Chapter 833
Wheel of Chapters
After finishing his conversation with Hunfeng, Hunyu nodded in agreement, then whispered a few instructions to the Hun Clan members before turning and leaving the Hun Clan's camp, slowly walking to the front of the crowd.
A gentle smile graced his handsome face as he spread his hands and spoke in a clear voice.
"Gentlemen, we have gathered here today in the Desolate Ancient Domain for the Bodhi Tree. However, a beast tide blocks our path. Without breaking through this tide, none of us can get even a step closer to the tree. Now is the best time to break through the beast tide. I propose that we join forces and brave the beast tide together!"
He paused slightly, then continued, "This alliance was proposed by me. My men will take the lead in the most dangerous positions. Once my people are exhausted, they will step down and be replaced by others. What do you all think?"
"Why is this guy being so kind?"
On the other side, in the ancient clan camp, Gu Qingyang, who was in charge, raised his eyebrows slightly upon hearing this, his expression revealing a strange look, and his gaze turned to Soul Jade with a deep look.
Others might be deceived by his gentle appearance, but he knew that although Soul Jade seemed kind and lacked the bloodthirsty and violent nature that the Soul Clan was usually known for, he actually harbored a bellyful of scheming.
Moreover, Hun Feng, a ruthless and vicious member of the younger generation of the Soul Clan, was also present. Gu Qingyang was even more certain that the other party had no good intentions this time.
Of course, what Gu Qingyang could see through, the others present were not necessarily completely oblivious to. Most of them had long heard of the Soul Clan's fearsome reputation, but upon hearing that Soul Jade was willing to take on all the most dangerous challenges, many secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Although some of those who came to the Desolate Ancient Domain were elite troops sent by various top forces, most of them were independent cultivators from all over the Central Continent.
These rogue cultivators varied greatly in strength, with the strong reaching the high-level Dou Zun level and the weak merely Dou Huang level. They all came for the opportunity of the Bodhi Ancient Tree, and even if there was only a tiny chance, they were willing to risk their lives to try.
However, with beast tides lurking all around and ferocious beasts roaming the mountains and fields, the individual cultivators are simply powerless to cope. If powerful figures from major forces were to lead the charge and break through the beast tide, their safety would be greatly enhanced.
“My Heavenly Phoenix Clan has no objection. Brother Hunyu’s proposal is very appropriate. These ferocious beasts are extremely vicious and brutal, and no single clan or sect can overcome them alone. To break the beast tide, Brother Hunyu is willing to personally lead the vanguard, which shows his sincerity.”
In the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan's camp, a handsome man with colorful eyes spoke slowly, a faint smile playing on his lips, his tone elegant and composed.
"We have no objection either!"
"agree!"
A chorus of agreement rose and fell, each person having their own calculations, none willing to refute the suggestion, and instead pushing themselves to the forefront. Even many forces and powerful individuals who had grudges against the Soul Hall remained silent and did not object at this moment.
“Very good. Then, without further ado, everyone, let’s get started.”
Hun Yu still wore a warm smile on his face. His gaze slowly swept over the vast crowd in front of him, finally pausing briefly on Gu Qingyang. Then, he suddenly turned around, his figure transforming into a black shadow as he rushed forward.
Behind him, a dozen or so figures in black robes followed closely, and then a dense crowd of powerful figures followed, their fighting spirit surging and swirling around them, ready to unleash their power.
"go!"
Seeing that the formation was complete, Hunyu raised his hand and gave a low shout, his figure bursting out first, the sound of wind breaking was ear-piercing and sharp, and he charged straight towards the beast tide in front. Behind him, the dark mass of people followed closely like arrows released from a bow, the rumbling footsteps and the sound of wind breaking intertwined, echoing throughout the entire sky.
However, even from a distance of only a thousand feet, the beast tide had already noticed such a massive commotion.
In an instant, a violent roar like thunder exploded, spreading from the depths of the beast horde. Countless ferocious beasts, their eyes bloodshot, charged towards the crowd with their hooves pounding the ground, their fangs menacing and their claws flashing.
Hun Yu took the lead, his black robes fluttering, black light surging from his palms, his powerful fighting spirit condensing into a giant palm, which he slammed down on the ferocious beasts in the front row.
The giant rhinoceros, which was the first to be attacked, had no time to react before its head was smashed to pieces, its brains and blood splattering everywhere. Its massive body crashed to the ground, kicking up clouds of dust.
The Soul Clan experts behind him were also ruthless, their black and purple battle qi weaving into a net. Wherever they passed, the ferocious beasts were either cut in half at the waist or pierced through the body, their mournful howls rising and falling.
Powerful figures from various factions followed closely behind, their battle techniques radiating brilliance across the sky. The golden, red, blue, and purple light illuminated the heavens, intertwining with the blood-red light of the ferocious beasts.
The independent cultivators, taking advantage of the strength of the major forces, finished off any remaining ferocious beasts in the formation. Amidst the flashing blades, beasts fell and convulsed, their blood flowing freely and quickly forming blood streams on the ground.
