Chapter 581: God Tree Condenses Longevity

This was Li Fan's sixth consecutive cup of spirit tea. The tea, named 'Warm Spring Sun,' cost 800 contribution points per cup. It was said that the tea trees needed to be cultivated in a perpetually rainless grotto-heaven environment, growing towards the sun. They sprouted once every three years, yielding a scarce harvest. Upon consumption, a warm current would surge within the body, making one feel as if bathed in sunlight, with effects lasting for several days. Yet, even this widely popular excellent tea failed to dispel the chill in Li Fan's heart.

This was the third time Li Fan's true self had directly confronted a true mighty being since he entered the cycle of reincarnation in the Xuanhuang Realm. The first time was when his clone was exposed by the Celestial Physician, who followed the sensation and directly intruded into his personal space within the Heavenly Profound Mirror. The second time was when he was in seclusion in Tianyu Province, comprehending the Grand Five Elements Annihilation Sword. The Fisherfather Elder, attracted by the malevolent aura it contained, suddenly appeared. This encounter, compared to the previous two, was even more startling and unexpected. It was also far more perilous. At least the Fisherfather Elder himself was eccentric and disoriented, bearing no ill will towards Li Fan. Instead, he even bestowed upon him a fortuitous opportunity. The Celestial Physician incident occurred because Li Fan coveted the 100,000 contribution point reward and actively sought trouble. Although he didn't yet understand the need to restrain his mind in the presence of mighty beings, which led to the other party noticing something amiss, at the very least, Li Fan's ego-consciousness was clear, and with the True Self Protection, he was ultimately safe despite the scare. Only this time... Daoist Rottenwood's arrival was incredibly abrupt and impossible to guard against. His methods were equally terrifying; even now, recalling them, Li Fan still felt genuine lingering fear.

“Unlike the Celestial Physician’s ability to see through hearts, Daoist Rottenwood, or rather, Ruomu, can directly twist and alter a cultivator’s thoughts and perceptions.” “Yet, the cultivators themselves won’t feel anything abnormal…” “No wonder Daoist Rottenwood said earlier that cultivators whose Golden Cores were harvested did so voluntarily.” Recalling his thoughts and reactions at the time, a chill once more surged through Li Fan's heart. He drank another cup of Warm Spring Sun to calm his nerves.

“It is natural for creatures to grieve for their own kind.” “But when I followed him and saw the place called 'Frying Human Lifespan,' instead of feeling danger or sorrow, I found it perfectly reasonable.” “I even wished to take their place…” Li Fan narrowed his eyes, as the Dao Transformation Stone in his mind continuously replayed the scenes from before Ruomu. By then, Ruomu's influence had vanished. Even though Li Fan regarded all beings under heaven as mere tools, when he saw cultivators hanging from branches like fruits, he instinctively felt waves of trepidation. This was the normal and expected reaction.

“While with Daoist Rottenwood, my beliefs, after being twisted, also seemed to be guided in a way that made them quite extreme.” “One could say I became somewhat deranged.” Li Fan wouldn't deny that, deep down, he might indeed harbor a faint similar thought. However, humans are inherently complex aggregates of spirit, sometimes even contradicting themselves. Naturally, a fleeting thought that occasionally crosses one's mind cannot be considered their true, inherent worldview.

“This Daoist Rottenwood is very unsettling.” “He seems to harbor extreme hatred towards cultivators.” Li Fan naturally didn't believe that, with Ruomu's cultivation level, selling Golden Cores was merely to gain contribution points. Enticing cultivators into Frying Human Lifespan to become part of a production line was also secondary. Likely, the main purpose was to spread her idea that 'cultivators can also be like fruits.' Such a heresy would undoubtedly be intolerable to the cultivator community. The Myriad Immortal Alliance should also conduct corresponding surveillance and restrictions, which is why Daoist Rottenwood couldn't act overtly. “Revenge, then…” Li Fan's eyes flickered.

When heaven and earth gave birth to spirits, Ruomu would shorten their lifespan. It drew life to bear longevity fruits, which granted eternal life upon consumption. During the moments his mind was controlled by Ruomu, numerous images continuously surfaced in Li Fan's mind. It was a towering tree, completely different from the withered, yellowed tree he saw now. It stood between heaven and earth, vibrant and dripping with lush green vitality. No cultivators were hanging from it. At the very top of its branches, only a few crystalline, purple and gold interwoven strange fruits had formed. On the surface of the fruits, faint, distinct patterns could be seen. There were trees, mountains, and exotic beasts. The patterns on the purple and gold fruits were all unique, none repeating. In the fleeting images, Li Fan also saw that, subsequently, humans occasionally visited. Initially, it seemed they had no cultivation and were dressed as mortals. Only a very small number of fortunate individuals managed to arduously climb to the treetops and successfully take the purple and gold fruits. However, later, humans appeared with increasing frequency. Their strength also grew increasingly formidable. Some could even climb the colossal tree as easily as walking on flat ground. The number of purple and gold fruits harvested naturally increased. Consequently, Ruomu, which had originally allowed outsiders to take as they pleased, also underwent a transformation. Numerous spirits and monsters evolved and were born on the tree, forming a defensive system to block those who wished to take the fruits. After this, Ruomu remained quiet for a long time. But good times never last. When humans returned again, their strength had undergone earth-shattering changes. They came in groups, clad in unusual attire, capable of flying through the sky, burrowing through the earth, and manipulating ambient energy to fight. The spirits and monsters evolved by Ruomu were simply no match for them. They occupied Ruomu, claiming it as their own. They appointed special guardians, who would come at regular intervals to harvest a certain number of fruits.

“Xuantian Sect?” The clothing style of those humans in the images was very distinctive and easy to recognize. It was extremely similar to the attire on the remains of the Xuantian Sect Dharma King that Li Fan had seen previously in Senior Sister Zhao's illusion. The Xuantian Sect ruled this place for a long time. When the scenes changed again, cultivators from the Ten Immortal Sects appeared on Ruomu.

“The Longevity Fruit Position?” Li Fan glanced at the segment of withered wood on the table, and his heart stirred. He pondered for a long time, then recalled again. During the Ten Immortal Sects' occupation of Ruomu, the yield of purple and gold fruits at Ruomu's peak slowly dwindled, for reasons unknown. Each time, the cultivators who came to harvest the fruits also seemed to be from different sects. An unknown amount of time passed after this... One day, dozens of cultivators radiating powerful auras suddenly burst in. After easily killing the guarding cultivators, they did not immediately plunder the purple and gold fruits. Instead, they looked at Ruomu before them, discussing something unknown. Their argument seemed extremely fierce. But ultimately, they reached an agreement. The subsequent images caused Li Fan's pupils to suddenly contract. They set up a massive magical formation, trapping Ruomu within it. Numerous black chains, like long needles, pierced into various parts of the tree. Subsequently, a continuous stream of life force was extracted from it, gathering into a green orb of light in the air.