C1665 The Tree of the Earthfire

In the Everlands, within the Moonfall Sanctuary, a barren tree trunk stood like a stark mountain peak, piercing the silver landscape of the forbidden area. Towering a thousand meters high, its apex was as sharp as a spearhead.

Atop this spear-like summit sat the ever-composed God-King Taishi, his face adorned with a smile as he gazed upon the nearby Serpent Spine Mountains. The area was teeming with life, thanks to the dense spiritual energy enveloping the Yu family members, the Sacred Hands' herbalists, and the Skyreach Consortium's lush domain.

Giant trees reached for the sky, their vitality evident in the verdant canopy. The herbalists meticulously tended to the medicinal gardens, where a plethora of rare spiritual herbs flourished.

Few were aware that the trunk beneath Taishi was the very Blightwood that had slain Ji Tianyu. Even fewer could discern that this leafless, withered trunk, soaring into the heavens, was merely a fragment of the Blightwood's vastness.

Taishi's return had stripped the Blightwood of its hiding places. Discovered by Taishi and Han Miaoyuan, the majority of the divine tree's roots and trunk were now concealed beneath the sanctuary's surface.

The barren Moonfall Sanctuary, devoid of vegetation, could no longer sustain the Blightwood. With a mere gesture from Taishi, its nutrients and plant essence were transferred to the Serpent Spine Mountains, causing the plant essence and divine force there to surge exponentially.

Cultivators, herbalists, and merchants from across the Everlands, all reliant on plant essence, were astounded by the transformation of the Serpent Spine Mountains. Many had already set out to witness the phenomenon.

Taishi was certain that in just a few years, the Serpent Spine Mountains would become a mecca for alchemists, with countless botanical treasures emerging.

"The Fireheart Mountains in the Land of Quiescence aren't particularly abundant in spiritual herbs," remarked the Sky Fiend Youqian, levitating behind Taishi. "They're known for their earthfire, which allows herbalists to craft pills. However, the rich plant essence of the Serpent Spine Mountains could very well alter the dynamics of herbalists worldwide."

With a nonchalant smile, Taishi replied, "After Mo Baichuan's reckless actions in the Fireheart Mountains, I suspect the more cautious herbalists will make their way to the Serpent Spine Mountains. In time, as the Order of Healing and the Sacred Hands unite, they will establish their permanent residence in the Serpent Spine Mountains."

"Sir, you don't actually believe that Mo Baichuan will succeed, do you?" Youqian inquired with a hint of skepticism.

Taishi reflected briefly before responding, "The absence of precedent doesn't necessarily spell doom. Our current sacred ways were also forged from nothing, through countless failures and the sacrifice of many lives before they were established."

"Do you think he's up to the task?" Youqian asked, his doubt palpable.

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

Several days later.

At the base of the Frozen Hellscape, a man clad in vibrant attire emerged leisurely from a shadowy pit, exclaiming with delight, "I have returned."

No sooner had he spoken than a burst of rainbow light erupted from within him, and he vanished in an instant.

Moments later, a procession of elongated giant dragons burst forth from Dragon Island, deep beneath the sea.

The Jade Wyrm, the Ice Dragon, and the Fire Dragon encircled the island, their roars echoing across the Everlands, audible to its most formidable inhabitants.

"Zhong Chichen has returned."

Perched atop the Blightwood Tree, Taishi smiled and nodded in approval. "His timing is impeccable. With the Dark Phoenix absent, the Astral Tiger away, and both Lord Untamed and Green Willow having recently departed the Everlands, his fears of the Dark Phoenix's forceful intervention—of her not even sparing Han Miaoyuan's dignity—have not come to pass."

At this juncture, the Dark Deities of the Evilkind were nowhere to be found within the Everlands. Lin Daoke, Tan Xiaotian, Ji Ningshuang, and others were all adrift in the extraterrestrial void.

Zhong Chichen's decision to return to the Everlands at this juncture could not have been more opportune.

Sure enough!

The very essence buried at the heart of the earth surged and coalesced around Zhong Chichen upon his arrival at Dragon Island.

"The astute Seven-Colored Dragon," came Han Miaoyuan's voice from the Banner of Duality, standing tall before Zu Ann at Skyreach Peak.