The soaring blood energy surged and condensed above the beast horde, transforming into thick blood clouds that spread majestically across the sky of the ancient wilderness, swirling and spreading in all directions, the stench of blood so strong it was pungent.
Although the beast tide was fierce, it could not withstand the combined might of the crowd. The ferocious beasts in the front fell in droves, and the following beasts rushed forward one after another, but in the end, a bloody gap was torn open.
The crowd advanced step by step over the corpses of ferocious beasts. The dull thuds of weapons piercing flesh, the crisp cracking of bones breaking, the roars of ferocious beasts, and the booming sounds of combat intertwined, creating the most tragic war song in this ancient domain.
"Boom—!"
The two forces collided violently, creating a deafening roar. Incomparably powerful battle aura surged in all directions, killing countless ferocious beasts within a hundred feet, their massive bodies crashing to the ground one after another.
The ferocious beast's dying, mournful roar tore through the sky, echoing endlessly throughout the ancient wilderness.
In an instant, a clearing was cleared from the beast horde. Taking advantage of the moment when Hun Yu led the Soul Clan's experts in a charge, Hun Feng immediately took over as the vanguard. His cultivation was the strongest among the Soul Clan members, and the strength of his Soul Clan troops was not to be underestimated. The entire allied force broke through into the depths of the beast tide at an extremely fast speed.
But this momentum was only temporary. While most of the group was engrossed in the fierce battle with the beast horde, the Soul Clan members quietly retreated to the back of the column.
Without the vanguard to suppress them, countless ferocious beasts, their eyes bloodshot with lust, charged madly towards the allied forces.
Although the vast majority of the ferocious beasts were killed by the combined forces of the various factions, a few powerful beasts still managed to break through the defenses and charge into the enemy ranks. Casualties eventually fell within the allied forces, and piercing screams echoed from all directions without ceasing.
The immense pressure turned everyone's faces pale, and they could only desperately urge their battle qi forward, pushing the entire team forward with all their might.
At this moment, the vanguard at the front were all strong individuals pushed forward step by step by the crowd behind them. They had nowhere to retreat but to fight to the death, unleashing their full power to attack the layers upon layers of ferocious beasts in front of them.
But every time they killed a few ferocious beasts, they would be exhausted by the endless waves of beasts.
As they tried to retreat and catch their breath, they were suddenly horrified to realize that, surrounded by the beast horde, most of them were already bloodthirsty and desperately pushing forward, leaving them with no way to retreat. With nowhere to retreat and their fighting spirit nearly exhausted, before despair could even creep into their hearts, the ferocious beasts that had pounced on them opened their blood-red maws and began to tear them apart and devour them.
Every time someone in the front row is devoured by a ferocious beast, a new batch of strong individuals will be forcibly pushed out from the front by the crowd behind them. This cycle of impact continues to play out in this frenzied battle.
At this point, the team no longer needed anyone to push them; everyone was fighting with all their might to survive.
As a result, a steady stream of people were pushed to the front by the crowded masses, becoming cannon fodder to clear the way.
As the group ventured deeper into the heart of the beast tide, their numbers dwindled dramatically. Many, driven to madness by this desperate situation, further exacerbated the chaos within the group.
Only a very few people were able to remain clear-headed and try their best to keep their balance and speed to avoid being swept to the front by the crowd.
In the end, the once mighty force of several thousand people was reduced to only one or two tenths of the survivors, and at this moment, the end of the beast tide was just around the corner.
Just then, Hunfeng and the others suddenly exerted their strength and broke through the beast tide first, arriving at the space where the Bodhi Ancient Tree was located. There seemed to be a mysterious restriction here, and the ferocious beasts could not set foot in it.
Following closely behind the Soul Jade were the Ancient Clan, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, the Pill Tower group led by Xiao Yan, and a few top experts.
These survivors, even combined, amounted to less than half of the original population; the rest perished in the beast tide.
The dangers of the desolate ancient domain are so terrifying that they chill one's heart.
But at this moment, no one cared about these things anymore, because everyone's attention was firmly drawn to the ancient giant tree standing between heaven and earth in the distance.
Excitement instantly filled everyone's eyes, especially when they saw figures rushing towards the Bodhi Tree. They could no longer contain themselves, and their fighting spirit surged.
On the vast grassland, several groups of people, each at a distance, sped towards the towering ancient tree ahead at roughly the same speed.
The Soul Clan group, led by Soul Jade, did not intend to seize the opportunity of the Bodhi Ancient Tree. Furthermore, fearing unknown risks, they did not rush ahead. Instead, they lagged behind the others, intending to let others scout ahead to avoid unnecessary dangers for themselves.
Unbeknownst to them, the five semi-saint puppets guarding the Bodhi Tree had already been reduced to ashes by Xun'er. Their path ahead was unobstructed; they only needed to face the ancient tree itself.
Therefore, as the group approached step by step, the anticipated danger did not materialize. Instead, they were enveloped by the sacred, pure, peaceful, and serene aura of the Bodhi tree. The fighting spirit expended in the previous battle and the injuries they sustained were slowly restored under the nourishment of this aura.
