So, after parting ways with Yasaka, I knew I had to do a bit of recon.
I needed to ensure that there were no titled Douluo out there with a rank higher than 95.
Time for some good old detective work.
You see, my aura concealing technique had become sharper than ever.
The shapeshifting might not have panned out, but hey, at least I had a nifty smaller and more agile treant form to work with.
And let me tell you, that's nothing to scoff at when compared to my colossal World Tree form.
I decided to invest some time in training.
Not a complete overhaul, mind you – I wasn't about to change my entire battle style.
That would've been downright silly.
Instead, I focused on incorporating fluidity into my battle, enhancing my adaptability in battle or when making a quick escape.
'I'm not used to this treant form yet but it's doable for now.
Of course, I realized that I should probably train more, but here's the thing – I'm not sure when is the timeline but I'm sure it should be before Tang San's birth.
'My tree minions informed me that the Blue Silver Empress just turned into human but she has yet to meet any human.'
After a few days calibrating my battle style, my newfound concealing skill and my trusty minions – ahem, I mean, my loyal tree-friends – by my side, I set off in the direction of the Heaven Dou City.
Getting out of the Great Star Dou Forest wasn't a walk in the park.
It took me several days of careful maneuvering, but the good news was that I didn't run into any spirit beasts with the ability to detect me.
It was like being John Cena – they could see me, but they sure couldn't detect me!
Now, the real challenge was finding cover for my trek to Heaven Dou City.
Thank the stars that this part of Soul Land was still in its earlier stages, with plenty of trees and fewer buildings.
All I needed was a healthy dose of stealth, and I'd be golden.
The journey to reach Heaven Dou City was no small feat.
It took me a whole month, and I didn't use any energy to conceal my aura.
Why, you ask?
Well, let's just say I wanted to keep a low profile and not raise any unnecessary eyebrows.
But when I finally arrived at Heaven Dou City, I wasn't alone.
I tapped into my unique ability to communicate with the trees – one of the perks of being a tree myself – and they guided me on the path to Sunset Forest.
Now, let's talk about the trickiest part of my journey: Sunset Forest.
It's not smack in the middle of Heaven Dou City – that would be asking for trouble, especially if there's a riot or something.
The royal clan definitely doesn't want a bloodbath on their hands.
No, Sunset Forest is located near the city, still within the Heaven Dou Empire, but it's a few miles away.
Safe enough for them and safe enough for me to reach without raising any eyebrows.
But, as luck would have it, I ran into a peculiar spirit beast along the way, and trust me, this one is quite the household name: the Man Faced Demon Spiders.
The spider's not exactly top-tier in terms of cultivation, just 1500 years old.
Now, I couldn't help but wonder if these were the same spiders that Tang San encountered.
But let's not jump to conclusions, shall we?
As the spider that Tang San met should be in Great Star Dou Forest.
Nevertheless, to ensure that Tang San doesn't stumble upon his External Spirit Bone, the Eight Spider Lances, I decided to capture one of these critters and tuck it safely into my inner world.
As for the fight – well, it wasn't much of a fight, to be honest.
Our strengths were worlds apart, and let's just say it was over before it even began.
I just let one of my branches entangle the spider and bam the fight's over.
And it's a charity from me to spirit beast community as Man Faced Demon Spider is one of the evil spirit beasts that hunt other spirit beast for cultivation purposes.
For your information, we, spirit beast fight with each other due to mating season or to conquer more territory.
We cultivate energies provided by the world and eat non-spirit beast.
Although, it's not a taboo as the jungle law is the strongest one will prevail, we seldom fight with our own.
Because the main enemy of spirit beast will be always – Human!
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.
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After my brief encounter with the Man Faced Demon Spider, I wasted no time and sped towards Sunset Forest.
The forest that lay nestled miles away from Heaven Dou City, and it was notorious for being home to countless monsters.
But it was also home to something far more enticing – Dugu Bo's medicinal garden and the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
These were my main objectives, my ultimate heist, for now.
As I approached the forest, I reached out to my minions, ahem, trusty tree-friends and asked them to pinpoint the exact location of Dugu Bo's garden.
You see, in this vast forest, it was easy to get lost, and I needed to be precise.
I inquired if there was any sign of the seven-colored miasma.
This poison was no joke – one of the most potent in the world, capable of corroding anything it touched.
