Chapter 208: Tree Soul

208. Chapter 208: Tree Soul

"Respectfully, Divine Tree, descend!"

With the sacrifice of the Giant Wood Sect's many disciples, who "offered" their own flesh, blood, and life essence, under the great shout of True Person Changxu, the sect‑protecting Divine Tree of the Giant Wood Sect descended onto the scene in the form of an avatar.

Xiao Zhangqing watched the spreading phantom shadows of the Divine Tree around him, as if they enveloped the space, giving a sense of being trapped in a formation.

Or rather, it felt as if he had broken into the Giant Wood Sect's main stronghold, the Giant Wood Immortal City.

Crimson spread, eerie yet pulsing with vigorous life.

The Giant Wood Sect's Divine Tree had clearly evolved to a certain stage; although it had not yet tribulated to reach the fourth tier, it was already close.

Even though at this moment it merely used a special method to briefly transform its branches into an avatar that descended, Xiao Zhangqing could still feel a rather strong oppressive force.

It surpassed even the Giant Wood Sect's senior elder, True Person Changxu.

It possessed the oppressive aura of a true late Golden Core cultivator, almost comparable to Zhu Qingyun, who once disguised himself as True Person Liyang.

"This Divine Tree of the Giant Wood Sect seems indeed to be infinitely close to the fourth tier; in some respects, it may truly rival a Nascent Soul True Lord."

"Having its avatar descend from tens of thousands of li away, this divine skill must be of a rather remarkable variety, likely with a notable lineage or perhaps some strange encounter. Yet the method is somewhat evil."

Xiao Zhangqing squinted slightly, staring at the colossal crimson Divine Tree avatar, feeling a hint of awe.

However, if it were only an avatar, with Xiao Zhangqing's current strength it still posed no real threat.

If he were to break into the Giant Wood Immortal City and face the true form of this Divine Tree, he might still feel a bit frightened.

Swoosh! Crimson branches, like crimson thunder, slashed toward Xiao Zhangqing, creating a "crackling" explosion in the air; the range was vast, all around, and the force was terrifying, each strike at the level of a late Golden Core.

Xiao Zhangqing did not dare to be careless; he borrowed the mana of his Second Avatar and fully executed the Star‑Plucking Sword Technique.

In an instant, on the crimson‑shrouded yellow‑sand ground, brilliant starlight flickered continuously, shattering each crimson thunder.

The sky roared incessantly; although the Divine Tree avatar was strangely powerful, it could not yet subdue Xiao Zhangqing.

Yet True Person Changxu was not worried at all, his face showing madness and delight.

No matter how formidable Xiao Zhangqing became, whether an early Golden Core matching a late Golden Core, or a true late Golden Core cultivator, once the Divine Tree descended there was only a dead end.

Xiao Zhangqing could withstand the attacks for a time, but not forever; any slight lapse would mean death without a burial place!

Because this place had already been sealed by the Divine Tree, isolated from the outside, the Divine Tree here was as if reinforced by a three‑tier pinnacle formation; once trapped, one could not escape, only being slowly ground down to death. Of course.

After this battle, his remaining life essence would likely be completely exhausted; at most he could eke out another year or two before meeting his end.

But it was entirely worth it.

As long as the Fourth-Grade Spiritual Wood Essence is obtained, the Divine Tree will surely successfully tribulate and ascend to the fourth tier.

He would become the Giant Wood Sect's eternal meritorious servant!

Whoosh! Sword aura like a dragon, Xiao Zhangqing concealed himself within the aura, turning into a flash of light trying to fly outward, breaking through the Divine Tree's boundary.

"Trying to escape now? Too late! Get back where you came from!"

True Person Changxu laughed loudly; without any need for him to act, the crimson‑thunder‑like branches automatically converged toward the sword‑aura dragon, dense and layered, continuously intercepting Xiao Zhangqing.

He changed direction several times in succession, each time being intercepted.

Obviously the opponent intended to shut the door and beat the dog.

"Indeed, it's rather tricky..."

Xiao Zhangqing looked at the sky‑filled tree shadows; not only was he relying on the mana stored in his Second Avatar, even a true late Golden Core cultivator trapped in this encirclement would find it hard to break out, being slowly ground down to death.

However, for Xiao Zhangqing, escaping was not really a problem.

As long as he released his Second Avatar, even a shallow spatial manipulation ability would allow an easy escape.

"I want that bronze ancient mirror of True Person Changxu. And those special branches that cause the Divine Tree avatar to descend—I'd like those as well..."

