Chapter 116

As if summoned, the fullest crimson glory pearl suddenly broke free from the branch, turning into a stream of light that sank into Shi Ran's brow. The girl's body instantly erupted in gold‑red intertwined flames, her hair stirring without wind, her sleeves fluttering; the wounds corroded by demonic qi healed at a visible speed.

"Master..." she said as she opened her eyes, flecks of rosy light swirling at the edges of her pupils, "I saw many visions…… this tree is crying."

The crimson glory pearl tree's leaves shivered, its golden veins flickering faintly, as if whispering something soundlessly. Shi Ran stood frozen in place, her fingertips still resting on the trunk, when an ancient, sorrowful memory surged into her mind like a tide——

Immortal Realm.

Clouds surged, immortal cranes soared; the crimson glory pearl tree once grew by the Jade Pool above the nine heavens, its branches shedding specks of rosy light that nourished all things. But that day the heavens split, demonic qi rose tumultuously, the Immortal‑Demon War erupted. A black meteor‑cone shot from the Demon Realm, pierced its trunk, and violently slammed it down into the mortal world, casting it into the Demon Realm.

It took root here, for a hundred, a thousand years… swallowing demonic qi, purifying the filth, yet could never return to its native soil.

Shi Ran's eyes flew open, tears sliding down soundlessly.

"Master..." her voice trembled, "It wants to go home."

Ling Xiao's gaze darkened, he reached out and touched the trunk; probing with his spiritual power, he indeed sensed that the crimson glory pearl tree did not contain pure demonic qi, but contaminated immortal spirit power.

"No wonder it resonates with your Seven‑Colored Fire Lotus." he said low, "It was originally an immortal tree, but was forcibly imprisoned here."

The branches and leaves of the Red Cloud Pearl Wood swayed gently, as if responding to his words.

As the two were speaking, a wolf howl came from not far away; Ling Xiao grabbed Shi Ran and said, "I've heard the Maze Demon Forest is full of demons—be careful!"

Before the wolf howl faded, the surrounding tree shadows suddenly twisted eerily. Ling Xiao violently pulled Shi Ran behind him; the Dragon Chant Sword slid three inches from its sheath, and a cold light flashed.

"Not an ordinary wolf demon." Ling Xiao's voice was solemn. "It's a Shadow Wolf, able to blend into darkness."

Shi Ran had already pinched three thunderfire talismans between her fingertips; the seven-colored fire lotus mark on her brow flickered faintly. She suddenly sensed something and jerked her head up: "Above!"

Dozens of black shadows swooped down from the treetops; those demon wolves were pitch-black all over, only their eyes glowed with blood-red light. Most terrifying was that their claws could actually pierce spiritual power barriers!

"Siss—" Ling Xiao's sleeve was slit open, and dark purple demonic energy began to spread along the wound. He furrowed his sword brows, the Dragon Chant Sword finally drawn fully, and a blue sword arc swept out, cleaving the charging demon wolves at the waist.

"Master! Your hand!" Shi Ran exclaimed. Ling Xiao's entire right arm had already taken on an ominous purple-black hue.

"It's fine." Ling Xiao bit his tongue tip, spitting a mouthful of essence blood onto the sword blade, "Let's deal with these......"

Before his words finished, the ground suddenly bulged; a giant wolf three times larger than the other demon wolves burst from the earth, its bloody maw lunging straight for Ling Xiao's throat.

At the critical moment, the Red Cloud Pearl Wood suddenly burst into blinding golden light. The hanging Red Cloud Pearls all trembled, turning into streams of light that sank into the giant wolf's body. The wolf let out a miserable howl as its body began to burn from within, turning to ashes in the blink of an eye.

What's more miraculous, the demonic energy clinging to Ling Xiao's wound was also purified by the golden light.

"This is......" Ling Xiao stared in astonishment at his arm, restored to its original state.

Shi Ran, however, turned deathly pale; she saw the Red Cloud Pearl Wood withering at a visible speed.

"It is using its last life force to protect us." Shi Ran's voice choked, she gently stroked the trunk that was rapidly losing its luster.

