Chapter 1039: The Primordial Altar's Regrets

As the gigantic figure emerged from the depths of the blizzard, everyone's eyes widened. Though its appearance remained largely hidden, everyone could feel an overwhelming pressure bearing down on them.

The Yuqing Grandmaster began, "As expected, it is indeed a royal member of the Darkborn, far stronger than Sibyl ever was."

The Shangqing Grandmaster, however, looked around and said, "The Superior's shackles in the white life hidden realm are disappearing..."

The Taiqing Grandmaster analyzed, "The primordial altar imprisoned the Superior's main body, and the Superior's main body devoted itself to locking this space down. Now that the Superior is activating his main body for battle, he naturally has to release these shackles. Perhaps the consciousness of the primordial altar can now enter this hidden realm itself."

"Let's not worry about that," the Yuqing Grandmaster said. "We should act quickly."

"Agreed," the other two grandmasters responded.

With a whoosh, the three Qing Grandmasters transformed into three beams of light that shot into the depths of the snowstorm. Their world trees followed closely behind.

With a hum, three dazzling lights—red, purple, and blue—erupted from within the snowstorm. Three eidola, each thousands of meters tall, formed and struck fiercely at the newly awakened Superior.

With a loud boom, the snowstorm suddenly expanded and completely obscured the figures inside. The outer edges of the snowstorm were enveloped in red, purple, and blue barriers, seemingly formed by the three Qing Grandmasters using their supreme techniques. Even so, the clashes within caused the barriers to tremble violently.

Xia Yu'er asked worriedly, "Nanfeng, can the three Qing Grandmasters defeat the Superior?"

Xiao Nanfeng frowned slightly and replied, "I'm not sure. However, the three Qing Grandmasters haven't sent any signals, which means they aren't facing any white-furred lifeforms in their battle against the Superior. They're buying us time. Everyone, quickly release your red-furred, blue-furred, and purple-furred lifeforms and search for the white-furred ones immediately."

"Understood!" Xia Yu'er, Zhang Lingjun, and Lan Yaoguang replied.

They each took out a glowing sphere and issued commands into it. With a rumble, countless monsters surged forth, scattering across the white life hidden realm for the white-furred monsters.

Xiao Nanfeng started to wait patiently. Just then, he seemed to sense something and suddenly turned to look at his giant nine-colored tree.

"What's wrong?" Madam Rouge asked, puzzled.

Xiao Nanfeng held up a hand, signaling the women to remain silent. Immediately after, he saw his nine-colored tree suddenly emit a vast quantity of nine-colored light.

"Ah!" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

The nine-colored tree's rate of spiritual absorption had increased. No, it wasn't just passively absorbing spiritual energy—its roots were now extracting an immense amount of energy from deep within the earth. The rate at which it was doing so was even faster than when it was absorbing energy from the white-furred monsters.

Xiao Nanfeng gaped in astonishment. "Senior, are you assisting me?"

A faint wisp of the primordial altar's consciousness entered Xiao Nanfeng's mind. "Your nine-colored tree is too weak at the moment, after all. It hasn't even materialized fully. Allow me to help you."

Xiao Nanfeng frowned and said, "The energy in the white life hidden realm belongs either to the Superior or to you. If you help me absorb your essence, what will happen to you?"

The primordial altar fell silent for a moment before replying, "Me? It doesn't matter anymore. I've grown old, my foundation is broken, and I've been clinging to life for all these years. I've had enough."

"Senior, do you intend to sacrifice yourself to help me out?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed, shocked.

"It's hardly a sacrifice. My body was all but ended when my trunk was severed back then. I've been holding on via sheer willpower, hoping to protect the world a little longer and waiting for someone who could turn the tide. I've grown tired, but fortunately, you arrived in time. You've already manifested a new giant nine-colored tree, something I never dared to imagine. Your tree represents the rebirth of all living beings, and is capable of coexisting with and nurturing this planet. I am willing to entrust this planet to you."

"Were you already planning all this when I ascended Dazheng into an Imperial Court? Is that why you assisted me in elevating my golden dragon of fortune to one with nine-digit claws?" Xiao Nanfeng frowned.

"More or less. From the moment I learned you had manifested the giant nine-colored tree, I knew my mission could be passed on to you. The giant nine-colored tree coexists with and nurtures this planet. If this planet is lost, your giant nine-colored tree will lose its foundation and slowly wither and die. The vitality of this planet's living beings is tied to the vitality of your giant nine-colored tree. I believe you will protect this planet well."

"I must thank you for your gift. But if you can capture cursed effigies from distant stars, why not use them as vessels for your body? Perhaps you could still survive," Xiao Nanfeng suggested.

