C1665 Earthfire's Honeysuckle

In the vast expanse of the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, a barren tree trunk stood like a towering mountain peak, piercing the silver landscape.

This colossal trunk soared a thousand meters high, its apex as sharp as a spearhead.

Atop this spear-like summit sat the ever-composed Primordial Divine King, his smile gracing the view of the nearby Jade Peak Mountain Range.

The region, home to the Yu family, the Medicine Sect, and the Babel Chamber of Commerce, was now teeming with spiritual energy.

Majestic trees stretched skyward, their lush canopies a testament to life's vigor, while the carefully tended herb gardens boasted an array of thriving, rare spiritual herbs.

Few were aware that the trunk beneath Taishi's seat was the very Fallen Divine Tree responsible for Ji Tianyu's demise.

Even fewer could discern that this leafless, towering trunk was merely a fragment of the Fallen Divine Tree.

Taishi's return had rendered the once elusive Fallen Divine Tree incapable of hiding.

Discovered by Taishi and Han Miaoyuan, the tree's roots and the bulk of its trunk now lay concealed beneath the forbidden ground.

With no vegetation in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, the nutrients and essence of the dead Fallen Divine Tree were transferred to the Jade Peak Mountain Range with a mere wave of Taishi's hand.

The spiritual essence of the Jade Peak surged, multiplying the area's energy manifold.

Practitioners, alchemists, and merchants who drew strength from plant life were astounded by the transformation of the Jade Peak, with many already flocking to its rich landscape.

Taishi was certain that in a few years, the Jade Peak Mountain Range would become a sacred site for pharmacists, with countless botanical treasures emerging.

"The Hellfire Mountain Range of the Quietus Continent isn't particularly abundant in spiritual herbs; it's the volcanic fire that allows alchemists to forge them into pellets," remarked Devaputra Yuv Qian, as he levitated and paused behind Taishi. "The plentiful essence of the Jade Peak Mountain Range might well alter the dynamics of alchemists worldwide."

With a nonchalant smile, Taishi mused, "Given Mo Baichuan's recent antics, I suspect that the more cautious alchemists will soon relocate to the Jade Peak Mountain Range. Eventually, once the Medicine God Sect and the Medicine Sect unite, they will make their permanent home there."

"Sir, you... don't actually believe that Mo Baichuan can pull this off, do you?" Yuv Qian inquired with a hint of skepticism.

Taishi reflected briefly before responding, "The absence of a precedent doesn't necessarily spell doom. The divine paths that exist today were once non-existent; they were forged through innumerable failures and the sacrifice of countless lives before being successfully established."

"Do you think... he's up to the task?" Yuv Qian asked, still doubtful.

"We shall see," Taishi replied, his demeanor serene.

Several days later.

At the depths of the Nether Abyss, a man adorned in flamboyant attire emerged leisurely from a shadowy pit, exclaiming with delight, "I've returned."

No sooner had he spoken than a burst of iridescent light erupted from within him, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished.

Shortly thereafter, on Dragon Island in the deep sea, a procession of enormous dragons unleashed their roars. The Jade Dragon, the Ice Dragon, and the Fiery Dragon circled the island, their thunderous cries resonating across the heavens, audible to the mightiest of beings from all corners of the world.

"Zhong Chichen has returned."

Perched atop the Fallen Divine Tree, Taishi nodded with a smile. "His timing couldn't be better. The Demon Phoenix is absent, the Sky Tiger has departed for the Fallen Realm, and even the Desolate Lord and Lvliu have recently burst forth. His greatest fear... was that the Demon Phoenix would meddle, that she wouldn't even spare a thought for Han Miaoyuan's dignity."

At this juncture, none of the Demon Gods from the Demon Race were present. Lin Daoke, Tan Xiaotian, Jee Ningshuang, and others were adrift beyond the skies.

Zhong Chichen's choice to return to the Vast Expanse at this moment was impeccable.

Indeed!

The moment Zhong Chichen reappeared on Dragon Island, the essence buried at the heart of the earth was immediately drawn forth.

"The clever rainbow dragon," came Han Miaoyuan's voice from the Profound Dao Flag standing tall at Ascension Peak.

"I've always been concerned that she might renege at a pivotal moment. Right now, she's rallying a host of alien beasts in the Outland Star River, poised to launch a major invasion of the Dim Starfield. Should she manage to conquer the Dim Starfield and assimilate the Origin Blood Continent, she might even forsake the Vast Expanse entirely."

