Xu Ming and his group arrived at a mountain cave.
Leaning against the rocky wall of the cave, Xu Ming closed his eyes, pretending to rest.
As for Zeng Rong and his group, they didn’t dare make a single move, let alone try to escape.
Though it seemed Xu Ming had completely let down his guard around them, they couldn’t be sure if he was testing them.
What if they made a move, and he suddenly turned around and slashed at them with his sword? What then?
As a result, none of them dared to leave.
And even if they could leave, they absolutely wouldn’t.
Because they still saw hope of killing Xu Ming.
If they left now, their mission would fail, and they’d gain nothing.
But if they managed to kill Xu Ming, they wouldn’t have to worry about cultivation resources for the next century!
In their minds, they had already envisioned various scenarios—such as waiting for Xu Ming to be caught up in battle with others and then sneaking up on him from behind to deliver the fatal blow. Xu Ming would surely die, paying a heavy price for his naivety!
Before an hour had passed, daylight began to break.
Xu Ming opened his eyes, stepped out of the cave, and the group continued their climb.
Along the way, they encountered more members of the demon race.
As before, these demons paused for a moment upon seeing Xu Ming, took out a portrait for confirmation, and then charged at him without hesitation.
While Xu Ming fought these demons, Zeng Rong and his group not only refrained from taking advantage of the situation but also acted highly proactive, as if anyone who dared to harm Xu Ming was their sworn enemy.
Seeing their performance, Xu Ming sneered inwardly.
There was no way he believed they had genuinely turned over a new leaf. That was absolutely impossible.
They were simply trying to lower his guard, so they could strike when the opportunity arose.
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But Xu Ming still acted as though he trusted them more and more, even showing signs of genuine reliance on them.
This left them feeling flattered, as if they had won his favor.
Only Shi Xin stood quietly to the side, observing the situation in silence.
The closer they got to the mountaintop, the more cultivators they encountered.
At first, whenever they encountered demon cultivators, a fight would break out without any hesitation.
But as they neared the summit, even when meeting demon cultivators, everyone became noticeably more restrained.
This was understandable. At this point, everyone needed to conserve their strength for the upcoming battle over the Blood Bodhi Fruit.
No one wanted to end up severely injured from fighting someone else, only for a third party to swoop in and reap the benefits. That would be unbearable.
As a result, most people adopted a wary mindset. They didn’t intend to make any moves for now but were equally cautious not to be caught off guard.
However, most of their gazes were fixed in Xu Ming’s direction.
It wasn’t because Xu Ming was particularly handsome or because his group stood out in any strange way.
It was because Shi Xin was simply too striking.
Most people stared at her, the beautiful female monk, as if she were a living work of art.
They weren’t fools and naturally guessed Shi Xin’s identity.
The moment they saw her, one thought came to mind: The number one beauty on the Beauty List truly lives up to her reputation!
Of course, many also felt it was a pity. Such a stunning girl—a monk of all things?
If she were an ordinary woman with long, flowing hair, they couldn’t even imagine how breathtaking she would be.
Finally, Xu Ming and his group reached the summit.
But unlike an ordinary mountaintop…
The summit of Blood Bodhi Mountain was, in fact, a massive flat plain.
This plain was as large as two standard international football fields combined.
With such a vast summit, one could only imagine how grand and imposing the entirety of Blood Bodhi Mountain must be.
On this plain grew numerous Blood Bodhi Trees, one after another, stretching as far as the eye could see.
This scene caught everyone off guard.
According to the wisdom passed down by their elders, there was supposed to be only one Blood Bodhi Tree standing at the center of the summit. There should never have been so many trees.
And based on past experiences, the Blood Bodhi Fruits on the tree should have already ripened when the secret realm opened. All that was left to do was pluck them—that was it.
But this time, everything was different.
The countless Blood Bodhi Trees bore nothing but unopened flower buds. There weren’t even blossoms, let alone fruits.
Many people sighed in disappointment, feeling as though their journey had been in vain. Regretfully, they left the mountain, opting to seek other opportunities elsewhere in the Rootless Secret Realm. After all, the secret realm offered countless treasures, and there was no need to remain fixated on a single spot.
However, a good number of people believed there must be something unusual about these Blood Bodhi Trees. They couldn’t accept that the fruits wouldn’t appear, so they lingered on the mountaintop, hoping for a turn of events.
Xu Ming didn’t leave either.
To him, there might indeed be other opportunities in the Rootless Secret Realm, but nothing could compare to the importance of the Blood Bodhi Fruit!
“If there’s no fruit yet, then I’ll wait here.
I refuse to believe that with so many days left in the Rootless Secret Realm, these Blood Bodhi Fruits will neither blossom nor bear fruit.”
That was Xu Ming’s thought process. He didn’t need any other treasures; as long as he could get the Blood Bodhi Fruit, his mission would be complete.
Though Xu Ming was in no hurry, Zeng Rong and his group were growing increasingly anxious.
Why hadn’t the Blood Bodhi Trees blossomed or borne fruit yet?
Without the fruit, how was Xu Ming supposed to get into fights with other cultivators?
If Xu Ming didn’t fight with other cultivators, how would they get the chance to ambush him? And without ambushing him, how would they ever claim Xu Ming’s head and complete their mission?
That night, Xu Ming stayed on the mountaintop and even lit a fire to roast some food. Judging by his demeanor, he seemed prepared to stay here for the long haul.
“Is this Blood Bodhi Fruit really that important to you?”
That night, Shi Xin walked up to Xu Ming, curiosity gleaming in her eyes as she asked him.
“It’s not important to me,” Xu Ming replied, shaking his head.
“Then why are you so determined to get it?” Shi Xin’s confusion deepened.
Xu Ming chuckled softly. “The Blood Bodhi Fruit may not be important to me, but it’s extremely important to someone else.
And that person… is very important to me.”