Chapter 438: Kang Yan's Fortutious Encounter
The Ten Path of Nirvana Sect's assessment exam went on.
The second round had started. Children were sent to the underground chamber under Siren City, which Jia Wenhe had secretly constructed.
The underground levels were inspired by Liu Bian's secret passages and Brocell's dungeon. Miaomiao told Jia Wenhe his plan, and the elder made it a reality.
Currently, there were two underground levels – Each level occupied five square kilometers and was three meters in height.
The children were separated into batches. Each batch was sent to the first underground level and was forced to camp there for a week.
Their mission was to practice one of the cultivation methods, which Miaomiao and many experts had inscribed on various boulders underground.
To pass this assessment test, the test takers had to comprehend one of the techniques on the boulders. Successful candidates would be assigned to a respective division to test their affinity with their techniques at a later date.
As for the failed candidates, they would still be qualified to join either Ma Ping's Clan or the Sun Wentai's Clan regardless of their talent.
While the test went on, Miaomiao spread words that they would mobilize their forces to attack Liu Biao's city in spring.
On the same day that they had released the "Rumor", Ma Moxi and Dian Wei traveled east by themselves.
Their targets were Huang Hansheng and Liu Biao!
Dian Wei was well-fed, and her Qi had been restored. As for Ma Moxi, he was in top shape, which was ideal for an assassination mission.
Miaomiao deployed them right away to put pressure on his enemies.
As for himself, Miaomiao brought Kang Yan, Wei Yuan, and Zhao Bao to scout Mount Hua.
…
Zhao Bao, Wei Yuan, Kang Yan, and Miaomiao stood at the desolate courtyard of Mount Hua Sect.
When they arrived, they found nobody. Moreover, every building, storehouse, and vault had been sacked. All spiritual plants had already been dug out, and many places had been tampered with.
Only broken wooden furniture remained.
Miaomiao was disappointed as he wanted to destroy the foundation and plot armors of Ling Tianlong, but he missed his chance.
"I guess we're too late."
Zhao Bao examined the ground, "This work is too rough. I think someone pillaged this sect before us."
"I wonder who…"
Kang Yan knelt and inspected a hole in the soil while she talked to her father. A moment later, she turned to Miaomiao.
"The sect people already migrated to the southwest. The guys that dug out the remaining herbs and trees were Liu Xuande and his gang."
Everyone was surprised, "How do you know that?"
"I and my father can read the memory of objects, especially plum trees. The remnant will of the plum trees shared us their memory."
Kang Yan had grown a lot since she bound her soul with the Plum Monarch Sword. Moreover, the Yin Monarch and Yang Monarch snakes became her guardian beasts.
Unbeknownst to her, Kang Yan had stolen one of Ling Tianlong's plot armor. Now, she slowly gained his power and got stronger in his stead.
Miaomiao snickered. He had fought Kang Yan's clones with 200% difficulty many times, and he could barely defeat her due to her guardian beasts, her father, and her swordsmanship.
At the max potential level and her current cultivation, Kang Yan was as strong as 300% difficulty Xie Tian that Miaomiao had once fought! Giving her a few years, she might even be able to solo 400% or 500% Xie Tian!
While Zhao Bao and Wei Yuan were dumbfounded by Kang Yan's new ability, Miaomiao shook off the thoughts as he got used to associating with genius cultivators and monstrous talented big shots.
"Anything else?"
Kang Yan nodded, "Liu Xuande found a passage to an ancient ruin under the mountain and discovered a skeleton of an ancient demon. He brought the treasures and the corpse back, but he and his men seemed to be injured by something when they came out."
"Where is this ruin?"
"This way."
Kang Yan led the group to one of the holes, which had been dug by Liu Xuande's men. She jumped into the hole first while Zhao Bao and Wei Yuan stayed behind to guard the entrance.
Miaomiao followed after Kang Yan to inspect the ruin.
As Kang Yan had said, they found a natural cave underground. Traces of manmade furniture, walls, steel pillars and ceiling, and worn-out bricks could be seen. Some part was even cut or destroyed by something sharp.
"They probably looted everything already," Miaomiao sighed in regret as he spread his Qi sense to scan the underground passageway.
"No. Actually, they missed a few places. They didn't find the real treasure trove of the ancient demon."