"Cursed effigies are not truly free from life and death. Once their laws and essence are exhausted, they too will vanish completely. Each cursed effigy is the crystallization of a civilization. Do you know what encompasses that crystallization to produce a cursed effigy?" the primordial altar asked.

"That planet's world tree?" Xiao Nanfeng murmured, shocked by the implication.

"Exactly. You can fuse with cursed effigies, but I cannot. As the truesoul of a world tree, if I were to merge with a cursed effigy, the only outcome would be mutual collapse and decay."

Xiao Nanfeng fell silent.

"It matters little. I am a truesoul born from this planet. Returning to this planet is simply a matter of returning whence I came—from dust to dust and ashes to ashes," the primordial altar replied, its tone somehow simultaneously carefree and tinged with loneliness.

"Do you have any unfulfilled regrets, Senior?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

The primordial altar thought for a moment before replying, "I have many. I wanted to see the Superior fall, but am unlikely to succeed. I wanted to see you repel the Darkborn from beyond the heavens, but that too will be beyond me. I wanted to see living beings free from their fear of the future—and deep in the stars, there's a fellow out there who often pours rice wine over my roots. I wanted to thank him, but..."

Xiao Nanfeng sensed countless regrets from the primordial altar. He wanted to offer comfort but didn't know how.

"Senior, what's the identity of that person you want to thank, and where is he? In the future, if my giant nine-colored tree inherits your power, I will do so on your behalf."

He could tell that the primordial altar seemed to care deeply for him.

"He's from a planet of swordsmen. Forget it—there's no need for you to go out of your way. The last time I sensed him, his planet was also being invaded by the Darkborn. He's probably already dead. What a pity," the primordial altar murmured, sighing.

Xiao Nanfeng fell silent.

The women guessed that Xiao Nanfeng was conversing with the primordial altar, though they couldn't hear its voice. From Xiao Nanfeng's look and tone, they could sense that the conversation wasn't a particularly happy one, but they didn't interrupt.

Just then, they suddenly turned sharply as they sensed something.

In the distance, dozens of beams of energy slashed through the air, each strike tearing through the void.

"Nanfeng, be careful!" the women shouted near-simultaneously.

They each unleashed their full power to block the attacks.

However, with a deafening crash, their techniques were all overwhelmed. The opposing force was simply too strong. Though the women had grown immensely powerful, they were still forced back.

Xiao Nanfeng instantly grew alert. He turned and unleashed a barrage of fist attacks to block the remaining projectiles. With a thunderous boom, he shattered them all, though he was forced back several steps before regaining his footing.

The attackers revealed themselves: thirteen white-furred monsters. They had largely regained human forms, and the white fur on their bodies had mostly receded, leaving only a few patches on their limbs.

Among these white-furred monsters were Xiao Hongye and Tan Xianzhi. Their expressions were calm and showed no signs of abnormality.

Above the thirteen white-furred monsters floated thirteen silver moons, each with a massive pupil glaring intently at Xiao Nanfeng and his group.

"Superior, I've been waiting for you," Xiao Nanfeng said coldly.

One of them sneered, "To think you would bring the three Qing Grandmasters here. How foolish of you."

"I may be foolish, but I know your fate. This time, you're doomed. No one can save you," Xiao Nanfeng retorted coldly as he drew his divine undying blade.

"Haha, have you forgotten where we are? Once you enter the white life hidden realm, there's no way out. Since the three Qing Grandmasters are here, they'll be trapped here with you," the Superior said coldly.

"I brought the three Qing Grandmasters in. I can leave with them, too," Xiao Nanfeng retorted disdainfully.

"Oh? And how do you intend to do that when you're about to die?"

With a resonant hum, a golden tree, thousands of meters tall, appeared in the void. The golden tree radiated dazzling light, began drawing immense power from the white life hidden realm, and channeled it into one of the white-furred monsters.

"The golden tree? Aren't you using it against the three Qing Grandmasters?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"Who said that I only had one such golden tree? This is the one you nurtured for me, too," the Superior replied, cackling. "Kill them!"

"Die!" the thirteen white-furred monsters shouted in unison, charging at Xiao Nanfeng and his group.

"Nine-colored tree!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.

With a resonant hum, the giant nine-colored tree erupted with nine-colored light, channeling vast amounts of energy into Xiao Nanfeng's body.

"Die!" Xiao Nanfeng and the women charged forward.

As for the other cultivators of Dazheng and the furred monsters in the vicinity, they didn't bother joining the fight. They simply weren't strong enough for a battle of this magnitude; even errant shockwaves would have obliterated them.

The six women blocked the first two white-furred lifeforms. The shockwaves from the attack tore apart the void and formed six black holes.

Xiao Nanfeng's sword, imbued with the power of his giant nine-colored tree, slashed at the white-furred monster that had drawn on the golden tree's strength.

Their blades clashed as an enormous black hole formed around them.