The Bodhi Tree and the Remains!

As the two ventured deeper, the surrounding space twisted. After a dizzying whirl, their surroundings changed, revealing an endless ocean of black mist.

"It's that disgusting aura!" At the sight of the black ocean, Zi Yan made no attempt to conceal her revulsion and tightened her grip on Jiang Yun's arm.

Something stirred in Jiang Yun's mind. With a raised hand, he cast a green barrier over Zi Yan, and her expression finally eased considerably.

"Xiao Yun, look over there!" Once she had suppressed her disgust, Zi Yan's eyes darted about, and she pointed ahead with a loud cry.

Jiang Yun focused his gaze. In the distance, evil energy surged upward from time to time, while an enormous formation hovered above it, holding back those assaults.

At the center of that formation, an ancient, colossal tree stood quietly at its core, as though it had existed there since time immemorial.

Its massive trunk stood roughly ten thousand feet tall, like a pillar holding up the heavens and linking heaven to earth. The rugged markings covering its trunk all spoke of its ancient age.

From time to time, faint streams of pure energy spread from the tree, rippling through this realm and wearing away the evil energy scattered in the air.

"Is that the Bodhi Tree?" Zi Yan fell into a daze for a moment. Even with her carefree disposition, the enormous tree before her left her awestruck.

"This is the Bodhi Tree. It truly is a rare marvel. I wonder just how wondrous the even more miraculous Bodhi Ancient Tree must be!" Jiang Yun was equally awed, and could not help feeling wistful.

"The Bodhi Tree..." Qing Ming's figure quietly appeared beside Jiang Yun, though Zi Yan could not see him. His voice carried emotion and remembrance. "Unfortunately, it's already dead!"

"Dead?" Jiang Yun froze at those words. He looked closely. That immense vitality could not be fake, yet it was dead?

"Don't be fooled by the abundant vitality within it. Look-its roots have already lost their life. What remains is merely the life force it left behind, naturally dissipating. In a hundred years, it will all be exhausted. From what I've observed, the Soul-Eating Clan corpse will also dissipate in a hundred years."

"I must say, that junior was truly remarkable. Had he not been restricted by this world, the Great Thousand World might have gained another Heavenly Sovereign. Even Immortal Grade wouldn't have been beyond him!"

Qing Ming explained things to Jiang Yun, while also feeling some regret that the Demon Saint Jinglian had met such an end.

Jiang Yun remained silent. Countless brilliant talents on the Dou Qi Continent had been trapped at the Half-Emperor realm because of Origin Qi, their lives ending without fulfillment!

Geniuses such as the Yellow Springs Demon Saint, the Demon Saint Jinglian, and Xiao Xuan had all met regretful ends for that very reason.

I will never end like them, burdened with regrets! Thinking of their deeds, Jiang Yun silently made up his mind, his yearning for strength growing ever more urgent.

"Xiao Yun, look over there!" Just then, Zi Yan suddenly cried out urgently. A faint tremor ran through her voice, as though something frightened her.

That was rare for Zi Yan. Jiang Yun quickly looked over and saw wisps of pure energy descending into the boundless ocean of demonic energy. Wherever they passed, the surrounding evil energy frantically surged in to corrode them. When the two met, hissing sounds erupted, until both evaporated completely.

At the source of that evil energy, a demonic figure a hundred thousand feet long lay bound by several thick chains.

Its body was pitch-black like refined iron, covered in hideous wounds. It had eight eyes, four limbs planted on the ground, and an enormous mouth filled with sharp black teeth. Four gigantic wings stretched from its immense body.

Now, it lay there quietly, countless streams of evil energy spreading from its body. Even after years of death, its savage, malevolent aura had not weakened in the slightest.

No wonder Zi Yan was afraid!

The gulf between a Dou Sheng and a Dou Wang was simply too vast. It was an overwhelming disparity in the very level of their existence.

"Don't be afraid. It's already dead!" Feeling Zi Yan's chilly little hand, Jiang Yun could not help comforting her.

As for himself, he had even seen a Demon Emperor. How could a mere Dou Sheng affect him?

"Hmph, I'm not scared!" Zi Yan bristled at Jiang Yun's underestimation of her, but her tightly clenched little hand still betrayed her nervousness.

"Xiao Yun, there doesn't seem to be anything here we can use!" Jiang Yun's warm palm gradually calmed Zi Yan. After looking around, she spoke with some disappointment.

"No, there is!" Jiang Yun said with a smile. Under Zi Yan's puzzled gaze, he looked toward the demonic corpse and the Bodhi Tree.

As a member of the Evil Spirit Clan, Jiang Yun could cultivate both evil energy and spiritual energy. This demonic corpse could provide nourishment for his rapid growth.

