Chapter 669: Sacred Tree
"Let’s go." Jiang Yue said, pulling Yu Nianzhen towards an offshoot tunnel.
After that, the two walked for an incense stick before entering another branch. Eventually, they arrived at the end of a tunnel but only saw a rock wall.
"The treasure is behind this wall." Jiang Yue said, and the swordsman nodded before speaking.
"My divine sense can’t see past thirty metres behind the wall." He said, and Jiang Yue raised an eyebrow.
At the same time, he also used his divine sense, but the outcome was the same.
"I also can’t see past thirty metres." He said.
After that, the two dug carefully and soon arrived at the thirty-metre mark. However, they didn’t find the treasure.
"There is nothing here." Jiang Yue observed with a disappointed expression.
"Let’s look around." Yu Nianzhen said and began examining the rock walls, ceiling, and floor.
Eventually, he stopped in front of a stone and frowned.
"Is there something wrong?" Jiang Yue asked, and the swordsman nodded.
"There is something odd about this wall, but I can’t put my finger on it." Yu Nianzhen said and moved aside, allowing Jiang Yue to check the place.
Soon after, Jiang Yue gasped, and his lips curled in a smile.
"This stone is the node of a protective natural formation. Wait a while. I will deal with it." He said and began working.
Seeing this, Yu Nianzhen became more vigilant and guarded while Jiang Yue dealt with the formation.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
At this time, Jiang Yue suddenly grabbed Yu Nianzhen’s hand and pulled him towards the rock wall. Simultaneously, the wall shimmered, and the two fell through, but they didn’t arrive on solid ground. Instead, they began falling, and Yu Nianzhen hurriedly unleashed his sword to stand on.
"I didn’t expect there is an underground beneath the underground mine." Jiang Yue said and chuckled at his own silly joke.
"We will land soon." Yu Nianzhen reminded, and Jiang Yue nodded.
After landing, the two looked around and saw they were in a cave, the size of a large village.
The cave had rock walls, an uneven floor, and a high ceiling.
Excluding the hole from where they fell, the cave had no openings, but it was well-lit, giving the illusion of morning sun and quiet days.
"What a tranquil place." Jiang Yue sighed, and Yu Nianzhen hummed with a distracted expression.
"Xiaoyue, look at the centre of the cave." He said, and Jiang Yue immediately did so.
A moment later, he gasped and subconsciously squeezed his partner’s hand.
"Azhen, that tree..." He started, swallowed, and continued.
"Is that the Primal Aura tree?" He asked, and Yu Nianzhen nodded.
"I think so." The man said.
There were nine sacred trees in the cultivation world, and the Primal Aura tree was one.
From what Yu Nianzhen and Jiang Yue knew, the Primal Aura tree could cleanse and enhance an area’s aura. Most importantly, its fruits were a precious cultivation resource that could allow a cultivator to advance one major realm.
"It doesn’t look old, though." Jiang Yue said.
"It’s about three thousand years old. Not old enough to bear fruit." Yu Nianzhen said and narrowed his eyes.
"However, its presence explains the immortal crystals." He said, and Jiang Yue nodded.
"The mine would probably have become an immortal crystal vein if it hadn’t been discovered early." He said and turned to Yu Nianzhen.
"This tree should be the reason why the above-ground is barren. It probably affected the area as a defence mechanism. After all, barren wastelands are not attractive to cultivators." He said, and the swordsman nodded.
"You are probably right." He said and quickly continued.
"It didn’t want to be discovered, so it made its domain less attractive to cultivators."
"Unfortunately, it didn’t count on us." Jiang Yue said and chuckled.
"Azhen, transplant it to the jade box." He suggested, but Yu Nianzhen suddenly frowned.
"What’s wrong?" He asked.
"Xiaoyue, do you remember the brown seed?" Yu Nianzhen asked, and Jiang Yue was a little confused but suddenly remembered.
"The brown stone that we bought in the Thousand Herbs Garden many years ago?" He asked, and Yu Nianzhen nodded.
"We originally didn’t know what the seed was, but I have been observing the seedling lately. I think it’s a mustard space tree." He said, and Jiang Yue gasped.
"The tree that contains and governs space? One of the nine sacred trees?" He asked, and Yu Nianzhen nodded.
"That’s what I suspect." The man said and quickly continued.
"Xiaoyue, I have an idea."
"What idea?"
"When we have time, I want to merge the jade box and our small secret realm. That way, our small secret realm will become a portable space that we can both enter at any time." Yu Nianzhen said, and Jiang Yue frowned.
"Hasn’t the jade box always been temperamental? Can it really be merged?" He asked.
"Our cultivation is not what it used to be. Also, Ao Tian’s innate power regards space and as his master, I have some affinity with the space law. I should be able to use this advantage to comprehend more space laws from the mustard space tree. When that happens, merging the jade box and small secret realm won’t be a problem." The swordsman explained, and Jiang Yue nodded.
"Makes sense." He said with a thoughtful expression.
However, he soon tilted his head with a mischievous face.
"Will old man Cang be angry if we hide three sacred trees in our portable space?" He wondered.
After all, only one sacred tree of each type could exist at any given time.
Since they had the Tree of Life, the Mustard Space tree, and now the Primal Aura tree, these types of trees would no longer appear in the Cangxing world.
"He probably won’t be." Yu Nianzhen said and began explaining.
"Some treasures are destined, and people who are not fated will never be able to find them, despite their luck or cultivation level. Finding the three trees means that we are destined for them."
"Also, our fate is inextricable from that of the Cangxing world. Is it possible that we will be indifferent if a time comes when the Cangxing world needs our resources?" He asked, and Jiang Yue nodded.
"You have a point." He said, and as if the tree heard their discussion, it began wiggling, pulled itself from the ground, and flew over before entering Yu Nianzhen’s jade box.
Seeing this, the two were initially surprised but soon smiled in relief and happiness. However, Yu Nianzhen’s face suddenly paled, and he looked at Jiang Yue with a helpless expression.
"It’s happening again." He said, and Jiang Yue raised an eyebrow in question.
