When Shui Xisi had said that these Dao Fruits were fake, there were some doubtful looks on their countenances.
Tian Ao simply said to the rest, "Those that wants to draw the lots, please come over my side."
Hua Yunzi doubtfully looked at Shui Xisi but in the end, she lowered her head to say. "I believe in Maiden Shui Xisi…"
Actually, she did not believe in Shui Xisi but she had decided to cast her lot with Ji Yuan since he was not drawing a lot too.
It was her support to him even though this Dao Fruit was far more valuable than even a celestial-step divine sword!
Shui Xisi could see that Hua Yunzi did not believe her but she was also wondering why she did not want to use this opportunity to gain her fortuitous encounter?
Then she caught Hua Yunzi looking nervously at Ji Yuan and Ji Yuan was also looking awkwardly at Hua Yunzi…
She was frowning immediately: The 2 of them must have an affair together… I am 100% sure about this.
There were now 5 other cultivators that were crowding around Tian Ao now; they were Baitang Hai, Wang Gongzi, Zhang Feihong, Hu Butao and Xie Hongyu.
With 9 people casting their lot, everyone has a 1/3 chance of obtaining a Dao Fruit.
But with Ji Yuan, Shui Xisi and Hua Yunzi deciding to forfeit their chance, they were down to 6 and has a ? chance of obtaining a Dao Fruit.
All 6 of the cultivators were feeling excited because this means that they all have a 50% chance of obtaining a Dao Fruit and they all believed that they could be ones that should be obtaining the Dao Fruit instead of the other.
In the Celestial Realm, a single Dao Fruit could cause all the cultivation holy lands to fight bitterly over it, resulting in heavy casualties throughout the entire celestial fraternity.
Right now, the 6 cultivators were actually contesting over 3 Dao Fruits in a most amicable manner!
It was not to say that there were no cultivators among them that would actually want to take possession of all 3 of the Dao Fruits but it was only because Ji Yuan and Shui Xisi were really such super cultivators that they feared to be too greedy in front of them.
Even if the two of them wanted all 3 of the Dao Fruits, they would be powerless to stop them.
Much to their surprise, they were actually uninterested in the 3 Dao Fruits which were extremely puzzling to them.
This was most puzzling because the Dao Fruit was worth even an entire holy land!
Although Ji Yuan knows how helpful the Dao Fruit was but he was also someone with a poor grasp in knowing how valuable a profound treasure truly was and he was someone that would not fight with the other cultivators to obtain a profound treasure by any means.
It was precisely why it was so that Ling Feiyue, Xue Qianxue and the other maidens would sometimes rebuke him for badly managing his finances but it was also why they like Ji Yuan; he was not greedy unlike the other cultivators, valuing his own face over the profound treasures.
But this time Ji Yuan actually knows how valuable a Dao Fruit is since it is a legendary profound treasure that all the cultivators know. However, he had an ominous feeling about it that he could not finger and that was the real reason why he did not draw his lot.
Now Tian Ao was delighted when his proposal to draw lots actually had the backing of Ji Yuan as he was worried that this Ji Yuan and Shui Xisi may decide to seize all the Dao Fruits for themselves.
Even when Shui Xisi said these Dao Fruits were fakes, it did not defer him or the others.
There was no way for this Maiden Shui Xisi to know if the Dao Fruits were fake and she had no further proof other than her words!
Maybe this was merely her scheme to take possession of all 3 of the Dao Fruits for herself!
No matter what, they had all decided to cast the lots for the Dao Fruits first.
Tian Ao broke some straws before handing it over to Xie Hongyu, "To ensure fairness, you shall hold the lots."
Then he said, "The three longest lots shall obtain the 3 Dao Fruits."
Beitang Hai, Wang Gongzi, Zhang Feihong, Hu Butao and Xie Hongyu all nodded at the same time, agreeing with this plan.
Xie Hongyu took the lots and said to the 5 cultivators, "You guys can now pick the lots."
Usually the holder of the lots would pick last and Xie Hongyu understood this rule well.
One by one, the five cultivators began to pick the lot until the last one was left and that remaining one was for Xie Hongyu.
At the same time, the 6 cultivators began to flash the straw lots to one another as they gathered in a circle.
There were naturally 3 disappointed looks and 3 delightful looks.
Tian Ao, Xie Hongyu and Zhang Feihong all got the longer straw lots and they were all delighted with the outcome.
As for Beitang Hai, Wang Gongzi and Hu Butao, they were cursing their poor luck; they had been so close to obtaining a legendary profound treasure!
Tian Ao, Zhang Feihong and Xie Hongyu wasted no time in flashing to the slope where the 3 Dao Fruits were and they began to pluck them!
It was quickly done and indeed, there was no profound beasts to be seen as the others in their team watched them.
In a short while time, Tian Ao, Zhang Feihong and Xie Hongyu were all smiling with great delight as they put the Dao Fruit in their spatial belt.
Shui Xisi chuckled softly as she reminded them, "These Dao Fruits are fake. I don't know why you can be so happy about it?"
Zhang Feihong smiled back, "Even if these Dao Fruits are fake but I'm sure that it will bring upon us tremendous insights and benefits to our cultivation. But if Maiden Shui Xisi is interested, I may share a little bit of the Dao Fruit with you. But of course, there should be an equivalent exchange. I am actually interested in the fire feather of your phoenix god beast."
Shui Xisi snorted, "However, I am not interested in your fake Dao Fruit."
Zhang Feihong smiled, "Fake or not, it is for me to decide."