Although he had yet to decide whether to cultivate evil energy as well, only a treasure secured in his own hands was truly a treasure.

Besides, since he had come here, there was no reason to return empty-handed. The Bodhi Tree, with its immense vitality, could endure for at least another hundred years.

That descending pure energy was an invaluable aid on the path of cultivation. Naturally, Jiang Yun would not let it slip away.

Once he took the Bodhi Tree, the Soul-Eating Clan corpse would become a problem as well. He would have to properly deal with the consequences.

"Grandpa Qing Ming..." Having made his decision, Jiang Yun spoke within his mind.

"Hehe, since that's what you want, I'll naturally support you. Fortunately, I've recovered quite a bit lately. Otherwise, I really wouldn't be confident of putting these two enormous things away." Qing Ming naturally understood Jiang Yun's thoughts and supported his decision unconditionally.

Qing Ming's attitude moved Jiang Yun. Even though Jiang Hong was not here, Jiang Yun still felt his care!

"Zi Yan, you mustn't reveal a single thing about what you're about to see. Do you understand?" After receiving his answer, Jiang Yun turned toward Zi Yan, his expression more serious than ever.

The Azure Nether Tower was Jiang Yun's greatest secret. Even though he trusted Zi Yan completely, he still had to exercise the utmost caution!

Jiang Yun's solemn expression startled Zi Yan, but she too replied with complete seriousness. "I won't reveal a single thing about what happens next. Otherwise, may I never get to eat delicious pills again!"

What had clearly been a solemn moment suddenly became something to both laugh and cry over thanks to Zi Yan.

Jiang Yun's expression embarrassed Zi Yan as well. Realizing she seemed to have made a fool of herself, she raised her little foot in mortification and stomped repeatedly on his.

"What are you laughing at? I'm being serious!"

"All right, I believe you!" Zi Yan wasn't using much force; it felt little different from a tickle. Seeing that she was on the verge of flying into a rage out of embarrassment, Jiang Yun hurriedly agreed.

"How are you going to take these away?" Seeing Jiang Yun admit his mistake improved Zi Yan's mood considerably, though she was still puzzled.

At her question, Jiang Yun gave a mysterious smile and raised his hand, tossing out a pagoda that swelled rapidly in the wind!

What Zi Yan saw next was the most astonishing sight of her life!

Meanwhile.

Outside, a bedraggled figure was "spat" out of the spatial passage.

"Pfft-"

It was Han Feng. None of his usual scholarly elegance remained. He was covered in blood and filth, without a patch of uninjured flesh, and the moment he emerged, he spat out a mouthful of black blood.

Han Feng did not dare let his guard down. Trembling, he took an emerald-green pill fragrant with medicinal aromas from his Storage Ring and swallowed it.

Had anyone seen it, they would surely have cried out in shock, for this was a Sixth-Grade Resurrection Pill, a healing Treasure Pill said to save anyone who still had a breath left.

Even for someone of Han Feng's wealth, it was exceedingly valuable. But he could no longer concern himself with that. After swallowing the pill, he felt his internal injuries improve, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Han Feng, where do you think you're going-"

Suddenly, an icy voice rang out from the spatial passage behind him, and Han Feng's expression changed sharply.

"Mo Tianxing!" Grinding out the newcomer's name through clenched teeth, Han Feng did not hesitate. His figure flashed, shooting into the distance.

Only after Han Feng left did Mo Tianxing slowly appear there. He too was in a particularly sorry state. The Black-Corner Region had far too many desperate outlaws, and with Han Feng tempting them with pills, there had been no shortage of people willing to attack.

Even Mo Tianxing, a Three-Star Dou Zong, had struggled to cope!

Watching Han Feng disappear, Mo Tianxing's expression grew frighteningly ugly. Once Han Feng returned to Maple City, the connections he had accumulated over the years would make it difficult for the Black Emperor Sect to reclaim the Bodhi Body-Transformation Saliva.

Yet if he spread the news, Mo Tianxing could not guarantee that a Dou Zun wouldn't be drawn over. Then, he might not get so much as a hair. This left him caught between advancing and retreating.

"Father, where is Han Feng?" The newcomer looked rather young, with a handsome face touched by a certain softness. At a glance, he was clearly a smiling tiger, just like Mo Tianxing.

His white robes were now covered in blood, stripping away some of his former elegance and lending him a more sinister air.

He was none other than Mo Tianxing's son, Mo Ya, a Dou Huang expert.

"He got away!"

Mo Tianxing spoke through somewhat gritted teeth, his expression ugly.

"Sect Master, we should head straight for Maple City immediately. Otherwise, once Han Feng catches his breath, he won't be easy to deal with!" Qi Shan, the Black Emperor Sect's chief alchemist, immediately spoke up.

