54: Nether Crystal Soul

"Sister, is this the warning you left for me? Alas, we were born within the Tree King's Law Domain, and we no longer have a choice."

There is only one option: fight to the death."

In Bao Hua's mind, a graceful figure identical to her own appeared.

A Spiritual Plant, bearing two twin flowers.

The sole Demon Lord of the Bao Hua Domain was not her before.

At the same time, the other Demon Lords made their choices.

"Hehehe, Magnetic Force, the hope of leaving this area lies here. I accept."

"Great Compassion Tree King... Heh, what a joke of a father. How many Demon Lords considered him their father before, only to disappear shortly after entering the Tree King Domain?"

"My cultivation has reached the Peak of the Demon Lord realm. According to the rules, he will probably make a move against me soon.

Then let's take a gamble."

...In the blink of an eye, ten days passed, and Li Jiangchen arrived at the edge of the Tree King Domain.

Before him, intertwined vines covered an area of ten thousand li.

Only one towering giant tree emerged from within, piercing straight into the clouds.

"This is the place..."

Li Jiangchen took out the Medium Grade and Low Grade nectar he had collected over the past few days, stacking them into a pyramid shape.

The next moment, the vines in front of the Tree King Domain seemed to come alive, wriggling and swallowing the nectar, revealing a huge opening.

Seizing the opportunity, Li Jiangchen stepped in. Looking back, the vines intertwined behind him, and the opening quickly closed.

Scanning his surroundings, the canopy transformed into an emerald green sky, with giant ancient trees everywhere. Their bodies were covered in pores, continuously drawing Origin Qi from the heavens and earth, transforming it into dense Yimu Essence Qi that spewed forth, almost solidifying into liquid.

"This place is truly a Holy Land for wood demons to cultivate. Cultivating here for one year is equivalent to a hundred years outside."

Li Jiangchen looked towards the horizon. A giant tree spanned the sky, with white clouds and mist barely encircling half of its trunk. A strange cry came from afar, and flocks of white-feathered birds flew out from the tree, like a scene from an immortal realm.

However, upon closer inspection, he noticed something unusual.

The left branch of the giant tree was mottled, covered with dense black spots, and its leaves were withered and yellow, emitting a strong Death Qi.

"Death Qi... It seems that the remnant body of that Ancient Demon was indeed suppressed by the Great Compassion Tree King.

However, it looks like the backlash is significant."

Li Jiangchen spread his Demon Kingdom, black mist permeated, manifesting figures of demon souls.

Ancient Spirit, riding on Fenghu's back, was yawning when her delicate nose suddenly twitched. She sniffed hard, and surprise appeared in her eyes.

"Oh? Such pure Death Qi."

She suddenly took a deep breath, her chest and abdomen swelling, and a faint mysterious light radiated from her body. Immediately, the Death Qi mixed in with the Yimu Essence Qi was drawn towards her.

Three breaths later, Ancient Spirit let out a satisfied burp and licked her lips contentedly: "Such a familiar feeling. This place... I seem to have been here before."

Li Jiangchen smiled: "To be precise, you haven't been here, but returned.

According to Spirit Lord Gu Rong, the remnant body of the Ancient Demon that was suppressed back then took advantage of the Magnetic Force's eruption, creating a gap in the Seal, and split into countless remnant souls, many of which escaped from this place.

One of those remnant souls was you."

Hearing this, Ancient Spirit clutched her head, her face showing a struggling and painful expression.

"What, did you remember something?" Li Jiangchen asked expectantly.

The next instant, Ancient Spirit tilted her head and said calmly, "Uh... nothing at all."

Bang!

Li Jiangchen flicked Ancient Spirit's forehead, sending her flying several zhang away. Ancient Spirit rubbed her forehead, grimacing in pain.

"You're sensitive to Death Qi, so go find the Death Domain. It'll save me from running around like a headless fly," Li Jiangchen's words drifted from ahead.

"Yes, Master." Ancient Spirit mounted Fenghu and quickly chased after him.

A moment later.

A gray and white region appeared before his eyes. Trees there were withered, the land was dry, and not even a small insect could be seen. Yet, a cluster of peculiar black flowers grew on the ground, starkly different from the surrounding vibrant greenery.

"Is that the Death Domain...?"

Li Jiangchen stepped in, and immediately, feelings of despair, frustration, and many other negative emotions arose in his heart. In an instant, a hint of world-weariness even emerged.

