The demonic tree's dark, withered eyes flickered with malicious glee as it saw Shu Yu and Cai Xian crash heavily onto the stone floor. With a sinister hum, it turned its focus toward Gao Tian.
Vines lashed out, surging forward to pierce the meditating figure before them. Just as they were about to strike—
A blur burst forth from the fractured stone ground.
With a flash of icy light, a slender figure appeared in front of Gao Tian, intercepting the incoming vines with a raised hand.
Shu Yu had returned.
Blood stained her robes, and her breath was ragged, but her eyes remained calm—cold, expressionless, unwavering.
As her hand caught the vines, frost began to spread across them with astonishing speed. Ice crackled and crawled up the vine's length, freezing it inch by inch.
"I can't let you kill him," she said plainly, without emotion. "He still has to protect me for one year."
With her other hand, she extended her palm and unleashed a wave of chilling energy. A freezing aura burst forth, engulfing the surrounding vines, locking them in place.
Behind her, Gao Tian's body began to float silently.
The Heavenly Flame Fruit had been completely refined.
Golden and blue light surged from his body, encasing him in a radiant glow. The force of his breakthrough stirred the air itself.
Shu Yu glanced back at him, her pale face softening almost imperceptibly for a fleeting second.
From afar, the demonic tree trembled.
What is this aura... Why does it feel like this human could erase me in an instant?
The fear didn't stop it. Vines lashed out again, faster, more violently.
But Shu Yu met each one.
Wounded, exhausted, blood slipping from the corner of her mouth—still, she stood like an unmovable mountain, deflecting every strike that dared come near Gao Tian.
Cai Xian stirred from behind. Her fingers twitched, and she tried to rise.
She saw Shu Yu fending off the attacks alone, Gao Tian still in his cultivation trance. She tried to move—stumbled—and collapsed once more, her vision fading to black.
She got unconscious.
Then, it happened.
Ten crimson orbs materialized behind Gao Tian's back, revolving slowly. One of the orbs shimmered brighter than the others—Increase by 2% now the orb is 5% covered, yet the energy it released was staggering.
A violent rumble echoed through the cave.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Three rapid bursts followed by a final surge of spiritual power exploded from Gao Tian's body as he broke through four small stages in a row.
He had stepped into the Foundation Establishment Realm – First Layer.
Shu Yu, amidst her defense, sensed the change and felt her tense muscles relax for a moment.
Finally… he broke through. Maybe now, he can defeat that thing...
But her body had reached its limit.
Her vision blurred, her limbs failed her, and she dropped to the ground, unconscious at last.
The demonic tree sensed her collapse and launched another ruthless attack, this time aiming directly at her prone figure.
The vines screamed through the air.
But Gao Tian's eyes suddenly snapped open.
A tremendous surge of power erupted from him like a tidal wave.
He saw Shu Yu lying motionless—and the vine charging down toward her.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared at her side.
With his right arm, he caught Shu Yu in a protective embrace. His left hand shot up, intercepting the vine midair.
Flames ignited from his palm—orange and crimson, wild and untamed.
His palm technique ignited fully: Direction Flame Palm.
The fire rushed down the vine, consuming it as it shriveled and cracked, burning away the demonic taint as it advanced.
He stood there, protecting her.
His body glowing, his flame roaring, his cultivation surging.
Gao Tian become—stronger, fiercer, and burning with a power the demonic tree had never expected.
Gao Tian raised his hand and summoned a spiritual barrier around Shu Yu's unconscious body, enveloping her in a soft, glowing cocoon of protective energy.
He turned his gaze toward the distant figure of Cai Xian, lying motionless across the battlefield. His eyes narrowed.
The demonic tree, enraged by Gao Tian's growing power, hissed and writhed. In a flash of desperation, it severed its own scorched vines, cutting away the remnants touched by Gao Tian's fire. A low, hateful voice echoed through the minds of all present.
"You bastard… you're going to die!" the demonic tree snarled through sound transmission.
