Chapter 80: Demonization and the Ancient Tree

The array in the sky rapidly took shape.

Before all of Jade City’s garrison forces could react, it unleashed a beam radiating malevolent energy.

It struck directly upon the Jade Locust Tree.

Like ink dropped into water, the tree, whose appearance resembled jade, swiftly turned black, its branches sagging and leaves falling away.

It was now clearly withered, on the verge of death.

“Evacuate the crowd!”

Harris rushed over, his face grim.

Around him, people were fleeing in panic.

The malevolent demonic force crushed their inner positivity, plunging them into terror.

Harris immediately recognized this as an attack by evil forces against Jade City.

“Summon the mages! All of them!”

He quickly ordered the nearby squad members.

This was beyond their expertise—they were rough soldiers; only mages could handle this.

In the blink of an eye, the array darkened the sky.

The descending beam halted.

“Is it over?”

Harris stared at the fading array in the sky, unable to judge.

So far, it seemed only the jade tree had withered.

BOOM!

A violent tremor erupted from the ground.

Cracks rapidly spread across the stone floor beneath the Jade Locust Tree, then bulged upward.

One, two, three, four!

CRASH!

Four massive leg segments burst from the earth, slamming onto solid ground.

They suddenly pushed upward, lifting the entire trunk of the Jade Tree.

Layers of roots snapped apart, revealing a massive clump of soil beneath.

And those leg segments were growing directly from the Jade Tree itself!

As the clump of soil fell away, a circular, serrated mouthpart emerged—and only then did they realize.

The once-sacred tree that had dispelled calamities had transformed into a monstrous demon!

Within the Jade Domain.

Luo De sensed none of the changes outside.

His ascension encountered almost no resistance; everything unfolded naturally.

His spiritual accumulation surged significantly, and his physical strength rose by another substantial margin.

If previously, to break Luo De’s sixth-rank spell shield, he needed a [Five Flash] or higher spiritual technique,

now, with his current spiritual strength, it would no longer be so difficult.

Combined with the spiritual techniques [Rage] and [Lament That Shakes Heaven], Luo De began to wonder if he was already invincible below seventh rank.

“I heard that when mages ascend within their domain, new knowledge floods into their minds.”

They might also gain a unique authority from the domain itself.

But their rank is too low to perceive it clearly.

Luo De didn’t know if this rumor was true.

Either way, he felt nothing at all.

After all, mana is optimized spiritual energy—perhaps it aligns with heaven’s will.

That’s why mages always hold a higher status.

After waiting nearly ten minutes, the domain remained utterly still.

“Wasn’t it said that after reaching sixth rank, the domain automatically expels you?”

Luo De sensed something was wrong.

His expression calmed; he released his perception.

Three hundred meters felt pitifully small within the boundless domain.

Fortunately, the [Gift of Trees] still continuously fed him spiritual energy from the trees, offering him direction.

Luo De didn’t linger—he glided through the air like swimming toward the source of the spiritual energy.

Finding it too slow, he used [Repulsion Technique] to propel himself forward.

About half an hour later,

he saw in the distance a tree trunk stretching beyond sight in both directions.

Its brown trunk blended into the pale green spiritual air, especially since it was slender compared to its length.

Had Luo De not sensed it, it would have looked more like a rope connecting heaven and earth.

Though neither heaven nor earth was visible.

Another half hour passed.

Luo De finally reached the trunk.

He gently brushed his fingers over its fine bark.

“If all else fails, I might as well use [Space Tree Walk] to escape.”

The moment this thought formed,

he noticed a change in the [Gift of Trees] bonus.

【Current Tree: Sky-Piercing Tower (partial)】

【Bonus Skill: ???】

【Details: ????, one of the materials used to craft the Sky-Piercing Tower, in ??? Era ??????】

“Huh?”

All question marks?

Luo De frowned—this had never happened before.

As he puzzled over it,

a soft, gentle female voice sounded beside him.

“Sir… could you please not touch so hard?”

Luo De jumped.

There was no one nearby—where had the voice come from?

It could only be the tree called Sky-Piercing Tower.

He turned his head.

Indeed, a woman’s face had appeared on the trunk.

Unlike the typical women of the continent, this face bore Eastern features—delicate, pitiful, and gentle.

Earlier, when Lily mentioned affinity, he’d suspected the domain might possess consciousness.

But seeing it with his own eyes still startled him.

“Are you the domain?”

Luo De blurted out.

The woman’s face paused, then nodded.

“In your human understanding, yes. Sorry—I haven’t been touched in a very long time.”

“Is there another way to understand you?”

“I am one of the materials used to craft the Sky-Piercing Tower. To preserve my vitality, humans of the First Era created this space. For me, it’s merely a temporary dwelling.”

Ah.

Luo De wondered if he’d stumbled upon something of immense antiquity.

And what was the First Era?

Luo De, who knew nothing of the continent’s history, quickly abandoned the thought.

“Sounds like you’ve been here a long time. How sad.”

The woman’s gaze toward Luo De softened slightly.

“Thank you for your concern. It hasn’t been that long—not even half my lifespan. Actually, you could touch me again. I like the feel of your palm.”

Luo De knew this was the effect of [Gift of Trees]—the tree held unusually high affection for him.

He placed his hand back, stroking gently.

The woman immediately let out soft, contented sighs.

“.”

After a brief exchange, he learned the lady was an ancient tree called the Azure Tree, and she had named herself Eva.

Strangely, despite having a precise species name,

the [Gift of Trees] displayed only “Sky-Piercing Tower.”

Luo De guessed Eva was an Azure Tree that had been felled, processed into construction material, and thus lost her original name.

"Miss Eva, may I ask you something?"

As he massaged the ancient tree’s spirit, he asked:

"Since I’ve already succeeded in advancing, why haven’t I been transported back to the mortal world yet?"

"Oh ah, that’s because the transmission medium has mutated. Harder."

"Medium?"

"That jade little friend right here—scratch here."

Luo De’s expression changed.

Had the Jade Banyan Tree withered?

He immediately knew something had happened in Jade City!

"Huh? Are you worried?"

Eva’s blissful expression faded into seriousness.

"Yes, Miss Eva, I must return."

"I’m the one who should be worried, Mr. Luo De. That mutated jade tree, skilled in teleportation, is opening a passage to the Infernal Realm—they’re coming for me."

Infernal Realm?

Luo De knew of it.

It was the domain of the demonic races dwelling deep beneath the earth.

"Then why are you so relaxed, letting me scratch your back?"

Luo De felt helpless.

Clearly, Jade City was under attack by demonic races.

Yet Eva smiled gently,

"That’s because I’ve already found a way to deal with them, Mr. Luo De. Have you ever tried mating with a Celestial Ancient Tree?"

(End of Chapter)