The First Demon of the Chan Sect-Chapter 265 - 211 Moon Laurel Has a Spirit

The boundless Taiyin Star, nourished by Spiritual Energy over several Primordial Meetings, was no longer the dull and monotonous place it once was. Flecks of silvery-white star grass adorned the Taiyin Star, turning it into an Ancient Star that nurtured ancient life.

Zhunti stood in the void above the Taiyin Star looking up at the starry sky, where a blazing crimson disc hung on the horizon, half the size of the Sun seen on the Primordial Land. Elsewhere in the starry sky was a fist-sized bright star, much brighter than ordinary stars, yet dimmer than the moon beneath his feet; this was the Purple Emperor Star.

"This Taiyi really knows how to pick a place, this boundless Taiyin Star! Not only is it far from the Primordial struggle, but the scenery is also secluded and tranquil! Just the right place to serve as the burial ground for Chang Xi and the ten Moon Rabbits!" Zhunti’s lips curled into a mocking smile, his eyes flashing with a fierce, gloomy, and resentful light.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, the void trembled violently, and an unspeakably terrifying disturbance spread instantaneously. This devastating pressure did not come from any person but originated from the Moon Laurel Tree, which had been reactivated by the Heavenly Dao.

Ever since the banishment on Taiyin Star was lifted by Li Qingming several Primordial Meetings ago, the Moon Laurel Tree had resumed its natural cycle according to the Heavenly Dao. Unlike the Fusang Divine Tree, the Moon Laurel Tree connected directly to the core of the Taiyin Star, drawing the Taiyin Qi of the entire star to grow. It could be said that any creature bearing malice towards the Taiyin Star would immediately be sensed by the Moon Laurel Tree, which would take appropriate self-defense measures.

At this moment, Zhunti, the despicable monk, obviously became the first attack target of the Moon Laurel Tree.

Under sudden pressure, even with Zhunti’s Saint’s Body, he stumbled, nearly falling to the ground, taken by surprise.

Zhunti’s face turned iron blue as he steadied himself, his entire being shaking unconsciously, and his eyes filled with a fierce, bloodthirsty light.

"Who’s there? Show yourself to Buddha!" Zhunti bellowed in a low roar, his towering Buddha Golden Body standing tall, radiating boundless golden brilliance, illuminating the entire void.

"Whish!"

No one answered him, and what met him were numerous withered branches. Though these branches were dried up, the explosive sound they made as they slashed through the void was like the ringing of Golden Bells, making the void tremble. Filled with an oppressive feeling that suffocated, like a True Dragon lurking in hibernation, waiting to strike.

"Despicable!" Zhunti cursed under his breath. The towering Buddha Golden Body above his head suddenly opened its eyes wide, shooting out two substantial rays of golden light. Simultaneously, raising its arms and clawing at the air, it unleashed thousands of claw shadows in an instant, accurately seizing the branches and then yanking them forcefully. Soon, branches much thicker than before, like giant Black Flood Dragons hundreds of Zhang long, burst forth from the ground.

Thick veins adorned with golden Tao Runes, dense Taiyin Qi clinging like maggots to bones, raced along these veins, climbing madly toward the Buddha Golden Body.

Zhunti’s expression changed, Buddha Light surged around his body, and he murmured the Immovable Vajra Sutra. The Buddha Light slowly began to spread to the Buddha Golden Body, holding back the seemingly endless Taiyin Qi at a distance of several Zhang.

At that time, the land within a radius of tens of thousands of Li suddenly began to shake violently. Accompanied by the "plop! plop! plop!" sound of bursting earth, countless branches as thick as water buckets flailed wildly, their lengths unknown, as dense Taiyin Power filled the void. Each branch was brimming with vitality, like ice dragons exuding a terrifying life force.

"Boom!" A thunderous roar echoed, as silver mist shrouded the sky, and the void was obscured. The violently shaking branches lashed viciously at Zhunti and the towering Golden Body.

Yin energy descended like the Nine Heavens Milky Way pouring down, oppressively heavy to the point of breathlessness. Even a Daluo Golden Immortal would likely be crushed to smithereens, with their Divine Soul extinguished if caught amid it.

"Om mani padme hum!" Suddenly, a short Buddha’s verse resonated, spreading a chilling menace through the void. The golden towering Buddha emitted a fierce light, and a translucent green bamboo stick suddenly appeared out of nowhere in its empty hands.

The bamboo stick, of unknown origin, took root and sprouted in the void in an instant, rapidly spreading. In the blink of an eye, it had covered a range of Li around, forming an odd bamboo forest Array. The relentless branches pounded within the bamboo forest but could not breach the defense. Left with no choice, they could only move their lengths outside the bamboo forest, making a "swishing" sound of Breaking the Sky.

Following closely was the Si Snake, staring dumbfounded at all of this. Despite its years of roaming the Primordial Land, it could not make sense of this bizarre battle.

"Whoosh!" A breeze passed, and the Si Snake hiding in the shadows suddenly felt a chill, then a familiar presence came from behind. The Si Snake turned its head to see Li Qingming in a Qing Daoist robe, looking at the tumultuous branches with a strange expression, his eyes complex and indescribable.

