"The Divine Parasol Tree is home to the phoenixes and carries with it the secrets to everlasting life. Despite their being just trees, they surely possess some extraordinary prowess"
"If only I could see these two divine trees one day" sighed Lin Feng.
Deep in thought, he stretched out a finger and tapped on the Saros Steel Tree.
Thick purple smoke entered the tree, its black branches and golden leaves rustling at the sensation.
The stubborn yet sturdy tree and its iron-like branches, having no self-consciousness notwithstanding, clearly was not receptive towards Lin Feng's energies.
Lin Feng was not anxious, and slowly caressed the tree with his aura.
He did not counter the hostility with more pressure, but embraced it by letting his energy get used to the tree's presence, swallowing it whole.
The led the tree to look at Lin Feng as an ally of the same kind, hastening the improvement.
On the outside, nothing had seemed to change, except for the vibration and oscillation of the branches and leaves. Inside the tree, the world had already begun its paradigm shift. Its xylems formed like that of arteries, and phloems like that of veins. In the centre of the tree, a growth formed in the image of a beating heart.
After the internal changes were complete, soft light emanated from the tree branches like millions of fireflies, glowing in rhythm as though convening with the stars. But these were no stars. These were spots that corresponded to the atoms beneath Lin Feng's skin, glowing in similar fashion.
If one stretched one's imagination, it was possible to see the Saros Steel Tree as a replica of Lin Feng. Their physical outlook was beginning to look alike, and the spots that glowed were a mirror of each other.
All the light were manifestations of a human's veins, organs, muscles and tendons. Secret caves which housed limitless capabilities. In fact, after a certain stage of training, any more effort spent was on improving one's internal being. It could be said that a human body was a universe on its own. Much of its potential remained dormant until one ventured far enough below the suface.
The secret to Xiao Budian's strength lay in him awakening his dormant potential. Likewise, Lin Feng's Avatar of Ares was strong because he unlocked all of his hidden potential and utilised them to the fullest. During Lin Feng's Aurous Core Stage, Avatar of Ares' strength mirrored that of Lin Feng's full potential, and not even Bastille Black Dragon was his match.
Even when Lin Feng entered the Nascent Soul Stage, the Avatar of Ares continued to match his strength's newfound full potential. It was agreed upon that in terms of power, the avatar was weaker in magic but way stronger than Lin Feng physically was.
Lin Feng was certain that if he crossed swords with Pang Jie without his Six Appearance Sword, his Avatar of Ares would completely obliterate Pang Jie.
Once the Saros Steel Tree's xylems and phloems formed completely, it's branches fell immediately, shaking violently. Lin Feng's Godly Awareness immersed itself in the tree's brilliance, and the two became one.
Moments later, the leaves and branches twitched. And millions of white flowers bloomed, encompassing the entire tree like snow covering an empty field. Based on what Lin Feng knew, the tree would only produce flowers three times during its entire lifespan. Once, when it gained self-awareness. The second, when it bore fruit. The last, when it withered.
This was the first milestone for the Saros Steel Tree. Notwithstanding being a young tree, its flowers bloomed in a magnificent grandeur that was unparalleled.
Lin Feng gazed upon his almost accomplished work and smiled. Immediately, the tree formed into the shape of a human being and smiled back, imitating Lin Feng's expressions exactly. With a moment's hesitation, the tree-human transformed into a completely different looking person. Now, a young man. He was not particularly outstanding, his features ordinary and his skin a common brown, yet he was full of life and zest. A disposition that made him uniquely beautiful.
"I believe I can be known as the Steel Tree Avatar" grinned the youth.
At the sight of Lin Feng's smile, the Steel Tree Avatar looked into his heart.
"I think you might be more suited for the Martial Way of the Muscular Body. Two consecutive avatars training in the same way might just be a sign..but there's still something different between you and the Avatar of Ares." said Lin Feng.
"Oh? Have Xiao Budian and the rest returned?" thought Lin Feng.
