Chapter 571: I Am, Profound Yellow.

The chaotic waters of the River of Years no longer scattered. Instead, like a long whip gripped by an invisible giant hand—one capable of lashing apart the Star River—and like an apocalyptic flood bursting a dam, it crashed and washed down upon the manifested, endlessly towering trunk and core canopy of the Profound Yellow Treasure Tree!

The mighty Power of Time began to reveal its terrifying aspect.

The outermost, relatively “younger” branches and leaves of the Treasure Tree began to dim, wither, and rot at a visible rate the instant the waters of the River of Years touched them. As if eroded by tens of millions of years, they ultimately turned to ash and scattered in the wind.

The phantom Dao Patterns that made up the leaves and branches began to blur and snap. The terrifying, erosive Power of Time was frantically spreading along the branches toward the trunk and the core!

The Treasure Tree trembled and swayed, letting out a groan as it buckled under the overwhelming burden. Its manifested physical form genuinely seemed to grow “old” under the scouring of the River of Years, as if cloaked in the dust of history.

“It’s over,” Shen Yi said, watching this scene with cold indifference. The silver river of destiny deduced within his eyes, as if he had already seen the end.

“It has the form but lacks the spirit.

“Before the passage of time, all things are equal. Even worlds age and die.

“He cannot save Profound Yellow. He will only accelerate its destruction and drag himself down with it.”

Just as all the Dao Kings—and even the surviving Profound Yellow True Monarchs below—believed the outcome was set and despair permeated their Heart and Spirit, a change occurred.

At the core of the Profound Yellow Treasure Tree, bearing the fiercest scouring of the River of Years, right where the trunk met the canopy and where the Ancient Seal of [Primordial] had originally been—a speck of Spiritual Light suddenly flared. It was as clear as glazed glass, as warm as fine jade, yet brimming with boundless vitality.

Immediately after, a peaceful and clear voice—carrying a certain detachment and resolve that came from seeing through everything—leisurely rang out from within that Spiritual Light. It echoed amidst the roar of time, resounding in the depths of every living being’s Heart and Spirit:

“Green mountains breathe the moons of past and present; the Treasure Tree sways in the winds of dawn and dusk.

“All contrived actions must come to an end; this life, devoid of self, is naturally infinite!”

As the final two lines were chanted, the voice abruptly pitched higher. It carried a great sense of ease and absolute Freedom that severed all shackles and transcended all limits!

As the words “devoid of self, is naturally infinite” fell, Qi Yun’s figure—which had completely vanished and merged into the Treasure Tree—flashed fleetingly within that Spiritual Light.

In the next instant, his final remaining imprint, along with that speck of limpid Spiritual Light, cast itself entirely and unreservedly into the trunk of the Profound Yellow Treasure Tree that supported Heaven and Earth behind him. He merged completely without distinction, becoming one with the entire Treasure Tree!

BUZZ!

The radiance of the Profound Yellow Treasure Tree retracted. From its extreme brilliance, it transformed into a warm, heavy, and chaotic luster. Upon the trunk, a phantom image of Qi Yun’s calm, smiling face emerged before flashing away.

The aura of the entire Treasure Tree abruptly changed!

At this exact moment, the flood peak of the River of Heaven and Earth Years—driven by the full power of the nine Dao Kings—solidly and completely crashed into and submerged the trunk and core canopy of the Profound Yellow Treasure Tree!

RUMBLE!

The roaring of time reached its apex. The chaotic river waters wholly swallowed the massive Treasure Tree. The terrifying Power of Time crazily eroded and permeated, seeking to drag this world’s manifested true form—along with the arrogant consciousness within it—into the abyss of eternal time, burying it completely!

However, the expected collapse, decay, and annihilation did not occur.

Instead, as the violent waters of the River of Years—capable of obliterating all—crashed upon the Profound Yellow Treasure Tree, it actually emitted a bizarre GURGLING sound! It was like a clear spring flowing through the roots of an ancient tree, watering the parched earth!

Under the “watering” and impact of the vast River of Years, the towering Profound Yellow Treasure Tree didn’t continue to age or rot. On the contrary…

It was becoming younger! It was growing younger at a visible speed!

Originally, due to the previous great battle and the scouring of time, the Treasure Tree had appeared somewhat “old,” bearing the marks of time on its branches. Now, those very branches grew increasingly lustrous and full of vitality. Its leaves became vibrantly green, as if dripping with life, like shoots sprouting in early spring. The entire tree exuded a thriving, flourishing, and vigorous aura! It was as if time itself had flowed backward upon it, rewinding from decrepit old age to its most vibrant, youthful prime!

No, it wasn’t just the Treasure Tree itself rewinding!

As the Treasure Tree grew “younger,” an invisible, intangible, yet profoundly profound power of “rewinding” seemed to center upon it. Following some unseen connection, it spread, transmitted, and rippled in reverse, going against the torrential flow of the River of Years!

Bearing the brunt were the entities suspended high in the depths of the nine rifts in the Celestial Vault. Connected to their respective Dao Kings’ origins, they symbolized the foundations of their Great Dao and their supreme authority—the Dao Fruits!

The World Honored One’s Great Nirvana Buddha Fruit, which had already developed cracks, now saw its Buddha Light flicker violently. Its mass was actually shrinking at a slow but steady pace!

The essence contained within it—originating from Profound Yellow and refined over eons—was being stripped away and siphoned back in reverse! Far from being mended by the Power of Time, the cracks on the surface of the Buddha Fruit grew deeper and more distinct due to this “shrinking” and “backflow”!

“What… what is happening?!”

“My Dao Fruit! The Dao Fruit is… is regressing?!”

“The Power of Time is flowing backward? No, it’s being guided! It’s being reversed!”

“He… he’s not resisting the River of Years!

“He’s… borrowing its power!

“He’s using the supreme might of the River of Heaven and Earth Years to forcibly rewind time!”

Finally, the quickest Dao King to react abruptly realized the bloodcurdling truth. He cried out involuntarily, his voice filled with endless horror and disbelief!