Restoration of the Divine Wood

The journey went smoothly. Before long, the four-person team had reached the central region of the Divine Wood Forest. The trees here were even more towering, completely blocking out the sunlight above. Logically, no plants should have been able to grow beneath them, yet Xiao Yun was amazed to find that beneath the trunks of every towering divine tree grew one or even several strange fruits that radiated sunlight, allowing countless plants and animals to survive beneath the giant divine woods.

However, most of the animals had already undergone Abyssal Corruption. As the team passed through, they launched desperate attacks one after another. In the end, they were either pierced through by the Sword Immortal's Sword Qi, drowned by Siming's water spheres, poisoned to death by Xiangliu's toxic mist, or strangled by Hundred Flowers' vines.

As for the plants that had been contaminated by the Abyssal Aura and turned grotesque, as long as they had not developed intelligence and did not actively attack the team, the group left them alone. Once the source of the Abyssal pollution in the Divine Wood Forest was removed, these plants would soon regain their vitality under the nourishment of spiritual energy.

Before Xiao Yun and the others reached the core region of the Divine Wood Forest, they could already feel the pressure radiating from some ferocious beast. Fortunately, Chu Yinge, a Mythical-grade War Spirit, was in the team. The phantom of the Divine Bell in her hand swayed, immediately weakening more than half of the beast's pressure.

The team advanced a little farther. After rounding a giant divine tree, Xiao Yun saw their target—the ferocious beast Qiongqi, which had been completely eroded by the Abyss.

Its body resembled that of a tiger, yet it was ten times larger than an ordinary beast tiger, nearly three zhang tall at the shoulder. Its entire body was covered in jet-black, iron-like scales, every piece glinting with a cold metallic sheen, as though it had been born wearing an Asura battle armor. A pair of savage fleshy wings grew from its back. Their membranes were thin as blades, their edges covered in Barbs. When spread, they blotted out the sky; when they beat, foul winds howled, as if countless resentful souls were wailing.

Its head was tiger-like but not quite a tiger's. A pair of curved crimson horns grew from its forehead, corrosive black blood dripping from their tips and burning wisps of poisonous smoke into the ground. Its eyes were crimson like blood moons, but its Pupils were bizarre vertical slits. Any living being caught in its gaze would descend into madness. Its fangs protruded outward, each as sharp as a short sword. Drool dripped from its mouth, corroding the ground with hissing sounds.

Its limbs were as thick as palace pillars, its muscles knotted with the brute force to crush mountains and split the earth. Its claws were hooked and black as ink, capable of tearing through refined steel with a casual swipe. Its tail resembled a scorpion's, with a venomous hook at the end. The hook's tip glowed dark blue and contained deadly poison; a light stab could instantly kill a demonic beast. Black-red Abyssal Baleful Energy coiled around its body like a living thing. Anyone who approached would gradually have their mind eroded and become a puppet that knew only Slaughter.

Qiongqi truly lived up to its reputation as a ferocious beast. Its appearance alone was terrifying. Fortunately, Xiao Yun was currently in the Sword Immortal Spirit Body state and could resist the erosion of the Abyssal Aura emanating from its body.

After one glance, Xiao Yun immediately retreated and discussed how to deal with Qiongqi with Chu Yinge and the others.

In the end, they decided that once the battle began, everyone would unleash their ultimate techniques in succession, giving it no chance to catch its breath.

Xiao Yun was the first to act. He rode his sword directly into the air above Qiongqi, while tens of thousands of sword lights behind him descended like a galaxy. The clanging cries of swords shook the nine heavens!

"Qiongqi, today is the day you meet your end!"

With a sweep of Xiao Yun's sleeve, the Sword Immortal Spirit Body's ultimate technique—Myriad Swords Returning to the Source—erupted with a thunderous roar! A Green Lotus appeared above his head, then shattered on its own into countless sword intents that poured down like a torrential rain!

Qiongqi roared furiously, its wings stirring endless Abyssal Demonic Energy upward to clash head-on with the sword lights. Even so, its scales shattered under the cuts, and black blood splattered everywhere!

Just as Qiongqi let out an enraged howl and prepared to counterattack, the sky suddenly darkened—

A massive ancient god stepped out from the void. Chu Yinge stood upon the ancient god's shoulders, her gaze indifferent, as though she were looking upon ants.

