Chapter 274 - 186: Clear Spirit Divine Wood (2)
Then, he threw a vicious punch at Fang Yue.
The punch flew out with peerless momentum, crashing down like a mountain and making Fang Yue’s breath catch in his throat.
At the same time, the Wu Family’s Scholar’s Attendant who had followed from behind also launched an attack on Fang Yue.
The two were perfectly coordinated. In an instant, Fang Yue was plunged into a crisis.
"St-stop! How... how can you b-bully someone like this!" Just then, a stuttering but melodious female voice, like an orchid in a deserted valley, suddenly called out from a distance.
A moment later, a delicate figure appeared behind Fang Yue, blocking the attacking Wu Family’s Scholar’s Attendant.
She extended a single finger and softly uttered a word: "Freeze."
The Wu Family’s Scholar’s Attendant’s figure froze in place.
But within a single breath, the Wu Family’s Scholar’s Attendant recovered.
However, his eyes showed a hint of astonishment. After a glance at the stuttering woman, he didn’t press his attack. Instead, he slowly retreated, soon disappearing into the darkness.
Seeing this, Luo Wei didn’t know why that man had suddenly retreated.
But he knew in his heart that this woman who had appeared out of nowhere was no ordinary person.
So, Luo Wei also turned and left without the slightest hesitation.
"Okay... they... they’ve all left... Are you... all right?" the pleasant voice sounded again.
Only then did Fang Yue realize that the woman from before was now standing in front of him.
Her features were, in a word, perfect!
She had a delicate, melon-seed-shaped face, skin as fair as jade, and long, ink-black hair that draped over her shoulders. She wore a simple, elegant green dress that made her skin seem even more like snow-white jade, as if carved from the finest white nephrite.
Her exquisite, oval face had delicate features. She looked like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting—pure, beautiful, and transcendent, inspiring an instinctive urge to protect her.
She was currently looking at Fang Yue with concern, her cheeks flushed red. She looked a little awkward and seemed very nervous.
Seeing her, even Fang Yue was stunned for a moment.
"I’m fine."
Fang Yue said calmly, "Thank you for saving me, Miss."
Fang Yue could tell this girl’s strength was not to be underestimated; she had forced away a man who had given even him a strong sense of danger.
She was clearly a Martial Arts Grandmaster of the Innate Realm.
’But she’s clearly very young and looks as if she has little experience with the world. I reckon she’s probably a few years younger than me.’
Seeing Fang Yue’s polite demeanor, the beautiful girl immediately grew flustered. She didn’t dare to look him in the eye, merely lowering her head.
"Y-you don’t have to thank me... I wasn’t... I was just passing by and saw... saw what was happening, so..." the woman explained, stuttering. "As... as long as you’re okay... I’ll be going now."
With that, she turned and ran, moving so quickly that she vanished in the blink of an eye.
"Miss..." Fang Yue called out, but she didn’t stop at all.
Fang Yue couldn’t help but smile wryly. He had wanted to ask for the girl’s name. After all, if she hadn’t intervened, it would have been extremely difficult for him to escape that dangerous situation.
But she clearly hadn’t given him the chance, running off so quickly.
"Well..."
Fang Yue was at a bit of a loss. All he could do was stand there and watch the girl disappear into the distance.
’She’s so strong, so beautiful... she must be from a prominent family.’
’But she seems so naive, and she got so shy around me that she ran off after just a few words. What a strange girl.’
~~~~~~~
"You’re back so soon? You saved someone, why didn’t you say a few more words?" Hong Ling asked, seeing Wen Wanrou’s slightly flushed face.
"I... I didn’t know what to say..." Wen Wanrou said with her head lowered, her face as red as a sunset, clearly from nervousness. "He... he..."
"He what?" Hong Ling asked with a grin. "You haven’t fallen for him, have you?"
Wen Wanrou froze for a second, then shook her head. "How... how could I possibly like him..."
