"The giant tree?"
Fu Zhu and Xing followed the direction March 7th was pointing and immediately saw the colossal tree soaring into the clouds. Given its size, it was hard not to notice.
Fu Zhu looked at it for a moment, quite pleased. Previously, he had only used it as a background element for the Luofu. Only now, focusing his attention entirely on it and pondering carefully, did he realize how magnificent a sight it would be standing at its roots.
"That's indeed a good idea. I approve of you as the 'idea person.' Let's go."
The three reached an agreement and immediately ran to the nearest ferry dock, boarding the first available starskiff.
Although they were outsiders, couldn't pilot a starskiff, and didn't have starskiff licenses, the Luofu was vast and abundant, naturally not lacking people in the profession of "taxi driver."
As Fu Zhu's trio boarded the starskiff, the driver inside turned his head. After a glance at their attire, he confidently concluded they were all outsiders.
"Where would our three guests like to go?"
"To that giant tree!"
March 7th, excitedly holding her camera in her left hand, eagerly pointed with her right hand at the giant tree visible through the window.
The driver, being a local, didn't even need to look through the window. The moment he heard March 7th say "giant tree," the corresponding image popped into his mind.
"Oh, you mean the Ambrosial Arbor. Then sit tight."
The starskiff started up, dispersing the mist gathered at the ferry dock, and carried the three of them speeding towards the location of the Ambrosial Arbor.
While piloting the starskiff, the driver didn't forget to activate his "taxi driver" profession's exclusive "chatterbox" passive, educating Fu Zhu's trio in the back seat about the Ambrosial Arbor.
The Ambrosial Arbor was a divine relic left behind when [Abundance] bestowed its blessings upon the Xianzhou. However, after the Xianzhou began its Hunt against [Abundance], the Ambrosial Arbor became a restricted area on the Luofu, and no one was allowed to approach it.
But later, many outsiders came to the Luofu. Most were tourists, while a small portion came seeking the path to immortality. For both types of people, the Ambrosial Arbor, as a divine relic of [Abundance], was an exceedingly rare treasure. No matter how much the Luofu authorities forbade it, people would always secretly try to get close.
The Luofu authorities also understood the principle that "it's better to guide than to block." To prevent accidents, they simply built an observation deck a thousand meters away from the Ambrosial Arbor for these outsiders to view it, and they could even earn a little extra cash.
The driver also dropped Fu Zhu's trio off at this observation deck, a thousand meters from the Ambrosial Arbor.
After Fu Zhu's group paid and disembarked, the driver didn't forget to stick his head out and warn them.
"My dear guests, don't try to get too close to the Ambrosial Arbor. If the Cloud Knights catch you, it's a fine at best, detention at worst!"
"Okay, thank you, driver uncle."
March 7th and Xing waved goodbye to the driver with beaming smiles, then excitedly grabbed Fu Zhu's arms, one on each side, and ran to the railing.
"Quick, let's take a photo! You two stand still first, I'll set a timer on the camera!"
As a photography enthusiast, March 7th naturally carried a lightweight tripod with her, precisely for moments like this when there was no one else to help take a group photo.
March 7th quickly set the timer on her camera, then hurried back to Fu Zhu's side, smiling brightly, turning sideways, her right foot slightly lifted, her left hand making a peace sign.
"Cheese~"
With a click, March 7th quickly retrieved the camera and returned to Fu Zhu and Xing's side to share the photo.
However, when March 7th saw that the photo only showed her smiling and perfectly posed, while Xing and Fu Zhu were stone-faced, standing ramrod straight like pine trees, she couldn't help but pout unhappily.
"Are you two still taking scenic photos? This looks like you're taking ID pictures! No cooperation at all!"
Xing looked down with a wronged expression, her small mouth trembling and pouting, her fingers fidgeting in front of her chest.
"March, you know, I have amnesia. I don't even remember if I've ever taken a photo before..."
March 7th's mouth twitched. Although Xing looked quite pitiful, for some reason, whenever she said things like this, March couldn't suppress the urge to roast her.
"Your amnesia excuse is quite versatile..."
Then, she turned her interrogating gaze towards Fu Zhu.
Fu Zhu's eyes dimmed, he lowered his head slightly, and his voice became somewhat heavy.
"March, you know me. I spent the first half of my life lying in a hospital bed. I've never taken a group photo with family. The only photos I remember taking were the ID photos for my medical records at the hospital..."
