Li Mu pushed his Chaos Dao Body to its limit, fully activating his Chaos Treasure Mansion, causing the core of the Chaos Treasure Mansion to tremble violently.
The Chaotic Qi Sea within the mansion was instantly drained by more than half, condensing into a single point, which then exploded!
Roar—!
A world-shaking Dragon roar tore through the Chaos, and a colossal, unparalleled Chaos Dragon soared from the exploding core! Its Dragon body was condensed from the most primal Chaos Qi, its scales and claws extended, each scale appearing like a Small World floating within, and the Dragon's massive mouth was wide open, like a bottomless abyss.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Heaven and Earth Spiritual Pressure was frantically torn apart, forming visible violent whirlpools that poured into the Dragon's mouth. The Chaos Origin within the Dragon's body circulated, and the violent Spiritual Pressure was instantly crushed, purified, and transformed, erupting into vast and pure Chaos Power, like a Heavenly River pouring down, surging into the tottering Chaotic Dao Tree below!
With this immense power, the Chaotic Dao Tree's main trunk glowed with surging grey-green light, forcefully resisting the erosion of the pale white patterns.
Its branches and leaves danced wildly, and its roots, like countless coiling Dragons, tightly wrapped around the flood-like Strange Dao Origin, fiercely tearing and devouring the viscous white pulp that had dripped into the Qi Sea.
...
Time flew by, bit by bit. The grey-green light of the Chaotic Dao Tree completely suppressed the pale white patterns spreading on its main trunk, forcing them back inch by inch and grinding them away. Its countless Dragon-like roots violently twisted, tearing the flood-like viscous white pulp into fragments, greedily devouring and absorbing the Strange Dao Origin power contained within it.
The originally surging Strange Dao Origin flood visibly weakened, its color dimming and its texture thinning.
The main trunk of the Chaotic Dao Tree swelled violently, its grey-green color rapidly settling and deepening, finally transforming into a profound, restrained dark black. Its gnarled branches emitted crackling sounds as if unable to bear the weight, as if terrifying power surged within, and individual Chaos leaves were like boiling springs, gushing out extremely concentrated Chaos essence.
The Chaos essence transformed into torrents of Chaos, surging back into Li Mu's body below!
Li Mu's seated body trembled violently, and the Chaos Qi originally swirling around him suddenly boiled and churned like hot water. The terrifying, bone-deep wounds on his body rapidly Creep, grew, and healed at a visible speed, while the newly formed bones and muscles emitted clanging sounds like metal striking metal, revealing unparalleled toughness.
Inside his body, vast Chaos Dao power surged and roared through his Meridians and bones like a wild ancient Vicious Beast, constantly refining and compressing, as if it would burst his body! The aura emanating from Li Mu rose steadily and rapidly, like an endless mountain range.
At the core of the Chaos Treasure Mansion, the soaring Chaos Dragon let out a heaven-shaking roar. Its Dragon mouth transformed into a whirlpool devouring Heaven and Earth, frantically tearing and swallowing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Pressure from all directions. The violent Spiritual Pressure was instantly crushed, purified, and transformed by the most primal Chaos Power within the Dragon's body, turning into a supremely pure Chaos light waterfall that continuously bombarded the towering Chaotic Dao Tree below!
Finally, the Chaotic Dao Tree completely devoured the last trace of viscous white pulp! Its main trunk suddenly contracted inwards, as if accumulating power from eons, and then—
"Boom!" A blinding dark black Divine Light shot up from the treetop, tearing through the Chaos and directly piercing Li Mu's head!
Li Mu's tightly closed eyes suddenly opened! Chaos Qi cyclones in his eyes spun wildly and exploded, and a terrifying, irresistible aura instantly broke through invisible shackles, ascending to a new, heart-pounding realm!
...
The dark black Divine Light pierced through Li Mu's head. Deep within his Divine Soul, the Chaotic Dao Tree vibrated violently. On its treetop, new Chaos branches and leaves slowly grew out. In the center of the Chaotic Qi Sea, the hundred Strange Origin groups gradually became dormant under the suppression of the Chaos Dao power.
