Nine Star Hegemon Body Art (WN)

Last time, after the Heavenly Fiend Prefecture’s battle, Long Chen and the others had gained countless corpses. However, Xia Chen and Guo Ran needed to perform maintenance on the Dragonblood warriors’ weapons and armor afterward, as well as prepare for the Esoteric Spirit World’s conquest, so they didn’t have time to deal with the corpses.

Since that was the case, those corpses were still in their hands, waiting to go through their processing before being given to Long Chen.

This time, Long Chen got the corpses of five Saints, so he carefully stowed those remains away, refraining from directly tossing them into the black soil. Otherwise, Guo Ran and Xia Chen would never forgive him.

Even the corpses of Eternal experts were regarded as priceless treasures in their eyes, signifying that the corpses of Saints were more than enough to drive them crazy. Xia Chen, in particular, could use the essence blood of Saints to craft Saint-level talismans capable of unleashing an attack on the level of a Saint’s blow.

Long Chen first put away the corpses. Only once they were safely within the primal chaos space did he relax.

As the battle approached the end, the Dragonblood Legion focused on guarding the gate, while the Earth Spirit race pursued the remnants alongside Gu Yang, Li Qi, Song Mingyuan, and the others.

However, finding all the leftovers would take some time. Fortunately, no one was in a rush. Xia Chen had already set up a formation to repair the barrier. Once restored, the Esoteric Spirit World would once again be sealed off from the Darklight Heaven.

There was no longer a need for more experts to be fighting, so Long Chen, Yu Qingxuan, and Bai Shishi followed Ye Ling and Ye Xue to the Earth Spirit race’s ancestral land.

This once beautiful wonderland now lay in ruins, with rivers tainted by dirty water and the air filled with the stench of decay. Countless corpses of wild birds and beasts floated in the contaminated waters, evoking tears from Ye Ling and Ye Xue.

Similar to the Spirit race, the Earth Spirit race would create a beautiful home wherever they went. As they liked purity, the rear mountains of the High Firmament Academy had been turned into a wonderland by them.

Having dwelled in this land for countless years, the Earth Spirit race had cultivated it into a home. Witnessing its degradation to its current state evoked a surge of anger, even in outsiders like Long Chen.

The devastation was done by the Corrupt Blood Tree Demons. Only they had the power to so quickly turn a thriving land into a land of death.

Ye Ling and Ye Xue pressed forward with tears in their eyes, and they quickly saw a large mountain. At the top of the mountain stood a single tee. While not exceptionally tall, its crown was vast, resembling a giant mushroom that covered the entire mountain.

The size of the crown was greater than any other tree Long Chen had ever seen, almost comparable to a prefecture. However, this enormous tree was dying, its leaves yellow and wilted.

Seeing this scene, Ye Ling and Ye Xue wept uncontrollably. This was their holy tree, the source of the Earth Spirit race’s faith energy.

It was thanks to the protection of this holy tree that the Earth Spirit race had managed to repel their enemies countless times. It was what allowed Ye Ling to safeguard her people even under the attacks of two Saints.

During the last confrontation, when those two Saints managed to recruit a third Saint, the holy tree had exhausted its power to shield the Earth Spirit race.

The battle used up its core energy rapidly. Once it was all exhausted, the holy tree would die, and the Earth Spirit race would be slaughtered. Faced with this dire situation, Ye Ling made the difficult choice to flee the Esoteric Spirit World. Without the need for the holy tree’s protection, its precious energy could be conserved for self-defense. This strategy would temporarily render it impervious even to the combined might of three Saints.

However, Ye Ling hadn’t expected those bastards to collude with the Corrupt Blood Tree Demon race. Now, their sacred land was tainted, and the holy tree’s core was damaged.

If they had returned a few days later, it wouldn’t just be their sacred land that was destroyed; their holy tree would be dead as well.

When Ye Ling and Ye Xue appeared, divine light fell from the holy tree like comforting hands caressing their faces.

This poignant scene only intensified the tears streaming down Ye Ling and Ye Xue’s faces. In a sudden gesture, Ye Xue formed hand seals, unleashing the aura of a Doyen. She used her own core energy to heal the holy tree.

However, two rays of holy light suddenly descended and disrupted her efforts. The holy tree prevented her from continuing her actions.

“It’s useless. The holy tree’s core has been corroded. We still came back too late,” said Ye Ling as she wept helplessly.

Bai Shishi and Yu Qingxuan’s eyes were red. They too felt a profound sense of sorrow. The Corrupt Blood Tree Demon race was truly hateful. How could there be such a vile lifeform in this world?

“Long Chen, what are you doing?”

Bai Shishi suddenly noticed Long Chen walking forward alone. He approached the rear of the mountain where a bottomless hole was located, and black liquid bubbled inside.

“Helping it recover.”

Long Chen smiled. He then dipped his hand into the black hole, and white flames burst out of his hand.

In an instant, the black liquid ignited, burning and freezing at the same time. Following that, giant chunks of ice were thrown out of the hole.

Witnessing this, Ye Ling and Ye Xue were overjoyed. Though they had nearly given up hope, Long Chen reassured them that he could aid the holy tree’s recovery.

The holy tree had stopped Ye Xue from healing it, telling her that she didn’t need to waste the effort. However, that didn’t mean that Long Chen couldn’t do it. Ye Xue had absolute confidence in Long Chen.

Ever since Long Chen had taken one of her Sacred Light Pistils and then returned a Snow Lotus Pill that allowed her to directly awaken as a Doyen, she trusted him fully.

Suddenly, explosive sounds came from underneath, as if something was roaring with fury. Ye Ling cried out, “How hateful! It’s the Corrupt Blood Tree Demon’s Saint seal!”

When Long Chen froze the black water and tossed it out, they realized that this hole surrounded the holy tree’s main root.

Countless black marks were now etched into the main root, exuding an evil aura indicative of the ongoing corrosion. The black liquid was the result of the corrosion.

Long Chen’s expression changed after seeing those marks. They resembled a seal, akin to putting maggots on bone. If he were to forcibly destroy them, it would damage the holy tree’s core, potentially leading to its destruction.

Fortunately, Xia Chen could help Long Chen with this issue. He was busy guarding the exit, so they sent an urgent message to him. In just a moment, he quickly arrived, and upon seeing this seal, he used multiple methods and finally succeeded in undoing it.

Countless members of the Earth Spirit race had already gathered at this location, and they all prostrated themselves toward Xia Chen, viewing him as a deity. This admiration filled Xia Chen with immense pride.

After this seal was undone, Long Chen formed hand seals, and the space behind him split open. Soil then poured out, carrying the essence of primal chaos.

When the divine soil filled the area around the holy tree, it quivered. Following that, a scene that stunned the Earth Spirit race’s experts occurred.