Chapter 1169: Collaborating with a Powerful Adversary
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Every strand of purple Qi could boost his vitality by a thousand Na.
Unbeknownst to him, as Braydon Neal immersed himself in cultivation, he sensed the presence of living beings spying on him in the shadows.
It turned out to be that old bamboo again.
Plants were considered demons.
This ancient plant demon possessed considerable power, leaving Braydon with a strong sense of danger.
It continued to spy in the darkness.
A sense of unease filled Braydon. He halted his cultivation, opening his eyes. “Do you have something to tell me?”
“You are Jada’s guest. I won’t harm you!”
Quietly, bamboo roots extended throughout the entire house.
These roots, containing the essence of life, rapidly gave rise to a bamboo flower, visible to the naked eye. The white blossom opened, emitting a delightful fragrance that filled the air.
Simultaneously, a human face materialized above the flower.
It bore an incredibly aged appearance, resembling an orange peel, complete with a goatee, giving the impression of a wretched old man.
While this bizarre scene might terrify an ordinary person, martial artists were accustomed to such occurrences.
Every martial artist underwent experiences beyond the imagination of ordinary people.
“You’ve been spying on me for two days, sir,” Braydon said calmly. “If you have something to say, just say it.”
“I wish to borrow a wisp of purple Qi. Is it possible?” The old bamboo voiced its request.
“If I refuse, are you going to kill me and take it?” Braydon inquired with a smile.
“If I were to do that, Jada would be sad,” the old bamboo replied slowly, but there was an underlying implication in this statement.
Once Braydon and Luke Yates departed, the old bamboo would launch a covert attack.
By then, even Jada wouldn’t be aware.
Plant demons in the ruins were far from benevolent, more vicious than spirit beasts.
“What do you need the purple Qi for?” Braydon asked calmly.
“You should know that purple Qi can nourish all things, but it is most beneficial to us plant cultivators. Gaining spirituality and consciousness is extremely difficult for us; it requires centuries of acc.u.mulation for even a trace of spirituality.”
“The potential of us plant demons lies in spirituality. Without it, we are no different from a piece of decaying wood.”
While the purple Qi had limited effects on the old bamboo, it needed it to enhance its spirituality.
Plant cultivators with abundant spirituality were akin to individuals with extraordinary luck, inherently rich and n.o.ble.
Only with spirituality could one achieve greater heights in the future.
Purple Qi could elevate the old bamboo’s spirituality.
Braydon didn’t hesitate. “You and I both understand the value of purple Qi. How about we exchange it for something else?”
“Sure, I don’t want to owe you any favors.” The old bamboo was astute; it understood Braydon’s aversion to owing debts.
In the next moment, the towering old bamboo gently swayed, revealing a faint red glow atop its lush leaves. A fist-sized red fruit, smooth and round, emerged.
This was a bamboo fruit.
The old bamboo dropped one and offered it to Braydon. “This is a thousand-year-old fruit. It can enhance your vitality without any side effects. As a martial artist, you should know that the fruits of exceptional plant demons are naturally produced and extremely precious. If a martial artist consumes it, it is harmless but incredibly beneficial.”
Braydon inquired calmly, “How much purple Qi do you want?”
“100!” The old bamboo demanded an exorbitant price.
“Hmph! Do you understand the significance of this wisp of purple Qi for a martial artist’s vitality?”
Braydon sneered and continued. “Increasing a thousand Na of vitality can enhance a martial artist’s talent and boost their potential.
“However, you can only gather purple Qi once a day. A hundred wisps of purple Qi take merely three months to gather, but my fruit took a thousand years to grow,” the old bamboo sidestepped the main point.
“One fruit for five wisps of purple Qi,” Braydon said indifferently.
“Seven wisps!” The old bamboo bargained.
“Seven wisps is acceptable, but add some plant spirit essence!” Braydon decided.
“I can give you ten drops!” After the old bamboo finished speaking, its roots expelled ten drops of milky-white substance.
This was the plant spirit essence unique to plant demons, known outside as the essence of plants and vegetation.
Comparable to a martial artist’s vitality, one drop could save lives, mend flesh and bones, even revive the dead—a sacred item for healing and life preservation.
Braydon used a jade bottle to secure the items and the fruit. “Wait for me for five days.”
“Alright!” The old bamboo understood that Braydon already possessed two wisps of purple Qi and could wait another five days.
Braydon raised his hand and sent two wisps of purple Qi outside.
The towering old bamboo gently inhaled, absorbing the two wisps of purple Qi into its body.
Boom!
A formidable aura enveloped the entire bamboo forest, hinting at surpa.s.sing a ninth-level spirit beast.
Braydon’s eyes constricted; he had underestimated the old bamboo.
Stuck at the level of a ninth-level plant demon for years, it aimed to break through but faced a bottleneck. The purple Qi in Braydon’s possession was the key to its breakthrough.
Merely two wisps of purple Qi birthed a trace of spirituality in the old bamboo, rendering it more attuned to heaven and earth.
This old ent.i.ty was indeed formidable. If it became an adversary, a.s.sisting its strength would be a grave mistake. However, refusing now would lead to an inevitable conflict later.
Yet, the old bamboo claimed concern for Jada. Did it genuinely care, given its millennia-long existence?
Braydon closed his eyes, ignoring the disturbance outside.
Over the next five days, Braydon managed to condense five wisps of purple Qi, barely catching his breath.
The roots of the old bamboo reached over, a bamboo flower blooming into an old man’s face, more focused colored eyes—thanks to the purple Qi.
“Young friend, it’s time to fulfill your promise!” it declared.
“You never mentioned using the purple Qi to break through. I’ve felt your strength, and I need a.s.surance that Luke and I can safely leave, regardless of your breakthrough,” Braydon replied as five wisps of purple Qi surrounded his palm.
“Are you threatening me?” The old bamboo asked, gloomy.
“If you’re magnanimous, why the hostility?” Braydon remained calm, understanding the old ent.i.ty’s danger.
After a moment of silence, the old bamboo spoke, “You must understand that martial artists have a kill order in the Divine Emptiness World: Spirit beasts, aboriginals, and plant cultivators are to be killed on sight.”
“Killing orders are not related to your breakthrough,” Braydon chuckled.
The old bamboo continued to laugh, “You’re an interesting kid. You must be a top genius in the ancient city. Letting you go would undoubtedly spell trouble in the future. Allowing a tiger to return to the mountain will undoubtedly lead to great trouble.”