NOVEL NEXT Chapter 53: Omens
This was where Wang Heng's journey in this world began. At the time, he believed what he saw and heard was merely a dream. Little did he know, this "dream" was astonishingly real. Now, he was completely integrated into this realm.
Without a word, Wang Heng strode forward, stepping directly into the Immortal King's herb garden.
Everything was just as familiar as before. The road was rugged, winding with paths that led to secluded places, flanked by various divine herbs, all laden with fruit and exuding a rich fragrance. Just inhaling a breath made one feel at ease, as though every cell of one's body was evolving and transcending.
This was the Immortal King's herb garden, a place where the bounty of divine fruits was beyond imagination. Anything one could find outside could be found here, and things not found elsewhere might just be here, too.
At the deepest part of the path stood an ancient Longevity Tree that had lived for countless ages, bearing fruit of longevity. Just one fruit could free a being from the worry of lifespan, aligning their existence with the heavens and earth.
When Wang Heng first arrived, he drank the juice of this fruit in a haze, which instantly alleviated the pain of his soul—a miraculous effect that defied the norm. Eventually, he slowly came to his senses.
This was even after the Longevity Tree intentionaly removed the longevity substances contained in the fruit. Otherwise, the effect would have been even more astonishing.
Apart from the Longevity Tree, Wang Heng remembered a group of extraordinarily intelligent divine herbs deep within the garden. These looked no different from ordinary practitioners: a purple ginseng, a crimson divine flower enveloped in flames, fruit-bearing ancient trees, grass with nine leaves, each etched with symbols of cauldrons, bells, blades... and sword patterns.
Without exception, these were invaluable divine herbs, close to the legendary Longevity Medicine—truly rare, world-class elixirs.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made it into the deepest part of the garden owned by an Immortal King.
This time, Wang Heng's target was the ancient tree of longevity and a group of extraordinary divine herbs.
If he could obtain them, the road ahead would undoubtedly be much easier.
As for whether the Immortal King, his father, would hold him accountable upon returning injured, he had already prepared his excuses.
Soon, he traversed the deep path and arrived at the place where he had once fainted.
The ancient tree of longevity was still there, roughly the height of an adult man, with a sturdy trunk covered in old bark, riddled with cracks.
It was enveloped in pristine immortal mist, seemingly rooted in a fairyland, and faintly visible were several fruits of varying sizes hanging among the leaves, exuding the fragrant aroma unique to longevity herbs.
Around it, Wang Heng saw those extraordinary divine herbs, including a familiar purple old ginseng, a crimson fiery divine flower, a fruit-laden ancient tree, and a nine-leaved grass.
Though it wasn't the famed Nine-leaf Sword Grass and hadn’t embarked on the cultivation path, it was still not to be underestimated, with exceptionally high medicinal value.
As Wang Heng entered, the ancient longevity tree and the divine herbs sensed his arrival and turned to face him.
"Young Master Heng is here. How is your soul injury? Has it improved?" the ancient longevity tree was the first to speak, expressing concern.
Wang Heng nodded, showing gratitude.
"It's much better, thanks to your help with the longevity fruit earlier."
"It's nothing. We follow the Immortal King and are under his protection. You are the direct descendant of the Immortal King, so naturally, we couldn't just stand by," the longevity tree replied, gently shaking its branches.
"Is Young Master Heng here to pick some divine herbs this time? Last time, your soul was injured, and you might not be that familiar with this place now. We can offer some assistance," the purple ginseng eagerly offered, with other divine herbs also looking over expectantly.
However, to the surprise of the longevity tree and the divine herbs, Wang Heng shook his head and delivered a shocking statement.
His words left the longevity tree and all the herbs astounded, unsure how to respond for a moment.
"Young Master Heng, surely you jest? The Immortal King is eternal, reigning over the heavens and observing the passage of time. What upheaval could possibly shake the Wang family?" the crimson divine flower questioned, expressing disbelief.
“Of course, I'm not joking. The waters of this world run deep; even Immortal Kings are not invincible.
The otherworldly forces have long prepared for this invasion. Some powerful Immortal Kings in the Primordial Ancient Realm are choosing to watch from the sidelines, offering no aid. Such attitude will surely affect the battle at the border. My father has gone there by invitation, facing an immensely powerful otherworldly Immortal King. The odds of something going wrong are high.
I invited you all into the ancient ring as a precaution. After all, our Wang family is not without enemies, and we have some internal issues too,” replied Wang Heng.
Hearing this, the divine herbs debated fervently, unsure of what to decide, as Wang Heng's reasoning held some truth.
“Have you sensed something?” The ancient longevity tree had remained silent, but now it suddenly asked Wang Heng.
“Yes, I have a vague sense of unease that's hard to dismiss. This is definitely not a good sign,” Wang Heng nodded.
He made this statement casually, merely to gain the trust of the ancient longevity tree and the divine herbs, to convince them to enter the ancient ring.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, he actually felt a dull pain in his left chest. His chest felt tight, making it hard to breathe, as if impending doom was upon him.
Startled, Wang Heng quickly covered his chest with his hand, attempting to ease the discomfort, but to little avail.
The ancient longevity tree and a group of divine herbs exchanged glances upon witnessing his demeanor. Could Young Master Heng's words be true? Would the Wang Family undergo a tremendous upheaval?
"Everyone, please follow me into the ancient ring. If my father returns safely, I will bring you all back here," Wang Heng urged, his breaths coming in heavy gasps, acutely aware that time was running out and the impending crisis was near.
The ancient longevity tree and the divine herbs found it difficult to decide for this was no small matter.
However, in the very next moment, a voice echoed, dispelling their hesitations, guiding them one by one toward the ancient ring held by Wang Heng.
"Follow him," came the voice of the Wang Family's ancestral spirit—the Chaos Immortal Vine. Its stature was revered, second only to the Immortal King of the Wang Family. Having followed the Immortal King from a time immemorial, it had played a pivotal role even when acquiring the ancient longevity tree.
Therefore, its words carried immense authority within the Immortal King's Herbal Garden, much more than Wang Heng, the amnesiac son of the Celestial King.
"What do you mean?"
The ancient longevity tree inquired towards the direction of the Chaos Immortal Vine's roots.
"The worries of the Immortal King before he left may indeed come true. Follow this child. Even if the Wang family falls, he will rise again and stand atop the peak."
The Chaos Immortal Vine sighed deeply, then sent a telepathic message to Wang Heng, instructing him to immediately proceed to its rooting place.