Chapter 10

"If I refine the Golden Jade Eagle, no demonic beast in this mountain range will pose a threat to me."

"With my strength, I can then freely refine other demonic beasts, accelerating my advancement process!"

With this thought, Lu Qingyang had made his decision. As a Tier-2 peak ancient tree, his presence couldn't be concealed. After this battle, the Golden Jade Eagle would undoubtedly seek out other demonic beasts to restore its vitality. Lu Qingyang knew that his pure spiritual energy as a Tier-2 peak ancient tree was precisely what the Golden Jade Eagle needed. Instead of waiting passively, it was better to take the initiative.

As Lu Qingyang made his decision, the Golden Jade Eagle, injured and furious, continued to slaughter several Tier-3 cultivators. Now, only the mid-Tier-3 Grand Marshal and a severely wounded early-Tier-3 youth remained.

Seeing the Golden Jade Eagle charging towards him, the youth's face was filled with unwillingness. "To think that I, Yang You, would die here, without being able to slay this monstrous bird..."

No matter how unwilling he was, he couldn't change the reality of his imminent death. Recalling his journey, he had stumbled upon a fortuitous opportunity over a decade ago, consuming the blood of a demonic beast, which triggered a mutation within him, transforming him into a cultivator of legend. He had painstakingly cultivated to this point, standing among the top cultivators of the alliance. When news of the Ten Thousand Mountains' anomalies spread, he joined the alliance army to eradicate the demonic beasts, leading to this moment. All scenes seemed to freeze in this instant.

The unwillingness faded from Yang You's face, replaced by firm determination. Gathering all his strength, he prepared for a final desperate attack. "Even if I die, I'll make you pay..."

Just as Yang You was about to launch his final attack, a massive black serpent erupted from the ground, piercing the Golden Jade Eagle's wounded abdomen. The intense pain caused the eagle to let out an earth-shattering roar.

Before the Golden Jade Eagle could retaliate, more black serpents emerged from the ground, wrapping tightly around it and dragging it towards the earth. The changes happened too quickly for anyone to react. By the time Yang You realized what was happening, the Golden Jade Eagle had already been pulled underground. Those black serpents were clearly visible to him now.

"These are… tree roots!"

Yang You was utterly shocked. Only now did he notice the towering ancient tree below, with countless roots emerging from its base. The once mighty Golden Jade Eagle was now tightly bound by these roots, unable to break free no matter how it struggled. Soon, the Golden Jade Eagle's immense body withered rapidly, its fierce resistance gradually weakening.

Eventually, the Golden Jade Eagle lay still, its once plump body now shriveled. In Yang You's astonished gaze, a fissure in the earth opened up, and the enormous carcass of the Golden Jade Eagle was forcibly dragged into the depths, vanishing without a trace.

[Ding! Killed a Tier-3 peak demonic beast, gained 10,000 cultivation points]

Lu Qingyang ignored the shock of others. After slaying the Golden Jade Eagle, a surge of immense power rushed from the roots into his main trunk. Upon examining his cultivation data, he found he had surpassed the required amount for advancement.

[Name: Lu Qingyang]

[True Form: Ancient Tree]

[Lifespan: 15/7500 years]

[Realm: Tier-2 Peak (Ready for Advancement)]

[Divine Abilities: Soul-Devouring Bind (Tier-2), Life Flourish (Tier-2), Spiritual Affinity (Tier-2), Ancient Tree Aptitude (Tier-2), Divine Fruit (Tier-2), Divine Whisper (Tier-2), Insightful Vision (Tier-2)]

"Advance!"

With a single thought, an even more intense power surged from his trunk. In no time, the ancient tree, originally hundreds of meters tall, shot up to a height of one thousand meters. Such an enormous tree was exceptionally striking in the Ten Thousand Mountains.

Everyone instinctively gazed towards the mountains. There, they saw an ancient tree towering into the sky, its lush branches spreading like a canopy over the land.

However, Lu Qingyang's advancement wasn't over.

One thousand one hundred meters! One thousand two hundred meters! One thousand three hundred meters! One thousand five hundred meters!

It wasn't until the ancient tree reached a height of one thousand five hundred meters that it finally stopped growing. Its massive branches spread out, resembling a mythological tree supporting the heavens.

Simultaneously, a powerful aura emanated from Lu Qingyang, sweeping across the entire Ten Thousand Mountains. All demonic beasts, sensing this overwhelming pressure, trembled in fear, prostrating themselves on the ground, not daring to move.

"What... what a powerful presence!" Yang You's face was filled with awe and fear. The ancient tree before him was even more massive than the Golden Jade Eagle, and its aura was equally formidable. There was no doubt that the tree's strength rivaled that of the deceased Golden Jade Eagle.

However, Yang You was uncertain whether the ancient tree belonged to the category of demonic beasts. Plants with such forms were rare and didn't fit the typical mold of demonic beasts.

On the other side, the Grand Marshal approached through the air, equally shocked. "This tree is no ordinary being. If it belongs to the demonic beast faction, we might not be able to withstand it."

Even if all nine Tier-3 cultivators were present, facing the towering ancient tree would likely be a challenge beyond their capability. As a mid-Tier-3 cultivator, the Grand Marshal's perception surpassed Yang You's. He sensed that the aura from the ancient tree was even stronger than the Golden Jade Eagle's.

Ignoring their astonishment, Lu Qingyang felt the unprecedented transformation upon breaking through to Tier-3. This feeling was vastly different from previous advancements. His roots extended, and from his core, they reached a radius of thirty thousand meters, equivalent to thirty kilometers. Meanwhile, his towering trunk provided a visually overwhelming presence.

[Name: Lu Qingyang]

[True Form: Ancient Tree]

[Lifespan: 15/ years]

[Realm: Tier-3 Initial Stage (8000/ )]

[Divine Abilities: Ancient Tree Roots (Tier-3), Ancient Tree Spiritual Roots (Tier-3), Divine Fruit (Tier-3), Divine Whisper (Tier-3), Insightful Vision (Tier-3), Ancient Tree Domain (Tier-3)]

As Lu Qingyang reviewed his updated status, his heart trembled with excitement. Compared to his Tier-2 state, several of his previous divine abilities had disappeared, and new ones had emerged.