Chapter 590 - 597: Wordless Heavenly Scripture

After confirming and reconfirming that she was the only one there, Fang Wei finally let her guard down and began to pace around the Bodhi Tree.

The Bodhi Tree could help Cultivators focus their minds and calm their spirits. It could even help one achieve enlightenment. Every breath felt as if it reached the very depths of one’s soul.

The excitement in her heart soon faded, replaced by a serene calm in her eyes. She began to wait quietly for her junior brother to arrive.

From the shadows, Song Wanning remained hidden.

’What is this "Wordless Heavenly Scripture" she mentioned?’

’Did she only know about the Bodhi Tree because of that book?’

’And to draw out the tree’s core, you have to sacrifice a heart?’

’This sounds an awful lot like the methods of an Evil Cultivator.’

Song Wanning frowned. At first, she had suspected the woman was an intruder, but the Three Lives Mirror hadn’t reacted at all.

’So, she probably isn’t an intruder.’

’The answer must lie with that Wordless Heavenly Scripture. Could it also be a product of the Wood Sculpture Realm?’

"Sister, that woman’s senses are so sharp! They’re even better than mine!"

The Dragon Spirit’s head drooped in frustration. It had only been able to vaguely sense the tree’s presence, yet this woman had pinpointed its exact location and found it immediately.

’I’m so useless in comparison.’

The Dragon Spirit perched dejectedly on her shoulder. Song Wanning glanced at it, her expression softening.

"You’re already very capable. She must have had some sort of special fortuitous encounter."

Song Wanning patted the Dragon Spirit’s head, and her words of comfort instantly restored its vigor.

’With other masters, Spirit Pets and Artifact Spirits like us are expected to charge into battle and act as shields.’

’But Sister’s cultivation progresses so quickly that it makes us seem weak. Sometimes, it’s hard not to feel useless.’

’But as long as Sister doesn’t mind, we’re perfectly happy.’

...

「Two hours later.」

"What kind of crazy route was that? I almost got lost, even following the markers you left."

"This fog is such a pain. If it weren’t in the way, I would’ve been here ages ago!"

The junior brother couldn’t help but start complaining to Fang Wei the moment he arrived.

But when he saw the tall, mysterious Bodhi Tree, all his complaints vanished completely.

His face was a mask of awe, his eyes filled with shock and delight. "So this is the Bodhi Tree? It’s absolutely breathtaking!"

He walked over to the Bodhi Tree and circled it a few times, his eyes gleaming with joy. He rubbed his hands together in excitement, his face flushing red.

"Senior Sister, how are we going to dig up the Bodhi Tree? We have to take such a precious treasure with us! We can’t let anyone else get their hands on it!"

The junior brother was already picturing his own meteoric rise to success, and his heart swelled with gratitude for his senior sister.

"I knew you treated me best, Senior Sister."

’After all, it’s not like only one person can cultivate with the Bodhi Tree,’ he thought with some naivety. He never imagined his senior sister would scheme against him.

"But of course."

Fang Wei’s expression was grim. A cold light flashed in her eyes, and in the next instant, her hand transformed into a sharp claw and shot toward her junior brother’s chest.

SQUELCH—

Her junior brother’s chest was pierced straight through. He froze, the smile not even having time to fade from his face.

He stared at Fang Wei in utter disbelief, unable to comprehend why his senior sister would do this to him.

He had only recently joined the sect. It had always been his senior sister who led him on his journeys and took care of his everyday needs.

He was wary of everyone else, but he had never once guarded himself against her.

’Senior Sister wasn’t like this!’

Her junior brother collapsed, his eyes wide. He perished without managing to ask a single question, his life force utterly extinguished.

For a moment, Fang Wei’s expression wavered, but it quickly returned to ice-cold indifference.

She clutched the heart in her hand and cast a cool glance at her junior brother’s corpse.

"Don’t blame me. I had no other choice."

Holding the heart, she walked cautiously toward the Bodhi Tree.

Song Wanning instantly went on alert, ready to act at a moment’s notice.

’Treasures belong to the worthy. She wasn’t about to hand this one over without a fight.’

Soon, Fang Wei reached the trunk of the Bodhi Tree and placed the heart on the ground before it.

The bloody heart, upon touching the trunk, began to seep rapidly into the wood.

The Bodhi Tree, which had been glowing with a faint golden light, instantly turned crimson, and the entire tree began to tremble violently.

The surrounding Tao Essence also began to undulate, looking as though it might collapse at any moment.

But this was all temporary. In just a dozen breaths, the Bodhi Tree returned to normal.

The heart on the ground, meanwhile, had been completely consumed.

Fang Wei’s expression darkened, her face falling.

"What’s going on? It was supposed to work with just a heart, wasn’t it?"

Panicking, she immediately took out the Wordless Heavenly Scripture.

"Heavenly Book, Heavenly Book, wake up! What’s happening?"

"The heart is gone, but the Bodhi Tree is still standing tall. I don’t see any sign of its core."

"What do I do now?"

Fang Wei clutched the Wordless Heavenly Scripture. With such a great opportunity right in front of her, she found it impossible to remain calm.

Hearing her calls, the Wordless Heavenly Scripture slowly stirred.

"It failed?"

The voice was ancient and tinged with disappointment, yet it also sounded as if this outcome was expected.

"Yes, it failed!"

Fang Wei’s expression was frantic. Just as she was about to speak, the Wordless Heavenly Scripture suddenly shot into the air and barked, "Who’s there?"

"Who’s hiding in the shadows? Show yourself!"

It focused on a specific direction, and the surrounding air instantly grew heavy with a terrifying pressure.

"What? There’s someone here?"

Startled, Fang Wei instinctively backed up against the Bodhi Tree, afraid someone would snatch it away.

Her gaze locked onto the spot.

Song Wanning knew she had been discovered. Deciding there was no longer a point in hiding, she simply walked out.

Her elegant figure emerged from the white mist, appearing before Fang Wei and the Wordless Heavenly Scripture.

"How long have you been here?"

Fang Wei’s heart sank. She snarled, "So, you were hiding in the shadows all along, waiting to reap the rewards without any of the work?"

Her words dripped with sarcasm and hostility. Song Wanning could feel the sheer malice radiating from Fang Wei.

The Wordless Heavenly Scripture, however, silently sized up Song Wanning, its probing gaze unsettling.

Song Wanning simply pulsed her aura, forcefully repelling the Wordless Heavenly Scripture’s intrusive gaze.

"Hah, so you do have some skill!"

The Wordless Heavenly Scripture’s tone suddenly grew excited, as if it had just discovered something.

"Young lady, I can see you have a remarkable constitution and extraordinary talent. How about we discuss a deal?"

"If you’re willing to form a contract with me, I’ll tell you how to take the Bodhi Tree. What do you say?"

In that moment, it was as if Fang Wei no longer existed in its eyes; there was only the far more exceptional Song Wanning.

But Fang Wei was having none of it.

She practically shrieked, "Heavenly Book, what nonsense are you spouting?!"

"We already have a contract! How can you just switch masters?"