Chapter 415 - 46: Peerless Beauty
It was only after becoming the head of his family that Fang Cheng’s way of thinking began to change.
The Spiritual Mechanism emanating from the Bronze Giant Tree before him made him naturally consider the intentions of the cultivator who had first forged it.
’Who would be bored enough to forge a Magical Artifact just to hold other treasures?’
It was likely all for the sake of order.
By codifying rules and entrusting them to a Magical Artifact, it becomes infinitely more difficult for anyone to try and break those rules using personal connections.
If the Magical Artifact were powerful enough, then circumventing this rule would be practically impossible.
Such a system would ensure a family’s stability and a sect’s growth.
This Bronze Giant Tree was surely no different.
’I wonder what kind of treasures are inside?’
As his mind raced, Fang Cheng felt the Spiritual Mechanism emanating from the Bronze Giant Tree and began to calculate his options.
A person at any given Cultivation Realm only had three chances to strike.
In other words, unless he could break through to the Late-Life Soul Stage in short order, he could only obtain three treasures.
With this in mind, Fang Cheng struck out with a Netherworld Hand Seal!
A giant hand of condensed Demonic Light slammed heavily against the trunk of the Bronze Giant Tree, producing a dull thud.
The giant tree then erupted in light. A ball of dazzling spiritual radiance coalesced in its canopy and slowly drifted down.
’There’s really something inside!’
Fang Cheng peered intently into the spiritual light and saw a large Pill Furnace, as tall as a man. It stood on feet shaped like kui dragons, featured an elephant-motif back, and was adorned with three handles and eight spouts. Its entire body was the color of golden bronze, and it radiated an auspicious glow.
A third-grade top-quality magic artifact.
He swept his Divine Sense over the Pill Furnace. After confirming it had no restrictive spells or hidden traps, he unleashed his Li Hen Demon Light to pull it down before him.
’A fine Pill Furnace. I’ll give it to Xuan Yu when I get back.’
Fang Cheng put the Pill Furnace away, took a deep breath, and began to prepare for his second strike.
The quality of the treasure obtained from the Bronze Giant Tree was proportional to the power of the attack.
The first strike had been a test.
He would have to be more serious with this second strike.
Suddenly, a brilliant, sharp streak of sword light shot out and slashed viciously at the Bronze Giant Tree.
CLANG!
The Mountain-Slaying Sword flew back, and a look of astonishment crossed Fang Cheng’s face. ’A Fifth-rank Magical Artifact?’
’This Bronze Giant Tree... is actually a Fifth-rank Magical Artifact?!’
’What an extravagance!’
Although his Cultivation and Magical Power limited him, preventing him from unleashing the Mountain-Slaying Flying Sword’s true might, the inherent sharpness of the blade alone was comparable to most Tier Four Flying Swords.
And yet, it hadn’t left so much as a scratch on the Bronze Giant Tree.
An odd thought occurred to Fang Cheng as he looked up at the brilliantly glowing canopy. ’What if I were to uproot this giant tree and take the whole thing with me?’
Another ball of spiritual light descended from the canopy of the Bronze Giant Tree.
Within the spiritual light was a spindle-shaped silver shuttle, pointed at both ends.
He caught the shuttle and inspected it closely. It was covered in profound, ancient Spirit Patterns and bore four ancient words—
Ruyi Celestial Escape Shuttle.
’This is a Fourth-rank Magical Artifact...’
Fang Cheng infused it with a stream of Magical Power. After a brief period of refinement, he understood this treasure was something special.
It could change size at will, fly through the void, and was incredibly fast and unbelievably durable!
It could serve as both a Flying Escape Magical Artifact and a potent offensive weapon.
Crucially, the shuttle bore a slight resemblance to the Yinluo Sect’s Bridge of Helplessness: both could traverse the void without a trace, offering exceptional stealth.
’An excellent treasure!’
With this Ruyi Celestial Escape Shuttle, the trip had already been worthwhile.
Fang Cheng felt a surge of joy. It was all thanks to his son, Fang Jingxuan, that he had obtained a Fourth-rank Magical Artifact of immeasurable value for nothing.
After stowing the shuttle, his gaze returned to the Bronze Giant Tree.
’If I go all out, I wonder if I can get a Fifth-rank Magical Artifact out of this thing?’
With a wave of his wide sleeve, a metallic colossus suddenly appeared in the magnificent hall.
It stood a thousand feet tall, its head nearly scraping the hall’s ceiling, matching the height of the Bronze Giant Tree.
"What treasure has Father brought out now?!"
Jingyuan and Jingxuan stared ahead in curiosity, their eyes falling upon a proud, metallic giant.
It had the beak of a phoenix and silver fangs, crimson hair and a blue body. Wings sprouted from beneath its arms, its eyes blazed with fire, and its hands and feet were tipped with dragon claws.
Its indigo Profound Iron Body was clad in grand, ancient golden armor, which was covered in dense Profound Patterns that shimmered with divine light.
The twin wings on its back looked as if they were forged from a thousand peerlessly sharp swords, so keen that a single glance felt sharp enough to draw blood.
Feather Divine Soldier, Marshal Deng of the Fire Law Order!
Fang Cheng formed a series of hand seals, shooting several beams of spiritual light into the Feather Divine Soldier, causing it to shrink by more than half.
He flew up, positioning himself before the Feather Divine Soldier’s head.
