1051 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 1051: The Prime Pinnacle's Childhood Friend The field was carpeted with countless white bones. The range was so broad that it left a cloak of bones tightly packed across the land. Even more remarkably. "Considerable time has passed." The fact that these have turned into white bones meant they were not of recent deaths. Their brittle state suggested a significant amount of time had passed. "... What is this?" It was peculiar. "Could it be that the barrier was concealing even this?" In the grim sky where he faced off against the crow, there were no bones to be seen in that barren landscape. Upon the barrier's dissipation, the appearance of such a sight made him furrow his brow. "This is reality instead." How did a situation like this come to be? As the question emerged. "Could it be." Thoughts began to surface. He remembered the crystals he encountered in that dreary space and the life energy sensed within them. "Ha." It seemed to make sense. What lay inside those were living beings. Beings that were still alive. He had witnessed their life force surge skyward, only to be absorbed by the crow, triggering its transformation. "Then these bones..." He speculated they all emerged from within those crystals. If so. "Is their lifeless form due to the loss of life force?" Logically, much time should have passed, but he had personally watched the life force drain from the crystals. Life force is what resides in living creatures. Given the difficulty of these skeletons having once been alive, there must have been an incident. "It seems that removing their life force resulted in their skeletal state." Did that creature absorb all that life force? "And how could such a barrier be created in the first place?" The very act of accumulating such life force was bizarre, too. "Judging by its reaction, it seemed to be done secretly from its master." It was a preparation unbeknownst to the Master of the Myriad Worlds. What was the intention behind this? Furthermore. "What was that appearance?" He recalled the creature's form - the white wings and blue eyes. His fists clenched instinctively. "It was overwhelming." The disparity in rank. The vast chasm felt through its presence. It was almost as if... "When facing mother or gazing into the Abyss." The otherworldliness and distance felt when confronted with beings known as masters. That bizarre creature allowed him to experience something akin to that feeling. "Something has greatly changed." The creature's state was altered, and its transformation gave away that some substantial change had occurred. "...What's its motive?" Whatever it was, he was sure that the creature's purpose was unsettling. "Damn it, this is a mess." The situation was chaotic. Being exposed to the crow was problematic, and his unclear intentions were trouble. "What is it planning?" What was the creature's true intent? It did not exude a positive aura, that much was clear. "...Tsk." He shifted his focus. The skeletons remained, but his eyes caught sight of a tree rising beyond them. A colossal tree. Though not as immense as the Divine Tree within the Volcano Sect, it was the second-largest he had ever seen. He knew at once. "It's the Divine Tree." That was indeed the Divine Tree. However, "… Its energy is undetectable." The unique energy attributed to the Divine Tree was absent. This meant. "Is it a dead tree?" Without the energy one might expect, and the tree itself contained no life force, it indicated the tree itself was dead. With narrowed eyes, he approached the tree. He intended to approach it, but... Crack—! "…Damn." Pain jolted through his legs when he tried to move. His body had not fully recovered yet. "What has happened?" He wondered what transpired while he was unconscious to have his vessel so damaged. If it were only bodily aches, he could understand, but... "The vessel itself has been strained." Both his dantian and vessel were in ruins. Though he couldn't recall the specifics, it was apparent something had occurred to his body. As he assessed the situation, he turned around. The Heavenly Demon and Yarang watched him silently. Meanwhile, Yarang had donned a mask at some point. Though half of his torso had seemed blown away, it was perfectly healed through the Heavenly Demon's magic. While marveling at the results, he pondered her identity. "What is she, really?" He had heard she had no memory. It was said she could not recall her past as a Divine Sword. "But why does she keep appearing?" Why she appeared and continued to catch his attention was beyond him. Could she possibly have memories? "...If she did." If she had memories, she wouldn't act like this, he believed. He led his aching body toward the Divine Tree. Once he arrived, the truth was clear. "...It's dead." Though outwardly intact, no life force emanated from the tree. Touching its rough bark confirmed the absence of anything. There was none of the energy he used to sense when around live Divine Trees. It was truly a dead tree. If it turns out not to be the Divine Tree, it wouldn't have mattered as much. Yet he could instinctively tell it was the Divine Tree, and therein lay