"Of course there are differences. Some members of our Divine Tree Clan are skilled in healing, some are skilled in illusion, and a very small number are fierce and highly aggressive, no less so than the demon race."
Xiao Wenbing didn't know much about the spirit race, and he really didn't know how to choose. After pondering for a moment, he finally made up his mind and said, "Oh, then I'll take a little of both."
Mu Ling frowned and said, "Power disperses when divided. If we can get support from a hundred fellow Daoists of the same attribute, the overall effect will be far greater than the sum of the individual effects."
Xiao Wenbing was a smart man and understood immediately, but he was quite troubled about how to choose.
"In the world of cultivation, if we're talking about healing techniques, no one can surpass my Divine Wood Clan. This time, with the Demon Realm invading, the number of experts gathered in the cultivation world is absolutely indispensable. But the casualties will surely be considerable," the Wood Spirit said casually.
“That’s right.” Xiao Wenbing clapped his hands and said, “That’s right, I’ll just bring a hundred spirit kings who have been treated.”
He said this because he thought of the humans and demons in the cultivation world, who were known for their powerful attacks. Among them were definitely many experts in strong attacks. In contrast, there were very few famous alchemists like Zhang Daoren.
If that's the case, then the right thing to do is to learn from each other's strengths and make up for each other's weaknesses.
Seeing that Xiao Wenbing had accepted his suggestion, Mu Ling smiled with delight. Although he had come up with a good idea, in his heart he still did not want his people to participate in the fighting.
"Since Fellow Daoist Xiao has made his decision, please follow me."
As Mu Ling spoke, she took a step forward and led them to a place where spring was in full bloom. She said, "The spirits living here are the most docile in nature, and of course, their life force is also the strongest."
"Alright, then please ask Brother Mu to summon the first hundred seniors who have reached the Tribulation Transcending stage to arrive. They will be the main force of this expedition."
Mu Ling nodded slightly, then opened his mouth and let out a rapid, thin sound that carried far.
Xiao Wenbing was eager to learn the language of the spirits, so he listened intently. However, after listening for a long time, he was still completely confused and couldn't help but sigh inwardly, so he had to give up for the time being.
The spirits moved with incredible speed. The moment the wood spirit finished shouting, seventy or eighty figures appeared in front of him.
Xiao Wenbing was secretly alarmed. These spirits had arrived silently, and he hadn't even noticed where they had come from. It seemed that these creatures were not only highly skilled in healing, but also exceptionally adept at concealment.
Mu Ling let out another sharp shout, and several figures flashed away, disappearing into the distance.
He turned around and said, "Fellow Daoist Xiao, these are the hundred fellow Daoists who arrived first. Is this them?"
"Very well." Xiao Wenbing nodded repeatedly, then suddenly his gaze sharpened, and he asked, "Brother Muling, who is this former invincible Long Mibing?"
Mu Ling followed his gaze and was taken aback. It was an extremely fierce-looking monster that stood out conspicuously among its gentle, sheep-like companions. He frowned, a rare occurrence, and said, "Elder Man-Eating Flower? Strange, how did their clan get here?"
"Man-eating flower?"
"That's right. They are an anomaly among the Divine Tree Clan. They don't have any healing abilities, but their attack power is among the strongest in the clan," the Wood Spirit explained.
"oh."
"Hiss hiss hiss..." The Wood Spirit made a strange sound towards the man-eating flower.
Elder Man-Eating Flower responded a few times, and suddenly became extremely excited, looking eager to try. However, after being scolded by Mu Ling, he immediately became dejected. He hesitated for a moment, then moved outwards, looking back every three steps.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Wenbing asked, finding it amusing.
“I told him that I was ordered by the Ancestor to lead a hundred spirits at the Tribulation Transcending stage to the Demon Suppression Star to support the human and demon races in resisting the demon army, but we need spirits with strong healing abilities, so I asked him to withdraw.”