"Huh!? You know that, too!?"
Now, Miaomiao was shocked.
"The plum tree spirits gather in this ruin. You'll understand when you see their master."
"…"
From Miaomiao's perspective, Kang Yan felt like a walking plot armor now. She had that aura of an all-knowing protagonist, similar to Ling Tianlong.
He wondered if all of his wives could steal luck and Heavenly Fate Crystals of strong protagonists.
Then, he thought of Ma Xingjuan, whom Lu Fengxian had entrusted her with his memory.
'Ma Xingjuan is probably undergoing a similar transformation. I hope she has Lu Fengxian's luck and fate.'
As Miaomiao's mind went to Narnia, Kang Yan stopped at a cave wall, which was covered by green moss. It seemed that nobody had touched this area for centuries.
She stood still for a moment while her pupils flickered, listening to the plum spirits.
Then, she simply walked into the moss wall as if they never existed.
"Oh? Is this the wall between Platform Number 9 and 10? Will this lead to Hogwarts?"
Miaomiao laughed when he noticed how Kang Yan walked into the wall. He followed after her.
Unfortunately, his face hit the moss wall.
The wall was real.
"…"
Miaomiao had a pokerface. He tilted his head in confusion.
Then, he clapped his hands.
"I see. I was too slow. So, should I just ram myself against the wall?"
Miaomiao took several steps back and mischievously smiled. Like an absolute idiot, he ran into the wall, face first.
BANG
Just like he had expected, he plastered himself to the wall.
Yet, he laughed like a maniac.
"Whoops. I guess we don't have Hogwarts here."
Ding
[The Devil shakes his head and complained about your stupidity.]
[Uriel shakes his head and sighed for your idiocy.]
[OG-Buddha shakes his head and prayed for your intelligence.]
[Macho Joshua wonders if he has sponsored the right DaoTube channel owner.]
[The Monkey King laughs at your silliness.]
[Sun Wu recalls the film by the name Jackass. He wonders whether you are a reincarnation of an actor in the film.]
"Oh, shut it!! That was intentional!"
While Miaomiao had been playing dumb, he had been circulating his Dragon Wood Element Qi and Life Essence, coating his body with the scent of nature.
A few seconds later, Kang Yan came back. She looked at Miaomiao with a deep frown, "Miaomiao, use your wood element Qi and Life Essence. I forgot to tell you. Only those with a scent of nature can enter this place. Also, stop thinking about sex while we're here. The will of the ancient demon is still here."
"I know, I know. I'm doing it."
Miaomiao transformed into a wood dragonewt. His body became similar to ents but with a dragon head.
Kang Yan shrugged and led Miaomiao inside. The latter managed to walk through the wall now.
Upon entering the secret chamber, Miaomiao discovered a large plum tree and a lake of transparent spring.
It looked similar to the dryad's hollowed spring water pond in the dryad plane. However, in this chamber, the lake surrounded the lone golden plum tree on the island.
ZAAA
Miaomiao squinted his eyes to inspect the tree carefully. Just now, the tree trunk slightly moved.
Then, it waved and rotated, spinning 360 degrees.
Upon completing the circle, something small was thrown toward Miaomiao's face.
The small thing hit Miaomiao's forehead and knocked him back a step. Yet, he was unharmed.
The thing that hit him was a barbed golden chestnut, emitting a strong demonic essence.
Miaomiao frowned as he touched his forehead. That tree just 360-no-scoped him with a chestnut bullet!
"What was that for?"
Kang Yan giggled, "I was hit, too. Hey, it's a welcome gift from the demon."
The tree wiggled again. Then, Miaomiao started hearing voices.
'Eat the chestnut, and your dantian size will expand by a trillion liters. For cultivators of nature, the dantian size foundation is a must!'
"Oh, I know that," Miaomiao shrugged and cracked the chestnut. He tossed it in his mouth and chewed it as if it was a normal snack. "Mind if I ask, senior, who are you?"
'You are quite calm for a mutated human cultivator.'
"I'm used to dealing with monsters."
'Hahaha! I like you.'
The tree turned around and revealed its face.
It was an ent!
'My name is UHUHUHOHOHU. Welcome to my domain.'
