“Crack—”
The rift in the sky tore open like the sharp claws of some invisible behemoth, emitting an ear-piercing, shrill cracking sound.
The entire sky peeled away piece by piece like fragile Glass, fragments fluttering like snow, yet before they landed, they transformed into black mist and dissipated. What emerged from the clouds was not sunlight, but an eerie, emerald-green glow, like the reflection of some creature's pupil on the firmament.
Yu Lin Immortal Emperor’s figure stood in the Void Realm, his originally majestic and solemn face now contorted into an indescribably hideous visage. His eyes were sunken, and dark green liquid surged within his pupils. His body began to tremble violently, as if something inside him was trying to break free.
With a bone-chilling “creak,” the hem of his Dao robe suddenly split open, and countless transparent tendrils, like water snakes, proliferated wildly, instantly expanding into a vast, grayish-white net that blotted out the sky.
The Immortal Officials caught in the tendrils let out inhuman shrieks. Their heads exploded like overripe fruits, and fine tree buds rapidly grew from their necks. Tender green new branches pierced through flesh and blood, swaying gently in the wind, as if mocking the fragility of life.
“The Immortal Emperor has fallen! Run!”
The Grand Elder of the Celestial Phoenix Emperor Palace screamed in terror. She burned her essence blood to unleash her Natal Dao Artifact—the Crimson Gold Luo Umbrella. The umbrella surface exploded into myriad fiery feathers in the air, their scorching flames illuminating half the sky.
However, before these sparks could touch Yu Lin Immortal Emperor, they were completely devoured by tree roots that suddenly emerged from the Void Realm. These were no ordinary tree roots; the surface of each rootlet was covered with blinking eyes, and a viscous, brain-like fluid oozed from their Section, emitting a putrid stench.
The ground suddenly rose into a mound dozens of feet high. Accompanied by a teeth-grinding sound of bones dislocating, Yu Lin Immortal Emperor’s spine pierced through his luxurious Emperor robe, rising segment by segment to form a pallid tree trunk. His limbs drooped like melting wax, taking root and sprouting the moment they touched the ground. What burst from his fingertips were not tender shoots, but dense, nerve-entwined vascular vines!
“Hmph!”
A blood-red seam, running from top to bottom, split open in the center of the tree trunk. The inner wall of the slowly opening bark was actually lined with seven rows of sharp teeth. Amidst chewing sounds, three heavily wounded Phoenix Clan Elders were dragged into the tree’s maw by suddenly elongated aerial roots. The moment the sharp teeth closed, viscous blood spurted from the gaps between them, corroding the ground within a hundred-zhang radius into honeycomb-like holes.
A suffocating stench filled the air. This sudden disaster seemed to alarm the will of this world. Above the Emperor Palace, the heavens changed color, and countless thunderclouds gathered.
However, before the thunderclouds could fully form, they were dispersed by an invisible ripple. Yu Lin Immortal Emperor re-emerged from the tree, casting his Extreme Water Law Domain, which instantly enveloped the entire Emperor Palace, immediately concealing the aura of the Strange Tree.
“You, you, you aren’t Yu Lin! Who exactly are you?!”
Seeing this scene, the heavily wounded Second Elder of the Phoenix Clan’s voice trembled uncontrollably.
“Noisy!” Yu Lin Immortal Emperor gave him a cold glance, and his grayish-white Strange Eyes instantly inflicted heavy damage upon him.
The Phoenix Clan Second Elder’s cry of alarm abruptly ceased—his shadow suddenly stood up like a living thing, and a grayish-white tree root burst out of his body. His body quickly withered.
His life force and Dao Origin were completely devoured, transported along the tree root to the tree trunk. A newly sprouted branch grew on the tree trunk at a visible speed, and at the same time, the new branch quickly became covered with bell-shaped fleshy growths, each growth resembling a white robe incubating something.
Beneath the grayish-white giant tree, deep within countless root systems, tens of thousands of Cultivator bodies gradually merged with the tree trunk. They were still alive, their eyes filled with despair, struggling in agony. The giant tree not only drew their physical pain but also absorbed the various negative emotions generated during the torment of their lives, as if this was the source of its power.