"Immortal Sword Intent, suppress!"

The golden Immortal Sword Intent swept through his mind, obliterating the negative emotions, and his eyes became cold and sharp.

"What a strange place. Even with my second-order Peak Immortal Sword Intent, my mind can be swayed.

If an ordinary Human Race Martial Artist in the Quenching Fiend Realm were to step in here, they would probably be engulfed by despair and immediately draw their sword to commit suicide."

"The source... is that flower emitting Death Qi."

Clang—

A sword broke through the air, transforming into a Crescent Moon, instantly piercing into the cluster of black flowers. However, it felt like a mud ox entering the sea, or punching cotton.

The next moment, the black flower wriggled, and the Death Qi turned into black smoke, floating in the Void Realm. Its shape constantly changed, eventually transforming into a strange, drooling, three-headed hellhound tens of zhang tall.

Its aura was formidable, even exuding a pressure close to that of a Peak Demon Lord.

A Crescent Moon-shaped Sword Qi wound appeared on its central head, but it was recovering at a visible speed.

"It's a Nether Beast!" Ancient Spirit exclaimed.

"Nether Beast?"

"There was information about this beast in the remnant soul of the Ancient Demon Demon Lord I devoured earlier.

A Nether Beast is a manifestation of extremely condensed Death Qi. It has a nether crystal inside; as long as the nether crystal is not lost, the Nether Beast is immortal."

As soon as her voice fell, the three-headed hellhound suddenly charged, its giant claws covered in dense Death Qi, sweeping down like an overwhelming tide.

Boom—

The ground collapsed, dust flew, and a giant claw print appeared on the ground.

Tens of zhang away, Li Jiangchen's figure appeared: "What incredible speed, even more troublesome than an ordinary Demon Lord."

The next moment, his eyes narrowed. He saw the three-headed hellhound in the distance all turn their gazes towards him, and suddenly spew a black flame from their mouths.

Within the flames, countless beings seemed to wail, manifesting distorted, pained faces.

"Chaos Heaven Sword."

A hazy sword light transformed into a thin line, streaking across the sky, and the next moment, it violently tore through the black flames that filled the air.

The sword light swept past the central head of the three-headed hellhound, splitting it cleanly in two. The power of indestructibility contained within the Sword Qi erupted, and the remains exploded, leaving no bones behind.

A dark, bean-sized crystal floated in the Void Realm, slowly absorbing the surrounding residual Death Qi, and faintly began to take on the shape of a hellhound again.

"Master, that's the nether crystal," Ancient Spirit quickly said.

Whoosh—

The Demon Kingdom expanded, instantly suppressing the trembling nether crystal, dispersing the surrounding Death Qi, and slowly drifting towards Li Jiangchen.

A few breaths later, the nether crystal was in his hand, as dark as ink inside, seemingly permeated by an incomparably pure Death Qi.

The moment its aura was isolated, the residual black flowers on the ground instantly dissipated, and the surrounding Yimu Essence Qi diffused back.

Visibly, the trees and ground regained vitality, turning emerald green.

"What's this thing for?" Li Jiangchen held the nether crystal between two fingers. Sunlight shone through it, creating a kaleidoscopic black sheen.

"Replying to Master. This item is the essence crystal of Death Qi. For Ancient Demons, it's a great tonic." As she spoke, Ancient Spirit drooled, wishing she could snatch it and eat it.

"Is that its only effect?" Li Jiangchen asked, puzzled.

This item was the essence of a Peak Demon Lord-level being. To feed it to an Ancient Demon would be too much of a waste.

Hearing this, Ancient Spirit wiped her drool and said, "Actually, if the nether crystal is placed on the forehead, it can also absorb the Soul Power it contains, strengthening one's spirit.

However, the Death Qi contained within it is highly toxic to other living beings. If fully absorbed, it will damage the Divine Soul."

Master, you can give this nether crystal to me. After I absorb the Death Qi essence within it, the remaining Soul Power will be perfect for you to absorb."

Li Jiangchen nodded, tossing it in an arc.

A moment later, the cool soul crystal touched his forehead. Li Jiangchen felt a cold sensation enter his mind, and he perceived his soul sea rapidly growing stronger.

Crack—

The nether crystal cracked and turned into powder, dissipating.

"One nether crystal expanded my soul sea by several tenths, and increased my spiritual perception range to two hundred zhang."

Suddenly, his gaze turned cold as he looked into the distance, sensing a faint, obscure aura.