With a CLICK, a fissure opened between the Feather Divine Soldier’s brows, revealing a cockpit within.
The two brothers watched in fascination as their father settled onto the throne at the center of the spherical cockpit.
The two boys looked all around, their gazes sweeping over the luminous white walls of the cockpit and the countless profound, intricate Spirit Patterns covering them. They were too stunned to speak.
If the Bronze Giant Tree had been a shock to the boys, this Feather Divine Soldier was an even greater astonishment!
The moment Fang Cheng’s Divine Sense made contact with the cockpit, the entire chamber became transparent, affording him an unobstructed view of the outside world.
The Mountain-Slaying Sword grew to an immense size, its cold light radiating an awesome power. As the Flying Sword expanded, the mesmerizing patterns on its blade spread like ripples on water. They looked like countless, overlapping fissures in the void, exuding a sharpness that felt capable of tearing apart the Cyan Nether itself.
The Feather Divine Soldier grasped the giant sword with both hands. On its back, nineteen snowflake-shaped Spirit Flame exhaust ports flared with a dazzling light as it assumed a tree-felling stance.
Previously, Fang Cheng had been unable to unleash the true power of the Tier Five Flying Sword. Now, however, he could bring forth thirty percent of its might.
Just as the Mountain-Slaying Sword was about to descend, a soft chuckle, tinged with playful reproach, echoed from the void.
The Feather Divine Soldier’s sword cut through empty air. The space before it warped, and its massive Profound Gold Body found itself in an even taller, more magnificent hall.
Before him stood four enormous golden Buddha Statues.
Behind each statue, hundreds of dense halos of Buddha Light pulsed, accompanied by the drone of Sanskrit chants.
The hall was bathed in Buddha Light, casting a brilliant sheen of Red Gold and colored glaze, making it resemble a Buddha Country.
Between the four Buddha Statues, a Crystal Coffin was faintly visible.
With his sharp eyesight, Fang Cheng could vaguely make out a person lying inside the coffin.
’Could it be the Great Tomb Master!’
Inwardly alarmed, Fang Cheng summoned a Dream Spirit Incarnation to appear at his side as a precaution.
Suddenly, a soft, pleasant voice spoke. "Fellow Daoist, please don’t be offended. If I hadn’t stopped you, you would have destroyed my Treasure Tree."
Fang Cheng looked ahead. A figure in black had appeared amidst the resplendent golden Buddha Light.
She was an exquisitely beautiful woman.
Even for Fang Cheng, who had seen countless beauties in his life and considered himself quite the connoisseur, the sight of such a peerless woman made his heart skip a beat.
The Great Tomb Master.
She was even more captivatingly beautiful than the depictions in the murals.
But this was not her true self, only a wisp of her soul.
Fang Cheng sensed this immediately, but it did nothing to ease his vigilance.
"If you damage my Treasure Tree, you can forget about ever leaving."
The woman in black’s lips curved in a subtle, unreadable expression, not quite a smile. Yet this minute change brought her impossibly beautiful face to life, making her all the more bewitching and breathtakingly radiant.
And yet, she had no intention of being seductive. Her indifferent expression, to any observer, held not a single trace of coquetry.
A born enchantress.
"I had no intention of disturbing you, Senior. Please forgive my intrusion," Fang Cheng said in a low voice.
The woman in black floated in the void, directly in front of the massive head of the Feather Divine Soldier, her gaze level with Fang Cheng’s inside the cockpit.
She spoke slowly. "It matters not. I have not seen a Human Race Cultivator in a very long time."
Her tone carried a faint, ancient sorrow.
Fang Cheng’s mind raced, and a hazy theory began to form.
This Great Tomb Master had been suppressed in the great tomb by four Tribulation Realm Great Powers from the Buddhist Sect. She was then exiled to the Outer Void, where she had drifted for untold ages. Finally, whether by chance or by design, her tomb had landed in the Wilderness Domain of the Red Profound Realm.
"It is my good fortune to have met you, Senior," Fang Cheng said earnestly. "If there is any way I can be of service, you need only ask."
The woman in black tilted her head, her beautiful eyes glancing at him with a hint of disdain. A ghost of a smile played on her lips as she said, "You have many external trinkets, but you are far too weak to help me. Wait until you’ve reached the Tribulation Realm. Perhaps then you might be of some use."
Fang Cheng seized the opening. "In that case, I will not disturb you any further, Senior."
The woman in black lowered her head, the barest hint of a curve to her lips. Her beauty was cold and bewitching, a sight that defied description.
"Very well..."
She sighed softly and raised her eyes. "The Celestial Dao of your World Heaven has been corrupted by a Demon Dao Great Power. I imagine its celestial tribulations are far stronger than those of an ordinary World Heaven. How about I offer you two deals?"
"Please, Senior, go on," Fang Cheng said.
The woman in black said coolly, "The first deal: bring me a cultivator at or above the Fifth Heaven of the Tribulation Realm, and I will gift you a Fifth-rank Magical Artifact."
"The second deal: if you reach the Tribulation Realm and attain power comparable to its Fifth Heaven, come here and help me escape. In return, I can protect you as you pass through the Third Celestial Tribulation."
On her devastatingly beautiful face, Fang Cheng saw an immense confidence.
Recalling the ordeal she had suffered, as depicted in the murals, a storm of emotions churned within him, but he dared not let any of it show on his face.
"I accept both deals," Fang Cheng said slowly.
...