Chapter 2098: Chapter 2135: Eye-Opening Experiences
The Crimson Flame Bodhi was now everyone’s hope, the guarantee that they could have food in the future. If it could be cultivated successfully and sold at a good price, then the Skeleton Sect’s future would finally see light.
After Ding Fan and the others here left the valley, they threw the Beast Bone Chain into the Blood Pool again. This time the blood in the pool churned for half a day once more. Ding Fan knew that was the Beast Bone Studded Chain altering the structure of the blood in the pool.
By nightfall, Wu Qingxia personally watered dozens of Crimson Flame Bodhi plants. Then she did not leave, but stayed in the small hut to do meditation, waiting to see the results.
Ding Fan did not go back either. He still felt somewhat uneasy. If that Beast Bone Chain really worked and could cultivate the Crimson Flame Bodhi into something that could be traded for Black Obsidian, he would be able to get more resources.
The two of them meditated in the simple wooden hut for an entire night. Just before dawn, they went to look at the field where they had planted. The two of them were shocked to see that dozens of Crimson Flame Bodhi plants had grown three more small leaves.
Ordinary Crimson Flame Bodhi commonly seen in the fields only had four leaves, but the Crimson Flame Bodhi on Tie Family Island actually had six small leaves. That was why people believed this place was not suitable for planting Crimson Flame Bodhi.
Yet now, here on Xinkai Island, these dozens of Crimson Flame Bodhi had actually grown three more leaves and turned into Seven-Leaf Redflame Bodhi? Moreover, the red light on these Crimson Flame Bodhi was shimmering and gleaming, full of vitality, clearly growing better than the previous ones.
"I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. Did they grow better? Or can they no longer be used at all?"
Ding Fan did not understand Crimson Flame Bodhi. Touching his nose, he asked Wu Qingxia. Wu Qingxia did not understand either; unsure, she said, "Looks like we have to go ask the Second Elder. He’s gone to Tie Family Island several times to look at their Crimson Flame Bodhi. He knows best what Crimson Flame Bodhi should look like when they’re at their best."
"Send someone to call him over, but remember, don’t reveal the secret of my Beast Bone Chain."
Ding Fan said to Wu Qingxia. After hearing his words, Wu Qingxia immediately walked out of the small valley and had people invite all the elders over. After half a stick of incense, the Second Elder brought people over. When he saw these dozens of Crimson Flame Bodhi, he was greatly shocked. After carefully observing them, he asked Wu Qingxia, "Sect Master, what method did you use to make them grow this well?"
Wu Qingxia’s gaze shifted to Ding Fan. She said to the Second Elder and the others, "This is all thanks to Ding Fan. He has a mysterious formula that can concoct a miraculous medicinal powder. Mm... he must keep it secret, so he can’t tell you."
"Oh, a kind of medicinal powder?"
The Second Elder and the others’ impression of Ding Fan changed. Although he had saved everyone many times before, they had never felt this way about him. But now, in their eyes, Ding Fan seemed like a messenger sent by the heavens specifically to rescue them.
Wu Qingxia paused for a moment and asked, "Second Elder, do you see any problems with these Crimson Flame Bodhi? Will they mutate? Will they bear fruit when the time comes? I don’t dare water the rest of the Crimson Flame Bodhi with this. I’m afraid of ruining all of them."
The Second Elder took a look, but he was not sure either. After all, they had never planted this kind of Crimson Flame Bodhi before, and he could not tell whether the current growth state was good or bad. They could only wait until it bore fruit in the future to see.
The Second Elder and some Elder Warriors with a bit of prestige discussed and decided to build another Blood Pool. They would water the Crimson Flame Bodhi with blood separately: half with the improved blood, half with ordinary blood, so that if an accident occurred, not all of the Crimson Flame Bodhi would be ruined.
Everyone got busy. The elders issued a death order: aside from the elders and the few Divine Realm First Level Martial Artists who already knew about this, no one was allowed to leak this matter to anyone. If anyone dared to speak of it to the outside world, no matter who they were, they would be punished according to sect rules.
