Human Clan Defender

"A Surge of Spirit Qi!"

"A Longevity Fruit has appeared!"

Xun Qu stood atop a Fierce Beast, his gaze drawn to where the Spiritual Energy surged skyward, his expression involuntarily changing. Truthfully, he wasn't certain whether the Longevity Fruit truly existed in the Heavenly Realm this time. Unexpectedly, not only was there a Longevity Fruit here, but it also happened to be the time it naturally ripened.

Suddenly, Xun Qu lost all desire to collect the treasures before him and headed straight towards the source of the Surge of Spirit Qi. Compared to the Longevity Fruit, all other treasures had to take a back seat. There was no helping it. The greatest weakness of Defender Envoys was their lifespan. Obtaining a Longevity Fruit could extend it. Such a temptation was something no Defender Envoy could resist. Although everyone who became a Defender Envoy was prepared to sacrifice themselves for the Human Clan, no one would willingly give up a chance to live.

As Xun Qu departed, in another location, several figures in black cloaks and hoods also witnessed the Spiritual Energy surging skyward.

"According to the records, such a phenomenon highly suggests the emergence of a Longevity Fruit. Should we go and contend for it?" one of them asked, his hoarse voice grating to the ear.

Hearing this, another person slowly shook his head. "The only benefit of the Longevity Fruit is to extend lifespan. Having joined the Eternal Alliance, we have almost no concerns about lifespan, so there's no need to fight for the Longevity Fruit. The appearance of this Longevity Fruit will undoubtedly attract contention from powerful experts. This, in turn, will make things easier for us."

The others nodded in agreement. Indeed, having joined the Eternal Alliance, they no longer had any use for the Longevity Fruit. The lifespan increase from the Longevity Fruit was insignificant compared to the benefits of joining the Eternal Alliance.

The location of the Surge of Spirit Qi was not close at all. Shen Changqing used his Qinggong to its fullest extent but still could not reach it quickly. However, he did encounter other people along the way. Both parties ignored each other and continued on their respective paths. Acting rashly before actually seeing the Longevity Fruit would benefit no one. If they actually saw the Longevity Fruit, however, it would be a different matter.

Suddenly, a familiar aura approached swiftly from the side. Shen Changqing paused and looked towards its source. Soon, someone appeared in his line of sight.

"Defender Xun!"

"Elder Shen!"

Xun Qu's face lit up with joy as well. Encountering Shen Changqing here was undoubtedly a fortunate event for him.

Immediately after, Xun Qu's gaze fell upon Shen Changqing's back. Upon seeing the two bloodstained horns, his expression changed slightly, as if recalling something.

"The horns of a Red Phosphorus!"

"Defender Xun has good eyesight," Shen Changqing said with a faint smile, not denying it.

Hearing this, Xun Qu's eyes showed shock. "Indeed, the horns of a Red Phosphorus Fierce Beast! It's said that the Heavenly Realm is home to many Fierce Beasts, and the Red Phosphorus Fierce Beast is among the most powerful. While its strength might not match a Grandmaster Peak, it isn't far behind. I never imagined that Elder Shen would personally slay a Red Phosphorus Fierce Beast and obtain its horns."

Admirable! Utterly admirable! Even if he encountered a Red Phosphorus Fierce Beast, he had no absolute certainty of slaying it. The fact that Shen Changqing could slay the Red Phosphorus Fierce Beast further astonished Xun Qu regarding his capabilities.

Then, an envious look appeared on his face. "The horns of the Red Phosphorus are extremely hard. If Elder Shen finds a skilled craftsman to forge them, you might obtain a Spirit Arm. That would be truly enviable!"

Spirit Arms? Doubt crossed Shen Changqing's face.

Seeing this, Xun Qu explained, "So-called Spirit Arms are essentially Divine Weapons capable of connecting with their owner's will and possessing Spirit Intellect. Spirit Arms are of exceptional quality, far surpassing ordinary Divine Weapons. At the same time, since Spirit Arms connect with their owner's will, they can sometimes act as a powerful ally. However, there are not many Spirit Arms in the world, and the primary limiting factor is the materials required. Forging Spirit Arms requires extraordinary materials, as common ones cannot imbue a Divine Weapon with the necessary Spirit Intellect."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "In fact, the Tiger Fang Blade in Elder Shen's hand could be considered close to a Spirit Arm. This blade possesses a potent malevolent aura. Unfortunately, its materials are limited, preventing it from becoming a true Spirit Arm. Nevertheless, it already ranks among the top tier of ordinary Divine Weapons."

So that was it! Upon hearing Xun Qu's explanation, Shen Changqing suddenly understood. Spirit Arms! Divine Weapons that had developed Spirit Intellect! Just as the other had said, he had indeed sensed a faint, almost imperceptible consciousness from the Tiger Fang Blade. In contrast, its malevolent aura was extremely powerful. At this moment, Shen Changqing increasingly felt that taking the two large horns from the Red Phosphorus Fierce Beast had been a wise choice.

