Pursuers Arrive

When Red Cloud transplanted the parasol tree, the Innate Bing-Fire Formation became unstable, causing the tree's aura to leak out.

At once, rosy clouds filled the sky, while boundless hazy vapors and auspicious qi spread in all directions.

Seeing this, Red Cloud sensed that something was wrong and hastened the transplantation.

At the instant the Innate Bing-Fire Formation collapsed, Red Cloud finally transplanted the parasol tree into the Hundred Herbs Diagram.

The Hundred Herbs Diagram had originally been a low-grade acquired spirit treasure, but after many spirit roots and medicinal herbs had been transplanted into it, and after Red Cloud refined it time and again, it had already become a mid-grade acquired spirit treasure.

With the parasol tree transplanted into the Hundred Herbs Diagram this time, the diagram immediately showed signs of breaking through to become a high-grade acquired spirit treasure.

Moreover, the world within the Hundred Herbs Diagram was stabilized by the Candlefire Parasol Tree. Its chances of advancing in the future were even greater, and it possessed the potential to grow into a supreme-grade acquired spirit treasure.

But Red Cloud had no time to rejoice. The instant he transplanted the parasol tree, he vanished from the spot using Earth Escape Technique. At a time like this, he absolutely could not fly.

There was only one Primordial Unity Golden Immortal nearby. If he flew away, he would be targeted at once.

Red Cloud moved with extreme speed. The instant the parasol tree was taken into the Hundred Herbs Diagram, his whole body sank deep underground with Earth Escape Technique, like a loach entering the sea.

The moment the Innate Bing-Fire Formation collapsed, the volcano that had lain dormant for untold tens of thousands of years suddenly erupted. Blazing magma carried towering flames into the heavens, dyeing the skies for tens of thousands of miles around a crimson red.

Within those flames, the phantom of a gnarled parasol tree could vaguely be seen spreading its branches. It was the lingering spiritual resonance left behind by the Candlefire Parasol Tree, which had taken root here for countless years.

Before long, innumerable divine senses surged in from every direction like a tidal wave. Every one of them carried greed, shock, or wariness.

The first to react was the nearest avian powerhouse: a great peng covered in golden feathers. He was a Primordial Unity Golden Immortal under the Phoenix Clan.

The great peng circled high in the sky, its sharp golden eyes fixed firmly on the volcanic crater as its divine sense swept over every inch of land. It had guarded this region all year round and was especially sensitive to the emergence of heavenly treasures.

Though the Candlefire Parasol Tree's aura had leaked out only for an instant, that unique aura had already been deeply branded into its soul.

"Parasol tree... It's actually a parasol tree!"

The Golden-Winged Great Peng's voice trembled, and even its spirit quivered with excitement. It understood all too well what the Candlefire Parasol Tree meant to the Phoenix Clan and avian creatures.

If it could send this news back to the Phoenix Clan and assist its clan in obtaining the parasol tree, its merit would be enough to earn it the resources to cultivate to the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm.

At that thought, the great peng could no longer restrain itself. It transformed into a streak of golden light and dove down.

At the same time, tens of thousands of meters beneath the ground, Red Cloud was fleeing southeast at high speed.

Though Earth Escape Technique was not as swift as flying when traveling underground, it excelled at concealment. Deep beneath the earth, it could avoid divine-sense detection to the greatest extent possible.

"Qing Xuanzi said there would be a calamity to the southeast. It seems it should fall upon the parasol tree. But I want to see whether this calamity can truly take my life."

Red Cloud's expression was grave, yet his mind raced as he calculated. He was no reckless man. Since he had dared to take the parasol tree, he had already prepared himself to be hunted down.

Red Cloud simply had not expected the parasol tree's aura to leak so quickly. Almost as soon as he moved the Candlefire Parasol Tree, something had gone wrong.

