Chapter 967: Competing for the World Trees

On the Eastern Sea, the deafening roars of a catastrophic clash resounded without end. The terrifying shockwaves triggered colossal tsunamis, prompting countless sects among the islands to activate their strongest defensive formations. They could only watch the battle from a distance, so terrified were they to approach.

From afar, one could see two streaks of light, one blue and one green, colliding continuously. The apocalyptic scene left observers stunned and paralyzed with fear.

Yet amidst the chaos, a streak of light quietly approached the heart of the battle.

Blue Lantern stood at the entrance to the wild wastes hidden realm, gazing at the distant battle as if waiting for something. Suddenly, a figure flew towards him.

"Sir Blue Lantern, His Majesty has given the order to approach," the figure said.

With a wave of his hand, Blue Lantern sent the messenger deep into the wild wastes hidden realm. He shouted loudly at the sky, "Senior Liu, His Majesty requests that you enter the hidden realm!"

With a thunderous roar, Liu Miaoyin and the Void Saint's eidola exchanged blows. Shockwaves rippled through the void upon impact. Formidable though she was, Liu Miaoyin found herself at a slight disadvantage and was forced to retreat.

Upon hearing Blue Lantern's call, she shot straight into the hidden realm without any hesitation.

"Where do you think you're going?!" the Void Saint roared, pursuing her relentlessly.

With a flash, Liu Miaoyin's eidolon shrank in size and slipped into the hidden realm. Then, the entrance to the hidden realm vanished.

The Void Saint's eyes narrowed as he sneered. "Do you really think you can hide in there? It's too late! Break"

He shattered the void with a punch and forced the entrance to the realm open as he stepped inside.

The moment he did so, he found himself surrounded by impenetrable fog that seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions. The fog cut off any spiritual senses, making it impossible for him to identify his surroundings.

"Using formations to trap me? How laughable." The Void Saint swung his palm downward.

With a loud boom, he dispersed the fog, revealing another portal not far away. Liu Miaoyin's eidolon could be seen frantically rushing out of it. She disappeared in a flash.

"You won't get away!" The Void Saint chased after her.

Liu Miaoyin's eyes were wide open in surprise. She had emerged from the wild wastes hidden realm following Blue Lantern's gestures, only to find Xiao Nanfeng waiting for her at the exit.

"Quickly, summon Dajing's imperial might!" Xiao Nanfeng urged.

Liu Miaoyin instantly recognized the familiar landscape of Dajing's capital. Though she was bewildered, she immediately issued a resounding proclamation. "Hear me, citizens of Dajing! I am Liu Miaoyin, your ruler. The Void Saint seeks to destroy our empire, to enslave and slaughter us in servitude to the heavens. Now, I need your strength. Raise your right hands and lend me your power to slay this lackey of the heavens!"

With a mighty roar, the golden dragon of fortune in Dajing's capital transmitted her words across the empire. Every citizen of the empire instantly heard her call.

Xiao Nanfeng had made preparations beforehand for Dajing's city lords to inform the people about the saints' heinous intentions, riling them up and fueling their resentment. Now, they were ready. One by one, the citizens raised their right hands as their collective power surged into the air.

The golden dragon of fortune roared overhead, sending the full force of imperial might toward Liu Miaoyin.

By then, the Void Saint had chased Liu Miaoyin out of the hidden realm. He saw the enormous golden dragon of fortune merging with Liu Miaoyin's eidolon, which suddenly burst forth with blinding golden light. The immense power radiating from her caused the void to quake and unleashed a tempest.

"Imperial might? How are we in the north?!" the Void Saint exclaimed in shock.

Liu Miaoyin didn't give him time to think. She struck with a palm that descended like a heavenly blade, cleaving the void and slicing toward the Void Saint.

Reacting instinctively, the Void Saint countered with a punch. But as he engaged, his eyes widened in horror at what he perceived. "Impossible!" he shouted.

His punch shattered into fragments, and he was sent crashing into the ground with a deafening impact, shattering mountains and rivers in his wake.

A grotesque green scar now marred his eidolon.

The Void Saint touched the wound and muttered in disbelief, "This can't be. It must be an illusion."

Liu Miaoyin pressed her advantage. Her strikes came in rapid succession, each blow rending the fabric of space.

The Void Saint's eidolon quickly became riddled with cracks, leaving him barely able to defend himself.

In Dajing's capital, countless cultivators were observing the fight from afar. Though much of the details were obscured, the outcome was evident. Many rubbed their eyes in disbelief.

"The saint's being completely overpowered..."

"Saints aren't that strong, are they?"

"No—Her Majesty is just too strong!"

