Late Heavenly Immortal

The moment Ren Xiaoyao stepped into the Secret Realm, he felt a warm and mellow Spiritual Qi wash over him as if it were tangible. It was as if countless fine Spirit Threads were seeping into his pores, and every inch of his skin was trembling with pleasure as he greedily inhaled this long-lost pure aura. The scene before him was a world apart from the desolate ruins of the Demon Meteor City —in the distance, majestic green mountains rose into the clouds, their peaks covered with snow that shimmered in the sunlight; clouds and mist swirled among the mountains like a light veil, sometimes transforming into galloping Immortal Crane, sometimes into soaring cranes, ever-changing; at the Foot of the Mountain, a clear stream flowed gently, its waters crystal clear, revealing colorful hues at the bottom. The pebbles were smooth and round. Several small, palm-sized Spirit Fish swam merrily, their shimmering tails flashing. The splashes of water condensed into tiny, luminous droplets in the air, landing with a soft "drip-drip" sound. The bank was covered with colorful and exotic Rare Flowers and Exotic Herbs. Some flowers were as large as bowls, with layers upon layers of petals edged with soft gold. Dewdrops on the petals refracted a rainbow of light. Other plants had long, slender, emerald-green leaves with clearly visible veins and golden lines along their edges. A gentle breeze blew, and the swaying leaves released a refreshing fragrance that made the air sweet and clean, a breath of which soothed the lungs.

He subconsciously took a deep breath, and the warm Spiritual Qi instantly surged into his body. The almost depleted Emperor Power in his dantian trembled slightly like a stream awakening in a dry riverbed, and a faint but pure Emperor Power quietly sprouted. The fatigue and pain from fighting the Demon General and being severely injured by the Void Demon Ancestor over the past few days quickly receded like melting snow, and his tense soul became clear and transparent. A comfortable hum even came from the depths of his sea of consciousness. "Such rich Spiritual Qi... several times purer than the source of the Spirit Vein at the Immortal Alliance Headquarters. This is indeed Ancient Immortal Secret Realm." "!" A hint of barely suppressed elation flashed in Ren Xiaoyao's eyes. His clenched fists slowly loosened, and his tense nerves finally relaxed slightly. He strode to the stream, bent down, and scooped up a handful of water—the water was icy to the touch, yet carried a strange warmth. It was sweet and refreshing in his mouth, and the moment it slid down his throat and into his stomach, it transformed into a cool and powerful energy that flowed through his meridians. The sluggishness left by the depletion of his Emperor Power vanished as if washed away by the tide, and the tiny scratches on the walls of his meridians began to itch slightly under the nourishment of the energy, slowly repairing themselves.

Just as he was immersed in the comfort of the nourishing Spiritual Qi and preparing to sit cross-legged for a short rest, a faint energy fluctuation suddenly emanated from the valley not far away. The fluctuation was extremely weak, yet it carried a pure and exquisite life force, drawing his soul in like celestial music and igniting a strong desire to explore within him. Ren Xiaoyao's heart stirred; without lingering, he concealed his aura and quickly ran in the direction of the energy fluctuation. The deeper he went into the valley, the denser the Spiritual Qi became, almost viscous, and the surrounding flora became even more strange and rare—the trees lining the road were hundreds of feet tall. The tree trunk was so thick that it took ten people to encircle it. Ancient patterns covered its grayish-brown bark, resembling a naturally formed array. Its crown spread out like a giant umbrella, its leaves a dazzling gold, with a faint spiritual light flowing through their veins. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled golden shadows on the ground, like a layer of scattered gold. Silver vines coiled around the trunk like chains, bearing clusters of thumb-sized red fruits. The fruits were covered in fine fuzz, emitting a rich, enticing fragrance, and faintly glowed with spiritual energy—clearly spiritual fruits imbued with Spiritual Qi.

