Rumble...
The great willow tree shook violently. Golden marks appeared across its bark, each giving off a strange pulse. When those pulses struck Fang Chen, his blood surged, and searing pain rose from the depths of his soul, as though countless insects were tearing at it. But his soul absorbed the golden mist, and the pain eased at once.
A day later, the Flames around them had long since gone out. The entire forest had been devoured by the Flames and reduced to ash.
Crack!
A fissure appeared in the great willow's trunk.
Fang Chen opened his eyes. More fissures spread across the trunk, and golden runes flaked away in sheets.
Once the fissures reached a certain number, the whole tree exploded and came crashing down. Dust billowed up, blotting out the Sun Origin. The fallen willow began to burn.
After the time it took an incense stick to burn, the entire willow had turned to ash. Ordinary trees left glowing charcoal behind when they burned, and only when that charcoal burned away did it become ash. But the moment the Fire Origin in this willow's flames went out, nothing remained but ash.
Fang Chen spotted a faint golden glimmer among the ashes. He hurried over and swept them aside with the Floating Immortal Sword, uncovering a fist-sized golden crystal. Golden runes covered its surface, radiating a peculiar Dao Resonance.
"Could this be a Willow Heart?"
Fang Chen's gaze sharpened. He had read that certain unusual willows formed a Willow Heart inside their trunks once they reached a certain age. Such hearts generally had wondrous properties.
He had no idea what kind of willow this was, but it was undoubtedly ancient. Given a little more time, it might even have become a Tree Demon. Without question, this golden crystal was