This was Ye Tian's first encounter with the Demonic Tree Bodhi, its colossal form resembling a fortress of war, an awe-inspiring sight.
He was utterly astonished; this was no mere tree—it was clearly a tree demon, reminiscent of the ancient tree spirits he had seen in films from his previous life, and it appeared only more formidable.
The thick trunks, akin to the tentacles of an octopus, pierced through the void with remarkable speed, lunging towards the surrounding disciples of the Hundred Poison Sect.
On the main trunk of the Demonic Tree Bodhi, a gaping maw opened wide, letting out a menacing roar, further affirming Ye Tian's belief that it was indeed a tree demon.
"Well, if I can fly, then the appearance of a tree demon is hardly a matter of concern!" Ye Tian mused, feeling that the Divine Continent was becoming increasingly fascinating.
The Demonic Tree Bodhi was immensely powerful; although its main trunk remained immobile, countless branches acted like sharp swords, thrusting toward the disciples of the Hundred Poison Sect.
However, Ye Tian noticed that these tendrils were gradually rotting, their attacking power waning.
"Could it be...?" Ye Tian observed as a disciple from the Hundred Poison Sect hurled a black orb at the Demonic Tree Bodhi. Upon detonation, the orb released a torrent of black venom, causing the branches it touched to decay rapidly.
"This poison is specifically designed to counter the Demonic Tree Bodhi; the Hundred Poison Sect truly possesses remarkable methods!" Ye Tian couldn't help but admire.
Despite the many tentacles of the Demonic Tree Bodhi, the disciples' venom was not to be underestimated. As time passed, it would undoubtedly be unable to endure much longer.
In fact, the Demonic Tree Bodhi was already at a disadvantage, or else it wouldn't be roaring in fury.
Ye Tian stealthily advanced a short distance, keeping a keen eye on the battlefield, preparing to reap the benefits of their struggle; such an opportunity was too tempting to ignore.
The disciples of the Hundred Poison Sect were oblivious to Ye Tian's presence, as they did not believe that anyone from the Divine Star Sect would dare to intrude upon the Second Region.
At that moment, the disciples were fervently attacking the Demonic Tree Bodhi, their faces alight with excitement as if they could already envision the Blood Bodhi in their grasp.
"Let them revel for a moment!" Ye Tian thought with a cold smile, biding his time.
The Demonic Tree Bodhi was indeed powerful, rooted in the earth, drawing upon the land's spiritual energy. Even when assailed by toxic forces, it continued to resist fiercely.
A disciple of the Hundred Poison Sect, caught off guard, was ensnared by four or five tendrils. He screamed in terror, unable to escape, and was ultimately torn apart, his blood and flesh scattering in the air.
Witnessing such a scene, the other disciples recoiled in fear.
"What are you afraid of? It's merely a dying beast! Brothers, put in more effort; it's on the brink of death!" shouted a disciple at the Half-Step Martial Sovereign level, swinging his sword to sever several tendrils infused with venom.
Seeing him display such prowess, the morale of the Hundred Poison Sect disciples surged, and they regrouped to continue their assault on the Demonic Tree Bodhi.
During this skirmish, however, the Hundred Poison Sect suffered significant losses; once again, one disciple was slain, and five others were gravely injured, rendering them incapable of further combat.
At this juncture, the Demonic Tree Bodhi was barely clinging to life, having been pierced through the trunk by the sword of the Half-Step Martial Sovereign.
"It's dead!"
The surrounding disciples of the Hundred Poison Sect erupted in jubilant cheers.
"Now!"
Ye Tian's eyes sparkled with determination; without hesitation, he launched himself into the air and unleashed a Stellar Hand against the remaining combat-capable disciples of the Hundred Poison Sect.
Three massive palms of true essence descended from the heavens, enveloping seven of the remaining disciples.
Meanwhile, Ye Tian soared beside the Demonic Tree Bodhi, his blood blade slicing through its final vestiges of life, swiftly plucking three Blood Bodhi from its branches.
"Who goes there?"
"It's someone from the Divine Star Sect!"
"Damn it! How dare you intrude upon our territory!"
The furious shouts of the disciples of the Hundred Poison Sect filled the air. After laboring for so long and losing two of their brothers, they were incensed at being outmaneuvered.
Especially the Half-Step Martial Sovereign, his eyes burning with rage, he cleaved through the Stellar Hand and charged at Ye Tian.
"How dare you steal my Yin Blood Wind treasures; you must be tired of living!" He swung his sword, unleashing a formidable blade of light that seemed to slice through the very fabric of reality, shrouded in a cloud of black poison that enveloped Ye Tian's vicinity.
"I think it's you who is tired of living!" Ye Tian's eyes blazed with golden light as he delivered a punch, radiating golden brilliance that shattered the sword's arc.
The poisonous mist swirled around him but could not penetrate his defenses.
With the second layer of the Nine Transformations Battle Body, Ye Tian's resilience soared, rendering him immune to the venomous mists that specifically targeted the disciples of the Hundred Poison Sect.
Ye Tian charged forward like a golden war god, confronting the Half-Step Martial Sovereign and delivering a devastating blow.
"Nine Transformations Battle Body!"
The disciple of the Hundred Poison Sect was taken aback, hurriedly raising his sword in a desperate defense, but with a resounding crack, his blade shattered under the might of Ye Tian's blood blade, sending him reeling and spitting blood.
"Run!"
"He has actually mastered the second layer of the Nine Transformations Battle Body!"
"How is that possible!"
The Half-Step Martial Sovereign, evidently of high rank, was dismayed to find himself severely wounded after a single exchange, causing the remaining disciples of the Hundred Poison Sect to panic and flee.
