Chapter 851: Red Firefly Fruit

Where the earth dragon met the sky, there was a river, flowing slowly along the academy's perimeter, winding into unknown darkness, its end beyond sight.

Looking along the dragon's body, the courtyards stretching forward were dotted with ponds, flowers, and trees, like patches of auspicious clouds, setting off the earth dragon as it soared through the sky.

After studying for over ten minutes, using the Eye of Clarity made him dizzy, so he couldn't help shaking his head and stopping.

It seemed that the 'three stars' the other had mentioned did not refer to actual stars, nor to the terrain's layout. Just looking like this wouldn't reveal it; he needed to study slowly.

Now that he knew what the earth dragon was, as long as he put in some effort, he should be able to find the three stars as well.

Since Wu Yangzi had revealed the location of the treasure, he naturally hoped future generations would find it, not hide it.

Withdrawing his spirit, he was about to fly down and study another time, when he saw a figure flying straight toward him.

Hu Yaoyao? What is she doing here at this hour?

The Eye of Clarity feared no darkness; he recognized her at once. However, she seemed not to see him in the air. Her swiftly moving figure reached a high point in the ruins and began searching around.

Although her strength had reached the peak of the Silkworm Seal realm, finding someone in the dark was still not easy. She flipped her wrist, producing a night pearl, and used its light to look around.

Teacher Zhang...

She couldn't help calling out.

As an apprentice, she had already changed her address to 'teacher.'

Just as he was about to answer, Zhang Xuan's eyes suddenly fell on the night pearl in her hand. Its faint light reflected in a nearby pond, like a star.

Could it be...

His eyes lit up. He quickly looked at the several ponds in the courtyard and indeed saw the light of the night pearl reflected in the water, echoing each other, like the Milky Way hanging upside down.

Looking down from above, the earth dragon formed by the ruins seemed to fly in the night sky, supported by stars, exuding an imposing aura.

This residence had been greatly altered. There were eight ponds in total, and the terrain was no longer the same as over two thousand years ago... The Three-Star Earth Dragon required finding the positions of three stars; having more would be wrong!

Wu Yangzi's message said 'Three-Star Earth Dragon.' If the light of the night pearl reflected in the ponds was what he called 'stars,' then there were currently eight stars.

It wasn't that he had spoken incorrectly, but the villa had been greatly altered, and the former landscape no longer existed.

However, this might stump others, but not me...

Zhang Xuan smiled slightly.

Other cultivators, even if a Wood Master came, would find it very troublesome to select the three ponds that existed two thousand years ago from these eight. But he was different. With the Eye of Clarity stirring, he could tell at a glance which ponds were ancient.

It didn't take long to identify three.

Connecting the three points of light in the pond, a crossing point in the courtyard appeared before his eyes.

This spot was right in front of the main hall of the mansion, where a massive pine tree stood, seemingly weathered by countless years.

"It seems to be under this pine tree!"

Having confirmed the location, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief, smiled lightly, and flew down, appearing before Hu Yaoyao.

"What do you need me for?"

"Teacher Zhang, you're going too far for treasure..."

Pointing around, Hu Yaoyao's face was full of shock.

Haven't you just moved in? How did it become like this?

Even if you're looking for the treasure left by Wu Yangzi, there's no need to turn the entire mansion into ruins!

"It's not because of the treasure, just an accident..."

Zhang Xuan was speechless: "You didn't come specifically to see the mansion collapse, did you!"

"No, it's... there's something I'd like to ask for your help, Teacher!"

Hu Yaoyao hurriedly said.

Although Wu Yangzi had left a treasure, countless of her ancestors had searched over the years without finding any trace, so she didn't think she could find it either and wasn't particularly concerned.

"What is it?"

Zhang Xuan was curious.

Although Hu Yaoyao couldn't cause any trouble for him, she was certainly a formidable figure at the academy, with many tricks up her sleeve. Was there something she couldn't handle?

"To be honest, Dong Xin, Long Cangyue, Xue Zhenyang, and I discovered a treasure. If we get it, there's a twenty percent chance it will help us break through to Half-Saint..."

Hu Yaoyao gritted her teeth: "Originally, the four of us wanted to take the treasure ourselves, but... the two guardians inside are too strong. We're no match, so... we hope to get your help!"

"Me?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

He had overheard this matter once before when eavesdropping; Dong Xin had mentioned it would ripen around this month, and counting the time, it was indeed about right.

"Yes, you have both strength and skill. If there's anyone who can help us get that thing, besides you, we can't think of anyone else..."

Hu Yaoyao shook her head.

Although the four of them were powerful at the academy, when they encountered this guy, it was like seeing a ghost—some became disciples, some became grand-disciples, and Dong Xin was the worst off, not only becoming a great-grandson but also getting expelled directly.

Long Cangyue had never made a move, and thus managed to escape unscathed.

Originally, three of the four had grudges against him and really didn't want to ask for his help, but that item was about to ripen. If they didn't take it, the two big fellows would snatch it away, and then they would get nothing, making it even harder to break through their shackles!

