Killing Dao Fruit
Chapter 87 - 85: The Undying Tree, The Book of Life and Death (Seeking support for Friday’s release!)

Chapter 87: Chapter 85: The Undying Tree, The Book of Life and Death (Seeking support for Friday’s release!)

As the coachman gave a reminder, Wang Yuan’s mind automatically filled with a wealth of information.

"My consciousness has entered the Jade Scroll, and now I am the Emperor Mu of Great Zhou? On this journey heading west, I am about to visit the legendary West King Holy Mother who resides on the Divine Mountain?"

Because in this world, there were similarly the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, as well as the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties.

It wasn’t until the era of the Hundred Schools of Thought that a world-shaking change occurred, warping the originally normal Red County Shenzhou into a bizarre Divine Deceit World.

Therefore, the history before and during the Zhou Dynasty was not much different from the previous world’s history.

Of course, calling it history—much of it was actually more like mythological stories from before the time of the Pre-Qin.

Among these, the story of the "Emperor Mu Story" was known to every household.

King Mu of Zhou, Ji Man, led his group of seven choice scholars, riding the eight famous horses Chiji, Daoli, Baiyi, Yulun, Shanzi, Quhuang, Hualiu, and Lv’er.

With Zaofu driving the chariot and Boyao as a guide, they set out from Luoyang, crossed the Zhang River, passed by River Clan, Yangyu Mountain, and Qunyu Mountain, and headed west to the realm of the West King Holy Mother, where they wined, dined, and exchanged toasts.

"Does this Jade Scroll also record this mythological story? Although I am living through it, what does this tale have to do with the ’Small Book of Life and Death’ and the ’Earthly Que Golden Book’?

And wasn’t it said that the full activation of secret ’knowledge’ took place during the time of the ’Hundred Schools of Thought’?

Could it be that hundreds or even thousands of years earlier, there was already an emergence of partially activated knowledge, and that it held untold secrets?"

Wang Yuan’s interest surged immediately.

Because thoughts move countless times faster than the outside world, he was not in a hurry.

Besides, after all, this was just a story, and the unimportant parts were glossed over.

In the blink of an eye, the grand procession arrived at the legendary dwelling place of the West King Holy Mother—the Mountain of Jade.

The clear spring with the white deer, the Immortal Peach, and the jade grass—it’s needless to say how splendid the Immortal Realm scenery was.

A gigantic peach tree rivaling mountains covered the entire summit.

Its branches and leaves spread out like jade clouds, laden with large Immortal Peaches with purple streaks and delicate pits, fragrance overflowing, offering a sight that made people drool in desire.

Here, Wang Yuan finally got his wish and encountered the origin of the "Peach God Tao" from the Taoist Lineage, the Sect Venerable God: the West King Holy Mother.

Yet, this goddess appeared rather vague; even the Jade Scroll, capable of giving a firsthand experience, could not fully capture her appearance and voice...

You could only discern her most distinctive features: waist-length black hair, thick and lustrous, and a green forehead ornament that seemed like a leaf-shaped Beautiful Jade, highlighting the bright red ribbons on her clothes.

Beneath the beautiful multicolored skirt trailed a leopard-print long tail on the ground.

Far from frightening, it could even be considered a highly appealing point in the hearts of some.

Moreover, her voice was not like the roaring of tigers and leopards as the legends suggested, but even more pleasant than Lady Peach Fairy’s voice.

The following events didn’t differ much from the story recorded in the "Emperor Mu Story."

On the first day, Emperor Mu met the Queen Mother of the West, holding a white jade bi, and also presented her with West King Mother Brocade and raw silk, which the Queen Mother respectfully accepted.

On the second day, Mu King and the Queen Mother of the West agreed to drink and make merry at the Turquoise Pool, singing and harmonizing in songs and dances.

The Emperor tore off the goddess’s sleeve,

with Wang Yuan’s perspective in sync with that of the Mu King,

and both the male and female leads held positions of utmost prestige, one the supreme ruler of the Mortal World, the other a god with vast Divine Skills and the Sect Venerable God.

The only regret was that the scene blurred out at critical junctures, inevitably causing one to sigh with frustration.

Of course.

Wang Yuan also confirmed something.

In the era of the Hundred Schools of Thought, the shocking metamorphosis of the sudden activation of secret "knowledge" did not happen overnight; instead, it underwent a centuries-spanning process from gradual change to a qualitative transformation.

Put more vividly, the world had undergone a gradual "revival of spiritual energy"!

At least during the era of the Mu King, there were already numerous tales of Immortals.

On the third day at the Turquoise Pool, Wang Yuan finally arrived at the main event.

Emperor Mu was about to bid farewell to the beauty and return to the Capital, and the West King Holy Mother came to see him off.

The goddess chanted a verse for the Emperor: "White clouds in the sky, mountains naturally rising. The path is long and distant, between the mountains and streams. Can you, my child, not die and yet return once more?"

The departing figure was no longer visible. Only the white clouds lingered, still swirling between the mountains.

The way is long and winding, with mountains upon mountains, water upon water, when can we return, when can we meet again? I only hope you can still live to come back so we can see each other again.

Afterwards, what she brought out was not the legendary "Undying Elixir," but a Taoist Book named "Heavenly Department Dao Skill · Peach God Vitality Scripture."

One could achieve Longevity upon successful practice!

It was also the fundamental method of "Peach God Tao," which Wang Yuan had learned from the Lady Peach Fairy.

The first thought that popped into his mind was: "Could it be the information was wrong? Is what’s recorded in this White Jade Scroll actually the origin of the ’Peach God Tao’?

