"But senior said the nine cauldrons are a single entity. If we attack the Mist Province cauldron, won't the other cauldrons react?" Little Ann noticed the problem.
"Exactly. In particular, the Dragon Province cauldron is the leader of the nine cauldrons, so it will suppress the other eight cauldrons. Normally, destroying one cauldron is equivalent to destroying all nine cauldrons. However, I can temporarily cut off the connection between the Mist Province cauldron and the other cauldrons. "The Banyan Tree King smiled." After all, forging the nine cauldrons was my suggestion in the first place. "
Li Qingshan and Little Ann looked at one another. This plan sure was far-reaching.
"Alright, then allow me to assist you!" Li Qingshan was about to take a step forward.
"Hold on. I've already waited for several millennia, so there's no need for me to be in such a hurry. This matter needs to be completed in one go. You've just gone through a great battle, so your vitality still hasn't completely recovered. You might as well rest for a few more days and recover to peak condition."
The Banyan Tree King suddenly sighed. His eyes were rather worried. "I also have some matters that I need to deal with on my end."
"Yeah, fair enough." This was the first time Li Qingshan had seen the Banyan Tree King react like that. He had no idea what matters he had yet to deal with after preparing for several millennia. However, it was inappropriate for him to ask. "If there's anything I can help you with, feel free to ask."
The Banyan Tree King nodded and recovered his composure. "Take these spiritual stones for now!"
When Li Qingshan heard "spiritual stones", he did not pay too much attention to them. He had seen plenty of spiritual stones, and they were basically worthless to him now. He even found it strange why the Banyan Tree King had suddenly become so stingy. Only when a few spiritual stones landed in his hand did he become surprised.
The spiritual stones all gave off a faint, green mist. They did not seem particularly special, but the spiritual energy they contained was tremendous and pure, enough to rival the demon heart of a Demon King and the śarīra of a Monk King. Refining Demon Hearts and Relics was an extremely troublesome matter. It was inevitable that there would be many negative effects, and even inner demons would be born. However, these Spirit Stones did not have these problems at all.
Li Qingshan tried to probe them with his Divine Sense and found that these Spirit Stones did not stop there. They also contained a trace of the mysterious Laws of Heaven and Earth. If he could refine and absorb them, he would definitely gain endless benefits.
"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist … Is there anything else?"
"Don't be greedy, kid. These spiritual stones didn't form naturally. They all come from the Mist province cauldron. Over the past several thousand years, only a few have condensed. Go!" The Banyan Tree King waved his hand with a smile.
Li Qingshan put away the spirit stones and casually cupped his fists. His figure distorted and disappeared.
Only the Banyan Tree King remained in the empty tree hole. He turned around and gazed at the Mist province cauldron before suddenly letting out a long sigh. "Why aren't you coming out yet?"
"I'm the problem you want to deal with, right?" Madam Teng's lingering voice rang out in the Banyan Tree King's ears. Her arms wrapped around him naturally, and the tips of her fingers gently touched his furrowed brows. "Do you really have to sigh like that?"
"Once I refine the Mist province cauldron, I'll assist you in ascending with everything I have," said the Banyan Tree King.
"No, we'll ascend together." Madam Teng wrapped herself even tighter around him.
"Stop pestering me. This won't benefit you at all. We'll part ways one day." The Banyan Tree King patted her back.
"No, we'll ascend together!" Madam Teng repeated stubbornly before pleading again, "Old man, I'm begging you, alright?"
"Sigh, you're still too young!"
The Banyan Tree King closed his eyes gently. In a daze, he saw the scene from five thousand years ago when the valiant king of the nine provinces gave him a tiny, wilted, golden vine as a "gift".
"This sun vine is a natural variant. It doesn't belong to this world in the first place. If even you aren't willing to take it in, there won't be a place for it in the nine provinces anymore," said the lord of the world.
If regular trees were entangled by the sun vines, they would wither and die in a few days. Only relatively powerful grass elves could endure their entanglement. However, as long as they possessed some intelligence, who would be willing to let them entangle themselves? They would definitely eliminate them as soon as possible.
As a result, the Banyan Tree King allowed it to cling to him. Many otherfolk and daemons under his command wanted to kill it, but he stopped them all. "I can let it share some of the dew with me, and it won't harm me at all. Why must I kill it?"
She did not let down his benevolence, constantly absorbing the tree sap and strengthening day by day. In less than three hundred years, she underwent the heavenly tribulation and became a Daemon General, becoming a Daemon King eight hundred years ago.
To daemons, this cultivation speed was startlingly fast, let alone the fact that she was a plant daemon who cultivated the slowest. Apart from her natural talent, the Banyan Tree King's sacrifice played a crucial role. He allowed her to absorb the tree sap day and night, guiding her carefully from the moment she gained intelligence. It was no less than what the divine wutong tree had invested into the little phoenix.
His uncomplaining efforts were rewarded as well. She became the final and strongest barrier of Towering City. Although it had only been five hundred years since she underwent the third heavenly tribulation, her strength far surpassed regular Daemon Kings. And, under her intentional control, it was no longer a one-sided devouring. Instead, it assisted his cultivation, forming a harmonious symbiosis.