Li Mu's aura completely stabilized at this moment, but the oppressive force originating from his Origin caused the entire Chaos Treasure Mansion to tremble. His Chaos Dao Body had completely transformed; his bones were like profound iron, his flesh like stars, and every Meridian in his body had turned into a vast Star River, flowing endlessly.
The Chaos Divine Light in Li Mu's eyes surged, and the towering dark black Qi pillar churned the Chaos endlessly. The violent, surging aura around him suddenly condensed inwards, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, and in an instant, a profound and ancient dark black Dao Armor spontaneously formed on his body!
With the armor covering him, faint Dao patterns flowed. A muffled thunderous sound rumbled within Li Mu's body. The terrifying aura that had been rising steadily, almost tearing Heaven and Earth apart, finally stabilized, profound as the ocean, standing at a new Peak, with an oppressive power like a prison.
In this catastrophe of devouring and backlash, the Chaotic Dao Tree completed an unprecedented evolution; its main trunk was as black as night, its branches and leaves were lush, and its roots were deeply embedded in the Chaotic Qi Sea. Each Chaos leaf reflected a faint illusory world, as if carrying countless Karma and Law.
The main trunk of the Chaotic Dao Tree had completely transformed into a deep, dark black like ink jade, with an ancient and heavy texture. Its branches were gnarled and twisted, like coiling ancient demon Dragons, exuding a heart-pounding primeval pressure. On the treetop, each Chaos leaf was like a boiling Chaos spring, gushing out rich and viscous Chaos essence.
These essences transformed into a surging torrent, pouring into the Chaotic Qi Sea below. The Qi Sea roared and vibrated, rapidly rising at a visible speed. The Chaotic Qi Sea condensed, becoming as heavy and viscous as mercury, and expanded violently outwards.
The Chaos Treasure Mansion's barrier hummed violently, and its Origin power surged like a raging tide. The stubborn pale white cracks, under the washing of the Chaos torrent, rapidly faded and healed like scorched stains, leaving only a few subtle, almost imperceptible white marks, like old scars imprinted deep in space, faintly flickering, and finally disappearing.
Roar—!
The Chaos Dragon let out a long roar that tore through the Chaos. Its massive Dragon body's scales were all dyed deep dark black, and its aura was even more ferocious than before. Its wide-open mouth was like a deep abyss whirlpool devouring Heaven and Earth, with an unparalleled tearing force, violently swallowing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Pressure from even more distant Star Domains, forming a visible Spiritual Pressure storm.
...
Star God Realm, God King Hall.
"Pfft!"
The light masses formed by the silver-white will and the dark-gold will simultaneously trembled violently! The divine radiance constantly flowing on their surfaces suddenly dimmed and became chaotic, like candles flickering in the wind, and their aura instantly weakened and withered!
The withered Strange Tree remnant, which was closely connected to them, let out a piercing shriek. More than half of its trunk disintegrated inch by inch like rotten wood, turning into ashes and vanishing, leaving only a few pale white roots, like dying venomous snakes, still faintly twitching and convulsing—the last trace of Qi connection with the completely devoured domain was completely severed!
"The Origin Seed is annihilated, the opponent's Dao Foundation is complete!" The silver-white will's fluctuation, carrying the weakness of its damaged Origin, made it furious. It clearly perceived that the heavily relied upon Strange Dao Herding Tree had been completely decomposed and devoured, turning into pure nourishment for the Chaos Dao Foundation.
"Chaotic Dao Tree, Chaos Major Achievement, this fiend... has become a great calamity for our race!" The dark-gold will let out an extremely suppressed low growl, its surrounding light flickering erratically, and its violent Killing Intent solidified.
Inside the God King Hall, dead silence reigned.
The silver-white light mass's divine radiance was chaotic, and its will boomed as it decided: "Chaos is complete, defying the Heavenly Dao! We must use the full power of our race to annihilate him!"
"Annihilate?" The dark-gold will was profoundly cold, its fluctuations like iron as it retorted: "Entangling and fighting will only increase his strength. This fiend's Dao Body has just formed, and the Chaotic Dao Tree is incomparably ferocious; its power of devouring and transformation has already manifested. Our race's warriors, flesh and blood Divine Soul, and even our Origin Strange Power, will all become his fuel, helping his Dao Fire burn the heavens!"