The entire Emperor Palace was mutating into a living forest. Pillars twisted into intestinal-like tree vines, glazed tiles mutated into layered fungal caps, and the contaminated Immortal Soldiers merged with the ground. Their heads squeezed out from between the tree roots, their wide-open mouths continuously spitting out barbed spores. Each spore rooted and sprouted upon landing, rapidly spreading as if to engulf the entire world.
“Rustle, rustle, rustle—”
Countless squirming sounds emanated from all directions, as if millions of insects were gnawing at the heart of the earth. The Nirvana Fire of Celestial Phoenix Immortal Emperor’s shattered body was suddenly pulled by some force, transforming into myriad streaking flames that shot towards the center of the tree trunk.
The moment it entered the tree’s maw, crimson patterns appeared on the entire surface of the Strange Tree. A white, Phoenix-shaped fruit slowly formed at the top of the tree crown, crystal clear, with the faint outline of a curled-up grayish-white young bird visible inside.
“Perfect… too perfect…”
The blood-red seam on the tree trunk writhed, uttering exclamations of praise, its voice mixed with the wails of Yu Lin Immortal Emperor and thousands of unfamiliar souls. The dangling fleshy growths suddenly burst simultaneously, spewing out blood mist that condensed in the air into a vast swarm of grayish-white moths that blotted out the sky. Their wings gleamed with a metallic luster, and their flight paths were erratic, as if controlled by some unknown will.
The most terrifying aspect was that wherever the tree roots spread, space began to exhibit strange distortions; the Third Elder attempted to use a spatial escape technique, only to find himself crashing into the interior of the tree trunk—his skin rapidly petrified into wood grain, his terrified face forever solidified on the tree bark, becoming one of the myriad human-faced reliefs. His consciousness could not dissipate, only helplessly watching his Divine Soul being absorbed and tormented by the tree trunk, turning into a part of its nourishment.
“The Dao… has been corrupted…”
His remaining consciousness saw that the grayish-white moth swarm was devouring the Laws of Heaven and Earth. The scales shed from their flapping wings actually caused a network of decaying blood vessels to appear in the Void Realm. The Phoenix Parasol Tree, contaminated by the scales, began to grow in reverse. Its once brilliant Phoenix Perching branches withered into stark white bones, and a low wailing sound emanated from between its branches and leaves, like the crying of the entire world.
“Bang!”
The Phoenix fruit on the tree crown suddenly exploded, and the splashing liquid transformed into chains in the air, dragging Celestial Phoenix Immortal Emperor’s fragmented body towards the tree trunk. Her left leg merged with the bark the moment it touched it, and crystalline Imperial bones grew into coral-like Formations at the Fusion point. Her consciousness was still struggling, but she could not prevent her body’s complete mutation.
When the last Elder was pierced through the crown of his head by an aerial root, the entire Strange Tree suddenly trembled violently. All its root systems simultaneously plunged deep into the earth’s Spiritual Veins. The purest Spiritual Veins in the Immortal Realm were actually stained a murky grayish-white. Yu Lin Immortal Emperor’s complete facial features appeared on the surface of the Strange Tree’s branches, but his eyes had turned a terrifying, eerie white, as if they were portals to Hell.
At the original site of the Celestial Phoenix Emperor Palace, a giant tree dozens of feet tall rapidly grew, enveloping the entire Emperor Palace. At the same time, it released endless mist, concealing and absorbing the strange aura that had been leaking out. Occasionally, crimson light flashed within the mist, as if countless eyes were peering out at the world.
“Not enough…”
The mouth on the tree trunk split into an exaggerated arc, and the emitted aura caused the clouds within a thousand miles to condense into putrid, solid masses, as it greedily murmured, "Need more..."
With this low whisper, the fleshy tumors hanging from the branches fell one after another. From each bursting tumor crawled grayish-white Strange Soldiers resembling Jade Unicorn Immortal Emperor. They rapidly transformed their forms, their strange white pupils quickly dissipating, turning in an instant into vivid Immortal Lords and Immortal Officials, spreading towards the immortal cities surrounding the Celestial Phoenix Emperor Palace.
