Chapter 4: Old Tree

Dugu Bo and Dugu Xin didn't even know many powerful spirit beasts had targeted them as they made their way through the core area. Suddenly, all the loud noises previously resounding throughout the swamp quieted down. An eerie silence remained as a fragrance wafted in the area. The aroma was enticing, instantly alerting Dugu Bo.

"Xin'er, do you smell that?" He knew something was wrong, but using his spirit power to inspect his body showed no abnormalities.

"Yes."

Unknowingly, the duo were being drawn deeper into the core area by a powerful force. Other spirit beasts didn't even attempt to block their path in front of this force. After around an hour of walking through the eerie, silent swamp, they encountered a tree that extended up into the sky so high the top could not be seen.

Suddenly, the tree shined, and the dazzling radiance caused Dugu Bo and Xin to cover their eyes. As the light died down, what was left was a small, ethereal boy floating above their head, "It's my first time seeing humans this deep in the forest in hundreds of years. I forgot you existed and thought some powerful spirit beast wiped you all out." The boy was shown to be about 11-13 years old with bright red hair, his eyes were red like his hair, and he was wearing a seafoam green robe.

"I am known as Manchineel; my main body is that large tree over there. The other spirit beast would usually kill any human before they could ever reach this area, or the poison miasma would, but I see you two are immune to such poison. It seems like the poison in your own body which is killing you is of a much higher level than the miasma. I'm guessing that's the reason you are here." Without a doubt, this cheerful child-looking creature is a Spirit Beast, an extremely powerful one.

Dugu Bo could feel the boundless energy coming off of Manchineel and soon realized that the energy coming from him was the same as the numerous trees in the area. 'He's so carefree because he can crush us at any time. We stand no chance against a 100,000-year-old spirit beast.' "Father, put me down, please." Dugu Bo flinched but then realized they were at the mercy of this Spirit Beast in front of them.

Once Dugu Xin was on his feet, he looked at Manchineel, "It is as you say we are dying due to our Spirits poison. Why did you come out to speak to us, even go so far as to lead us to this area?"

"Hmmm, well, it's boring around here; most of the children are too weak to reach the point where we can have any meaningful conversation. The other 100,000-year-old Spirit beasts mostly focus on their cultivation so they can reach Sanctuary and be with the Beast king of the swamp. I, on the other hand, cultivate just by existing, so most of the time I'm just observing the swamp, my roots changed the area into something similar to a forest rather than a Swamp, but there is nothing else to doooooo." Manchineel looked distraught as he pouted. Xin walked over to the tree trunk and placed his hand on it.

[Spirit Beast, Species: Manchineel Age:298,182 Years Old Cultivation Age:1,963,456 Years old.

The most poisonous tree in all existence dubbed the Tree of Death, The tree produces sap that will cause blindness and blistering of the skin should it come into contact with any living creature. Even standing beneath the tree in the rain can result in skin blistering, and encountering smoke from burning manchineel wood can cause blindness. Its fruit — the manzanilla de la muerte or "little apple of death," in case you weren't convinced of the danger — is slightly sweet. But it's terrible to eat the fruit. Just a small bite will cause boils to form in your mouth and throat. Swallowing it will kill you. To advance to godhood, the Manchineel must: 1) retract all its roots and solidify its cultivation base, then survive the heavenly tribunal. 2) Willingly bond with a Human, giving them its cultivation while becoming tied together with that human. Upon becoming a Rank 99 Limit Douluo(Quasi God stage), both will advance to godhood.

Due to the fact it usually kills all things that come into contact with it the Manchineel is exceptionally lonely. Despite its immense cultivation, most of its energy is used to expand its roots. In the next 3,000 years, the Manchineel will spread itself too far, losing its sense of self and essentially brain dead.]

Reading the information, Xin was in awe. Removing his hand, the skin nearly melted off due to that brief moment of contact with the trunk. 'He's so powerful yet is overtaken by loneliness.'

"If you're all alone, why not undergo evolution and become human?" Xin said as he grimaced in pain.

"That would mean giving up my cultivation and starting over. Not only that, but many humans would kill me to use me as a spirit ring. But right now, that is impossible. Even the Swamp King cannot beat me. I am the most powerful spirit beast here."

'That's true. Nothing can kill Manchineel as he is now.' "What if there is a way that you no longer have to be alone?"

Manchineel looked at Xin and flew over quickly, nearly putting his face on Xin's, "Really? How?" Excitement practically oozed out of his body as he smiled brightly.

"Bond with my father. You will still live within his spirit sea, becoming a spirit soul. By becoming a spirit soul, you will only change form and not your existence by binding your spiritual and life origin to him." Xin looked at Manchineel, who glanced at Dugu Bo.