Han Miaoyuan let out a sigh of relief.

Standing before the pool created by the Skywatch Mirror, Zu Ann's expression darkened considerably upon hearing the news. "The Boundless Land is her ancestral home. Is she really going to stand by and do nothing to save it? Doesn't she fear that the Origin Realm Gate of the Boundless Land will transform into a Chaos Abyss, leading to its total annihilation?"

"If she succeeds, she might become independent of the Boundless Land's origin. If that happens..."

Han Miaoyuan's visage slowly emerged in front of the Profound Dao Flag, his brow furrowed with concern. "It means she and the Boundless Land will go their separate ways. She'll be free to slay Taishi, who harmonizes with the Boundless Land, the Space-time Dragon, and Loong Jie without any reservations."

"In the end, she could mercilessly slaughter all sentient beings, save for those aligned with the Demon Phoenix and the alien beasts."

Han Miaoyuan had been troubled by this prospect ever since the Demon Phoenix extended an olive branch to the alien beasts of the Outland Star River.

He came to the realization that once the Demon Phoenix had taken control of the Dim Starfield and claimed the Origin Blood Continent, the alien beasts from beyond would face an unprecedented upheaval.

Should numerous Tenth Level alien beasts emerge, all recognizing her as their deity, her power would amplify to inconceivable heights.

She would become the Goddess of All Beasts, with the Boundless Human Race and extraterrestrial beings alike becoming her adversaries.

She would shatter all the established rules!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Flame waterfalls surged skyward one after another from the Hellfire Mountain range.

The pond, reflecting the light of the Skywatch Mirror, illuminated the fiery red volcanoes, which seemed to collaborate in a spectacular display of fire fountains.

These fountains, hundreds of meters high, were composed of scorching magma.

Astonishingly, the tumultuous streams of magma didn't overflow, nor did they reach the base of the mountain, sparing the inhabitants of Hellfire Mountain.

The magma, after its ascent, would fall straight back down.

It returned to the crater without spilling a single drop.

These numerous fountains, like reverse waterfalls, seemed to be a powerful declaration to the world beyond.

The Hellfire Mountain range finally had a master to claim it.

"Mo Baichuan!"

"He has merged with the Hellfire Mountain!"

Zu Ann and Han Miaoyuan, within the Profound Dao Flag, exchanged glances before exclaiming in unison.

"Yuwen Hao perished at the hands of the Demon Palace. Mo Baichuan had the option of pursuing the path of Heavenly Fire, yet he deliberately chose the more arduous Earth Fire path, all to counter her in the future," Zu Ann said, inhaling deeply as he gazed down at the pond. "The ultimate flames are something she and the Golden Giant Dragon cannot overcome. Perhaps..."

"Should Mo Baichuan succeed, he could indeed pose a threat to her. Even if she were to dominate the Origin Blood Continent, Mo Baichuan, empowered by the Geocentric Fire, could still inflict grave injuries upon her. No flesh, no matter how fortified, can endure the scorching of the Geocentric Fire," Han Miaoyuan added.

Whoosh!

Just then, a glint of gold metal flickered in a nearby secluded valley.

Zu Ann paused, then remarked, "There was a flash of gold metal within the Origin Realm Gate that vanished in an instant. The material felt somewhat familiar, yet I can't pinpoint it."

"Gold metal? The Origin Realm Gate?"

Han Miaoyuan's brow furrowed as he seemed to be deep in thought, as if performing some complex calculation.

After a moment, Han Miaoyuan spoke up, "It couldn't be Loong Jie. He's in the Dark Domain, assimilating the Asura King, Sabonis. The gold metal you recognize must be an exceptionally formidable entity. With the Golden Elephant Ancient God gone, the only one you could recognize would be... President Lyi!"

"President Lyi?!"

"I'll have someone keep tabs on President Lyi. I'll also speak with the Divine Soul Sect and the Chamber of Commerce to monitor his movements. We need to clarify this as soon as possible."

With that, Han Miaoyuan's image faded from the Profound Dao Flag.

...

In the Gray Domain, Yinn Tiehua persistently inquired about her descendant, Yinn Xueqi, and the current state of affairs beyond their realm.