...
Just as Celestial Phoenix Immortal Emperor fell and the Emperor Palace was overrun, far away in the Tai Xuan Sword Sect, Grand Profound Sword Revered, who was in seclusion healing his injuries, suddenly sensed something and his expression changed drastically.
Grand Profound Sword Revered suddenly opened his eyes, and in the depths of his pupils, a shattered Starry Sky was reflected, as if he saw a grayish-white mist enveloping it, with the faint outline of a colossal tree reaching the heavens and earth. Its branches twisted like dying Dragons, and countless wriggling humanoid fruits hung from its canopy.
"Damn it! What in the world happened!"
Grand Profound Sword Revered's knuckles suddenly cracked loudly, and the Qingyu table shattered into dust from the Sword Intent's vibration. Dozens of moving bulges suddenly appeared in the Meridians of his right arm, and tree-root-like grayish-white patterns emerged under his skin—an old injury contracted fifty years ago when he suppressed the Netherworld's will in the Demon Abyss, which had now recurred with increased power.
"Pfft—"
A mouthful of black blood spurted out, falling to the ground with a corrosive sizzling sound. Grand Profound Sword Revered's expression changed drastically. The Sword Qi in his body instinctively surged out, forming a three-foot Sword Qi around him. But the grayish-white patterns were like living things, clinging to the Sword Qi and climbing upwards, causing the Sword Qi to dissipate wherever they passed.
"Tai Xuan Sword Domain, open!"
Grand Profound Sword Revered let out a low roar, and nine Sword Lights suddenly lit up between his eyebrows. Nine ancient Flying Sword phantoms of various forms appeared out of thin air in the secret chamber, their tips pointing inwards, surrounding him in the center. Each Flying Sword was entwined with Sword Qi of different colors: crimson like flames, azure like water, and profound black like an abyss.
The nine Flying Swords resounded in unison, their clear Sword Qi echoing through the secret chamber. The grayish-white patterns seemed to have encountered a natural enemy, wildly twisting and contracting towards Grand Profound Sword Revered's left arm.
Grand Profound Sword Revered knew this was only a temporary suppression—after that great battle fifty years ago, he had spent ten years to Rebirth his left arm and Seal this strange power within it, and now it had erupted without any warning.
"Celestial Phoenix... has fallen?" Grand Profound Sword Revered suddenly looked up, his eyes blazing with Sword Light. He had already sensed the disappearance of Celestial Phoenix Immortal Emperor's aura, and was immensely shocked.
"Something must have happened!"
Grand Profound Sword Revered hesitated whether to go to Celestial Phoenix Immortal Emperor's Emperor Palace to investigate, however, the strange poison in his body had not been removed...
"Someone!"
Grand Profound Sword Revered let out a low roar, and the Sword Attendant outside the secret chamber, sensing the summons, immediately pushed the door open. The head Sword Attendant knelt on one knee, his voice trembling slightly, "Sword Revered, you..."
Before he could finish speaking, the head Sword Attendant saw the hideous, wriggling grayish-white patterns on Grand Profound Sword Revered's left arm, and his face turned pale.
"Go and invite Elder Xiao Chenzi," Grand Profound Sword Revered said in a low voice. The sleeve of his left arm moved without wind, and vaguely, tree-root-like objects could be seen moving under his skin. "I want to see him within half a quarter of an hour."
The head Sword Attendant took his leave and departed. Before long, an Elder in White Robes arrived on his Flying Sword.
The Elder's hair and beard were all white, a vertical line like a sword was etched between his eyebrows, and his aura was as condensed as an abyss—it was Xiao Chenzi, the head of the Tai Xuan Sword Sect's three Grand Elders.
"Senior Brother, your injury..." As soon as Xiao Chenzi stepped into the secret chamber, his pupils constricted sharply, and the ancient sword "Cold Frost" at his waist automatically unsheathed three inches, its chilling Sword Qi freezing a layer of frost on the ground.