Did Emperor Mu ultimately become the loyal subject of the West King Holy Mother?"

Then he recalled Lady Peach Fairy once mentioning that the ’Earthly Que Golden Book’ and Peach God Tao were closely related, and he calmed down to continue reading.

On the other side.

After finally obtaining the Immortality Technique, King Mu of Zhou was overjoyed beyond measure.

Taking the Heavenly Department Dao Skill that would likely drive anyone from the present world mad with desire, he solemnly promised,

"Upon my return to the lands of the east, I will bring peace to the Zhou. My people content and equal, I shall think of seeing you. In three years’ time, I will return and wander the wilds again."

"When I return to the Eastern Lands and have governed the country well, I will come to see you again. Three years shall be the term."

With this, the White Jade Scroll added another Chapter to the history books that would circulate in the world.

—Emperor Mu feasted joyously with The Queen Mother of the West, and upon parting, he was bestowed with the Immortality Technique, in hopes of a future reunion.

The grand caravan set off once more, and immediately, everything before Wang Yuan turned into a vast expanse of white fog.

He did not have to wait long.

In the blink of an eye, heaven and earth shifted again.

Time had advanced to three years later.

The eight-horse carriage arrived once again at the foot of Qunyu Mountain, its speed several times more urgent than during their previous leisurely mountain jaunt.

Having just reached the foot of the mountain, Mu King called out towards the peak:

"Holy Mother, three years have passed, and I have only just come to my senses.

Tainted by affairs of state, as the Sacrificial Master; afflicted by the nation’s misfortunes, as King over all under heaven.

A king’s heart is bound to the wishing power of the people, and under the heavy suppression of dragon energy, there’s simply no way to cultivate the Immortal Law!

What is to be done? What is to be done, ah?!"

To a king already rich as the seas, Immortality is a temptation utterly irresistible.

How many wise monarchs of their youth sought the Immortal Pill with the might of their entire nation in their old age, only to fail—how can such tales be merely explained by ’incompetence’?

For Emperor Mu, it was especially so.

He had gone a step further than others, having already received the ticket to a long and enduring life, only to find he lacked the qualifications to pluck even one Immortality Dao Fruit from the start.

Thus, the greater the hope, the deeper the disappointment, and he was nearly driven to distraction.

He hastened to the appointed place before the agreed time.

Atop Qunyu Mountain, the voice of the West King Holy Mother echoed from afar:

"Could such a thing be true?

But please worry not, Your Majesty, if the ’Peach God Longevity Scripture’ is unattainable, there are still other Techniques that can be cultivated, which will likewise grant a long life. However, there is one matter for which the emperor must give his consent."

Wang Yuan could clearly sense her calm composure, as though she had anticipated this day’s conversation long ago.

To be more precise, it was a long-held scheme that had finally come to light!

The Emperor Mu, thirsty for longevity, didn’t think too much and immediately promised:

"By the supreme title of the Emperor of Great Zhou in the mortal world, I will agree to everything if I can achieve longevity!"

The word of the Emperor carries the constitution of heaven.

As soon as he finished speaking.

Heaven and earth seemed to emit a mournful cry.

Boom!

A thunderous noise, the earth quaked and the mountains shook, and the enormous peach tree that stood atop Qunyu Mountain suddenly swelled at its roots.

In the blink of an eye, it pierced through the mountain’s base, tearing open a dark and bottomless fissure in the ground before the carriage—not leading to the earth’s interior, but to another world.

Woo-woo-woo...

The once idyllic mortal fairyland was instantly battered by angry winds and sobbing gusts.

From the perspective of Emperor Mu, Wang Yuan saw another pitch-black peak standing tall within the fissure, opposite the Mount of Jade.

No grass on the mountain, no peak touching the sky, no ridge traveled by guests, no cave gathering clouds, no stream flowing in the ravine.

Brambles hid monsters and demons, phosphorescent cliffs concealed evil spirits, no animal or bird noise reached one’s ears—only ghosts and goblins were visible before one’s eyes.

Etched on the mountain cliffs were two ancient and simple characters—Yin Mountain!

Beneath the fissure lay the obvious Earthly Yin World.

Suddenly.

More appendages, whether roots, branches, or tendrils, descended from beyond the heavens, alongside the great peach tree, thrusting their branches and roots deep into this Earthly Yin World.

Wang Yuan glimpsed, half-concealed and half-revealed, that those indescribable things from beyond the heavens seemed to be an enormous entity beyond the scope of language.

It was as if the 33 heavens were its 33 massive roots, with the sun and moon palaces as secondary roots, the Cycle Star Mansion as air roots, while limbs stretching from beyond the heavens grew downwards.

Adorned with foliage, flowers, fruits, and repulsive fleshy tumors that induced nausea.

The massive peach tree on Mount of Jade was nothing more than an insignificant twig of that entity.

For some reason, with just a glance, Wang Yuan was entirely convinced that this was the foundation of all Daoist magic manifesting in the world, a living embodiment of the Undying Tree, formed by the manifestation of the Dao—

It was also the collective activation of all knowledge to date.

From within the fissure of the Underworld, a burst of golden blue Divine Light flashed, and a Yellow Dragon carrying the sun and moon soared into the sky. With a long cry, it voiced the unyielding shouts and roars of billions upon billions of living beings.

On behalf of this world, it declared to the bizarre tree: No!

In the midst of this intense conflict, where it seemed as if heaven and earth were overturning and Yin and Yang were reversing,

a half-black, half-white boulder atop the peak of Yin Mountain suddenly cracked and broke off a corner, transforming into a half-black, half-white book.

Titled: "The Small Book of Life and Death"!