leading to the heavens.

On the branches, flower buds swayed in the wind like lanterns, producing bell-like chimes that were as pleasant as the sounds of nature.

All of a sudden, everything faded into silence, and all cultivators felt a weight lifting off them.

The heavenly sound of the dao reverberated, creating an ethereal and dreamy atmosphere. Everyone felt as if their whole bodies had been cleansed, refreshed and cleared of all distracting thoughts.

“So amazing!”

The group of cultivators marveled, finding Cangwu Mountain more and more extraordinary. Such a miraculous place indeed deserved the name of holy mountain.

“Look, those bronze flower buds are changing!” a cultivator cried out.

On the Ancient Dao Lantern Tree, thousands of bronze flower buds grew from the size of a fist to the size of a lantern, and every petal was entwined with the aura of the great dao, spewing out dao lights and blooming with dazzling life force.

“When they blossom and bear fruit is the moment when blessings and fortunes are born!” Grandma Jin He said every word with a noticeable pause in-between.

At the same time, all the cultivators noticed figures emerging around the Ancient Dao Lantern Tree like towering pillars.

Those who had passed the five tests of the Dao Lantern Festival were beginning to arrive at the ancient tree!

……

Lin Xun looked up and marveled. “So tall!”

He along with other experts had been teleported to stand under the Ancient Dao Lantern Tree.

He looked up and saw that the body of the ancient tree was like a giant dragon soaring into the air and seemed to stretch endlessly across the sky.

It was very quiet and peaceful with sacred qi flowing down from the ancient tree.

Bronze flower buds hung like lanterns on the dense branches.

Although they had yet to bloom, they were intertwined with dao light and spewed out divine brilliance. Glowing like little suns, they produced whispers of ethereal dao sounds.

All experts, including Lin Xun, Ji Xingyao and Yu Lingkong were stunned into silence. Even the word sacred couldn’t describe the scene happening before their eyes.

It was too extraordinary as if it shouldn’t exist in the mortal world. It was as though a sacred tree had fallen from the immortal world!

“There are thousands of Ancient Dao Flowers! Doesn’t this mean that there are thousands of fortunes hidden within them?” someone cried out, eyes blazing like flames.

Another said, “You can’t say that, those are still flower buds, and only those that blossom and bear fruit will give birth to fortune and blessings.”

“However, there have never been so many flower buds formed in the past Dao Lantern Festivals, so there is no doubt going to be a lot of fortune and blessings born this time.”

Some experts calmly analyzed the situation, but even so, their hearts still pounded at the conclusion they came to.

“Legends say that although the Ancient Dao Flowers give birth to earthshaking treasures and precious inheritances, there is only one fortune that can be called the best among the many,” remarked one expert.

Another exclaimed, “Whoever gets their hand on it will be the biggest winner of this Dao Lantern Festival!”

“That’s right. I remember that Elder Mu Cangxue from the Unsolved Mystery Sword Sect won this number one blessing and obtained a Heaven Earth Wonder Root.”

Everyone’s eyes gleamed with anticipation. They couldn’t wait to get started.

However, the buds had yet to bloom on the sacred tree so they could only forcibly restrain themselves. Otherwise, they would have scrambled over the tree already.

“Miss Ji, do you want to go up there with me and take a look?” Yu Lingkong suddenly asked with a gentle smile.

Ji Xingyao hesitated for a moment, but she nodded in the end. “All right.”

“Then, Miss Ji, allow me to escort and protect you!” Yu Lingkong beamed, but as he was speaking, his eyes glanced at Lin Xun inadvertently.

Lin Xun narrowed his black eyes. He knew that the gesture was a silent warning and a declaration of war!

Very quickly, Yu Lingkong and Ji Xingyao readied themselves and leapt with a somersault through the air to the strong and thick trunk of the sacred tree. Then, they swiftly continued upwards.

Rumble!

Terrifying silver lightning flashed from the sacred tree with murderous intent to stop the two from advancing.

The two figures glowed brightly, seemingly unafraid. They maneuvered through the intertwining lightning with unstoppable speed and soon reached a very high place in the void.

Everyone’s heart palpitated.

The Ancient Dao Lantern Tree was enveloped in a terrifying supernatural power that could transform into deadly power to attack the cultivators. The higher it was, the more terrifying the killing attacks.

Let alone ordinary cultivators, even top geniuses like them dared not to let their guards down.

But Yu Lingkong and Ji Xingyao were no ordinary top geniuses. They moved through the void with ease and confidence like they were taking a leisurely stroll.

