Word Count: 2,747 Words
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The ruler of the Valley of Life, a 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor!
The Blue Silver Emperor was the supreme sovereign of the Blue Silver Grass clan. Only one could exist in any given era, which meant the emperor dwelling in this valley was almost certainly the same one from that other timeline.
"Aunt Yu, your little scheme is quite clever."
Ling Bai's lips slowly curved into a smile. As a fellow plant-type sovereign, the Blue Silver Emperor would make the perfect ninth spirit ring for Ning Fengyu.
However, the Blue Silver Emperor's cultivation was precisely 190,000 years, making it considerably more formidable than an ordinary 100,000-year spirit beast. In its home territory, the Valley of Life, where it had ruled for countless years, Ning Fengyu alone stood no chance against it.
Now that Ling Bai had grown to Titled Douluo-level combat strength, with the Seraphim's Ultimate Fire perfectly countering the Blue Silver Emperor, Ning Fengyu had clearly planned from the beginning to borrow his blade for the kill while she reaped the benefits.
"Your hunting target is in the Valley of Life anyway. Just one swing of your sword, that's all it takes."
Ning Fengyu glided to Ling Bai's side with effortless grace, covering her mouth with a delicate laugh. "You and Xiao Feng have been all lovey-dovey lately, and I've practically sold my soul to keep your secret. But no matter what, I'm still Xiao Tian's aunt. Blood is thicker than water.
So hurry up and pay your tribute, or else... hmph, hmph, hmph. You can deal with the consequences yourself!"
Ling Bai studied Ning Fengyu's obviously feigned threat and asked with genuine curiosity, "We've been sneaking around. How did you figure it out?"
Ning Fengyu lifted her chin proudly. "A strategist doesn't fight on the battlefield, but a strategist has plenty of experience!"
"What experience could you have after forty years of being single?" Ling Bai asked in surprise.
"..."
The words hit home. Ning Fengyu looked as if she had just taken ten thousand points of critical damage. A full minute passed before she recovered enough to mutter bitterly, "Back in the day, the line of men chasing my sister stretched from Shrek Academy to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. I know exactly what being lovestruck looks like!
Xiao Feng used to sneak glances at you when she thought no one was looking, but lately she doesn't even bother hiding it. Her gaze has become so syrupy it could be spun into threads. She glows all day long like grass after a spring rain. One look and you know she's become a love-struck fool."
"So that's why you said the gaze of someone in love can't be hidden..."
Ling Bai realized. Young girls caught in the throes of passion truly couldn't conceal anything.
"As long as you know what you're doing, I won't meddle in you kids' affairs. I'll just pretend I know nothing, 'kay."
Ning Fengyu took a step to the side, her expression resolute as if drawing a clear line between them.
About two hours passed before Wu Feng and Ning Tian awoke, one after the other. Both had successfully absorbed their spirit rings and gained suitable new spirit skills.
The Blue Silver Emperor ruled the Valley of Life, so it surely dwelt in the core region. No longer needing Ning Fengyu's guidance, the group headed straight into the valley's depths.
The outer reaches of the valley teemed with wildflowers, but the deeper they went, the fewer varieties there were, until only an endless, oceanic expanse of Blue Silver Grass remained.
As the four humans and one tortoise approached, the Blue Silver Grass began to tremble violently. Every blade shot erect, transforming the ground into a field of countless spikes. The refreshing aura of life vanished, replaced by a chill that cut to the bone.
"Mere Blue Silver Grass..."
Wu Feng scoffed, her lips curled in disdain. Crimson dragon scales rippled over her skin as her five spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, and one black—blazed to life. Dragonfire erupted from her mouth, immediately igniting the 10-year and 100-year blades of grass.
"Don't be hasty."
Ning Fengyu stopped Wu Feng from preparing a more powerful skill. A tendril of her Sky Azure Vine Emperor extended from her fingertip to extinguish the dragonfire as she silently communicated with the Blue Silver Grass.
According to the feedback from her Martial Spirit, the grass radiated overwhelming fear. An invading plant-type demon sought to devour their beloved emperor.
The Blue Silver Emperor was already at a disadvantage, and its situation was growing desperate. In their terror, the Blue Silver Grass began sealing off the core region of the valley to prevent outsiders from interfering in the war between plant-type spirit beasts and making an already bad situation worse for their emperor.
The Sky Azure Vine Emperor released a gentle life energy, soothing the fragile souls of the Blue Silver Grass. Before Ling Bai's eyes, the grass below gathered together, forming thick blue vines.
The vines coiled into a human face. The group could actually discern an expression of urgency on the face woven from Blue Silver Grass. It spoke in human words:
"Sky Azure Vine Emperor, a common enemy of all plant-types has invaded the Valley of Life. I need your help!"
The consciousness of the Blue Silver Emperor had descended with the help of the Blue Silver Grass. Allowing humans into the core region might be like leading a wolf into its den, but death was imminent either way. With a great enemy at its doorstep, it could not afford to be so guarded. That thing's goal was to devour every plant-type spirit beast in the Valley of Life!
