872 Seeking One's Own Death

The Chinese language had always been profound.

No? This word was much more complicated than it was at the surface level. For example, when a woman said "no" to a man, it could mean "I want it, come quickly".

Of course, that was just an example. At the very least, when a man says "no", he meant that he really did not want it.

Yet now…

The person who shouted no was a woman.

Fang Zhengzhi could not tell whether it was Monster Emperor Baizhi, Qian Yu or the two ladies who were severely injured, Chi Guyan and Ping Yang.

After all, the surroundings were too noisy. However, he was sure that it was the voice of a female.

Therefore, he quickly regained his senses and sped up his motion to grab the golden fruit.

"No? Why should I listen to you!" Fang Zhengzhi smiled excitedly as he looked at the golden fruit in front of him.

To put it frankly, the thing that everyone wants must be something good.

However, he did not understand why everyone had their focus on Nangong Hao instead of the fruits of the Tree of God.

That was a question that confused him.

However, Fang Zhengzhi was a decisive person and would not be easily confused. His way of dealing with uncertainty had always been: just try.

After all…

Nobody would get killed.

While he was thinking, Fang Zhengzhi managed to touch the golden fruit of the Tree of God. It felt great. It was slightly cool and had marks on it.

"What a great treasure…" Fang Zhengzhi dislike laborous things but was not someone who was afraid of them. Therefore, after grabbing onto the golden fruit, he was ready to pluck it out and continue to keep the other two fruits.

However, at the instant when he tried to pluck the golden fruit, a strange feeling of crisis suged in his heart. Following that, he felt the cool golden fruit turn hot. It was as hot as fire and almost burned his hand.

"You brat, do not touch the fruits of the Tree of God!" A rough voice of a man could be heard. It sounded a little desperate.

Fang Zhengzhi figured out that it was Mo Shanshi.

However, it was too late. The burning sensation had flowed extremely quickly from his hand into his body, attacking his heart.

"What on earth?!" Fang Zhengzhi immediately released the fruit, breaking the source of the heat. However, the heat in his body did not subside.

Boom! Fang Zhengzhi felt like his head caught fire all of a sudden. Then, after a rumble in his chest, he spat out a mouth of blood.

Pfttt! The bloody mist from the blood rose in the sky.

Everything happened so quickly that the sages and the disciples could not react.

Until Fang Zhengzhi spat out a mouth of blood.

"What's going on?!"

"Not sure, but Fang Zhengzhi seemed to be injured?"

"Was it caused by the fruit of the Tree of God?"

The disciples of the various sects did not understand. After all, they had not seen what had happened and only knew that Fang Zhengzhi got injured.

"Fang Zhengzhi, I think only the Nangong family are allowed to touch the fruits of the Tree of God, stop touching it!" The voice of a woman could be heard again.

Fang Zhengzhi could identify the voice this time. It was from Qian Yu. However, this voice was slightly different from the voice that said "no". Clearly, the woman who said "no" was not Qian Yu.

It was not Qian Yu who reminded him?

Could it be Monster Emperor Baizhi?

Fang Zhengzhi was confused. However, he finally understood something.

"I think only the Nangong family can touch it?" Although this sentence had a hint of uncertainty due to the two words "I think", Fang Zhengzhi finally understood why Monster Emperor Baizhi, Mu Qingfeng, and the others had not reached for the fruits after all the fighting.

What the f*ck? How does this work?

Fang Zhengzhi wanted to curse.

After spitting out blood, on top of the pain from the burning sensation, he also realized that his origin energy had decreased by thirty percent after he touched the fruit.

It was swallowed by the fruit of the Tree of God?

Fang Zhengzhi felt that he was at a big loss. Although the ancient saying goes, it is a blessing to suffer from a loss, he felt that this incident did not give him any form of blessing.

Most importantly, he felt that he made a fool of himself.

Monster Emperor Baizhi, Mu Qingfeng, and Yan Yin all looked at Fang Zhengzhi with a strange expression.

Mo Shanshi and Qian Yu too.

He felt as though they were saying, "Look, we've told you not to touch it and yet you refused to listen. Have you learned your lesson now?"

"So the fruit of the Tree of God could not be touched!"

"Wasn't it so obvious? Or else, why wouldn't Pavilion Master Mu and Valley Master Mo snatch the fruits?"

"Fang Zhengzhi was always conceited, now that he landed himself in this situation, what will he do? Snatching the fruit of the Tree of God, how foolish!"

After hearing Qian Yu's words, the disciples finally understood too. Following that, they began to "show off" their intelligence.

Their behavior was exactly like the old saying that goes: Hindsight is 20-20.

"Fang Zhengzhi, the tactic you used to divert attention worked well, but for now, come and help us to trap Baizhi using the five element formation!" Mu Qingfeng saw the awkwardness in Fang Zhengzhi's eyes and gave him an out.

"You brat, stop wasting your energy!" Mo Shanshi was clearly more straightforward. While he said that, he pointed at the empty spot that was meant for Fang Zhengzhi.

Both Qian Yu and Yan Yin did not say anything. They were trying their best to block Monster Emperor Baizhi's attack and controlling the fox tail that was around Nangong Hao.

Of course, Monster Emperor Baizhi would not let the two of them achieve their goals so easily. She kept changing the position of the fox tail that trapped Nangong Hao.

