The Heart Tree King was locked in a peculiar position by the Dominion's clone, the powerful man, trapped in the Space-Time Amber. In that instant, time seemed to stand still, and this world-famous scene was witnessed by all the Beyond Grade A beings on both sides.
A surge of intense surprise erupted from the eyes of the three Beyond Grade A beings from the Three Universal Civilizations, like a torrent bursting forth.
"Black Star has succeeded!"
"Brilliant! That Tree King didn't have time to self-destruct!"
"Give them your full support! Don't let those enemies get there to harass Black Star!"
The morale of the many Beyond Grade A warriors soared, sweeping away the gloom of losing their healers, and they launched a fierce offensive against the World Tree powerhouses who were eager to escape the battle.
The emotions of all the World Tree powerhouses were quite the opposite; their rapidly changing expressions revealed a mixture of shock and anger.
They disregarded their opponents and charged at Han Xiao like madmen, trying to snatch the Heart Tree King back.
However, the moment Han Xiao succeeded, he manipulated the Mechanical Deity to start moving again, grabbed the Space-Time Amber Ball, swallowed it into his body, and also retrieved the Space-Time Amber itself from Hila's hand.
Without further ado, using its mechanical units as a shield to block the barrage of fire from the surrounding World Tree fleet, it flew at full speed in the opposite direction, no longer wanting to fight, its goal being to withdraw from the battlefield.
In order to lure the Three Universal Civilizations to deploy their advanced combat forces, the Heart Tree King naturally did not position itself deep within the World Tree Fleet. The battle area was located on the outer edge of the fleet. Even if the World Tree Fleet wanted to intercept Han Xiao, it was too far away to reach him. Han Xiao sacrificed squads of mechanical soldiers to quickly break into the chaotic battle zone in the center of the battlefield.
The numerous World Tree powerhouses disregarded everything else and surrounded Han Xiao in waves, attempting to hinder his return journey. However, the Three Universal Civilizations Beyond Grade A beings from the pursuing civilizations provided cover for Han Xiao, holding back one opponent after another. During their battles, bursts of energy halos constantly lit up around Han Xiao, clearing a path for him.
Anchor Tree King clashed with Hyperion again, and the violent vibrations transmitted through his body. He wanted to support Heart Tree King, but he couldn't shake off Hyperion's entanglement and couldn't increase his speed at all. He could only watch helplessly as Han Xiao's figure got further and further away, which made him so angry that his energy core was about to overload.
"Damn idiot! Even the Tranquil Tree King is smarter than you!"
Anchor Tree King was furious. The exchange of pieces tactic had clearly been a great success, and he could have just withdrawn now, or at the very least, sacrificed himself. But he didn't expect to fail at the last moment. What was originally a big win with little loss, a sure thing, had now turned into a real "exchange of pieces"!
He had already cursed the Heart Tree King's ancestors for eighteen generations in his mind. Because of a moment of overthinking, the Heart Tree King did not self-destruct and was directly captured. This was a fatal mistake that even the Tranquil Tree King had not made. It was a disgrace to the Tree King!
The next step is up to the Ancestral Tree King to decide!
Seeing Han Xiao break through obstacle after obstacle and about to return to the fleets of the Three Universal Civilizations, Anchor Tree King knew that the situation was hopeless. A flash of lightning appeared in his eyes, and he spoke in a deep voice through the Psychic Network:
"Everyone, stop pursuing! Retreat immediately! No lingering!"
With the Heart Tree King captured alive, only the Anchor Tree King is now in charge. He took over the leadership without hesitation and ordered all World Tree Beyond Grade A to retreat.
With one Tree King already gone, he worried that Han Xiao would continue to seal away more powerful beings, so he simply chose to cease hostilities and ordered everyone to withdraw from the battle.
Upon hearing the order, many World Tree powerhouses paused slightly in their pursuit. They glanced reluctantly at Han Xiao's increasingly smaller the Sight of Father's Back, but ultimately chose to obey the Anchor Tree King's command and cease their chase. While dealing with the entanglement of the Three Universal Civilizations' Beyond Grade A beings, they quickly retreated to the World Tree fleet.