"Think you can escape now?" Ye Tian sneered, propelling himself toward the fleeing disciples and unleashing successive Stellar Hands. The overwhelming force of his palms, infused with unmatched true essence, seemed to engulf the entire forest.
Rumbling!
The ground trembled violently as several disciples of the Hundred Poison Sect met their demise on the spot, while the others were left severely injured, the disparity in strength unmistakable.
In truth, Ye Tian, having perfected the second layer of the Nine Transformations Battle Body, was now comparable in strength to those Martial Sovereigns. Aside from the earlier Half-Step Martial Sovereign, none of the other disciples could withstand his might.
The realms of Martial Spirit and Martial Sovereign were entirely distinct; these disciples of the Hundred Poison Sect lacked the blade intent and Nine Transformations Battle Body that Ye Tian and Yi Xuehan possessed.
"Ah..."
"We of the Hundred Poison Sect will not let you off!"
"This is the Second Region; just wait for our pursuit!"
The remaining disciples, realizing they could not escape, charged at Ye Tian in a frenzy, with a few even resorting to self-detonation in a desperate bid to fight him.
The Half-Step Martial Sovereign, lacking loyalty, attempted to flee solo, but Ye Tian had him firmly in his sights and swiftly dispatched him with a single blow.
"Pursue you?"
"Regrettably, you shall not live to see another day!"
Ye Tian smirked coldly, seizing the blood blade to sever the roots of the Demonic Tree Bodhi.
Afterward, he rummaged through the belongings of the fallen disciples, uncovering various tomes, poisons, herbs, and assorted items.
"What a truly bountiful harvest!"
With an ample haul in tow, Ye Tian slung the bundle over his shoulder and sought a safe cave to rest, following the markings on the map.
This cave, concealed within the underbrush, was remarkably discreet; without careful inspection, it would be nearly impossible to find. Ye Tian marveled at Fu Xuedao's ability to discover such an excellent hideaway.
Once inside the cave, Ye Tian set down his substantial load and began to examine his findings one by one.
"The Compendium of Ten Thousand Poisons?"
"The Compendium of Ten Thousand Treasures?"
"What is this?"
Ye Tian gazed quizzically at the two books in his hands. Upon opening them, he discovered they contained detailed accounts of various poisons, toxic plants, and precious herbs.
"This is quite remarkable! I should take the time to study these when I have the chance; otherwise, if I encounter those rare herbs in the future without recognizing them, it would be a disaster." Ye Tian exclaimed with delight, carefully storing the books away.
Next, Ye Tian came across several martial arts manuals, but regrettably, they required the internal cultivation techniques of the Hundred Poison Sect to practice. Would that mean he had to forsake the Blood Demon Transformation?
That was out of the question!
Ye Tian promptly discarded them aside.
As he continued his search, Ye Tian unearthed numerous useful items, but the most significant discovery was a piece of parchment made from sheepskin.
"This is it!" Ye Tian fixed his gaze intently on the sheepskin parchment, his face alight with excitement.
Not long ago, he had overheard the disciples of the Hundred Poison Sect discussing how the roots of the Demonic Tree Bodhi, when combined with several herbs, could yield a potion even superior to the Blood Bodhi.
This recipe was inscribed on the sheepskin parchment.
Ye Tian examined it closely and found that the process of refining this elixir was not particularly difficult; he merely needed to follow the outlined steps. After all, this elixir was prepared by directly boiling the herbs, negating the need for alchemical refinement. With the recipe in hand, anyone could concoct it.
Moreover, Ye Tian noted that the disciples of the Hundred Poison Sect had already made preparations, gathering the necessary herbs, so he wouldn't need to venture out in search of them.
"I wonder how much this elixir will enhance my abilities?" With a glimmer of anticipation, Ye Tian began to follow the instructions on the sheepskin parchment.
Before long, a faint yet alluring fragrance of medicine wafted through the air.
According to the parchment, the elixir would take a full week to fully materialize.
Not wishing to waste this time, Ye Tian took the three Blood Bodhi he had and consumed them, beginning the process of refinement.
As before, the Blood Bodhi melted upon entering his mouth, releasing a wave of scorching energy that coursed through Ye Tian's ten primary meridians, ultimately flowing into his ten Blood Dan.
Originally, Ye Tian's ten Blood Dan had reached their limit, yet at this moment, they could still absorb the energy from the Blood Bodhi, a testament to the latter's remarkable properties.
After completely digesting one Blood Bodhi, Ye Tian's cultivation advanced to the mid-level of Martial Spirit Six.
With the second, he reached the late stage of Martial Spirit Six.
With the third, he attained the peak of Martial Spirit Six.
He was so close to breaking through to Martial Spirit Seven; this was a significant threshold, and if he could surpass it, his combat prowess would multiply.
"Now, it all depends on you!"
A week later, Ye Tian's attention turned to the cauldron of elixir nestled in the corner of the cave, his face brimming with anticipation.
At that moment, a refreshing aroma permeated the entire cave. Ye Tian inhaled deeply, feeling a wave of rejuvenation envelop him.
The poisons and elixirs of the Hundred Poison Sect were renowned, but in reality, their alchemical concoctions were equally formidable, making them the largest producers of elixirs in Nanlin County.
Previously, Ye Tian had been skeptical, but now he was convinced.
Gently lifting the lid of the cauldron, an enticing fragrance wafted forth, revealing a vibrant green liquid swirling within, radiating a rich aura of spiritual energy.
Even though Ye Tian lacked expertise in alchemy, he instinctively recognized the value of this substance!