Yet, Monster Emperor Baizhi found a time to glance at Fang Zhengzhi, secretly laughing at his foolishness.

"…" Fang Zhengzhi's lips moved. He stood rooted to the ground, looked at the three fruits of the God of Tree and then looked over at Qian Yu and Yan Yin who were busy fighting.

Another saying goes, the wind is blowing and the river is flowing, the hero will go and never come back.

Fang Zhengzhi could not comprehend the second part of the sentence yet. However, he could certainly understand the first part of the sentence, he indeed felt the wind of embarrassment.

Should he run over to help?

If he had done that from the start, he would be looked up by others for being righteous. However, it would be a completely different story if he had gone now.

That was foolish.

Moreover, after thirty percent of his origin energy was drained, Fang Zhengzhi was certain that even if he had joined, the best outcome could only be a tie.

Yet, that was not the problem he was most concerned with.

He was not afraid if he only collaborated with Qian Yu. However, that was not the case for Mu Qingfeng and Mo Shanshi who had lived over a hundred years. They were as sly as a fox and god knows if they would betray him during crisis just like before.

Wait a minute!

Something was amiss. If the woman who had said "no" was not Qian Yu, then it had to be Monster Emperor Baizhi who was physically closest to him.

However, why did Monster Emperor Baizhi remind him?

Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi clearly saw the nervousness in Monster Emperor Baizhi's eyes when he appeared in front of the fruits of the Tree of God.

Something was wrong.

There must be something wrong.

He suddenly remembered that the fruits must be consumed instead of touched.

Fang Zhengzhi vaguely recalled that Nangong Hao had swallowed the white fruit of the Tree of God without touching it with his body.

It could really only be consumed?

After his origin energy was drained by thirty percent because he touched the fruit, he was afraid that the consequences would be dire if he had made the wrong deduction.

What should he do? Should he consume the fruit?

Fang Zhengzhi was hesitant. After all, even though the fruit looked edible, god knows whether it was poisonous.

To eat or not to eat…

It was a debatable question.

However, Fang Zhengzhi do not have any more time to ponder over it. After he saw the mocking look on the disciples' faces, he did not have the guts to flee again.

Although Fang Zhengzhi was not someone who viewed his reputation as something important, he could not possibly return without any accomplishment. If he did, he would be mocked at for his whole life!

In the future, he would be known as the "guy who failed to steal the fruit and was instead injured by the fruit".

"Screw this. So I can't touch it because it would swallow my powers? Fine, I shall see how it can swallow my powers after it ends up in my stomach!" Fang Zhengzhi was someone who was ambitious and revengeful.

Furthermore, he was not only gifted but considered rather experienced at eating fruits in actual battles.

For the worst case scenario, he would end up with a three-year life in the past!

Even if he had lost a huge portion of his powers, with his current capabilities, he could easily enhance his powers with some treasures like the Thousand Years Fire Herb or change his physique and still end up with a higher chance than before.

"Fight till the end!" Fang Zhengzhi made up his mind and leaped towards the golden fruit. After all, it was the golden fruit that had swallowed thirty percent of his origin power.

If he swallowed the fruit, then he could get his origin powers back!

Without any hesitation, he opened his mouth and bit the golden fruit.

"What is he trying to do?!"

"He went for the fruit again. Is he not afraid of death?"

"Wait a minute, he looks like he is…"

The disciples could not react when they saw Fang Zhengzhi make his advances towards the fruit of the Tree of God again, until they saw him taking a bite on the fruit…

"Eating… He is eating?!" The disciples of the various sects and the sages were completely stunned. They could not understand what went through Fang Zhengzhi's mind. Why would he dare to eat a fruit that could not even be touched?

They were not the only ones.

Even Mu Qingfeng, Mo Shanshi, Qian Yu and Yan Yin were stunned, their eyes widened in shock.

"You brat, let go of the fruit now!"

"Fang Zhengzhi, don't seek for your own death!"

Mo Shanshi and Mu Qingfeng regained their senses and quickly warned Fang Zhengzhi.

Besides that, Monster Emperor Baizhi, who had been silent along, was also shocked. Instead of the sneer look in her dark green eyes, she looked extremely nervous.

So would Fang Zhengzhi let go of the fruit?

Of course not!

He had to swallow the fruit while it was still slightly cool. If he had waited a while longer, the burning sensation would definitely burn his mouth.

Crack! A crisp sound was heard from the branches of the Tree of God. The golden fruit was bitten off by Fang Zhengzhi.

It was a shocking scene.

Moreover, the fist-sized golden fruit did not stay too long in Fang Zhengzhi's mouth. Fang Zhengzhi stretched his neck and threw his fist on the golden fruit…

Plop!

Everyone saw the entire golden fruit of the Tree of God fall into the stomach of Fang Zhengzhi after passing through his mouth and throat.

It was a terrifying scene.

However, Fang Zhengzhi looked as though he was yearning for more. After looking at Monster Emperor Baizhi, he glanced at Mu Qingfeng, Mo Shanshi, Qian Yu and Yan Yin.

Fang Zhengzhi smacked his lips and raised his head slightly. Then, he rubbed his stomach and looked at the shocked disciples beneath. He heaved a breath and said satisfyingly, "Sweet and delicious, top grade fruit!"