Chapter 144: The World Tree's Escape

Perhaps the other party had discovered their presence all along.

They were merely being treated like clowns, not worth the other party’s attention at all. The real ants, as it turned out, were themselves.

At this moment, in the very center of the mysterious yellow sea of clouds, a rain of blood began to manifest. Throughout the entire Tianwu World, a slow recovery was underway, with strands of mysterious yellow mist rising from the earth. These vapors billowed up from the ground, gathered in the sky, and eventually flowed toward the World Tree.

Suddenly, the sea of yellow clouds, which had nearly vanished, grew dense once more. Though not as thick as before, it was steadily improving. The World Tree stretched out its branches, striving to absorb the energy to strengthen itself.

"No!" one of the many True Immortals suddenly cried out, his face turning pale. "The World Tree is actually regaining its vitality!"

His shout brought the others to their senses. Indeed, the World Tree, which had been drooping and lifeless, was now sprouting fresh buds, as if it were being resurrected.

"This is bad! At this rate, we won't have much time left. Once nourished by the essence and blood of ten Profound Immortals, this tree will soon be restored to its original state... By then, it will be impossible for us to seize it!" Yang Li said, his face filled with anxiety.

Shen Bing stared at the scene, his eyes deep and unreadable as he contemplated their next move. After a long while, he spoke: "We strike now. We must be swift, take the tree, and leave. Whatever happens to the Tianwu World afterward is none of our concern!"

They had come for the World Tree in the first place. If they were to uproot it and carry it away, the Tianwu World would collapse in an instant. Without the World Tree, the Tianwu World could not exist independently and would simply merge with other realms, forming a new world altogether. This was exactly what they desired: the fusion of all lower realms. While such a world would still pale in comparison to the Immortal World, it was more than sufficient and an indispensable part of their plan.

With this in mind, Shen Bing stepped forward. "Everyone, form the formation! We must subdue this tree!"

They had to act now; they could not stand by and watch the World Tree return to its former glory. Hearing Shen Bing’s command, the True Immortals immediately took their positions. They began to weave hand seals, and a soul-shaking power surged from their palms. Shen Bing followed suit, channeling the spiritual energy within his body. Before long, all their powers were unified.

Once their combined strength stabilized, Shen Bing reached into his pocket and produced a pitch-black jar. The material of the jar was unrecognizable, appearing far from ordinary. Under the collective gaze of the group, the gathered spiritual energy flowed into the black jar. Suddenly, it began to grow in Shen Bing’s hands. It expanded until it seemed to become a dome of the heavens itself.

The jar, as if imbued with life, descended toward the World Tree. The yellow sea of clouds churned violently, as if in the face of some horrific catastrophe. The World Tree seemed to sense the danger. In an instant, all the yellow mist on the ground condensed, manifesting as chains of order, attempting to contend with the black jar hanging above.

The World Tree was the pillar of this world, and the power of its order chains was fearsome; yet, the Tianwu World had only just endured a massive upheaval. Even if it were currently recovering, it required time. How much time had passed since the battle? Even if the World Tree possessed the will, it had no strength left to spare to contest the jar. The chains of order clattered in the air, but more tragically, even these formidable chains were too weak to resist the jar’s descent.

The black jar fell, poised to engulf the World Tree. But at that very second, the World Tree refused to be taken so easily. In the next heartbeat, it began to sink into the ground. Within a few breaths, it had vanished from the yellow sea of clouds. The True Immortals nearby were left stunned, not knowing what had happened.

"Quick! Stop the tree!"

"This is bad! It’s trying to escape; we cannot let it get away!" Yang Li shouted.

"Escape? The Tianwu World is only so big—where could it possibly go?"

"Rest assured, it cannot escape," another True Immortal sneered.

The World Tree was a being with its own consciousness and intent. When faced with danger, it could devise ways to save itself. They had encountered such situations before. Even if it tried to flee, it would change nothing. The World Tree belonged to this world; it had no way to escape to another realm. Moreover, without the yellow sea of clouds as a source of replenishment, the fleeing World Tree would soon perish from energy exhaustion.

At this moment, the World Tree of the Tianwu World was moving with incredible speed, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

"Pursue it!" the True Immortals roared.

Simultaneously, they unleashed their power, controlling the black jar in the sky as they gave chase to the fleeing World Tree. However, they were soon shocked by the direction in which the tree was heading.

"Why does it look like the World Tree is fleeing toward the Southern Barbarian lands?" Yang Li stared in bewilderment.

At these words, all the True Immortals froze instantly. The Southern Barbarian lands were no longer the place they once were; they were now forbidden territory. Even they dared not venture there! Furthermore, since ten Profound Immortals had already perished in the Southern Barbarian lands, who would dare to intrude? Was that not simply walking to one's death?

"Everyone, give it your all! Catch the World Tree before it enters the reaches of the Southern Barbarian lands!"

"Focus your minds and control your power! We strike with everything we have!" Shen Bing said in a deep, stern voice.

Spurred by his command, every True Immortal present burned their internal essence to the absolute limit. They desperately pushed the black jar, exhausting every ounce of their strength to catch up to the World Tree. They knew that once it crossed into the Southern Barbarian lands, they would have no options left. After all, they had no desire to throw their lives away! Every one of them burned their life essence, hoping to boost their cultivation and propel the black jar faster.