At the end of the valley, a small, circular lake suddenly appeared before them. The lake water wasn't the usual blue or green, but rather as crystal clear as the purest crystal. The sand and pebbles at the bottom and the swimming Spirit Fish were clearly visible, and the surface of the water even reflected the subtle patterns of the clouds in the sky. A thin layer of white mist shrouded the lake, drifting slowly like a veil, containing astonishing life energy. Simply standing by the lake and inhaling a breath of this mist caused Ren Xiaoyao's soul to surge. The speed at which the Emperor Power circulated within the field increased slightly. In the center of the lake stood a White Jade Stone about ten feet high, its surface carved with intricate High Antiquity cloud patterns, appearing and disappearing in the mist. Above the platform, droplets of pale Golden Liquid slowly condensed from the void, dazzling like molten gold. Each drop made a crisp "tinkling" sound as it fell, like jade striking jade, or perhaps containing the rhythm of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth —undoubtedly, this was the source of that pure life force.

"Heaven and Earth True Dew! It's actually Heaven and Earth True Dew!" Ren Xiaoyao's pupils constricted, and he exclaimed in shock, his eyes filled with astonishment and ecstasy. He had seen detailed records of it in the ancient book of the Immortal Alliance, <Ancient Treasures Record>. Heaven and Earth True Dew was formed by the purest Spiritual Qi in the world condensing over ten thousand years, absorbing the Essence of Sun and Moon and moon and the Stellar Power. It contained unimaginably vast life energy and Origin Power. This treasure could not only restore peak cultivation and repair severe damage to the soul in an instant, but also cleanse the impurities in a cultivator's body and soul, helping them easily break through cultivation bottlenecks. Even Golden Immortal would go crazy for it; it was a truly rare and precious High Antiquity treasure. The ancient book also specifically mentioned that because Heaven and Earth True Dew contained such rich life energy, it often attracted powerful guardians. Ordinary cultivators would find it extremely difficult to even approach its location, let alone obtain it.

Sure enough, just as he suppressed his excitement and cautiously stepped closer to the lake, a strange "rustling" sound suddenly came from the ground by the lake. The sound was like countless thin snakes rapidly weaving through the soil, sending chills down his spine. Immediately afterward, countless thick, dark green willow branches, like venomous snakes that had been lying in wait, suddenly sprang out from the soil around the lake. The branches were covered with sharp barbs about an inch long, gleaming with a cold, eerie green light, and lashed out at him with a whistling sound. As the willow branches swung, the air crackled and popped, and a Savage Wilderness and domineering Sha Qi swept over him, an aura imbued with the vicissitudes of millennia and a bloodthirsty instinct, as if to tear his body to shreds. The surrounding ground trembled, and countless tiny roots emerged from the soil, spreading towards his feet like a fine spiderweb. The roots secreted a viscous, dark green sap, emitting a corrosive odor, attempting to restrict his movements and contaminate him with toxins.

"Primordial Ferocious Beast, Overlord Willow!" Ren Xiaoyao's expression changed drastically. He stomped his foot on the ground, his body moving as lightly as a willow catkin as he retreated, barely dodging the willow branch's attack. The branch grazed his shoulder, snapping a tree as thick as a bucket in half behind him, the break smooth and clean, demonstrating its sharpness. Overlord Willow! A storm raged in his heart. This ferocious beast, existing only in ancient legends, actually existed! According to ancient records, Overlord Willow was a plant-based ferocious beast born in Ancient Times, feeding on the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, cultivating for ten thousand years to reach its full potential. Its roots could penetrate tens of thousands of feet into the earth, absorbing the earth's Origin Power; its branches were as sharp as Peerless Divine Weapon, easily tearing through the physical defenses of Golden Immortal; even more terrifying, it could absorb the blood and Spiritual Qi of living beings through its branches and roots, rapidly growing stronger, making it extremely difficult to deal with. Ren Xiaoyao never expected that such a terrifying being would be hidden in this Ancient Immortal Secret Realm.

