"A hundred years have passed, yet I never imagined that Huaxia would develop as it has, with dark turmoil and calamity striking fear into hearts. Just recently, such a tragedy occurred, yet alas, I was in Kunlun Ruins and knew nothing of it..."
After half a day, Mu Jinyu and Zhuo Yue arrived at a nearby inn in Yanyu City, where they explained their identities to each other. Mu Jinyu also informed Zhuo Yue of the changes in Huaxia during the hundred years since Zhuo Yue left to cultivate in the Kunlun Ruins.
Zhuo Yue, upon hearing this, was filled with emotion.
Upon learning about the dark turmoil, he was enraged, wishing desperately to travel through time and join Dragon King Hall to obliterate those chaotic demons!
And upon hearing of the dark turmoil, he calmed down only slightly.
Subsequently, Mu Jinyu informed him about the situations involving Li Zhexiong, Yu Shenfeng, Ye Wushuang, and others.
Zhuo Yue learned that Li Zhexiong and Ye Wushuang had perished at the recent Hidden Dragon Conference by Mu Jinyu's hand. His first thought wasn't about how these old immortals could attend a conference meant for the younger generation, but rather he was overwhelmed with a mute sense of desolation.
Two more of his peers had died.
And the once extraordinary Li Zhexiong, who dominated the world with his sword, also died at Mu Jinyu's hand, which truly amazed him.
Afterward, he thought about his own situation—being hunted like a stray dog—and inwardly smiled bitterly, contemplating whether he might be better off retiring early like Yu Shenfeng and enjoying his twilight years.
Then, Zhuo Yue explained to Mu Jinyu the reason he was being hunted.
As it turned out, a secret realm within Chu Kingdom had recently revealed a Hedao Tree, bearing several ripe Hedao Fruits that were about half a month from maturity.
Hedao Fruit, as the name implies, is linked to the Unity Realm Stage.
It's said that consuming this Sacred Fruit can increase the consumer's success rate of merging paths by nearly half.
For example, if someone at the Peak Ninth Layer of the Fanxu Realm wishes to transcend tribulation and ascend to the Unity Realm, they have only a fifty percent chance. But after consuming this fruit, their success rate increases to seventy percent.
And for heaven's prides like Ji Changxin, consuming the Hedao Fruit means a ninety-nine percent chance of breaking through to the Unity Realm!
It signals becoming the patriarch of an Immortal Sect!
Once this news spread, it sparked a tempest in Chu Kingdom. People swarmed like locusts rushing into Chu Kingdom.
If it weren't for the Hidden Dragon Conference happening simultaneously and the Kunlun Dragon Veins being vastly more important than the Hedao Fruit, the conference probably wouldn't have been possible.
With the Hidden Dragon Conference over, members of hidden sects and super clans didn't remain dormant, waiting for the next conference to showcase their mettle—they all came to Chu Kingdom.
Yet gaining entry to the secret realm where the Hedao Tree sprouted is not simply a matter of walking in; one requires a "key"!
Only those holding a key can enter the secret realm and effortlessly pluck the mature Hedao Fruit.
Coincidentally, Zhuo Yue happened to possess a key.
Although he currently is at the Sixth Layer of the Fanxu Realm and far from the Unity Realm, he wouldn't pass up the opportunity to acquire the Hedao Fruit.
He initially planned to quietly wait for the opening of the secret realm, hoping to fish in muddied waters for a chance.
Unexpectedly, news of him possessing the key leaked, and instantly he became a piece of cheese chased by a swarm of mice!
Fortunately, the Hidden Dragon Conference ended recently, and those from hidden sects and super clans hadn't arrived in Chu Kingdom yet, or he might have been dead days ago!
"I see..."
Mu Jinyu, upon hearing Zhuo Yue's words, suddenly understood. Yet, he showed no ardent desire or desperation towards obtaining the Hedao Fruit.
After all, it's merely a fruit that increases success rates by half; it wouldn't make him particularly excited.
Had he not been searching for Soul Shatter Grass in Chu Kingdom and heard this news in Yan Kingdom or the Dayan Dynasty, he would have just laughed it off without bothering to come all this way.
But he was indeed in Chu Kingdom.
If an opportunity arises, he wouldn't mind checking it out.
Lacking a key, he wouldn't stoop to contest the one Zhuo Yue held.
After explaining everything, Zhuo Yue hesitated but ultimately gritted his teeth and took a Stone Command from his Storage Bag.
The Stone Command was ancient and bore an engraving of a Profound Bird, resembling Bi Fang, the Golden Crow, or perhaps even the Vermilion Bird.
He placed the Stone Command on the table before Mu Jinyu, saying, "Brother Mu, take this key. With your talent, you'll probably soon need the Hedao Fruit."
"This..." Mu Jinyu was taken aback.
He hadn't expected an individual who stubbornly refused to give up the key despite risking his life to offer it to him.
Furthermore, he hadn't shown any interest in wanting the key or hinted for its surrender.
Why would he do this?
Mu Jinyu truly didn't understand.
Zhuo Yue noticed Mu Jinyu's confusion and explained, "I thought it over. My chances of fishing a Hedao Fruit using this key are exceedingly slim. I've resisted abandoning it out of sheer denial, but after meeting you, I feel you need it more."
"And have a better chance of obtaining a Hedao Fruit!"
"This is... unnecessary, elder. If I truly wanted it, I would figure out a way to get a key myself..." Mu Jinyu shook his head in refusal.
Zhuo Yue retorted, "Don't feel awkward. I owe my life to you; consider this a thank-you gift. Besides, even though your cultivation is now higher than mine, I'm much older, so calling me elder isn't inappropriate, right? Treat it as an elder's gift to a younger generation."
Listening to Zhuo Yue, Mu Jinyu felt it hard to decline. After pondering, he jokingly replied, "Elder, how about this? I have a way to accelerate the ripening of Spirit Fruit. Why not use the key, enter the secret realm, hasten the maturation, and pick the Hedao Fruit early, leaving others dumbfounded as they wait for the fruit to mature only to discover we beat them to it."
Jian Ruyan and Wen Rou, hearing Mu Jinyu's words, couldn't help but chuckle, their minds conjuring images of the stunned crowds, feeling he was mischievous.
Zhuo Yue, half-believing and half-doubting, asked, "Can you really hasten the ripening of such top-grade Spirit Fruit?"
Mu Jinyu nodded and said, "We're idle now anyway; might as well check it out."
"Alright, let's go take a look." Zhuo Yue hesitated briefly but ultimately agreed.
He thought to himself that if Mu Jinyu could really perform such heaven-defying feats, it would be marvelous.
He wouldn't need to battle others for a Hedao Fruit, simply remaining undetected, and quietly picking the fruit.