Chapter 968: The Nine World Trees

In a dimly lit hall, the Void Saint sat on a jeweled throne. Not far from him was Tang.

One by one, other figures entered the hall, each emanating an aura remarkably similar to that of the Void Saint.

"Your humble servant, Tang, greets the esteemed saints," Tang said respectfully, bowing to the group.

The saints glanced at Tang with some curiosity before one of them turned to the Void Saint. "Void Saint, where is your main body?"

The Void Saint who stood before them was a mere avatar. He frowned. "Are you all here just to inquire about my injuries?"

"Have this lad leave first. We need to talk," one of them replied.

"Tang, wait outside the hall," the Void Saint commanded.

"Yes, Your Eminence!" Tang respectfully withdrew from the hall.

A membrane of light enveloped the hall after his departure, preventing any sound from leaking out. Nevertheless, Tang furtively eyed the saints within the hall; he knew a bit of lip-reading.

"During your battle with Liu Miaoyin, you shouted something about a world tree. What's that about? Did you find a world tree?" one saint asked.

The other saints stared intently at the Void Saint.

The Void Saint shook his head. "I'm not certain. But in that moment, I did see a fleeting green shadow of a giant tree within the aura of reincarnation that Liu Miaoyin unleashed."

"Back when the heavens gave us the charms of heavenly law, they mentioned that there lay nine world trees within the nine domains of law for us to discover. Even after ten thousand years, we've found nothing. I had thought it was all a lie. But now—do these world trees really exist?" one saint exclaimed in astonishment.

"So what do we do now? We can't find the world trees within our own laws, yet Liu Miaoyin seems to have found one. Shall we work together to capture her and make her reveal the truth?" the Void Saint suggested.

"Hah! You just want us to help you get revenge, don't you? Forget it. Liu Miaoyin wields the power of an entire empire now. We're not going to risk it," a saint sneered.

"She's just one person, and we're a group. She's no match for us," the Void Saint argued.

"And why should we confront her? When the new heavens arrive, they can deal with Liu Miaoyin. That would be much safer," another saint retorted.

The Void Saint fell silent for a moment. "Don't forget—we were told that whoever finds a world tree will be richly rewarded. As long as we capture Liu Miaoyin and learn more about these world trees, we can locate the trees within our own laws. Don't you want the heavens' rewards?"

The saints fell into a contemplative silence.

"Think it over. These rewards are bound to be extraordinary. Are you sure you want to give them up?" the Void Saint said with a smile.

The saints didn't reject the Void Saint's suggestion outright. They did seem to need time to consider the situation.

"By the way, what's the deal with that lad outside? Why have you kept him around?" one saint asked.

The saints all turned their gaze toward the hall's entrance, causing Tang to stiffen and lower his head.

"He's soul-mended. I'm interested in the unrefined cursed effigy within him, and I need your help," the Void Saint explained.

With a wave, the Void Saint dispelled the formation around the hall and pulled Tang back inside.

"A cursed effigy?" the saints asked, puzzled.

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"There's something strange about the entity within him. Earlier, when I was preparing to confront Xiao Nanfeng, he warned me not to go, claiming he sensed great danger. Naturally, I didn't believe him. But as you all know, he turned out to be right," the Void Saint explained.

"Predicting danger? How suspicious," one saint remarked with interest.

The saints all turned their attention to Tang.

Tang froze. His earlier warning had been a standard attempt to cover his bases—if he was wrong, the Void Saint would merely mock him upon his triumphant return. Who knew he'd get it right and end up digging a hole for himself?

"Can his cursed effigy foresee the future?" one saint wondered aloud.

"Perhaps it can sense fortune and misfortune. Let's test it," the Void Saint suggested.

Intrigued, the saints acted immediately, channeling their laws into Tang Xiaoyi. Tang's anguished screams echoed through the hall as he cursed his loose tongue.

After some time, the saints finally released Tang. They hadn't identified the source of his connection to the cursed effigy but had grown increasingly interested in him.

"Thank you for sparing my life, Your Eminences..." Tang murmured, with a deep sigh of relief. Lingering fear was evident on his face.

"Don't get too comfortable. We'll try again once we've thought of another approach," one saint replied.

Tang blanched. Were these experiments never going to end?

In another grand hall, Yu Banruo frowned as he listened to his subordinate's report. "You're certain the Void Saint mentioned a World Tree?"

"Absolutely. Many people heard it. I wouldn't dare lie, Your Highness."

"So world trees really do exist..." Yu Banruo's eyes lit up.

"Congratulations, Your Highness. You've finally found a lead."

Yu Banruo nodded. "Tell me everything again, from the beginning."