Fortunately, it was Mu Ling who was there, allowing them to reprimand the elders without restraint. The elders knew Mu Ling's true identity, so despite the vast difference in their cultivation levels, they dared not show the slightest disrespect to Mu Ling. The man-eating flowers, though also a race known for their violent tempers, never dared to be disrespectful to Mu Ling.
Xiao Wenbing's heart skipped a beat. Seeing that the man-eating flower elder was about to leave, he quickly called out, "Senior, please wait a moment."
The Elder of the Man-Eating Flower suddenly turned around, a glint of hope flashing in his fierce triangular eyes, clearly indicating his great enthusiasm for fighting.
It's surprising that even the Divine Tree Clan has such a fellow; how interesting.
"Does Fellow Daoist Xiao intend to take him there?" Mu Ling asked in surprise.
“Indeed, since we have met, it must be fate. If Brother Mu does not object, I would like to bring along a good helper who can fight.”
"Fight?" Mu Ling smiled wryly and said, "Since the Ancestor said that Fellow Daoist Xiao can choose at will, then Mu Ling will naturally not interfere."
Xiao Wenbing glanced at the man-eating flower elder and saw the excitement on his face. He asked, "May I ask how I should address you, senior?"
"Fellow Daoist Xiao, you can call me King of Food." Elder Man-Eating Flower bowed to him for the first time. Although he did not take a human in the Golden Core stage seriously, he knew that Xiao Wenbing was the key figure in whether this trip could be completed and could not be offended under any circumstances.
"The King of Food?" Xiao Wenbing chuckled and said, "His appearance this time is extraordinary. If you can guarantee to completely obey my orders, then please do me the trouble."
The Food King hesitated for a moment, truly reluctant to completely obey the orders of a Golden Core stage human. However, seeing the smile gradually fading from Xiao Wenbing's face, and remembering that he hadn't left since arriving here a full thousand years ago, he gritted his teeth and said, "Alright, I swear in the name of the Divine Tree Ancestor that I will obey your commands in everything on this trip."
Volume 4, Chapter 213: Returning to the Jade Cauldron
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Xiao Wenbing smiled slightly. Since he had made an oath in the name of the Divine Tree Ancestor, he would never go back on his word.
It should be known that the Divine Tree Ancestor is the progenitor of the spirit race. If any spirit dares to swear an oath in his name, then what awaits him is a day when he will be an enemy of all the spirits in the cultivation world.
Just think about the terrifying strength under the command of the Divine Tree Ancestor, and I doubt any spirit would dare to make such a foolish decision.
As for why Xiao Wenbing suddenly decided to invite the Food King to join him, firstly, he had heard Mu Ling's evaluation and knew that this guy was quite strong, and he really wanted to see for himself just how powerful the attack power of the spirit race was. Secondly, this guy had a bloodthirsty look on his face, and he had obviously been holding back for too long. Once a battle started, he would definitely be a ruthless character.
It would be such a waste not to use such a person...
Now that enough people have been selected, staying here any longer is just killing time. Xiao Wu@Di4Longshu!Wu(Zheng0LiWenBing) knew that the invasion of the Demon Realm was imminent. As the saying goes, time is money, and time is a precious thing that should never be wasted.
So, at his command, the group set off on their journey to the Demon-Suppressing Star.
As their departure was imminent, Mu Ling secretly pulled Xiao Wenbing aside and asked, "Fellow Daoist Xiao, are you really not planning to go to the Dragon and Phoenix Clans?"
Xiao Wenbing gave him a strange look, wondering why this guy was so concerned about this matter. Could it be that he had a lover in the Dragon Palace and Phoenix Nest? Of course, that wasn't the case. He coughed lightly and said, "Brother Mu, actually, whether we go or not makes no difference."
“How could there be no difference? Fellow Daoist Xiao may not have seen the Dragon and Phoenix clans and do not know their strength, so that’s why you think that way.” Mu Ling frowned and kindly advised, “Didn’t our ancestor give Fellow Daoist Xiao dragon scales and phoenix feathers? With these two treasures, you can easily summon twenty or thirty experts from the two clans.”