Suddenly, the realisation hit him that he had spent over ten days building the Steel Tree Avatar.
"Master! Come and take a look!" shouted Xiao Budian excitedly as he returned to Mount Yujing.
In his hand was a bunch of golden silk.
Lin Feng was taken aback at the sight of it, but he gathered what happened and asked, "where's this from?"
"Oh! It's from the time when we were looking for the Avici Infernal Gale! It can resist the gale, and both happened to be at the same place at the same time! What a steal!" replied Xiao Budian.
"This thing piqued my interest more, so I left the Avici Infernal Gale to sister Yue Hongyan" continued Xiao Budian.
"That's right, Tian Hao and I used the Green Bronze Crucible of Emptiness to drain and subdue much of it" added Yue Hongyan.
Despite being the youngest disciple, Xiao Budian was often addressed using his given name by Yue Hongyan and Yang Qing. They treated him more as a friend than a junior. Xiao Budian greatly welcomed their gestures, and it was evident that they were very tight as a group.
Lin Feng looked at Tuntun and casually asked, "aren't you excited?".
Tuntun nonchalantly answered, "It isn't up to my standard. It doesn't taste particularly good, and I've got better choices."
Lin Feng mockingly replied, "So did you finish all the red storks?"
Tuntun replied, "It wasn't enough. We should've caught all the birds from Xingyun peak."
Lin Feng cast his gaze on Jieyu and gave him a verbal pat on the back, "must've been tough".
The compliment served as encouragement, and Jieyu instantly felt a great load lifted off his shoulders. Before departing he had already knew that his role in the mission was as a security escort, and therefore he did not give much thought to the Avici Infernal Gale.
Lin Feng looked at Xiao Budian and explained, "This is actually leather. Skin peeled off the body of a demon which was already in immortal stage."
"It might look like silk, but there's no doubt in it being leather, it sure has demon properties. Look closely and you might be able to see some inscriptions within. Give it some heart, and you might just learn something out of it" continued Lin Feng.
"Chap's pretty lucky" thought Lin Feng as he scanned the group once more, this time noticing Zhuge Fengling standing at the back. Her expression seemed to hide a tinge of misfortune and jealousy behind the smile. She must have had a hard time dealing with Xiao Budian. Even her Gold-digging Mouse was not at its usual spot.
"Master, I'm lucky to not have embarrassed myself" added Zhuge Fengling.
"You did great. Now where's that mouse of yours? Don't tell me the other two had it for a meal." replied Lin Feng.
Xiao Budian snickered as he raised his arms in the air, holding up a little golden mouse.
Zhuge Fengling anxiously muttured, "this mouse is my only and most beloved pet, would master and senior kindly return it"
"What do you think of it?" exclaimed Lin Feng as his looked at Xiao Budian.
"Hmm...pretty interesting, I think we'll leave those two on the mountain" replied Xiao Budian.
"Then I'll leave them to you" replied Lin Feng.
Zhuge Fengling blacked out upon hearing their conversation.
Ignoring a dejected Zhuge Fengling, Lin Feng's thoughts wandered back to it's own system tone, "Is it time for the new cycle of the monthly lucky draw? Or has it already been drawn?"
"It's adding the time spent in the Heavenly Cosmic Ray World"
It was only the sixth month in the real world, but Lin Feng had given some time to protect Wang Lin in the Heaven Cosmic Ray World before he shifted the timeline. Previously in an earlier stage, the eight years that Lin Feng spent in that alternate reality was clocked as eight full years instead of the equivalent of one month in the real world.
"Now the system follows the time experienced by my body and not the time of the real world"
Lin Feng was not one to miss out on a lucky draw. He scanned the prizes from the roulettes and dice, and immediately locked onto the die.
"Are my eyes deceiving me?" thought Lin Feng.
"I must be mad"
He stared hard at the fifth box. Inside it was a piece of rock that sat silently in place. He knew it was no ordinary rock. At once, he recognized the Magic Treasure Embryo.