March 7th was instantly speechless. If it had just been Xing saying that, she might have at most grumbled a bit more and then carefully taught them how to pose.
But now that Fu Zhu had said this, combined with what Xing had said earlier, March 7th felt like slapping herself from a few seconds ago!
How could your 37°C mouth utter such cold words! Is it because of the Six-Phased Ice!
March 7th quickly took a deep breath to compose herself and changed the subject.
"It's okay, it's okay! With this master photographer here today, I'll definitely take some especially beautiful photos for you! I'll guide you on what poses to strike so the photos turn out even more vibrant!"
Hearing this, Fu Zhu immediately turned and wagged a finger at Xing.
"Well then, Xing, go buy three tickets."
"You got it."
Xing immediately turned to leave. This left March 7th stunned, scratching her head in confusion as she looked around the observation deck where the three of them stood.
"Didn't the driver uncle say this observation deck was free? Only some other attractions charge. What tickets are you asking Xing to buy?"
Fu Zhu pointed behind him with an expression that said, "Isn't it obvious?"
"Of course, we're buying inner circle tickets. March, you understand, the view from the inner circle is always a bit better, more suitable for photos."
March 7th followed Fu Zhu's pointing finger and saw Xing, who knows when, had already approached a squad of patrolling Cloud Knights and was trying to stuff some Patrolling Arrows, which she had exchanged for earlier at a Luofu merchant house, into their hands.
This not only stunned March 7th but also left the Cloud Knights, who were being stuffed with money, completely bewildered. They had been on duty here for a long time and had never encountered a tourist trying to stuff money into their hands.
"Xing, what is this..."
Fu Zhu snapped his fingers and said with a serious face, "The driver just now also said that getting close to the Ambrosial Arbor results in a fine. Rather than getting caught later and being in the wrong, we might as well buy tickets from the start."
"What kind of tickets are these?!!!"
March 7th let out a sharp cry, hurriedly ran over to drag Xing back, and then cornered the two siblings, giving them a good scolding.
"Who on earth pays fines to the Cloud Knights as a way to buy tickets!"
Xing scratched her head, frantically racking her brain, and squeezed out a reason, "It was... an involuntary act?"
"Stand up straight for me! And no talking!"
March 7th, fuming, stood with her hands on her hips, then turned her head to look at Fu Zhu.
Fu Zhu pondered for a long while and gave his reason.
"March, you understand me. The more forbidden an area is, the more alluring it becomes. It always gives people an irresistible [desire to explore]. I am fulfilling the spirit of a Trailblazer!"
In MC, no matter how dangerous or forbidden any modpack said an area was, Fu Zhu, as Steve, always wanted to go check it out.
Even now that he was in the real world, having been confined to a sickbed for the first half of his life had only intensified his curiosity about the outside world. He really wanted to see just how big that Ambrosial Arbor was, to get up close and see just how magnificent it could be.
"What kind of [Trailblaze] is this! Don't pin everything on Trailblazing! If Lord Akivili knew you were using his name like this, he'd definitely give your butts a good kicking!"
"No!" Xing retorted, unconvinced. "If it were Akivili, he'd probably have already crashed the Astral Express into it!"
March 7th immediately glared at Xing. Xing instantly shrank back and didn't dare say another word, pinning all her hopes on Fu Zhu.
Fu Zhu organized his thoughts slightly and spoke to March 7th in a tempting tone.
"March, this is our first time on the Luofu. After we solve the Stellaron problem, we'll inevitably leave. It's uncertain if we'll ever return to the Luofu. As a photographer, don't you really want to leave behind a spectacular memory on the Luofu?"
Hearing this, March 7th's resolve began to waver.
Xing chimed in at the right moment, "Besides, we're just going to take a photo. We're not doing anything major. At worst, if we get caught, it's just a fine or detention. Plus, General Jing Yuan did say he owes the Astral Express a favor. If it comes to it, we can just have him bail us out!"
March 7th sighed heavily and rolled her eyes at Xing in exasperation.
"That's not how you use a favor! If Uncle Yang finds out, you'll definitely be in for it!"
Xing chuckled sheepishly. Just when she thought they had failed, March 7th sighed resignedly.
"Just photos, okay! You two are not allowed to come up with any more new ideas!"
Xing immediately raised her hand and swore, "I swear on my old bro's peach blossom luck, absolutely no new ideas!"
