Chapter 14: World Tree
"Die!!"
The blade surged forward, aiming for the kill! Buzz—
But the expected outcome didn't happen. Qi Xiao looked up in shock. The fatal strike had been blocked. Even more baffling, the black-haired young man before him was now enveloped in a golden mist—a Spirit Clothe!
"How is this possible?!" Qi Xiao's mind reeled, an inexplicable fear rising within him.
The two swords pushed against each other, Xia Feng's cold black eyes visible over the gleaming blade, a terrifying smile curling his lips. "Brother Qi, your time's up~"
"Now, it's my turn!!"
BANG!!!
Bang, bang, bang— This time, it was Xia Feng's turn to unleash a flurry of strikes.
Qi Xiao retreated, desperately blocking from all angles. The One-Tail Spirit Clothe's effect lasted only ten seconds, and now it had expired. Xia Feng's combat abilities, already superior, were now doubled in speed, strength, and reaction time.
Shoulder.
Left arm.
Right leg.
Face and neck.
Blood splattered everywhere, the dazzling blade reflecting in Qi Xiao's horrified eyes. He couldn't understand why, why this bastard was so intent on killing him.
"Why!!"
Thud— The blade pierced Qi Xiao's abdomen. He coughed blood, his eyes bulging as they met Xia Feng's cold, murderous gaze.
Huff—
Qi Xiao's throat moved, his bloody face twisting into a ferocious grin. He grabbed Xia Feng's arm, preventing him from pulling the blade free, and pulled out a psychic grenade. "Then let's die together!!"
Squeak—
A light golden mist tail extended from Xia Feng's back. It was slender and fluffy, but the tip released a sharp spiritual pressure shock, forming a spike-shaped beam that pierced Qi Xiao's heart.
Qi Xiao's crazed expression froze. His neck stiffened as he slowly looked down at the gaping hole in his chest, his eyes filled with terror and disbelief.
"How is this possible?!" He stumbled back, collapsing to the ground.
The spiritual pressure shock from the tail—a technique only achievable after fully mastering One-Tail. Qi Xiao had spent two years and only barely touched the threshold.
Thud.
Qi Xiao lay on the ground, his lifeless eyes staring at the blood moon. Resentment, unwillingness, and disbelief filled his thoughts. How could this happen?
He had underestimated Xia Feng's genius. If only he'd known, he would never have provoked him.
"Psychic grenade? Tsk~" Xia Feng tossed it aside, muttering, "You have no honor."
Still, he crouched down to search for spoils. "Let's see what other goodies you've got."
Thirteen small red fruits spilled from the satchel.
Xia Feng picked one up, sniffing it. "Is this the Fruit of Wisdom?"
After stashing all the Fruits of Wisdom, he continued searching. "Oh, another grenade?"
"Wait, isn't this a prohibited item? Where'd you get it?" Xia Feng tilted his head, curious.
Huff—huff—
Qi Xiao's neck twitched, blood spilling from his lips. He managed a faint sound. Xia Feng leaned closer to listen.
"Xia Feng... how long did it take you to learn One-Tail?"
"I got it yesterday, learned it today. How many days do you think?"
Xia Feng spoke casually as he searched, but found nothing else of value. A shame—he'd hoped for some powerful Spirit Clothe blueprints.
Qi Xiao didn't want to believe it, but there was no reason for Xia Feng to lie to a dying man.
"I thought you were the arrogant one, but it was me all along," Qi Xiao murmured, his eyes lifeless as they stared at the blood moon.
Buzz—buzz—
Suddenly, the space beneath the blood moon trembled, emitting a sharp, nails-on-chalkboard sound. A dark crack split the air, widening into a massive black hole.
Xia Feng turned, his expression shifting to alarm. "Damn, why's the Black Hole Disaster here—"
Before he could finish, a powerful suction force yanked him into the air. Rumble— Trees were uprooted, soil and flowers swirling into chaos.
"Ahhhhhhh!!" Xia Feng tumbled through the air, hating the weightless, disorienting sensation.
Despite his discomfort, his reflexes kicked in.
Whoosh—
He grabbed Qi Xiao's bleeding body mid-air, stepping on his back to steady himself as he stared into the black hole.
"If we can't escape, let's dive in and see what's inside."
Buzz!!
The transition through the black hole wasn't as bizarre as Xia Feng had imagined. In an instant, he felt dizzy, and the scenery changed.
Huff—huff—
Snow fell heavily, the wind bitingly cold.
Xia Feng squinted, looking around in confusion.
The sky was a vast expanse of white, the ground a snowy field stretching endlessly. The wind howled like a beast's roar, making it hard to keep his eyes open.
Hiss—
He shivered. "Damn, what a hellish place. It's freezing!"
If not for the blood moon hanging in the sky, he might have thought he'd left the Evil Dragon Forest.
"Wait!"
Xia Feng's eyes widened. He reached out, grabbing at the air. "The evil energy here is so strong!"
His body's cells seemed to cheer. He pinched the air, separating a pool of liquid from the blood and impurities. The impurities fell into the snow, boiling and evaporating.
In the Light Disaster Zone, he'd only been able to extract a trace of Evil Spirit Liquid. Here, he could produce a palmful!
The concentration of evil energy was far higher.
He absorbed the liquid.
[Remaining Activity: 5 hours + 2 hours 39 seconds]
Each absorption added about two hours. It was enough for now, but to survive long-term, he'd need to stay here daily—which was impractical.
This wasn't a permanent solution.
"The World Tree... is this the World Tree?"
A weak, shocked murmur caught Xia Feng's attention. He followed the sound, stepping over broken trees.
He found the dying Qi Xiao leaning against a massive tree trunk.
"Still alive, huh?" Though surprised, Xia Feng knew better than to hesitate. He moved to finish the job.
Qi Xiao's dull gray eyes stared into the distance, filled with shock.
Xia Feng followed his gaze, his pupils dilating.
"It's so big, so thick, so white!"
At the end of the snowfield, between the sky and earth, stood a pale giant tree that reached into the heavens. Countless rune chains wrapped around its trunk, forming a cage-like structure with a mysterious gray halo.
"It really is the World Tree," Xia Feng murmured, his eyes lighting up. He hadn't even started searching, yet here he was, at his destination.
But as excitement filled him, a thought nagged at him. After two lifetimes of bad luck, how had he suddenly become so lucky?
(End of Chapter)