After taking the Innate Five-Needle Pine, Jie Yin and the other two continued toward the higher reaches of Buzhou Mountain.
The higher they climbed Buzhou Mountain, the more opportunities there were.
Sure enough!
Before they had traveled far this time, Chen Ku sensed something again and headed straight toward another spiritual root.
Innate Jiao Pear Tree!
The great tree before them had lush branches and leaves that spread outward in a deep emerald expanse.
Pure white, snow-like immortal blossoms hung high among them, radiating spiritual light.
One Innate Pear after another grew upon its branches, fragrant and rich, giving off the refreshing scent of immortal fruits.
This spiritual root was a high-grade innate treasure. Each immortal fruit could calm the mind, focus the spirit, cleanse the sea of consciousness, and remove impurities from one's internal aura.
Simply put, it was like purifying a cultivator's foundational Dao base, making it even more immaculate and allowing future cultivation to proceed more smoothly and achieve twice the result with half the effort.
It could truly be called an exceptional spiritual root immortal fruit for assisting cultivation.
"Though it cannot compare to an ultimate innate spiritual root like the Five Needle Pine."
"This Innate Jiao Pear Tree is still quite good."
"Hehe, this trip has not been in vain."
Chen Ku's disposition was much like that of Jie Yin and Zhun Ti. No matter how minor an opportunity was, he would never let it slip away.
Although he already had the "gem before him" that was the Innate Five-Needle Pine, Chen Ku had not become carried away. He was still delighted by every other opportunity.
That was even more true of the high-grade innate spiritual root before him.
Thus, he did not hesitate. With a wave of his hand, the Innate Jiao Pear Tree was forcefully uprooted and immediately taken into his possession.
One had to know that Chen Ku had climbed less than a thousand li, yet he had already gained so much. This greatly boosted his confidence.
He looked expectantly toward the higher reaches of Buzhou Mountain.
"There... there must be even more opportunities!"
The higher one went, the more immense Pangu's lingering might became.
But that also meant those places were even more untrodden "forbidden lands," perhaps still preserving even more astonishing great opportunities!
Without another word, Chen Ku continued onward!
Perhaps due to the enhancement of the Primal Chaos Sutra, Chen Ku's perception of Pangu's lingering might had been greatly weakened.
He no longer needed to divide his attention to neutralize Pangu's lingering might. Therefore, he could freely release his divine sense, covering tens of thousands of li with a single thought as he carefully sensed every faint trace of opportunity.
With this, Chen Ku seemed to have gained an unfair advantage, and his speed was astonishing.
Time passed unnoticed, and no one knew how long had gone by.
Chen Ku gained something once again.
"Innate Fire Date Tree?!"
"Purple-Gold Grape Vine?!"
"Innate Purple Grape Tree?!"
"..."
"Haha, not bad, not bad!"
Even from over a hundred li away, one could hear Chen Ku's joyous laughter.
One spiritual root after another was found by him and taken into his possession.
Moreover, every single one was either a mid-grade or high-grade innate spiritual root.
By a rough count, he had obtained seven or eight innate spiritual roots.
As for acquired spiritual roots, there were simply too many to count. Every variety possessed astonishing effects and shone with brilliant spiritual light.
After all, if spiritual roots and immortal fruits were too ordinary, they could not possibly survive atop Buzhou Mountain, where the pressure was so terrifying. They would have long since been eroded by the boundless baleful aura and withered away.
Thus, even the acquired spiritual roots carried an unfathomable, powerful aura when sensed.
Of course, as Chen Ku continued climbing, he also keenly noticed that some innate restrictions had already been shattered.
Clearly, the opportunities within had long been claimed first by other destined individuals.
This made Chen Ku's heart itch with frustration, and his face was filled with disappointment.
Knowing that an opportunity had once existed here, yet missing it, was truly unbearable.
Or rather, failing to gain an opportunity felt no different from losing one.
Of course, if others heard such thoughts, they would surely be speechless before sighing, "No wonder this brat could become the disciple of Jie Yin and Zhun Ti."
What they did not know was that Zhun Ti, following behind Chen Ku at this moment, was already so envious that he was nearly going mad.
"This is outrageous."
"I am also born from an ultimate innate spiritual root, so why do I not have talent like Chen Ku's?"
Watching Chen Ku obtain one spiritual root after another, Zhun Ti cried out inwardly.
As everyone knew, Zhun Ti's origin was the Innate Bodhi Tree.
The spiritual treasure he controlled, the Seven Treasure Tree, was also like Chen Ku's Bitter Bamboo—a natal spiritual treasure.
But no matter how unwilling he felt, it was useless!
After a long while, Zhun Ti's expression shifted as though he had thought of something. He immediately looked at Chen Ku with sparkling eyes.
Since he had no fate with finding spiritual roots and immortal fruits himself, he could only work on Chen Ku instead.
Thinking this, Zhun Ti hurried behind Chen Ku and said with a broad smile:
"Hehe, nephew, if you search your conscience, your martial uncle has treated you rather well, hasn't he?"
"Once those spiritual roots of yours bear immortal fruits, you must not forget to show filial respect to your martial uncle."
Zhun Ti spoke repeatedly.
If any other cultivators had been present, they would surely have stared in stunned disbelief, their jaws dropping.
Shameless!
Utterly shameless!
How could Zhun Ti retain even a shred of an elder's dignity acting like this?!
Even Chen Ku could not help shaking his head with a laugh as he looked at his martial uncle Zhun Ti.
Yet Zhun Ti did not care in the slightest and merely continued on his own:
"Your martial uncle does not ask for much."
"When that Five Needle Pine matures, just give your martial uncle ten or eight pine nuts."
"And that Innate Purple Grape Tree—your martial uncle only needs three or five fruits."
"Hehe, if you can give your martial uncle some Innate Fire Dates as well, that would be even better."
"..."
Zhun Ti looked just like someone trailing after Chen Ku, pestering him until he agreed.
Seeing this, Jie Yin covered his forehead with one hand, his face full of helplessness.
It was too unbearable to watch!
Still, Jie Yin also wore an expression of gratification.
With his own disciple being so heaven-defying, what master could possibly remain unmoved?!
As for Chen Ku—
Hearing Zhun Ti's endless chatter, his face took on a sorrowful expression.
"Alas, Martial Uncle, this disciple suffers."
"These spiritual root immortal fruits are still far too few in the end."
Zhun Ti's expression froze at that response, and he was left utterly speechless.
Suffering?!
When you were gathering spiritual roots earlier, you were grinning from ear to ear, happier than anyone else!
He did not know that Chen Ku's repeated cries of suffering had already become a habit.
In truth, Chen Ku was feeling incomparably delighted at this moment.
"Haha, wonderful, truly wonderful!"
"With talent like mine, finding spiritual roots is as easy as taking something from my hand."
"With such accumulated foundations now, even the world's greatest mighty experts would probably have to admit inferiority."
That was what Chen Ku thought to himself.
And amid this harvest that could only be described as frenzied—
On this day, the three of them finally reached the summit of Buzhou Mountain.
Looking closely, they saw an indestructible spatial barrier stretching before them, blocking their path forward.
It was precisely the rippling trace of a barrier.
Seeing this, Chen Ku's expression shifted, and he muttered to himself:
"Beyond the barrier... is that Heaven Above Heaven?!"
Before you continue