the problem. "What happens now?" The Divine Tree surrounding what was called the Black Phoenix Palace. He needed to obtain it, but with the tree deceased, what could he do? "…Is a Divine Tree even capable of dying?" He had heard nothing regarding this possibility. "Tsk." Faced with the unresponsive Divine Tree, he couldn't determine what to do. "Moreover, the death of a Divine Tree is an issue." According to his mother, there should have been a predetermined course of action. Yet, perhaps due to the tree's death, nothing stirred. Could this also be due to the crow? Just as it had absorbed life force, had it done something to the Divine Tree? "In my opinion, this theory holds the highest probability." The likelihood of the Divine Tree having perished on its own was far less plausible than the probability that the crow had meddled. "Hoo..." He withdrew his hand from the Divine Tree. When he turned, the field filled with white bones came back into view. "..." He recalled events in the ashen world. The reasons for his furrowed brows when observing the crystals were clear. "I heard the screams." Not only could he sense the life force within the crystals, but he also heard desperate cries. Something within those crystals was pleading — not to be saved, but to be killed. It pleaded, screaming for release from this place by any means, even death. That was the reason. The distressing sight kindled a fire within him, leading him to charge straight at the apparent culprit. "Tsk." Clicking his tongue, he moved his hand. Ssss-! Energy traveled from his heart. Though the intense pain was evident, he ignored it. This much he could withstand. Channeling a substantial amount of energy, the bones scattered across the ground began to tremble. And then, Shhhh—!!! They floated collectively in mid-air. At that moment, he addressed the Heavenly Demon. "Hey. Dig a deep hole." "..." At his words, energy surged from the Heavenly Demon's feet. Dark energy erupted, overturning the ground completely. Rumble—!!! It was swift. The once solid ground quaked, forming a huge pit, into which the bones were gathered and placed. Rustle—! The bones fell in. He observed the slightly heaped bones. Though it would suffice to cover them up as they were, "Still." He flicked his hand once more, igniting flames. The intense heat engulfed the bones, reducing them to powder. "Cover it." After confirming their disintegration, he instructed the Heavenly Demon. The earth, lifted by dark energy, was repositioned over the pit. Thud—!! It appeared as if an undulating mound, but the use of atmospheric pressure flattened it, leaving little trace. Having tidied up the scene, he turned away. He did not offer any prayers or placations; his character did not call for such gestures, and this he deemed sufficient. "...So, what now?" He had no clue of the crow's intent. Neither did he comprehend its aim. "I don't even understand my own condition." He couldn't grasp what had happened to cause his vessel to be in such a state. This uncertainty weighed heavily. "I don’t remember." Just before losing consciousness, Something overflowed from the vessel within him, merging into his body. A warm sensation enveloped his enraged body, And soon after, he lost consciousness. "And when I awoke again..." He found himself within the confines of the Heavenly Demon's demonic domain. "What could it be?" What had occurred in such a brief time? Simply suggesting the Heavenly Demon rescued him seemed inadequate. "It feels strange." The remnants in his body were peculiar. It wasn't just the pain that lingered. "This..." The distant and alien presence he felt from the crow. That presence clung to his body, causing confusion. Additionally, knowing the source of this energy compounded the unease. It was "Energy obtained from the Divine Tree." enN1WnIzcFhHMVJuR0JvdkNPc013N3hSN2k4MVBTRjgwTnhqUktSbzdUQS8rOWxwL2hJVDM4eVY4TWxueXpPdA The energy he had previously acquired from the Divine Trees. It had been quietly dormant within his vessel, yet it now displayed an unusual presence. Was this reaction favorable? He couldn’t determine. "So, should I consult my mother?" Due to the state or the peculiarities of this region's Divine Tree, his mother had not manifested. His plans were tangled and complicated. "What should I do?" What was the next step? "Should I return to the Volcano Sect?" Then, "What about her?" What to do with Yarang standing beside the Heavenly Demon? Should he bring her along? As the dilemma weighed on him, Crackle-! "Hmm?" A sound suddenly reached his ears. Crack. Crackle. It was akin to something crackling, a discomfiting noise. He touched his left ear discomfortingly, and then, "...Can you hear me?" "...!" A voice shocked him—a familiar one at that. This voice was... "...Elder Il Jang?" It was unmistakably the voice of the Elder Turtle. Why was it suddenly audible? His eyes widened in surprise, and then, "...Hurry, return immediately. Something has happened at the Volcano Sect." "..." The words of the Elder Turtle continued. At that moment, he turned his head and ignited a fire within him. Flare---!!! An ominous feeling gripped him. I'm sorry, but I can't assist with that request.