"Roar--!" The Overlord Willow seemed to sense someone coveting the Heaven and Earth True Dew it had guarded for millennia, letting out a low, ferocious roar. The sound didn't originate from its throat, but directly shook the air and earth, causing the entire valley to hum and the ground to tremble. The roar was filled with warning and killing intent, like an ancient beast declaring its territory inviolable. Immediately afterward, countless willow branches rained down on Ren Xiaoyao like a torrential downpour, some like spears thrusting straight at him, their tips gleaming with cold light. Some branches swept across like long whips, whistling sharply; others coiled like ropes, attempting to bind him. The dense willow branches blocked all his escape routes, forming a dark green Net of Death. The ground trembled more violently, and thick roots, as thick as buckets, burst from the earth, twisting and coiling around his legs like giant pythons. The roots were also covered in barbs, emitting a ghostly green, poisonous glow, and a pungent, fishy stench filled the air. Ren Xiaoyao circulated the last remaining traces of his divine Emperor Power... He channeled his Emperor Power, forming a faint Golden Shield around his body, its surface rippling with fine waves. His figure moved with ghostly agility among the willow branches and roots, his toes lightly touching the gaps in the roots, his body swaying like willow catkins in the wind. Sometimes he would sidestep the whistling willow branches, sometimes he would leap into the air to avoid the entangled roots, and occasionally he would use the Emperor Power gathered at his fingertips to slash at the stray roots—wherever the Emperor Power passed, the roots snapped instantly, oozing a dark green sap from the broken ends. However, Overlord Willow's attacks were too dense, like a net covering the sky, and he quickly found himself struggling to defend himself. In a moment of carelessness, a willow branch grazed his shoulder—with a "sizzle," the Golden Shield shattered instantly, breaking apart like glass, leaving a deep wound on his shoulder that exposed the bone. The flesh at the wound site rapidly turned black under the corrosive effects of the willow branch's poison, emitting a "sizzling" sound. A piercing pain spread throughout his body along his nerves, causing him to gasp involuntarily, his face instantly turning deathly pale.

"This can't go on... My Emperor Power is already almost depleted; if we keep wasting it, it will eventually wear me down! We must find its weakness!" Ren Xiaoyao was extremely anxious, fine beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. His gaze swept quickly across the massive body of the Overlord Willow. He discovered that all the branches and roots of the Overlord Willow were connected, like rivers flowing into the sea, to a section of charred tree trunk beneath the stone platform in the center of the lake—the trunk was about the thickness of two people's embrace, its surface covered with crisscrossing cracks, No Life like parched earth, yet emanating a faint but tenacious life force deep within the cracks. "It's its true form! The true form of a plant-based ferocious beast is often its Power Core, and also its greatest weakness! If we attack its true form, perhaps we can subdue it!" A glint of light flashed in Ren Xiaoyao's eyes, and he instantly devised a plan.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the excruciating pain in his shoulder. Veins bulged on his forehead, and a resolute glint flashed in his eyes. He abruptly activated all the remaining Emperor Power in his dantian, gathering it all in his right palm. The golden Emperor Power rapidly spun and condensed, forming a fist-sized sphere of Emperor Power. Arcs crackled across the surface of the sphere, emitting terrifying energy fluctuations that distorted the surrounding air. Then, he deliberately slowed his pace, his steps slightly unsteady, revealing a tiny opening—a thick willow branch, as thick as an arm, instantly seized the opportunity, coiling around his left arm like a venomous snake. The moment the willow branch coiled... As soon as he stopped, a powerful suction force surged forth, frantically absorbing his vital energy and remaining Emperor Power like Black Hole. His left arm instantly went numb, and the intense pain made him grimace, his face paling slightly, large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. But he didn't struggle. Instead, using the pull of the willow branches, he channeled all his remaining strength into his right leg, slamming it into the ground. A shallow crater was created, and his figure shot towards the stone platform in the center of the lake like an arrow, leaving a faint afterimage in the air. The Emperor Power orb in his right hand, accompanied by a piercing whistle, Sky-Rending Strike and slammed into the charred body of the Overlord Willow.

