"The Bodhi Ancient Tree?" The words of the old Baoshan instantly sounded like a bomb, causing an immediate uproar throughout the hall. Some of the stronger figures couldn't help but be stunned, rising from their seats in surprise. If the celestial treasures of the Continent were ranked, the Bodhi Ancient Tree would surely rank among the top three. Known in some ancient texts as the Tree of Wisdom and Cycles, it grows one cycle every thousand years, and only becomes mature after completing a hundred such cycles. This extraordinary span of time is sufficient to erode and transform any other substance, yet the Bodhi Ancient Tree transcends time itself—making it one of the oldest species on the Continent. It is said that the Bodhi Ancient Tree appears once every thousand years, and each appearance brings about tremendous waves of excitement across the Continent. Indeed, there are even records of powerful cultivators at the level of Supreme Battle Saint falling in the struggle to claim it. According to some ancient texts, on this world, there seems to exist only one ancient bodhi tree, which possesses its own wisdom. Each time it appears, it sinks deep into the earth's core, becoming untraceable to anyone seeking it. Only when the next opportune moment arrives does it reemerge upon the world's surface. The bodhi tree stands and becomes a saint—this is no mere metaphor. Within the bodhi tree lies the bodhi mind. Those who obtain it experience a transformation of their hearts into bodhi, achieving sainthood with merely a simple gesture. This is no legend; indeed, there have been real instances of powerful individuals who, through great fortune, ingested the bodhi mind. Among them, one who originally lacked exceptional talent and whose strength had only reached the level of a two-star battle sage, achieved a remarkable breakthrough in a mere five years. He overcame all the obstacles to advancement with astonishing speed, ultimately reaching the rank of battle sage, leaving the continent in awe. This nearly divine efficacy is enough to drive everyone mad—anyone who secures the Bodhi Mind has effectively obtained the ticket to ascend to the Supreme Saint rank and reach the pinnacle of this realm. Even excluding the Bodhi Mind, a slightly inferior Bodhi Seed significantly boosts the chances of achieving the Supreme Saint rank. While not as extraordinary as the Bodhi Mind, such a Seed holds an irresistible allure for many at the peak of the Supreme Sovereign tier, as the journey to the half-Saint level is both exceptionally difficult and perilous. Indeed, some Supreme Sovereigns may exhaust their entire lives without ever reaching it. At such a moment, even a single Bodhi Seed can send them into frenzy. Taken together, the Bodhi Ancient Tree's appeal to the realm's elite is truly overwhelming. One can easily imagine the uproar it would generate throughout the Central Province once this news spreads. … "Hmph…" As Xiao Yan's eyes widened with astonishment, the elderly pharmacist beside him exhaled deeply, having previously sensed a certain disbelief in his voice. Clearly, even with his composed demeanor, this intelligence could not fully settle his mind. "It's the Bodhi Ancient Tree… indeed." With a long breath, the pharmacist murmured. Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his fingers brushing against his storage amulet—within it, he carried a single Bodhi seed. Originally, it was claimed that the Bodhi seed could sense the Bodhi Ancient Tree; yet, he had sensed nothing at all. Could it be due to the distance? "Master Baoshan, I wonder if you know where the ancient Bodhi tree first came into being?" The shock in the hall lasted a moment before one person stepped forward to ask the question. With the cultural weight of this individual, everyone's gaze immediately sharpened once again, fixed firmly on Master Baoshan. It seemed that if he failed to answer, someone would have to intervene on the spot—under the allure of the Bodhi tree, their rationality was quite fragile. "Ah, please don't worry, gentlemen," Master Baoshan understood the thoughts behind their eyes and was not going to treat this matter lightly. With a smile, he said, "The place where the Bodhi tree first emerged is well known to all of you—it lies in the Manghuang Ancient Region, at the northeastern frontier of Zhongzhou." "The Manghuang Ancient Region?" Upon hearing this, a wave of exclamations rose immediately throughout the hall. The strong individuals who had previously sat up straightened once more, only to sit back down with a hint of hesitation. "It's actually in such a perilous place..." Xiao Yin's brow furrowed slightly. He had certainly heard of the Manghuang Ancient Domain—the name itself was well known. It was nearly the oldest region on the current Qi Continent, and at the same time, the ultimate sanctuary for humans. There, the weather was harsh, toxic mists permeated the air, and fierce beasts thrived in abundance. Many of these creatures had existed since ancient times, some even surpassing the strength of any other species in the current World