The deeper they went, the denser the surrounding spiritual energy became. It was almost on par with the Hidden Immortal Sect before Lu Xuan's transformation. It belonged to the mid-level spiritual veins.
This shocked Lu Xuan. It now seemed that the so-called Death Swamp on the outskirts was clearly some kind of defensive system. They were now in the core area of this forest.
The light emanating from the extraordinary treasure was still flashing in the sky. They were only about 500 li away from where Lu Xuan and the others were.
At this point, Lu Xuan ordered everyone to rest, to recover to their peak condition, and then enter the final core area.
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Chapter 437 Heavenly Emperor's Treasury
The next day, Lu Xuan and his companions, refreshed and ready, prepared to head straight for the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury. Lu Xuan had already confirmed that the place was not yet fully open. That beam of light was a sign of opening; in reality, the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury would only truly open once the beam of light went out.
However, their lack of urgency didn't mean others weren't. After a night's rest, Lu Xuan discovered that someone had actually caught up with his group.
It was the group from Qingyun Sect. The leader wasn't anyone Lu Xuan had imagined, but a young man who, though young, was far more important: Xiao Yicai, the sect leader's disciple.
This guy didn't have many scenes in the original story, but he showed in every scene that he was a junior with astonishing cultivation, strategy, and decisiveness. After all, he was the next leader of the Qingyun Sect, so he was naturally top-notch in every aspect. In addition, the top four from that year's competition, as well as more than thirty elite disciples, all came along.
The other party was also taken aback when they saw the people from the Hidden Immortal Sect. Then, Xiao Yi stepped forward to pay his respects with a somewhat bitter expression.
"Junior Xiao Yicai greets Sect Master Lu." Xiao Yicai truly hadn't expected to encounter Lu Xuan and the others here. When they arrived, they heard that the Hidden Immortal Sect members had already gone inside. Without lingering, they set off immediately.
He knew the Hidden Immortal Sect was powerful, and if they arrived first, he might not even get a share. Therefore, he rushed as fast as he could, never expecting to encounter the last person he wanted to see.
The crucial point is that Lu Xuan himself came to handle this matter. Given Lu Xuan's cultivation level, all the sects that came combined wouldn't be a match for him alone. This treasure hunt has essentially been prematurely declared over.
However, there's another possibility. That unknown treasure isn't something easily obtained; it might require a special destiny. In that case, everyone would have a chance. However, if someone else obtains it, and this Sect Master Lu shamelessly tries to snatch it, it's essentially a zero-sum game. Because no one can defeat him.
Xiao Yicai was even a little scared that Lu Xuan might suddenly strike and kill them all. If he did, the Qingyun Sect would be severely weakened.
Fortunately, Lu Xuan didn't seem to have such thoughts; instead, he invited them to travel together. Xiao Yicai was on the verge of tears, and could only force a smile as he followed the Hidden Immortal Sect members.
However, the disciples below weren't as nervous. Lin Jingyu and Zhang Xiaofan even greeted several familiar Qingyun disciples. Xiao Yi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had genuinely been afraid that these young disciples would clash with the Hidden Immortal Sect disciples.
Lu Xuan turned his head to observe the young disciples. He noticed that Lin Jingyu was hesitating, his eyes constantly glancing at Lu Xueqi in the crowd.
With a light laugh, Lu Xuan didn't interfere further, as the most important thing at the moment was the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury not far away.
Just after dawn, a thin, veil-like mist drifted through the forest. However, this wasn't poisonous fog, but rather moisture rich in spiritual energy. Walking through it, one felt a subtle dampness on their face. Combined with the exceptionally fresh air of the forest, inhaling it truly brought a sense of openness and expansiveness.
As the group continued forward, the forest environment gradually began to change again. Most noticeably, the surrounding trees grew increasingly taller.
Actually, not all of them are rare or unusual trees. There are oaks, maples, locusts, and so on. These are common in ordinary mountains outside the Dead Swamp. What's strange is that the trees here are exceptionally large. If an ordinary tree were half their size, it would be astonishing, let alone so many trees gathered together.
What's even stranger is that the area where these giant trees once stood should have been teeming with life. But now, not only is there not a single animal in sight, but even the thorny bushes that were occasionally seen when we first arrived have completely vanished. Even the ground is devoid of grass, except for the occasional exposed roots of the giant trees and solid, slightly yellowish soil.
