Chapter 388: Forest Barrier Breached

The formation of the Blessed Land's barrier emerged, stirring every cultivator present; even those who usually claimed to be aloof had greed shining in their eyes.

Through the barrier, everyone saw the magnificent and wondrous scene within and understood what a Blessed Land truly was.

It was a world brimming with life, interlaced with blazing flames—a boundless expanse of crimson-gold parasol trees standing like divine soldiers in formation.

The trunks displayed a warm, jade-like crimson-gold hue, their surfaces naturally flowing with faint, dark-red veins like cooled, solidified lava, as if an inextinguishable fire source was stored deep within the trees.

The leaves were a dazzling weave of golden-red and orange-red, their edges slightly curled, leaping on the branches like burning flames.

The entire parasol tree grove was sheathed in a flowing luster of gold and fiery colors, like a Flame Monarch, radiating a solemn, inviolable majesty.

Moreover, what caught the eye most were the countless crimson crystal clusters scattered everywhere on the exposed ground near the roots of the parasol trees.

They gleamed with restrained yet profound light, like congealed blood or burning coals.

Fire Spirit Ore!

If parasol wood was a supreme treasure for artifact refining and most valued by refiners, then Fire Spirit Ore was a resource every cultivator yearned to possess—and the more, the better.

Even more miraculous was that deep within the grove, on the main trunks or thick branches of some parasol trees, grew translucent, glass-like red "burls" or "crystal branches," their surfaces emitting a visible crimson glow, flickering as if breathing.

If Hua Changxi were present, she would surely recognize them as the Spirit Marrow Stones, a grade higher than Spirit Ore, which she had seen in the Blazing Springs Palace.

Naturally, among those present were some well-informed cultivators, and at the sight of the Spirit Marrow Stones, their breathing became ragged.

The parasol grove, Fire Spirit Ore, and Fire Spirit Marrow—each ignited fervor in the cultivators' hearts, yet these were not the most coveted treasures of the grove.

Deep within the grove stood several ancient parasol trees, exceptionally tall and sacred.

The trunks of these ancient trees were a near-blazing white gold, their bark naturally engraved with ancient, profound flame runes. The leaves shimmered with a vitreous texture of rainbow-colored light, adorned with natural Dao patterns of phoenixes spreading their wings, radiating a longing that caused even Phoenix-blooded beings' souls to tremble.

This was the supreme treasure truly coveted by the Phoenix clan of the demon race—the Nirvana Dao Parasol Tree.

Cultivating beneath the Nirvana Dao Parasol Tree not only allowed one to comprehend the Great Dao but also possessed the unparalleled effect of cleansing the marrow, purging the meridians, igniting latent potential, and purifying bloodlines for beings with Phoenix blood.

The moment she saw the ancient parasol tree, Princess Zhaohuang, hiding in the shadows, grabbed Prince Fu beside her, her breath quick and her tone urgent: "Brother, help me—I must obtain this Blessed Land!"

Prince Fu had always granted every request from his sister Zhaohuang, but this time, he did not immediately agree.

No other reason—all around, there were fervent, covetous gazes; even he, a prince, found it hair-raising.

This revealed Blessed Land was undoubtedly a supreme holy land for cultivating fire-element techniques, and also the perfect destination for humans or demons with Phoenix blood to strengthen their bloodlines.

Thus, various undercurrents of determination spread like a plague across this region.

The battle for control was on the verge of breaking out.

Duan Jishan, the supervisor of the Martial Arts Hall commanding the Vermilion Bird Army, sensed the crisis and ordered the army to withdraw to the rear, notifying all centurions that the Vermilion Bird Army would only block the demon race and should not provoke other forces unless they clashed.

There was no choice—the Vermilion Bird Army's current strength was still too weak.

All parties had deployed Soul Platform realm cultivators, yet the Vermilion Bird Army lacked even a single one.

Duan Jishan looked at the Blessed Land within the barrier, fervent longing also stirring in his eyes, and couldn't help taking out his Yinian Tong communicator to check again.

The Hall Master still hadn't replied.

Duan Jishan sighed. Originally, the Vermilion Bird Army was the most qualified to claim this Blessed Land, but unfortunately, the Hall Master was absent. If only the Hall Master were here...

Uh...

Duan Jishan glanced around at the surrounding forces, thinking that even if the Hall Master were here, with so many forces gathered, the Vermilion Bird Army probably couldn't secure this Blessed Land.

"What are you doing?"

"Stop!"

Some demons of the Phoenix clan lost patience and attacked the barrier again, attempting to enter.

The demons' move was like lighting a fuse, directly igniting the cultivators' greed, and various parties began to join in, afraid of being a step late entering the barrier.

"Don't attack the barrier recklessly!"

A Soul Platform cultivator shouted, but no one paid heed.

Under a dazzling barrage of multicolored spiritual power attacks, a thunderous boom exploded in the air.

The barrier shattered!

Extremely pure and dense fire-attributed spiritual energy emanated. However, before the crowd could peer at the scene inside the barrier, screams rose one after another.

Space trembled, ripples abruptly emerged, and black cracks like a spider's web spread outward in all directions at a visible speed. Everyone struck by the cracks had their blood spilled across the ground.

"Not good—spatial cracks!"

"Run!"

The cultivators from various factions who had just wanted to be the first into the barrier now scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing in panic.

At the same time, the barrier shattered. Centered on the parasol tree forest, the surrounding land was pulled and torn by a horrifying force. As spatial cracks radiated outward, the territory also continuously expanded.

Some cultivators near the barrier had no time to flee and died on the spot. Among those a bit farther away, many lost arms or legs.

Fortunately amidst misfortune, the barrier of this paradise was not as powerful as the Artifact Saint Palace's mountain-protecting array, so it did not cause a spatial collapse.

The spatial cracks spread for nearly ten li before gradually ceasing their expansion.

The cultivators who narrowly escaped stared at the parasol tree forest surrounded by the spatial cracks, both frightened and covetous.

In Nanxiang City, after Mausoleum Light Hall, the second paradise had appeared.

Yet no one dared to approach.

Within the Vermilion Bird Army, Duan Jishan, seeing that the spatial cracks had blocked all forces and cultivators outside, was pleased. He quickly took out a One Thought Communicator and sent another message to Hua Changxi.

"Hall Master, the paradise has appeared. Return at once!"

Zhurong Mound.

As the 'Zhurong Meridian Expansion Art' continued to operate, the meridian nodes within Hua Changxi's body were lit one after another.

By the time the eighty-first meridian node was lit, Hua Changxi felt that her body had become a brilliant starry sky, and the meridians covering her whole body were like star tracks.

Before the meridian nodes were lit, the star tracks could not be opened and were blocked from each other. Now that the nodes are all lit, the star tracks are opened, and the power of qi-blood and soul force flow within them, beginning to form their own cycle.

The seventh chapter of the 'Nine Transformations Mystic Art'—the Meridian Chapter—has three stages: the first stage is manifesting the meridians; the second stage is lighting the meridian nodes; the third stage is widening and filling the meridians.

Meridians are the 'innate tracks' imprinted in the human body by the 'Great Dao of Heaven and Earth'. The broader the meridians, the closer one approaches the supreme state of 'Unity of Heaven and Man', and the more abundant the heavenly and earthly power and laws they bear. Naturally, the manifested strength is also greater.

The layout of Zhurong Mound happened to correspond to the Meridian Chapter of the 'Nine Transformations Mystic Art'.

Now, Hua Changxi had already traversed the Fire Path of Zhurong Mound and delved deep into the Bone Mountain. Next, she should enter the chaotic space ahead that resembled an egg.