The Blue Silver Forest.
In this forest formed by Blue Silver Grass, there was Blue Silver Grass that had yet to meet even the minimum standard for a Soul Beast, as well as a Blue Silver King over eighty thousand years old.
In this place, where outsiders found it hard to enter, all the Soul Beasts cultivated in seclusion, like cultivators who stood aloof from worldly affairs. But today, all the Blue Silver Grass, Blue Silver Generals, and even the Blue Silver King awakened from their cultivation.
"The emperor, it's the emperor! A new emperor has been born to our clan!!!"
The Blue Silver King spoke in human words.
The fall of the old emperor had been a devastating blow to the Blue Silver Grass Clan, but only a few years later, a new emperor had been born, filling them with joy.
All the Blue Silver Grass faced the same direction, their leaves swaying in the wind as if dancing, cheering and rejoicing at the birth of the new emperor.
It was not just the Blue Silver Forest.
When Gu Chen's Martial Soul evolved into the Blue Silver Emperor, the Blue Silver Grass across the entire Douluo Continent sensed that an "emperor" had ascended the throne, whether they had already become Soul Beasts or not.
Without exception, they all cheered for the emperor's appearance.
Meanwhile, in a cave somewhere.
A slender ray of sunlight cut the darkness in the cave in two like a sharp sword, shining down on the Blue Silver Grass atop a small mound of earth.
Ah Yin!
This was where Tang Hao had planted the seed left behind after Ah Yin sacrificed herself.
And yet.
The cave lacked everything it needed.
There was not enough sunlight, not enough moisture, and even less nourishment in the soil.
Anyone who did not know better would have thought that whoever planted this Blue Silver Grass was the rankest of amateurs. They could not even grow Blue Silver Grass properly-go eat shit!
Anyone who knew the truth would have thought Tang Hao truly cruel. Surely even the greenest amateur knew how to grow a blade of grass, especially Blue Silver Grass, famed for its tenacious vitality, which "wildfires cannot burn away, and spring winds bring to life again."
Yet he had grown it until it looked malnourished.
And at this moment.
Ah Yin seemed to awaken briefly, her previously motionless leaves dancing wildly.
She too sensed the birth of the Blue Silver Emperor.
She too cheered for the appearance of the new emperor.
Perhaps.
In her view.
This new emperor was very likely her child.
Of course.
It was also possible that her actions were purely instinct as Blue Silver Grass.
Far away in the Star Dou Great Forest, Gu Chen had no idea that his Martial Soul's evolution into the Blue Silver Emperor had affected the Blue Silver Grass across the entire Douluo Continent. But even if he had known, he would not have cared.
In his eyes, the Blue Silver Emperor was merely a way station where he had stopped for the time being. His destination had never been the Blue Silver Emperor, so how could he possibly have any thoughts about such a thing?
"Da Ming, do you know where there's a Fortune and Longevity Fruit Tree?"
Gu Chen took another look at his face in the lake, which looked as though it had undergone plastic surgery. Only after a long while did he stop admiring himself and turn to Da Ming.
Rather than search for a Fortune and Longevity Fruit Tree aimlessly, he might as well ask a local of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Compared with him, Da Ming knew the Star Dou Great Forest far better.
Moreover, according to the records.
The Fortune and Longevity Fruit Tree's growing conditions were exceptionally harsh. People had tried to move the trees before, but without exception, every attempt had failed.
Whether they were ten, a hundred, or a thousand years old, even Fortune and Longevity Fruit Trees that had become Soul Beasts were no exception.
Once transplanted.
The price.
Was that they would wither and die, little by little.
Even becoming a Soul Beast could not change that outcome.
But Gu Chen was certain.
On the market.
The fruit of a Fortune and Longevity Fruit Tree was nowhere to be found. Even if someone put one up for auction, the hundred-odd thousand Gold Soul Coins he had on hand would probably only let him stand there like a lackey, watching a group of wealthy people lavish Gold Soul Coins to buy it.
Because the fruit of the Fortune and Longevity Fruit Tree was exceptionally special.
Life extension!!!
The fruit of the Fortune and Longevity Fruit Tree possessed tremendous vitality, and its most obvious effect was extending one's life.
A ten-year Evergreen Fruit!
A hundred-year Vitality Fruit!
A thousand-year Myriad Spirit Fruit!
A ten-thousand-year Ageless Fruit!
According to the records, there was even a hundred-thousand-year Longevity Fruit.
And these fruits.
One Evergreen Fruit could extend a life by one year, a Vitality Fruit by five, a Myriad Spirit Fruit by ten, an Ageless Fruit by fifty, and a Longevity Fruit by a hundred!
Although each was limited to one use.
If an ordinary person ate one of each, it would be enough to extend their life by a hundred and sixty-six years.
So...
These things truly had a price but no market. Once one appeared, factions from all sides would fight over it. After all, who would not want to live a few more years?
"Fortune and Longevity Fruit Tree?"
"You're so young, and you already need... to extend your life?"
Da Ming gave him a somewhat strange look. Gu Chen seemed to be the same age as Sister Xiao Wu. Oh, no, he should be the same age as someone who had just awakened their Martial Soul, so Gu Chen was only six. A mere six-year-old brat was already thinking about extending his life.
For a moment, it even made him wonder whether he was getting old.
"Needed for evolution."
Gu Chen offered no explanation, merely saying those words in a calm voice.
Hearing this, Da Ming suddenly understood.
Now.
He understood everything.
He had watched Gu Chen use the Divine Power of Evolution twice. The first time, he had evolved Sister Xiao Wu's Martial Soul into the intermediate Martial Soul Void Rabbit. The second time, Gu Chen had evolved his own Martial Soul into the Blue Silver Emperor.
But without exception.
Every evolution required certain things.
So, as he understood it, evolution did not come without a cost, and that cost took the form of Soul Beast remains, Soul Rings, or even medicinal herbs.
That explained it.
After all, the fruit of the Fortune and Longevity Fruit Tree was an exceptionally rare treasure, one that even Soul Beasts found hard to resist.
That was because, besides extending life, the fruit of the Fortune and Longevity Fruit Tree also contained tremendous vitality. If a gravely wounded, dying Soul Beast ate one, it would not only extend its life but also receive a corresponding degree of healing. The spiritual Qi of heaven and earth contained within could even advance a Soul Beast's cultivation.
"Yes, it's right there."
Da Ming promptly gave his answer, then turned to look at the... center of his Lake of Life.
There was a small patch of land there, like an island in the lake. On the island stood a single tree, not particularly large, but not small either. When Gu Chen followed Da Ming's gaze and saw the tree, he froze.
A Fortune and Longevity Fruit Tree?!!!
This...
For a moment, he did not know how to respond.
He had only asked. If there really was one, that would naturally be a good thing. If not, so be it; he could take his time searching for one later.
But who could have imagined there really was one, and right before his eyes at that?
"I found it elsewhere several thousand years ago. With the help of its fruit, Sister Xiao Wu, Er Ming, and I all gained quite a bit of cultivation. Thanks to that, we quickly reached a hundred thousand years of cultivation!"
Da Ming looked at the Fortune and Longevity Fruit Tree, filled with emotion.