"Yes! According to a soldier who followed Lord Chu, they entered the wild wastes hidden realm, where Xiao Nanfeng had just ascended into a Boundless Immortal. Somehow, Xiao Nanfeng displayed overwhelming power, taking control of the battlefield with his Sky of Ten Suns technique and killing everyone..."

The subordinate recounted the battle in detail, leaving Yu Banruo frowning in thought.

"Your Highness, Xiao Nanfeng deceived everyone. He's extremely dangerous," someone remarked.

Yu Banruo deliberated for a moment before replying, "It was Chu Tianban's carelessness that cost him a great advantage. If he hadn't lost the solar essence, he wouldn't have suffered such a crushing defeat."

"Indeed," the group agreed with a nod.

"Still, though Chu Tianban failed, he was acting on my behalf, so I can't let this go. Let the Vajra Division handle the matter with Xiao Nanfeng," Yu Banruo ordered.

"Understood!" one person replied respectfully.

"For now, the most pressing matter is the world tree. The Void Saint must know something about these trees, and perhaps the other saints do as well. Locate the saints immediately. Whoever finds one should notify me at once," Yu Banruo commanded.

"Understood!" everyone replied.

"As for Liu Miaoyin, she likely knows something too. Perhaps I should visit Dajing to question her personally," Yu Banruo mused aloud.

At that moment, another subordinate rushed in. "Your Highness, Liu Miaoyin has issued a ‘Proclamation to the Heroes of the World,'" he announced.

"Oh?" Yu Banruo's curiosity was piqued. "Read it."

The subordinate nodded and began: "To the heroes of the world: I, Liu Miaoyin, have defeated the Void Saint in battle as of yesterday. During the fight, the Void Saint, in his fear, mentioned a ‘World Tree.' Through my research, I have come to understand what he meant.

While meditating on the laws of reincarnation, I observed a faint green shadow of a giant tree within them. This must be the ‘World Tree' he spoke of.

I believe each of the nine great domains of heavenly law contains a world tree. The charm corresponding to my law has already been destroyed; the world tree of reincarnation is mine.

However, there are seven saints remaining. Anyone who desires the opportunity to glimpse a world tree may slay a saint and seize their charm of heavenly law. Saints are merely the lackeys of the heavens. I am certain that there are those capable of great deeds among the heroes of the world. If you seek a world tree, then slay the saints!"

When the proclamation was finished, the hall fell into a heavy silence.

After a long moment, Yu Banruo sighed in admiration. "What a brilliant move by Liu Miaoyin. She's turned the tables perfectly."

In a garden pavilion within Dajing, Liu Miaoyin held up a mirror as she listened to her subordinates' report. Her expression was calm. "You were right. Chu Tianban was able to track you and Blue Lantern because of this mirror. I've since sealed it, so Yu Banruo won't be able to use it to follow you again."

"That's a relief," Xiao Nanfeng replied, taking the mirror. He added, "By the way, I issued a ‘Proclamation to the Heroes of the World' in your name."

"Oh?" Liu Miaoyin looked at him with curiosity.

Xiao Nanfeng repeated the proclamation word for word.

"You..." Liu Miaoyin frowned.

"It's just to reduce some unnecessary trouble. Your easy defeat of the Void Saint and his cry about a ‘World Tree' would have inevitably drawn global attention. Not only would the other saints come after you, countless reclusive cultivators would also have begun to investigate. Keeping the news quiet wouldn't help us much. It's better to spread it openly and let them fight each other. That will give you more time to recover," Xiao Nanfeng explained.

Liu Miaoyin smiled gently. "You're just as thoughtful as in my dreams."

Xiao Nanfeng fell silent. Though he had come to terms with what had happened within her dream, he still felt some guilt toward Liu Miaoyin.

"What's wrong?" Liu Miaoyin asked curiously.

"About the dream... I acted impulsively. I didn't expect things to turn out as they did," Xiao Nanfeng admitted.

Liu Miaoyin grew quiet, her gaze fixed on him. She seemed to be waiting for his response.

"You know my circumstances. If you don't mind, may I have the chance to make the dream a reality?" Xiao Nanfeng extended his right hand, his expression full of anticipation.

Liu Miaoyin smiled radiantly, like a flower blooming in springtime. She took his hand and replied, "What you said at the end of the dream is what I wish to say now."

Blushing, Liu Miaoyin lowered her head.

Xiao Nanfeng's eyes lit up. Seeing her sincerity, he stepped forward and embraced her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes filled with affection, her heart racing just as it had on their wedding night in the dream.

Gazing at the breathtaking beauty in his arms, Xiao Nanfeng felt a surge of emotion. Lifting her up, he carried her toward a nearby bedchamber.

With a thud, the doors closed. A series of formations activated to seal the chamber.

Outside, a fierce wind rose, accompanied by a downpour. In the garden, countless flower buds burst into full bloom amidst the storm, their vibrant colors and fragrant scents filling the air.