"Long live the Immortal Emperor!"

Everyone was astonished by what had happened. They were all shouting in excitement.

There weren't that many divine empires in the world, and major forces tended to have spies in all of them. Those spies were now reporting about the events unfolding in Dajing's capital.

"Inform His Majesty immediately! Liu Miaoyin has invoked imperial might to crush a saint. The saint is utterly helpless!"

"Report to the hierarch immediately: Dajing's Immortal Emperor is unparalleled and has grievously wounded a saint."

"Relay this to our superiors, quickly!"

The news spread like wildfire, reaching the leaders of major factions across the world.

How could the Void Saint have been beaten up again? This was surely fake news!

"Blade of Judgment!" Liu Miaoyin shouted.

Her hand slashed downward, tearing the void asunder and striking the Void Saint's eidolon. With a thunderous explosion, the saint's eidolon shattered into fragments.

"The world tree? How can it be? No!" the Void Saint screamed.

The Void Saint was sent flying in a shower of blood.

Liu Miaoyin shot forward and launched a palm strike. "Compassionate Palm of Mercy!"

With a rush of sound, an endless barrage of palm strikes filled heaven and earth. They struck the Void Saint in a flurry.

"Death!" the Void Saint roared.

A blue sea surged skyward, blocking the palm strikes.

"Reincarnation!" Liu Miaoyin intoned.

The myriad palm strikes abruptly turned green and pressed down with renewed force.

With a thunderous explosion, the blue sea shattered into fragments. The green palms then descended upon the Void Saint.

"No!" the Void Saint shrieked.

He erupted in a dazzling shower of blue light that slowly dissipated into nothingness.

The fight was over. The commotion slowly died down as the void rifts began to repair themselves. The storms subsided, countless fragments of rock fell to the ground, and the dust slowly settled.

All those who had been watching the battle were shocked speechless.

After long moments, someone finally cried out, "Liu Miaoyin blasted the Void Saint apart!"

"A saint, slain..."

"Is imperial might that strong?"

Countless shouts could be heard from all over.

The news rapidly spread to the major factions across the world.

The leaders of these factions, initially skeptical of the reports they received, were quickly forced to change their minds..

"Impossible!"

"Absurd! Saints aren't that easy to kill!"

"What spies are spreading this nonsense?!"

The leaders of various factions roared in disbelief.

Outside Dajing's capital, Liu Miaoyin glanced at the spot where the Void Saint had been obliterated. Her expression was solemn.

Taking a deep breath, she declared, "Inform all citizens of Dajing that I have just defeated the Void Saint. Unfortunately, he used his charm of heavenly law to escape, but even so, he is gravely wounded. Next time, I will surely end him."

Her voice echoed across Dajing, reaching the ears of every citizen.

Ordinary citizens had no idea how perilous the fight against the saint had been, but one thing was clear: their emperor had emerged victorious.

"Long live the Immortal Emperor!"

"Dajing is invincible!"

Countless cheers resounded. Dajing's golden dragon of fortune transmitted their fervor.

Liu Miaoyin withdrew her eidolon, and the golden dragon of fortune within her soared back into Dajing's sea of fortune. She returned to Dajing's capital and slowly descended into the imperial palace.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!" Countless officials stepped forward and bowed in excitement.

Liu Miaoyin nodded. She flew into the imperial palace without otherwise addressing her officials.

There, Xiao Nanfeng was waiting quietly.

"Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. I was already nearly as strong as the Void Saint to begin with. Imperial might easily allowed me to surpass and suppress him." Liu Miaoyin smiled.

"That's a relief." Xiao Nanfeng nodded, then asked curiously, "The Void Saint mentioned something about a world tree. Are you aware of the details?"

"A world tree?" Liu Miaoyin mused. "I recall something of the sort being mentioned in the Yuqing Grandmaster's insights on heart cultivation."

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng replied curiously.

"‘In the depths of the Abyss, ashes sprout and thrive; you and I vie to be the world tree.' It seems the Yuqing Grandmaster's lifelong pursuit was to become a world tree," Liu Miaoyin recalled.

"His lifelong pursuit?"

Liu Miaoyin nodded. "My understanding of the law of reincarnation grows deeper by the day. When I wielded that power just now, I might have caused some sort of unusual phenomenon, leaving the Void Saint with a mistaken impression. However, I'm not sure about the details. It would be best if we could capture him and interrogate him."

"Capturing him won't be easy. He managed to escape just now. Next time, he won't give you the chance to draw upon imperial might," Xiao Nanfeng replied, frowning.

Liu Miaoyin shook her head, her expression confident. "No. Next time, even without imperial might, I shall subdue him."