As soon as someone flew within ten feet of the ancient Bodhi tree, suddenly, a dazzling golden light burst forth from the powerful trunk, enveloping everyone in the lead like a curtain falling from the sky. The figures that arrived later were also enveloped in this golden light without exception.
Everyone felt a gentle yet irresistible force sweep over their bodies, leaving them no room to resist, and they were drawn into an illusion by the ancient Bodhi tree.
However, Xiao Ling and the spirit of the Ancestral Stone had already cleansed the Dou Di resentment within the ancient tree. The illusion cast by the ancient tree now was completely different from the one Xiao Ling and Xun'er had encountered before. This was the original illusion of the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
The illusion of the Bodhi Tree originates from its power to allow people to experience a hundred lifetimes of reincarnation. Although it cannot compare to the true reincarnation that Xiao Ling and Xun'er are currently experiencing, and it is not even one ten-thousandth as exquisite, it is enough to temper one's mind and cultivate one's Dao heart.
The Bodhi tree, now restored to its normal state, has long lost its former malevolent nature and will no longer use illusory appearances to deceive people and turn those seeking opportunities into puppets.
The illusion it creates is more like a spiritual practice. If you can see through the illusion and pass the test of your mind within the specified time, you can obtain the Bodhi seed, a precious treasure. Even if you don't pass, the joys and sorrows, the ups and downs you experience in the illusion are still valuable experiences that you can benefit from for a lifetime.
Even more fortunately, if someone happens to be favored by the Bodhi tree, they might even obtain the Bodhi Heart, a rare treasure of heaven and earth, and even have the opportunity to comprehend the true cycle of reincarnation and see through the true meaning of cause and effect in life and death.
However, with Xiao Ling and Xun'er present, they have already seized all the core opportunities of the ancient tree. In the end, others can only participate in this illusionary trial and will never have another chance to obtain any other fortune.
At this moment, everyone was in this state of mind. The instant they found the Bodhi Tree, they gained the qualification for this mental trial. The gentle yet powerful force of the ancient tree sent each of them into their own exclusive cycle of reincarnation illusions.
……
The cycle of reincarnation is like a tide, surging in wave after wave, without end.
Sometimes it's just a blink of an eye, and when he opens his eyes again, Xiao Ling has changed his body and identity, living in a corner of the Dou Qi Continent.
Sometimes it feels as long as a lifetime, from the moment I was born to the moment I grow old. All the joys and sorrows, the stumbles and falls on the path of cultivation, are so real that they seem to be engraved into my bones.
He was born into a top-tier wealthy family in Zhongzhou. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, with resources piling up like mountains. He could easily master fighting techniques and cultivation methods. His cultivation path was smooth sailing. He advanced to the Dou Zun level at the age of twenty. He seemed to be living a life of endless glory, but in the end, he became a victim in the power struggles and conflicts within his family. Only before his death did he realize that his strength, which was without support, was nothing more than a pawn in the hands of others.
He was once a poor boy from a remote town. His parents died early, and he barely made a living by hunting. He accidentally found a broken storage ring, which contained a basic cultivation technique.
From then on, he struggled to survive during the day and secretly cultivated at night, enduring the scorn and bullying of others. But with an indomitable spirit, he gradually left the town, encountered opportunities, formed brotherhoods, ventured into secret realms, and fought powerful enemies. Although the journey was arduous, he lived a fulfilling life. In the end, he ascended to the rank of Dou Sheng, protected the peace of the region, and died peacefully with his family and friends by his side.
He was once favored by a reclusive master in his childhood and taken in as a personal disciple. He devoted himself to cultivation in a secluded valley, where his talent was fully developed and his cultivation progressed rapidly. However, due to his lack of worldly experience and his naive nature, he was harmed by villains after leaving the protection of the world, and his cultivation was ruined. In the end, he died in regret and resentment.
He also experienced the tragedy of his entire family being wiped out right from the start. Overnight, hundreds of his family members were killed, and he was the only one who managed to escape. He carried a deep-seated hatred for his family and lived in hiding, enduring humiliation and hardship while on the run.
He was once hunted to the point of desperation, and he also fell into the abyss because he trusted the wrong person, but he never gave up on revenge.
On his path of cultivation, he did not hesitate to take dangerous paths and tread bloody trails to forcibly improve his strength, and his hands were already stained with the blood of his enemies and innocents.
Only when he finally avenged his mortal enemy did he realize with a start that hatred had already emptied his soul. Looking back from the pinnacle of power, he discovered that he had long been lost in the quagmire of revenge, becoming the very thing he once despised.
Lifetime after life, identities change, circumstances shift.
Each life has a different ending, some are fulfilling, some are regretful, some are joyful, and some are tragic.
But regardless of the experiences, the insights gained during cultivation, the warmth and coldness of interpersonal relationships, and the struggles when facing choices all subtly settle into one's being. (End of Chapter)