Chapter 153 Gathering (2)
Therefore, his current situation still met Cheng Tianhao’s needs. However, no one knew what would happen to those infected with the tree spirit’s aura inside the ancient tree. There might be great danger in this.
Xiao Shi thought for a moment. “It’s fine if you want me to be your handguard, but I need you to give me the Shadow Seed first.”
According to Cheng Tianhao’s original promise, he would give Xiao Shi the Shadow Seed later. However, Xiao Shi felt that the situation of him entering the ancient tree was unknown. He needed the other party to give him the Shadow Seed first before he was willing to take this risk.
Besides, if Cheng Tianhao died inside, wouldn’t he have worked for nothing?
“This…” Regarding Xiao Shi’s request, Cheng Tianhao was also a little hesitant. After all, a Shadow Seed was not something that he could casually take out. However, when he thought of Xiao Shi’s importance, he gritted his teeth in the end. “Alright! But I can only give it to you when we enter the ancient tree.”
He did so mainly to prevent Xiao Shi from turning hostile and refusing to enter the ancient tree with him after obtaining the Shadow Seed.
Xiao Shi nodded in agreement. The two sides quickly reached an agreement.
In addition, Xiao Shi even made a request.
Before entering the ancient tree, he needed to know the information of the other people who had the qualifications to compete for the Swift Shadow Echelon, as well as the information about the hand guards they had invited.
… .
Two days later, Xiao Shi, Cen Qingci, and the others gathered in a tea shop.
“How have you been?” Cen Qingci looked at everyone with concern.
Ever since they started carrying out missions in Tree Shadow City, they had no choice but to be separated and could not stay together forever. Now, it took a few days for them to see each other.
They were Cen Qingci’s followers, and Cen Qingci should be the leader. But under the rules of Tree Shadow City, they had to first gain a firm foothold in Tree Shadow City before they could help Cen Qingci. Otherwise, they would not even have enough contribution points to stay in Tree Shadow City.
Not only would they not be able to help Cen Qingci, but they would also become a burden.
Wang Luo and Yang Zhen all looked exhausted, as if their bodies had been emptied. They had always been doing missions to transform the Qi Force in their bodies into spiritual tree qi. They were always in a state where they lacked Qi Force. This made them look a little dispirited, as if they had lost weight.
Compared to the two of them, Squinty-eyed and Fan Li were slightly better. They had already begun to carry out some relatively high-level missions. There was no need to do such “physical work”.
However, Cen Qingci was the most comfortable. As a hostage, she could enjoy some additional contribution points every day. Even if she did nothing. Her contribution points could also maintain her living situation.
After all, she was a hostage.
It was impossible for the Swift Shadow Palace to see her being chased out of the city because she did not have enough contribution points.
No matter what, the Swift Shadow Palace would keep her in the Tree Shadow City to ensure her safety. However, Cen Qingci’s subordinates did not receive such treatment. They could only rely on their own efforts to gain a foothold in Tree Shadow City.
Xiao Shi did not expect everyone to be in such a miserable state. He thought for a moment. He felt that when the Swift Shadow Echelon ended this time, he might be able to help them through another identity.
After chatting for a while, they had no choice but to part because of their respective missions. Although Tree Shadow City had the opportunity to increase their strength and cultivation, it was also more tiring than before.
Xiao Shi also felt that everyone was like social animals now. Only he had a better life. Due to the hidden danger of being exposed, it was not easy to help them. However, from the current situation, the Swift Shadow Palace should not pay too much attention to the followers.
As long as Cen Qingci’s contribution points did not increase shockingly, it should not be a problem.
After parting ways with everyone, Xiao Shi returned to the tree house. Cheng Tianhao had already sent over the information on the other Echelon competitors who were competing this time, as well as the information about the hand guards they had invited.
After Xiao Shi checked seriously, he realized that among the five Echelon competitors this time, including the twenty hand guards, the weakest was at the late-stage Qi Martial realm.
Moreover, only six of them were in the late-stage Qi Martial realm. The rest were all at the Major Perfection Qi Martial Realm.
Of course, among these Major Perfection Qi Martial Realm cultivators, there would also be obvious differences in strength. However, even Cheng Tianhao could not completely understand the background of these people.
He could only get a rough idea.
There was one thing to pay attention to. The other four Echelon competitors like Cheng Tianhao were not simple. He needed to be on guard.
… .
Soon, it was the day of the Swift Shadow Echelon.
Early in the morning, Xiao Shi met Cheng Tianhao. Apart from Cheng Tianhao, there were three other hand guards beside him. These three people were all experts on the various rankings of Tree Shadow City. They were all at the Major Perfection Qi Martial realm. They stood beside Cheng Tianhao.
Among the three of them, there was an old man and two young men. After seeing Xiao Shi, they all focused on him.
Although the aura fluctuation emitted from Xiao Shi’s body was only at the late-stage Qi Martial Realm, these three Major Perfection Qi Martial Realm cultivators did not underestimate him at all.
They all knew very well the other party was at the top of the Tree Spirit Killing List. He had been corroded by the aura of many tree spirits, so his strength had been weakened to a certain extent. The strength he displayed now was not his true strength. At the same time, they knew how much Cheng Tianhao valued Xiao Shi. Even their attitude towards Xiao Shi became much more polite.
After the meeting, Cheng Tianhao brought the four hand guards to an area in the Tree Shadow City.
This area was a forbidden area in Tree Shadow City. Under normal circumstances, this area was not open to the public and had always been sealed. It would only be officially opened when the Echelon was activated.
Now that they had entered this area, everyone saw that this was a grayish-black area. The ground in this area was formed by an indescribably thick tree root. One could clearly see the fine patterns on the tree root.
“Is this the mysterious ancient tree?”
Shock appeared in Xiao Shi’s eyes. He felt like he was standing on the body of a Primordial Beast.
Although he did not know much about this mysterious ancient tree, he also understood that this mysterious ancient tree was extremely extraordinary. Many spiritual tree qi in the Tree Shadow City actually originated from this mysterious ancient tree.
At the same time, there were two other groups of people standing in front of Xiao Shi and the others.
One of the groups was led by the young girl, Lin Ying, who had come to rope Xiao Shi in.
The other group was led by a cold and unsmiling young man.
Through the information that Cheng Tianhao had given him previously, Xiao Shi knew that the young man in front of him was called Qin Long. He was one of the five people who had the qualifications to compete for the Swift Shadow Echelon.
As Xiao Shi and the others arrived, the gazes of these two groups of people converged on them. Among them, Xiao Shi felt several gazes land on him.
Not long after, the remaining two groups of people arrived one after another. One was led by the tall and burly Meng Que. The other was led by a young man with messy hair and sleepy eyes, as if he had just woken up.
After everyone arrived, they did not speak here, although there was strong vigilance and hostility between them.
It was as if there was a taboo here. It made them not dare to speak easily. They took out an item and held it in their hands. They pressed their palms together and worshiped the huge tree root under them piously.
As they worshiped, a huge crack suddenly appeared on the ground. There was a dense aura coming from the crack, and there was also a cold aura. Looking down, the light inside the crack was dazzling. It was like a huge mouth waiting to devour flesh and blood. When people saw it, their hearts trembled.
However, if one looked closely, they would discover that the light within the rift was somewhat different. It was as if there were worlds within the light.
Once one touched it, they would be pulled into the world inside.
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