As an alchemist himself, he knew better than anyone how much influence a Grand Alchemist wielded. What had just happened in the secret realm had offered a glimpse of it.

"Han Feng is cunning. Now that he's escaped with his life, he will never show himself lightly without complete confidence!" Having regained his composure, Mo Tianxing spoke calmly.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

Mo Ya and Qi Shan's expressions darkened at those words. Just then, countless sounds of rushing air rang out as figures continually shot out of the ruins.

"Where is Master Han Feng? Did he escape his pursuers?"

"Mo Tianxing is over there. It looks like Master Han Feng is already safe!"

"Hahaha! That means my Emperor-Breaking Pill is secured. I must thank Sect Master Mo!"

"Exactly! Without Sect Master Mo, who knows when I'd have gotten my Dou Ling Pill!"

"..."

As the figures gathered, they spoke over one another. Some began getting carried away, utterly failing to notice the increasingly grim expressions of Mo Tianxing and his companions.

Idiots!

Quite a few people cursed inwardly. Why pick at Mo Tianxing's wounds now? Earlier, the situation had been chaotic, and Mo Tianxing couldn't possibly make enemies of everyone, so he might not have settled accounts afterward. Now there was no longer a common target, and Han Feng was safe. They should simply make their fortunes in silence. Wasn't blurting it out so eagerly just rubbing salt into Mo Tianxing's wounds?

Most people quietly moved away from that group, looking at them as though they were already dead.

Sure enough, Mo Tianxing spoke with a gloomy expression. "Do you gentlemen find me amusing?"

"..."

The moment Mo Tianxing spoke, everyone felt terrifying killing intent hanging over their heads. They all came to their senses. This was a Dou Zong! They had actually been mocking a Dou Zong!!!

"No, Sect Master Mo, let me explain..."

"Explain in your next life!" Mo Tianxing said coldly. He clenched his palm toward them, and a terrifying surge of spatial power erupted. Instantly, they all felt themselves unable to move.

"Netherworld Hand!" Looking at those people, Mo Tianxing unleashed a palm strike with all his strength.

With a bang, more than a dozen Dou Wangs and Dou Lings exploded into clouds of blood.

"Hmph!" After disposing of them, much of the pent-up frustration in Mo Tianxing's heart dissipated. With a sweep of his sleeve, the bloody mist in the air vanished completely.

His cold gaze swept across those who remained: Su Mei, the Gold and Silver Elders, Kui Shan, and the others.

A smile soon reappeared on Mo Tianxing's face, but it only made everyone present raise their guard.

"It seems our Black-Corner Region will gain a Medicine Saint in the near future." A look of longing appeared on Mo Tianxing's face as he spoke. Then he turned to the crowd. "When that happens, with a Medicine Saint's help, becoming a Dou Zong or Dou Zun will no longer be a dream. Congratulations to you all!"

Secretly observing the unmoved crowd, Mo Tianxing said no more. He turned to Mo Ya and Qi Shan. "Ya, Elder Qi, it's time we returned. Another day, we'll visit Maple City to apologize to the future Medicine Saint!"

"Yes, Father!" "Yes, Sect Master!" Mo Ya and Qi Shan exchanged glances and saluted with cupped hands.

Watching the three lead the Black Emperor Sect's people away, those present exchanged a few pleasantries before taking their own leave.

As for Mo Tianxing's words, everyone understood perfectly well. They were all thousand-year-old foxes; how could they be stirred up so easily?

Of course, only they themselves knew what was truly on their minds.

Thus, the affair of the Dou Zun ruins drew to a close, with Han Feng emerging as the greatest winner!

At this point, no one had yet noticed the disappearance of Yuan Yi and Fan Lao. Otherwise, another storm would likely have arisen.

A wave of dizziness swept over Jiang Yun, followed by the sensation of his feet touching the ground. When he opened his eyes again, he was already in a primeval forest.

"All right, we've gained quite a lot this time too. We should return to the academy and properly absorb our gains!" Jiang Yun swept the surroundings with his soul power. Only after confirming there was no danger did he take out a map and speak slowly.

"Mm! This time, I'm going to advance to Dou Emperor." None of the shock Zi Yan had shown in the secret realm remained. She had returned to her usual carefree manner and spoke with fighting spirit blazing.

"Once I reach Dou Emperor, Xiao Yun, I'll take you for a proper 'stroll' around the Black-Corner Region!" Patting Jiang Yun's shoulder, Zi Yan winked mischievously.

Will that stroll of yours really be a proper one?

"All right!" Jiang Yun agreed with a smile. By his estimate, Zi Yan's advancement would certainly take quite some time. By then, he would probably be a Dou Wang too. With the two of them joining forces, even a Dou Zong could forget about holding them there.

They would finally have the beginnings of the strength needed to roam the continent!