Chapter 8
Within the mountains, surges of overwhelming demonic energy soared skyward.
This indicated that many demonic beasts had significantly advanced in their cultivation, with the Golden Jade Eagle soaring high above being the most prominent.
...
[True Form: Golden Jade Eagle]
[Realm: Peak of Tier-3]
...
"It seems the Golden Jade Eagle is on the verge of breaking through to Tier-4. Judging by its fluctuating demonic energy, the breakthrough is imminent!"
Lu Qingyang focused intently, preparing for what lay ahead.
At this moment, he was immersed in the baptism of celestial blood.
His true form, the ancient tree, had grown from 300 meters to 600 meters tall, and its roots now extended over a vast area, reaching up to 10,000 meters.
If measured by past standards, Lu Qingyang's root system would cover an area of tens of kilometers.
...
[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)]
...
This was Lu Qingyang's current cultivation foundation.
Under the refinement of celestial blood, after breaking through to Tier-2, Lu Qingyang hadn't stopped; he had now reached the peak of Tier-2.
He was just one step away from entering the early stage of Tier-3.
If the celestial blood continued for a few more hours, Lu Qingyang was confident he could steadily step into Tier-3.
If given a full day, even reaching mid-Tier-3 wouldn't be difficult.
At the peak of Tier-2, Lu Qingyang's cultivation had undergone a tremendous transformation.
If he could truly ascend to the early stage of Tier-3, he wouldn't fear facing the currently formidable Golden Jade Eagle.
Just as Lu Qingyang was about to calmly break through, the sky suddenly shattered like a spider web.
The moment the sky fissures opened,
Lu Qingyang felt an invisible shackle on him dissolve.
Looking up at the sky again, it still appeared as deep and dark as ever, as if nothing had changed.
However, before Lu Qingyang could ponder further, a deafening roar erupted!
Following this were countless meteor-like objects tearing through the sky, crashing into the mountains.
Boom!
Boom!
As the meteors landed, they caused immense disturbances.
In an instant, the demonic beasts throughout the mountains fell into chaos, roaring angrily.
They rushed towards the edge of the mountains, while the Golden Jade Eagle, high above, let out a long cry.
It released a terrifying pressure of peak Tier-3.
"Those are... cultivator talismans?!"
Lu Qingyang's mind wavered.
Although he had never encountered talismans personally, his memories from his previous life had shown him such mythological items on screens.
Lu Qingyang had thought that after reincarnating as an ancient tree, he was in a mysterious, primordial world, possibly even the legendary Western Continent.
Unexpectedly, as the sky shattered and enormous talismans rained down, a scene both unfamiliar and familiar to Lu Qingyang caused his tranquil heart, cultivated for decades, to ripple once again.
He had arrived in a world of immortal cultivation!
Boom!
Boom!
The dense talisman bombardment continued.
Lu Qingyang saw that Tier-1 demonic beasts, unable to avoid them, were instantly obliterated by the talismanic power.
The scorching heatwave surged towards him but only brought a warm sensation.
Suddenly, a few talismans shot towards him. Lu Qingyang's mind moved.
Several roots burst from the soil.
The roots, thousands of feet long, smashed the talismans with ease.
The expected fiery blaze did not occur.
The mystical power of the talismans collided with the roots, unable to cause any harm.
Seeing this, Lu Qingyang felt reassured.
"I've indeed become this powerful!"
...
Meanwhile, at the moment the secret realm emerged, the mysterious veil of the Ten Thousand Mountains was lifted.
Demonic beasts surged out, and the commander made a swift decision.
He ordered all prepared talismans to be unleashed towards the Ten Thousand Mountains.
Flames soared, and the tremors spread for miles.
Some low-level demonic beasts, unable to withstand the talismanic power, were instantly reduced to ashes.
But many powerful demonic beasts withstood the talisman attacks and charged towards the human defenses.
These demonic beasts were all at Tier-2 levels.
Although the talismans injured some, they couldn't kill them outright.
Seeing this, the commander shouted an order.
"All cultivators below Tier-3, prepare to fight. We must do our utmost to slay these demons!"
Following his words, several figures with strong auras stepped forward, wielding flying swords or gripping magical treasures, engaging the demonic beasts head-on.
Cultivators' strength came from their own cultivation.
Ordinary talismans provided limited assistance; against these talisman-resistant demonic beasts, specially crafted treasures were often more effective.
Subsequently, squads quickly assembled, tightly guarding the perimeter of the Ten Thousand Mountains.
Any demonic beast attempting to break through below Tier-2 was met with a barrage of talisman fire, blocking their path.
"Luckily, only low-level Tier-1 and Tier-2 demonic beasts have appeared. The Ten Thousand Mountains may not be as terrifying as imagined..."
Someone said with a slightly relaxed expression.
However, before they could finish speaking,
A domineering aura shook the heavens, and a golden light shone brightly in the night.
In a flash, the golden light streaked across the sky.
A massive golden divine eagle, hundreds of feet long, appeared before everyone.
All the demonic beasts that had emerged paled in comparison to this golden divine eagle.
Its immense aura struck fear into their hearts.
"Tier-3 demonic beast!"
"Not just that, this beast clearly surpasses ordinary Tier-3 levels, possibly even reaching peak Tier-3 or even perfect Tier-3!"
Everyone's faces turned pale with shock.
A young man in simple clothes gulped with difficulty.
"The strongest known demonic beast in the world is at the perfect Tier-3. I once had the fortune to witness one."
"If I'm not mistaken, the aura of this beast is very similar to that of the perfect Tier-3 beast I saw."
Hence, this beast before them was indeed at perfect Tier-3.
The commander took a deep breath.
"A perfect Tier-3 demonic beast means something we all understand. If we can't eliminate this beast today, and it breaks through to Tier-4, it will become a grave threat to our human race, possibly leading to our extinction.
"No matter the cost, we must forever seal this beast within the Ten Thousand Mountains."
With these words,
Everyone tried their best to suppress their fear, their gazes becoming resolute.
The commander's words were clear to them.
The top forces the human race could muster were gathered here.
If they lost today, they wouldn't need to wait for the beast to break through to Tier-4; the human race might face total annihilation.
4o