"Heart energy? If it's collecting heart energy, what is it for?"
Xu Le could actually guess some of it. The Golden Radiance Tree was essentially an imitation of the Guyinduo Tree, so its purpose in collecting heart energy was very likely the same as the Guyinduo Tree's.
To produce fruit.
Heart energy itself was contaminating. Too much of it would alter a person's mind.
He wondered whether that had anything to do with the rot on the tree.
But none of this could be told to Duo Lei, at least not yet.
"I dunno!"
"Then let's keep going up." Duo Lei nodded and did not question Xu Le further.
As they continued upward, the ascetics meditating and cultivating here began watching them discreetly. The higher-level ascetics in particular would keep staring at them furtively whenever Xu Le and the others were not looking their way.
And as they stared, the corners of their mouths would curl upward almost imperceptibly.
"What are they smiling at?" Xu Le was somewhat puzzled.
"Ignore them for now, and don't look at them."
"Being stared at like this doesn't feel very good."
Whatever the circumstances, having so many people staring at you and smiling maliciously behind your back was enough to make anyone's scalp prickle.
During this, Xu Le also noticed something unusual.
The low-level ascetics had no heart energy in them.
None at all. They were like emotionless machines, sitting there repeating their prayers over and over.
The higher-level ascetics, such as those at level 4 or above, had heart energy within their bodies. They were also the ones secretly staring at Xu Le and the others.
Just then, an ascetic approached them carrying a wooden lamp.
Light flowed within the wooden lamp, but nothing was burning.
As the two sides drew closer, he