How could I have forgotten about it?

Since Yun Zhao already had the idea of ​​crossing that threshold, continuing to cultivate in seclusion would be pointless.

It would be better to venture into the primordial wilderness and see if we can refine the innate essence of the ginseng fruit and the peaches of immortality for our own use.

However, there is one more thing to do before that.

His gaze fell on the yellow plum tree by the green pool.

"You have lived here for countless ages, unnoticed by anyone, yet you have remained safe and sound."

Yun Zhao said softly, "Now that I have borrowed your Jia wood essence, I will inevitably have to bother you again in the future. Rather than leaving you here all alone, it would be better for you to leave with me. It would be better than having some great demon break in and ravage you one day."

The yellow plum tree swayed gently, its leaves rustling, as if in agreement or disagreement.

Yun Zhao smiled, taking it as a tacit agreement.

Without further hesitation, he sat cross-legged by the pool, formed a hand seal, and the Golden Crow True Fire within his body slowly rose.

This time, instead of using flames to refine the fruit, he enveloped the entire Huangzhong plum tree.

The platinum flames leaped, but were not scorching; instead, they carried a gentle vitality.

This is the Golden Crow's primordial true fire, which he created by using his own essence and blood as a catalyst and six hundred years of spiritual connection as a medium. It is the gentlest of all.

Refining innate spiritual roots is naturally completely different from refining magical treasures.

These spiritual beings, born from the heavens and earth, have long since merged with the spiritual energy of the land beneath their feet and the surrounding area, so that a single hair on their head affects the whole.

If it is forcibly uprooted, at best the spiritual root will be damaged, at worst the roots will be severed and the tree will wither, resulting in complete destruction.

Yun Zhao carefully used the True Fire of the Sun to nourish every part of the Yellow Plum Tree—its roots, branches, leaves, and trunk…

The yellow plum tree trembled slightly at first, as if it was resisting, but after Yun Zhao's golden crow aura merged with its wood aura, the resistance gradually dissipated.

On the tree trunk, mysterious patterns lit up; these were the original Dao patterns of the innate spiritual root, now resonating with Yun Zhao's flames.

Yun Zhao's expression became more serious; refining a primordial spiritual root was far more complicated than he had imagined.

This Huangzhong plum tree has been rooted here for countless eons, and its root system is already connected to the earth veins of the entire valley. To take it out intact is like peeling a person's soul from their body; the slightest carelessness will damage the spiritual root.

"rise!"

Yun Zhao gave a low shout and suddenly raised both hands.

The platinum-gold flames suddenly surged, transforming into a massive curtain of fire that enveloped the entire emerald pool.

The water in the pool did not evaporate under the scorching flames; instead, it shimmered with an amber glow, as the roots of the Huangzhong plum tree released the essence accumulated over countless years.

Rumbling--

The earth began to tremble, and rocks fell from the cliffs on both sides of the valley.

The water in the green pool surged endlessly, and the silt at the bottom of the pool was pushed aside by an invisible force, revealing a tangled mass of roots.

The trunk of this yellow plum tree is only a few feet in size, but its root almost covers the entire mountain range.

Those roots were as thick as a child's arm, golden in color, and exuded a rich aura of wood.

Yun Zhao calmed his mind and increased his magical power. His hands moved in a series of hand seals, and the Golden Crow True Fire transformed into countless fine threads that burrowed into the ground, carefully wrapping each root.

He dared not be careless in the slightest. If even one of these roots were broken, the essence of the Huangzhong plum tree would be damaged, and the quality of the fruit it would produce in the future would also decline.

Moreover, it would be incredibly difficult to nurture it back to its original state.

Based on this alone, Yun Zhao concluded that in the original eighty-one tribulations, Sun Wukong's act of knocking down the ginseng fruit tree was merely a superficial act.

If the very essence and foundation of the ginseng fruit had truly been damaged, how could Zhen Yuanzi let it go so easily? He would probably make a scene at Mount Ling.

Moreover, how could a few drops of the Three Lights Divine Water from Guanyin's Jade Bottle be enough to save her?

Time passed little by little.

The sky above the valley was shrouded in mist, obscuring the transition between day and night.

Yun Zhao didn't know how long he maintained this state, only that he felt nearly 30% of the Golden Crow True Fire in his dantian was consumed before the roots of the Yellow Plum Tree were finally completely separated.

The entire tree slowly rose into the air, its roots swaying in the air like thousands of golden threads.

The remaining eight yellow plums on the tree crown swayed gently in the wind, emitting a fragrant aroma.

"It's finally done."

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief; in this way, the Yellow Plum, one of the five innate spiritual roots, would belong to him.

Although the Huangzhongli plum has an innate spiritual root, all wood-based plants need to be nurtured by soil.

It is possible to temporarily nurture it in the sea of ​​consciousness, but it is ultimately not the best approach.

However, Yun Zhao doesn't have his own cave dwelling, so transplanting this spiritual root has become a problem.

Suddenly, he slapped his forehead and laughed.

"Oh right, how could I forget about this?"

As he spoke, a simple, ancient bead appeared in his palm.

The bead was perfectly round, with chaotic energy swirling around its surface, and its interior seemed to contain a world within it.

It was the Chaos Pearl that he had nurtured for many years.

"go."

Yun Zhao summoned the Chaos Pearl and poured his magical power into it.

The bead hung in mid-air, spinning rapidly, and the chaotic air currents on its surface suddenly spread out, transforming into a portal.

Beyond the portal lay a hazy void, dotted with fragments of stars, appearing desolate and vast.

Yun Zhao held the roots of the Huangzhong plum tree with both hands and slowly sent them into the Chaos Pearl.

The moment the entire tree was completely submerged into the Chaos Pearl, the hazy void suddenly trembled slightly.

The roots of the Huangzhong plum tree stretched out in the void, radiating golden light, which actually forced the surrounding chaotic air currents back several feet.

The eight fruits on the tree crown lit up at the same time, with dragon and phoenix patterns flowing endlessly, as if celebrating that they had a new world.

Yun Zhao sensed the changes within the Chaos Pearl, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"Indeed, although this Chaos Pearl has not yet developed into a complete world, it is more than enough to house a primordial spiritual root."

He withdrew his magic power, and the Chaos Pearl transformed into a stream of light, disappearing into his dantian to be nurtured by the Golden Crow True Fire.

After doing all this, Yun Zhao did some calculations and found that another hundred years had passed.

He glanced back at the now empty valley. The water in the emerald pool was slowly receding. Without the support of the roots of the Yellow Plum Tree, this sacred place would gradually turn into an ordinary wilderness.

"Let's go."