"The Si Snake pays respects to the original self!" The Si Snake hurriedly bowed in respect. Although the Twelve Earthly Branches were but incarnations of Li Qingming, they each possessed an independent consciousness and could cultivate on their own. Naturaly, they harbored an instinctual fear and respect for the original being, thus it was impossible to regard him with disrespect!

Li Qingming slightly raised his hand and sent out a gentle force, lifting the Si Snake to his feet, and said, "Si Snake, do you know where these branches come from?"

The Si Snake glanced around the environment, shook his head somewhat blankly, and said, "Could it be that the original self knows?"

Li Qingming cracked a slight smile and said, "Let’s have the rightful owner explain it to you!"

Saying this, Li Qingming closed his eyes. He sank his Primordial Spirit into the Taiyin Star, following the myriad fluctuations to the core of the earth with all his might.

Unlike the situation billions of years ago, the present Li Qingming had long since replenished the Daluo Golden Immortal’s cultivation and was even able to smoothly communicate with the power of the Heavenly Dao Laws. His comprehension of ’One of the Escaped’ as well as his understanding of various life forms had reached an indescribable realm!

When his Primordial Spirit sank into the core depths of the Taiyin Star, he found that the endless Taiyin Qi seemed to come alive! As his Primordial Spirit changed, the Xuanyin Ice Crystals condensed by the Taiyin Qi, like little elves, flitted around his ethereal Primordial Spirit. It seemed as if each Xuanyin Ice Crystal contained a faint breath of life.

His Primordial Spirit within the Xuanyin Ice Crystals, he felt as though he were immersed in a refreshing mountain spring, indescribably comfortable.

It was an extremely miraculous and bizarre sensation. Li Qingming was taken aback, looked around, and found that his Primordial Spirit was still enfolded in Taiyin Qi. Nothing seemed to have changed, except that he no longer needed to defend against the Taiyin Qi as he did billions of years ago.

As Li Qingming’s Primordial Spirit continued to delve deeper, thousands of joyful breaths rushed in from the Xuanyin Ice Crystals in all directions, entering his Primordial Spirit. These joyous breaths, clearly emanating from the surrounding Taiyin Qi, possessed their own life force!

Li Qingming’s Primordial Spirit delightedly observed the surrounding Xuanyin Ice Crystals, which, in their innocence, treated him as if he were kin and ceaselessly flitted around him. Those Xuanyin Ice Crystals, swirling around him, seemed to be leading the way, joyfully guiding Li Qingming toward the heart of the earth.

After about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Li Qingming, following the Xuanyin Ice Crystals, arrived at a dazzling subterranean world.

This world was vastly different from the subterranean spaces Li Qingming had visited before.

A giant Moon Laurel Tree, seemingly formed entirely from starlight, floated in the void! This was a bizarrely twisted tree, its branches diffusing a hazy moonlight, dazzling to behold, releasing an exhilarating Yin Cold Energy. The terrifying yin energy seemed to have accumulated from dozens of Primordial Meetings, oppressively stifling to breathe in.

The space surrounding this strange Moon Laurel Tree was very special, as if sliced into pieces, extremely chaotic!

One by one, spatial rifts of varying sizes appeared near the odd tree, revealing entrances to the surface. Through the obscure brilliance of those spatial rifts, sturdy branches would flash by, falling onto the surface of the Taiyin Star. Directly slicing the solid ground into bottomless ravines!

Li Qingming floated in the air before the giant tree and softly said, "Come out; I know you are in the tree."

"Moon Laurel, pays respects to Master!" A slightly timid voice suddenly came from within the tree, ringing in Li Qingming’s ears.

Then, the giant Moon Laurel Tree split open, and its thick leaves grew upon encountering the wind, enlarging incessantly. In just a few breaths, the leaves fell on their own, and a fair and handsome youth walked out from the Moon Laurel Tree.

This child appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen years old, about six feet tall, dressed in a moon-white Daoist robe, with somewhat pretentiously placed feather headdress on his head. His chubby little face was adorned with two clear, watery eyes, thick brows, and surprisingly had a small laurel imprint between them. Indeed, he was quite the graceful and charming young man!

Li Qingming looked at the Moon Laurel Tree, amused, and said, "Little fellow, I have never met you before; why do you address me as Master unprovoked?"

The Moon Laurel knelt on the ground, bowing deeply, and said, "May Master be informed! Several Primordial Meetings ago, Master arrived at the Taiyin Star! At that time, the Moon Laurel was bound by the Heavenly Dao, sealed on the Taiyin Star. Your Majesty broke the Star Sealing Spirit Array and also helped two Moon Rabbits attain their Dao Bodies, allowing the Moon Laurel to re-enter hibernation and contemplate the cycle of the Heavenly Dao. Later, when Master was leaving, you arranged the Array to help me absorb Spiritual Energy, and even shared a trace of Vitality Power from the Qiankun Tripod with me! Thus, the Moon Laurel was able to break free from the constraints of the Heavenly Dao and achieve a Dao Body! I shall never forget Master’s life-giving grace!"

Li Qingming did not expect these twists and turns to have occurred in the meantime and was left completely dumbfounded. After a long while, he murmured in a low voice, "Damn, you got me to believe in this evil!" (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, and your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please go to m.qidian.com to read.)