Life-Taking Garden (Second Update)

"Peach Garden?" There were already very few records related to the Ancient Heavenly Court, and Meng Qi had come into contact with even fewer. If not for his contract with Gu Xiaosang, which forced him to make the relevant preparations, he would probably have been completely in the dark on this trip. Still, the Peach Garden was one of the few places he knew about without needing to consult any records!

Back when he had watched Journey to the West, he had drooled over the peaches. Those that ripened once every three thousand years, those that ripened once every six thousand years, those that ripened once every nine thousand years—eat them, and one could become an immortal, attain the Dao, and live as long as Heaven and Earth. Although his memories had long since blurred and some details were inaccurate, that covetous feeling remained fresh to this day.

He surveyed his surroundings. Each Peach Tree had a different bearing. Some were of ordinary size, while others had grown into towering giants that blotted out the sky. Their sole common trait was that their branches and leaves had withered, their bark had fallen away, and they bore no fruit. Their entire bodies glowed blood-red, like demon trees that had drunk their fill of blood.

The ground, meanwhile, was horrifyingly blood-soaked, as if it had been steeped in enough blood for tens of thousands of years!

The feeling of this evil, blood-tainted filth put Meng Qi thoroughly on guard. Flowing Fire appeared in his left hand, while Heaven's Wound guarded his right. He focused all his attention on sensing his surroundings.

The Ancient Heavenly Court had inexplicably fallen. Who knew what changes had occurred in the Peach Garden?

The instant his spirit began to spread outward, Meng Qi felt himself plunge into