Suddenly, the withered Red Cloud Wood displayed a scene: a hidden passage leading to an ancient altar deep within the Demon Forest.

"It wants to take us there." Shi Ran gripped the Red Cloud Pearl, looking at Ling Xiao, "Master, what is this?"

Ling Xiao stared at the altar image, his pupils suddenly contracting: "This is... an ancient teleportation array?" He jerked his head up, "Hurry, the Shadow Wolf pack is only the beginning; greater danger is coming!"

As if to confirm his words, the entire Demon Forest suddenly shuddered violently, and a bone-chilling howl came from afar.....

At that moment, Luo Changfeng, who was meditating in the Demon Palace, suddenly opened his eyes: "Master... Shi Ran?"

They actually came!

Suddenly, the sky over the entire Demon Forest darkened abruptly; thick demonic energy surged like a tide. From the cracks in the shattered ground seeped viscous black blood, which writhed like living things, gradually coalescing into a towering monstrosity three zhang tall.

"It's a Blood Slaughter Demon Puppet!" Ling Xiao blocked with his sword edge, his voice unusually tinged with tension, "Forged from myriad resentful souls and demon blood—do not let it touch your skin!"

That creature's whole body resembled molten asphalt, its surface constantly bulging with grotesque human faces. Its arms were grotesquely elongated, splitting at the ends into dozens of spiny tentacles, each covered with incessantly opening and closing mouths. Most horrifying of all, it had no head; a vertical pupil split the center of its torso, its pupil reflecting visions of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

"Howl—" The demon puppet emitted an ear-splitting shriek, its sound waves actually materializing into blood-colored skulls. The thunderfire talismans Shi Ran threw were shattered by the sound waves in midair; she staggered back several steps, blood seeping from her ears.

Ling Xiao's sword technique abruptly changed; the Dragon Chant Sword split into seventy-two rays of azure light. "Azure Heavens Shatter Demons!" The sword qi formed a heavenly net, shredding the incoming tentacles to pieces. Yet the fallen fragments instantly liquefied, re-merging with the main body in an instant. From the puppet's wounds sprouted countless tiny tendrils, writhing frantically like maggots.

"Master! It fears fire, not..." Shi Ran suddenly realized that the tentacles scorched by the Red Cloud Pearl's golden light could not regenerate. She bit her finger, drawing a blood sigil in her palm; the seven-colored fire lotus blossomed beneath her feet, "Heaven-Burning Art!"

Crimson-gold flames shot up into the sky, the fire flecked with specks of rosy light. The demon puppet let out a painful howl, its vertical pupil contracting sharply. But it suddenly opened its chest cavity, revealing countless bone spikes within. Those bone spikes shot down like a rainstorm, each entwined with twisted resentful souls.

"Careful!" Ling Xiao turned, shielding Shi Ran in his arms; behind him a phantom azure lotus blossomed. The instant the bone spikes pierced the light barrier, the resentful spirits began to gnaw at the spiritual power. As the protection seemed about to break, the withered Red Cloud Pearl Wood suddenly burst forth its final radiance.

Myriad rosy lights pierced the demon puppet like arrows; within it rose countless wails of resentful spirits. Seizing the chance, Ling Xiao pointed his sword to the heavens, and nine thunderbolts split from the clouds. "Heaven's Punishment Sword Prison!" The lightning followed the rosy light into the creature's body, pinning it in place as it convulsed violently.

Shi Ran seized the moment to leap into midair, the lotus mark on her brow blazing bright. She curled her hands into an empty circle, condensing all flames into an arrow of flowing rosy light: "Red Cloud Incinerate Demon!"

The instant the arrow pierced the vertical pupil, the demon puppet burst like a punctured water bag. Black blood spattered onto the surrounding trees, causing the vegetation to wither instantly. Yet those rosy lights did not dissipate; instead they turned into a rain of light that purified the foul blood. Gradually, the corroded ground sprouted tender green shoots.

Ling Xiao knelt on one knee, coughing up blood flecks; the meridians previously corroded by resentful spirits ached faintly. Shi Ran hurriedly supported him, only to see the master suddenly stare at her behind and exclaim, "Careful!"