Haste Makes Waste

After Shangguan Ye rushed to the Abyssal Demon's battlefield, Nie Li and the others were frantically attacking it. Nie Li was the main force, responsible for restraining it while everyone else focused solely on dealing damage.

Shangguan Ye sensed Ye Yan and Ye Zong's positions. They were nearby. It seemed they wanted to give the younger generation a chance.

"The new waves drive out the old. It's time for old fellows like us to step down," Ye Zong said with emotion.

"That's why you're stuck at the Black Gold Peak. These youngsters are destined to soar into a broader sky. How can you trap them in this tiny Glory City?" Ye Yan criticized.

"Progenitor Ye Yan is right."

"That said, I have a feeling the Dark Guild is getting restless. News of my resurrection hasn't spread yet, and it must remain secret. Once the Dark Guild can no longer hold back and attacks Glory City, with Ye Mo missing somewhere outside, I will be Glory City's trump card."

"Yes!"

As the two spoke, the Abyssal Demon was already struggling to hold on alone. The Lesser Flame Demons had also been eliminated by the families that had rushed over to assist.

Roar!

With an enraged roar, the Abyssal Demon's body suddenly swelled, and the greatsword in its hand grew much larger as well.

"A last-ditch struggle? It has already reached the Legendary level, but it won't last long. Tell those youngsters to come back," Ye Yan said.

"Children, fall back! This thing is no longer something you can handle!" Ye Zong shouted.

Everyone immediately retreated. The Abyssal Demon's greatsword, wrapped in endless flames, slashed down viciously. Below, a child who had been separated from his parents was so frightened that his legs went limp.

"Not good!" Ye Zong was about to rescue him when the child suddenly floated into the air. A powerful force of thought pushed him into Ye Zong's hands.

"Patriarch Shangguan." Ye Zong saw that Shangguan Ye had acted. Fortunately, the child was unharmed.

"Leave it to me." Shangguan Ye clapped his hands together and summoned countless vines, tightly binding the Abyssal Demon.

"That's an Abyssal Demon! Its entire body is covered in fire. Why is Patriarch Shangguan using a wood-element Battle Skill against it? Isn't that like throwing eggs at a rock?" The onlookers were full of confusion when they saw Shangguan Ye use Wood Style against the Abyssal Demon.

Unable to move while entangled by the Wood Style, the Abyssal Demon roared. The flames covering its body grew even fiercer, yet the wooden vines never burned through.

"I'll take your Soul Power." Shangguan Ye controlled the Wood Style and began wildly absorbing the Abyssal Demon's Soul Power. Ever since the Divine Tree had appeared in his Sea of Soul, he had discovered that his Wood Style could absorb others' Soul Power without transforming into a Wood Dragon.

The Abyssal Demon's Soul Power rapidly drained away, and the firelight on its body gradually dimmed. When the light in its eyes finally faded, the Abyssal Demon died completely.

"You really can eat. Even after all that, you still haven't broken through." After devouring the Abyssal Demon's Soul Power, the Divine Tree had sprouted, yet it still failed to break through that thin membrane.

"It really is difficult. If I don't break through soon, Ning'er and the others will surpass my cultivation," Shangguan Ye muttered.

"Well done, Shangguan. The Dark Guild's attacks are becoming more frequent. I have a feeling the Beast Tide will arrive before long," Nie Li said as he walked over to Shangguan Ye.

"That isn't a major problem. As long as the Demon Lord doesn't appear, it'll be fine. After all, Progenitor Ye Yan and Lord Ye Mo are both at the Legendary Peak, while Ye Zong and I should be entering the Legendary realm soon. A Beast Tide alone is completely manageable."

Although Glory City did not suffer great losses in this battle, the City Lord's Mansion still sustained some damage. Ye Zong personally thanked every family that had come to help.

After returning home, Shangguan Ye immediately entered the Mountains and Rivers Painting to cultivate. Soul Power flowed endlessly into his body, yet that membrane remained stubbornly firm. Several days later, Shangguan Ye still showed no signs of breaking through.

"Sigh, forget it. I should go see Ning'er." Shangguan Ye left home and headed for the Winged Dragon Family.

"Patriarch Shangguan." When Xiao Yunfeng heard that Shangguan Ye had arrived, he immediately rose to greet him.

"Uncle, it has been a long time." Shangguan Ye clasped his hands in greeting.

