Wu Tao's face first showed vigilance, then his nose twitched, and his spiritual sense scattered, as if carefully discerning something.
A fragrance!
At this moment, the surrounding stench of blood slightly dissipated, no longer able to mask the faint aroma lingering in the air.
The old scent had not yet dispersed, and a new one arrived, mingling with the blood-soaked aura.
This fragrance, though faint, was eternal, boundless, unique, like the natural scent of a sixteen-year-old maiden, or the sweet aroma of precious fruits, like the fragrance of a hundred flowers, with a hint of the refreshing scent of grass and wood, and the mellow aroma of fine wine, all harmoniously blended.
A slight whiff made his entire body feel light.
It was a sensation akin to an insect shedding its molted shell and transforming into a butterfly, reborn. Even the spiritual energy in Wu Tao's dantian was subtly stirred, beginning to circulate involuntarily.
Wu Tao's expression changed drastically. Such an extraordinary remnant of a scent, what kind of spiritual medicine would its origin be?
It was undoubtedly a peerless spiritual medicine that defied the heavens!
No wonder Gu Yue Mingzhi, after killing and silencing witnesses, did not even bother to destroy the bodies before leaving in a hurry.
...
Understanding this, Wu Tao did not delay for a moment. Following the source of the fragrance, he pushed his speed to the absolute limit.
He transformed into a streak of light, rushing straight ahead.
The further he traveled, the more his expression flickered. First astonishment, then ecstasy, which then coalesced into an endless craving, finally settling into a solemn determination.
In the cultivation world, spiritual herbs and medicines were countless, each with its own form and myriad uses. Various exotic fruits numbered in the tens of thousands, or even millions of varieties.
However, only one rare treasure could emit such a peculiar fragrance and provide such a dreamlike experience.
"Longevity Fruit!"
A name flashed in his mind like thunder and lightning.
Ranked 3,605 on the Myriad Spirit Materials Ranking: it plunders the creation of time and steals the power of years, a heavenly defying spiritual item, anathema to heaven and earth!
A mere spiritual fruit, yet bearing the name "Longevity," clearly indicated its extraordinary nature.
The Longevity Fruit, a creation of heaven and earth, took thousands, even tens of thousands of years to manifest, and was therefore anathema to the world. A single fruit could extend a cultivator's or a demon beast's lifespan by thirty to fifty years.
...
It seemed the spiritual fruit deep within the cliff face was indeed a Longevity Fruit.
Thinking of this, Wu Tao's excitement grew, and unconsciously, the speed of his Wind-Riding Azure Bird Boots increased.
Wu Tao was pushing the Wind-Riding Azure Bird Boots beyond their limit as a magical artifact, and sounds of strain could be heard.
Such forceful exertion of the Wind-Riding Azure Bird Boots in pursuit of speed would greatly reduce their lifespan.
But Wu Tao could no longer afford to worry about such things. Seeing such a spectacular celestial phenomenon, it was clear the Longevity Fruit was nearing ripeness.
This fruit gathered the spiritual energy of a hundred-mile radius, the essence of a hundred medicines, born of heaven and earth, extremely precious, its value almost unimaginable.
How many people coveted it? How could Wu Tao not be anxious?
Just as he was about to enter the deepest part of the cliff face, Wu Tao's expression suddenly sank, and he stopped abruptly. His face was a mask of indecision, as if facing a difficult choice.
...
Ahead of him, at the divide of the cliff, countless demon beasts were densely packed.
Evidently, all the demon beasts within a radius of tens of miles had gathered here, forming a solid wall, encircling the Longevity Tree.
On the other side of the demon beasts, elite disciples from both righteous and demonic factions, such as Gu Yue Mingzhi, Qiu Qianren, Long Ao Potian, Zhang Wan'er, Ying Feiyang, and Nangong Tuohai, stood like a formidable enemy, not daring to act rashly.
Under the deterrence of the elite disciples from the righteous and demonic factions, and the temptation of the Longevity Fruit, these ferocious demon beasts exhibited a demeanor utterly different from their usual behavior.
Tigers above, bulls below, snakes and eagles front and rear, wolves and rabbits left and right, none interfered with each other, nor attacked. It was as if their natural enemies on the opposite side did not exist.