The Second Elder then had two elders take turns guarding the medicinal field. No one was allowed to approach. If that half of the Crimson Flame Bodhi could truly produce high-quality Crimson Flame Bodhi, and if this matter was learned by the people on Tie Family Island, the consequences would be unimaginable.
There were so many people on Tie Family Island, all living off the Crimson Flame Bodhi. If they learned that the Skeleton Sect could grow higher-quality Crimson Flame Bodhi, needless to say, they would immediately turn hostile and come to seize this formula. Given the Tie Family’s temperament, the members of the Skeleton Sect on Xinkai Island would likely be silenced when the time came. After all, Crimson Flame Bodhi was the Tie Family’s lifeblood, so this matter absolutely could not be leaked, not even one in a thousand. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Ding Fan had made a huge contribution. Wu Qingxia took the opportunity to ask the Second Elder to buy some Amethyst Stone. Although this request felt a bit strange—after all, there was not much Black Obsidian left in the Skeleton Sect now—when he heard it was for Ding Fan’s use, the Second Elder immediately had people go off-island to purchase it.
For the next few days, aside from going back to sleep, eat, and bathe, Ding Fan and Wu Qingxia stayed in that medicinal field every day. Every few days, when the blood in the Blood Pool was used up and new blood was injected, Ding Fan would put the Beast Bone Chain in to improve the blood. It seemed to be working quite well.
But when Ding Fan did this, aside from Wu Qingxia, no one was allowed to remain in the valley. This was Ding Fan’s secret formula; there was no way he would let others see it.
As time passed, the Crimson Flame Bodhi irrigated with the improved blood grew exuberantly. After seven days they bore fruit ahead of time, two days earlier than expected. The other half, watered with ordinary blood, had yet to bear fruit; judging by their appearance, they would need at least a few more days.
Looking at the countless Crimson Flame Bodhi like flames, Wu Qingxia’s face blossomed with joy. Seeing those flame-like fruits was like looking at her own children; her eyes were full of affection.
Two days later, the Crimson Flame Bodhi fruits fell to the ground. Each one was about as long as a middle finger, round and plump like a small winter melon.
The Second Elder and the others were even more excited, because these fruits were larger than those on Tie Family Island. Their color was like flames, even emitting a faint glow, and they looked extremely good.
"Second Brother, tomorrow we’ll go to Tie Family Island and find someone to appraise and sell these, right?"
The Fourth Elder clenched his fists and said excitedly. Ding Fan said coldly, "You want all of us to die here or what? If we go to Tie Family Island to sell them, you think they’ll let us go?"
The Fourth Elder’s face changed. He thought Ding Fan was making things hard for him and was about to flare up when the Second Elder waved to stop him. He said to the others, "What Ding Fan said makes sense. This Bodhi Fruit cannot be sold anywhere nearby. We can’t even let people around here know about it. If we want to sell, we have to sell it on Daozhen Island!"
"Right, only that way can we keep the secret!"
Wu Qingxia was the first to react. The Fourth Elder thought it over calmly, realized his own idea was wrong, and said nothing more.
He understood what Ding Fan meant. The Crimson Flame Bodhi was the lifeline of the Tie Family. Now that the Skeleton Sect had produced Crimson Flame Bodhi of such high quality, they absolutely couldn’t let the Tie Family find out. But once these fruits appeared on nearby islands, the Tie Family would learn of it immediately.
The Fourth Elder pondered for a while, then asked, "Daozhen Island is so far from us. We can’t go by ship—too time‑consuming. Within the Tie Family Island’s territory we’re safe, but once we leave that range, we might be killed. To get to Daozhen Island, aside from taking the ship from Moon Mist Island, the only way is the Teleportation Array. But by ship it takes too long and we’ll be noticed. If we use the Array, the cost is too high. I’m afraid we can’t afford to waste that much Black Obsidian."