This was another victory for the Banyan Tree King in upholding his principles. The otherfolk and daemons who wanted to kill her all admired his wisdom and breadth of mind. However, even with his wisdom, it was impossible for him to calculate everything, especially when it came to sentient beings and the subtle changes in their emotions.
Unknowingly, she began to address herself as his wife, causing everyone to call her "Madam Teng". He had treated it as a joke, but he did not expect her obsession to be so strong.
"I don't live for 'benefits' either!" Madam Teng hugged the Banyan Tree King tightly, but her pursed lips revealed her stubborn determination.
Li Qingshan and Little Ann had just been moved back to Towering City. They were about to walk around and take a good look around when thousands of Sun Vines that were as slender as snakes and as bright as gold swarmed in through the window.
"Madam Teng?" Li Qingshan immediately pressed down on the hilt of his saber. From the first time he saw Madam Teng, he knew that he could not treat her as a regular Daemon King.
Back in the Asura Field, he felt it was dangerous even when facing a Sun Vine that did not possess any intelligence at all. Even the powerful Foundation Establishment cultivators under Prince Si Qing were entangled to death, so Madam Teng's strength could be deduced.
Although plant-type daemons like her had the disadvantage of not being able to move freely, they were extremely powerful in their own territory. If it were not for the fact that he trusted the Banyan Tree King very much, he would not have come to Towering City at all. However, he did not have any relations with Madam Teng.
The Sun Vines did not attack. Instead, they intertwined and formed a golden staircase. One of the vines even twisted into the word "please".
Li Qingshan and Little Ann exchanged glances and stepped onto the staircase. They arrived in the sky above Towering City. Countless golden vines quickly weaved into a golden building, and the golden staircase pointed towards it.
The moment Li Qingshan stepped into the building, the door was closed. He cupped his hands and said, "Madam Teng, how may I help you?"
"I wouldn't dare to help you, but I have something to ask of you! Although I don't think you can destroy the Mist Province Cauldron, please mind your own business. "Madam Teng's voice echoed through the building. She called it a request, but it was very rude.
Li Qingshan was never one to be provoked. Coupled with the fact that he was still tipsy, he laughed loudly and said, "I do have some confidence!"
"Ignorant child. You think you're helping him, but you're actually harming him?" Madam Teng said angrily.
"Oh? What do you mean?" Li Qingshan asked curiously.
"You're preventing him from ascending?"
"He doesn't want to ascend either! As the saying goes, it's better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a cow. Instead of becoming the lackey of those Daemon Gods and Demon Gods after ascending, he'd rather be with the world and be the god of the nine provinces! "
"Don't listen to that old man's nonsense. Since ancient times, no one has ever succeeded in something like this. Do you know what the consequences are if you fail? In the ancient times, before the Nine Cauldrons appeared, countless Godly Seals were scattered all over the world. There were people who dreamed of this and wantonly conquered and collected the Godly Seals. In the end, they were devoured by the Godly Seals, and their souls were destroyed, "Madam Teng said.
Li Qingshan believed her. Being the god of a mountain or a river and being the god of a prefecture were two completely different concepts. Just like how it was easy to rule a village or a town, it was impossible to rule a country without the corresponding strength to be a commoner.
This was why there was the Mountain God Seal and the Water God Seal but not the Sea God Seal. The sea was too vast, and there were countless mountain ranges at the bottom of the sea. It was not a place that ordinary Daemon Kings could control. If they tried to forcefully condense the Godly Seal, they would only be throwing their lives away. However, the Banyan Tree King's ultimate goal was to encompass all of this and control all of the mountains and seas. It was indeed like a daydream.
"However, since the 'old man' dares to do this, he must have a certain amount of confidence! Just because no one has ever done it doesn't mean it can't be done. The 'old man's' wisdom is profound, and some people can't compare to him. "
"Damn it! How dare you speak to me like this! Do you believe that I won't pester you to death!? "
Every single sun vine in the building wriggled. Li Qingshan immediately felt his strength disperse uncontrollably. If it were not for the support of the Strength of the Earth, he probably would have run out of strength in no time. He immediately understood that she had already turned this extraordinary talent into an ability. It was truly terrifying!
However, he was unfazed. He said proudly, "I don't believe it!"
In the end, Madam Teng could not lay her hands on the guest invited by the Banyan Tree King. She sighed and said, "You really don't understand. You've come to help him because he is the Banyan Tree King. If he succeeds, will he still be the same person?"
Li Qingshan fell silent. He had discussed the will of the world with the Banyan Tree King many times, and they had many guesses. In particular, whether the so-called "self" existed in the world or not. Although he had once received an invitation from the Asura Realm, he did not feel that he was speaking to the "Asura Realm".
However, at the very least, one thing was certain. The will of the world was definitely different from the will of living beings. Therefore, after the Banyan Tree King succeeded, no one could say for sure what would happen to him. However, once he started on this path, there was no possibility of turning back.
"Do you understand now? I'm doing everything for his own good. Don't be a hindrance here. I will get him to give you the Fruit of Wisdom that he promised you. Go back to your Qingzhou! "Madam Teng's voice turned gentle as she guided him patiently.
The towering tree remained silent. It did not interrupt this conversation, as if it was waiting for his decision.
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