Even if a few agile demon beasts spotted Wu Tao's presence, they showed no hostility. They merely cast anxious glances towards the depths of the cliff face, emitting low growls.
The situation was at a stalemate, a complex standoff, with dense killing intent permeating the area.
Time passed, though how much, Wu Tao, lost in thought, remained like a stone sculpture, unmoving.
Perhaps because Wu Tao remained stationary for too long, becoming too much of an eyesore, many outer disciples from the righteous and demonic factions, along with dozens of demon beasts, would occasionally cast wary glances at Wu Tao, distracted.
On the other side, Zhang Wan'er, slightly curled, leaned against a colossal white bone banner, looking down at them with disdain.
Her hands were like soft roots, her skin like congealed fat, her feet adorned with silk slippers, her eyebrows like silkworms, her smile charming, her eyes captivating, a beauty that could topple kingdoms and captivate hearts, full of allure.
Zhang Wan'er glanced around, then raised her hand to smooth her scattered dark hair, smiling as she said, "Junior Brother Nangong, Senior Brother Ying Feiyang, Brother Gu Yue, Brother Long Ao, Brother Qiu, this Longevity Fruit is about to ripen. How about we join forces to deal with the enemy, and then each take one?"
"A pity there's one left at the end."
As she spoke, her gaze, rippling like flowing water, fell upon a pure white tree about a hundred feet tall, standing beside her.
Seven green fruits hung from the hundred-foot-tall pure white tree. Six of them were already slightly pale, on the verge of ripening, while only the seventh still looked immature.
"Why don't we destroy this last Longevity Fruit after we get ours? Let's not let these useless snacks and unintelligent demon beasts have it," Zhang Wan'er continued, her expression eager, not like she was joking.
Although Zhang Wan'er said this, she had no intention of doing so.
Gu Yue Mingzhi, Qiu Qianren, Long Ao Potian, Ying Feiyang, Nangong Tuohai, and Zhang Wan'er all understood that their fellow disciples standing by and watching at this moment, while siding with the six of them against the numerous demon beasts due to their status and strength, were also motivated by the remaining fruit.
If they completely extinguished their hopes, even if the six of them worked together to seize all the Longevity Fruits.
On one hand, they would face endless pursuit from the envious, and on the other, facing the myriad ferocious demon beasts, even with the six of them united, it would be easy to capsize in the gutter and lose their lives.
"We can only let them have it."
A sharp glint flashed in Gu Yue Mingzhi's eyes. He sighed faintly, then spoke, looking at the Longevity Fruits on the white tree with an expression of reluctance.
Gu Yue Mingzhi, Qiu Qianren, Long Ao Potian, Ying Feiyang, Nangong Tuohai, and Zhang Wan'er, in a few words, completely ignored the dozens of outer disciples from both factions around them. Such a self-absorbed attitude immediately stirred up an uproar.
Everyone present was a cultivator on the path of immortality, with sharp ears and keen eyes.
...
Since Gu Yue Mingzhi, Qiu Qianren, Long Ao Potian, Ying Feiyang, Nangong Tuohai, and Zhang Wan'er made no defensive measures, they were not afraid of others overhearing. At this moment, why would they care about their reactions?
Moreover, these words were not entirely unsaid to the other outer disciples standing by.
As the six of them displayed their willingness to fight, the previously restless outer disciples of both factions hesitated.
Seeing the six's imposing aura steadily rising, their power accumulating, and poised to strike like lightning, they wondered whether to fight or obey. The stance of the outer disciples of both factions remained wavering.
After a while, the outer disciples of both factions finally made a move. First, there was internal commotion, chaos, and arguments, which quickly subsided.
Under the leadership of a figurehead, they expressed their intention to obey.
Gu Yue Mingzhi, Qiu Qianren, Long Ao Potian, Ying Feiyang, Nangong Tuohai, and Zhang Wan'er, the six elite outer disciples of the righteous and demonic factions, were first slightly stunned, then exchanged glances and retracted their auras.
...
The six exchanged smiles, and in unison, breathed a sigh of relief in secret, thinking to themselves, it turned out as expected.
These people were truly useless. Their blatant release of their imposing aura, their extreme provocation and stimulation, had instead prompted these useless snacks to further express their submission.
Several more hours passed, and the already dim sky grew even more overcast.