Lin Mu didn't just need to rely on his stores of Immortal Essence to obtain the Violet Mystic Life Tree, but he also needed them to escape later on.
'I need to optimize my usage of Immortal Essence. Otherwise I might be caught off guard with low stores… off setting them with the Immortal Essence Crystals is an option too, but I don't wish to let the situation reach that point…' Lin Mu pondered on it.
In all this, he had grasped one thing. He first needed to know just how the Violet Mystic Life Tree was doing all this.
"Senior Xukong, can you figure out what happened to the Violet Mystic Life Tree?" Lin Mu questioned. "I don't think a normal Violet Mystic Life Tree is supposed to be capable of all this, is it?"
"It surely is not…" Xukong agreed. "While a normal Violet Mystic Life Tree does have defenses, its usually in the form of beasts or other creatures that protect it. These creatures are nurtured by the tree and thus support it as a form of mutual benefit.
But… we didn't see any creatures here." He spoke.
"We didn't indeed… and then the change that the tree had. What's up with that?" Lin Mu said next.
"I can only attribute the change to the Desolate Blood Battlefield and its uniqueness. It seems to have absorbed a lot of its bloody aura as well as a part of the baleful energies. This has caused it to mutate." Xukong stated.
"It still seems to have its original characteristic though. If it was contaminated by the baleful energies, shouldn't its vitality have fallen too?" Lin Mu asked in doubt.
"The Violet Mystic Life Tree is far too strong to be affected by mere baleful energies. For how long it has existed, I can expect that it should have a cultivation base that is equivalent to the peak of the Immortal realm." Xukong replied.
"Peak of the Immortal realm… no wonder it can put up such an offense." Lin Mu muttered.
"But at the same time, it is restrained by its natural characteristics. It cannot move or attack directly, thus it uses its natural affinity to runes to make formations." Xukong added.
"That means that it has developed intelligence, right?" Lin Mu said.
"Yes. The bloody aura and vitality should have given it that. It's hard to tell how or why it happened, but then again there has never been a Violet Mystic Life Tree that has grown on a battlefield like this." Xukong replied. "This can only be attributed to a miracle."
Lin Mu thought over Xukong's words and wondered how he should proceed.
'I won't be able to take the tree without being able to use Qi… Plus, storing it in the ring directly isn't an option either. With how much energy it has, it can easily resist the spatial displacement.' Lin Mu's mind continued to run.
A hundred thousand went through his mind while he continued to dodge the attacks of the offensive formations. Dodging them was the best option at conserving energy, and sometimes that meant retreating a few steps back.
This back and forth meant that approaching the tree wasn't easy. Though thankfully Lin Mu could think and dodge at the same time.
"Something doesn't add up…" While dodging the attacks, Lin Mu had a slight realization. "Even if it is equivalent to the peak of the Immortal realm, for it to use Formations like this is not possible… not to mention the way it is also restraining immortal Qi.
Just the restraining of immortal Qi would be a mountainous task and would need a massive array to do so." Lin Mu could understand, thus due to his past experience with the Northern Tribes.
Both of the times when the people of the northern Tribes has restrained Qi, it had been done through a large array.
'If it was sealing just spirit Qi, I could understand it being able to do it without an array, but for immortal Qi… that too restraining the cultivation of fifth tribulation stage Immortal realm elder? That won't be possible without the support of an array.' Lin Mu continually analyzed.
"And if the array isn't on the surface, then…" Lin Mu's eyes went to the ground.
A second later, he understood. "THE ROOTS! The Violet Mystic Life Tree's roots are the basis behind the Immortal Qi restraining array!" he exclaimed.
Lin Mu then activated his Spatial Perception and took another look at the ground. Since Spatial Perception wasn't something that was reliant on Qi, Lin Mu could still use it with no issues.
And while looking at the ground, his assumption was confirmed.
'The are fluctuations that can restrain even the space… these are definitely due to the array.' Lin Mu determined.
Having understood how the Violet Mystic Life Tree was doing its work, Lin Mu now had a better chance had fulfilling his goal.
"If I am to take the tree, I'll need to first disrupt the array made from its roots." Lin Mu said to himself.
Doing this was certainly possible, and there were many methods to do so too. But Most of these methods were violent and would harm the tree.
For example, he could use his Immortal swords and slash the roots. Since he had Sword Intent, Lin Mu would still be able to do a lot of damage without his immoral Qi. The other option would be to directly attack the roots and break them.
'But that would defeat the purpose of obtaining the tree… I want the tree to obtain its resources and effects, harming it would only go against this.' Lin Mu needed a method by which he could obtain the tree with little to no harm.
"There is a way you can do that." Xukong spoke at this time. "A straightforward method of doing it."
"What senior?" Lin Mu asked.
"Just uproot the tree." Xukong replied, much to Lin Mu's surprise. "With its vitality, being uprooted won't cause it any harm and it'll be able to return to normal as long as it gets soil again."