Beneath the cold mist lay a chilling atmosphere. Lu Xuan and the others realized they had already entered the core area, and the treasure was right before their eyes. They became increasingly cautious.
At this moment, mist began to reappear around them, but it wasn't poisonous. However, it gave Lu Xuan a strange feeling. It seemed that something was hidden in the mist.
Through the mist, a wall appeared before them. A wooden wall!!!
No, it wasn't a wooden wall. Lu Xuan quickly realized. With a wave of his right hand, a strong gust of wind dispersed the surrounding mist. Then everyone finally saw the true nature of the wooden wall.
It wasn't a wooden wall, but rather resembled a giant tree trunk. It was incredibly thick, with a diameter exceeding fifty meters. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed a wooden wall.
However, upon closer inspection, this wasn't a tree trunk at all, but rather a large, exposed root. The real trunk was still several hundred meters ahead. And this real trunk was even more astonishing. Enveloped in the mist, its entirety was obscured, and its exact thickness remained a mystery!
Upon seeing this, Lu Xuan knew he had arrived. Because in the original story, the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury was located on a tree of unimaginable size.
"Up there," Lu Xuan said softly. With that, he soared into the sky, flying up the tree trunk. The others didn't hesitate, immediately summoning their magical artifacts and following him.
The higher you fly, the more you can feel the immense size of this giant tree, like a ladder to heaven in mythology, reaching straight up to the clouds.
Gradually, besides the trunk, they began to see some branches forking. There were also some vines that seemed to have grown from the giant tree.
As they climbed higher, the vines grew thicker and thicker, and the number of blooming flowers increased. Eventually, they were everywhere, a dazzling sight, and a strange fragrance filled the air.
Lu Xuan and the others ignored these things and instead accelerated their ascent. Everyone could feel the spiritual energy becoming increasingly dense the higher they went. This was normally impossible, yet it was undeniably present here. Without a doubt, everyone knew that something extraordinary must exist at higher altitudes—that was their destination.
After flying at high speed for a full quarter of an hour, Lu Xuan suddenly stopped.
The tree trunk before them was suddenly completely covered by countless vines. Flowers bloomed in a riot of color, forming a wall of blossoms from top to bottom. And in the midst of this floral sea, a stone gate stood out, five zhang high and three zhang wide, embedded firmly into the tree trunk. It was submerged by countless vines and flowers, leaving only the thick boulder in the center, upon which were carved four large characters in ancient seal script.
Heavenly Emperor's Treasury!
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Chapter 438 The Treasure Vault Opens
The Heavenly Emperor's Treasury was one of the most intriguing secrets of this world for Lu Xuan. First, who exactly was the Heavenly Emperor? There were almost no real records of him in this world. Second, to what era did the Heavenly Emperor belong? Was he a cultivator, or had he transcended the level of a cultivator? After all, the name "Heavenly Emperor" naturally evoked many associations.
These questions are unlikely to be answered in this world; the only hope lies within the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury. This is why Lu Xuan insisted on coming in person. He wasn't particularly concerned with the so-called treasures within the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury; he wanted something deeper.
Lu Xuan leaned forward slightly, reaching out to touch the massive stone gate before him. But just as he moved forward, a rapid whooshing sound came from behind him. Lu Xuan's lips curled slightly, and he gently turned to the side. A streak of bluish-black light grazed his body and struck the gate of the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury.
Looking back, they saw a large force approaching. Crucially, this time it wasn't just the righteous path; the evil path had also come. Under Lu Xuan's pressure, the righteous and evil paths had surprisingly united. They clearly had only one goal: to prevent Lu Xuan from entering the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury.
Although the number of people was nearly half that of ten years ago—after all, those small sects didn't even have the qualifications to come here—the strength of those who came this time was vastly different from the last time. Lu Xuan could roughly spot at least twenty experts at the level of the Qingyun Sect's chief disciples at a glance.
Among them, Tianyin Temple and Fenxiang Valley clearly have more than one elder hidden.
The group of young disciples from Qingyun Sect were no pushovers either. Lu Xueqi, in particular, possessed strength surpassing even Tian Buyi, whom Lu Xuan had previously encountered. Xiao Yicai, as the sect leader's disciple, was even stronger than Lu Xueqi. This lineup, coupled with this display of power, clearly indicated their intention to join forces and stop Lu Xuan.
Honestly, this lineup is enough to wipe out most cultivation sects in the world.