The distant fleet of warships also provided long-range support, helping them to shake off their opponents.
The Three Universal Civilizations, with their numerous Beyond Grade A warriors, did not pursue the enemy further. Instead, they pressed their advantage for a while, eliminating several World Tree powerhouses who had exposed their weaknesses due to the temporary shift in targets. Then, under the guidance of the association members, they tacitly retreated, not daring to follow the remaining World Tree powerhouses into the fleet, as that would put them in danger.
Seeing this, Hyperion dared not continue to advance alone. He fought fiercely with the Anchor Tree King for a few rounds, then gradually shifted the battlefield to rejoin his companions and disengage from the battle. His eyes, flashing with Mechanical Force lightning, were fixed on the Anchor Tree King, filled with killing intent, as if to say, "I'll make you pay next time we meet."
Anchor Tree King gave this acquaintance a deep look, said nothing, and led the World Tree powerhouses who had disengaged from the battle to retreat, sinking into the World Tree fleet. Starships moved over one after another, layer upon layer, blocking Hyperion and the others' view, and the figures of the many World Tree powerhouses could no longer be seen.
With the withdrawal of the remaining World Tree Beyond Grade A forces, the battle between the two sides' high-level combatants came to an end. The association members and their direct lineage powerhouses did not linger on the battlefield, braving the artillery fire to cross the battlefield and return to the fleets of the Three Universal Civilizations.
The group put away their weapons and returned to the temporary command ship at the rear of the battlefield. As soon as they entered the bridge command room, they saw Han Xiao, Hila and others already there. Simon and the remote projections of many commanders were also gathered there, pointing and talking around the Heart Tree King's Space-Time Amber.
"... Black Star, our frontal defenses are crumbling, and several other war zones are also showing signs of collapse. It's a foregone conclusion that the World Tree will break through the interception perimeter. We are currently mobilizing troops to retreat. However, this is not your fault. You did a great job; at least you captured a Tree King."
Simon's voice was low and somber.
"If only I had dealt with the Tree King's halo sooner..." Han Xiao breathed a sigh of relief.
"While this will help, given the World Tree's offensive, it can only slightly delay their breakthrough of the interception perimeter. At most, the first to fall won't be this war zone, but other defensive lines."
Simon shook his head, his tone tinged with helplessness, but not with anger. After a month of fierce fighting, the entire command was mentally prepared for the interception to be breached and had made contingency plans. They wouldn't be powerless Fury when it actually happened.
What should we do next?
"You don't need to continue fighting. Return to the main base first. We'll begin a phased withdrawal. World Tree's goal isn't just to break through the interception perimeter, but also to wipe out our forces. Now that the defense line has been breached and the trend is difficult to reverse, there's no need to engage them head-on anymore. We'll utilize the various fortifications we've built in the strategic depth of the rear over the past year to conduct fire coverage and harassment warfare, trying to slow their advance. I..."
"You can make the decisions regarding military matters," Han Xiao waved his hand.
Simon nodded, then turned to look at the almost entirely wounded Beyond Grade A group beside him, changed the subject, and said, "Everyone, please take stock of the battle losses. We need accurate data."
Upon hearing this, the numerous Beyond Grade A sized each other up and began to take roll call. The number of them had decreased significantly compared to when they went into battle, with many having sacrificed themselves in the fierce fighting. Among them were mainly direct-line Beyond Grade A, as well as some Revived, while the number of casualties among association members was relatively the fewest.
Because this time there were many more experts participating, and their numbers were also superior, the World Tree's powerful warriors suffered greater losses, with only two or three out of ten surviving. The Three Universal Civilizations did not suffer such a devastating defeat. However, the World Tree did not deploy all of its high-level combat power. Even disregarding the difference in combat power, in terms of sheer numbers, the number of those who went to war was probably only one-fifth to one-quarter of the total.
Although they had the advantage in casualties, it was still far worse than their previous amazing victory. Many more familiar faces had disappeared, and the Beyond Grade A present were unable to muster any emotion. They were still immersed in the battle they had just fought and were still feeling lingering fear. They felt like they had just escaped a disaster, and the atmosphere was as dark as a storm cloud.
