Chapter 230: Want the Seed? Come and Get It!
As Ying Huanhuan withdrew her hand holding the light, the massive beam of green light finally began to dissipate.
The once vibrant emerald glow surrounding the black tree quickly faded, and the life force radiating from it began to weaken noticeably.
Its black trunk, like a sculpture of obsidian iron, extended cold and rigid branches, emanating a sense of ancient chill.
Lin Fan stepped forward and stomped the ground heavily.
The earth in front of him cracked open, revealing the thick, interwoven black roots of the Immortal Essence Tree.
"What are you doing?" Yuan Fang asked curiously.
Lin Fan smiled. "This ancient tree is a valuable treasure too."
"The trunk of the Immortal Essence Tree can suppress various forms of energy. You can only cancel out that suppression by holding it from the root," Ying Huanhuan said, glancing at Lin Fan.
"But it's extremely heavy—even body cultivators can't wield it easily."
"I'll give it a try." Lin Fan nodded, reached out, and grabbed the thickest root.
Immediately, a bone-chilling cold and ancient aura seeped into his hand.
He tugged—nothing.
Then, invoking the power of the Desolate Ancestral Symbol, he pulled again.
For a moment, Lin Fan felt as if he had become the embodiment of power, capable of suppressing all things.
Of course, it was just an illusion caused by the surge in strength.
"Up!"
With a low shout, Lin Fan pulled with full force—and to everyone's shock, he yanked the massive Immortal Essence Tree clean out of the ground.
Whooooosh!
Wielding the tree by its roots, Lin Fan gave it a few experimental swings. The force split the earth, tearing open a massive fissure dozens of meters wide.
"Nice." Lin Fan grinned and stored the entire tree into his system space.
The others stared at him with bewildered expressions.
"What's wrong?" Lin Fan asked casually—then his expression hardened. "Enemies incoming."
He soared into the air, breaking through the canopy and scanning the skies beyond the forest.
Above the treetops, more than a dozen dark silhouettes had appeared, suspended silently in midair. Under their black cloaks, shadowy eyes locked onto Lin Fan and his group.
Whoosh whoosh!
Below, Ying Huanhuan, Jiang Kun, and the others followed Lin Fan up, stopping beside him.
"The Demonic Marked Ones… knew it would be them," Yuan Fang muttered, eyes cold and teeth clenched.
"And not just them—there are more coming," Lin Fan said as he spread his spiritual power outward.
While the enemy closed in, over a hundred Dao Sect disciples also began arriving below from the forest.
"Ha! Yuan Fang, some things can't be hidden. Be smart and hand over the Immortal Essence Seed. Otherwise, this place will run red with blood today."
The lead figure among the black-robed group pulled back his hood, revealing a sinister middle-aged face. He chuckled darkly.
"Su Lei! You dare covet Dao Sect's possessions?!" Yuan Fang shouted furiously.
"Hmph, with the seed, we can exchange it with Yuan Gate for an enormous reward. What can your Dao Sect do about it?" Su Lei sneered.
"That guy is Su Lei, number two of the Demonic Marked Ones," Ying Huanhuan said softly beside Lin Fan. "They're all top fugitives on the sect's wanted list. Su Lei is known as 'Thunder Blade'—Eighth-Stage Nirvana Realm."
"There are six core members of the Demonic Marked Ones. All are Nirvana Realm. The remaining four aren't here yet."
Lin Fan nodded silently. He didn't consider them real threats.
The true danger was the leader of the Demonic Marked Ones hiding in the shadows—Yao Ling, a former Yuan Gate deacon with peak Ninth-Stage Nirvana Realm strength.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
The sound of rushing wind echoed as more strong figures arrived, floating in midair.
"This is trouble…" Yuan Fang's expression darkened upon recognizing the newcomers.
She quickly introduced Lin Fan to the new arrivals.
Among them were Xiao Tian, ranked fifth on the sect's wanted list—also Eighth-Stage Nirvana Realm—and Luo Yi, ranked sixth, another Eighth Nirvana.
"Lin Fan, no matter what happens, you must get the seed back to the sect."
Ying Huanhuan bit her lip, her face resolute in a way that didn't match her age.
Clearly, she understood the severity of the situation.
Lin Fan placed the seed into his system space and smiled lightly. "Don't worry. The seed and I will both return safely."
Compared to Lin Dong in the original timeline, Lin Fan was far stronger—and with more trump cards.
This situation was challenging, but not beyond his abilities.
His main concern was keeping Ying Huanhuan and the others safe.
Moments later, under Su Lei's intentional hint, everyone present learned that the Immortal Essence Tree's seed had been obtained.
"Well, I've never seen one in my life. How about you let us have a peek, Miss Yuan Fang?" Luo Yi asked with a fake smile.
Yuan Fang's expression turned icy, but just as she was about to respond, Lin Fan stepped forward and stopped her.
He looked directly at Luo Yi and said flatly, "Want the seed? Come and get it."
With that, Lin Fan hooked his finger at him provocatively.
Among the crowd, the greatest threats were the Demonic Marked Ones—particularly Xiao Tian and Luo Yi, both at Eighth Nirvana.
Lin Fan planned to make an example of one of them to intimidate the rest.
With so many enemies, protecting his team while fighting wasn't easy.
Unless he used the Vermilion Bird King's parting gift…
But that would be too wasteful.
Whoosh!
Gasps filled the sky as Lin Fan's bold provocation rippled outward.
Many looked at him with stunned expressions—they hadn't expected him to directly challenge Slaughterer Luo Yi!
Luo Yi's pale face twisted into a dark sneer. "Arrogant brat. This is what Dao Sect is producing now?"
"Cut the nonsense. Fight or leave."
Lin Fan stepped forward, cutting him off mid-sentence. His powerful Eighth Nirvana aura exploded outward, pressing down on all sides.
The surrounding onlookers wavered. Lin Fan's strength made them second-guess their chances, hesitating between aggression and retreat.
"Brat. I only wanted the seed. But now, I'll take your life too."
Luo Yi grinned, flashing a mouthful of sharp teeth. His eyes glinted with cruelty.
Whoosh!
The moment he finished speaking, Luo Yi's body twisted, and he vanished.
"Lin Fan, be careful!"
Ying Huanhuan, Jiang Kun, and the others cried out in alarm as his figure disappeared from sight.
Get 30% off on my Patreon and enjoy early access to new chapters.
You can also purchase the next 100 chapters of the novel directly from my Patreon page.
Hurry up! The promotion ends on January 2, 2026.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Franklin1