The冥王鬼树 (Underworld Ghost Tree) was powerful, still bearing traces of the World Tree.
It was colossal, a single tree comparable to an entire forest.
Above its crown, a world flickered in and out of existence, like a mirage.
The entire world was real, eerie and filled with powerful undead beings everywhere.
This was the冥王鬼树's divine realm, the冥狱 (Underworld Prison).
The undead within were its subordinates, capable of channeling their strength to it through the divine realm at any time.
Zheng Dong looked at the冥王鬼树. Suppressing it wouldn't be difficult if he were to act.
Perhaps he could obtain some information about the World Tree from the冥王鬼树.
"Don't be ungrateful. Force me to act, and get lost. Don't let me see you again!" the冥王鬼树 snarled.
It had indeed obtained considerable resources from the arrangements made by the无间阎罗王 (King Yama of the Netherworld), which had led to its rapid increase in strength.
It didn't want anyone to know about this, so it disallowed any intrusion.
Shen Bing and Shen Xue were immediately dejected. Shen Xue couldn't help but want to act.
After all, she had once been the无间阎罗王, and had never suffered such indignation.
However, the power gap between her and the冥王鬼树 was significant, and she was no match for it.
Her summoned beast was ensnared by the冥王鬼树's branches, unable to move.
Seeing this, Shen Bing also summoned her beast to help.
But it was still no match for the冥王鬼树, easily swatted away by its branches.
Zheng Dong also drew his Past Blade and slashed at the冥王鬼树.
The Past Blade danced, displaying divine incantations, and a mysterious power struck the冥王鬼树.
Branches rained down from the冥王鬼树, more than half of them severed by the Past Blade.
This startled the冥王鬼树.
It hadn't expected that Zheng Dong, also a Sovereign, would be so much stronger than it.
Though somewhat panicked, it didn't surrender or flee. Instead, it brought out the幽冥鬼印 (Netherworld Ghost Seal).
This was originally an artifact of the无间阎罗王, and it was unexpected that the冥王鬼树 had stolen it.
Upon seeing the幽冥鬼印, Shen Bing and Shen Xue became even more enraged.
Unfortunately, the幽冥鬼印 had been refined by the冥王鬼树. To reclaim it, they would first have to deal with the冥王鬼树.
The冥王鬼树 activated the幽冥鬼印 and hurled it at Zheng Dong.
The幽冥鬼印 was imbued with ghostly energy, accompanied by the wails and roars of countless undead, instilling a sense of despair that extinguished any will to resist.
As the幽冥鬼印 descended, about to strike Zheng Dong, Shen Bing and Shen Xue cried out:
"Be careful..."
Although Zheng Dong was affected by the幽冥鬼印, he wasn't so overwhelmed that he would be hit.
He vanished from his spot, reappearing behind the冥王鬼树, wielding the Past Blade and unleashing the Great Incantation of Heaven and Earth.
The terrifying power almost split the冥王鬼树 in two.
It widened its eyes, looking at Zheng Dong with unconcealed unwillingness.
Unfortunately, there was no turning back. The Past Blade shattered its divine soul and divine personality, and its divine body was severely damaged. There was no possibility of survival.
It fell to the ground in frustration, its life force extinguished.
Zheng Dong collected its soul fragments and read the冥王鬼树's memories.
The冥王鬼树's memories regarding the World Tree were not extensive, but it knew that the World Tree had left behind a method for resurrection: a World Tree seed.
A World Tree seed?
Zheng Dong was somewhat puzzled. If the冥王鬼树 knew about the World Tree seed, why hadn't it sought it out?
The World Tree seed should have been a valuable resource for the冥王鬼树, capable of helping it advance further.
Zheng Dong had also visited the place where the World Tree's split body had died, but had found nothing.
He suspected that the World Tree seed might have already been taken by someone.
Besides this, the冥王鬼树 also knew the location where the World Tree had transcended this world.
This world did not have a gate for transcendence. To transcend, one had to rely on their own strength to forcibly break free from the world.
The place where the World Tree attempted to transcend was not a treasure land, but rather the edge of this world, a desolate area.
If he could use time reversal, he might be able to witness the scene of the World Tree transcending.
Zheng Dong wanted to go and see.
Perhaps he could gain some insights and further strengthen himself.
Furthermore, most of the冥王鬼树's memories pertained to itself.
The冥王鬼树 had been very fortunate, awakening with totem-level strength.
Later, it had luckily discovered the resurrection methods set up by the无间阎罗王, and had stolen considerable resources and divine artifacts from within the formation's barrier.
This allowed the冥王鬼树 to rapidly grow to the level of the East Sea Dragon King in a very short period.
