293: Chapter 293 Thunder Spirit Fruit Tree

Dozens of Foundation Establishment Cultivators were fighting fiercely on the mountain peak. The commotion was so grand that even Chen Changqing and his companion at the back of the mountain could sense it.

At first, they didn't know the reason, but having cultivated for so long, the two had a good understanding of the nature of Cultivators in the cultivation world.

It was nothing more than failing to gain any benefits, so they turned on the weaker party.

The two seized the time to leave, knowing that even more people would arrive here shortly.

"Let's finish this quickly, or else it will be troublesome if more Foundation Establishment Cultivators arrive later," the scarred man said to the leaders of the other two groups of Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Both leaders nodded, no longer hiding their strength.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Scarface beheaded the Foundation Establishment Cultivator blocking his path with a single strike of his blade, and just as he was about to continue attacking the others—

Not far away, another group of Foundation Establishment Cultivators rushed over.

This time, there were also more than a dozen people.

"What is this?"

The newly arrived Foundation Establishment Cultivators asked in confusion.

"Fellow Daoists, they want to murder us and steal our treasures! If you assist us, our Gu Family will surely reward you handsomely!" Gu Linhong of the Gu Family pleaded.

"Hmm?" The dozen or so Foundation Establishment Cultivators over there were stirred by his words. They were no fools and immediately understood what these people were trying to do.

Each and every one of them stared at everyone with greedy eyes.

Scarface and the other two groups of Cultivators had no choice but to stop. If these dozen-plus newcomers attacked while they were weakened, it would truly be the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

Seeing the opponents stop, the Gu Family and the under-siege Foundation Establishment Cultivators let out a slight sigh of relief.

This was precisely Gu Linhong's intention when he spoke earlier: as long as he muddied the waters, those people wouldn't dare act recklessly.

"Everyone, do not be deceived by these people! They arrived here first and looted all the treasures clean. If you are willing to join us in eliminating them, we are willing to share half with you!" Scarface said after conferring with the other two groups of Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

"Hmm? Are you serious?" Hearing this, the eyes of the dozen newly arrived Foundation Establishment Cultivators flickered.

"Naturally, it is true," the Grey-robed Elder and another person nodded in affirmation.

After receiving confirmation from several people, those dozen-plus Foundation Establishment Cultivators subconsciously turned their eyes toward the Gu Family and the Foundation Establishment Cultivators with them.

Being stared at by dozens of Foundation Establishment Cultivators made their skin crawl. Moreover, several of their comrades had just been killed, so with their current strength, facing these people would mean certain death.

"Wait! Fellow Daoists, we didn't get any treasures at all! I can swear an oath!" Gu Linhong hurriedly declared.

Seeing this, the dozen or so newcomers raised their eyebrows.

"Yes, we are willing to swear an oath!" The remaining eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators swore oaths one after another. Such a swift and decisive action caught Scarface and his group completely off guard.

"It seems they really didn't get anything. However, you people actually dared to try and use us—don't you owe us an explanation?"

Scarface and his group were startled in their hearts and were just about to explain.

Gu Linhong took the opportunity to add, "Friends, there are only fifteen of them. With your strength combined with our eight, we can certainly keep them all here! When the time comes, our Gu Family won't take a single copper from the Storage Pouches of those fifteen after they die."

What?

Scarface and his group were shocked. Seeing the killing intent in Gu Linhong's eyes, they realized that the tables had now turned.

The dozen-plus newcomers exchanged glances, clearly satisfied with the Gu Family's proposal. They immediately struck, teaming up with the other eight to surround and kill Scarface and his companions.

...

Swish!

Two beams of light—one azure and one white—swiftly shuttled through the mountain range.

Whenever they spotted Spirit Medicine along the way, they harvested it in passing.

Roar!

A Tier-2 High Grade Yao Beast suddenly appeared and charged straight at Chen Changqing and his companion.

Qingxuan Exorcism Palm!

Chen Changqing killed it with a single move. With a pat on his Storage Pouch, he stored the Yao Beast inside.

The two had now released an aura at the Late Stage Foundation Establishment level; with such a powerful aura, lower-grade Yao Beasts did not dare to approach.

As they continued forward, a giant tree glowing with purple light appeared less than a hundred miles away from them.

"Is that... a thunder spirit fruit tree?" Li Qingling said excitedly.

"It really is a thunder spirit fruit tree!" Chen Changqing nodded.

He hadn't expected that while simply wandering around, they would discover a spirit tree of no less than Tier-3.

The thunder spirit fruit tree produces thunder spirit fruits, blooming once every five hundred years, bearing fruit after another five hundred years, and taking five hundred more years to ripen.

Every fifteen hundred years, one could harvest no fewer than a dozen thunder spirit fruits.

And the effects of the thunder spirit fruit were equally outrageous.

Firstly, it could increase cultivation. Any practitioner, regardless of their Spiritual Root, could save decades of painstaking cultivation by consuming a single thunder spirit fruit.

For an Early Stage Purple Mansion Cultivator, it would save at least thirty years; for a Middle Stage Purple Mansion Cultivator, up to twenty years; and for a Late Stage Purple Mansion Cultivator, although the reduction was less, it still saved ten years of hard cultivation.

If consumed by a Cultivator with a Thunder Spiritual Root, the effect of the thunder spirit fruit would be even better.

As for the second use, it was to increase Lifespan.

This fruit could extend a Purple Palace Cultivator's maximum Lifespan by a full fifty years.

However...

Coiled around the trunk of the thunder spirit fruit tree was a Thunder Python.

Judging by its cultivation, it was at least Tier-3 Medium Grade.

Moreover, two sharp horn bumps had already appeared on this Thunder Python's head, suggesting it was not far from transforming into a flood dragon.

"The aura of this Thunder Python is quite strong; it's likely close to the Late Stage Purple Mansion level. If we can't resolve this quickly, the commotion from our fight might attract a large number of Cultivators." Chen Changqing frowned.

"Brother, I have Tier-3 Yao-Luring Incense on me. I'll draw it away, and you go uproot the thunder spirit fruit tree," Li Qingling suggested.

Chen Changqing pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "Give me the Yao-Luring Incense and you uproot it. That will be safer."

Li Qingling nodded. Her strength was not much different from this Thunder Python, perhaps even slightly weaker; if they truly engaged in battle, she might not be able to retreat unharmed on her own.

Having made their decision, the two acted immediately.

Chen Changqing took the Yao-Luring Incense, ran dozens of miles away, and lit it.

After about half an incense stick of time, the fragrance of the Yao-Luring Incense finally caught the Thunder Python's attention.

Hisss!

Flicking its tongue, the Thunder Python looked in a certain direction and slithered down from the tree trunk, irritability flashing in its eyes.

Li Qingling watched the Thunder Python leave, waited a bit longer to ensure it was far enough away, and then made her move.

Leaping forward, she covered a distance of several miles as spiritual energy surged from her palms.

She reached out to grab a thunder spirit fruit—zzt, bang!

The moment her hand touched the thunder spirit fruit, she was injured by the powerful electric charge it released.

Spurt!

She spat out a mouthful of blood, yet delight filled her eyes because she had successfully plucked a thunder spirit fruit.

Disregarding her injuries, Li Qingling took out a jade box, placed the thunder spirit fruit inside, and proceeded to pick a second one.

Before long, half of the twelve thunder spirit fruits had been picked by her.

Just as she was about to pick the seventh, a powerful Divine Sense swept over the area.

Li Qingling was startled and hurriedly concealed her aura before retreating.