Deep within the Starfall Pavilion's cabinet lies a quiet chamber, specifically built for the guest senior elders. Only the senior elders are granted the privilege of practicing cultivation here, where the energy is exceptionally rich among the Star Realm. On ordinary days, many elders gather here to exchange techniques and refine their cultivation. Now, no exception is made. A series of elderly figures stand on the open ground outside the chamber, chatting and laughing. Another tremendous roar echoed, and the sturdy chamber burst open with a force that seemed to tear it apart. Then, under the stunned gazes of all present, a giant of nearly eight zhang in height, his entire body gleaming like solid gold, rose directly from within the chamber. Stepping forth with a pace that shook the very earth, he thundered into the open air, unleashing a roar so powerful that the resulting sound waves materialized into a storm. These waves surged outward, reaching every corner of the stellar realm. The elder leaders who were closest were knocked back by several steps before they could regain their footing. "What on earth is this?" Most of the elders gasped, struck by the overwhelming presence of the golden giant. From his form, they sensed an aura of extreme peril—so potent that even a single punch from him would have reduced them to mere pulp. This sensation caused many elders to involuntarily wrinkle their eyes—here, even the weakest among them were at the Du Zun level, with some reaching the eight- or nine-star Du Zun tier. Yet even they, upon facing this golden giant, felt an overwhelming sense of danger. Fortunately, these elders possessed the composure befitting true strength. After their initial shock, they quickly dispersed, forming an encircling formation that subtly surrounded the golden giant, ready to strike simultaneously should it show any movement. Upon seeing the appearance of the Herbal Elder, the senior monks hurried to bow and greet him. One of them couldn't help but ask, "Master, this is?" "Unfortunately, the Jin Gang Li Lu body cultivated by you only reaches about seven zhang, still falling short of the peak of nine zhang nine chi..." Xiao Yan shook his head, slightly regretful. "You shouldn't be content with just that. If your body hadn't been refined since childhood through various elixirs and rare materials, even with an additional six months of cultivation, you wouldn't have reached your current level at all," the Medicine Elder smiled. Xiao Yan nodded and smiled as well, knowing that his progress was already quite commendable. The reason he could only cultivate to about seven zhang was due to the limitations of his physical strength. Should he receive further rare materials for refining his body, he might well leap straight to nine zhang nine chi. At that point, Xiao Yan was confident that, in his transformed state, he could directly obliterate a typical Dou Zun peak cultivator with a single punch. "After this period of cultivation, my qi has also grown noticeably. Though the Wild Ancient Domain is perilous, it harbors many rare treasures not easily found outside. If my fortune is favorable, perhaps I could reach Nine-Star Battle Sovereign status and successfully refine the Jade-Steel Body before even finding the Bodhi Ancient Tree." Xiang Yan mused quietly. Now, he needed to continuously strengthen his capabilities without fail. "The information has been verified—the Bodhi Ancient Tree's emergence is indeed genuine..." Yao Lao glanced at Xiang Yan and spoke slowly. "Oh?" Upon hearing this, Xiang Yan's heart leapt slightly, then nodded slightly. If that were true, then it was likely that other factions would also be mobilizing. "This time, you'll first proceed to the Primordial Wild Domain with your party. You carry the Spatial Scroll I've given you—when you encounter any difficulties that cannot be resolved, simply tear it open, and I'll arrive immediately..." The Elder Pharmacist said, "The allure of the Bodhi Tree is too great; even the ancient races themselves will surely intervene. Thus, securing the Bodhi Heart will prove quite challenging." Xiao Yan nodded, already anticipating this difficulty. "The Starfall Pavilion requires my presence, so the initial journey must rely entirely on you. Once you enter the deeper reaches of the Domain, tear the scroll open—there, with your current strength, the challenges will undoubtedly be severe." The Elder patted Xiao Yan's shoulder gently, sighed, "This journey is of utmost importance to you. Strive, then." "When shall we depart?" Xiao Yan asked softly. "As soon as possible. During your half-month period of meditation, several powerful factions have already entered the Primordial Wild Domain..." the Elder said. Xiao Yan nodded slightly, then slowly said, "Then let's go now..." Xiao Yan was known for his decisive and efficient actions. Once he had made up his mind, he would never hesitate—immediately setting off, heading northeast toward the Central Plains. This time, he brought four companions: Cai Lin, Xiao Yi Xian, Qing Lin, and a senior monk whose strength had reached the peak of the Dou Zun rank. Tian Huo Zun, however, was currently in seclusion and thus had to stay behind. Among the four, both Cai Lin and Xiao Yi Xian possessed combat abilities equivalent to eight-star Dou Zun ranks; together, they could hold their own against a top-tier Dou Zun warrior. As for Qing Lin, with her Bi She San Hua eyes, she was a powerful burst-type fighter. Moreover, her unique ability to control a serpentine beast proved particularly valuable on this journey into the wild, untamed regions. Although the team is not large in numbers, it has already proven quite strong. With so many members working together, any challenges they face are far from insurmountable, provided they do not encounter an exceptionally formidable opponent. ... The Manghu Ancient Domain lies far to the northeast of the Central Plains, quite distant from the Starfall Pavilion's location. Even when Xiao Yan and his companions pushed their speed to the absolute limit, making several spatial tunnel jumps along the way, it wasn't until six days later that they reached the northeastern border of the Central Plains. During this journey, they observed vast streams of people traveling in the same direction—clearly bound for the Manghu Ancient Domain. This observation prompted Xiao Yan to offer a quiet sigh. He had not expected the ancient菩提 tree's appeal to be so powerful, compelling even these travelers to overlook the domain's formidable reputation, which had once been hailed as humanity's forbidden sanctuary. Their first stop, the town named Manghuang Town, was where they would inevitably gather initial information about the Manghuang Ancient Domain. Otherwise, if they simply charged in blindly, their chances of survival would be slim. After arriving in Manghuang Town, Xiao Yan first arranged for minor accommodations for Xiao Yixian and the others before setting out to collect intelligence. It was roughly two hours later that he rejoined Cai Lin and the others. "What's wrong?" Cai Lin asked, noticing the serious expression on Xiao Yan's face. "Ah..." Xiao Yan sighed, gently rubbing his forehead. "According to the latest information gathered, all the initial group who entered the Manghuang Ancient Domain have perished—some even at the level of Battle Sovereigns." Upon hearing this, Cai Lin and the others were visibly stunned. All of them? Was the Manghuang Ancient Domain truly that perilous? "Then what do we do?" "Xiao Yixian furrowed her brows slightly. "Tomorrow, several of the stronger members here will advance together, and we'll follow behind the main groups. Since this wild, ancient realm is said to be a human sanctuary, it must not be a place of ease—by staying close to these leading figures, we'll first observe the terrain..." Xiao Yan gently tapped his fingers on the table. This wild, ancient realm surely held its own peculiarities. To truly reach its heart, he would need to remain constantly calm. Any lapse in attention might spell the complete destruction of an entire expedition. He simply could not afford such a cost. Therefore, everything must be done with the utmost caution!