"You're here to see Ning'er, aren't you? That girl is at the training grounds. Go find her," Xiao Yunfeng said with a smile.

"Thank you, Uncle. I'll go, then."

When Shangguan Ye reached the training grounds, he saw Xiao Ning'er repeatedly practicing Battle Skills against a wooden post. She was extremely diligent.

"Ning'er." Shangguan Ye called out, interrupting Xiao Ning'er.

"Shangguan! You're here!" Xiao Ning'er was delighted to see Shangguan Ye and immediately rushed into his arms.

"I saw you practicing Battle Skills. Is there anything you need my help with?" Shangguan Ye asked softly.

"Yes. Do you remember when you helped heal my injuries? Since then, I've felt that my Sea of Soul has become much larger, and my recovery speed has increased greatly. Also, I keep feeling there's some miraculous power within me that hasn't been developed yet." Xiao Ning'er asked, her face full of confusion.

After hearing Xiao Ning'er's words, Shangguan Ye pondered for a while before giving her an answer.

"I know what it is. It should be Wood Style. If you can awaken Wood Style, your strength will increase greatly. I'll help you."

Shangguan Ye and Xiao Ning'er sat facing each other. Through an illusion, Shangguan Ye passed on all his understanding and experience with Wood Style to Xiao Ning'er.

"I understand!" Xiao Ning'er copied Shangguan Ye and clapped her hands together. A small tree grew from the ground, changing along with her thoughts.

"That's right, just like that. Practice more. With the amount of Soul Power you possess, you'll soon be able to use it on a large scale." Shangguan Ye happily rubbed Xiao Ning'er's head.

"Ding! Master, a new Wood Style ability has been triggered. As long as someone possesses your cells, enemies killed using their Wood Style can still have their Soul Power absorbed to nourish your Divine Tree," the system said in Shangguan Ye's mind.

"Is that so? Doesn't that mean I can slack off from now on? Later, I'll go give each of them some of my cells." After accompanying Xiao Ning'er in cultivation for a while longer, Shangguan Ye went to each person's residence. Everyone received his cells and the method for using Wood Style.

At this moment, in an underground cave, a masked person gripped a strange piece of jade. Two protectors stood beside him, while a group of Men in Black knelt before him.

"I have already set the Beast Tide in motion. This Beast Tide is enormous. I even paid a great price to find the three Legendary Demonic Beasts within the Sacred Ancestor Mountain Range. Glory City will surely fall this time." The man clenched the jade in his hand.

Inside Glory City's City Lord's Mansion, Ye Zong and the various Patriarchs were holding a meeting on how to resist the Dark Guild. Shangguan Ye had fallen asleep in his seat, leaving everyone helpless. Only Shen Hong glared at Shangguan Ye through gritted teeth.

"Hmph, Patriarch Shangguan really is broad-minded. He can even fall asleep during such an important meeting. What a disgraceful lack of decorum."

"Brother Shen, there's no need to fuss over this. Patriarch Shangguan is still a child, and he has contributed greatly to Glory City. Let him sleep," Ye Zong said from the side.

"Let's not discuss that. What do you all think? Should we take the initiative and attack, or continue blindly defending? To be honest, I have already sent people to locate the Dark Guild's branch and headquarters in Glory City." Ye Zong looked at the crowd, but they exchanged glances, unsure how to answer.

Shangguan Ye suddenly woke with a start and slowly said, "No need to discuss it. Defend first."

"Oh? Patriarch Shangguan, tell us your thoughts."

"Because the enemy is here." Shangguan Ye merely stared fixedly toward the city gates.

"Report!!!" A soldier rushed into the meeting room in a panic.

"Reporting to the City Lord, a Beast Tide has been spotted Hundred Miles Away. Its scale is enormous, estimated to be at the Ten Million Level. And..." The man lost his nerve as he spoke.

"And what?" Ye Zong asked anxiously.

"And there are three Legendary Demonic Beasts... the three from the Sacred Ancestor Mountain Range."

"..." The meeting room fell deathly silent. Ye Xiu slowly turned to look at Shangguan Ye.

"Patriarch Shangguan, did you sense the Beast Tide just now?"

"That's right."

"What terrifying perception."

"This isn't the time to talk about that. Sound the alarm! Put the entire city on alert!"

Everyone rushed out of the meeting room and returned to their families to arrange manpower. In an instant, Shangguan Ye was the only one left in the meeting room.

"Nie Li was right after all. But haste makes waste..."