Chapter 173: The Golden Tree
Beside the Lake of Life, thick mists swirled and churned.
Jiang Bai and Jiang Li’er sat side by side at the water’s edge, gazing out at the emerald-green lake.
The lake’s surface was as calm as a mirror, reflecting the sky above—a sky obscured by the dense fog.
Occasionally, a few silver fish would leap out of the water, sending ripples fanning outward before quickly vanishing back beneath the surface.
These fish were entirely silver-white; their scales shimmered with a faint, jade-like luster under the sunlight, clearly brimming with potent life energy.
Time passed, minute by minute.
Jiang Li’er propped her chin in her hands, a golden cowlick bobbing gently atop her head with every breath she took.
She stared blankly at the lake’s surface, her crimson eyes reflecting the shimmering glints of light dancing across the water.
"Jiang Bai."
"Mm?"
"Why is Uncle Di Tian taking so long?"
Her voice held a hint of boredom, a touch of complaint.
Jiang Bai smiled and reached out to ruffle her hair.
The gesture was utterly natural, as if he had performed it a thousand times before. The golden strands slid through his fingers—soft and silky smooth.
"A Soul Beast with over ninety thousand years of cultivation isn’t just some cabbage you can pick up by the roadside whenever you feel like it," his voice was gentle and patient.
"It’s bound to take some time to find one, isn’t it? Besides, we have to choose one that’s willing to come with us; we can’t just grab any healthy Soul Beast we find—they wouldn’t be too happy about that, would they?"
Jiang Li’er pouted.
"I know... it’s just a little boring."
She stood up and stretched languidly.
Her long golden hair gleamed dazzlingly in the sunlight; her slender waist traced a graceful curve, and the fullness of her bosom rose and fell slightly with her movements.
She wore a simple, form-fitting golden outfit that accentuated her radiant beauty, making her look like a dancing flame beneath the sun.
Jiang Bai reached into his spatial Soul Tool, pulled out a fishing rod, and tossed it to Jiang Li’er.
The rod was pitch black from tip to butt; made of some unknown material, it felt incredibly light in the hand yet possessed remarkable resilience.
The fishing line was as fine as a strand of hair, yet incomparably strong. "Let’s go fishing," Jiang Bai said, lifting his chin.
"It’s the perfect opportunity to work on your mindset."
Jiang Li’er took the fishing rod, pouting her little lips with a look of utter reluctance.
"I need to work on my mindset? Why don’t you work on yours?"
Jiang Bai replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world: "I’m different. I already possess the power to make others dance to my tune."
Jiang Li’er glared at him. "So, what you’re saying is that I don’t have that power?"
Jiang Bai nodded, looking completely serious. "Your cultivation level is lower than mine. You can’t beat me."
Jiang Li’er was left sputtering with indignation. "I could call upon the Crimson King or Lord Bear to fight on my behalf!"
Jiang Bai maintained his air of effortless composure. "Your cultivation level is lower than mine. You can’t beat me."
Jiang Li’er’s crimson eyes widened into perfect circles, and even the golden cowlick atop her head stood on end. "I could even call Uncle Di Tian!"
Jiang Bai didn’t even bother to lift an eyelid. "Your cultivation level is lower than mine. You can’t beat me."
"..."
Jiang Li’er stamped her foot twice in frustration. "Is that the only thing you know how to say?"
Jiang Bai finally looked up at her. "Even when we ’battle souls’ on the boat, you still can’t beat me."
Jiang Li’er’s pretty face flushed crimson—a blush that spread from her cheeks all the way to the roots of her ears, even tinting her fair, swan-like neck with a faint shade of pink.
Whenever their "soul battles" began, she was always the first to unleash her soul skills and launch a fierce, all-out assault.
Yet, every single time, she was the one whose soul power ran dry first, leaving her defeated and so exhausted she couldn’t even lift a finger.
Although she found those vigorous, "ground-plowing" soul duels to be incredibly exhilarating and satisfying, she simply couldn’t hold out against an opponent like Jiang Bai—a man with seemingly boundless soul power who never seemed to tire.
"Th-that... is that really the same thing?"
"Can’t you just say something else for a change?"
Jiang Bai smiled. "See? You’re getting flustered again."
He stood up, walked over to Jiang Li’er, and reached out to give her peachy posterior a light pat.
It was delightfully springy.