After becoming a Sovereign, the冥王鬼树 shed its former low profile and established the Totem Kingdom.
Unfortunately, its good days were short-lived, as it encountered Zheng Dong and his group, who arrived across time and space.
After dealing with the冥王鬼树, Zheng Dong, along with Shen Bing and Shen Xue, entered the formation barrier set up by the无间阎罗王.
There were issues with the setup here. The imprint of the无间阎罗王 within the阎罗珠 had not accumulated enough power to control the entire formation barrier, and it remained dormant within the阎罗珠.
Shen Bing and Shen Xue were not surprised.
As formation barriers aged, problems were bound to arise.
Fortunately, they had ultimately been resurrected without needing this setup.
Shen Bing and Shen Xue took out all the resources placed there, and the阎罗珠 was given to Zheng Dong.
Afterward, they left the幽冥地狱 (Netherworld Hell) and followed Zheng Dong to the edge of the world.
Looking out, they saw the ground and sky permeated with dense spatial rifts.
The world was constantly collapsing, and many collapsed world fragments were utterly destroyed and vanished.
World fragments that did not perish evolved into异世界 (other worlds) and次元空间 (dimensional spaces).
Zheng Dong quickly found the World Tree's transcendence location based on the冥王鬼树's memories.
It seemed that place would also collapse before long.
Zheng Dong hurried towards it.
This area was originally desolate, but because the World Tree had transcended here, it had altered the environment, making the energy elements here far more concentrated than in other places.
A vast forest had appeared, inhabited by many extraordinary creatures.
Upon arriving here, Zheng Dong also summoned the不死龙神 (Undying Dragon God).
"Is this the World Tree's transcendence location?" the不死龙神 asked, curiously surveying the surroundings.
Shen Bing and Shen Xue also carefully sensed the changes in the environment, trying to find points of difference from other places.
However, they found nothing particularly special.
Zheng Dong also carefully sensed the surrounding space, time, energy elements, and the power of laws.
Yet, none of these seemed special.
Just as Zheng Dong was beginning to feel disappointed, Ling'er seemed to sense something. She transformed into her elemental World Tree form, comprehending and absorbing a certain power.
Through his connection with Ling'er, Zheng Dong also discovered this special power, which likely belonged uniquely to the World Tree.
Not much of it remained here, and perhaps this power would completely disappear before long.
This was not the power of laws, nor the power of incantations, but a power exclusive to the World Tree.
This power was already comparable to the power of laws and incantations.
Zheng Dong was immediately astonished.
He realized the World Tree was far more powerful than he had imagined.
Compared to Supremes like the不死龙神, the status of a Supreme was equivalent to the laws of heaven and earth.
The World Tree, however, had already formed its own system, mastering a power comparable to innate laws.
In other words, it had become a world unto itself, its status on par with this world.
It was only a step away from transcending this world.
This also gave Zheng Dong a new understanding of transcendence.
To transcend and depart, one must master a power comparable to this world's.
This was likely no easier than resisting the calamity of epochal change.
Zheng Dong felt his trip was worthwhile.
He now needed to become a Supreme, and after becoming a Supreme, he had to comprehend and master a power comparable to laws, unique to himself, to have any hope of transcending this world.
However, he likely wouldn't have the time.
Moreover, besides the World Tree, which had the opportunity to transcend due to its early birth, Supremes like the不死龙神 likely had no hope.
After all, one world could not support multiple transcenders.
This meant Zheng Dong had no conditions for becoming a transcender.
He frowned slightly at this thought.
He couldn't use the Corridor of Time and Space to return to the beginning of the world's birth. At most, he could only return to the current timeline. Any further back in time had long since been destroyed.
He could only take things one step at a time, make plans, and first become a Supreme.
Shen Bing, Shen Xue, and the不死龙神 all noticed the change in Zheng Dong's expression and couldn't help but ask:
"Zheng Dong, did you discover something?"
Zheng Dong didn't hide it. Cultivating a power comparable to laws was extremely difficult. Even if he told the不死龙神, Shen Bing, and Shen Xue, they wouldn't be able to achieve it.
This was akin to creating one's own system and inventing a force of nature.
Therefore, Zheng Dong collected the residual World Tree power from this place and allowed Shen Bing, Shen Xue, and the不死龙神 to examine it.
Immediately, the不死龙神's eyes widened, as if perceiving something incredible.
"This... this... this isn't the power of laws, nor the power of incantations. It's a power created by the World Tree itself?"
"It should be. You've all grown to become Supremes. Every move you make is equivalent to the laws of heaven and earth, possessing immense deterrence. The World Tree should be even stronger, equivalent to the will of heaven and earth, capable of easily deterring a Sovereign like me!"