The Blue Silver Grass swayed left and right, parting to form a wide, unobstructed path. The group followed it and soon witnessed the Blue Silver Emperor's current state!
Two domains clashed madly across the earth. The Blue Silver Domain that the Blue Silver Emperor took pride in occupied only a third of the area, firmly suppressed by a roiling black domain!
The black domain resembled a ghostly realm from legend. Thick, twisted, grotesque trees grew in dense clusters, pressing against each other until even their own kind warped and bent like human figures wailing in extreme agony.
Upon the trunks of these grotesque trees grew eerie eyes. The whites were an incredibly deep black, while the pupils were a horrifying blood-red, radiating a dreadful evil aura!
"Kekeke, have spirit beasts fallen so low they must beg humans for help?"
A cackling laugh echoed through the black domain. A black-clothed youth with a sinister appearance slowly walked out. His eyes were just as eerie and foreboding as those on the grotesque trees. Ordinary people wouldn't dare meet his gaze.
"Golden Tortoise, you've come out too? And following humans?"
The youth raised an eyebrow, surprised to encounter an old acquaintance from the Star Dou Forest here in the Sun Moon Empire, thousands of miles away.
"It really is you, Demon Eye Evil Tree ..."
The Golden Tortoise's jaw dropped at the sight of the youth's demonic features. Only Great Beasts over 200,000 years could awaken the ability to take human form.
"Holy mother of turtles, evil spirit beasts sure do grow fast..."
When the Myriad Demon King had expelled the Demon Eye Evil Tree from the Star Dou Forest, its cultivation had barely broken past 100,000 years. In just over three thousand years, its cultivation had doubled. The Demon Eye Evil Tree must have built its name as a Great Beast of its generation upon the countless corpses of other plant-type spirit beasts.
The Golden Tortoise's tone was an unreadable mix of envy and wariness. Ling Bai patted its head and said seriously:
"You don't need to join the battle. Just guard Xiao Tian and Xiao Feng."
"Yes, sir!"
The Golden Tortoise nodded. It lacked offensive power, but it was a first-rate tough nut to crack. A single Invincible Barrier was more than enough to protect the two girls.
Ling Bai and Ning Fengyu floated into the air. The Blue Silver Emperor was not a concern; this Great Beast-level Demon Eye Evil Tree was the priority target.
"Humans... and another plant-type!"
Like Evil Spirit Masters, every evil spirit beast had different dietary preferences: souls, marrow, or flesh and blood. The Demon Eye Evil Tree's favorite food was plants!
He stared intently at Ning Fengyu, a greedy expression spreading across his face. The Blue Silver Emperor was a rare, top-level plant-type spirit beast with its own innate domain, and the Sky Azure Vine Emperor was the same. Two of them was a state banquet!
Ling Bai broke the Demon Eye Evil Tree's reverie by tossing it a section of tree root. He said indifferently, "Demon Eye Evil Tree, your father, the Myriad Demon King, asked me to send you on your way."
"Bullshit!"
The Demon Eye Evil Tree seemed extraordinarily resentful toward the Myriad Demon King. A beam of light shot from the black domain, pulverizing the root into powder that drifted on the wind. He roared:
"That ambitionless spirit beast doesn't deserve to be my father!
Plants are the forest's foundation! Plant-type spirit beasts should rule the Star Dou Forest! If he could see that truth, he should have fallen to evil with me!
Once we controlled every plant-type spirit beast in Star Dou, what would Beast God Di Tian amount to? Would he dare move against us?!
Eat... I must eat you all...
I will break through to a million years! I will prove to that foolish old thing that I was right!"
The Demon Eye Evil Tree descended into madness. Countless eerie black eyes lit up on the trees as distorted rays thick with foul corruption blanketed the sky.
"Two human experts, please lend me your strength!"
The Blue Silver Emperor's voice rang deep. It couldn't allow the Demon Eye Evil Tree to ravage the Valley of Life unchecked!
Its Blue Silver Domain changed from pure blue to a vast blue-gold, in an instant spreading to the distant boundaries of the valley.
Wherever it passed, every blade of Blue Silver Grass fluctuated. Gentle golden light gathered, flying into the Blue Silver Domain and merging into the emperor of the Blue Silver Grass clan.
Blue Silver Domain, All Rivers Flow to the Sea!
In a place with Blue Silver Grass, All Rivers Flow to the Sea could absorb the power of the grass to replenish its own. This was the Blue Silver Emperor's ultimate trump card, a desperate, life-risking technique it would never use unless in a hopeless situation!
"Life Unending Domain!"
Nourished by the azure light of the Life Unending Domain, the Sky Azure Vine Emperor expanded at a geometric rate. Every vine turned as transparent as an azure gemstone.
The Valley of Life's environment naturally enhanced life-attribute Spirit Masters and spirit beasts. With the Life Unending Domain fully unleashed, Ning Fengyu's aura surged at an unprecedented speed.
Plant-type spirit beasts throughout the valley sensed the confrontation between three great plant-type powerhouses in the core region. They trembled helplessly, regretting only their lack of legs with which to flee.
