Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

"Spying?" Xu Yunhe’s expression changed slightly.

"Where? Is it a Demon Beast or..."

Song Changsheng shook his head, his expression grave. "The feeling only lasted an instant. By the time I tried to search for its trace, it was gone. Brother Xu, Yuechan, we must be on high alert. I fear some unknown danger is lurking here."

"Rest assured."

Although they hadn’t detected anything, no one doubted Song Changsheng’s judgment. After all, a Cultivator’s intuition was often the most accurate.

The group took out their Defensive Spiritual Artifacts to protect themselves, raising their vigilance to the maximum and paying close attention to the slightest stir.

And just beyond the range of their Divine Sense, a vine as thick as an arm slowly rose from the bushes, staring intently at their departing backs...

"Brother Song, look at this."

Suddenly, Xu Yunhe, who was walking at the head of the group, called out loudly.

"What is it, Brother Xu?"

Song Changsheng hurried over and found the corpse of a Unicorn.

Unicorns were very common Low-tier Demon Beasts that could grow up to Tier Two at most. Judging by its size, the one before them was merely a newly matured Tier One Unicorn.

"It looks like it’s been dead for some time. The only wound is this large hole through its abdomen, but its cause of death was likely having all its blood drained by something."

Song Changsheng used a branch to poke at the desiccated corpse, frowning slightly.

Unicorns were herd Demon Beasts that reproduced quickly. If there was a herd of them in this valley, there was no way it would be this quiet.

Moreover, the Celestial Sinking Valley was so deep that a Tier One Demon Beast falling in would be smashed to a pulp, so they could rule out the possibility of it having wandered in from the outside.

’Something’s not right here.’

Recalling the earlier feeling of being watched, Song Changsheng suddenly grew agitated. This feeling of being exposed while the enemy was hidden was truly awful, like a venomous snake lying in wait, ready to strike at any moment.

"Changsheng, look over here. It looks like there are drag marks," Zhuang Yuechan said suddenly, pointing at the ground in front of her.

The two of them went over to look and sure enough, they found faint tracks stretching into the distance.

"Hmph. Let’s go see what’s behind all this."

The group followed the tracks on the ground until they arrived before a colossal, towering tree.

Perhaps because it never saw the sun, the vegetation here, though dense, mostly consisted of low shrubs and lichens.

But this tree towered hundreds of feet tall. Its round canopy blotted out the sky, its trunk was so thick it would take more than ten people to encircle it, and its branches were laden with red fruits the size of sandbags.

"There’s something strange about this tree. Be careful," Song Changsheng said, an unsettling feeling rising in his heart as he looked at the red fruits.

He flicked a finger, sending out a wisp of Sword Qi that sliced a fruit from its branch. The fruit hit the ground and instantly burst apart, spattering blood-red juice everywhere. Whatever it touched, be it grass, plants, or stones, was corroded, emitting plumes of acrid white smoke.

"It’s a Unicorn," Xu Yunhe said in shock.

Song Changsheng looked closely and, sure enough, saw a skeleton on the ground that hadn’t been completely corroded yet.

Just as their attention was captured, countless vines suddenly shot out from the canopy, descending upon them.

"Not good! It’s a Tree Demon! Fall back!"

Song Changsheng’s expression changed drastically. He swept out with the [Celestial Measuring Ruler] in his hand, instantly tearing a large hole in the net woven by the Tree Demon and pulling the other two through.

But just as they broke free, even more vines surged toward them from all directions.

"Brother Xu!"

"On it!"

Xu Yunhe responded, and the Long Sword in his hand erupted with a sky full of Sword Light, shredding all the vines within a radius of hundreds of yards.

Meanwhile, Song Changsheng seized the opportunity to open his Spirit-Slaying Gourd and release the [Earth Core Cold Flame].

Against enemies like this Tree Demon, Spiritual Fire was their bane.

But to Song Changsheng’s surprise, a blood-red barrier suddenly materialized around the Tree Demon, firmly blocking the Spiritual Fire and preventing it from doing any damage.

"Such dense Demon Qi! This Tree Demon must be on the verge of reaching Tier Three! Yuechan, disrupt its Divine Soul!" Song Changsheng shouted as he dodged a surprise attack from the vines.

DONG...

Having already retreated from the battlefield, Zhuang Yuechan heard his call and immediately placed the Jade Zither before her. Her fingers flew across the strings as she began to play the "Enchanting God’s Song."

The zither’s music drifted, pervasive and subtle, acting upon the Divine Soul and inducing a feeling of drowsiness in all who heard it.

Tree Demons generally have weak Divine Souls, so Zhuang Yuechan’s attack took effect quickly. Before long, both the frequency and intensity of the Tree Demon’s attacks began to decrease.

Delighted by this, Song Changsheng immediately brandished his gourd.

"Gourd Spirit Slayer!"

An Invisible Blade swept through the Space, charging straight for the Tree Demon’s Sea of Consciousness to strike its Divine Soul.

The Tree Demon immediately began to tremble violently. All of its vines retreated like a receding tide, and even the blood-red barrier grew dim.

Song Changsheng was overjoyed and quickly said, "I’ve wounded its Divine Soul! It won’t last much longer! Let’s attack together and finish it!"

Just then, a blurry human face suddenly appeared on the Tree Demon’s thick trunk. It glared at Song Changsheng and the others, saying, "Outsiders, you have successfully aroused my wrath."

Its voice was like two pieces of dry bark scraping together, extremely unpleasant to the ear.

"Was it you spying on us from the shadows?" Song Changsheng shouted.