A man and a woman walked upon an ancient world tree that had grown for countless years.
At first, the branches beneath their feet were as thin as chopsticks, splitting into countless forks. Now and then, their steps carried them into empty air.
As they ventured deeper, the golden branches grew thicker and wider. Branches became trunks, and trunks became a golden land of mountains and rivers.
From then on, there was no end in sight. Everywhere they looked lay rolling golden mountains, as scorching as the sun, burning all things.
Jiang Ding followed the Fusang Holy Maiden step by step into the depths of the Fusang Divine Tree.
It felt less like walking through a tree than through a hidden realm of the sun. The surrounding laws of the sun had become almost tangible, visible to the naked eye: a furnace, a hell of destruction. Most celestial beings would be reduced to ash in an instant here, body and soul extinguished, with no chance of escape.
Yet neither of the two walking there had broken a sweat.
The young man even began to comprehend the Dao, faint traces of its profundity gathering around him.
Countless sparks of inspiration surged into his heart like a tide, driving his Great Sun Sword Dao and True Immortal Heir Technique forward at a visible pace. In an instant, he reaped the explosive gains of ten thousand years.
The Azure Garment youth's steps grew slower and slower.
At last, he stopped completely, standing like a puppet or a statue, every trace of his outward presence gone.
The Fusang Holy Maiden halted.
She did not urge him on, much less disturb him. She turned and quietly watched the still young man before her.
At that moment, his usual edge was gone.
So was the terrifying,