It didn’t take long for them to reach a height of thousands of feet, and their figures almost faded from sight.

“The higher you go, the greater the chance of obtaining a great fortune, since most precious blessings and fortunes are found on the top canopy of the Ancient Dao Lantern Tree. Unfortunately, only a small number of people have the foundation and ability to reach that area...” an expert sighed.

As he was speaking, experts acted one after another, racing onto the Ancient Dao Lantern Tree.

Although it was impossible to reach the canopy of the tree, the countless branches densely covered with thousands of Ancient Dao Flowers still gave the cultivators hope to fight.

“Everyone, didn’t you want to deal with me here? Why are you all leaving?”

Lin Xun asked aloud when he saw that Sha Liuchan and the others were readying themselves and rushing towards the Ancient Dao Lantern Tree.

The cultivators were stunned for a moment.

Does Demon God Lin want to fight even before they obtain any treasures?

“Hmph, your life is worthless compared to the treasures here. It won’t be too late to kill you after we take the treasures!” Sha Liuchan yelled, his face darkening.

“Don’t waste time talking to him. When we arrive there, no one will be able to leave before the time is up. There will be plenty of time to kill him then.” Zhongli Wuji explained.

“Hurry, let's go.”

Qing Lian’er was also getting impatient. If it wasn’t for the treasures, she would have personally killed Lin Xun already.

A cold light flashed in Lin Xun’s dark eyes. He quickly realized that those guys had formed an alliance and planned to work together!

This surprised Lin Xun.

He was still unaware that, because of his astonishing performance in the five tests of the Dao Lantern Festival, he had already sparked fear and vigilance from Sha Liuchan and the others. To ensure that they could kill Lin Xun, they secretly formed an alliance.

“What’s the hurry, why not have a fight first?” Lin Xun had a lot of pent-up anger that he wanted to release. How could he let them slip away?

Boom!

As he was speaking, his figure flashed, and he charged headlong towards them. His qi rioted around him, and he oozed superiority like a true demon god.

The other experts inhaled sharply. They had already expected fierce bloody battles to break out once they arrived here. They even thought that Lin Xun’s life would be in danger because he had too many enemies.

But they never thought that Lin Xun would be the first to make a move before his enemies. He was so ridiculously aggressive and strong like he was completely unafraid of being besieged by those peerless geniuses!

𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

“Do you want to die!?” Sha Liuchan thundered.

Sensing Lin Xun charging towards him, he spun around without any hesitation and swung a golden trident across the air.

Boom!

With a swift grabbing motion in the air, Lin Xun activated the Bi’an Stamp and met the attack head-on. In the collision, the trident blasted out of Sha Liuchan’s hand, wailing incessantly, and his body flew across the air like it was struck by lightning. Blood pooled in his mouth, and he almost fell from the Ancient Dao Lantern Tree.

The audience was struck dumb, finding it hard to believe their eyes. Sha Liuchan failed to block even one blow from Lin Xun?

They had previously witnessed a battle between Lin Xun and Sha Liuchan and Qing Lian’er in front of the Four Seasons Pavilion a few days ago.

Sha Liuchan still could contend against Lin Xun then, displaying the fierceness, power and demeanor that a peerless genius should have.

Who would have thought that after just a few days, Sha Liuchan already couldn’t hold his ground against Lin Xun?!

In truth, the reason for that was very simple. It wasn’t that Sha Liuchan was weak, but that Lin Xun had become too strong, much stronger than when he started the Dao Lantern Festival.

Boom!

With a successful blow, Lin Xun rushed forward without any wavering and followed up with another punch, wanting to take the opportunity to defeat and kill Sha Liuchan in one go.

His body was glowing an azure hue, and he exuded an air of superiority like a real demon god. His killing attacks were swift, decisive and domineering.

Ding!

However, at that moment, a peculiar shrill metallic ring rang out. Lin Xun, who was charging forward, suddenly sensed imminent danger.

He frantically drew back and vanished from the spot.

Chi!

At the same time, a black shuttle shot past where he was, tearing a straight crack into space.

If Lin Xun had reacted one bit slower, then it would have pierced right through his body!

The shuttle was no more than seven inches long and around the thickness of a chopstick, but the tip was as sharp as a wolf’s fang and shone with a chilling light. Black flame dao runes surged around its surface as it hovered in the void and emitted a spine-chilling ferocious aura.

The most terrifying thing about it was its astonishing speed, which was comparable to the speed of teleportation.

“Black Spirit Demon Subduing Shuttle!“ Someone had recognized the treasure.