Chapter 182: Mount Mu

Chapter 182: Mount Mu

Hui dug through the earth, burrowing deep into its depths. He glanced over his shoulder a few times. That Ding Lao, he isnt following me, is he?

Everyone, good work! Im eagerly awaiting your boulders! Ding Lao shouted.

Dammit, a little further! Hui dug at the wall with renewed desperation, carving his way through the earth. Argh, no, forget it! Ill dig all the way back to the roots of the Black Asp Sects tree, then escape into our palace! Surely Ding Lao wont dare to follow me all the way back there!

But where is it? Underground, I cant see where I am!

Ah, whatever! Ill dig until Im far enough away from Ding Lao and all those other cultivators, then pop up and take a peek! From there, I should be able to find my way back.

So decided, Hui clawed at the earth again, digging himself in a straight line under the forest. Whenever he hit a root, he dug down and around it, slowly dipping deeper into the earth. On and on, until the shouts of the other cultivators diminished, and even Ding Laos voice faded away. Even then, he kept digging. That Ding Lao is too dangerous. Its like he can sense when Im not cultivating my body! Ive got to keep pressing on until Im far enough away to escape in one fell swoop!

He dug on. Further and further. At last, he dug away a handful of earth, and his knuckles scraped against stone.

Huis brows furrowed. Stone? A boulder?

Dammit, I better not have run into a boulder! I dont want Ding Lao breathing down my neck again with a boulder right in front of me. And I dont even know how big it is! What if its huge?

No, no, Hui, dont panic. First, lets assess the situation. Maybe its a small boulder. Hui dug on, scraping his hands along the side of the boulder. The more he dug, the more of the boulder he revealed. Broad and gnarled, it stretched in all directions. The surface undulated in and out, almost organic. Its surface was almost as if it was covered in thick vertical strings, stretching from high above to far below. Vertical streaks of brown colored the surface.

Huis brows furrowed. He knocked his knuckles against it. This texture its almost as if its wood, a tree stripped of its bark. But its stone, its definitely stone!

Furrowing his brows, Hui pushed closer. Is this the seal? Its sealing the light

Wait. This light looks almost like a tree.

As he soared toward the top of the light, the canopy spread further and further overhead, blocking out the sky around him. Streaks of light became branches, branches stretched into leaves. He hovered close, gazing at the leaves. The shape burned itself into his mind. Hui frowned, then glanced down the side. Could it be?

The character for wood burned brightly down the side of the tree. His eyes widened. It is! This is that enormous tree!

But its rock?

Hui raised his eyebrows. Petrified wood! Over the centuries, wood sometimes fossilizes, turning into stone. This massive tree has completely petrified. Its stone, through and through.

He opened his eyes. Hui passed his hand over his storage ring and summoned the black dagger into his hand. He circulated his death qi into the dagger. It began to glow with dark light and emanate an aura of death.

The tree turned into stone. I want to transmute into crystal. This tree holds the clues I need to become crystal!

But Ding Lao could bust in on me at any moment. Putting that aside, even if I could immerse myself in seeking enlightenment here, I cant! I got distracted by body cultivation, but Mysterious Heavenly Forest Sect is preparing to ambush the other sects. While I have the chance, I need to discover all the traps theyre setting, so I can warn Starbound Sect when they arrive!

Then, my only choice is to take a piece of this petrified tree with me!

Eyes flashing, Hui lifted the black dagger.