Free Web NovelChapter 352: Ghostly Hollow Tree
Tang Yin felt a touch of frustration at the unexpected turn of events.
He had not expected to utilise his full speed to escape. However, he did not want to find out what that High-tier Rank 7 Flametail Scorpion would do with its tail.
Furthermore, he was keen on avoiding any engagement with the Flametail Scorpion, knowing that such an encounter might provoke the Flametail Scorpion Mother’s wrath. The last thing he wanted was to attract the attention and ire of a Low-tier Rank 8 Demonic Beast.
In a clever move, he tapped into his hidden well of speed, propelling himself to his maximum limit for a fleeting moment. This rapid surge in velocity enabled him to quickly put a considerable distance between himself and the High-tier Rank 7 Flametail Scorpion, leaving the creature behind and escaping the territory of the Flametail Scorpion nest once and for all. free𝑤ebnovel.com
The reason he refrained from employing his full speed right from the start was his concern about attracting the Flametail Scorpion Mother’s notice.
The prospect of a cultivator soaring through her territory at the speed of Peak-stage Principle Manipulation Realm could indeed intrigue the Flametail Scorpion Mother. Such a rare supplement was rarely encountered, after all.
As a result, Tang Yin concealed his true strength until he was confident about his escape. Even if the Flametail Scorpion Mother became intrigued by him, he had already put considerable distance between them. Unless she decided to abandon her nest, chasing after him would be an impractical endeavour for her.
However, Tang Yin was careful to remember the whereabouts of the Flametail Scorpion nest. He intended to return once Xiao Fei had fully recuperated. The Flametail Scorpion Mother and her nest would make a valuable addition to the Abyss Firmament.
By now, Tang Yin had successfully traversed half of the Enflamed Desert Region.
In the distance, he noticed a sizable oasis, but he was determined to avoid interaction with humans or other cultivators. His goal was to swiftly exit the Enflamed Desert Region and proceed to the next region, on his way to the Moonlit River Sect.
From the information available to him in Tian Huang’s jade token, the Enflamed Desert Region was quite a large Region, even in the Bright Yang Continent.
The Flametail Scorpion Mother was the only Rank 8 Demonic Beast in the Enflamed Desert Region. The most perilous segment of Tang Yin’s journey through this area was behind him.
Moving forward, as long as he maintained his vigilance and concealed his presence, he could reasonably expect to transition into the next Region without trouble.
In fact, Tang Yin had not even expected to encounter the Flametail Scorpion Mother. The Enflamed Desert Region was colossal, the chances of running into the only Rank 8 Demonic Beast in the entire Region were low, yet he turned out to be quite unlucky.
Regardless, he had successfully overcome that obstacle. While he could anticipate a relatively safe passage through the remainder of the Enflamed Desert Region, Tang Yin continued to exercise caution. After all, unforeseen events could arise in an instant.
Using the Heaven Deceiving Art, Tang Yin concealed himself as a gentle warm breeze. Employing the Phantom Steps technique, he maintained a consistent and rapid pace as he continued his journey.
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After a few hours, Tang Yin successfully arrived at the next Region. His passage through the remaining part of the Enflamed Desert Region was uneventful. Despite traversing areas inhabited by Rank 7 Demonic Beasts, he managed to go unnoticed, effortlessly moving past them.
He also encountered a Principle Comprehension Realm cultivator and a few weaker ones, but he chose to ignore them, ensuring his journey remained undisturbed.
Tang Yin entered the next Region, called the Tranquil Wood Region. This Region was renowned for its lush vitality and abundant presence of Wood and Plant Principles. Despite its reputation, it was relatively small, spanning about 300 kilometres in size.
According to the details within Tian Huang’s jade token, the most formidable cultivators within the Tranquil Wood Region were only at the Peak-stage of the Principle Manipulation Realm. There were no Rank 8 or Law Domain Realm entities present in the Region.
Tang Yin had no affinity or connection with the wood element whatsoever. He was unfamiliar with the enigmatic and unpredictable techniques that cultivators with an affinity for wood possessed.
Hence, before continuing his journey, he dedicated a brief period to examining and analysing the abundant wood-infused Qi in the surroundings. Utilizing his formidable divine sense and sharp intellect, this task required a mere two hours.