of Beasts, except for the TaiXiu Ancient Dragon. Indeed, even the Tian Yao Huang Clan members found it perilous to enter—many would likely perish. These beasts were bloodthirsty and fiercely aggressive, though not particularly intelligent, their power was truly formidable. Even a master at the peak of the Douzun stage might not be certain of surviving their passage. Countless lives had been lost in such trials—many aspiring heroes had ventured in to seek treasures, only to vanish without a trace. Among them were several renowned top-tier figures from the Zhongzhou region. And as more and more powerful figures vanished within the Primordial Ancient Realm, this place's reputation for danger grew ever stronger—until eventually, few dared to venture there. Due to its remote location, the once-fearsome site had long since faded from many people's memories. Yet no one could have foreseen that the very place where the Bodhi Ancient Tree had emerged would be within the Primordial Ancient Realm itself. "It makes perfect sense that the old man would have released this information. With the resources and influence of Jianshan Mountain and the other two great sects, entering the Primordial Ancient Realm is tantamount to certain death. They must be aiming to draw in more people, so they can then quietly position themselves amidst the chaos..." The elder pharmacist said slowly, fully aware of the perilous nature of the Primordial Ancient Realm, and instantly grasped why the elder from the treasure mountain had been so generous in sharing this intelligence. "Hehe, every time the Bodhi ancient tree emerges, it stirs extraordinary phenomena in the heavens and earth. Within the next month, everyone should begin to feel these changes—then you'll know my words are no mere speculation." The old master smiled warmly. "The updates have been shared with all of you, and the space trading event has concluded smoothly. Thank you all for your continued support." "Nevertheless, we must first secure the ancient scroll..." The elderly pharmacist smiled faintly, slightly tilting his head. The slender, black-robed man who had successfully acquired the scroll earlier now turned and departed. As he watched the man's back, a cold smile flickered across the pharmacist's face. "Then let's go..." The pharmacist rose and strode toward the outer hall without looking back. The three of them, Xiang Yan and his companions, quickly followed. They knew that what lay ahead would surely be a fierce battle. ... After the fair concluded, the pharmacist vanished for a while before returning swiftly, immediately taking Xiang Yan and his companions out of the space and flying steadily toward the northwest. Eventually, after crossing the desert, he came to a halt atop a rugged mountain peak. "This is their inevitable route. Given the nature of those three old demons, even if they are laden with treasures, they will surely not take a detour..." The pharmacist gazed toward the distance, speaking quietly. "Master, what's their background?" Xiao Yan nodded slightly, then said. "It's a rather decadent and eccentric sect known as Yunyu Sect. This sect enhances its members' strength by cultivating 'meat pedestals'—they select talented young girls, bestow upon them specific cultivation techniques, and have them rigorously train for over a decade. Then, using Yunyu Sect's unique method of intimate union, they absorb the girls' qi. However, this technique is extremely demanding, and often, the girls who have their qi absorbed succumb to aging and die within ten days." "Yunyu Sect has no fewer than a thousand disciples, all of whom are female—yet, all of them are 'meat pedestals,' serving the three old demons as sources of qi..." "Indeed, a most unprincipled sect." Hearing the old doctor's account, both Cai Lin and Xiao Yi felt a subtle chill on their cheeks. "It's rather shameful—so they were directly expelled from the Central Region back then. Yet no one expected them to come back now..." The medicine elder nodded and said, "I once fought one of the three of them, seriously injuring him, though I myself was also wounded by the other two, so I didn't manage to kill him. I never thought, after all these years, I'd meet them again." "These three old demons had already established their reputation for decadence and corruption in the Central Region even earlier than the blood river celestial sovereign you encountered last time. Now, the eldest, the Scorpion, has reached the peak of the Ninth Transformation Battle Sovereign, nearly stepping into the half-Saint realm. The second, the Earth Scorpion, is around the Eighth Transformation, and the third, the Three-Scorpion, likely at the Sixth Transformation level. Together, these three can certainly challenge a half-Saint-level powerhouse." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes flashed with a touch of surprise. Indeed, these three old demons were no ordinary figures—such strength placed them among the very elite even within the Central Region. It was no wonder they could present such a rare medicine as the Nine-Color Dan Thunder.