It unleashed a torrent of vines, lashing at Gao Tian like a hurricane of hatred and malice. Yet, the barrier surrounding him held firm, shimmering with golden light, dispersing the strikes with ripples of energy.
Gao Tian remained calm.
Cradling Shu Yu gently in his arms, he began walking—slowly, deliberately—toward the demonic tree, as if the creature's rage meant nothing.
The demonic tree's fury exploded.
Its attacks became faster, more violent, a storm of strikes tearing through the air. But Gao Tian ignored it all, continuing his slow march.
He reached Cai Xian and gently laid Shu Yu beside her.
"Rest here. I'll be back in a few minutes," he whispered, his voice low but firm.
Then he turned.
His eyes sharpened, gleaming with a deadly resolve. Cold killing intent surged from his body like a blade drawn from its sheath.
The demonic tree felt it—an instinctive fear.
With a howl, it unleashed its Branch Strike, a rapid-fire barrage of thick, twisted limbs lashing toward Gao Tian.
But Gao Tian stood unmoved.
I can't use high-level techniques, he thought. There are eight grades—Mortal, Master, Earth, Saint, Heaven, Holy, Supreme, Immortal… With my current cultivation, I can only handle techniques up to the Master grade.
Vines crashed down again and again, hammering at his barrier.
Still... I have to kill him.
Suddenly, the protective shield surrounding Gao Tian flickered—and vanished.
The demonic tree struck instantly, its vines descending like a hundred whips of death.
But Gao Tian was ready.
He thrust both hands forward, his fingers forming a precise technique. Spiritual energy surged and condensed around him.
Burning Sun's Blast.
A roar of flame burst forth from his palms.
A massive wave of fire erupted, swallowing the vines whole. The air trembled with heat and fury. The vines ignited instantly, burning into ash as the blast surged forward, crashing into the stone ceiling with a deafening BOOM.
Rocks crumbled.
Ash rained down.
The entire chamber shook.
Gao Tian lowered his arms, his breathing steady, his eyes still locked on the demonic tree.
The demonic tree trembled with fury. Its voice echoed through the air like a violent gust of wind, sharp and hateful.
"You bastard—how dare you hurt me!" it snarled through sound transmission.
Without hesitation, it activated a forbidden technique—Corrupted Magic: Destruction Leaves.
From its gnarled branches, crimson leaves crackled with dark energy and launched toward Gao Tian like a storm of razor-sharp blades.
Gao Tian instinctively raised a spiritual barrier, the golden light forming a protective dome around him. But it was too weak. The cursed leaves sliced through the shield like paper, tearing into his flesh. Red lines bloomed across his arms and chest as he staggered backward, clutching his wounded left arm where the deepest gash ran.
Blood dripped from his fingertips.
But the leaves didn't stop there. They passed through Gao Tian and hurtled toward the unconscious figures of Shu Yu and Cai Xian. As they reached the edge of their protective barrier, the crimson leaves fizzled against it—the defense there was far stronger, reinforced by Gao Tian himself with everything he had left.
He let out a breath of relief, even as pain surged through him.
He's still more powerful than me. Damn it…
And then—
A voice rang out.
Not aloud, but through sound transmission. Calm. Steady. Deep with ancient resonance.
"Kid, rest now. You've done enough. I'll take it from here."
Gao Tian's eyes widened.
The demonic tree recoiled.
"Who are you?" it demanded, its voice rattling the cavern walls. "Come out! Show yourself!"
A second voice came, deeper, older—rooted in time itself.
"You still don't see me, do you? I've existed for thousands of years… and you've been squatting in my shadow this whole time."
Gao Tian's gaze shifted. Slowly, realization dawned.
His eyes turned to the Heavenly Flame Tree, standing motionless at the center of the lava basin. Its trunk was aglow with faint light, its leaves unmoving, as if holding their breath.
The Heavenly Flame Tree… of course.
It's one of the oldest beings in this world—born at its creation. How could I have forgotten? How could I not see that it might possess consciousness?
A warm wind passed over Gao Tian's skin, brushing against his wounds like a comforting whisper.
The tree was waking up.