Even Tian Ao and Xie Hongyu looked a little amused and like Zhang Feihong, they were not convinced.
It was obvious to them that this Maiden Shui Xisi was actually envious of their lucky occurrences instead.
Zhang Feihong laughed softly, "How about this then…"
He had suddenly taken the Dao Fruit which was the size of a berry and put it into his mouth to swallow it.
"Let me evaluate the benefits of the Dao Fruit for everyone then."
There was a smile on his face when he saw the envy look that was displayed by Beitang Hai, Wang Gongzi and Hu Butao.
He chuckled, "It actually tastes delicious…"
Then he displayed a startled but delightful look, "My cultivation is strengthening!"
This further turned the faces of Beitang Hai, Wang Gongzi and Hu Butao green with envy.
Even Tian Ao and Xie Hongyu who had the Dao Fruits could feel the profound animus of Zhang Feihong was strengthening right in front of them and they were also envious.
Tian Ao chuckled as he quickly took out his Dao Fruit again and to swallow it in front of the others, causing Beitang Hai, Wang Gongzi and Hu Butao to be even more green with envy.
The reason why Tian Ao had decided to eat the Dao Fruit now was because he was an old cultivator and he would gain the instant benefit of the new vitality that would be provided by consuming the Dao Fruit. Also, he was afraid that it may be stolen by the rest of his team and he may not even be alive at the end of the journey.
That was precisely what Zhang Feihong was thinking when he consumed his Dao Fruit.
Even though this team look cordial in their teamwork but they were all cultivators that were interested in their own benefits eventually.
Moreover, they had no relation whatever so with the other cultivators in this team.
And to be a great saint or a great saintess, they had to face numerous intrigues and backstabbing in their long life of cultivation.
That was why Zhang Feihong and Tian Ao had decided to consume the Dao Fruits immediately for fear that the other cultivators may decide to gang up in secret against them.
This was one benefit that could not be shared for this was the legendary Dao Fruit!
Even Ji Yuan was looking regretful when he had decided to give the lot a miss and he was drooling when Zhang Feihong and Tian Ao had suddenly consumed the Dao Fruits in front of his eyes.
As he gulped regretfully, Zhang Feihong was suddenly screaming loudly and he had exploded right in front of them with a bloody mess!
His cultivation core had exploded!
This startled everyone who had all turned ashen.
Ji Yuan blinked his eyes, "What the heck?!"
Shui Xisi simply said, "I told him that this Dao Fruit is a fake."
Tian Ao had broken into cold sweat now and he had flashed to Shui Xisi, "Great Saintess Xisi, please… save me! I don't want… to die…"
Xie Hongyu was also looking at Shui Xisi and everyone else with a frightful look, "This Dao Fruit is a fake?"
Shui Xisi sighed softly to Tian Ao, "I am afraid that I can't save you. Maiden Hongyu, may you come over to my side?"
Xie Hongyu quickly came over to her side and Shui Xisi said to her, "Display your hands."
She did as she was told and Shui Xisi quickly poured an aromatic liquid on her hands from a small blue bottle.
"You may think that golden celestials are immune to venoms but I can tell you that the Dao Fruit that you have just touched is highly toxic. My Fragrance Melody Water may be able to help you, hopefully."
Xie Hongyu was shocked, "Hopefully?!"
But as she said this, Tian Ao was screaming loudly now and he had suddenly exploded into a bloody mess!
Shui Xisi nodded slowly, "Because I don't know how dangerous these fake Dao Fruits are. So hopefully my Fragrance Melody Water will be useful."
Xie Hongyu had turned very white and she was shivering with fear now; she did not want to die.
As for Beitang Hai, Wang Gongzi and Hu Butao, they were suddenly thankful that they did not win the chance to obtain the Dao Fruit or they would be dead for sure.
Even Ji Yuan was shivering when he saw how two great saints had simply died like this when their cultivation core had exploded; this was a most cruel way to die.
He said weakly to Xie Hongyu, "Maiden Hongyu, you will be alright, don't worry…"
It was easy for him to say so and it only made Xie Hongyu more miserable as she wept loudly.
Hua Yunzi also did not know how to comfort Xie Hongyu and she was also frightened by what she was seeing.
She could only thank her lucky stars that she had decided not to draw lots of the Dao Fruits on a spur of a moment by following Ji Yuan.
Ji Yuan turned to Shui Xisi and asked bitterly, "Sisi, how do you these Dao Fruits are fake?"
Actually, the other cultivators were also interested to know the reason why as well.
Shui Xisi pondered for a while before she answered, "I seem to remember that they don't grow in threes. Only 1 Dao Fruit is capable of growing at the same time and there should be no other Dao Fruits nearby as well."
Ji Yuan weakly said, "I didn't think that your cultivation knowledge even extends to the rare Dao Fruits."
Shui Xisi giggled softly, "Actually I don't think anyone else knows about this. I know because I have once eaten a Dao Fruit and someone once told me. That is why I know that these Dao Fruits are fake as their profound animus are different from the Dao Fruit that I have once taken."
Ji Yuan was stunned, "Sisi, you have taken a Dao Fruit before?!"
Not only Ji Yuan but the rest of the cultivators were also shocked that Shui Xisi had once taken a Dao Fruit before!
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Author Note:
1. I'd really appreciate it if the readers can contribute power stones to this story as a show of support even if you are reading from other websites. Your spirit stones are crucial for motivations and releases. Also, it means alot me/ story, Many love and thanks! ?(⌒▽⌒?)
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