"Boom--!" The Emperor Power Orb slammed into the charred tree trunk without hesitation, a deafening roar echoing through the valley like a thunderclap, sending up a cloud of debris and dust, forming a small sandstorm. The cracks on the trunk instantly expanded wildly like a spiderweb, spreading outwards from the point of impact. Countless charred fragments flew out, splashing into the lake and creating ripples, dispersing some of the mist on the lake's surface. The Overlord Willow let out a piercing roar, its voice filled with heart-wrenching pain and rage, like the howl of a wounded beast, causing the entire valley to tremble. The willow branches and roots binding Ren Xiaoyao instantly lost their strength and loosened. Like withered vines, the willow branches drooped down. Then, like startled birds, all the branches frantically converged on the main body, layer upon layer wrapping around the charred trunk, forming a thick green barrier, attempting to protect its core. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ren Xiaoyao broke free from the willow branches' restraints, his body flipping in the air, adjusting his posture like an eagle spreading its wings, and landing steadily on the White Jade Stone platform. He gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently, the wound on his shoulder still throbbing faintly, but he ignored his panting, his gaze fixed on the last drop of Heaven and Earth True Dew that was about to condense on the stone platform—the pale golden liquid shimmered slightly on the stone platform, emitting an alluring luster, his heart filled with anticipation and excitement.

Just then, the charred body of the Overlord Willow suddenly emitted a faint green light. The light gradually gathered, and a blurry phantom of consciousness appeared above the tree trunk—it was the image of an old man dressed in a dark green robe. The old man had white hair and beard, a withered face, and eyes filled with resentment, despair, and deep weariness. "Human... why do you force me like this? This Heaven and Earth True Dew is my only hope. I have guarded it here for ten thousand years, just to use the dew to heal my injuries and regain my freedom..." The old man's voice, hoarse and pleading, entered Ren Xiaoyao's mind directly, filled with endless vicissitudes.

Ren Xiaoyao's heart stirred, and he lowered his guard, asking, "You were originally Primordial Ferocious Beast, your strength must be unfathomable. Why are you so severely injured and trapped here for ten thousand years?" The old man gave a bitter smile, a painful memory flashing in his cloudy eyes, and slowly recounted the events sealed for ten thousand years—it turned out that in Primordial Era, Overlord Willow was once a hegemon among the ferocious beasts. In the epic war between the ferocious beasts and the Ancient Immortal, it led its clan to fight against the immortals, but unfortunately encountered an Ancient Immortal Emperor. The Immortal Emperor's strength was heaven-shattering, and with a single blow, it severely injured its body. It used its last bit of strength to escape into this Ancient Immortal Secret Realm that had not yet been discovered, barely clinging to life with the rich Spiritual Qi Secret Realm. For ten thousand years, it had been guarding this place where the Heaven and Earth True Dew was born, hoping to use the power of the true dew to repair its damaged body and regain its former peak strength.

Listening to Overlord Willow's sorrowful tale, Ren Xiaoyao felt a deep sense of sympathy. He pondered for a moment, looking into the old man's despairing eyes, and said earnestly, "Senior, I do not intend to steal your Heaven and Earth True Dew. To be honest, I have been framed by a spy from the Demon Realm as a traitor to the Immortal Realm, and I bear the heavy responsibility of stopping the Demon Realm Realm's invasion of the Immortal Realm. I urgently need the Heaven and Earth True Dew to restore my strength. If you are willing to acknowledge me as your master and fight alongside me against the Demon Realm to protect the billions of living beings in the Immortal Realm, I can give you half of the Heaven and Earth True Dew to help you recover from your injuries. After I quell the chaos in the Demon Realm, I will terminate the Master-Servant Contract and grant you complete freedom. What do you say?" His voice was sincere and firm, and his eyes shone with an undeniable conviction.

