"A Bodhi Ancient Tree?" As Xiao Yan was stunned by the colossal ancient tree far beyond that distant place, the others also noticed it, and immediately a series of gasps of astonishment and awe escaped their lips. This legendary being, though they were descendants of an ancient race, had never seen it in person—only occasionally glimpsed in ancient scrolls. "Such a massive tree…" Xiao Yixian murmured, even though they were far away, still able to sense the sheer scale of the Bodhi Ancient Tree. Its canopy spread out like a vast, celestial realm, exuding an ancient, timeless aura, as if standing as a sacred relic from the dawn of time. "The Huan clan members must have already passed on—let's hurry." Xiao Yan suppressed the fervor in his heart, raised his hand, and swiftly moved toward the distant tree. Behind him, Xun'er and the others, no longer pausing to recover, quickly summoned their speed and hurried to follow. As the group of Xiang Yin and others set off, a fresh commotion surged from the rear among the beast tide. Several waves of teams emerged from the surge, somewhat disheveled, and eventually settled into the now empty expanse. "Is that the Bodhi Ancient Tree?" As they landed, still wobbling slightly, they immediately spotted the towering ancient tree standing between heaven and earth. Everyone's eyes instantly filled with a deep red hue—especially when they saw Xiang Yin and his companions already hastening toward the Bodhi Ancient Tree. Even the usually composed Nine Phoenix, who had remained calm throughout, furrowed her brow and, without pausing for rest, urged, "Keep pace with them!" "Understood!" The powerful members of the Heavens' Phoenix Clan nodded firmly, and one after another, their figures swiftly moved, hurrying to catch up with Xiang Yin and the others ahead. … "These guys..." Hearing the gusts of wind coming from behind, Xiao Yan let out a cold smile, yet his pace remained unyielding. He lifted his gaze, watching the Bodhi ancient tree grow ever more imposing within his field of vision—slowly, a quiet sense of reverence stirred within him. Before such an ancient, timeless divine being, no one could remain unmoved, untouched by time. Xiao Yan and his companions moved with exceptional speed; covering several thousand feet in mere minutes. When they reached hundreds of feet beyond the Bodhi ancient tree, a group of figures suddenly appeared into view. "Spirit Jade?" Xiao Yan and his companions were momentarily stunned. These individuals had simply stood still, patiently waiting for them? "Be a bit more careful..." Xiao Yin murmured, gradually slowing his pace, and then gently descended to a position not far behind the group of spirit jade bearers. He glanced over their forms, then lifted his gaze toward the distant Bodhi ancient tree. Up close, the Bodhi ancient tree presented an even more breathtaking sight—its trunk, stretching over several thousand paces, stood like a colossal pillar linking heaven and earth. Ancient energies flowed densely across its surface. The tree's shade was vast, spreading out so widely that it could envelop half of a city. A thick, pure qi emanated from the tree, rippling through the sky, occasionally giving rise to marvels and wonders. At this moment, sunlight poured down from the sky, illuminating the ancient tree, casting a translucent glow—an overwhelming vitality so potent that it stirred awe in Xiao Yan and his companions. Xiao Yan's gaze remained fixed upon the colossal, almost incomprehensibly vast, Bodhi ancient tree. The pure, clear qi enveloped him, evoking a sense of serene exhilaration. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, a quiet unease lingered within him. This unease stemmed from his increasingly refined soul, which now allowed him to sense threats subtly and intuitively. However, the current sense of unease was subtle, almost imperceptible—only through careful awareness could it truly be detected. "The Bodhi ancient tree—a rare treasure of the earth and sky—is surely among the top three most precious assets on the Qi Continent. It's simply inconceivable that it poses no danger at all. Moreover, if this tree has indeed survived for countless years, it should have developed its own wisdom by now..." Xiao Yan looked thoughtful. If this Bodhi tree could not only attain spiritual awareness but also cultivate, it would undoubtedly be one of the most terrifying beings on the Qi Continent. With the people here, they would likely barely be able to serve as a side dish in comparison. "Whoosh!" As Xiao Yan and his companions were pondering, the wind rushing from behind arrived swiftly. Soon after, the Tian Yao Huang Clan and several other teams arrived as well, and upon seeing Xiao Yan and the Houn Yu, they exchanged a moment of mild curiosity before gently landing. "Ladies