"Go fish for a while; we’ll have roasted fish for dinner tonight," he said, pointing toward the lake’s surface.
"I’m going to go wander around the area for a bit."
With that, he turned and strolled leisurely toward the lakeshore, moving at his own unhurried pace.
Jiang Li’er clutched the spot where she’d been patted, let out a soft huff, and stamped her foot once more.
She gazed at the fishing rod in her hands, then turned her eyes toward the emerald-green waters of the lake.
The Lake of Life was indeed teeming with fish—and not just any fish, but ones brimming with vitality.
Having spent their entire lives within the Lake of Life and absorbed the life energy contained within its waters, these fish possessed flesh of unparalleled deliciousness; they were incredibly nutritious and offered a truly satisfying texture.
"Fine, I’ll fish!"
Jiang Li’er walked over to a flat rock at the water’s edge and put a touch of force into her arm.
The fishing rod bent into a graceful arc as the line—carrying its sinker and float—whistled through the air with a soft swish, landing steadily upon the lake’s surface.
The float bobbed gently once on the water, then immediately righted itself and stood perfectly still.
Ripples slowly spread outward, leaving behind only the faint sound of the wind rustling through the surrounding grass and trees.
Jiang Li’er sat down cross-legged, holding the fishing rod in both hands; the golden cowlick atop her head bobbed gently in rhythm with her breathing.
She stared intently at the float on the water’s surface, her gaze sharp and focused.
Yet, before long, that intense focus gave way to a vacant stare.
"Why won’t anything take the bait..."
She muttered softly to herself.
...
With a sudden flicker of movement, Jiang Bai appeared on a small island situated in the very center of the Lake of Life.
The island was modest in size—spanning only a few hundred meters across—yet it was enveloped in a faint, golden aura.
In the very heart of the island stood a solitary, majestic tree.
It was a Golden Tree.
The tree stood no more than one or two hundred meters tall; in the core zone of the Star Dou Great Forest—a place where ancient trees thousands of years old were commonplace—it appeared rather unremarkable.
Yet, every inch of its trunk and every single leaf exuded an aura unlike any other.
Its trunk was tall and slender, its bark gleaming with a warm, pale-gold luster—as if forged from the finest metal, yet retaining the gentle, organic texture unique to living trees.
Its canopy spread out like a vast umbrella, its newly sprouted leaves a tender, gilded yellow; unfurling layer upon layer, they shimmered with a soft, radiant glow beneath the sunlight.
As a gentle breeze swept through, tiny specks of golden light fluttered down from between the leaves like golden snowflakes, shimmering in perfect harmony with the crystal-clear ripples dancing across the lake’s surface.
A pure, incredibly potent aura of life permeated the air, radiating outward from the tree itself. That aura intermingled with the Lake of Life, each nourishing the other, enveloping the entire small island in an atmosphere of profound tranquility and sanctity.
Standing at the water’s edge, Jiang Bai gazed at the Golden Tree before him, deep in thought.
The Golden Tree currently standing there appeared to be only a hundred or two hundred meters tall; it was likely still in its "infancy."
It was still a far cry from growing into a towering colossus hundreds or even thousands of zhang high—a tree so massive that the Sea God Pavilion itself could be built upon it.
Jiang Bai stroked his chin.
Although he—Jiang Bai—was known for his thick skin, in certain respects, he simply could not bring himself to act quite like that God-King Tang.
The main reason was that he actually knew Di Tian!
Moreover, given the relationship between Di Tian and Jiang Li’er, Di Tian could practically be considered his semi-official father-in-law.
Surely, he couldn’t just brazenly haul away the family treasure right under his father-in-law’s nose, could he?
Besides, the Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena, might very well be lying asleep right beneath this very tree.
If he were to uproot the tree and accidentally wake her...
Jiang Bai shuddered.
At present, he was merely a humble Title Douluo. While his combat prowess was formidable, there remained a significant gap between him and a true deity.
In contrast, when Tang San had come to transplant the Golden Tree, he was already a God-King holding two divine positions.
At that time, even if the Silver Dragon King had been enraged by Tang San taking the tree, the constraints of the Divine Realm meant she could do little more than simply—well—be angry.
Therefore, he would have to proceed with caution and patience...
Just as he was mulling this over, a faint ripple of spatial fluctuation suddenly emerged from behind him.
"What are you doing here?"