Chapter 676: A Stolen Kiss

"Of course I won't let you down! Over the next few days, I'll use the Spirit-Sealing Needles to regulate your meridians, increasing your absorption of Wood Element power tenfold. That way, you'll probably break through to the seventh rank within these few days," Ye Yuan said.

The so-called Spirit-Sealing Needles were actually the set of mystic gold needles Ye Yuan had brought out from Ren Xingchun.

But he had refined them again with special methods to deal with the Green Spirit Tree.

The Green Spirit Tree was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Really?"

Ye Yuan smiled: "You already have one foot in the seventh rank; I'm just going with the flow by applying the needles. No need to be so happy. With my current strength, this is all I can do for you."

The Green Spirit Tree quickly said: "How can I not be happy? I've been stuck at this step for a long time without breaking through. Once my absorption of Wood Element power increases tenfold, breaking through the seventh-rank bottleneck will be a piece of cake!"

Bottlenecks are an insurmountable chasm for all cultivators.

Especially from the sixth to the seventh rank—this is a huge threshold. Even though the Green Spirit Tree is a divine wood of heaven and earth, crossing this barrier is no easy task.

The Green Spirit Tree's cultivation is measured in centuries.

Don't be fooled by the Green Spirit Tree looking like a half-grown child; he's actually an old tree spirit!

It's just that he hasn't had his spirit long, so his mind isn't very mature yet.

Absorbing Wood Element power to break through a bottleneck is similar to a martial artist breaking through.

When martial artists break through such major barriers, they need vast amounts of primal power as a foundation, or they risk failing the breakthrough.

That's why pills are so important when breaking through bottlenecks.

If Ye Yuan hadn't helped the Green Spirit Tree with the needles, this half-step might have taken the Green Spirit Tree ten or a hundred years to cross.

But with his absorption speed increased tenfold, this problem was easily solved.

Ye Yuan nodded: "This spirit vein is indeed the best place for you to break through your bottleneck. No wonder you've been holed up here all this time. Let's not waste time; let's begin."

Ye Yuan didn't plan to waste time. He had been out for over half a year now, and he had no idea what was happening in the Boundless Realm. He had to hurry up and get out.

...

Over the next few days, Ye Yuan frequently applied needles to the Green Spirit Tree's main body.

Sure enough, the Green Spirit Tree's aura gradually became violent, and it seemed he was about to break through to the seventh rank!

On the eighth day, tribulation clouds rolled in the sky, and the Green Spirit Tree finally faced his heavenly tribulation!

"The tribulation is here. Be careful! As a divine wood of heaven and earth, this tribulation will be extraordinarily powerful. Although the Wood Spirit Trapping Dragon Formation isn't strong offensively, it's good for defense. I'll control the formation to help block part of the tribulation's power; the rest is up to you!" Ye Yuan said.

Feeling the terrifying aura from the tribulation clouds, the Green Spirit Tree's face was unprecedentedly grim.

"Good brother! I promise you, once I survive this tribulation, I will protect your friend for ten years!"

This heavenly tribulation wasn't easy for the Green Spirit Tree to overcome either.

He had only just cultivated his spirit, unlike his earlier ignorant days when he acted purely on instinct.

Now, the Green Spirit Tree was full of attachment and curiosity about this world and didn't want to fall under the tribulation.

Ye Yuan smiled: "We'll talk about that later. Don't be so nervous; it won't help you survive the tribulation. This is a spirit vein—not only the best place for cultivation but also the best place to undergo tribulation. Wood Element power is endless; what can the heavenly tribulation do to you?"

The Green Spirit Tree's eyes lit up, and he said in frustration: "Stupid me, why didn't I think of that!"

Before long, the heavenly tribulation descended, and its power was indeed extraordinary.

Ye Yuan controlled the formation to block the tribulation, but after just one round, the formation collapsed, and Ye Yuan suffered considerable injuries.

However, atop the entire spirit vein, the Green Spirit Tree's strength was truly remarkable.

No matter how the tribulation raged, the Green Spirit Tree could recover quickly.

And with Ye Yuan's help in clearing his meridians, the Green Spirit Tree absorbed Wood Element power ten times faster than before.

Under these circumstances, almost nothing could destroy him—not even the heavenly tribulation!

Finally, the tribulation clouds dispersed, and the Green Spirit Tree successfully broke through to the seventh rank!

"Hahaha, I was so afraid of the heavenly tribulation, but now it seems it's nothing special!" The Green Spirit Tree laughed and leaped to Ye Yuan's side.

The seventh rank was an extremely powerful existence in this world.

Even in the Divine Realm, a seventh-rank expert could claim a small territory and rule a region.

How could the Green Spirit Tree not be happy to cross this threshold?

"Heh, congratulations, Brother Qing," Ye Yuan also offered his congratulations.

Although Ye Yuan's injuries had mostly healed by now, the Green Spirit Tree knew that Ye Yuan had played a crucial role in his breakthrough.

"Ye Yuan, from now on we're good brothers. I will definitely fulfill my promise to you! Here, take this Green Spirit Heart-Melting Liquid!"

The Green Spirit Tree casually tossed Ye Yuan a wooden vessel containing some green liquid—it was the Green Spirit Heart-Melting Liquid!

Ye Yuan was overjoyed: "Top-grade Green Spirit Heart-Melting Liquid! Brother Qing, thank you! My friend is in my portable space. If you don't mind, you can stay in there too from now on."

The Green Spirit Tree nodded, and Ye Yuan said: "Brother Qing, don't resist; I'll take you in."

With a thought, Ye Yuan took himself and the Green Spirit Tree into the Divine Pagoda.

Inside the Divine Pagoda, Ye Yuan and the Green Spirit Tree appeared before Yue Mengli and the others.

Ye Yuan handed the Green Spirit Heart-Melting Liquid to Yue Mengli and said: "Li'er, this is the Green Spirit Heart-Melting Liquid. Take it directly!"

Yue Mengli said in surprise: "You... you really found the Green Spirit Heart-Melting Liquid?"

Ye Yuan smiled: "Brother Qing and I have signed a ten-year soul contract. For these ten years, he will stay by your side and provide you with Green Spirit Heart-Melting Liquid. From now on, take this amount each month to continuously repair your torn soul. As long as you don't use the power of the Moonlight Heavenly Eye, it should keep you safe for ten years."

Yue Mengli's eyes were already moist. Ye Yuan had deliberately cut off the Divine Pagoda's connection to the outside world, preventing those inside from knowing what had happened outside.

But precisely because of this, Yue Mengli understood even more how dangerous this journey had been.

Not to mention anything else, just the Green Spirit Tree's seventh-rank aura indicated unimaginable dangers along the way.

Yet Ye Yuan, for the sake of a promise he had made, had actually found the Green Spirit Tree!

And signing such a soul contract with a powerhouse like the Green Spirit Tree must have cost Ye Yuan a great deal.

The gratitude in Yue Mengli's heart at that moment was beyond words.

"Ye Yuan, thank you!"

Unable to hold back, Yue Mengli quickly planted a light kiss on Ye Yuan's cheek, then turned her head away, her face burning like fire.