Grinding Cultivation Toward Martial Saint

The next moment.

He suddenly opened his eyes.

"How can it be?!!"

"You sensed it too, right?" Ye Zhengqi spoke.

"How is it possible, someone can move in the night!" Zhong Yue was incredulous.

Last night, he had personally experienced the terror of nightfall in Shangyang Cave Heaven.

The bone-chilling cold could extinguish the flame of his life.

If he were to stay long in the darkness, he could only last an extra two hours before his life flame dwindles and he perishes.

Especially the night winds.

When it blew, it depleted his energy, taking half his life.

If not for the nourishment from Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, he could only admit defeat to Ye Zhengqi and voluntarily withdraw from this trial.

Now, however, he sensed a trialist rapidly approaching their direction from the darkness.

The unapologetic speed clearly indicated the person in the night had no fear of this place's darkness.

"Could the sense be wrong?" Zhong Yue spoke again.

"No!" Ye Zhengqi shook his head, eyes firmly locked in the direction of the sense, continuing, "Our sense derives from the will of the Pocket World, there's no error possible!"

Then he added, "Prepare to fight!!"

"Alright!" Zhong Yue clenched his fists, righteousness in his words. "I want to see what being dares to move fearlessly in this night."

...

On the other side.

Jiang Ning's eyes blazed.

Using the mystical Fire Eye, in the pitch darkness, he could still see as if it was daylight, freely moving.

"It's Zhong Yue and Ye Zhengqi!!" He paused over a hundred feet away, gazing upon their figures, a trace of surprise flickering in his eyes.

Earlier he intended, if given the chance, to easily take out any trialist he encountered.

But upon seeing Zhong Yue and Ye Zhengqi, he quickly abandoned the thought.

To strike against them, he couldn't bring himself to do so.

Soon after, his eyes fell on the river, about several feet wide, behind the two.

During the day, an ordinary river now radiated gold at night, seemingly flowing with golden liquid.

Seeing this, seeing Zhong Yue and Ye Zhengqi untouched by the night, he understood the river possessed remarkable power to shield them from the night's influence.

"So that's it!" He thought silently, confusion resolved.

At the same time.

"Brother Ye, it seems that individual hasn't moved!" Zhong Yue's lips slightly moved, using Sound Transmission into Secret Skill to reach Ye Zhengqi's ears.

Ye Zhengqi, his body tense, slightly nodded: "I can feel an inexplicable gaze upon us."

"Is it the one in the night?" Zhong Yue asked.

"It is!" Ye Zhengqi nodded, his hair standing on end.

He distinctly felt the gaze lingering between him and Zhong Yue.

Facing such a mysterious unknown, he felt like prey being scrutinized, stirring an inexplicable palpitation.

At this moment.

The gaze receded like a tide, and he felt the figure swiftly retreating.

Several breaths later.

"Ha!" Ye Zhengqi exhaled a silent breath.

"Did that person... leave?" Zhong Yue hesitated to conclude.

Upon hearing, Ye Zhengqi closed his eyes briefly before reopening them.

"Gone!"

"Brother Ye, who do you think that could be?" Zhong Yue pondered, "Could it be someone we know, hence retreating without any attack?"

Listening to Zhong Yue, Ye Zhengqi also fell into thoughtful contemplation.

After a while.

He slowly nodded: "That's possible."

"Who could it be?" Zhong Yue asked.

Countless figures flashed through Ye Zhengqi's mind, dismissing them one by one.

Finally, he shook his head: "Given the current information, it's impossible to determine."

"Could it be someone from Qingyang Cave Heaven?" Zhong Yue suggested.

Ye Zhengqi responded: "Logically, they are most likely, Immortal Dao cultivators are inherently mysterious, especially in the Pocket World environment akin to the Ancient Era, where they aren't constrained by the outer world's conditions, they can exert their full power."

Saying that, Ye Zhengqi shook his head again: "But they have no ties with us, why would they choose to leave peacefully?"

...

On the other side.

Jiang Ning didn't know his presence caused Zhong Yue and Ye Zhengqi such bewilderment.

Upon seeing it was Zhong Yue and Ye Zhengqi, understanding why trialists could endure this place's night, he continued searching for the mystical Spirit Plant he needed.

...

Midnight.

A tree, two yards tall, with expansive branches and leaves, blazed like a torch in the night, casting light and heat, dispersing the darkness within a few yards.

Constantly, flickers of flame gathered on the glass-like leaves, then fell.

Before reaching the ground, they scattered into starlight into the void.

"Vermilion Bird sister, why do you think this tree can emit such mystic brilliance at night?" Beside it, the tall Green Dragon Envoy stood beside the robust tree, scrutinizing the front where the tree emitted flames.

"After today, cut down the tree and find out!" The red-clad Vermilion Bird spoke calmly.

"This Divine Tree shielded us for two nights, do we have to treat it like this?" Nearby, the White Tiger Envoy in flowing clouds robes spoke.

"Why, are you sentimental over a tree?" The red-clad lady chuckled lightly.

"Not exactly sentimental!" The robed White Tiger Envoy smiled lightly.

On the other side.

Jiang Ning halted, eyes ablaze.

It's them!!

In one glance, he saw the Divine Tree soaring like a torch in the night, also sighting three of the Yingtian Alliance's Four Spirit Envoys.

He heard their conversation too.

His gaze instinctively fell on the Divine Tree between them.

Utilizing the mystical Fire Eye, he saw energy densely concentrating three feet above the tree's core.

Like a suspended heart.

The heart, akin to a blazing sun, constantly releasing energy.

Energy filled the major tree trunk and dispersed branches, even every leaf.

"What a mystical tree!!" Observing for a moment.

Jiang Ning marveled quietly.

Since his entry into Shangyang Cave Heaven, the energy intensity within the tree was unmatched.

No Spirit Plant or rare treasure could compare with it.

Even the energy within Yang Stones and Yin Stones pales next to this tree.

His gaze immediately locked onto this tree's core position.

Then, he activated the Heavenly Eye, with a white vertical mark appearing on his forehead.

Suddenly.

He detected within the trunk, a heart-sized tree core.

The tree core appeared to be the tree's essence.

Absorbing it might bring unknown levels of enhancement.

Just then, carried by the breeze, he heard another conversation.

"It's a pity we didn't find that Lord Jiang, otherwise kill him here and settle it once and for all!"

"He's lucky! Outside, he's harder to deal with!"

"It doesn't matter! He chose the path of Nine Blood Transfusions, he can't succeed, in the end, he'd just be an Invincible Grandmaster! An Invincible Grandmaster has no audacity before the Alliance Hierarch!"

"True! Besides, once that Martial Saint's death is confirmed, we need not fear the Inspection Office anymore."

"..."

Their conversation distinctly reached Jiang Ning.

After listening, Jiang Ning's eyes narrowed.

"They intended to kill me?"

The next moment.

His gaze locked onto the mystical Divine Tree behind them.

After several hours in the night, he was well aware of its dangers.

The chilling night winds, even he couldn't ignore them completely.

Those three could relax at night, undoubtedly due to the Divine Tree's protection.

Just as Ye Zhengqi and Zhong Yue were shielded by the glowing river.

As those thoughts flashed, Jiang Ning comprehended and made his decision.

Since these three harbored intent to kill him, he wouldn't let them go.

Furthermore, the night is his finest ally!