Tai Xu was determined to win over Yinn Tiehua and have her craft relics for the Divine Soul Sect. He tirelessly addressed each of her numerous inquiries, which helped her recognize just how much Boundless Land had changed since she left. Tai Xu also informed her that the Human Race had begun collaborating with various alien races in the Outland Star River, thanks to the Divine Soul Sect's efforts.

In the past, Yinn Tiehua's clandestine work in the Gray Domain, forging relics for alien powerhouses, might have been considered a grave offense. Now, however, it was hardly a concern. The Babel Chamber of Commerce offered a wider and more abundant selection of spiritual materials and artifacts than ever before.

Listening intently, Yinn Tiehua was astounded. She had never imagined that her years in hiding would culminate in such a thriving era. Her expertise in relic crafting not only had a successor, but that successor was a descendant of hers!

Gradually, Yinn Tiehua grew fond of the Divine Soul Sect and came to trust the Void Divine King before her deeply. "This fellow... he has a knack for persuasion," she mused.

The Chaos Roc, observing the Void Divine King converse with Yinn Tiehua, expressed his astonishment. "Three Peak of Ninth Level alien beasts, the Disaster Snake lurking in the depths of the Gray Domain, and now Yinn Tiehua. He's a master of assassination, has even refined an evil stone statue, and yet, he possesses such personal magnetism."

"He is indeed remarkable," Xuanli commented coolly.

"Is the Disaster Snake that challenging to handle?" Yu Yuan inquired.

The Void Divine King had previously mentioned that if the Disaster Snake could regain clarity of mind and wasn't too deeply afflicted by the Origin Realm God's poison, he was confident he could sway the Starry Behemoth to their side. However, upon hearing this, the Chaos Roc simply shook his head, indicating the difficulty of the task.

The Chaos Roc's knowledge of the Disaster Snake was likely more profound than that of the Void Divine King. The aspect of the Disaster Snake that the Void Divine King had encountered was probably just a fraction of her true nature.

"A long time ago, the Disaster Snake's presence in the starry skies would incite warfare among the major races. Clans that had lived in peace for millions of years would suddenly erupt into conflict due to her emergence. Her bloodline power has the uncanny ability to incite slaughter and ignite wars among all beings."

The Chaos Roc explained, "She draws the power she needs from the turmoil of war and bloodshed. After the supreme Titan perished, the Secular Bird sought to kill her and claim her power. Following a fierce battle, she managed to escape and has since vanished."

"I assumed that when the other races rallied under Beilstein to besiege the Starry Behemoth, she was also destroyed. It's surprising to learn she's been hiding in the Gray Domain."

"The Gray Domain is indeed an excellent hiding spot. Had she been in any other realm, her propensity for inciting war and carnage would have made her easy to track down."

"..."

After a brief pause, the Chaos Roc continued, "The Origin Realm Gates can link to various realms, and her chaotic abilities can be unleashed through them. Once war and endless devastation ensue, she can siphon power from the chaos."

"Collaborating with the Origin Realm God is indeed an effective strategy for her to gain strength quickly. Moreover..."

"Knowing that the Secular Bird is still alive, she's undoubtedly plotting its demise. Unable to confront the Secular Bird on her own, she's forced to seek formidable allies."

The Chaos Roc glanced at Taixu, "The enmity between her and the Secular Bird is beyond Taixu's ability to mediate."

Yu Yuan nodded in understanding.

Time passed, and then...

In a corner of the Gray Domain, a massive body, glowing as if forged from red-hot iron, floated silently like a dormant volcano.

"That's the Titan."

The Chaos Roc inhaled sharply, "The individual from the Red Devil Sect who encountered the Titan was killed after venturing deep into the Gray Domain."

The Three-legged Golden Crow issued a mournful cry, emerging from the ochre land to alight upon the Titan's head.

The cry suggested a bond with the fiery Titan.

As its barbed claws touched the Titan's skull, fiery sparks and lightning penetrated, searching the Titan's mind.

The Three-legged Golden Crow seemed determined to identify the assailant through the deceased Titan's brain.

Roar!

Inside the Dragon Slash Platform, the juvenile Spinosaurus roared in anger.

The fallen Titan was of the first generation, carrying the essence of its ancestors, which it sensed, fueling its rage.

It was roused from its deep slumber by a jarring stimulus.

It appeared extremely irritable as the amethyst dragon egg cracked open with a resounding snap.

​