"Nice name. I'm Mao Miaomiao," Miaomiao bit the tip of his tongue not to laugh. "By the way, Senior… UHUHOHUHOHU, what are you doing here?"
'Waiting for a chosen one. By the way, it's UHUHUHOHOHU.'
"A chosen one?" Cringe and cliché, that was what Miaomiao thought, "Not us, perhaps."
'Indeed, the chosen one is not you two. I'm surprised that you can enter this place despite the divine prophesy I saw.'
"Hoh? So, you can see the future?"
'I was once a time-and-space mural protector. I know a few tricks.'
"…"
Time and space murals again, Miaomiao felt like Xie Tian's fate brought him here.
'Anyway, the guy I was waiting for seems… to have disappeared. Say, child. Why do you have the smell of a connate providence bearer? Are you connected to the outer gods or the god of destruction?'
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Who is this god of destruction? What is a connate providence bearer?"
New vocabularies troubled Miaomiao. It seemed that Xie Tian's Heavenly Fate Fragment connected to this place and this tree demon.
Or, he might have the connection with Ling Tianlong, who bore the Plum Monarch Sword.
The tree ignored Miaomiao's question. It snickered.
'I guess fate can be changed if one doesn't follow the will of heaven. Well, you seem to be the variation of all this mess.'
Miaomiao ignored the mumbo-jumbo cryptic hint since he had already guessed what this fortune-telling tree wanted to talk about. He didn't need to listen to the story that he already knew.
Still, he tried to probe for more information "Do you know the name of the chosen one you've been waiting for?"
The tree closed its eyes and fell into deep thought. He described the guy he foresaw, 'He was… more handsome than you, stronger than you, more ruthless than you. And his bloody scent was thicker than yours.'
"In other words, I'm an inferior being."
'You can put it that way.'
The tree laughed as he found Miaomiao oddly funny and easy to talk to. Then, the tree turned to Kang Yan.
'But I think this girl has a similar scent as the chosen one.'
Yup, this tree was supposed to be Ling Tianlong's benefactor or a helper. It was his destined fortuitous encounter.
Kang Yan stood stiff, staring at the demon tree, "Yes, senior?"
'Stay here for a few years and study under me. I shall increase your cultivation potential and teach you the dao of nature.'
Kang Yan widened her eyes in shock. Then, she turned to Miaomiao.
Miaomiao shrugged, "This is your DESTINED fortuitous encounter. Stay with the tree senior and study under him. Say, Senior OHOHOHUHUHU, don't eat her, okay?"
'It's OHUHUHOHOHU. You seem to be too trusting. Aren't you afraid that I might plot against you or your friend?'
"I do. That's why," Miaomiao sat down and stared at the tree demon. "I'll be staying here until you're done with her. If you do something wrong to her, I'll tell my dao gods and their vessels to come down and kill you."
The tree burst into laughter. It completely uprooted itself and released its killing intent.
The pressure was unmeasurable! Its aura was similar to Nero, who was sealed in the Black Amethyst Mountain.
However, strange chains appeared and tied him to this chamber. It couldn't go anywhere or use its power.
'See the chains? Your dao gods don't need to come down to punish me. I'm already being punished. You see, I'm one of those prisoners that got trapped in a mortal world to terraform its environment.'
The tree coughed and revealed a portion of its backstory and background.
'Let me introduce myself again. I was created to be the Earth Element Crystal, then the Continent of Earth Element, then the Dao Core Pillar Protector of the Golden Core of Earth.'
'I am the Guardian Spirit of Aves Continent, the Core of Aves Continent, and the creator of the land that you have been stepping on.'
'I am OHUHUHOHOHU, the Familiar Spirit of Swan Goddess and one of the seven guardians of Heavenly Goose Planet!'
'Now, tell me. Why should I trick your friend when I own everything on this continent!? If I want to, I could have easily plundered your soul and your cultivation base, including that immortal-grade sword!'
'Tell me, little thief, who stole the fate from a connate providence bearer, I could have easily killed you when you first came here, but I didn't. Why haven't I kill you when I had a chance, hmm? Can you explain this to me?'
Miaomiao wanted to argue back. At first, he asked why Miaomiao was too trusting. Now, it wanted his trust.
"By chance, do you have an alzheimer?"
'Never ask that to an old man. They might kill you.'
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