Having thoroughly scrutinized the wood-infused Qi, Tang Yin then engaged the Heaven Deceiving Art, rendering himself indistinguishable from the formless essence of wood-attributed Qi.
In this state, he blended seamlessly with his surroundings, appearing as if he were an imperceptible part of the environment.
Filled with self-assurance, Tang Yin smoothly glided through the dense foliage of the Tranquil Wood Region, his movements unhindered as he advanced towards the next area on his path, ultimately guiding him closer to his destination, the Moonlit River Sect.
Before long, Tang Yin ran into some Demonic Beasts. They were quite weak, even without the Heaven Deceiving Art, they couldn’t detect Tang Yin’s presence.
An hour passed, and Tang Yin encountered his first Principle Step entity in the form of a majestic, towering tree with intricate roots. This magnificent sight before him was a High-tier Rank 6 Ghostly Hollow Tree.
The fable spoke of the Ghostly Hollow Tree’s insidious practice, where it would drain the life force from its prey to sustain its roots, ensnaring their souls within its trunk for an eternity of anguish and desolation.
Tang Yin was quite intrigued by the Ghostly Hollow Tree. They were a species of Demonic Beast unique to the Tranquil Wood Region, unable to be sighted anywhere else.
Moreover, it was known that every Ghostly Hollow Tree had the latent potential to ascend to the formidable Rank 9 level. However, the sheer magnitude of nourishment needed for such an advancement was staggering. The resources required were so immense that even a Law Creation Realm cultivator would find themselves drained of wealth should they attempt to cultivate a Ghostly Hollow Tree to such a level.
However, this discovery was indeed a remarkable one for Tang Yin. Ordinarily, a Ghostly Hollow Tree would require thousands of years of cultivation to progress to the Principle Step level, relying solely on its innate abilities.
’I need to practice the Heaven Binding Seal anyway. I might as well use it on this rare thing.’ Tang Yin saw an opportunity to capture the unique Ghostly Hollow Tree. He planned to incorporate it into the Abyss Firmament, nurturing its growth and potentially allowing it to reach Rank 8. This could even lead to the creation of an artificial Region within the Abyss Firmament.
Tang Yin believed that even if the Ghostly Hollow Tree didn’t prove to be particularly beneficial, it could still hold value as a unique and intriguing item within the Abyss Firmament, serving as a collectable and a curious souvenir.
With his decision made, Tang Yin approached the Ghostly Hollow Tree, standing upon its roots and observing it up close. Remarkably, the Ghostly Hollow Tree remained oblivious to Tang Yin’s presence, allowing him to study it without disturbance. Engrossed in its slumber, the Ghostly Hollow Tree continued to absorb the ambient wood-attributed Qi from the surrounding atmosphere in a passive manner.
Wearing a smirk, Tang Yin unleashed his immense divine sense, penetrating directly into the Beast Soul of the Ghostly Hollow Tree. Startled and alarmed, the tree abruptly awakened, its roots jerking in a panicked attempt to defend itself.
Tang Yin casually waved his arm, causing a potent surge of the Ethereal Slaughter Art’s Killing Intent to emanate from his body. The aura swiftly enveloped the Ghostly Hollow Tree, rendering it completely immobile.
"Calm yourself. From this point onward, you will serve me. I am your master." Tang Yin declared with an authoritative tone, making it clear that the Ghostly Hollow Tree had no room for objection or resistance, a fact that was indeed true given its limited power as a High-tier Rank 6 Demonic Beast.
Tang Yin employed his divine sense like a unique pen, etching an intricate symbol into the Beast Soul of the Ghostly Hollow Tree. He drew a complex symbol in a foreign language depicted by the Heaven Devouring Abyssal Sanskrit. Apparently, the symbol meant ’slave’.
Tang Yin was aware of the intense fear and despair emanating from the Beast Soul of the Ghostly Hollow Tree, yet he remained indifferent. His intention wasn’t to end its life, instead, he considered his action as bestowing upon it a tranquil and secure existence within the Abyss Firmament, an offer that would likely be coveted by any being.
"It’s not as difficult as it looks. That was actually really easy." Tang Yin muttered quietly to himself, acknowledging the relative ease of the enslavement process.
He recognized that the simplicity of subjugating the Ghost Hollow Tree was primarily due to the vast difference in strength between his own soul and that of the Demonic Beast, the latter being virtually powerless to offer any resistance.
