C1316 The Tree Leaves Formed

Yu Yuan watched the distant thunder vortex with a guarded expression. His greatest concern wasn't the Uxthar Tree in the Spirit World or the half-awake Voidweaver. It was Wei Zhuo of the Thunder Sect.

As Yan Ziyang had pointed out, Wei Zhuo, who wielded the Thunder Pool and the Thunderhammer, was the nemesis of the Wraithcult's cultivators and posed a significant threat to the Crucible of Evil. Yu Yuan knew that if the Crucible of Evil, while absorbing the spirits from the withered vines, were to be struck by massive thunder balls, the resulting explosion within its little world could cause immeasurable damage. A Bane without a physical form would be obliterated by the lightning in an instant.

Creatures like the Shadowfox, Armor Crusher, Grimlantern, and Chebus, who had begun to refine their physical forms, might survive such an attack, but even they might not endure it. Thus, Wei Zhuo was the most pressing danger to both him and the Crucible of Evil.

With a crackling sound, streaks of emerald lightning raced through the thunder vortex, forming rings. Wei Zhuo, the Sect Master of the Thunder Sect, stood at the heart of the vortex, immovable as an ancient monolith.

In that moment, Yu Yuan realized that Wei Zhuo, a cultivator at the Unbound Stage, had truly merged with the Thunder Pool and the immense thunder vortex. He could sense that Wei Zhuo had the potential to progress to the peak of the Unbound Stage's late period.

The reason Wei Zhuo remained in the middle period was not due to any deficiency in his realm, mindset, resilience, or understanding of the profound meanings of thunder. It was solely because the Thunder Pool had not yet undergone a fundamental transformation, which constrained and bound him.

Sensing Yu Yuan's apprehension, Wei Zhuo gave a contemptuous snort. His piercing gaze then deliberately swept over the Spirit World. It was as though he was signaling to Yu Yuan that his primary targets were the Shadowkin's Ancestral Tree in the Spirit World, the yet-to-fully-emerge Voidweaver, and the enigmatic Origin Deity.

Yu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief as his remnant soul quivered slightly, transmitting the message: "Continue the collection!"

Moments later.

Crack! Crack!

Two more meteorites burst mid-flight, revealing altars of similar size and shape, surrounded by withered vines with numerous ghosts swirling within.

Yu Yiyi was brimming with excitement as she steered the Crucible of Evil toward the subsequent altar.

True to expectations, the ghosts that had been trapped by the vines for millennia seemed to glimpse a ray of hope. They rushed into the cauldron, eager to transform into the most basic form of Bane.

Through the cauldron spirit's vision and perception, Yu Yuan observed the little world within the cauldron. On the staircase that housed many Banes, the ninth level had become the prime beneficiary—the Shadowfox.

Countless bizarre soul threads, imbued with the energies of fear, despair, and resentment, flowed upwards, level by level, converging upon it. The purple civet-like creature, with eyes glinting with greed, feasted voraciously.

"It will quickly regain its peak strength after the Frost Queen and become one of the mightiest Banes," Yu Yuan mused.

Sensing Yu Yuan's attention, Yu Yiyi couldn't hide her delight as she cooperated with an explanation. "Grimlantern, Armor Crusher, Silver Chain, and Chebus will all ascend to the ninth level thanks to this bounty. If they all awaken their spiritual wisdom and become the strongest Banes like the Frost Queen, the cauldron will ascend to the status of a Divine Artifact. And I, wielding this cauldron, will have combat prowess surpassing most of those in the Unbound realm."

In its prime, the cauldron was home to twelve of the mightiest Banes, with the Shadowfox being just one among them.

With the emergence of the Frost Queen, Shadowfox, Armor Crusher, Chebus, Silver Chain, and Grimlantern as the six mightiest Banes, the cauldron would restore to its Divine Artifact glory, and its power would surge dramatically.

Consequently, as the cauldron spirit, Yu Yiyi's own combat strength would climb a level.

Armed with the cauldron and the support of six powerful Banes, she could surpass most cultivators at the Unbound level, ninth level archdemons, and equivalent Otherkin Blood Warriors.

"Who would have thought that this journey to the Brugeth would result in such a feast for the cauldron?"

A smile graced Yu Yuan's lips as he shifted his focus away from the Crucible of Evil, allowing Yu Yiyi to proceed uninterrupted.

It was evident that the shattered altar, which should have descended into the Spirit World, became part of the Uxthar Tree's power or was offered as a sacrifice to the so-called "Origin Deity."

Possessing the Crucible of Evil, Yu Yuan managed to intercept the Evil Giant Tree mid-journey, reaping substantial benefits in the process.

At that very moment, the Evil Giant Tree, along with Diggs and Pei Yuling, were fully engaged in battle against Brie.

Unable to divert his attention, Yu Yuan seized the opportunity to let the Crucible of Evil gorge itself.

A profound plant essence, as vast as the ocean, surged from the Spirit World below, capturing the gaze of all present.

Yu Yuan, too, looked down in astonishment.

On the Spirit World's surface, another verdant Magic Tree, wrapped in endless divine light, took root before Brie, blocking the onslaught of sharp branches.