The不死龙神 nodded thoughtfully, saying:
"No wonder the Chaos Divine Phoenix and I, along with the Starry Sky Supreme, don't have the power to transcend this world. It turns out the gap between us and the World Tree is so vast!"
"It's a pity the World Tree has already departed, and we can't gain more experience," Shen Bing said.
"We don't know if the World Tree successfully transcended. If even it couldn't transcend and leave, then perhaps no one has any hope," Zheng Dong continued.
Afterward, Zheng Dong used the Corridor of Time and Space, under the guidance of the不死龙神, to attempt time reversal.
He wanted to witness the scene of the World Tree transcending.
The surrounding environment shifted like a mirage.
After a long period of change, the World Tree finally appeared.
The World Tree broke through space and appeared directly in this area.
To Zheng Dong's surprise, it wasn't a towering tree, but a small sapling.
This was a sapling Zheng Dong had never seen before. Each leaf contained terrifying power, as if nurturing a world.
The World Tree, only palm-sized, made Zheng Dong feel as if he were facing an abyss or the ocean's will. He felt like a mere plankton in the sea, utterly insignificant, with no will to resist.
Not only Zheng Dong, but the不死龙神, Shen Bing, and Shen Xue felt the same.
The World Tree's leaves vibrated, seemingly sensing them, but it paid them no mind.
It gathered its strength, attempting to transcend and depart.
This was not breaking through space, nor instantaneous teleportation, nor shattering the boundary to reach the void.
It was about breaking free from this world, requiring a confrontation with the power of the entire world and a struggle against the will of heaven and earth.
There were no terrifying scenes, nor did the will of heaven and earth appear.
The entire process was remarkably calm.
However, Zheng Dong and the不死龙神 could perceive the surge of terrifying power.
As the World Tree attempted to transcend, the operation of the entire world was affected—laws, elemental energy, time, space, everything.
At that time, no one perceived this change.
Even the不死龙神, a Supreme, was unaware.
The will of heaven and earth had blocked everyone's perception of it.
It seemed it did not desire more people to transcend.
If not for the epochal change weakening the will of heaven and earth to its absolute minimum, Zheng Dong would likely not have been able to witness this scene even with time reversal.
The World Tree struggled against this world, like a fish thrashing in a net, trying to break free.
The World Tree's form grew increasingly faint, as if it were ceasing to exist, about to vanish from this world.
Zheng Dong, the不死龙神, Shen Bing, and Shen Xue all stared intently at the scene before them, afraid of missing any detail.
They perceived the World Tree's power fluctuations and the changes in the surrounding laws of heaven and earth.
The net formed by the various powers of the world was about to fail to contain the World Tree.
The World Tree was about to break free.
But it paid a considerable price for it.
The World Tree's leaves fell one by one, and its bark became covered in spiderweb-like cracks, indicating that the World Tree was on the verge of collapse.
But the World Tree did not give up.
Finally, the net formed by the various powers of heaven and earth shattered. Even the laws were broken at this moment, losing their effect.
The World Tree was about to transcend and depart, but it seemed to have exhausted its strength, continuously collapsing and vanishing, turning into countless lights, and ceasing to be.
It was unclear whether it had transcended and left the scene formed by this world, or if the World Tree had died while struggling against the world's restraints, thus creating this image.
Zheng Dong's vision also blurred, and he almost couldn't maintain his stance.
Using time reversal to examine the World Tree's transcendence was taxing, even for him, now a Sovereign.
Fortunately, he had witnessed the World Tree's transcendence and gained considerable experience.
The不死龙神 remained silent and quickly returned to the Endless Sea within Xiao Qing's body to comprehend and cultivate.
Shen Bing and Shen Xue also gained much, but their strength had not yet recovered, so their gains were not as significant as the不死龙神's. They did not rush to cultivate.
"Zheng Dong, are you alright?" Shen Bing asked.
"I'm just a bit drained, but I'll recover soon. If you wish to cultivate, you can enter my Beast Taming Space," Zheng Dong replied.
Zheng Dong unfolded his Beast Taming Space. He had also gained much and intended to comprehend the Law of Destiny.
Because at the moment of the World Tree's transcendence, he felt all laws shatter, and the Law of Destiny had also become ineffective. This gave him a new understanding of the power of laws.
If he could comprehend it thoroughly, he would become even stronger.
Of course, it wasn't just the power of laws, but also the World Tree's power. Perhaps he could learn from the World Tree's power to create his own.
However, this was very difficult and likely required Zheng Dong to become a Supreme before he had any hope. But at least it gave him a direction for cultivation.