After finishing his explanation, Xun Qu then changed the subject. His gaze shifted from the horns of the Red Phosphorus Fierce Beast to the sight of the Spiritual Energy surging skyward. "With the Spiritual Energy surging like that, I'm quite certain that a Longevity Fruit has appeared. Each time a Longevity Fruit plant matures, it bears five fruits. Each fruit can extend a Martial Artist's lifespan by ten years. However, the effect is halved with each subsequent consumption. After the third fruit, consuming more will yield no further benefits. Most people who enter this place are aiming for the Longevity Fruits, so the upcoming struggle for them will be incredibly fierce."

"This brings to mind what I said when we first entered the Heavenly Realm. Since we've met here, why don't we team up to seize the fruits? We can split whatever we obtain evenly."

Team up! Shen Changqing wasn't too surprised. He was originally on the same side as Xun Qu, so allying at this point was reasonable.

"What if there's only one Longevity Fruit?" Shen Changqing asked.

There are five Longevity Fruits in total. However, with so many experts entering the Heavenly Realm this time, it would be difficult for him and Xun Qu to secure all of them. If they only managed to get one Longevity Fruit, and hadn't discussed it beforehand, conflict could arise between them when the time came.

Only one Longevity Fruit!

Upon hearing this, Xun Qu's expression grew serious, then he forced a smile. "To be frank, Elder Shen, I was already in my thirties when I became a Defender Envoy, and I've now served for ten years.

"According to the typical lifespan of a Defender Envoy, I have perhaps another decade before my time is up. Even if I'm lucky enough to live a little longer, it won't be by much.

"So—if there's only one Longevity Fruit, I hope you can let me have it, Elder Shen. In return, I'll agree to any condition you name, as long as it's within my power. I absolutely won't refuse."

Xun Qu's words were sincere. He truly and desperately needed the Longevity Fruit. If no Longevity Fruits appeared in the Heavenly Realm, he would accept it. As a Defender Envoy, death was an eventual certainty. But now that a Longevity Fruit had appeared, hope ignited within Xun Qu. He wasn't willing to let this opportunity pass him by. He resolved to obtain at least one Longevity Fruit, no matter what, to extend his own life.

Shen Changqing looked down, pondering silently without responding immediately. He could tell that the other party was truly desperate for the Longevity Fruit. In contrast, if Shen Changqing resolved never to become a Defender Envoy, his lifespan would naturally be much longer than that of one. Letting go of the Longevity Fruit wasn't completely out of the question. But again, the Longevity Fruit was immensely precious. Even though Xun Qu was an ally, Shen Changqing couldn't just simply hand it over. Such a supreme treasure involved considerable stakes.

After a while, he looked up at Xun Qu. "If there's only one Longevity Fruit, I can let you have it. However, I too have a request: Defender Xun, you must provide me with a complete Demon Evil."

Shen Changqing's eyes were determined. After slaying the Demon Evil in Luyang City last time, his Spiritual System had seen significant improvement. If he could slay another Demon Evil, his Spiritual System might very well reach its true peak. But Demon Evils were hard to find. The Demon-Subduing Division did have imprisoned Demon Evils, but they weren't accessible to him. After all, capturing a Demon Evil entailed considerable risks and costs for the Demon-Subduing Division. Trading a Longevity Fruit for one, however, was an entirely different proposition.

"A complete Demon Evil!" Xun Qu's gaze sharpened, and then understanding dawned on him. He nodded, agreeing directly. "No problem! If there's only one Longevity Fruit, I will definitely trade a complete Demon Evil with you for it!"

"That would be best," Shen Changqing smiled. Even if he didn't get a Longevity Fruit, obtaining a Demon Evil would be a good outcome.

At this point, the Surge of Spirit Qi showed signs of gradually weakening.

Xun Qu said, "Let's go. The appearance of the Longevity Fruit has likely already drawn powerful contenders. If we arrive too late and they've already determined a winner, it could be troublesome."

"Not necessarily," Shen Changqing shook his head, not overly anxious. "With so many experts in the Heavenly Realm, determining a victor won't happen quickly. We'll be perfectly in time if we head over now."

Xun Qu was too caught up in the moment; his judgment was completely clouded by the prospect of the Longevity Fruit. However, Shen Changqing's need for the Longevity Fruit wasn't as pressing, allowing him to see the situation more objectively.

Hearing this, Xun Qu visibly relaxed, realizing he had indeed been overly anxious. "Elder Shen is right. I was too anxious."

"Let's set off."

"Good!"

After a brief discussion, the two quickly reached an agreement and set off together towards the Longevity Fruit's location.

More than two hours had passed since the phenomenon of the Surge of Spirit Qi first appeared. With the passage of time, the phenomenon signaling the Longevity Fruit's appearance began to fade. Everyone who had not yet arrived quickened their pace. It would become problematic if they couldn't locate the Longevity Fruit before the phenomenon vanished completely.