My informants directed me to this mountain. One that stands on the unclaimed land away from the battlefield, spirit stone mine, the lawless town, the arena, and other frequented areas. The energy is thin, but not as depleted as the small world we were in weeks ago. Still, it is not enough if I am to establish a sect here.

  While Xing'er is chasing butterflies and birds, I busy myself studying the trees, the soil, the bugs...everything around me.

  Even though there is not much to catch my attention, I can't help but feel as though something is covering up its existence. This gives me extra work as I try to find the thing that is hiding.

  After using domain sensing, I have identified a specific area where the beasts on this mountain seem to be avoiding. At first, I brush it off as unimportant but the more I get closer, the more I feel a powerful presence.

  If I were still in my immortal body, I might not have felt it. But a god's senses are more leveled than an immortal's.

  Thus, relying on this body's perception, I walk until I find myself standing in front of a small thin bamboo that looks as if any strong wind will snap it in half.

  'The cover is too miserable. You could have chosen another tree that blends with the others.'

  I close my eyes and activate the divine eye, a skill that both the soul and the body are familiar with with the advantage of more spiritual energy in this body.

  When they open, the illusion cracks like an array. Immediately, wisps of suppressing energy leak from the cracks, rushing to subdue me if not crush me. Before they can reach my body, I put up a barrier all around me, from the top, to below my feet.

  Whatever existence is hiding behind the array is of plant origins, meaning it can also use its roots to attack me.

  When the array shatters fully, my vision is filled with a large tree that is over twenty meters tall. Even taller than Xing'er's dragon form.

  I crane my neck to the sky taking several steps backward just so that I can have a better view. When it becomes impossible, I use my(borrowed) qi to lift myself off the ground.

  For a tree to grow this big, both in width and height, it must have absorbed a lot of energy from the earth and the heavens.

  But why hasn't it transformed?

  "I have already seen you."

  My words are true, but I still feel as if there is another layer to its appearance. However, the second layer is not an illusion. Maybe it intentionally changed its appearance for reasons only known by it.

  Silence.

  "How old are you? How has no one discovered you?"

  Silence.

  "If you keep acting like you can see and hear me, I will announce your existence to the world. You may be strong, but can you fight thousands of enemies on your own?"

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  I bluff, poking it so it will respond.

  Even as a demon lord, I had my tricks when dealing with prisoners who tried to resist questioning. Always go for their weakness.

  Since this tree was using such a high-level illusion array, it does not want its existence to be known.

  "What do you want?" a heavy voice asks as a face forms on its trunk. "You're the first to see through my illusion in two thousand years. You are a god, aren't you?"

  I move closer to its trunk before placing my hand on the rough surface. "This is not your real form, is it? If you have been alive for so long, why are you still stuck in this lonely mountain?"

  "Has the time come?" it asks.

  "What time?"

  "Are you not here for my core?"

  A dense frown descends on my face as I try to understand its words. The only thing I can seduce is that this tree is related to the gods. 'Should I play along?'

  "Ahem! Yes." I straighten my back. "I am here for your core. What else can you give me?"

  "I knew this moment would come."

  Suddenly, the ground starts shaking and its trunk develops a large deep crack that sounds like lightning.

  'It is about to kill itself.'

  "Wait!" I hold up my palm.

  The cracking stops. It must really hurt to be so disposable. It didn't even fight a little for its life. Just gave up everything.

  "I have changed my mind. I don't want your core. In fact, I don't even know you or whatever agreement you have with the gods."

  "You... You were tricking me!" it roars, its anger booming in the air like heavy thunder.

  No, it is more than just its voice.

  The dark clouds starting to gather from nowhere are the ones that possess the thunder. "I am not your plaything!" It roars and thunder booms from the sky. "I will fight you to death today if I have to."

  The energy within the dark clouds grows stronger and stronger before concentrating at certain points.

  'It is creating a formation. Where did it learn this? This formation looks a little familiar.'

  Running through the memories of both the body and the soul, I finally remember where I have seen this formation. It wasn't in the past but...in the future.

  This formation which draws the heavenly tribulation is the same one that will destroy the fox's world.

  I gasp looking back at the large tree. Does it know the being that will eliminate that small world? Or is it the being that will destroy it?

  A bolt of lightning flees the formation, whirling down at me at a terrifying speed.

  'Dammit! This tree is serious about fighting me to death.'

  I summon the petal from the death flower, expanding it to act as my shield and receive the impact of the lightning bolt.

  As the bolt is about to strike me, Xing'er appears above me in her dragon form.

  She opens her mouth, letting the lightning strike inside.

  "Xing'er!"

  I attempt to fly to her but she asks me not to. "Why?"

  Before I can get an answer from her, more lightning bolts descend on her, creating a bright flash of light that blurs my vision for a moment.

  "Wait for me!" I yell flying up without caring that my sight has been slightly affected.

  All I can think of is Xing'er's sacrifice. What if she gets seriously wounded because of me. Yes, I know that she is protecting her real master, but I can't help but worry.

  "Death flower, open," I murmur.

  The large petal restarts to spin around like a blade as I fly higher.

  It disperses the energy along with the blinding light before making its way straight for the formation.

  With the stability I have gained in the past weeks of training, I use half of the energy in my Dantian without caring about the backlash that I will receive due to letting out such immense power all at once.

  The spinning petal starts flowing brightly just before it collides with the array.

  *Boom*

  A large explosion resonates through the air as the two energies conflict with each other to produce a powerful wave that would be enough to knock down an immortal.

  I reach out to Xing'er as the light surrounding her dissipates, only to see her flying towards me.

  She does not look harmed even the least.

  "'Zhuren!'"

  She curls her body around me like a ball, completely shielding me from the aftermath of the explosion.

  When everything settles, Xing'er quietly unwraps herself.

  "Do you wish to continue fighting?" I ask the tree which has suffered some damage from the energy explosion. "If you want to die, then make up your mind quickly."

  "'Zhuren, look.'"

  My gaze lifts to the sky. The dark clouds have dissipated, but the energy from the petal was too much. It split open the sky, opening a rift to the void.

  From where we are, we can see the rocks floating in the void along with the lifeless worlds.

  I have unleashed the power of the technique's level nine even though I have managed to unlock a single level. 'Impressive.' But the backlash is imminent. I can already feel the fire in my Dantian.

  "Who are you?" the tree asks, earning my confident gaze.

  "I am the to-be supreme lord of his world. If you want to stay here and wait for your death, I won't bother you. But if you want to change your destiny, then, follow me. I am not promising you power but a chance to make a path for yourself."

  ***Don't forget to follow the book. It encourages me to write more knowing that people are actually reading it because I don't trust the views. Too many boys here.****