Fu Zhu immediately glared at her. "If you come up with any new ideas, I'll take you down with me!"
"Old Bro, this is just mere peach blossom luck! Blood is thicker than water!"
March 7th looked at the two siblings speechlessly, her gaze lingering heavily on Fu Zhu.
When there was danger, these two siblings were very reliable. But once the danger was gone, these two would actively create danger themselves!
"Problem is, how do we get to the Ambrosial Arbor? You saw the Cloud Knights patrolling around."
Xing also realized this point, but it didn't stump her. She immediately cast a pleading look at Fu Zhu.
Without her needing to speak, Fu Zhu instantly understood.
"I have my upper, middle, and lower strategies... but at a time like this, let's just go with the lower strategy. We'll dig our way there from underground."
"Move quickly! Modify these Grotto-Heaven Arts near the Ambrosial Arbor! That Lord will arrive on the Luofu tomorrow!"
A hundred meters from the roots of the Ambrosial Arbor, several men dressed in Alchemy Commission attire were tracing patterns in the air with their fingers. After the points of light from their fingertips formed a complete pattern, a massive formation suddenly flickered into existence in the empty space before them.
The formation flickered briefly and then vanished again.
Seeing the formation disappear, these men couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. They formed hand seals and took a step forward. In an instant, they were within a hundred meters of the Ambrosial Arbor's roots, successfully reaching its base.
One of them looked up at the Ambrosial Arbor soaring into the clouds, his voice full of reverence.
"A divine relic of Abundance... If it weren't for the Grotto-Heaven Arts set up by those fellows from the Ten-Lords Commission, we would have reached this place long ago..."
A person beside him also couldn't help but rejoice, "Indeed. The Grotto-Heaven Arts deployed by the Ten-Lords Commission around the Ambrosial Arbor are too intricate. Fortunately, we have the incantations given by the Lord of our Commission. If it were anyone else, I'm afraid they really wouldn't be able to get close."
"Naturally. Although I despise those fellows from the Ten-Lords Commission, I have to admire the various abilities they command. Alright, enough idle chatter. We need to hurry and inscribe the formation on the Ambrosial Arbor according to that Lord's requirements. Once the Stellaron is used as nourishment, the Ambrosial Arbor can be revived!"
Thump, thump, bang!
Fu Zhu struck the dirt block in front of him with his pickaxe and faintly heard a sound that wasn't the breaking of a dirt block. What made him even stranger was that even though he had chain mining active, only one block in front of him had disappeared.
"That's weird... Did I not activate chain mining properly? No, I did... Or did I hit something strange?"
Fu Zhu was a bit puzzled but didn't dwell on it. Right now, all he wanted was to quickly take a photo beneath the Ambrosial Arbor and, while he was at it, get close to this so-called divine relic of Abundance to see if he could find a way to attract the attention of the Arbiter of Abundance.
He had long had enough of extreme mode. He just wanted to attract the Arbiter's attention sooner, at least to successfully unlock survival mode.
Once survival mode was unlocked, he wouldn't have to live in fear anymore. Even if he encountered someone he couldn't beat, he'd dare to go up and trade a couple of blows with them, and maybe even spit in their face for good measure.
Being able to revive just makes you that confident!
After a short while, Fu Zhu felt they were close enough. He then looked up and chiseled open the dirt block above his head.
The three of them poked their heads out of the broken ground one by one, warily looking around. Only after confirming that there was no one around did they climb out of the hole.
"Quick, quick, quick! Let's take the photo quickly and then run!"
March 7th urged the two in a hushed voice. Although it sounded cowardly, the excitement in her eyes was no less than Fu Zhu's or Xing's.
Xing and Fu Zhu also quickly stood by the roots of the Ambrosial Arbor, both raising their hands in a peace sign.
March 7th aimed her camera at the two of them for a good while, still feeling their poses were too monotonous.
"You two, change your pose! Fu Zhu, don't you have an axe? Take out your axe and strike a tree-chopping pose! Xing, make your facial expression a bit more lively!"
"Alright."
Fu Zhu switched to his axe and made a swinging motion towards the Ambrosial Arbor.
"Three, two, one, cheese!"
The moment March 7th shouted "cheese," Fu Zhu swung the axe in his hand.
Thud!
March 7th looked at the photo she had taken, examined it closely for a moment, and then muttered to herself, somewhat bewildered.
"Strange... why is the Ambrosial Arbor in the photo just a giant tree stump?"