The Urban Cultivation Grandmaster

Chapter 25: The Spiritwood Crystal Core

What’s the most frustrating thing in the world? You’ve already prepared for a major battle, only to discover at the last moment that the other side has no intention of fighting you at all. Not only that, but they’re being polite, giving you face, and kindly urging you to go home. According to that trio, “Master Mu,your life is precious. If something were to happen to you in this chaos, it would be a huge loss. Someone like you certainly isn’t short on cultivation resources—why bother competing with us struggling souls? We wouldn’t go to war over these ordinary spirit herbs, but if we ever come across a true celestial treasure, your title as “Master” won’t matter a bit. No questions asked—if you dare compete with us, we’ll slaughter every last one of you... They went on and on, lecturing him earnestly for quite a while. After listening to Mu Tian’s entire speech, he was completely dumbfounded. If the other side had hurled insults and started a brawl, Mu Tian would have had no qualms about taking that spiritual herb. But now, he felt a bit frustrated. At the same time, Mu Tian memorized the names of the trio: Wei Zhenlei, Wei Zhenming, and Wei Zhenhui. The three weren’t biological brothers, but they were distant relatives. While there was no direct blood relation in this generation, their ancestors were all distantly related—as their names made clear. The character “Zhen” was likely their generational name. After parting ways with the trio, Mu Tian witnessed numerous clashes along the way. Cultivators fighting other cultivators, cultivators battling spirit beasts, or even massive, multi-sided brawls—deep within the mountains, rivers of blood flowed and corpses littered the wilderness; there was not a single peaceful spot to be found. Mu Tian put on a mask he’d taken from a dead body he’d found along the way. In truth, his identity as Master Daowen wasn’t all that useful; later, he encountered several groups who recognized him. However, unlike the three Wei brothers, they showed no courtesy; when it came time to fight, they didn’t hold back at all—in fact, they struck with brutal force, clearly intent on killing Mu Tian. Mu Tian fought them off, defeating and severely wounding them, and seized their spiritual herbs and flowers. This convinced Mu Tian of the truth in his seniors’ words: in the world of cultivators, battles are always fought for gain. No matter who you are or what background you have, anyone who dares to stand in the way of my pursuit of the Dao and cultivation is my sworn enemy. Not everyone is as courteous as the three Wei brothers, nor do they all know when to hold back. Given these factors, Mu Tian felt that wearing a mask was the best choice—let strength speak for itself; there was no need for pretense. Throughout his journey of exploration, Mu Tian had reaped rich rewards; his backpack was nearly full. The deep mountains and vast rivers stretched endlessly before him. Mu Tian moved swiftly and, before he knew it, had traveled a great distance. The danger had increased significantly—not only from human cultivators, but even more so from the mountains themselves. Deep within the mountains, powerful spirit beasts were as common as dirt; some were so formidable that even cultivators beyond the Condensation Vein Realm wouldn’t be entirely confident in facing them. Although Mu Tian was confident in his combat prowess, he still knew his limits—he absolutely could not wander aimlessly deep into the mountains. “Awoo!” “Roar! A colossal beast, as massive as a large bus, charged toward him, uprooting mountains and felling trees in its path. Mu Tian was startled and quickly dodged out of the way. The tiger-like colossus didn’t even glance at Mu Tian; it charged straight toward the distance, as if something held a deadly allure, driving the spirit beast into a frenzy. Mu Tian’s heart leapt with joy. This area was still considered a safe zone; he hadn’t truly ventured into the depths of the mountains yet, where Spirit Beast Kings beyond the Condensed Vein Realm rarely set foot. Judging by the behavior of that massive tiger-like beast just now, a treasure had clearly emerged—and there was no way he was going to let this opportunity pass him by. With that in mind, Mu Tian followed the direction the giant tiger had sprinted off in, quieting his mind and focusing his senses. He discovered that in the distance, powerful auras were surging in a chaotic, disorganized fashion. With so many powerful creatures gathered in one place, there must truly be a treasure! Without hesitation, Mu Tian followed the giant tiger toward the source. Before long, Mu Tian arrived and entered a eerie world. On the outskirts, rivers of blood flowed, and the corpses of humans and spirit beasts lay scattered haphazardly on the ground, a truly gruesome sight. But upon entering the core area, the scene changed dramatically. It was deathly silent. On one side, dozens of spirit beasts radiating powerful auras stood quietly, spaced apart from one another; on the other, some twenty humans huddled together in a group. When Mu Tian entered the area, neither side made a move, as if they looked down on him, believing that a mere fifth-level Condensation Vein Realm novice like him could never influence the situation. Mu Tian walked toward the humans and spotted the three Wei brothers and Wang Jian, a top-tier expert from the military. Wang Jian did not recognize the masked Mu Tian, but the three Wei brothers seemed to have recognized him—even though Mu Tian was wearing a mask and his clothes were in tatters, stained with blood. The three Wei brothers did not greet Mu Tian, and Mu Tian felt it inappropriate to initiate a greeting, so they exchanged silent nods of acknowledgment. Mu Tian directed his gaze—and that of everyone on the battlefield—toward a single focal point: a towering paulownia tree standing before them. The sycamore is a large tree; in the past, a single sycamore could easily grow to tens of meters in height. Now, nourished by spiritual energy and evolved into a spirit tree, this sycamore was exceptionally tall, with lush foliage reaching over thirty meters. Above its canopy, a radiance shimmered; within its trunk, spiritual energy radiated intensely, and a vital life force wafted out. “A Spiritwood Crystal Core!!!” Mu Tian was utterly astonished. No wonder so many powerful beings were keeping a close watch—it turned out that a true rarity of heaven and earth had indeed been born. Compared to flowers, plants, and wild beasts, very few large trees are capable of evolving into “Spirit” beings. Among Spirit Trees, those capable of producing a Spirit Tree Crystal Core are fewer than one in a hundred. The Spirit Tree before him was an exceptionally rare and unique existence that had indeed given birth to a Spirit Tree Crystal Core. A Spiritwood Crystal Core is a precious treasure; it is the very essence of the Spiritwood, imbued with powerful life force. It is a supreme remedy for healing wounds. It is said that a human cultivator, who had been missing a thigh for decades, miraculously regrew his leg after consuming a Spiritwood Crystal Core—and that leg was even stronger and healthier than before. Spiritual Wood Crystal Cores are not only a supreme remedy for injuries but also a treasure for cultivation. They are filled with pure spiritual energy, which is highly beneficial for cultivation. Furthermore, after being used, they can autonomously absorb and store the spiritual energy floating in the heavens and earth—effectively functioning as a portable, miniature spirit-gathering array. In addition, the Spiritwood Crystal Core possesses body-tempering properties, strengthening the physical form, enhancing vitality, and significantly boosting recovery capabilities, among other benefits. It must be said that the Spiritwood Crystal Core is a truly coveted treasure! Just as everyone—including all the spirit beasts—held their breath in rapt attention, the paulownia tree shook its massive form, and its trunk and branches glowed with a dazzling radiance. It’s happening! The Paulownia Spirit Tree is about to give birth to a Spirit Wood Crystal Core! Instantly, the entire crowd erupted into commotion. Even though no one had made a move just yet, Mu Tian could already sense the tension in the air—as if a bloody, all-out brawl were about to break out at any moment.