Chapter 1577: Disobeying Orders

Progress bar 7/10, the Secret Realm Space has already become a lush little grove, with blooming flowers and a captivating spring scene;

Progress bar 8/10, ninety percent of the Tree of Life’s dried bark has fallen off, forming a thick layer on the ground and gradually turning into nourishment for the great tree.

The branches are refreshing green, buds are sprouting. The color of the black dragon entwined with death energy is visibly fading, faintly revealing a cyan-green glow, indicating that Huo Jun’s true self is seizing control;

As the progress bar reaches 9/10, Huo Jun breaks through the death aura and fully transforms into a dragon!

“Just a little more effort, the Acceleration Card’s time is almost up!” Jiang Yuan secretly wipes his brow, mainly because it’s so tantalizingly close to completion; if it ends now without everything being done, it would be so frustrating.

Yan Xuan is tense, excited, and somewhat disgruntled, “I really wish I could give him a hand; unfortunately, this is akin to breaking out of a chrysalis to become a butterfly, I truly can’t help.”

Both the person and the divine beast can’t afford to blink, even their breathing subconsciously becomes lighter.

Huo Jun can sense the Tree of Life’s echoing thrums, emanating vigorous life from within, only a small step is left! That last wisp of death energy hidden deep at the roots must be removed completely, and then the blocked Extreme East Secret Realm will be free-flowing!

With the last second ticking away, the Task Progress Acceleration Card’s effects end, and Jiang Yuan looks at the task that’s just shy of breakthrough with some regret.

But Huo Jun didn’t stop!

He was already very tired; the extreme burst of energy moments ago had consumed all his strength. He really wanted to close his eyes and rest for a while, even if just for half an hour, but he couldn’t.

Years of longing for renewal surround him in the aura emitted by the once dormant Tree of Life.

It’s as though through the great tree, he can see the wilderness above struggling due to the lack of vitality, making generations gradually weaker. With barren mountains losing vegetation; yellow sands as far as the eye can see and extinction of life; the mighty rivers shrinking, streams drying…

“The sooner vitality is restored, the sooner the land can come back to life! Just hold on a bit longer, and entwine that deepest wisp of death energy; it absolutely must not be allowed to control the Tree of Life again!” Inner desire roars, Huo Jun’s dragon eyes slightly redden as he controls his sore and weary body, slamming his tail against the great tree.

“Bang!”

“Bang Bang!”

The violent pounding causes the rejuvenated trunk to tremble lightly, as Cyan Dragon Divine Power gradually penetrates, making the hiding death energy at the root finally exposed, and then it was directly pulled out.

A transcendent, commanding dragon roar echoes as Huo Jun swallows and refines the wisp of death energy.

[Special Task: Azure Dragon]

[Task 16: Demon Cultivator Huo Jun clears Extreme East Secret Realm 10/10, Completed. Reward: Divinity +500; Divine Bone +500; Life Origin +300]

[Task 17: Demon Cultivator Huo Jun purifies Spiritual Power, frees from demonic nature, ascends to Divine Beast. Reward: Divine Artifact Upgrade Card +1]

With excitement, Jiang Yuan watches the progress bar slowly and resolutely moving forward; finally, it breaks through the final line, and Extreme East Secret Realm is fully cleared!

“Thud!”

Huo Jun was too exhausted, after refining the last wisp of death energy he collapsed onto the ground, his heavy and even breathing signaled that he had instantly fallen asleep.

“No wonder he’s the future Azure Dragon personally selected by the master, he has that kind of fierceness, very good!” Yan Xuan couldn’t help but praise when seeing this, then turned his head to witness the Secret Realm Space full of vitality.

The dense thickets nearby have grown into towering trees, forming an endless forest filled with blooming flowers and a vibrant spirit.

“Looks like he’s worn out, let him rest here; once he recovers at home, he will meditate and await ascension on his own.” Jiang Yuan leaves a message for Huo Jun and then departs with Yan Xuan through the Teleportation Array to the Extreme West Secret Realm to find Shi Hu.

Just as Huo Jun swallowed and refined the last wisp of death energy, causing the Tree of Life to radiate intense vitality, a faint “crack” sound echoed from deep within the death forest outside the Secret Realm.

Like branches of dried trees stretching out rigidly;

Or as if some kind of shackles were being broken.

The Extreme East Death Forest, feared by demon cultivators and demon beasts from the wilderness above, was almost isolated from the world; among bizarrely shaped dead woods, there wasn’t a trace of green.

There are no flying birds, no walking beasts, only the faint aura of death surrounding it.

On ordinary days, no cultivator dares tread easily into it, whether by piloting an Immortal Ship or Sword Flight or using a Magical Treasure; once inside the Death Forest’s boundaries, the Spiritual Power within their body and treasure would rapidly be drained and dissipated. Carelessness would lead to total loss of Spiritual Power, unable to be replenished, resulting in death and annihilation in this land of death.

Thus, the Death Forest remains uninhabited for hundreds of miles, and passersby kept as much distance as possible to avoid unwarranted entanglement with death.

Kumu City is the ancient city closest to the Death Forest.

Within the city, numerous ancient legends about that forest are circulated, and the demon cultivators in the city have maintained an unspoken habit for thousands of years; every time someone practices Sword Flight, they first gaze far towards the Death Forest.

Nobody knows exactly what they’re hoping for, but the tradition passed down through the ages suggests that checking on the Death Forest daily provides a sense of reassurance.

So, on a certain day when winter is about to end this year, a Little Demon Cultivator, who specializes in delivering goods for shops, cast his gaze towards the Death Forest the moment he engaged Sword Flight, turned back blankly, paused for a moment, feeling that something was amiss.

What was amiss?

He had brought both the goods and seals; today was sunny with no Great Demon Beasts around; most demon cultivators in the city were resting, and only occasionally people could be seen on the streets; in this weather, deliveries within the city could be done quickly without encountering danger…