The silver-white will paused, its divine radiance flickering, as if countless domain birth and death scenes were rolling within its core.
"Are we just going to let him grow stronger?!"
"Grow stronger?" The dark-gold will was chilling to the bone, sneering: "The Chaos Dao path is a chasm at every step. His Dao Foundation has just been established, and he desperately needs immeasurable resources. Our race is precisely the 'fat nourishment' in his eyes!"
Inside the God King Hall, wills clashed, silent yet breathtaking.
"Entangling now will not only fail to suppress him but will be like moths flying into a flame, strengthening his Foundation and accelerating his enlightenment! This is aiding the enemy!"
The dark-gold will finally made its decision, its divine radiance completely restrained, returning to a void that swallowed light: "Transmit my divine decree: The Strange Domains of the Three Thousand Realms, contract your defenses, avoid his sharp edge. All domains, sink into the deep Void Realm, conceal your Qi. Let him be arrogant for a while."
The silver-white will surged violently, filled with towering rage, but finally suppressed it: "...Until he reaches his Peak, when his Dao Fruit is about to ripen but not yet?"
"Precisely." The dark-gold will confirmed, chilling to the bone: "At that time, the Chaotic Dao Tree will have devoured the power of myriad worlds, reaching its most prosperous state. His Dao Fruit is also his vital point, the most vulnerable. The Chaos Dao Foundation and our race's Origin are deeply intertwined... That will be the time for harvest. His entire Dao Fruit, and even that Heaven-Defying Chaotic Dao Tree, will all be supreme sacrifices for our race to break through the final barrier!"
"Just wait... for the fruit to fall when ripe!"
— — — — — —
Suddenly!
The deep dark light of the Chaos Treasure Mansion receded like a tide, and all its aura was completely contained, with not a single trace leaking out. At the ten-thousand-zhang mansion gate, space slightly twisted, and a figure slowly condensed and became clear.
Li Mu stepped out of the mansion gate, his aura as profound as the sea, standing in the Star Sea, his oppressive power like a prison. His expression was calm, and his gaze swept over the steel torrent that was ready for battle.
Silence.
Then, a tsunami of excitement erupted!
"It's done!!"
"Teacher!"
"He refined it! The Strange Origin is gone!"
...
Li Mu's three thousand Disciples and the Cultivators roared with excitement, the fear suppressed for nearly a century transforming into a torrent of wild joy.
The battleship's cannon muzzles' faint light extinguished, the stern battle formation visibly loosened, and the tense Killing Intent and Spiritual Pressure dissipated with a roar. The invisible steel thorns in the Void Realm disintegrated inch by inch.
Blood Slaughter Divine Lord's tense body suddenly relaxed, his blood-colored cloak fluttered without wind, and a relieved smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Sword Cultivator Ancestor's myriad swords sheathed around him, and his sharp Sword Intent receded.
Kushan Buddhist Lord softly chanted a Buddhist mantra, and the Buddha Light covering the Immortal Dynasty's remaining forces slowly receded. His eyes, showing clear fatigue, were filled with relief.
"Disperse the formation!"
Blood Slaughter Divine Lord's voice echoed through the Star Sea, carrying an undeniable authority.
The command spread like ripples. The massive steel nebula began to disintegrate. One by one, the Spiritual Ships turned their bows, their formation patterns flowing, retreating in an orderly manner. The cannon muzzles completely dimmed, the tension on the Cultivators' faces faded, and they all let out a long sigh of relief. Cheers and discussions of surviving a calamity erupted on the decks.
Just then, at the core of the Da Qian Immortal Dynasty, an indescribable majestic will descended.
Above the Immortal Dynasty, endless auspicious clouds gathered, and golden light paved a Heaven-reaching grand path. A figure slowly walked from the end of the path, dressed in a Nine-Dragon Emperor Robe, wearing a Flat Heaven Crown, his face blurred amidst endless radiance, with only a pair of eyes that seemed to contain the operation of all heavens, discerning all things.
Qianyuan Emperor took one step, crossing ten thousand Li, and appeared directly in front of Li Mu, facing him across the air.