"I've always been concerned that she might renege at the last moment. Now, she's rallying a host of alien beasts in the Star River beyond our world, poised to launch an invasion of the Dark Star domain. Should she succeed in seizing the Dark Star and assimilating the Primal Blood Continent, she might very well forsake the Everlands altogether."

Han Miaoyuan let out a sigh of relief.

Standing before the pool that the Mirror of Fates had transformed into, Zu Ann's expression darkened considerably upon hearing the news. "The Everlands are her ancestral land. Is she really going to ignore the dragon slaying? Doesn't she fear that the Origin Gate of the Everlands will become a Maw of Oblivion, leading to the destruction of the entire Everlands?"

"If she succeeds, perhaps she won't need the Everlands anymore. In that case..."

Han Miaoyuan's silhouette slowly materialized in front of the Banner of Duality, his brow furrowed with concern. "In that case, it would mean a parting of ways between her and the Everlands. She could then mercilessly slay Taishi, who resonates with the land of Everlands, as well as the Chronowyrm and Loong Jie."

"Ultimately, she would have the power to slaughter any intelligent beings not among the evilkind or alien beasts."

Han Miaoyuan had been troubled by this prospect ever since the Dark Phoenix extended an olive branch to the alien beasts across the Star River in the extraterrestrial realms.

He came to the realization that once the Dark Phoenix had taken control of the Dark Star Region and claimed the Primal Blood Continent, the extraterrestrial alien beasts would undergo unprecedented changes.

Should numerous tenth level alien beasts emerge, all deeming her their deity, her power would grow to inconceivable heights.

She would become the deity of all beasts, with both the humans of the Everlands and the Otherkin of the extraterrestrial realms standing as her adversaries.

She would shatter all existing rules!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Flame waterfalls, one after another, surged upward from the Fireheart Mountains.

The Mirror of Fates, now a pool, cast a glow upon the Fireheart Mountains, making the crimson volcanic range appear as if it were orchestrating a fiery fountain display.

This fountain, hundreds of meters high, was composed of scorching lava.

Astonishingly, the torrents of fiery lava did not overflow. They did not cascade down to the mountain's base, nor did they overrun the inhabitants of the Fireheart Mountains.

The molten rock, after shooting high into the sky, would plummet straight back down.

It fell directly back into the volcano's crater without spilling a single drop.

The geysers of molten rock erupted like reverse waterfalls, each surge reaching for the sky in a grand proclamation. It was as if they were declaring to the world that the Fireheart Mountains had finally found their master.

"Mo Baichuan!"

"He has merged with the Fireheart Mountains!"

Zu Ann and Han Miaoyuan, within the Banner of Duality, exchanged a glance before exclaiming in unison.

"Yuwen Hao perished at the hands of the Shadow's Keep. Mo Baichuan had the option of the Heavenly Fire Path, yet he abandoned it. He chose the arduous Path of Earthfire instead, aiming to counter her in the future," Zu Ann said, inhaling deeply and peering down at the reflecting pool. "The ultimate flames are impenetrable, even to her and the golden dragon. Perhaps..."

"If Mo Baichuan is successful, he could indeed pose a threat to her. Even if she has seized the Primal Blood Continent, Mo Baichuan, empowered by the Earthfire, could still inflict grave injuries upon her. No flesh, no matter how fortified, can endure the scorching of the Earthfire," Han Miaoyuan added.

Suddenly, a glint of golden light seemed to pass through a nearby valley.

Zu Ann paused, then remarked, "There was a cluster of sunsilver objects within the Origin Gate that vanished in a flash. They seemed familiar, yet I can't quite place them."

"Sunsliver objects? The Origin Gate?"

Han Miaoyuan's brow furrowed as he mulled over the possibilities, seemingly lost in thought.

After a moment, Han Miaoyuan spoke up, "It couldn't be Loong Jie. He's in the Dark Realm, assimilating the Blood King Sabonis. The sunsilver objects you recognize must belong to someone of immense power. With the Golden Elephant God gone, the only other figure that comes to mind is... President Lyi!"

"President Lyi?!"