The illusory image of Overlord Willow remained silent for a long time, its turbid eyes fixed on Ren Xiaoyao, seemingly scrutinizing his heart. It could clearly sense the pure Emperor's Might and vast divine soul aura emanating from Ren Xiaoyao, and it could also perceive the unwavering belief in Protecting All Living Beings in his heart, knowing that this person was not an evil being, but rather possessed the Fortune to save the Immortal Realm. Finally, it sighed, the despair in its eyes gradually replaced by a glimmer of hope: "So be it, so be it. Ten thousand years of waiting, day after day, is nothing but torment. Perhaps following you, this..." "The Chosen of Destiny is my only fortuitous opportunity to escape this predicament. I am willing to acknowledge you as my master!" As soon as he finished speaking, Overlord Willow's true form emitted a soft green light. A crystal-clear, thin willow branch detached from its body, transforming into a beam of green light as if it possessed a spirit, and slowly flew into Ren Xiaoyao's sea of consciousness. The moment the green light merged into his sea of consciousness, Ren Xiaoyao established a close spiritual connection with Overlord Willow. He could clearly perceive Overlord Willow's emotions and state—from then on, this Primordial Ferocious Beast Overlord Willow became his natal beast.

Ren Xiaoyao was overjoyed, his tense nerves completely relaxing as he let out a long sigh of relief. He quickly and carefully removed the condensed Heaven and Earth True Dew from the stone platform—ten drops lay quietly on it, each like a dazzling drop of gold, about the size of a thumb, radiating a rich, almost tangible life force; approaching it, one could feel a warm energy enveloping their entire body. He picked up five drops and gently tossed them towards the body of the Overlord Willow. A flash of green light, and the five drops of dew were caught by the Overlord Willow branches and slowly carried towards the charred trunk. He held the remaining five drops tightly in his hand. The warmth of the True Dew spread through his fingertips throughout his body, bringing him a sense of comfort. Then, he sat cross-legged on the White Jade Stone platform, adjusted his breathing, cleared his mind of distractions, and placed a drop of the Heaven and Earth True Dew into his mouth—the True Dew melted instantly upon entering his mouth, without the slightest impurity, transforming into an unimaginably vast and powerful Energy Torrent surged into his dantian like a river bursting its banks. This energy was gentle and pure, yet carried unparalleled impact. The Profound Suppression Emperor Formation within his dantian was instantly activated, spinning wildly, devouring the energy like a greedy beast, the purple-gold Emperor Mark on the array plate shimmering with Dazzling Light.

Energy Torrent flowed rapidly through his meridians, repairing and strengthening Damaged Meridians and his physical body at a visible speed. Broken meridian fragments were reconnected by the energy, tiny scratches on the meridian walls were completely smoothed out, and the meridians even widened to nearly twice their previous size, like a widened river channel capable of accommodating more Emperor Power. Every cell in his body greedily absorbed the energy, cellular activity increased dramatically, muscle fibers became more resilient, and bones emitted a faint golden glow. The Emperor Power within his dantian grew rapidly, like a dried-up lake being flooded, gradually increasing from its previous state of depletion. As the golden Emperor Power gradually filled up, it became increasingly pure and condensed, its color changing from light gold to deep gold. When the Emperor Power reached its peak, and the dantian could no longer hold any more, Ren Xiaoyao felt a crisp "crack" sound within his body, as if an invisible, resilient barrier had been broken—the bottleneck of the Mid-stage Heavenly Immortal realm that had troubled him for so long was shattered under the nourishment of the Heaven and Earth True Dew! An even more powerful aura surged from his body, soaring into the sky like a plume of smoke, drawing in the surrounding spiritual Spiritual Qi to form a small Spiritual Energy Vortex that swirled around him, making a "whooshing" sound as the Spiritual Qi within churned.

