Chapter 130: A Miraculous Scene

Chapter 130: Chapter 130: A Miraculous Scene

From the outside, Sui Sui’s struggle was becoming increasingly obvious. His brows were tightly furrowed, and beads of sweat had begun to gather on his forehead. Judging by his strained expression, it looked as though he was having considerable difficulty calming the Spirit Jade Fruit Tree.

The surrounding people exchanged glances, and the whispers soon began.

"See? He’s clearly struggling. There’s no way he’ll succeed."

"Exactly. Doesn’t this prove that he’s guilty? If the tree truly recognized him, why would it resist him so fiercely?"

Before the murmurs could spread any further, Elder Shan Li’s cold voice rang through the courtyard.

"Silence."

The single word immediately quieted the crowd. His gaze swept across the gathered people, and no one dared utter another word.

Madam Jiang, however, had no intention of letting the opportunity pass. She stepped forward, her expression carefully composed, though a hint of satisfaction lingered in her eyes.

"Brother Shan, judging by the situation, perhaps you should reconsider your judgment. I understand that you favor this disciple, but betrayal of trust is no small matter. Today, it may only concern a few Spirit Stones. But what if he abuses your trust again in the future?" She paused before adding with an amiable smile, "There are plenty of talented disciples in the sect. If you’re looking for someone to guide, I could recommend a few suitable candidates. The three I introduced to you earlier were all quite good, weren’t they? Especially Chu Ran. She’s sensible, considerate, and even willing to stand up against injustice. What do you think?"

Her words sounded reasonable on the surface, but the intention behind them was unmistakable. She was not only trying to undermine Sui Sui’s credibility but also using the opportunity to promote Chu Ran as a more suitable candidate for Elder Shan Li’s favor.

Elder Shan Li merely turned his cold gaze toward her and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

He offered no further response, his attention soon returning to Sui Sui, who remained focused on purifying the tree.

Madam Jiang’s smile stiffened slightly, but she could only swallow her frustration and fall silent.

Time continued to pass, yet the Spirit Jade Fruit Tree showed no obvious signs of calming down. Sui Sui remained motionless with his eyes closed, while the vines continued to writhe around the courtyard.

Gradually, the surrounding disciples grew restless.

It’s been so long. Why hasn’t anything changed?

The longer they waited, the more convinced they became that Sui Sui would fail. Some had already begun exchanging knowing looks, certain that the outcome would soon prove their suspicions correct.

Then suddenly, without warning, the ground began to tremble violently.

The sudden quake caught everyone off guard. Several disciples staggered, struggling to regain their balance as the earth shook beneath their feet. Even the surrounding trees swayed violently, their branches rattling as a deep rumble echoed through the courtyard.

"Not good!" one of the elders exclaimed, his expression changing dramatically. "He must have provoked the tree even further! Stop him before it’s too late!"

The crowd immediately erupted into commotion.

No one wanted the Spirit Jade Fruit Tree to be damaged beyond repair. After all, it was an exceptionally valuable spiritual plant, and its fruits were difficult to cultivate. If the tree were destroyed, where would they obtain such precious fruits in the future?

Even Madam Jiang’s composure faltered. She hurriedly turned toward Elder Shan Li, her voice filled with urgency. "Brother Shan, you must stop him immediately! Save the tree before it’s too late!"

She was so focused on protecting the Spirit Jade Fruit Tree that she did not even spare Sui Sui a thought. Whether he was in danger or had already suffered some consequence was apparently of no concern to her.

Elder Shan Li, however, remained firmly in place. His eyes were fixed on Sui Sui, and his expression gave nothing away. "No one is to interfere. If the tree falls, then so be it. I must get to the bottom of this matter."

Hearing this, everyone’s expressions grew even worse. This was bad. It seemed Elder Shan Li was truly angry this time. He was so determined to uncover the truth that he no longer seemed to care whether the Spirit Jade Fruit Tree survived.

Without warning, the ground beneath their feet trembled once more.

Everyone instinctively turned toward the Spirit Jade Fruit Tree, bracing themselves for another violent attack. The vines that had been thrashing wildly around the courtyard suddenly began to move, their thick branches twisting and coiling as though something deep within the tree had finally awakened.

But then, something unexpected happened, because the vines did not lash out at anyone, instead, they began retreating.

One by one, the countless vines that had formed the barrier slowly sank toward the ground, burrowing back into the soil from which they had emerged. The dense wall that had surrounded Chu Ran and Disciple Leng to block the, from everyone’s moments ago began to unravel, revealing the jade tree beyond. Within seconds, the oppressive mass of vines had receded considerably, leaving the people outside staring in bewilderment.

Before anyone could make sense of what was happening, the remaining vines suddenly moved.

Chu Ran and Disciple Leng, who had been bound tightly within the barrier, were abruptly lifted high into the air. Neither had time to react before the vines swung them downward and hurled them onto the ground with tremendous force.

BAM!

The impact sent both disciples sprawling across the ground.

"Ah!"

Their cries of pain rang through the courtyard. Jiang Huan’s expression changed immediately as he rushed toward Chu Ran, shouting for the healers to examine them. Disciple Leng was also quickly attended to, but Chu Ran had already lost consciousness from the impact.

The surrounding disciples stared at the scene in shock.

What exactly was happening?

Before anyone could find an answer, the vines began moving again. This time, they turned toward Sui Sui.

Everyone’s hearts tightened.

Sui Sui was still standing motionless with his eyes closed, seemingly unaware of everything happening around him. The vines that had just thrown Chu Ran and Disciple Leng aside were now creeping toward him, their thick branches sliding across the ground with a faint rustling sound.

"Look out!"

Someone instinctively shouted, but it was already too late.

The vines had reached Sui Sui.

Several disciples couldn’t bear to watch, already imagining the young man being violently seized and thrown aside just like the others. Even Jiang Huan, who was occupied with checking on Chu Ran, couldn’t help turning his head toward the scene.

Then—The vines stopped. For a brief moment, the entire courtyard seemed to fall silent.

Instead of striking Sui Sui, the vines gently curled around his body. One branch slipped beneath his knees while another carefully supported his back, lifting him from the ground with a gentleness that was almost impossible to reconcile with their earlier violence.

There was no sudden jerk, no forceful restraint, and no sign of hostility. It actually handled him as though he were something precious.

The vines slowly carried Sui Sui toward the Spirit Jade Fruit Tree’s main trunk. As they reached it, several branches intertwined, forming a broad, cushioned seat against the base of the tree. The vines then carefully lowered Sui Sui onto it, adjusting themselves beneath him until he was sitting comfortably.

Only after making sure he was settled did they finally come to a stop.

The entire courtyard fell into stunned silence. Everyone stared at the scene before them, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

The same Spirit Jade Fruit Tree that had attacked Chu Ran and Disciple Leng without mercy was now treating Sui Sui with such care that it almost seemed afraid of hurting him.

And Sui Sui still had his eyes closed, completely unaware that the tree had just made him its honored guest.