Chapter 49: Spirit Root Tree

"This is definitely a Spirit Root Tree," Liou Wenxin confirmed after looking at the photo.

She then shared everything she knew about the Spirit Root Tree.

The Spirit Root Tree can root itself in both soil and rock. Very little of it is exposed above ground. From the outside, it might look like a small sapling or even a blade of grass, but the vast majority of the tree is hidden underground.

Its roots spread far and wide, reaching hundreds of meters deep. It doesn’t just absorb nutrients from the soil; it also attacks living creatures, making it a carnivorous Spiritual Plant.

"Every part of a Spirit Root Tree is a treasure. Its bark, leaves, and roots can all be used in medicine. Its extract is a primary ingredient for creating Saint-level evolution elixirs, and its wood makes for excellent defensive equipment. Given its immense size, a single Spirit Root Tree is of inestimable value. Of course, the most precious part is the ’Tree Marrow’ found within its main trunk.

"The trunk of a Spirit Root Tree is hollow and filled with a liquid-like Tree Marrow. This is the essence of the tree. Consuming it can not only heal all sorts of injuries but also extend one’s lifespan."

At this, Liou Wenxin glanced at Mrs. Yun. Su Ze immediately thought of her as well.

Mrs. Yun only had about two months left to live. If they could get the Spirit Root Tree’s marrow, she might have a chance to attempt a breakthrough to the Saint level.

Mrs. Yun shook her head. "My strength is currently compromised. Even at my peak, I wouldn’t dare dream of it. That’s something even Saint-level experts covet. How could we possibly compete for it?"

Su Ze and Liou Wenxin knew it wasn’t realistic; it was just a fleeting thought.

With the news of the Spirit Root Tree out, it wouldn’t just be Luofan Country and Mu Country fighting over it. Even the Filth Earth Organization would likely get involved.

The wisest choice for Su Ze and his group was to flee Mengka City as soon as the fighting started and return to the Dongli Kingdom as early as possible.

...

After news of the Spirit Root Tree spread, it caused a massive uproar online. Countless people joined the discussion, with netizens from Luofan Country and Mu Country being the most excited, since it was right on their doorstep.

Netizens from other countries were also quite interested. For example, those from Peninsula Country cited historical texts and classical lore, ultimately concluding that the Spirit Root Tree was planted by their ancestors and therefore belonged to them.

The governments of Mu Country and Luofan Country also responded swiftly.

The official statement from Mu Country: "The Black Rock Mountain Range has been an inalienable part of our nation’s territory since ancient times. All resources within it, including but not limited to mineral veins, exotic beasts, and Spiritual Plants, belong to our country."

The official statement from Luofan Country: "The Black Rock Mountain Range is our nation’s inherent territory. No one may enter without permission!"

Mu Country and Luofan Country, which originally had a decent relationship, began to bicker in the face of profit.

Previously, when effort was required, neither country would claim the Black Rock Mountain Range as their own territory. Now, driven by self-interest, they were both scrambling to incorporate it into their domain.

This was only the information available online. What kind of private negotiations were taking place between the two countries was unknown.

The situation took a turn the next day. Mu Country and Luofan Country reached an agreement, acknowledging that the Black Rock Mountain Range would be jointly governed.

Furthermore, each country would dispatch one additional Saint-level expert. Working together, a total of four Saint-level experts were preparing to make a move on the Spirit Root Tree soon.

This outcome was well within many people’s expectations.

If the two countries had remained at a stalemate, the other four nations of the Lin Hua Continent would likely have gotten ideas, especially the Ancient An Country, which was notorious for plundering resources everywhere.

Besides, the Spirit Root Tree was incredibly powerful and not so easily dealt with. They also had to be constantly on guard against the Filth Earth Organization. It would be difficult for either Mu Country or Luofan Country to take it down alone. Cooperation was inevitable.

The additional Saint-level experts from both countries arrived in Mengka City and Heiyan City that very day. With this, more than five Saint-level experts were now gathered in and around the Black Rock Mountain Range, and the situation grew increasingly tense.

Su Ze and the others also felt the pressure, but it wasn’t from the Saint-level experts.

For the past two days, Zhang Fantie had been leading a group of people, sweeping through the city from the north, checking every single rental unit without exception.

Su Ze hadn’t left the house in days. Every day, Mrs. Yun would go out to buy groceries and gather information at the same time.

Just this morning, Mrs. Yun had spotted a wanted poster with Su Ze’s photo on it, just two streets away from their residence.

Su Ze had frequently been seen in the vicinity before, so many people had seen him, but no one knew his address.

But even if others didn’t know, their landlord and the real estate agent who showed them the apartment definitely did. They couldn’t stay any longer.

"Let’s go."

Su Ze got into the driver’s seat of the car and urged Liou Wenxin and Mrs. Yun to get in quickly.

The car was a rental. To Su Ze’s surprise, the supposedly brilliant Liou Wenxin, who seemed to know everything, couldn’t drive. It was the same for Mrs. Yun, a Butterfly Stage expert, who claimed she failed the written portion of the driving test every time.

So, the task of driving fell to Su Ze.

"You’re not even an adult, and you don’t have a license. Do you really know how to drive?" Liou Wenxin asked again, still worried.

"You don’t need to doubt my skills," Su Ze said confidently. "Back home, I’d say I’m the second-best driver around."

"Who’s number one?"

"A guy named Youtian."

The car started slowly and headed south, in the direction of the Black Rock Mountain Range.

They didn’t plan on entering the mountains just yet; they just wanted to hide out for a few days in a village near the Black Rock Mountain Range.

However, Luofan Country was too densely populated, making it difficult to find a completely deserted place. After circling the area around the Black Rock Mountain Range, they had no choice but to stop at a random spot.

It was a stretch of wasteland, but with two villages not far away, people would still pass by from time to time. In the rural areas of Luofan Country, where private cars were not yet common, a sedan parked here was quite conspicuous.

Su Ze and the others couldn’t worry about that now. If anything happened, their only option was to flee into the mountains immediately.

In another three or four days, Mrs. Yun’s combat power should be restored.

Two days ago, Su Ze had already completely absorbed the Undying Salamander extract in his body, and his physical abilities had reached a new peak.

After the extract was fully absorbed, the improvement in his physical fitness wasn’t as pronounced. However, by taking the Strengthening Elixir daily and practicing the Swan Dance, his progress was still much faster than before. The only downside was that it consumed a lot of Strengthening Elixirs.

Su Ze used to take four pills a day; now he needed eight.

To put it bluntly, it was just a matter of spending more money, which wasn’t a big deal.

After absorbing the Undying Salamander extract, Su Ze could actually start considering the second extract for his Pupa Stage.

He had asked Liou Wenxin for her opinion on this matter.

Liou Wenxin’s response was that with his Regeneration Skill, his survivability was already sufficient. The next step was to build upon his strengths.

Su Ze knew that his greatest strength was his offensive capability, so his next skill should further enhance his attack power.

"Ant Power" combined with "Needle Strike" is an extremely powerful single-target combo. Su Ze realized he lacked a way to deal with multiple opponents, so his next skill should ideally be an area-of-effect attack.

There were many Tier 2 exotic beasts with area-of-effect skills, including a fair number of S-rank ones. Su Ze planned to look for a way to acquire one after his situation stabilized a bit.