"If you don’t like him, then why are you blushing?" Hong Ling teased.
"I-I am not!"
Wen Wanrou quickly denied it, but the more she denied it, the redder her face became, like a ripe apple, which made Hong Ling unable to hold back her laughter. "Alright, alright, do you think I don’t know you? Come on, stop pretending."
"Sister Hong Ling... you’re just making fun of me..." Wen Wanrou pouted.
Hong Ling just smiled and shook her head. Then, the two women continued heading west.
「Several days later.」
Fang Yue arrived at a vast, sprawling mountain range. This was the location of the node he was assigned to guard.
A small courtyard had been built here, which was the place Fang Yue was to be stationed.
The Observatory had established a medicinal herb garden here. Guarding the node also meant guarding the herb garden.
Unlike other locations, this post wasn’t just for monitoring the activity around the node.
"Haha, Fang, you’re finally here." After confirming Fang Yue’s identity, Fei Zhengqing, the Inspector who had been guarding the post, hurried over to greet him with immense enthusiasm.
Fang Yue smiled as well. "Thank you for your hard work. I apologize for making you wait."
"Not at all, not at all," Fei Zhengqing said hastily.
Next, Fei Zhengqing pulled Fang Yue along to handle the handover procedures.
The paperwork was finished in the time it takes to burn an incense stick, and then Fei Zhengqing personally led Fang Yue into the herb garden.
Here stood a towering ancient tree. It was exceptionally thick, with a straight trunk and lush branches.
"This is the place you’ll be watching over."
Fei Zhengqing said with a smile, "This towering ancient tree is called the ’Clear Spirit Divine Wood.’ It’s a type of Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure, as well as the Spiritual Object that suppresses the node. Our job is to watch over this tree!"
Fang Yue observed it carefully and found that the towering ancient tree indeed gave off a refreshing and uplifting feeling. He couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, "This Spirit Plant certainly has a potent spiritual nature."
"Haha, ever since the Spirit Tide dissipated, the only places in this world where Spirit Wood and Spirit Grass can grow are at these ’nodes,’" Fei Zhengqing explained with a laugh. "Moreover, Spirit Wood and Spirit Grass are all extremely precious. Even our Observatory paid a great price to find this ’Clear Spirit Divine Wood.’"
"So... can it still grow?" Fang Yue asked.
"That, I’m not too sure about. Perhaps."
Fei Zhengqing continued with a smile, "In any case, my work here is done. The rest is up to you."
After the handover was complete, Fei Zhengqing shouldered his bag and left immediately.
Fang Yue would have to live here for a year.
For the time that followed, Fang Yue’s life was quite peaceful. He either cultivated his techniques or patrolled the surroundings, guarding the Clear Spirit Divine Wood.
As for other matters, they were all handled by the servants stationed here.
Time passed quickly.
In a flash, three months went by.
Beneath the Clear Spirit Divine Tree, Fang Yue sat cross-legged, circulating his Earth Element True Skill and absorbing the faint Primordial Qi.
The concentration of Primordial Qi here was no less than in Earth City.
’As expected of a node location.’ Fang Yue could even feel the Primordial Qi surging inside him, flowing endlessly through his meridians.
HUFF!
Fang Yue opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air. His entire aura seemed to have grown a little stronger.
During these three months, Fang Yue practiced daily. His cultivation efficiency was more than double his usual rate.
Although his Cultivation Realm hadn’t advanced, Fang Yue felt his physical constitution had become much stronger, and it even seemed as if his lifespan had been extended.
’Could it be from absorbing the Primordial Qi released by this divine wood?’
Fang Yue wasn’t sure if this change was just his imagination or if it was because of this Clear Spirit Divine Wood.
Wood-attribute Cultivation Techniques and Primordial Qi often had life-extending properties.
However, Fang Yue also discovered that this wood-attribute Spiritual Qi could enhance his physical constitution and Spirit, which was an exceptionally rare benefit.