Qianyuan Emperor's majestic gaze fell upon Li Mu, carrying scrutiny, but also undisguised admiration and... gratitude.
"Dao Friend Li! You have saved this world from collapse and rescued billions of living beings from misery. This achievement shakes the past and present. I, on behalf of the Da Qian Immortal Dynasty, thank you!" Qianyuan Emperor looked at Li Mu and sincerely thanked him.
Li Mu nodded slightly, his voice steady: "Emperor, you are too kind. The Human Race's crisis is Li's duty."
Qianyuan Emperor's eyes showed even deeper admiration, and he announced loudly, his voice shaking the Star Sea: "The Deva Race's Origin power is destroyed! This battle is a great victory! All domains of the Immortal Dynasty, lift battle preparations!"
The announcement rolled like thunder. After a brief silence, a more violent tsunami of cheers erupted! Cultivators embraced each other and wept, war drums sounded on their own, and spiritual light shot into the sky, celebrating this long-awaited victory.
"Disperse the formation! Return!" Blood Slaughter Divine Lord's booming voice rang out again, now filled with ease and delight.
The massive fleet formation's spiritual patterns completely extinguished, all Killing Intent gone, leaving only eagerness to return home. The steel torrent transformed into streams of light, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, orderly entering the gigantic Star Gate whirlpool that had opened behind them, returning to the Immortal Dynasty's territory for rest.
Kushan Buddhist Lord's body was surrounded by peaceful Buddha Light, and a relieved smile appeared on his weary face. Sword Cultivator Ancestor stood with his arms crossed, his sharpness completely concealed. Blood Slaughter Divine Lord waved his large hand, and his blood-colored cloak billowed, as he followed the army in retreat.
Qianyuan Emperor looked at Li Mu, raising his hand in a gesture of invitation: "Dao Friend Li, please come with me back to the palace."
Li Mu nodded, took a step, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Qianyuan Emperor. A golden grand path unfolded beneath their feet, instantly extending towards the core of the Immortal Dynasty.
The two figures transformed into streams of light, disappearing into the depths of the auspicious clouds. In the Star Sea, only the lingering spiritual light of the retreating fleet's wake remained, slowly dissipating.
At the end of the golden grand path, the Da Qian Imperial Palace stood majestically.
Its glazed golden roof reflected the starlight, and jade steps led directly to the magnificent palace gate. Inside the hall, stars formed the dome, and spiritual mist covered the ground, solemn and majestic.
Li Mu and Qianyuan Emperor's figures appeared. Several people were already waiting in the hall: Blood Slaughter Divine Lord with his blood-colored cloak hanging down, Sword Cultivator Ancestor standing silently with his sword, Kushan Buddhist Lord with his eyes closed, counting beads, his aura composed. The three army marshals, the masters of the Immortal Sects... more than ten top powerhouses of the Da Qian Immortal Dynasty were gathered.
The Emperor took his seat on the Nine-Dragon Throne, his gaze sweeping over everyone, finally resting on Li Mu, and he asked directly: "Dao Friend Li, what exactly happened inside the Treasure Mansion? Is the Deva Race's Origin power truly completely annihilated? Does their race have any remnants, or... a chance to make a comeback?"
The hall instantly fell silent, and the gazes of the powerhouses all fell upon Li Mu, filled with concern.
Li Mu stood in the center of the hall, unmoving like a mountain, and truthfully said: "The 'tentacle' of the Deva Race's invasion into this world has been refined by me using the Chaos Treasure Mansion's Origin. Its form and spirit are completely destroyed, not a trace remains. This path is cut off."
The tense nerves of the powerhouses relaxed slightly. A subtle smile appeared at the corner of Blood Slaughter Divine Lord's mouth.
Li Mu paused slightly, then continued: "However, its source is hidden in the unknown depths of Chaos. Although I have cut off one of its claws this time, its main body still exists. A comeback... will take a long time, not something that can happen overnight. But as long as the root is not removed, it will always be a hidden danger."
As soon as these words fell, the expressions of the powerhouses changed slightly, and the atmosphere became heavy. (End of Chapter)
