Chapter 601: The Celestial Maiden's Discovery

Atop a fractured rock, the Celestial Maiden of the Celestial Race, Yu Xin, had her lips parted in astonishment.

Pang Jian's Immortal Divine Soul was enveloped in a brilliant emerald glow, with a towering tree looming faintly at the center of his chest where his organs resided.

This tree, refined from divine radiance, bore the Dao of Verdure across its leaves and branches.

The sharp branches of this tree shot outward, piercing through the ten thousand mountains one after another.

These mountains were the crystallization of Ah Man's very being, his unique aura as the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Mountains.

The branches, on the other hand, were the manifestation of Pang Jian's Dao of Verdure, the crystallization of his divine soul, and the element of Wood within his body.

When the branches struck through the mountains, the momentum that had shook heaven and earth vanished from Ah Man.

Although his subsequent attacks appeared as fierce and overwhelming as before, they had lost the support of his Dao.

Yu Xin saw all of this with absolute clarity.

However, the truly surprising part was still the tree, seemingly rooted in the starry skies beyond the Abyss.

There was also a World Eater Vine, known as the World Tree, in Misty Swamp.

Her revered Grandmother Mu Yuan had her lifespan extended thanks to the life energy the Giant Abyssal Serpent had once vomited from the World Tree.

The Wood Race ventured into Misty Swamp under the advice of a mysterious guide, where they discovered a newly sprouted World Tree. Since then, the Wood Race had taken root in that fragmented land, slowly growing alongside the God of their faith.

Now, Pang Jian manifested the World Tree within his body and was using this divine power to counterbalance the overwhelming force of the ten thousand mountains.

He could not possibly wield his divine power in such a way unless the World Tree had acknowledged him.

He's the one who once offered me guidance through Xiao Hei!

Yu Xin realized.

Back then, when she was at her most helpless and her kin were unable to ascend to the upper world due to a lack of crucial spirit materials, he had delivered her Gold Obsidian through the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

All the precious materials and ores they desperately needed were obtained through transactions with him.

He had also sought various seeds of flowers, grasses, and trees from her, planting them across the vast expanse of Misty Swamp to aid the World Tree in its initial growth.

The black iron staff that allowed her to deal with the Bat-Winged Race also came from him.

Her older brother regarded that black iron staff as an extraordinary artifact.

Everything suddenly clicked into place.

The new rising star of the Sword Pavilion, the newly ascended True God of the human race, was also Xiao Hei's revered master!

This person had helped her in her weakest moments and served as her spiritual pillar through her darkest hours.

So, it was him...

Yu Xin looked at Pang Jian with new eyes.

After escaping the Fifth World, she had spent countless nights wondering when and how she would finally meet her mysterious benefactor.

She never expected it to happen like this.

Following the Sovereign's order, she had guided Ah Man in his ascent to the upper worlds and had tried to persuade him to let go of his hatred using a secret technique the Sovereign had bestowed on her.

This secret technique was meant to be used when Ah Man could no longer control his hatred toward Long Xiao, and she had used it to awaken him from his earlier rage.

He's just protecting his master, ensuring no one interferes with his master's path to godhood.

The Nine-Headed Bird and Ancestor Ah Man appeared one after another during this critical stage for his master. Isn't this simply too despicable?

Am I aiding the wicked?

Yu Xin's train of thought became chaotic, mirroring the turmoil in her heart.

"Ancestor Ah Man..." Although her tone was the same as before, her words were completely different. "You can't defeat this True God, Pang Jian, in a one-on-one battle.

"Why don't we take a step back first?

"Let's wait until the other battlefields reach their conclusions and the remaining powerhouses are free to deal with him together. What do you think?"

Her voice, infused with a special intonation and secret technique, had a mysterious effect on Ah Man.

Ah Man had still been attacking in a frenzied state despite having lost his earlier momentum. All it took was a soft-spoken persuasion for him to stop.

After all, her reasoning seemed to be incredibly sound.

He could not quite explain why it made sense; he only knew that it did.

"Alright," the one-eyed giant responded in his rumbling voice before retreating with a powerful leap.

His abrupt withdrawal left Pang Jian stunned.

The two newly obtained beams had yet to fully merge with his internal organs. The World Tree he envisioned had merely suppressed Ah Man's Dao, nothing more.

Not to mention, Ah Man had not even used his Mountain Flipping Seal.

Pang Jian simply could not understand why Ah Man would suddenly give up.

Regardless of the reason, the important point was that his master's ascension to the True God Realm remained uninterrupted. This fact alone was already a victory for him.

He could sense the connection between his master and the barrier deepening and knew his master's ascension was progressing smoothly.

Since the Heavenly Dao his master pursued was related to the barrier, his successful ascension to godhood would inevitably reshape the entirety of the Abyss.

Ah Man inexplicably chose to withdraw at this critical time. While Pang Jian could not understand it, he also could not have wished for a better outcome.

In the distance, Lu Qinghe stood frozen, in denial of what had just happened.

"He stopped? That's it?" he muttered incredulously. "Is he taking a break?"

Li Zhaotian would soon succeed in his ascension if they delayed any longer!

Time was all Li Zhaotian needed at this stage!

The Nine-Headed Bird's severe injuries and Ah Man's efforts would become meaningless if he succeeded in fusing his divine soul with Fortune.

"Celestial Maiden!" Zhou Yi called sharply, his expression serious. "May I ask if there are any other powerhouses arriving soon?"

Yu Xin shook her head. "I don't know. I only know that Ancestor Ah Man no longer has the ability to defeat this newly ascended Sword God on his own."

"He counters my Dao." Ah Man scratched his head in agreement.

Zhou Yi's face darkened with anger. "Lady Zi Mo is also one of the leaders of the Outer Gods. She has repeatedly stated that Li Zhaotian's ascension has to be stopped!

"I, along with Senior Lu, came here as representatives of Lady Zi Mo and Lord He Motian.

"I urge you. Stop Li Zhaotian at once. We cannot afford to leave behind any loose ends!"

Zhou Yi invoked the names of two high-ranking Outer Gods to pressure Yu Xin and Ah Man into reconsidering their stance.

Meanwhile, in the swirling clouds of poisonous mist, a tree radiating dazzling azure light slowly expanded from within a mass of crackling lightning.

The tree devoured the Thunderclap Paradise, growing segment by segment as it consumed the profound Dao of the Blessed Land alongside the divine power Long Xiao had accumulated over tens of thousands of years.

It was the Nine Heavens Thunder Divine Tree.

Its appearance severed Su Wanrou's connection with the Sacred Soul Continent, forcefully awakening her from her corrupted state before her Poison Scourge could reach its peak.

A majestic azure dragon roared in the poisonous mist, unleashing a flurry of lightning spheres from its maw.

A storm of dense lightning spheres engulfed Su Wanrou's Dharma Idol with thunderous explosions.

Even the sword-wielding Abyssal Demon was plunged into a disadvantageous position as a raging lightning vortex swallowed him.