"This is a significant loss," the Sun Hunter muttered. "I think we should have retreated when Aurora was knocked down..."
Hearing his muttering, many Beyond Grade A nodded in agreement, their gazes towards Han Xiao filled with complex emotions—helplessness and understanding, as well as dissatisfaction and resentment.
If they hadn't caught the Heart Tree King this time, it would have been a huge loss. But at least they'd gained something and didn't return empty-handed. Although many Beyond Grade A cultivators still felt a bit cheated, seeing the Heart Tree King in its bizarre pose inside the amber offered some psychological comfort.
Although they were unhappy, they couldn't say anything. After all, Han Xiao had captured a Tree King and made a contribution. At most, they felt that it wasn't worth trading so many people for one opponent.
Han Xiao glanced at them casually, his eyes clearly seeing through their emotions, but he made no attempt to explain.
He had originally intended to see if he could manipulate the situation and watch the Revived fall in battle, but now that Aurora had fallen, although the casualties had increased dramatically, it made his actions easier, as he no longer needed to make Aurora "make a mistake" as planned.
These fallen Revived are the best evidence to prove the truth of the Sanctuary Revival. He wasn't sad at all; on the contrary, he was relieved. If a few Revived hadn't died in this wave, it would have been troublesome.
After hearing the battle damage statistics from the Beyond Grade A, Simon sighed and shook his head, saying:
"The direct descendants suffered heavy casualties, but in any case, at least most of the victims will have one more chance to Sanctuary Revival. Thank you all for your hard work."
Everyone was in a bad mood and didn't bother with him. They turned to look at Hila, as they were most concerned about Aurora's condition.
How is your sister doing now?
"The seal is a bit thicker than before, and it will take time to break. Everyone, let's not delay. Let's rest for a bit and then begin. The sooner we wake her up, the more at ease we'll be," Hila said in a deep voice.
"That's right, everyone with mental abilities, come out! While we're evacuating, let's wake Aurora up first."
Kasuyi stepped forward, raised his hand, and released his telekinetic power, probing into Aurora's brain and beginning to bombard the purple crystal that sealed her mind.
Many telekinetic practitioners, magicians, and psychics stepped forward to cooperate and accelerate the process. With so many people working together, the mind seal was visibly thinning, and at this rate, it would be completely broken in a few hours.
Seeing this, Han Xiao turned his head to look at the Heart Tree King in the amber. He remembered that the Heart Tree King activated the Illusion Heart's Lock with the help of a Universal Treasure shaped like a leaf. That was probably one of the wonders of the World Tree's growth, hidden inside the Heart Tree King's body.
However, Han Xiao had no intention of unlocking the amber anytime soon, and temporarily suppressed his curiosity.
The World Tree Territory, the Palace of the Tree King.
The executive officers who did not participate in the battle also learned of the situation through the Psychic Network. Their faces were filled with surprise and uncertainty. They were prepared for the Heart Tree King to die in battle, but they did not expect to be captured alive by the enemy using such a strange sealing method. They were all terrified.
Anchor Tree King sat upright on his throne, slowly opened his eyes, and deactivated his Dominator's Descent state. A rare look of anger appeared on his face as he slammed his hand heavily on the armrest of his chair, making a dull thud.
"Hmph, Heart Tree King, you're utterly useless!"
As soon as he finished speaking, roots suddenly sprang up from the two Throne beside him, and two figures with different appearances emerged.
"Heh, it seems this enemy is indeed very troublesome. Of the five Tree King, one is dead and one has been captured, leaving only three capable of fighting. You're right, the Heart Tree King and the Tranquil Tree King are useless." One of them turned to look at them, a contemptuous sneer on his face. "But you're not much better. Even though your Dominion avatar was present, you still couldn't save the Heart Tree King."
Anchor Tree King glanced at him coldly and snorted, "Secret Tree King, I can't be bothered with you, but you'd better watch your words."
"Heh." The Secret Tree King didn't take it seriously at all, not even considering the Anchor Tree King, a lazy bum. Among the five Tree King, he disliked none of them except for the Ancestral Tree King.