"I'll have someone keep tabs on President Lyi. I'll also reach out to the Boulderdawn and the Skyreach Consortium to monitor his movements. We need to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible."

With those final words, Han Miaoyuan's image faded from the Banner of Duality.

In the Ashlands, Yin Tiehua persistently questioned Taixu about her descendant, Yin Xueqi, and the evolving dynamics beyond the extraterrestrial realm. Taixu, eager to enlist Yin Tiehua's expertise in crafting holy weapons for Boulderdawn, patiently addressed her myriad inquiries, helping her to grasp the profound changes that had transformed the Everlands since her departure.

Taixu also revealed that the human race had established collaborations with various races within the Star River of the extraterrestrial domain. Yin Tiehua's clandestine efforts in the Ashlands, once deemed a grave transgression for aiding otherkin in forging sacred artifacts, were now inconsequential in the grand scheme.

The Skyreach Consortium's trade in an abundance of items and magical materials had surged, leaving Yin Tiehua astounded. Years of seclusion had unexpectedly culminated in a flourishing era, where her mastery in weapon refinement was not only preserved but also carried on by her own kin.

Gradually, Yin Tiehua's view of the Boulderdawn sect warmed, and she exhibited considerable trust towards the God-King Taixu before her.

"This individual... has a remarkable knack for persuasion," the Abyssal Leviathan remarked, observing Taixu's interaction with Yin Tiehua. "To think that he, a master of stealth and assassination who has even assimilated a malevolent statue, possesses such magnetic charm."

"Quite impressive, indeed," Xuanli commented with a neutral tone.

"Is the Chaos Serpent a formidable challenge?" Yu Yuan inquired.

Taixu had previously expressed confidence in his ability to sway the Chaos Serpent, provided it could regain clarity and wasn't excessively tainted by the Origin Deity's poison. Yet, the Abyssal Leviathan, upon hearing this, merely shook his head, suggesting the difficulty of such a feat. His insight into the Chaos Serpent's nature likely surpassed Taixu's, who may have only witnessed a fraction of its true essence.

In a bygone era, the Chaos Serpent's mere presence in the cosmos could incite warfare among the most tranquil of species. Clans that had known peace for eons would swiftly descend into conflict, driven by the serpent's bloodline power that incited slaughter and ignited wars.

The Abyssal Leviathan explained, "She can draw the power she needs from the chaos of war and bloodshed. After the death of the supreme Titan Spinosaurus, the secular bird sought to kill her and claim her power. Following a fierce battle, she managed to escape and has since vanished."

"I had assumed that when the various races rallied under Bertain to besiege the cosmic giant beast, she had been destroyed as well. It's surprising to find she's been hiding in the Ashlands."

"The Ashlands are indeed an excellent place to hide. Had she been in any other Domain, her propensity for causing war and carnage would have made her easy to track down."

"..."

After a brief pause, the Abyssal Leviathan added, "The Maw of Oblivion contains numerous Origin Gates that connect to different places. Her calamitous psionic powers can be unleashed through these gates. Once war and endless chaos ensue, she can siphon power from the turmoil."

"Her alliance with the Origin Deity is indeed a swift way to amplify her strength. Moreover..."

"Given her vengeful nature and knowing that the secular bird still lives, she will undoubtedly devise a plan to eliminate it. Unable to confront the secular bird alone, she must seek formidable allies."

The Abyssal Leviathan 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 in a remote corner of the Ashlands, a massive body, glowing as if forged in red-hot iron, floated silently.

"That's the Titan."

The Abyssal Leviathan inhaled sharply, "The Titan encountered by the Ruby Hand was slain after venturing deep into the Ashlands."

The Three-legged Golden Crow emitted a mournful cry as it flew from the ochre terrain, alighting upon the Titan's head. Its cries suggested a bond with the fallen Titan.

As its barbed claws touched the Titan's skull, fiery sparks penetrated, seeking the assailant's identity through the Titan's mind.

Within the Dragon Slaying Stage, a young Titan Spinosaurus roared in anger. The deceased Titan was of the first generation, carrying the essence of its ancestors. Sensing this, the young creature was incensed.

It was roused from its profound slumber, seemingly in a state of great irritability. The violet gold dragon egg let out a crisp crack and completely shattered.

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