and gentlemen, we've finally made it this far—why have we stopped now?" Nine Phoenix stepped forward, her tone calm and gentle. Xiao Yan glanced at Jiu Feng but said nothing. The Houny Crystal, however, turned around and, with the furrows on her brow smoothing out, smiled warmly, "Hehe, everyone has finally arrived. Since all of our goals are the Bodhi Ancient Tree, we naturally have to wait together." Upon hearing this, everyone present smiled. Those who had come here were no ordinary people—they had long deciphered the Houny Crystal's game. Though she appeared kind and courteous, her true nature was deeply calculating and ruthless. The very people who believed in her words had already been swallowed whole by the beast surge, turned into mere scraps and consumed by the fierce beasts. Unbothered by the polite yet reserved expressions of the others, the Houny Crystal maintained her cheerful demeanor, pointing toward the Bodhi Ancient Tree behind her and saying, "This is our objective. Though we have successfully broken through the beast surge, the real challenge remains—the Bodhi Ancient Tree..." "Hmm?" Hearing this, the crowd's hearts stirred, and their gazes settled upon the jade of the spirit. "In one of our ancient scrolls of the spirit clan, there is a record of a predecessor who once encountered the Bodhi ancient tree. However, after that, he lost contact entirely. When our stronger members received the message and set out to rescue him, both he and the Bodhi tree had completely vanished..." said the jade with a smile. "Though I don't know exactly what happened to that ancestor, I'm certain he has likely perished—most probably at the hands of the Bodhi tree." "Moreover, at the time, his strength was at the half-saint level." "Half-saint?" The faces of Xiao Yan and the others slightly darkened, for even a half-saint-level master had disappeared without a trace, baffled by the Bodhi tree. "Therefore, do not underestimate this Bodhi tree. It is, in fact, the most dangerous thing on this journey." said the jade slowly. "Are you staying here because you're afraid to go up alone?" Gu Qingyang glanced at the Spirit Jade, saying so. The Spirit Jade smiled, neither denying nor hesitating, and with a simple turn of her body, began to walk slowly toward the massive ancient Bodhi tree. Since everyone had gathered, they could now test just what strange qualities the Bodhi tree held. As for the others, under the allure of the tree, the Spirit Jade had no doubt they would follow. "Be careful." Xiao Yan scanned the Spirit Jade's back and the distant Bodhi tree, then softly added, and then lifted his foot to follow. Regardless of whether the Spirit Jade's words were true or not, having made such a journey with such effort, they could no longer easily abandon it. Everyone nodded in agreement, and then followed Xiao Yan, their inner Qi beginning to stir subtly. Behind Xiao Yan and the others, after a moment's hesitation, the Nine Phoenix and several other teams also joined in, sharing the same thoughts as Xiao Yan's group—having invested so much effort to finally reach this point, abandoning it now would surely leave everyone deeply dissatisfied. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's steps halted instantly, his eyes slightly narrowed. While he naturally couldn't sense such a thing, Qing Lin possessed the Bi She San Hua Eye—her perception was indeed peculiar. Thus, he had no doubts about her words. Moreover, he could clearly feel that as they drew closer to the Bodhi Ancient Tree, the sense of unease grew increasingly distinct. As Xiao Yan's sense of alertness intensified, the Houn Yu and others ahead suddenly stopped again. Now only a short distance from the Bodhi Ancient Tree, the dense canopy of leaves completely enveloped them. It was only upon reaching this point that Xiao Yan and his companions began to sense a subtle, pervasive coldness, as though it were gradually seeping into their very bones. Raising his head, Xiao Yan fixed his gaze upon the towering Bodhi Ancient Tree. At a distance of roughly a hundred paces from its trunk, a brilliant radiance shimmered—like a massive energy heart, measuring several zhang in size, pulsing with a steady, powerful rhythm. "Bodhi-heart!" A stream of gazes converged upon the luminous glow hidden within the massive tree. Everyone's hearts surged with a sharp beat at that very moment. "Shh-la-la..." As the words "Bodhi-heart" were spoken by several people, the ancient Bodhi tree standing steadily upon the grassland suddenly emitted a soft, whispering sound. Then, the crowd witnessed dense clusters of branches intertwining and cascading down from the tree's shade. When these branches touched the ground, they slowly split open, revealing five figures stepping forth with serene, expressionless faces.