Chapter 388: The Barrier of the Paulownia Forest Breached

The revelation of the barrier surrounding the blessed land of a cave-heaven caused every cultivator present to perk up; even those who usually prided themselves on detachment could not hide the greed flashing in their eyes.

Through the barrier, everyone witnessed the magnificent and spectacular realm within, finally understanding what a blessed land of a cave-heaven truly was!

It was a world teeming with vitality where flames intertwined, filled with endless rows of crimson-gold paulownia trees standing like an array of divine soldiers.

The trunks displayed a warm, jade-like crimson-gold hue, their surfaces naturally flowing with faint, dark red veins resembling solidified molten lava, as if an eternal fire source burned within the trees.

The leaves were a brilliant interweaving of golden-red and orange-red, their edges slightly curled, like dancing flames leaping along the branches.

The entire paulownia forest was coated in a layer of flowing golden radiance and fiery splendor, resembling a Flame Monarch exuding a solemn power that brooked no disrespect.

Beyond this, the most eye-catching feature lay near the roots of the paulownia trees: countless clusters of crimson-red crystals scattered across the exposed ground.

They resembled congealed blood or burning charcoal, shimmering with a restrained yet profound light.

Fire Spirit Ore!

If paulownia wood was the supreme treasure for artifact refinement, most valued by artifact masters, then Fire Spirit Ore was a resource every cultivator desperately coveted—and the more, the better.

Even more miraculous were the semi-transparent, crystal-clear red "burls" or "crystalline branches" growing on the main trunks or thick limbs of some paulownia trees deep within the forest; they emitted a visible crimson-red halo that pulsed dim and bright like breathing.

Had Hua Changxi been present, she would certainly have recognized these as the Spirit Marrow Stones she saw in the Fire Spring Palace, a grade higher than spirit ore.

Of course, the scene included several cultivators of exceptional knowledge; upon seeing the Spirit Marrow Stones, their breathing became erratic.

The paulownia forest, the Fire Spirit Ore, and the Fire Spirit Marrow all ignited fierce desire in the hearts of the cultivators, yet these were still not the most coveted treasures of the paulownia forest.

Deep within the forest stood several ancient paulownia trees of extraordinary height and sanctity.

Their trunks bore a nearly blazing white-gold color, their bark naturally inscribed with ancient and profound fire runes, while their leaves possessed a glazed texture swirling with seven-colored mist and bore natural dao patterns of a phoenix spreading its wings, emitting a longing that made the souls of phoenix-blooded beings tremble.

This was the true supreme treasure coveted by the phoenix clan of the demon race—the Nirvana Dao Paulownia!

Cultivating beneath the Nirvana Dao Paulownia not only allowed one to comprehend the Great Dao but also offered the unparalleled effect of cleansing marrow and meridians, igniting potential, and purifying bloodline for beings possessing phoenix blood.

The moment she saw the ancient paulownia trees, Princess Zhao Huang, hiding in the shadows, grabbed the Prince of Fu beside her, her breathing rapid and her tone urgent: "Brother, help me! I must obtain this blessed land of a cave-heaven!"

Prince of Fu had always granted every request of his sister Zhao Huang, yet this time, he did not agree immediately.

For no other reason than that fervent, greedy gazes surrounded them from all directions; even as a Prince of the Blood, he felt his scalp go numb.

This revealed blessed land of a cave-heaven was undoubtedly a perfect sacred ground for cultivating fire-element techniques and an ideal destination for humans or demons with phoenix bloodline to strengthen their lineage.

Thus, various undercurrents of determination surged, spreading across the region like a plague.

The battle for contention was imminent.

Duan Jishan, the manager of the Martial Arts Hall commanding the Zhu Que Army, sensed the crisis; he ordered the Zhu Que Army to retreat to the rear and instructed all Battalion Commanders that the Zhu Que Army would only block the demon race, avoiding conflict with other forces unless they directly confronted the Zhu Que Army.

There was no other choice; the strength of the Zhu Que Army was currently too weak.