Xiao Zhangqing was unwilling to leave just yet; he coveted those two treasures.

He had a premonition that if he obtained those two items, the system might catalog them and extract decent skills.

Boom—boom—boom! Sword aura clashed repeatedly with crimson thunder.

In the blink of an eye, a full minute passed.

True Person Changxu watched with a secret sense of relief; had he not brought the Divine Tree avatar along, he wouldn't have been able to subdue Xiao Zhangqing today and might have lost his life! "It feels as if Xiao Zhangqing's sword technique is similar to the legendary ultimate inheritance of the Seven Stars Sword Sect, the Star‑Plucking Sword Technique?"

True Person Changxu was somewhat puzzled.

The rumor about the Star‑Plucking Sword Technique is that it is the supreme divine skill of the founding master of the Seven Stars Sword Sect, requiring an extremely strong sword‑path talent to cultivate successfully; none of today's Seven Stars Sword Sect Golden Core elders seem to have mastered it.

Thus, even though True Person Changxu had lived for centuries, he had only heard of the Star‑Plucking, Constellation‑Swapping Sword Technique, never having seen it with his own eyes.

"Could this youth have ties to the Seven Stars Sword Sect?"

True Person Changxu speculated in his heart.

But with matters at this point, even if Xiao Zhangqing were the 'Sword Progeny' of the Seven Stars Sword Sect, the future successor, he still must die today! …

"Hoo..."

Xiao Zhangqing felt the mana of his Second Avatar had already been more than half spent; after cleaving the crimson thunder, he leapt back, exhaling slowly.

He tried many methods and found this Divine Tree avatar resembled a super‑tough boss; unless he could wield a killing move beyond the Golden Core realm to demote and obliterate it outright, it was almost invincible.

Moreover, "catch the king before the thief" was of no use.

Even if he managed to slay True Person Changxu, it would be the same.

This Divine Tree avatar possessed its own consciousness.

Just as Xiao Zhangqing contemplated abandoning the plunder and leaving with Ruan Bufan,

perhaps having seen Xiao Zhangqing already "physically exhausted", his stamina waning.

The Divine Tree avatar was somewhat impatient, excited and agitated.

"Surrender... the treasure... or... die..."

An intermittent voice rang between heaven and earth, as if from the Nine Heavens above, broken and ancient, yet sounding like a novice speaker.

Xiao Zhangqing's eyes brightened at the words; he instantly steadied his spirit and sensed, beneath the endless illusory crimson tree shadows, a white‑bearded old figure staring at him, demanding he hand over the treasure.

If one's own divine sense were not strong enough and perception not outstanding, it would be impossible to find it among the treetops filling the sky.

"So, your tree soul has also projected itself over here?"

Xiao Zhangqing's mouth corner involuntarily showed a hint of a smile.

"Compared to the killing power of mana level, your divine sense is rather weak……"

The divine tree's main body is vast; a single tree is like a huge immortal city, its accumulated foundation and mana are several times stronger than that of a Nascent Soul True Lord, and for Core Formation cultivators it is an endless, inexhaustible, never-drying source.

Even if it is merely an avatar, to Core Formation cultivators it is still terrifying.

But divine sense is not like that.

No matter how huge the main body, the soul transformation remains the same.

Xiao Zhangqing felt the pressure transmitted from the other side in divine sense, roughly……equivalent to the peak of mid-stage Core Formation?

That is, divine sense projection reaching about two hundred zhang.

This can be considered the 'limit' of divine sense.

Furthermore, that is when divine sense begins to transform and evolve.

Roughly equivalent to Xiao Zhangqing's level ten years ago.

Now Xiao Zhangqing's divine sense has already taken a step beyond the limit, formally beginning transformation and evolution.

"Indeed, most demonic beasts have extraordinarily strong flesh and mana, far surpassing human cultivators of the same level, but in terms of soul transformation, demonic beasts are much inferior and will not match human cultivators."

"And plant spirits are even worse than demonic beasts in terms of divine sense; generally, after passing the tribulation and advancing to the fourth stage, they can make up for their deficiency in soul transformation."

"This divine tree possessing divine sense equivalent to the peak of mid-stage Golden Core is already considered an outstanding outlier, the result of thousands of years of accumulation."

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and Xiao Zhangqing quickly made a decision.

He, who had originally been preparing to flee, operated his divine sense to the extreme; within the shroud of this blood-colored divine tree, a heaven-shaking, earth-shaking dragon roar soon rang out in the soul transformation realm……(End of chapter)