"Carp Kun Dongting!"

In an instant, a Kunpeng phantom formed from countless streams of water dove down from the nine heavens, blotting out the sky. Carrying the force to shatter mountains and split seas, it slammed viciously into Qiongqi's back!

"BOOM—!!!"

The earth cracked apart and shockwaves surged. Qiongqi staggered backward from the blow, blood spilling from its mouth as its ferocious aura greatly weakened!

Before Qiongqi could steady itself, the ground suddenly exploded!

"Hiss—!"

The manifestation of a nine-headed giant serpent appeared. Its nine snake heads hissed savagely as all its energy converged upon one of them. The pair of Snake Eyes on that head abruptly burst forth with a grayish-white evil light—Petrifying Light!

Half of Qiongqi's body instantly stiffened. Its scales turned to stone, and its movements slowed for a moment!

"Now's our chance!"

A gentle breeze swept past, and flowers suddenly filled the sky!

Hua Wushuang lightly waved her folding fan and smiled beautifully. "Flower Realm Descent!"

In an instant, countless thick vines rapidly grew from the ground. Like living creatures, they tightly bound Qiongqi. Then countless spikes instantly grew from the vines, piercing straight into Qiongqi's body and beginning to absorb all kinds of energy within it.

As the energy was absorbed, flowers visibly grew and swelled before blooming in full. Countless petals transformed into a rain of sharp blades, shredding toward Qiongqi like a storm!

"Ssshhh, ssshhh, ssshhh—!"

Qiongqi's entire body was carved with countless bloody wounds. Its already heavily injured body suffered even more damage, and it finally let out an unwilling roar!

"Roar—!!!"

It suddenly beat its wings, stirring up a towering black gale. With the last trace of its ferocity, it tore through space and fled!

Xiao Yun had not expected Qiongqi, a ferocious beast, to be so cowardly. A single wave of attacks had scared it away. There was no time to stop it, and he could only watch helplessly as it escaped.

Still, this was fine. It saved them from having to make a huge fuss.

The moment Qiongqi fled, the Abyssal magic array that had been beneath it was immediately exposed.

Without even needing Xiao Yun's orders, Chu Yinge acted. She once again summoned countless streams of water, condensing them into a massive whale shark that slammed viciously into the Abyssal magic array, smashing it to pieces.

With Qiongqi defeated and fleeing, and the Abyssal array destroyed, the Abyssal Aura lost its endless source of replenishment and was instantly completely dispersed beneath the radiance of the Sky-Reaching Divine Wood.

That Sky-Reaching Divine Wood—its canopy covered the Sky Vault like a grand parasol, while emerald-like Veins flowed across its Tree Trunk—suddenly burst forth with immense Life Force.

Buzz—

An emerald-green halo spread from the heart of the tree, sweeping across the entire forest like ripples.

In an instant—

Withered yellow grass sprouted and grew wildly, carpeting the ground in green in the blink of an eye;

Ancient Trees eroded by the Abyss shed their black stains, their cracked bark healed anew, and fresh buds bloomed from their branches;

Even tender green vines emerged from cracks in the rocks, Entanglement themselves as they bloomed with tiny white flowers.

The air was filled with the crisp fragrance of grass and trees, as though even breathing could heal one's wounds.

Crack!

The ground at the core of the Abyssal array suddenly split open, and a massive treasure chest burst out of the earth. Its surface was covered in Dark Gold patterns, and a jade-green gemstone was embedded in its clasp, flickering brightly and dimly in a rhythm like breathing.

This is... Xiao Yun narrowed his eyes. It was the blessing bestowed by the Sky-Reaching Divine Wood after the Abyss had been defeated.

The chest lid suddenly opened a crack on its own, and seven-colored radiance burst forth!

Countless rewards poured out, and Xiao Yun immediately received Youyou's notification:

"Acquired Realm Lord Experience, Spiritual Power, 100 Breakthrough Stones, 7200 Bounty Points, 200,000 gold coins, 10 Epic War Spirit Fragments, 10 Advanced Summoning Contracts, several Qingfeng Sets, several Mingyue Sets, two pieces of Frost Moon Equipment, and 50 fragments of the Innate Legendary War Spirit Nine Heavens Profound Maiden."