"Hmph, I'm too lazy to argue with you." Anchor Tree King turned to Ancestral Tree King in the middle seat and asked, "What's next? What are your thoughts?"
The Ancestral Tree King's aura is the opposite of the other four Tree King. He is like an ordinary person, lacking presence. Whether it is his appearance or his physique, he doesn't seem to have anything special. If you are not paying attention, you might subconsciously ignore him.
Upon hearing the question, the Ancestral Tree King remained expressionless and slowly replied:
"I've tried. The Heart Tree King is completely isolated from the outside world. The Mother Tree can't reclaim his Tree King Crown, which means I can't remove him from his position and replace him with a new Tree King before he's unsealed. So we must try to save him, or at least reclaim his Tree King Crown, otherwise we can't bring the Tree God down in his entirety."
Upon hearing this, both the Anchor Tree King and the Secret Tree King's expressions turned serious, their moods becoming solemn.
They initially thought that although the Heart Tree King had single-handedly exchanged a large number of high-level enemy combatants for a real bargaining chip, the enemy was still at a greater loss. However, if they couldn't reclaim the Tree King Crown, then things would get complicated.
The identities of the Tree King all come from the "Tree King Crown," a special ability bestowed by the Mother Tree. Like the Apostle Weapon, there is a limit to the number of positions available, with only five available. These positions must be held by five different superpower systems. Apart from the Ancestral Tree King, who occupies one position year-round, the other four Tree King Crown have changed hands over the long course of time.
Only by gathering all five Crown Ranks can they unleash the complete Tree God Descent, their trump card.
"Then what should we do?" Anchor Tree King asked.
The Ancestral Tree King casually said, "There's no need to worry for now. The enemy's civilization hasn't shown any ability that requires us to use the Tree God Descent. The Heart Tree King is just sealed and there's no danger. We have two options now. One is to wait. The enemy might become interested in studying the Tree King. As long as that special seal is broken, I can reclaim the Tree King Crown remotely."
Secondly, we can send people to rescue him. Although the link between the Mother Tree and him has been severed, the direction of the broken link still points to his location. We can organize high-level combat forces to retrieve him.
"Then let's wait and see when these enemies can't hold back any longer," Anchor Tree King snorted.
"Yes, that's what I meant too."
The Ancestral Tree King nodded and continued:
"Although we have broken through the enemy's interception, we still need to travel to their territory. The task of traveling can be carried out by the fleet. We don't need high-level combat forces, and there won't be any opportunity to take action."
Moreover... although we know the direction, the journey is unknown, and we don't know how long it will take to reach the enemy's territory. It could be years, or it could be decades. However, judging from the enemy's reaction, the distance shouldn't be too far."
The other two nodded silently.
"Also, with the Heart Tree King gone, someone needs to continue managing the daily affairs here." The Ancestral Tree King turned to look at the Anchor Tree King and slowly said, "Then you shall take on this role."
Anchor Tree King's face fell.
Who knows how many years it will take for the fleet to reach the enemy's territory? He didn't want to remain visible and really wanted to slack off, but he didn't dare to disobey the Ancestral Tree King, so he could only give a sullen reply.
After casually giving a few instructions, the Ancestral Tree King's figure quickly faded and returned to the Mother Tree. The Secret Tree King glanced at the Anchor Tree King with schadenfreude and also deactivated his manifestation. Soon, only the Anchor Tree King remained on the Throne.
"You want me to work? No way!"
Anchor Tree King snorted, his eyes darting around, and a plan came to mind.
By the way, the seeds of the Tranquil Tree King should be almost ripe. Once he revives, I can transfer this job to him. Anyway, that iron-headed Tranquil Tree King is diligent enough and willing to do these hard and tiring jobs, so I can continue to slack off!
The thought of this Anchor Tree King restless, wishing that Tranquil Tree King would immediately rise from the dead before him.
He couldn't help but stand up, stride out of the palace, and, inheriting the glorious tradition of the Heart Tree King, went out to water the Tranquil Tree King.