In the Luochen Sword Palace, there stood an ancient tree. This tree was over 23,000 years old and had been moved here from the Shenzhou Continent. It was said to have been personally planted by the ancestor of the Luochen Sword Palace before his Immortal Ascension. For tens of thousands of years, this tree had been influenced by the Sword Qi and Sword Intent of successive disciples of the Luochen Sword Palace, undergoing transformations. Unlike other ancient trees with gnarled root systems, its trunk was straight, and its roots spread evenly. Each of its leaves was shaped like a sword, containing a faint Sword Intent.

The Luochen Sword Palace even developed a Talisman made from the leaves of this ancient tree, capable of summoning a powerful strike.

Mei Sicheng, the Great Elder of Luochen Sword Palace, loved this tree the most, even carving a stone table before it, where he would have a drink when not in seclusion.

Usually, no one else was there. People generally did not dare to disturb the Great Elder's leisure. Throughout the Luochen Sword Palace, only the Second Elder Zhao Xiangshen occasionally dared to come here and drink a few cups with the Great Elder.

But on this day, the Great Elder's exclusive drinking table welcomed an unexpected guest.

"Third Elder?" Mei Sicheng looked at his fellow disciple with a hint of confusion in his eyes.

This Ru Tianqi was indeed like his name, almost as if abandoned by the heavens, his heart completely immersed in a realm of sorrow, yet there remained a trace of vitality within that realm of sorrow, seeking life within death. Such a person would not seek enjoyment. Or rather, seeking enjoyment would harm his state of mind.

Yet, he actually came to drink with him this time?

The Third Elder sat down, his face resembling a piece of dead tree bark, devoid of any vitality or discernible expression. He said to the Great Elder, "I just obtained a treasure... a fortuitous encounter. But I am unsure about it and would like you to examine it."

"A fortuitous encounter?" The Great Elder was even more puzzled. Indeed, within the Spirit Phoenix Island's Underground City, there were always legends about "fortuitous encounters." However, this Great Elder had secretly kept track of these "legends" of fortuitous encounters.

Those fortuitous encounters were always concerned with individuals at the Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core stages.

There were never any Nascent Soul or higher individuals favored by those "fortuitous encounters."

Yet, this Third Elder, this Ru Tianqi, claimed to have had a fortuitous encounter?

Moreover... he definitely had not stepped out of the Luochen Sword Palace these days.

How could there be such a "fortuitous encounter" where "sitting at home, treasures fall from the sky"! Even third-rate storybooks need to be more believable!

The Third Elder Ru Tianqi did not speak further; instead, he calmly took out a wooden box and pushed it in front of Mei Sicheng: "Please examine it."

Mei Sicheng did not suspect anything, and he also understood that just by "examining" alone, it couldn't be a Magic Artifact that could harm a Divine Separation Cultivator, and it wouldn't have fallen so easily into the hands of the Third Elder. He opened the box and found inside a silver ring, adorned with strangely styled carvings. He extended a finger and lightly touched the ring, then looked bewildered, "This ring... can also be considered a treasure?"

Inside this ring, there were only densely packed Taiji Runes of unknown purpose, and besides that, there was just a weak circulation of Spiritual Power.

Such an item could also be considered a treasure?

It didn't even have an actual function, like a Talismanic Array!

Not even a Magic Seal!

Initially, Mei Sicheng thought this was some kind of Magic Artifact with the nature of "a line of heaven," and the surface power was just the tip of the iceberg of the Artifact's power. However, when he injected his Spiritual Sense into the ring, searching every detail inch by inch, he found nothing.

Mei Sicheng then looked at Ru Tianqi with a bit of displeasure, "Elder Ru? Did you come here specifically to mock me? What exactly is strange about this thing? This can barely be considered a Magic Artifact!"

"The truly precious part is just that trace of Spiritual Power," Ru Tianqi said calmly.

Mei Sicheng was taken aback, his Spiritual Sense merging with that Spiritual Power. He felt the mysteries within that Spiritual Power begin to enter his mind, his brain, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Heavens..."

The Mana was indeed very weak, but the quality was exceedingly high.

Before his Cultivation was diminished, Mei Sicheng was a top-tier Divine Separation Stage cultivator, one step away from the Body Integration Realm. His Divine Separation Sense Transformation was also cultivated to the final stage, but even such as he could not comprehend this Mana.

"Elder Ru, where exactly did this thing come from?" Mei Sicheng couldn't help but ask, "This... is too formidable. I feel that as long as I can continue to comprehend this Mana, I have confidence in stepping into the Unity of My Method realm..."

"Made by a demon," Ru Tianqi replied.

"What?"

"The Heavenly Demon forged many such rings, intending to bestow them upon others, turning them into his subordinates to manipulate. The ring possesses immense power that can tempt others towards the Heavenly Demon."

After Ru Tianqi said this, his eyes were dazed, his lips moved, and a cold aura emanated from his entire being. Mei Sicheng shivered, then laughed, "Elder Ru, you're really bad at joking, that's impossible. The mana inside this ring is indeed mysterious, but the ring itself has no power."