Daozhen Island! Ding Fan knew it was the largest and most prosperous island in the Tianmu Sea, the king of the Tianmu Sea, where Master Daozhen resided, and also the island with the highest concentration of cultivation resources.
Daozhen Island lay in the middle of Tianmu Sea, and a round trip by sea took a month. There was a small Teleportation Array on Moon Mist Island, but the cost of each teleportation was exorbitant, far beyond what ordinary people could bear.
"Use the Teleportation Array!"
The Second Elder pondered for a moment, then said through gritted teeth, "We’ll only send two people. Let the Sect Master and Ding Fan go. If this batch of Crimson Flame Bodhi can really fetch a good price, the Black Obsidian spent will be well worth it. We won’t ever lack Black Obsidian again."
"Let just the two of us go?"
Wu Qingxia and Ding Fan stared at each other in astonishment. Such a big matter was actually being handed to them? Was this Second Elder really that bold?
The Fourth Elder and the other elders were also very surprised. For something this important, shouldn’t the Second Elder personally handle it? Letting these two young people go—what if they messed it up? What if the two of them were killed after reaching Daozhen Island?
The Seventh Elder explained, "We old fogeys go to Moon Mist Island all the time; old faces are easy to recognize. If the Scout Cavalry from Tie Family Island spot us going to Moon Mist Island, and see us use the Teleportation Array on top of that, they’ll definitely think something’s off and start paying attention. When they then discover that Daozhen Island suddenly has a new batch of high‑quality Crimson Flame Bodhi, they’ll surely connect it to us. At that point, we’ll be in danger."
The Second Elder paused, looked at Ding Fan and Wu Qingxia, and continued, "The Sect Master and Ding Fan won’t arouse suspicion, because they’ve never been to that island. They can pretend to be a rich young lady and her guard. Squandering Black Obsidian to use the Teleportation Array won’t draw too much attention. But if we old undyings, with just this bit of strength, go and ride the Teleportation Array so extravagantly, people will suspect something immediately."
"Even if people from Tie Family Island recognize them, it can be brushed off as them sneaking off to Daozhen Island to play. The ignorance of young people is understandable. In terms of safety, there’s really nothing to worry about. There is absolutely no force allowed to act rashly inside Daozhen Island. As long as they keep a low profile, nothing will happen."
The Second Elder’s explanation was reasonable, so that was how the decision was made. The next day, Ding Fan and Wu Qingxia would depart, carrying five hundred Crimson Flame Bodhi trees. The fruits weren’t many, just packed into a small bundle, not eye‑catching at all.
Wu Qingxia and Ding Fan dressed to the nines. Wu Qingxia’s face was covered by a thin veil and she wore a gorgeous long gown. Ding Fan donned gleaming Armor and a helmet, disguised as Wu Qingxia’s bodyguard.
The Second Elder arranged for another elder to accompany them and, for safety’s sake, take a roundabout route to escort the two to Moonlight Island.
Moonlight Island turned out to be much larger than Moon Mist Island. Everyone was allowed on the island. Ding Fan and Wu Qingxia disembarked and headed straight ashore, spending half an hour walking before they arrived at Moonlight City.
Moonlight City was extremely grand, larger than ordinary cities. There were many people inside the city—at least tens of thousands by the look of it. The streets were packed with people coming and going, very lively.
Outside the city gates and along the streets they could see the island’s guards, clad in gleaming battle Armor. Every squad was actually led by a Martial Artist at Divine Realm Second Level Peak. From that alone, the strength of the power on Moonlight Island could be imagined.
The two of them remembered the Second Elder’s instructions. After entering the city, they rented a luxurious carriage, then went to a high‑class inn in the city, and afterwards spent half a day strolling through the bustling streets.
Wu Qingxia was thoroughly enjoying herself. She was the eldest young lady of the Wu Family and hadn’t been out for a long time, so of course her mood was good. Ding Fan, on the other hand, kept carefully observing their surroundings to see if anyone was following them.
The city was huge and bustling. There were all sorts of strange and marvelous things in the city, many of which the two of them had never seen before. This trip truly opened their eyes.