Grand Profound Sword Revered raised his hand to stop him from approaching, "I'm fine. Celestial Phoenix Immortal Emperor has fallen."
These eight short words struck like a clap of thunder. Xiao Chenzi's body swayed, and the bluestone bricks beneath his feet silently turned to dust. "How is this possible? With her strength, who could kill her!"
Grand Profound Sword Revered was silent for a moment, then slowly reached into his bosom and took out a shimmering golden Phoenix feather. As soon as the Phoenix feather appeared, the entire secret chamber was immediately filled with scorching light, and a clear Phoenix cry faintly echoed.
"Senior Brother, how do you have Celestial Phoenix Immortal Emperor's true feather of command!" Xiao Chenzi exclaimed in surprise.
Before he finished speaking, the light on the Phoenix feather suddenly flickered violently. Grand Profound Sword Revered's expression darkened as he saw spiderweb-like gray patterns appear at the base of the feather, instantly spreading to the entire feather. With a crisp sound like porcelain shattering, this true feather, which contained Celestial Phoenix Immortal Emperor's Origin power, shattered inch by inch before their eyes, finally turning into a handful of ashes that flowed from his fingers.
Xiao Chenzi staggered back two steps, saying distractedly, "The true feather turned to ash... This is a sign of complete annihilation of body and Divine Soul!"
Grand Profound Sword Revered gazed at the ashes in his palm. The gray patterns on his left arm suddenly surged violently. He let out a muffled groan, and his nine Natal Flying Swords simultaneously emitted sharp clanging sounds, with the same grayish-white patterns as the Phoenix feather appearing on their blades.
Grand Profound Sword Revered suddenly looked up, his eyes bursting with terrifying Sword Light, and instructed Xiao Chenzi, "You are to immediately depart for the Celestial Phoenix Emperor Palace and ascertain the truth. But remember—if there are any abnormal circumstances, escape immediately and do not engage in battle!"
"Yes!" Xiao Chenzi readily accepted the order, turned, and departed on his Flying Sword.
In the Spirit Realm, within the vast Starry Sky, a floating immortal island shaped like a profound turtle quietly hovered.
The starry ancient trees on the island moved without wind, their leaves colliding and scattering specks of starlight. Star Dome Old Ancestor, who was sitting cross-legged at the base of the ancient tree, suddenly let out a muffled groan. Beneath his skin, which was covered in star patterns, several grayish-white root-like patterns suddenly erupted.
Star Dome Old Ancestor's wrinkled eyelids twitched violently. He formed hand Seals, skillfully activating the Star Power Demon Suppression Seal. The Formation beneath him, composed of ninety-nine thousand star sands, immediately lit up, transforming into countless star-light chains that coiled around his entire body.
The grayish-white patterns twisted wildly under the restraint of the starlight, emitting a piercing sound like metal friction.
Fine beads of sweat seeped from Star Dome Old Ancestor's forehead, and a giant Star Turtle bearing a star map appeared behind him. As the Star Turtle Law Domain roared lowly, the wandering strange poison was forcibly suppressed back.
"Hoo—"
Star Dome Old Ancestor let out a long breath, a solemn expression flashing across his face as he looked up into the depths of the Star Sea.
"The heavenly secrets are so chaotic... The great calamity has not yet passed!"
Star Dome Old Ancestor muttered to himself, his liver-spotted fingers suddenly plunging into the Star Island.
As Star Dome Old Ancestor's fingers plunged in, the entire floating island began to tremble. The nine ancient turtle shells suspended around it simultaneously lit up, forming the shape of an armillary sphere in the air.
"By my Lifespan as the guide, Heavenly Secret Star Map—appear!"
In an instant, the nine turtle shells spun wildly, projecting endless starlight, which interwoven before Star Dome Old Ancestor into a vast and terrifying scene.
Old Ancestor's pupils constricted sharply, and his withered fingers moved rapidly. Each stroke burned away ten years of his Lifespan, but the projected image remained blurry, faintly revealing the outline of a magnificent, ruined Emperor Palace, with grayish-white roots crawling over its palace walls, and a giant Strange Tree hanging with humanoid fruits...