This newly emerged Magic Tree, in comparison to the rapidly growing Uxthar Tree, seemed insignificant.

Yet, this mere few-meter-tall Magic Tree caused the penetrating branches to burst into oblivion in an instant.

Innumerable branches disintegrated into a flurry of wood shavings.

The bright blades of light, conjured by Diggs and Pei Yuling, were also obliterated by the emerald radiance as they neared the Magic Tree.

Pei Yuling's Mirror of the Infinite, akin to a gleaming silver shield, was flung by that force to a distant land.

Diggs grunted, dark green blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, containing black and gray-brown clumps that seemed to be fragments of his organs.

Despite his grave injuries, Diggs's eyes shone with a sinister, frenzied gleam.

His laughter, wild and unrestrained, echoed as if he were on the verge of reclaiming all he had lost.

The Shadowkin chieftain stood beneath the lush Magic Tree, his hands firmly pressed against the trunk.

He generously infused the tree with his vitality, brimming with boundless life force.

Brie murmured incantations, channeling the power etched deep within his bloodline to the verdant Magic Tree, empowering it to counter the hidden corruption of the Spirit World and its colorful undulations.

Brie, weathered by many trials, seemed to have lost track of time and his surroundings. His vitality, the mysterious insights into plant life he had gained, and the strands of his soul threads had seamlessly merged with the modest Magic Tree. In Brie's heart and perception, he became the Ancestral Tree, which, before it was corrupted, had been nourished by plant essence and had sustained all members of the Shadowkin.

"The newly emerged Magic Tree is the Azurewood Sceptre that Brie wields, as well as the supreme holy weapon of the Shadowkin. It's astonishing to realize that the Shadowkin's most powerful holy weapon originated from the branches of the Ancestral Tree. This scepter must be a gift left by the Ancestral Tree to the Shadowkin before it was defiled," whispered the Great Sage Beru.

He was aware that only the chieftain could handle the Azurewood Sceptre within the Shadowkin. This scepter was not only a symbol of the chieftain's identity but also represented the utmost authority.

Yet, even Beru hadn't anticipated that in Brie's hands, within the Spirit World at this moment, the Azurewood Sceptre could conjure such a lush Magic Tree, capable of withstanding Diggs, Pei Yuling, and the reborn Uxthar Tree, now tainted by the Origin Realm.

"Brie is done for," Chen Qinghuang declared abruptly, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

The crowd was taken aback. However, the unfolding events confirmed her keen foresight. The tree, radiating a dazzling emerald glow, began to fill its trunk with a dark brown psionic power. The corruption spread, growing more extensive by the moment.

"The corruptive force of the Origin Realm, with the augmentation of the Voidweaver and the Uxthar Tree, has subtly seeped into the scepter. It wasn't too challenging for them. What Diggs and the Uxthar Tree desired was for Brie to pour all of his refined bloodline essence into the scepter," she explained.

"Now, they have achieved their goal," Chen Qinghuang remarked dispassionately.

Subsequently, everyone witnessed the rapid decline of the Shadowkin's current chieftain's presence. In contrast, the Uxthar Tree, though no longer growing wildly, sprouted greyish-brown leaves on its stark branches. The leaves appeared unremarkable, devoid of any sense of wonder.

If one were to attune themselves carefully, they would discover that the seemingly dull brown leaves were brimming with potent energy.

The leaves held not only the essence of plants and vitality but also remnants of souls and a myriad of psionic powers.

"It's such a shame."

Yu Yuan sighed, reflecting on the actions of the Shadowkin patriarch within the Spirit World, which he found commendable.

It was unexpected that in such a brief span of time, a warrior of the tenth level would fall victim to the lethal forces lurking within the Spirit World.

"Brie..."

Beru whispered, his mood turning somber.

Recalling the life of the Shadowkin patriarch, it was clear that Brie had led a respectable existence. He had never committed acts that outraged both gods and men, nor had he been particularly disagreeable.

With Brie at the helm, the Shadowkin had enjoyed a period of remarkable stability, free from significant turmoil.

Yet now, he faced his end in the Spirit World, tragically fated to be undone by the corruption of the Uxthar Tree and schemers like Diggs.

"The upheavals in Brugeth, the emergence of the Origin Gate, the sighting of the colorful butterfly, and the resurgence of the Uxthar Tree were all leading to this moment," Chen Qinghuang stated with a calm demeanor, seemingly desensitized to such spectacles after witnessing countless others. "Those individuals meticulously orchestrated their plans over many years to ensure his demise. It would have been surprising if he had survived."

She paused briefly.

"The transformation of Brugeth into an extraterritorial battlefield was also in service of the Uxthar Tree's return."

The Queen's lips twisted into a chilling smirk. "Without lifeforms battling to their last breath in this Shattered Star, the tree's seed would never germinate. Any creature that perishes on this extraterritorial battlefield will have their accumulated power and vitality scattered throughout this realm."

"Ultimately, their essence will be drawn down to the fragmented earth below, directed by the altars scattered about."

In just a few sentences, she unveiled a truth that had remained concealed for millennia.

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