Xiao Wenbing smiled slightly and said, "Brother Mu, no matter how powerful twenty or thirty dragons and phoenixes are, they can't surpass the Demon Realm army. In fact, the main force that truly resists the Demon Realm army is still our human race and the demon race. As for the dragon and phoenix races, they are only very helpful in boosting morale."
Mu Ling gave a bitter smile, having to admit that what Xiao Wenbing said was the truth.
Unlike the Divine Tree Clan, the Dragon and Phoenix Clans, while possessing extremely formidable individual strength that sweeps across the cultivation world and is virtually unmatched, have a fatal flaw: their population.
While possessing overwhelming power, their reproductive prospects are less than ideal. Therefore, even if the entire dragon and phoenix clans were to mobilize, they would be utterly unable to resist the relentless invasion of the demon realm's army.
Thinking of this, Mu Ling stopped trying to persuade her.
The group left the Divine Tree Palace in a grand procession. On the way back, Xiao Wenbing called back the Butterfly Fairy, who was having a great time. Although the Butterfly Fairy was still reluctant to leave, after a strong internal struggle, she finally decided to obey her master's orders.
Although the teleportation array is huge, it cannot accommodate so many people at the same time.
Fortunately, they were all highly skilled individuals with the cultivation level of the Tribulation Transcending stage, and apart from the Devouring King, the monsters were all peaceful races, so there was no dispute when it came to the order of distribution.
Xiao Wenbing and the others were naturally assigned to the first batch of teleportation arrays, accompanied by the man-eating flower elder, the Food King. Xiao Wenbing dared not indulge this old fellow; it was safer to keep him by his side. As for the Wood Spirit, it had already transformed into a ball of green light and flown into the Qiankun Circle the moment they stepped onto the teleportation array.
Now that there was a powerful expert in the Tribulation Transcending stage among their companions, Feng Baiyi naturally didn't need to work hard anymore, and the glorious task of presiding over the teleportation array naturally fell to the Food King.
Perhaps because he had stayed in the Divine Wood Palace for too long, the Food King couldn't wait to activate the teleportation array as soon as he stepped onto it. Judging from his appearance, it seemed as if he was afraid that Xiao Wenbing would regret it and not take him with him.
Seeing that the Food King had activated the teleportation array, Zhang Yaqi seized an opportunity and whispered, "Wenbing, are you really not planning to go to the Dragon Palace and Phoenix Nest?"
“Yes.” Xiao Wenbing responded, glanced at Zhang Yaqi who looked worried, and smiled, saying, “Don’t worry, we have already achieved our goal, so it doesn’t matter whether we go or not.”
"Hmm?" Zhang Yaqi was taken aback, truly unsure of Xiao Wenbing's thoughts.
As for Feng Baiyi, it was none of her business, so she didn't care about the Dragon and Phoenix clans.
The Food King's skill was clearly far superior; the distance and speed he teleported far exceeded that of Feng Baiyi. Of the five transit points along the way, this man-eating flower elder only stopped once before arriving directly at Tianding Star.
It wasn't that Xiao Wenbing didn't want to go directly to Zhenmo Star, but rather that he had already arranged with Hewlett-Packard to gather here first and then head there together.
As soon as they peeked out from the teleportation array, they were met with gasps of surprise.
Most teleportation arrays are limited to ten people per activation, and Xiao Wenbing's group was no exception.
What sets them apart is that, apart from Xiao Wenbing and the four Butterfly Fairies, the other six are all cultivators with top-tier Tribulation Transcending cultivation.
With the impending invasion of the demon race, the cultivators in this area have begun to take action. Even the old masters in the Tribulation Transcending stage have stopped their seclusion and are spontaneously heading to the Demon Suppression Star.
As Tianding Star is an important transit point, it receives far more experts than other planets. However, this is the first time that six top cultivators have traveled together like this.
