Chapter 872: The Bodhi Tree Is About to Die!

"That's right, it's the Hu Bo Healing Method!" Lu Cheng looked over: "Do you know its effects?"

"This healing method doesn't actually cure the injury, but stimulates the body's potential to temporarily suppress the injury, restoring combat power to its peak. It's a last resort for emergency treatment of severe injuries on the battlefield..."

Wu Xu nodded.

Just as Zhang Xuan had guessed, they were war masters, born for battle, and severe injuries were inevitable.

Once severely injured, they lost combat effectiveness, meaning death could come at any time.

Thus, Senior Hu Bo created this healing method, which wasn't really about healing but about activating the body's potential, allowing one not to be hindered by severe injuries and still unleash their strongest combat power.

This secret technique had saved countless war masters, helping them escape danger.

In the situation just now, there was no other choice but to use it.

"Well said, but do you know the flaw of this technique?" Lu Cheng continued.

"The flaw is... once the effect ends, the injury will worsen..."

Wu Xu nodded.

"Indeed, the injury will worsen, and if mishandled, cultivation might even be greatly damaged..." Lu Cheng shook his head: "This Master Zhang, knowing my condition, showed mercy from the very first move, never attacking my injured spot. Otherwise... not to mention over a hundred moves, I wouldn't have lasted three moves and would have died on the spot!"

"This..."

"Don't believe me?" Lu Cheng shook his head: "The Hu Bo Healing Method's so-called suppression of injuries actually suppresses the injury at certain special acupoints. Mine are at the Hongmen and Zhanghui acupoints. Once these acupoints are attacked, the true qi will inevitably explode, and the injury can no longer be suppressed!"

Wu Xu nodded.

Activating potential to suppress injuries actually uses true qi to seal the injury, and the vital gate of this seal lies at these acupoints.

"Look..."

Seeing he understood, Lu Cheng smiled bitterly and pointed at his clothes.

Hurriedly looking, Wu Xu's pupils involuntarily contracted.

On the clothes of his brother Lu, at the Hongmen and Zhanghui acupoints, there were tiny holes, like needle pricks, invisible without close inspection.

"These... were left by him?"

Wu Xu's voice trembled.

"Yes, from the first move, he discovered my problem. When the wild grass swept over, I didn't know at the time and thought he was lacking in strength, so I continued attacking. To avoid hurting me, he was forced to change his move and strike my chest acupoint..."

Lu Cheng shook his head, his face full of awe: "In truth, if it were a life-and-death duel, he could have killed me in one move, yet he kept showing mercy, while I... was just unaware!"

"This, this..." Wu Xu's face turned pale.

To show mercy in such a fierce match—was he even human?

Too terrifying!

"This Master Zhang... is unfathomable! If you ever encounter him, never make an enemy of him..."

After a while, Lu Cheng couldn't help but say.

"Yes!"

Wu Xu nodded.

Even Brother Lu was no match, so naturally he dared not provoke him.

"Alright, heal quickly, and then you must break through to Half-Saint as soon as possible. If you succeed, you'll have a chance to go with us to the four academies to select new students and complete that mission. Otherwise, there will be no more opportunities!"

Lu Cheng said.

"Rest assured, Brother Lu, this time I will definitely succeed in breaking through!"

A glint of determination flashed in Wu Xu's eyes.

...

Hu Yaoyao and the others, having broken through to Half-Saint, spent the return journey consolidating their cultivation and training hard, while Zhang Xuan also consolidated his newly reached Silkworm Seal realm.

The journey was uneventful, and half a day later, they returned to Hongyuan City.

From departure to return, it was only a little over a day and a night. Just after dawn, everyone saw Hongyuan City appear before them.

"Is that... my residence?"

After the Purple Yang Beast flew for a while, Zhang Xuan looked down and was stunned.

The previous ruins had turned into a magnificent building, no less impressive than the former imperial palace.

Especially the faintly visible formations, which had all reached the sixth level, not only gathering spiritual energy but also immensely powerful.

"What's going on?"

Zhang Xuan was bewildered.

Although he knew the Master Teacher Academy would repair his house, he didn't expect it to be so luxurious.

An outsider would think this was the imperial palace!

"Let's go down and see!"

Curious, he took leave of Hu Yaoyao and the others and had the Purple Yang Beast fly down.

As soon as he landed, he saw Sun Qiang approaching.

"What's this all about?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help asking.

"It was the Hongyuan royal family who insisted on building us a house. No matter how I tried to stop them, they wouldn't listen. I had no choice, so it ended up like this..." Sun Qiang said with a look of grievance.

He was also utterly exasperated.

He could understand the Master Teacher Academy helping to build the house... but the royal family rushing in and building with all their might—what was that about?

"The royal family?" Zhang Xuan blinked.

The night before last, it seemed he was driven away by the Emperor, and now, in the blink of an eye, they were building him a house?

"Yes, not only that, but His Majesty Yu Shenqing has already visited three times, saying he wants to see you..." Sun Qiang continued.

"Wants to see me?" Zhang Xuan was even more confused.

This Emperor's喜怒哀乐 were very strange; he couldn't make heads or tails of it.