The enormous energy spreading across the entire valley began to feed back into Ning Fengyu. She underwent an earth-shaking transformation as countless tendrils of the Sky Azure Vine Emperor gathered around her like roaring cyan dragons.
Her seventh spirit ring blazed brilliantly. This time her Avatar did not manifest as the true form of her Martial Spirit. Instead, it adorned her in resplendent blue-gold armor as a fresh life aura surged around her. Surrounded by the host of cyan vines, she appeared as a goddess commanding life itself.
Life Unending Domain's ultimate form, Daughter of Life!
"This is what Teacher taught you, right? Finally getting serious?" Ling Bai chuckled.
"Of course! That's a Great Beast!" Ning Fengyu retorted irritably.
Theoretically, Ling Bai was Jianmu Douluo's direct disciple while Ning Fengyu was only a nominal one. But the Sky Azure Vine Emperor and the Sacred Jianmu Tree were both plant-type Martial Spirits. Despite always being angered to the point of fuming by Ning Fengyu, Jianmu Douluo had still taught her his life-attribute abilities while holding his nose.
Vines from the Sky Azure Vine Emperor and grass from the Blue Silver Emperor intertwined. Their two innate domains seemed naturally compatible, weaving together to flawlessly block the Demon Eye Evil Tree's corrupted rays.
Watching his two harmonious prey, the Demon Eye Evil Tree grew increasingly frenzied. Evil spirit beasts who fell to evil later in life were inherently prone to losing control.
The Demon Eye Evil Tree possessed dual evil and spiritual attributes. In the past, it could barely maintain emotional stability through its spiritual attribute.
Today, hearing that the Myriad Demon King had sent humans to kill it—with a root as proof—the Demon Eye Evil Tree went completely mad. It swore to devour everything in the Valley of Life and one day return to the Star Dou Forest to prove itself before its father!
The corners of the Demon Eye Evil Tree's mouth split into a terrifying arc. Sky-shattering wails erupted from within the black domain as the grotesque, eye-covered trees advanced in unison.
Domain, Forest Demon Realm!
Thunder roared as the Sky Azure Vine Emperor, the Blue Silver Emperor, and the Demon Eye Evil Tree—three great plant-type powerhouses—launched into mortal combat.
The Demon Eye Evil Tree was, after all, a Great Beast exceeding 200,000 years. With a flash of demonic light, the Forest Demon Realm suddenly turned viscous.
Countless eyes instantly appeared around Ning Fengyu and the Blue Silver Emperor. An evil radiance shone upon the woman and beast, causing the energy of their domains to turn illusory. Their once-powerful attacks inexplicably weakened.
After falling to evil, the Demon Eye Evil Tree had awakened an ability that suppressed other plant-type spirit beasts. This was one of the reasons it had managed to escape from the Myriad Demon King, one of the Ten Great Beasts. The Blue Silver Domain and Life Unending Domain abruptly contracted as the Forest Demon Realm expanded step by step.
Fighting two against one, the Demon Eye Evil Tree actually held the advantage. Ning Tian and Wu Feng broke out in a nervous sweat. Their eyes were fixed anxiously on the battlefield.
While fighting against the constant erosion of the Forest Demon Realm, Ning Fengyu found time to glare at Ling Bai amidst her struggle. She ground out between clenched teeth, "Stop watching the show, you brat! Keep this up, and you'll be collecting our corpses!"
"Such ingratitude. I'm helping you two get better acquainted."
The six angelic wings spread as Ling Bai grasped the Angel Sword. Brilliant golden-red flames ignited in his pupils. In that moment, everything fell still. Golden light radiated outward from his body, a dawn piercing the darkness as the Angelic Domain erupted!
Gold, Azure, Blue, Black!
The Angelic Domain, the Life Unending Domain, the Blue Silver Domain, and the Forest Demon Realm—four domains clashed with crushing pressure!
In terms of spirit power, Ling Bai was undoubtedly at the bottom. But in terms of the quality of his domain, he was the undisputed number one!
The three ultimate attributes had too broad a restraining scope. Ultimate Fire countered plants, while Ultimate Holy and Ultimate Light were the natural enemies of evil attributes.
The moment the Angelic Domain appeared, both Ning Fengyu and the Blue Silver Emperor retreated, forced to retract their own domains slightly to avoid being caught in an unwarranted disaster.
The Demon Eye Evil Tree, however, was miserable. Its body came to a direct halt. The power of its Forest Demon Realm was purified by a third, and its very soul seemed to tremble.
When it saw the seven spirit rings circling Ling Bai—especially the two 100,000-year rings and the six golden wings that proclaimed his Martial Spirit's identity—the Demon Eye Evil Tree clenched its fists and muttered:
"A Seraphim, which once produced a God... He would be so cruel to me...
He would be so cruel!"
The repeated blows to its psyche from the Myriad Demon King had taken their toll, making it unable to even maintain its human form. Its body became covered in a layer of pitch-black thorns, with demon eyes opening at their tips.
Thousands of demon eyes simultaneously turned pure blood-red as a powerful, madness-fueled consciousness burst forth!
Demon Eye Evil Tree's Innate Spirit Skill, Spiritual Annihilation!