"That does seem interesting. How to do it?"

"Place your hand on his head, offer your cultivation to him, and it should just happen."

Dugu Bo sat cross-legged on the ground. Manchineel flew over and placed his hand on Dugu Bo's head, then started to channel his spirit power into him. First, Manchineel's Spirit Bone started to fuse with Dugu Bo. His chest glowed a seafoam green color, and then the pain started. The immense Spirit Energy caused the robes on Dugu Bo's chest to be blown off as he howled. A stomach-churning scream that came from deep within soon the patterns of a tree bearing fruit appeared, along with his snake tattoo it looked as if it described what happened in the garden of Eden.

After that, the cultivation bestowal began, as Dugu Bo was only ranked 72. Manchineel sacrificed some of his cultivation to bring Dugu Bo to rank 80. This process, while painful, was less so than the spirit bone being implanted. Dugu Bo's Seven Spirit rings rotated around him as his rank increased. 73…74…75…76..77..78..79…then boom 80. After that, Manchineel shined brightly. Moments later, he was a Seafoam green, red, and Gold colored spirit ring floating behind Dugu Bo, now a Spirit Douluo.

Within Dugu Bo's Spirit Sea, Manchineel sat down and looked around. There, he saw the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor and the other Spirit Rings, well, their beasts of origin. "Hi, Snake!" Manchineel flew over and placed his hand on its head when the two made contact, and a mutation happened to everything in the space. First, the Spirit Rings rapidly absorbed some of Manchineel's spirit power, as did the Jade Phosphor serpent emperor. The Spirit Rings started to advance in age until there were 7 Red, 100,000-year-old rings floating in the space. The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor grew a second head, then a third, until the serpent became a 9-headed Hydra.

Outside, Dugu Bo didn't yet notice the Changes, but Dugu Xin, who was watching the entire process looked at his father's Spirit Rings, and his heart started to beat faster like it was ready to jump out of his chest. The Seafoam green, red, and gold Spirit ring didn't lose its radiance at all, but now Dugu Bo looked domineering as 7 Red rings circled him, following behind the golden one, making him look like a demon king.

Dugu Bo felt changes and went into his Spirit sea. What he saw almost made the man have a heart attack. "Hey, Bo! Do you like the changes I've made?" Manchineel said with a smile as he stood on one of the Hydra's heads while another rubbed his face. Dugu Bo took a deep breath to calm his heart, then looked again.

His Spirit seemed to have evolved and mutated into something special, "Jade Phosphor Hydra, there is no need for an 'Emperor' suffix because Hydras are beasts of legend; more than one existing at a time would be divine intervention. Manchineel...you are something special."

The Spirit Beast smiled happily; no longer will he be alone.

Opening his eyes, Dugu Bo felt strength far beyond what he had before; the poison in his body was now gone. 'I now have the power to save my son.' In the surroundings, the large tree and the roots of Manchineel's main body started to fade away, entering Dugu Bo's body, specifically his Spirit Soul Manchineel. This alerted every Spirit beast in the forest, as their most powerful Spirit Beast was gone just like that. Still trying to understand his new power, suddenly, there were hundreds if not thousands of spirit beasts that swarmed to the duo's position.

In that swarm, there were two 100,000-year-old beasts as well, "Xin'er, just stay where you are." Dugu Bo's spirit rings appeared, and the 7th Ring shined, which materialized the Jade Phosphor Hydra. The suppression of a spirit master with eight over 100,000-year-old spirit rings halted many spirit beasts in their tracks. Only the 100,000-year-old spirit beasts continued to move forward,

"Suppression of this level from a mere Spirit Douluo. If I didn't know any better, it still feels as if I am standing before Old Tree."

The one that spoke was a Queen Dragon Wasp. It was a meter long with three pairs of wings, and its exoskeleton was red and white with diamond patterns—one of the most dangerous spirit beasts that use poison.

"Wait, look at that spirit ring, the one at the top…That's Old Tree." The other 100,000-year-old Spirit beast was a three-tailed toad; as it looked at the Spirit ring, it felt the familiar dread it would feel when standing before Manchineel.

"So Old Tree was killed by a human? A spirit Douluo at that? From the looks of it, many brethren of our strength were killed by him." Looking at the 7 Red spirit rings, they assumed that Dugu Bo was some kind of once-in-a-thousand-year genius, and their attitude changed.

"He isn't dead," When Dugu Bo said that Manchineel materialized before the two and sat on Dugu Bo's shoulders. 

"Young Red, Young Blue," Manchineel said with a smile, his demeanor utterly different from the complaining child that he was earlier.

"Wha.."

"How…"

The two Spirit Beasts were perplexed by what they saw, while Xin felt this was an opportunity.