Within the Hundred Herbs Diagram, the parasol tree had already taken root securely. There were innate spirit treasures such as the Jade Dew Bottle, Yi-Wood Pot, and Life Orb; supreme treasures such as Ice Soul Essence, Stellar Adamant, Essence of Gui Water, and Essence of Bing Fire; as well as acquired spirit roots and medicinal herbs like the Cold Jade Tree and Golden Coral.

This high-grade innate spirit root seemed rather satisfied with the environment within the Hundred Herbs Diagram. Its branches and leaves swayed slightly, releasing a gentle yet resilient power of fire essence that slowly transformed the diagram's spiritual-root environment.

Red Cloud sent a wisp of consciousness into the Hundred Herbs Diagram and saw that the Candlefire Parasol Tree stood roughly three zhang tall. Its trunk was crimson as blood, while the patterns upon its bark resembled layered dragon scales, gleaming with a metallic luster.

The Candlefire Parasol Tree's crown spread like a canopy, each leaf resembling a flame in full blaze, radiating scorching yet warm light.

Around the Candlefire Parasol Tree, all the spirit roots and medicinal herbs that had originally grown within the Hundred Herbs Diagram trembled faintly, as though submitting to this newly arrived honored guest.

Even the high-grade acquired spirit root, Golden Coral, which was usually quite proud, lowered its haughty head and did not dare show the slightest insolence.

"Good, good, good!"

Red Cloud said "good" three times in succession, and his heart settled.

The parasol tree's ability to take root securely within the Hundred Herbs Diagram proved that his prior preparations had not been in vain. Although it had lost roughly ten percent of its origin during the transplantation, it would recover before long as long as he nurtured it carefully.

That loss of ten percent of its origin meant that the time it had originally needed—three thousand years to blossom, another three thousand to bear fruit, and another three thousand to mature—would be prolonged. It might take over a hundred thousand years to complete a single growth cycle.

But Red Cloud did not care. He had all the time in the world to wait. What truly gave him a headache now were the pursuers above him, who were drawing ever closer.

Boom, boom, rumble—

A fierce golden beam pierced down from above, as if a hundred hydrogen bombs had detonated at once, directly ripping the ground apart and leaving a rift thousands of miles long.

The Golden-Winged Great Peng's attack swept past Red Cloud's side, nearly forcing him out of his Earth Escape.

"So fast!"

Red Cloud's heart tightened. He accelerated deeper underground, but the deeper he descended, the greater the pressure became.

After all, this was the Primordial World. Whether one flew upward into the heavens or escaped downward through the earth, the higher one flew—or the deeper one tunneled—the greater the pressure one had to endure.

To be honest, the depth Red Cloud had reached was already nearing the limit of his cultivation. He could continue descending, but doing so would slow his escape.

With the pursuers upon him, Red Cloud did not dare stop. Once he was delayed, more and more powerhouses would arrive behind them. By then, even with three heads and six arms, he would not be able to escape.

When the Golden-Winged Great Peng missed with one strike, its brows furrowed tightly and a trace of anger flashed in its eyes.

Its divine sense had already locked onto the figure moving swiftly underground, but Earth Escape Technique was indeed troublesome. The target could easily change direction after sinking deeper into the earth, so it needed a more precise attack to force him out.

"You bald Daoist, whoever you are, hand over the parasol tree, and I can spare your life!"

The Golden-Winged Great Peng's voice pierced through the layers of earth and reached Red Cloud's ears. But Red Cloud curled his lips, turned a deaf ear, and continued fleeing southeast.

His only advantage now was that the other side did not yet know his identity. As long as he could escape, find somewhere to hide, and wait until the storm had passed, he would be fine.

However, things went against his wishes. Just when Red Cloud believed he could shake off the Golden-Winged Great Peng, a powerful aura suddenly came from ahead.

It was a fire phoenix covered entirely in scarlet, its whole body wreathed in roaring flames. With its wings spread, it was a full thousand miles wide, and every beat of those wings stirred up towering waves of fire.

"It's... it's the aura of the parasol tree..."