It had been accumulating atop a mountain valley for years, and traces of it could be found in the surrounding woods.
But here's the thing – I wasn't afraid of that poison.
With my absurd vitality, I could endure it without breaking a sweat.
In fact, I could even absorb the miasma, but that would have to wait until after I secured my garden and its much-needed fertilizer.
'I don't need to alert Dugu Bo in advance if I can avoid it, right?'
Then, after I got the location, I ventured deeper into Sunset Forest.
It didn't take long for me to encounter the infamous seven-colored miasma.
This noxious substance hung heavily in the air, casting an eerie and deadly beauty over the landscape.
My journey through the forest had been relatively uneventful until now, with most spirit beasts either avoiding me or failing to detect my presence.
However, upon arriving at the heart of the miasma, I realized that something was amiss.
I attempted to communicate with the immortal herbs, but my efforts were met with silence.
It seemed that the overwhelming presence of the miasma was interfering with my innate skill, making it impossible to establish a connection with the precious plants.
'This is weird, either this damn miasma disrupting my innate skill or the presence of the remains of two Dragon Kings reducing my innate skill's prowess.'
Time was of the essence, and I couldn't afford to waste any more of it.
Determined to reach my goal, I made a bold decision.
'Heh, Dragon Kings or not, I'll get my immortal herbs, and you'll serve as my fertilizers soon enough!'
I began to bulldoze my way through the thick, corrosive miasma.
The moment it made contact with my bark, I felt an uncomfortable itchiness spreading across my body.
The miasma's corrosive power was indeed formidable.
'How in the world that I can feel itchy? I'M A GODDAMN TREE!'
"Haih, things I do for living."
Despite the discomfort, I knew I couldn't let this obstacle deter me.
I decided to employ a strategy – I devoured only a minimal amount of the miasma, just enough to alleviate its effects on me.
This way, I hoped to maintain the illusion that the miasma remained as potent as ever, in case Dugu Bo were to sense any decrease in its intensity.
The journey through the miasma was arduous and testing the limits of my endurance, but I pressed on.
The potential rewards waiting for me in Dugu Bo's garden and the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well were too great to be deterred by mere discomfort.
As I ventured deeper into the forest, the atmosphere grew increasingly dense with the miasma.
With each step, I could feel its corrosive presence gnawing at my bark.
But I was resolute in my determination to reach my goals, and I couldn't afford to let anything stand in my way.
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.
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After a grueling hour of battling through the suffocating miasma, I finally arrived at my destination— the garden of Dugu Bo, where the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and my expensive fertilizers awaited.
As I stepped into the garden, I was immediately enveloped by the contrasting sensations of intense heat and biting cold.
It was the profound influence of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
The moment I stood beside the well, I felt something extraordinary—a tenfold increase in my cultivation speed.
It was as if the energies of fire and ice were merging within me, fueling my spirit energy with unparalleled efficiency.
But what truly excited me was the presence of my long-awaited "fertilizer" and the immortal herbs I had come to claim.
The view of the garden was nothing short of breathtaking.
The well itself was an intriguing sight to behold.
It was not particularly large, but it was split into two distinct parts.
Within the oval pool, the waters of the well were uniquely colored—milky white on one side and vermilion on the other.
What made it even more peculiar was that despite being in the same pool, the two waters remained entirely separate.
They did not mix or encroach upon each other, each maintaining its own side of the pool.
'It's like fresh water met sea water, it's quite bizzare.'
This peculiar environment posed a challenge for ordinary plants, as they struggled to adapt to the special atmosphere surrounding the well.
However, for certain valuable and resilient plants, this unique environment provided an ideal space for cultivation.
'And I'm the most resilient tree around!'
But the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well wasn't limited to nurturing flora alone.
It had equally extraordinary effects on the body.
Staying too close to the well's side would subject a person or even an animal to two potent Heavenly spiritual influences.
If they didn't make a swift retreat, their bodies would inevitably succumb, bursting and withering under the overwhelming forces of these opposing energies.
Despite the dangers, I was resolute.
I had come this far, and nothing would deter me now.
The allure of the garden's treasures, the cultivation-enhancing properties of the well, and the priceless immortal herbs were well worth the risk.
I steeled myself for what lay ahead, determined to make the most of this opportunity.
"Haih, do I need to submerge myself like Tang San?"