Chapter 115: The Pavilion Reaching the Heavens (Part II)

This piece of wood, the size of a palm, was twisted and gnarled, vaguely resembling a human figure. It looked somewhat like ginseng, yet it lacked any roots or whiskers. Its texture was a purplish-black, reminiscent of rosewood, yet it clearly was not. As Hai Yue held it in his hand, it appeared to be of immense weight.

Jiang Feng reached out, and the moment he grasped it, his body sank, nearly collapsing under the sudden burden. He had to exert his Nether Power just to hold the block of wood steady. Such a small piece of timber weighed at least four or five thousand catties.

"What a formidable physique, and what vigorous Nether Power. To possess such power while merely at the Nether Power Realm—you are truly a rare exception," Hai Yue remarked, a strange gleam appearing in his eyes.

Jiang Feng observed that Hai Yue was also at the Void Nether Realm, just like himself, but his Nether Power was not as robust; it seemed equivalent to the fifth stage of the Void Nether Realm. Its essence was a crimson hue, though Jiang Feng could not discern what specific Nether arts he practiced or what his true cultivation level was. Cultivation and the sheer volume of Nether Power were two entirely different matters.

"What kind of wood is this? I have never seen it before. And yet, I seem unable to draw any Wood-Spirit Nether Power from it," Jiang Feng said. He felt the wood was incredibly dense; no matter how he tried, he could not sense any wood-qi within it, nor could he absorb or refine it.

Hearing Jiang Feng’s query, a look of embarrassment crossed Hai Yue’s face. "To be honest, I do not know either. But I have tried refining it countless times—using true fire, soaking it in water, and even striking it with various flying swords—yet I could not leave a single mark on it. I concluded it must be a rare treasure of heaven and earth, perhaps a Heavenly Timber from the Langya Chamber of Commerce in Nine-Crag Town, known for its ability to absorb the essence of all trees. I thought it best to offer such a treasure to someone with a discerning eye."

"You don't know what it is either?" Jiang Feng’s mouth twitched. He thought to himself, "Isn't that just a useless object? You couldn't use it, so you’re palming it off on me under the guise of it being a ‘heavenly treasure.’ Isn't this a joke?"

He did not voice these thoughts, but his expression betrayed him. Since he could not draw any spiritual energy from this strange wood, it was effectively useless to him.

"If you have thirty pieces of top-grade Nether equipment to spare, I would be willing to part with this treasure," Hai Yue offered, shrugging.

"Thirty pieces of top-grade Nether equipment!" Jiang Feng looked at Hai Yue as if he were an idiot. "Brother Hai, this item is far too valuable; I cannot afford it. You should keep it for your own cultivation."

"If not thirty, then twenty will do," Hai Yue said, sensing that the wood was indeed somewhat useless and that Jiang Feng clearly had no desire for it.

"This treasure is too precious. Even my Wood Sovereign Nether Power cannot melt it; it must be a gem of heaven and earth. If one could unlock its mysteries, one would surely reach the True Nether Realm. Brother Hai should find someone more capable of appreciating it; perhaps you could even trade it for a Nether Saint Artifact," Jiang Feng replied, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"Brother Fang, why the mockery? I have recently taken on over a dozen disciples and currently lack enough flying swords and enchanted robes of top-grade Nether quality to bestow upon them. In this vast ocean, without the ability to fly, one is crippled. Encountering a fierce sea beast would leave them defenseless. How about this: if you can provide fifteen flying swords, I will give you this Divine Timber," Hai Yue suggested, shaking his head slightly.

"Since that is the case, I shall do you a favor. I recently slew the Master of Wuming Island and obtained some swords; I will give them to you." Jiang Feng waved his hand, and fifteen flashes of sword light flew from his sleeve, transforming into fifteen finger-sized flying swords. "As for this Divine Timber, I won’t take it from you. Consider it a personal gift to foster goodwill. All under heaven are friends; if Brother Hai is in trouble, then it is my trouble as well."

Jiang Feng immediately turned the situation to his advantage. Since he could not absorb the wood's energy, it was useless to him anyway; it was better to use it to gain a friend.

"This Divine Timber must be a trade. If you give it to me for free, I would rather not have it," Hai Yue insisted, seemingly moved by Jiang Feng's generosity.

"Very well, let us call it a trade. Brother Hai, I would like to borrow this place to practice for a while. What do you say?"

"Since you are so righteous, Brother Fang, I have no objections. This copper palace is cast from Nine-Fire Refined Copper and is my private chamber for meditation; it is perfectly secluded. Please, feel free to cultivate. I guarantee no one will disturb you." Hai Yue took the fifteen flying swords, bowed, and departed.

"Brother Duan, what kind of wood is this? Do you recognize it?" Jiang Feng asked.