After much deliberation, they decided to invite him anyway.

That guy might be a destroyer, but his true ability was evident; otherwise, they wouldn't have lost three of their four top experts in succession.

"What is it? Something that can increase the chance of breaking through to Half-Saint by twenty percent?"

Zhang Xuan was curious.

Having been to the Sealing Saint Platform and read countless insights on breakthroughs, he knew the difficulty of advancing from the Cocoon Seal realm to Half-Saint. A twenty percent increase was already a huge boost for geniuses like them.

Biting her lip, illuminated by the night pearl, Hu Yaoyao's snow-white skin and enchanting figure were breathtaking: "A Saint-domain medicinal herb... the Red Firefly Fruit!"

"Red Firefly Fruit?"

Stunned, Zhang Xuan's eyes couldn't help but light up.

He had heard of this thing—it was indeed a Saint-domain fruit, entirely bright red. When ripe, it emitted a fluorescent glow like fireflies, illuminating the surroundings, extremely beautiful.

This thing absorbed the essence of the sun and moon to grow, ripening once every hundred years, very rare, and impossible to cultivate artificially—truly a treasure that could only be found by chance.

Swallowing this Red Firefly Fruit wouldn't break through to Half-Saint, but it could indeed increase the chance of a breakthrough. No wonder the four were tempted; even he felt his interest stir.

His current cultivation was only at the initial stage of Void Step realm, still more than one level away from Half-Saint, but... with his training speed, as long as he found the technique and trained hard for two or three hours, he would accumulate enough.

At the Sealing Saint Platform, he had summarized countless experiences. Breaking through might not be too difficult, but with this thing, the effect would certainly be better.

After all, he cultivated the Heavenly Dao technique, which required a massive amount of spiritual energy. Although he had obtained quite a bit of Earth Vein Spiritual Liquid at Cloud Mist Ridge, it was hard to say whether it could be used at that time.

After all, the purity of spiritual energy in Earth Vein Spiritual Liquid was still somewhat lacking. With this thing in hand, it could be said... Half-Saint was within reach!

"Right, we observed that this tree has borne ten Red Firefly Fruits. As long as you help us get them... we can split them equally, two each!" Hu Yaoyao said.

"Two each?" Zhang Xuan stroked his chin: "Alright, I agree!"

He was a temporary addition, so getting two in an equal split was not bad.

Of course, the exact distribution would depend on contribution; they could discuss it later.

"Agreed?"

She had expected him to drive a hard bargain and ask for more, but he agreed so readily that Hu Yaoyao found it hard to believe.

"Of course!" Zhang Xuan nodded: "When do we set off?"

"That place is quite far from here. Riding Dong Xin's spirit beast, it takes about three days to get there! That means a round trip would take... seven or eight days!"

Hu Yaoyao said: "If you have nothing else to do, we can leave right now!"

"Seven or eight days?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had to take over as dean in three days, with a grand ceremony to attend, so he definitely couldn't leave.

"Yes, and that's only if the Red Firefly Fruits ripen within the calculated time. Otherwise, we might have to wait a few more days there until they fully ripen before picking them..." Hu Yaoyao said.

"We have to wait?"

That would mean it could take ten days to half a month?

Too slow!

In that time, he might even be able to冲击到从圣, so just for Half-Saint, it really wasn't worth it.

Moreover, the main issue was that it would delay other matters.

"In three days, the academy's new dean coronation ceremony is happening. If I leave now, I'll definitely miss it..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Oh, I heard about that. After the old dean disappeared, the dean position has been vacant. Teacher Mu came this time for that very matter. I wonder who will become dean... My guess is either Dean Lu Feng or Dean Zhao Bingxu! They're the most likely."

She responded, then shook her head, her red lips pouting: "But what does that have to do with us? You're no longer a student of the academy, so why bother about who's dean?"

Zhang Xuan had made such a big fuss with Dean Lu Feng, been expelled from the academy, and even lost his place to stay—how could the president of the Prodigy Society not know!

You're no longer a student of the academy, so why care about who becomes dean?

What does the coronation ceremony have to do with you?

"Well..." Zhang Xuan smiled wryly.

It actually did have something to do with him, and quite a lot.

"Make a decision quickly. The Red Firefly Fruits will ripen in the next few days. If we go too late, I'm afraid we'll miss the chance!"

Seeing him still thinking about the dean succession ceremony, Hu Yaoyao shook her head.

"How about this: we set off at midnight tonight. Don't take Dong Xin's spirit beast; it's not fast enough. Take mine instead. That way, we should be able to make a round trip within three days!"

After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Xuan said.

He still had to attend the banquet now and check if the Saint-domain Bodhi Tree could save Wei Ruyan before he could leave.

Dong Xin's spirit beast was at most at her level, the Cocoon Seal realm, with average speed. If he took Zi, a three-day journey could be completed in half a day.

That would save a lot of time.

"Your spirit beast? That Purple Winged Sky Bear?" Hu Yaoyao frowned: "Its speed is probably even slower!"