Ru Tianqi's expression was eerie: "What if I said... it does?"

Mei Sicheng suddenly felt something was off, slammed the table, stood abruptly, drew his longsword, and pointed it at Ru Tianqi, saying, "Elder Ru, your current situation is very strange! Don't resist, I will sever the demonic thoughts from your heart..."

"No need..." Ru Tianqi smiled strangely, "The demon is everywhere... it exists in our hearts!"

With Ru Tianqi's words, Mei Sicheng suddenly felt something was wrong.

Every sensation in his body seemed off.

For some reason, all his muscles tensed simultaneously. This should have been an impossible action because no matter how a person moves, while extending certain muscles, they will also contract others. Yet, all of Mei Sicheng's muscles received what seemed like external chaotic commands, simultaneously tensing and stretching. Mei Sicheng twisted his body, causing the longsword in his right hand to slip, and his left hand, which was supporting the table, was twisted into a knot, his feet uncontrollable.

Mei Sicheng felt as though all his muscles were about to strain. However, his mana hadn't been stripped away; it was still under his control. He gathered it into his dantian, preparing to roar and call for help.

But just then, a small hand lightly patted the Luochen Tree: "Alright, that's enough!"

The old tree's leaves rustled and quickly trembled, with a wisp of blue Sword Qi seeping from each leaf, forming a blue Sword Circle. The Tai Chu Sword God Formation, which protected the entire Sword Palace, swiftly descended with powerful Sword Intent, transforming the Sword Qi Circle into a round azure Sword Light Circle. This act isolated Mei Sicheng's call for help.

Mei Sicheng's face dramatically changed, exclaiming, "What...?"

Even the voice is controlled by muscles!

Looking at the Great Elder's face, clearly twisted by muscle loss, showing a hint of horror, Wang Qi laughed heartily: "Who would have thought the core of the entire Tai Chu Sword God Formation is an inconspicuous old tree? Everyone thought the core of your Sword Intent Formation was probably in a soul-raising jade or something similar. However, this old tree is the best carrier of Sword Intent, though it's easily overlooked..."

"Uh uh..." At this moment, Mei Sicheng could only make such a sound. The Third Elder Ru Tianqi's sword was already against his throat.

Ru Tianqi asked, "Mr. Wang, the Great Elder now..."

"Hey hey hey, don't kill him, what a waste!" Wang Qi said seriously.

— A Divine Separation Stage experimental material! There are only a few hundred samples left on the entire Shenzhou. If it weren't for this mission being about extermination, I'd be reluctant to conduct destructive research!

For some reason, Mei Sicheng felt it wasn't that he was exceptionally talented and shouldn't die just like this, or that he had utility and should serve.

— This young man simply wanted me alive, then... do something to me...

Wang Qi patted the old tree again: "Hmm hmm, Great Elder, I advise you not to attempt a desperate move using your hidden avatar or second Dharma Body. That second Dharma Body isn't fully complete and doesn't even have one-tenth of your strength. Besides, you're planning to transform it into a 'Divine Spirit of Swordsmanship, Sword Dao, and Swordsman'; releasing it now would render your previous efforts futile, what a pity!"

"What?" The Third Elder Ru Tianqi also showed a moment of horror. He didn't know the Great Elder had such a card!

"This Great Elder originally intended to cultivate a Wooden Spirit Sword Body within this tree. Doing so, he might break through the Holy Emperor Venerable's limit and advance to the Unification stage. But, according to the original plan, he needed at least a thousand years to achieve this... He couldn't wait any longer. Then, coincidently, he recently gained some insight into the Divine Tao route within the Holy Emperor Venerable's Divine Country Method and planned to mimic the Holy Emperor Venerable, treading the path of Dual Cultivation with Immortal and Divine." Wang Qi patted the old tree again: "Without the Tai Chu Sword God Formation, I wouldn't know this much detail."

After all, this is the hub of the Tai Chu Sword God Formation. Here, Wang Qi, having perfected the Virtual Divine Country, possesses sensing abilities similar to the Holy Emperor.

Wang Qi and Ru Tianqi quietly waited, allowing the Divine Plague Curse Technique's erosion to further penetrate. Earlier, the time was too rushed, and Wang Qi could only broadcast chaotic signals to every muscle of the Great Elder, catching him off guard. Yet, this Divine Separation Stage Cultivator hadn't lost his fighting capability yet!

After a while, Wang Qi waved his hand, instructing Ru Tianqi to withdraw the sword, and said: "Go hand the third ring to Zhao Xiangshen!"

"Yes, Mr. Wang." Ru Tianqi nodded and turned to leave.

Wang Qi forcefully slipped the ring onto Mei Sicheng's ring finger, then said: "Hmm hmm, just like that."

Then, he snapped his fingers. As if a command was revoked, Mei Sicheng felt a "certain restraint" within him rapidly retreat.

He got up, but instead of attacking, he asked, "Who are you, after all?"