But his confusion didn't last long before someone announced that His Majesty Yu Shenqing had arrived again.

"Let him in!"

Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

Although he didn't know what the other was up to, he happened to want to borrow the royal family's Sacred Domain Bodhi Tree. Since the man was here, he might as well ask.

"Yes!" Sun Qiang went out, and before long, His Majesty Yu Shenqing entered. Seeing him, he quickly clasped his hands: "Master Zhang!"

After they were seated as host and guest, Zhang Xuan looked over: "Your Majesty, you personally sent people to build my residence. What is the reason?"

"There was some misunderstanding before. Seeing your residence in such a state, I happened to have some craftsmen, so I sent them. I wonder if Master Zhang is satisfied?" Yu Shenqing hurriedly said.

"Misunderstanding?" Zhang Xuan shook his head: "It's nothing."

He hadn't taken the matter to heart at all.

He was just a bit embarrassed that he had also collapsed the other's banquet hall.

"I'm glad Master Zhang is not angry!"

Seeing no displeasure on the other's face, Yu Shenqing breathed a sigh of relief.

He was afraid of offending him.

But it seemed the other hadn't taken it to heart.

No wonder—a master teacher who could casually create such powerful techniques was naturally open-minded and unconcerned with worldly matters.

"I heard that your royal family has a Sacred Domain Bodhi Tree. May I borrow it?" After chatting a while longer, Zhang Xuan came straight to the point.

"The Bodhi Tree?" Yu Shenqing's face turned pale, and he looked troubled: "This..."

"Is it inconvenient?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He wanted to borrow it to treat Wei Ruyan. With the precedent of the Ten-Leaf Flower, he naturally wouldn't let it die. If the other really didn't want to lend it, there was nothing he could do.

"It's not that..."

Shaking his head, Yu Shenqing sighed: "To tell you the truth, Master Zhang, this Sacred Domain Bodhi Tree has been withering for some unknown reason. Especially in the last two years, it's been on the verge of drying up... I've tried every means, but to no avail. Now... although it hasn't died, it's almost there."

"Withering?"

Zhang Xuan was startled.

He thought the other didn't want to lend it to him, but it turned out the tree was withering.

"Yes, in the past two years, we've hired over a hundred herbalists, but it's been useless..." Yu Shenqing looked dejected.

The anomaly of the Sacred Domain Bodhi Tree was a great secret of the royal family, well hidden. He hadn't wanted to say it, but since Master Zhang asked, he knew he could no longer conceal it.

"Could you take me to see it?" After a moment's hesitation, Zhang Xuan said.

"Master Zhang wants to see it?" Yu Shenqing was taken aback.

"Yes, I have some knowledge of herbalism; perhaps I can find the crux of the problem..." Zhang Xuan explained.

He had solved herbalism problems before and was not unfamiliar with the profession.

"Master Zhang also dabbles in herbalism? Wonderful..."

Hearing this, Yu Shenqing's eyes lit up, and he nearly jumped with excitement.

He had heard so many miraculous stories about this Master Zhang recently that his ears were worn out. He couldn't be sure if others could cure it, but if this man took action, there might really be hope!

Knowing that Master Zhang wanted to treat the Sacred Domain Bodhi Tree, he hesitated no longer. The two of them rode a flying sacred beast straight to the imperial palace.

Entering the palace, Yu Shenqing led the way, winding through countless paths until they arrived at a courtyard.

"The Bodhi Tree is in this courtyard..."

Pointing ahead, Yu Shenqing said.

"This?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had indeed never been to this courtyard, but there were almost no formations inside. Was such a precious Sacred Domain Bodhi Tree simply left unprotected?

Seeming to read his surprise, Yu Shenqing said: "This Bodhi Tree only benefits those who practice special techniques and nourishes the soul. In other words, it only works for our Yu family. Even if others are near it, there's no effect. Moreover, it has its own intelligence and dislikes being covered by formations, so..."

"Oh!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Many powerful sacred herbs, like sacred artifacts, possess their own intelligence. Being covered by formations makes it hard for them to absorb heavenly and earthly spiritual energy, so they indeed dislike it.

As they spoke, the two pushed open the door and entered the courtyard. Several old men immediately came forward, respectfully greeting: "Your Majesty!"

These old men had all reached the Sacred Domain realm and were presumably specially assigned to care for the Bodhi Tree.

"Master Zhang, that is the Bodhi Tree!"

Yu Shenqing pointed ahead.

Zhang Xuan looked up and indeed saw a large tree standing in the courtyard, over an arm span thick and more than ten meters tall, quite imposing.

However, its leaves were withered and sparse, and the trunk was turning white, showing signs of drying.

"It's indeed about to die!"

After a glance, he frowned.

It was spring, when all things revive and are full of vitality, but this tree was extremely withered, on the verge of death at any moment. Clearly, it was very ill.

If not for the royal family's wealth, it would probably have dried up long ago.

"May I go closer to look?"

Unable to discern much from this distance, Zhang Xuan said.

"Of course..."

Yu Shenqing nodded, but before he could finish, one of the old men who had greeted them stepped forward: "Your Majesty, no one can go near now!"