Deng Jiugong asked.
"The king has sent word, ordering the marshal to set out for Chaoge at once!"
As Tailuan spoke, he handed the memorial over to Deng Jiugong.
Reading what was written, Deng Jiugong furrowed his brow slightly.
Emperor Xin was summoning him to Chaoge now. He wondered what the matter could be.
Could it be that, seeing he had made peace with Xiqi, the king wanted to urge him to resume the fighting?
That didn't seem right!
If that were the case, a single letter would have sufficed. There was no need to make him travel all the way to Chaoge.
After a moment's thought, Deng Jiugong said,
"Have Kong Xuan come see me at once!"
At that, Tailuan hurried off.
Before long, Kong Xuan entered the Marshal's Mansion and appeared before Deng Jiugong.
"Kong Xuan!"
Deng Jiugong stepped forward and patted Kong Xuan on the shoulder, wearing an expression that suggested he was entrusting him with another important responsibility. Kong Xuan could only shake his head helplessly.
"If the marshal has something to say, just say it!"
"Do you know why the king has summoned me back to Chaoge this time?"
Deng Jiugong asked.
He knew Emperor Xin was under the Fox Spirit's spell, and his behavior could be good one moment and bad the next.
Ji Chang had gone to Chaoge once and had nearly failed to return.
Before reaching Chaoge, Deng Jiugong had a premonition that the journey would not go smoothly.
He had no idea whether this trip would bring good fortune or disaster.
Though Deng Jiugong was already quite powerful and immensely important to Great Shang, he wouldn't be targeted the way Ji Chang had been. Even so, some mishap could still befall him.
After all, three demons and a gaggle of treacherous ministers surrounded Emperor Xin!
Deng Jiugong didn't know what to expect, but Kong Xuan was a mighty expert. He should be able to see things more clearly.
"Kong Xuan doesn't know. But as long as the marshal is careful, there shouldn't be any trouble."
Kong Xuan replied.
As soon as he finished speaking, he couldn't help but furrow his brow slightly.
He was clearly the mighty expert, yet whenever he stood before Deng Jiugong, he always felt as if the other man had already seen right through him.
Meanwhile, Deng Jiugong was the one he couldn't quite see through. It was very strange.
"That's good, then." Deng Jiugong nodded.
Kong Xuan's words were a way of telling him that the trip to Chaoge really wouldn't go smoothly. But if he took care, nothing would happen to him.
"Kong Xuan, I'm setting out for Chaoge at once to meet the king. I'm leaving everything here entirely in your hands!"
"I've repeatedly distinguished myself in battle. If the king makes me Grand Tutor, I'll make you my deputy!"
Deng Jiugong patted Kong Xuan on the shoulder and said meaningfully.
Kong Xuan gave a smile, his expression just a little odd.
There he went again!
He didn't really care, but still put on an expression of flattered surprise.
"Rest assured, Marshal. With Kong Xuan here, all will be well with the army!"
Deng Jiugong nodded in satisfaction.
Then he handed all the immortal pills he had refined to Tailuan, telling him to make good use of them.
Before leaving, Kong Xuan hesitated briefly, then gave Deng Jiugong a feather.
Deng Jiugong casually put it away, but he understood that the feather was no ordinary thing. It bore a spell mark; Kong Xuan must have given it to him as a lifesaving measure, in case he encountered real danger on the way.
With the military affairs taken care of, Deng Jiugong soared into the sky and departed.
Deng Jiugong wasn't worried that anything would happen to him on this trip to Chaoge.
Still, it made sense to prepare.
So, along the way, he changed course.
He didn't head straight for Chaoge. Instead, he took out a Treasure Map and sped toward its destination.
Before long, Deng Jiugong arrived in an unnamed mountain range.
The Spiritual Energy here was abundant, making it seem like a place where immortals dwelled.
Following the Treasure Map's directions, Deng Jiugong quickly found an Innate Restriction.
After breaking through the Innate Restriction, Deng Jiugong stepped inside and found himself in the space within it.
"This!!!"
Deng Jiugong was stunned by the scene before him!
As he stared at what lay before him, Deng Jiugong stood dumbfounded.
A divine tree shimmered with endless starlight before him. At first glance, it looked like a vast starry sky.
"The Star Fruit Tree!"
Deng Jiugong was overjoyed.
It was said that the Star Fruit Tree had originally been a Chaos Spiritual Root, bearing 365 Star Fruits, corresponding to the 365 major stars in the primordial starry sky.
But, like the Peach Tree of Immortality, its source had been scattered. After the creation of the world, the Chaos Star Tree had split into countless trees scattered throughout the primordial world, each of a different grade.
The Star Fruit Tree before Deng Jiugong was far more imposing than the Crimson Blood Dragon Fruit.
"This Star Fruit Tree must be a high-grade innate Spiritual Root,"
Deng Jiugong murmured.
He moved and landed beneath the Star Fruit Tree. Looking up, he saw endless starlight cascading down like a vast starry sky, a sight that shook him to the core.
"How can I take this Star Fruit Tree with me?"
After finally encountering a Spiritual Root of such a high grade, Deng Jiugong wasn't willing to simply pick its fruit and leave.
The Star Fruit Tree was of too high a grade. Taking it away wouldn't be easy.
He raised a hand and unleashed his power. The Star Fruit Tree before him shook violently, stirring the entire space within the Innate Restriction.
"There's hope!"
With a thought, he activated the Pangu Divine Art, unleashing the combined power of his soul and body.
Still, he couldn't take it away!
"Dragon Subduing Tiger Subduing!"
He used the technique, and Deng Jiugong's power surged once more.
This time, it finally worked!
Rumble!
After a series of terrifying crashes, Deng Jiugong uprooted the Star Fruit Tree by force and stored it in his system space.
Phew!
He couldn't help letting out a long breath.
If the Star Fruit Tree had been a top-grade innate Spiritual Root, Deng Jiugong would probably have had no choice but to pick its fruit and leave.
Hum!
Just then, a terrifying surge of vitality rose from below.
"This aura!"
Deng Jiugong's expression changed dramatically.
Beneath the spot where the Star Fruit Tree had stood lay a pool of divine water, radiating boundless vitality.
"The Three Lights Divine Water?"
Deng Jiugong was thrilled.
No other water could possibly possess such terrifying vitality.
The Three Lights Divine Water was the foremost healing remedy in the primordial world. It could restore flesh to bones and bring the dead back to life.
It was formed by combining Sunlight Divine Water, Moonlight Divine Water, and Starlight Divine Water!
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