The moment he broke through to the next realm, a vast and powerful Emperor Power, far exceeding his previous level, surged from his dantian, flowing through his meridians and throughout his body. Wherever it passed, the meridians trembled slightly, emitting a joyful hum. The golden aura emanating from his body grew increasingly dense and dazzling, as if he were clad in golden armor, with countless tiny Emperor Mark flowing within the light. His sea of consciousness expanded several times over, becoming more expansive and profound. His Soul Power became more condensed and powerful, and his perception range greatly increased, allowing him to clearly perceive every blade of grass and tree within a hundred feet. He slowly opened his eyes, a sharp, knife-like light flashing within them, like a star piercing the darkness. The Spiritual Energy Vortex around him slowly dissipated. He clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him, a power like a dormant volcano ready to erupt at any moment, several times stronger than before. A confident smile curled at the corner of his lips, his eyes filled with fighting spirit. "Mid-stage Heavenly Immortal... I've finally broken through! My strength is now several times greater than before! With the help of the Primordial Ferocious Beast Overlord Willow, plus the fortuitous opportunity in this Secret Realm, even facing that old scoundrel, the Void Demon Ancestor, I have the power to fight!" His heart was filled with boundless pride. The frustration and helplessness he felt before being falsely accused had now transformed into the driving force to forge ahead, his chest surging with an unwavering belief in protecting the Immortal Realm.

At this moment, the Overlord Willow had absorbed all five drops of Heaven and Earth True Dew. On its charred body, the cracks healed at a visible speed, with dark green sap seeping from them, gradually solidifying to form new bark. The life force it exuded grew increasingly rich and mellow, as vibrant as a forest after rain. Countless dark green willow branches became even thicker and greener, their barbs shimmering with a lustrous sheen, brimming with explosive power; a gentle swipe could create a whistling wind. Its illusory consciousness reappeared, the old man's image much clearer than before. His eyes brightened, and he bowed respectfully to Ren Xiaoyao: "Master, my injuries have mostly healed, and much of the toxins in my body have been neutralized by the Heaven and Earth True Dew. My strength has now recovered to the Late Heavenly Immortal level, making it easy to deal with ordinary Early-stage Golden Immortal. I am ready to serve you at any time. The depths of this Secret Realm are the final resting place of Ancient Immortal. I can sense the powerful restrictions and rich aura of Law Treasure emanating from there. It must contain the immortal's legacy and Law Treasure. If we can obtain them, our strength will surely rise to another level. Why don't we go and explore now?"

Ren Xiaoyao nodded, stood up, and dusted himself off. His bones crackled with a powerful sound. His gaze fell upon the mist-shrouded mountains deep within the Secret Realm. The peaks soared into the clouds, their outlines barely visible through the swirling mist. An ancient and majestic aura emanated from the depths, carrying the Daoist wisdom of Ancient Immortal, inspiring awe—the very traces left by those Ancient Immortal. He knew the siege Demon Meteor City continued; those cultivators bewitched by the Void Demon Ancestor had likely turned the Demon Meteor City upside down. The Void Demon Ancestor's conspiracy was progressing steadily, the crisis at the Boundary Sealing Gate was drawing ever closer, and time was of the essence, allowing him no room for complacency. But at this moment, he was no longer... He felt as helpless and lost as before. Now, he had not only successfully broken through to the Mid-stage Heavenly Immortal, but his physical body and soul had also been greatly enhanced. He had also subdued the Primordial Ferocious Beast Overlord Willow, a powerful ally, greatly increasing his strength. Next, he would seek more fortuitous opportunity and inheritances in this Secret Realm to quickly improve his strength. Then, he would walk out of the Secret Realm with dignity, expose the ugly true face of the Void Demon Ancestor, let the cultivators of the Immortal Realm see his true identity, clear his name, and protect the billions of living beings in the Immortal Realm from the ravages of the Demon Realm! Thinking of this, a determined light flashed in his eyes. After communicating with Overlord Willow's consciousness and learning the general direction of the depths of the Secret Realm, he strode towards the depths of the Secret Realm, his steps steady and powerful, each step filled with confidence.