Every faction had deployed cultivators at the Spirit Platform Realm, yet the Zhu Que Army possessed not a single cultivator at that level.

Gazing at the cave-heaven within the barrier, Duan Jishan's eyes also surged with fervent desire; he could not resist taking out his One-Thought Communicator to check again.

The Hall Master still had not replied.

Duan Jishan sighed; originally, the Zhu Que Army was the most qualified to occupy this blessed land of a cave-heaven, but alas, the Hall Master was absent. If only the Hall Master were here...

Er...

Duan Jishan glanced at the surrounding forces, thinking that even if the Hall Master were present, with so many factions gathered here, the Zhu Que Army probably could not secure this blessed land of a cave-heaven.

"What are you doing?"

"Stop!"

Some demons of the phoenix clan, unable to hold back, launched another attack on the barrier, attempting to breach it.

Once the demons moved, it was like lighting a fuse, instantly igniting the greed of all cultivators; various factions began to join the fray, fearing they would be a step late in entering the barrier.

"Do not attack the barrier recklessly!"

A cultivator at the Spirit Platform Realm shouted, but no one paid heed.

Amidst a barrage of colorful spiritual energy attacks, a tremendous 'boom' exploded in the air.

The barrier shattered!

Extremely pure and dense fire spiritual energy burst forth, yet before anyone could examine the scene within the barrier, wails of agony rose one after another.

Space trembled, ripples surged, and black fissures resembling a spiderweb spread outward in all directions at visible speed; anyone swept by these fissures immediately spilled their blood upon the earth.

"Oh no, it's spatial fissures!"

"Flee!"

Cultivators from various factions, who moments ago had rushed to be the first into the barrier, now scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing in panic.

Simultaneously, as the barrier broke, a terrifying force centered on the paulownia forest began tearing and pulling apart the surrounding region; while spatial fissures radiated outward, the territory itself continued to expand.

Some cultivators too close to the barrier had no time to escape and died on the spot, while those slightly farther away suffered broken arms and legs.

Fortunately, the barrier of this cave-heaven lacked the destructive power of the mountain-protecting formation of the Artifact Saint Palace, preventing a total spatial collapse.

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

The cultivators who had narrowly escaped looked at the paulownia forest, now encircled by spatial fissures, with a mix of lingering fear and intense greed.

In Nanxiangcheng, following the Lingguang Hall, a second blessed land of a cave-heaven had manifested.

Yet, no one dared to approach.

Within the Zhu Que Army, seeing that the spatial fissures had blocked all factions and cultivators outside, Duan Jishan felt delighted; he quickly took out his One-Thought Communicator and sent another message to Hua Changxi.

Hall Master, the blessed land of a cave-heaven has manifested, please return immediately!

Zhurong Tomb.

As the 'Zhurong Meridian-Expanding Technique' continued to operate, the meridian nodes within Hua Changxi's body lit up one after another.

When the eighty-first meridian node ignited, Hua Changxi felt as though her body had become a brilliant starry sky, with the meridians crisscrossing her entire form serving as star tracks.

Before the meridian nodes ignited, the various star tracks remained blocked and isolated from one another; now that all nodes were lit, the star tracks connected, allowing qi-blood force and soul power to circulate within them, forming a self-sustaining cycle.

The first three stages of the seventh chapter—the Meridian Chapter—of the 'Nine Transformations Mysterious Art' were: the first stage, manifesting the meridians; the second stage, igniting the meridian nodes; and the third stage, widening and filling the meridians.

Meridians are 'innate trajectories' branded onto the human body by the 'Great Dao of Heaven and Earth'; the broader the meridians, the closer one approaches the supreme realm of 'Unity of Heaven and Humanity,' allowing them to carry more abundant power and laws of Heaven and Earth, naturally resulting in greater strength.

The layout of Zhurong's Tomb corresponded exactly to the meridian chapter of the *Nine Revolutions of Profound Art*.

Having already traversed the Path of Fire in Zhurong's Tomb and penetrated deep into the Bone Mountain, Hua Changxi was now poised to enter the chaotic space ahead, which resembled an egg.