Duan Xingyun took the wood and channeled his Nether soul power into it, only to find he could not penetrate it at all; it was thousands of times harder than diamond. "I do not know what it is either. Perhaps it is a fossil from the ancient past, but it lacks any spiritual energy for cultivation. You are certainly generous, giving away fifteen top-grade Nether flying swords just like that. If you had turned them over to the sect, you would have received plenty of pills in return."

"Forget it! Hai Yue needs them. In this ocean, building connections will save much trouble later." Jiang Feng threw the Divine Timber into his sleeve and into his "Landscape Bottle." His robe’s sleeve was spacious, acting like a large pouch, so when he produced the swords, no one suspected he possessed a Daoist Artifact, as the swords were tiny and refined.

"Jue, what kind of wood is this? Take a look." Jiang Feng knew Jue was knowledgeable, perhaps even more than the sect leaders themselves.

"Hmm? This wood is indeed strange. Let me see, let me think." Jue seemed unable to identify it either. He repeatedly used Yellow Springs water to try and infiltrate it, but to his disappointment, his soul power, which could permeate all things, failed to penetrate the wood.

"I don't believe it! There is nothing in this world my Nether soul power cannot penetrate!" Jue seemed angered. After repeated failures, he manifested his true form and circled the wood, his soul power boiling into a torrent. He even activated the White Emperor Glazed Tripod, drawing the wood inside to bombard it with flames—water and fire simultaneously!

"Jiang Feng, channel your Wood Sovereign Nether Power! Refine it again! The Wood Sovereign Divine Needles can govern all wood-based matter in heaven and earth!"

Jiang Feng obeyed, pouring his Nether Power into the object. Under the violent collision of soul power and Wood Sovereign energy, the strange wood vibrated slightly, yet still released no essence.

Suddenly, Jue seemed to recall something. "Aha! I know! I know what this is! I never thought the legends were true... Hahaha!"

Jiang Feng had never seen Jue so excited. "What is it?"

"This is 'Hardwood'!"

"Hardwood?"

"Also known as the Sacred Tree of the Immortal Realm! Legend has it that eons ago, a tree stood at the center of the universe—the Hardwood, the Sacred Tree that connected the mortal world to the Immortal Realm! People could climb this tree to reach the heavens; it linked gods and mortals. Later, a primordial power cut the tree down, severing the path. But that is merely a legend from a time before even the eighteenth-generation ancestors of the Yellow Springs Emperor were born. I didn't know if it were true. I dare say even the current leaders of the righteous path could not verify this, but if my guess is correct, this is a fragment of the Immortal Sacred Tree! Anything that resists my soul power and the Wood Sovereign Needles must be it!"

"Such a thing exists? What is the use of this fragment?" Jiang Feng asked, pleasantly surprised. He had not expected this piece of wood to be a genuine treasure of heaven and earth. Just the name and the grand legend behind it suggested it was a top-tier item.

"I do not know, but if it is indeed a fragment of the Immortal Sacred Tree, absorbing its wood-spirit energy might allow your 'Wood Sovereign Divine Needles' technique to reach a level unprecedented in history. However, it is only a fragment, so don't expect it to grant you instant enlightenment," Jue cautioned. "Besides, we don't know how to absorb it yet. With our current strength, we cannot refine this wood."

"It seems I got the better end of the deal. A fragment of the Immortal Sacred Tree falling into Hai Yue's hands—no wonder he didn't recognize it. Even someone as knowledgeable as you, Jue, didn't identify it at first." Jiang Feng was not in a hurry. He suddenly asked, "By the way, what is the Immortal Realm like? Didn't you say your cultivation was destroyed by an immortal? How powerful are these legendary immortals?"

"The Immortal Realm is a special space-time. Only a Nether King who has reached the pinnacle and grasped the laws of the universe can break the barriers of heaven and earth to enter that mysterious realm and achieve immortality. However, I once heard another Nether Saint say that within the Immortal Realm lies the 'Gate of Eternity.' Whoever finds this portal and enters it will become eternal. When heaven and earth decay, they will not; when the sun and moon fall, they will not; even if all worlds are destroyed, they will remain," Jue said. "But these legends are too far removed from us. It matters little."

"That is true. Who knows if the legends are real or just fabrications?" Jiang Feng had no interest in such distant, ethereal matters.

"I should focus on training my physical body to the 'Indestructible Diamond' state! May my essence surge and my Nether Power increase!" Jiang Feng sat cross-legged. Lately, he felt that the strength of his physical body was of paramount importance.

"White Emperor Glazed Tripod, Mirage Array!"

With a single thought, mists erupted from Jiang Feng, filling the copper palace with strange, shifting illusions of fish and dragons. These mists obscured him and Duan Xingyun, masking their presence behind a veil of mirages.