Xiao Wenbing looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the person guarding the formation looked very familiar. After a moment's thought, he remembered him and couldn't help but laugh. He never expected that in such a large place as Tianding Star, he would encounter this person again.
He took the lead, guiding the group towards the Jade Cauldron Sect. As he passed the man, he whispered, "Brother Dao, it's been a long time."
The man groaned awkwardly for a moment, and only after seeing Xiao Wenbing walk away did he bow deeply to his retreating figure.
This man was the same Jade Cauldron Sect disciple who had come last time to angrily rebuke Feng Baiyi. However, this time, upon seeing Xiao Wenbing and the others, he was extremely respectful, fearing he might be impolite.
News of Xiao Wenbing's return spread quickly. Before they even arrived at the Jade Cauldron Sect, someone had already emerged from inside. "Elder Huifeng? What are you doing here?" Xiao Wenbing asked in surprise.
It's not that Xiao Wenbing looks down on Huifeng, but everyone knows the purpose of his departure: to go to the three holy lands. Now that he's back, at the very least, his old friend Hewlett-Packard should come to welcome him.
Hui Feng's face darkened, and he said, "Fellow Daoist Xiao, a few days ago, the demon army began to launch probing attacks on the barrier seal. My senior brothers couldn't wait any longer and have already gone ahead."
"So fast?" Xiao Wenbing exclaimed in surprise. Before he left, HP had said that according to the speed at which the demon army was gathering, it would take at least three months before they would attack the seal. How come they have already started fighting in less than a month?
"Exactly, those little devils' actions are impossible to guard against. Heaven knows what they're thinking," Huifeng said with a wry smile.
Xiao Wenbing's expression changed slightly, and he secretly felt lucky. Plans really can't keep up with changes. Fortunately, he made a quick decision and returned home immediately after obtaining the two treasures, the Dragon Scale and Phoenix Feather. If he had really gone to the Dragon Palace and Phoenix Nest again, not to mention how many reinforcements he could have obtained, he would definitely not have seen the first battle.
"Elder Huifeng, in that case, I will take my leave and head to Zhenmo Star."
"Hmm, good, Fellow Daoist Xiao, have the three clans agreed to intervene?" Hui Feng's gaze swept over the Food King and the others, but he couldn't discern the strength of any of them. He immediately felt a deep respect for them. He also smiled as he looked at Xiao Wenbing. Being able to invite so many experts meant that the three clans must have agreed.
"Not bad." Xiao Wenbing smiled broadly and said, "Senior Huifeng, I have lived up to your expectations and traveled to the three holy lands to obtain the consent of the three supreme beings. As long as the demon race produces nine more super demons or similar figures, the three races will definitely not stand idly by. To express their sincerity, the Shenmu Clan has specially dispatched one hundred experts at the Tribulation Transcending stage to lend their support."
Zhang Yaqi and Feng Baiyi were both taken aback. When had they ever been to the Dragon Palace and Phoenix Nest? Moreover, even in the Divine Wood Palace, it was Xiao Wenbing who went to see the Divine Wood Ancestor alone; the two of them were refused entry.
Could it be that in that short span of time, Xiao Wenbing had already visited the other two holy lands?
Of course, although the two women had doubts, they did not express them to each other directly. They decided to ask them about it later.
"Good." Huifeng was overjoyed and breathed a sigh of relief. Indeed, although the preparations of the cultivation world were a bit rushed, people in this area had done their best to come. Even the demon race had put aside their prejudices and intended to work together with humans.
In terms of total numbers, the alliance of cultivators may not be inferior to them, but they have far fewer super experts, and none of them are like the three great saints of the past.
Therefore, when Huifeng heard that the Dragon and Phoenix clans were willing to resist the Demon Clan's super experts, she was immediately relieved.
Xiao Wenbing smiled at him, immediately bowed and took his leave. Huifeng naturally did not dare to neglect them and led them to the small teleportation array on the back mountain.
A wisp of smoke drifted by, and Xiao Wenbing and the others finally set foot on the land of Zhenmo Star.