Chapter 9

Immediately, all the Tier-3 cultivators present, led by the Grand Marshal, leaped into the air and formed a battle array, charging towards the Golden Jade Eagle.

Compared to Tier-2 cultivators, Tier-3 cultivators had already begun to break free from the constraints of heaven and earth, able to use their cultivation to perform flight techniques.

At the forefront, the Grand Marshal unleashed a powerful palm strike, his internal magical energy resonating. In the vast starry sky, a sphere of mysterious fire appeared, illuminating the ancient darkness like a primordial sun.

The Golden Jade Eagle screeched skyward. As its seemingly gold-forged wings flapped, they instantly stirred up a storm, completely dissipating the mysterious fire before it could touch its feathers.

In the next moment, the Golden Jade Eagle charged through the air, closing in on the formation in an instant, its talon-like claws aiming straight for the Grand Marshal's shoulders, emitting a chilling gleam.

Just then, a sword light split the sky, slashing at the Golden Jade Eagle's wings. The sword light, powerful enough to cut through gold and stone, struck the wings but left no mark, as if hitting an immovable iron wall.

The young man's face changed dramatically. "Such formidable defense!"

He knew well the power contained in his strike, capable of beheading even a Tier-2 peak demonic beast and severely injuring a typical Tier-3 demonic beast. Yet, his powerful strike couldn't penetrate the Golden Jade Eagle's defense. This Tier-3 perfected demonic beast was evidently far more terrifying than he had imagined.

...

In the Ten Thousand Mountains, Lu Qingyang, transformed into an ancient tree, observed the fierce battle in the sky. He hadn't expected anyone in this world to be able to contend with the Golden Jade Eagle.

"It seems this world indeed has hidden dragons and crouching tigers!" he thought. Activating his Insightful Vision, he focused on the Grand Marshal leading the group.

...

[True Form: Human]

[Realm: Mid-Tier-3]

...

"So, it's a mid-Tier-3 human cultivator. No wonder he can contend with the Golden Jade Eagle!" Lu Qingyang thought. He then looked at the others, discovering they were all Tier-3 cultivators, though only the leader had reached mid-Tier-3, while the remaining eight were at early Tier-3.

Lu Qingyang was unsure if nine Tier-3 cultivators could fend off a Tier-3 perfected Golden Jade Eagle. After all, the Golden Jade Eagle wasn't an ordinary Tier-3 perfected being. Having absorbed a significant amount of celestial blood, it was on the verge of breaking through to Tier-4, potentially a half-step into Tier-4.

As Lu Qingyang pondered this, a Tier-3 cultivator failed to dodge and was decapitated by the Golden Jade Eagle's claw, their headless body plummeting to the ground. Witnessing their comrade's death, the others unleashed fierce attacks. Under this fierce assault, the Golden Jade Eagle was also wounded.

Boom!

A surge of fiery energy struck the Golden Jade Eagle's back, turning its golden, glowing aura to a charred black. The pain caused the Golden Jade Eagle to screech in rage, and feathers shot from its wings like countless golden arrows, piercing the sky and earth. Several Tier-3 cultivators, unable to react in time, were pierced through the chest, falling from the sky.

This sight brought despair to the soldiers battling the demonic beasts below.

"If even Tier-3 cultivators can't match it, who in the alliance can contend with such a powerful beast now?" Despair spread rapidly through the army. "Is the alliance truly without hope, and is humanity doomed to be annihilated by these beasts?"

The atmosphere of despair quickly engulfed the army. Tier-3 cultivators were already the top powerhouses of the current cultivator alliance. Facing the Golden Jade Eagle, four of the nine Tier-3 cultivators had already fallen in a short time. Seeing no hope of victory, they realized that once the remaining Tier-3 cultivators perished, the army would be defenseless against the Golden Jade Eagle's slaughter.

Boom—

The Grand Marshal crossed his arms over his chest, blocking the Golden Jade Eagle's claws. His skin tore, revealing ghastly wounds. Despite the severe injuries twisting his face in pain, he gripped the claw with his left hand and channeled his remaining strength into his right hand, striking the Golden Jade Eagle's abdomen. Despite its near-invulnerable defense, the Golden Jade Eagle's abdomen was still a weak point. Under the full-force strike of a mid-Tier-3 cultivator, the Golden Jade Eagle's abdomen was torn open, spilling blood across the battlefield.

"Good..."

The surviving Tier-3 cultivators seized the opportunity, launching ferocious attacks on the Golden Jade Eagle. The wounded beast, enraged, counterattacked violently, ignoring its injury. It tore through the space with its claws, breaking through the defensive shields of the cultivators, killing them one by one.

...

"I didn't expect the Golden Jade Eagle to be wounded to this extent. However, if the battle continues, humanity will eventually be defeated," Lu Qingyang thought.

He wasn't particularly concerned about humanity's fate. Despite having been human in his previous life, he was now an ancient tree, with no real connection between the two forms. Lu Qingyang's only goal was to gain more cultivation and advance to higher levels.

Regrettably, the celestial blood had disappeared, cutting off the source of his rapid cultivation advancement. Reflecting on this, Lu Qingyang checked his status.

...

[Name: Lu Qingyang]

[True Form: Ancient Tree]

[Lifespan: 15/7500 years]

[Realm: Peak of Tier-2 (/) ]

[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)]

...

"Only two thousand more points of cultivation needed to break into Tier-3. If I can devour the Golden Jade Eagle, I'll surely gather the required cultivation!" An idea sparked in Lu Qingyang's mind.

In the current situation, no matter how powerful the demonic beasts or human cultivators were, the Golden Jade Eagle posed the greatest threat to him. As for the others, even the mid-Tier-3 human cultivator, Lu Qingyang didn't perceive them as significant threats. If he could advance to early Tier-3, even the mid-Tier-3 human wouldn't be a threat.

Lu Qingyang had always trusted his perception of his own abilities.