BOOM!!!

A striking arc of purple-red flame wings engulfed in lightning burst forth from Song Yan's hand, instantly igniting the pursuing poison creatures and strange birds, transforming them into countless sparks falling into the forest.

The fiery wings continued to sweep and cut, and wherever they passed, many tree beings were engulfed in flames before they could react, burning intensely.

The forest, which was quiet a moment ago, now boiled over utterly in an instant.

The tree beings sprang from the ground, searching for the culprit, and the ancient forest's central towering tree being opened its eyes.

As soon as those eyes opened, a booming sound echoed from deep underground.

Song Yan stood suspended in the air, a grave expression on his face, with the image of the white-robed Immortal appearing behind him.

The Immortal gripped a sword in one hand, while Song Yan in front of him continued to cast the "Thunderbolt Fire Phoenix Devouring Technique" with full concentration on the ground.

The wood beast's regeneration ability was exceedingly strong; although he temporarily crushed it with the One Step to Heaven technique, it was likely to recover quickly.

BOOM!!

A massive hand woven from tree roots broke through with poisonous mist, reaching for Song Yan.

Song Yan's thoughts were interrupted; his pupils contracted tightly, and almost simultaneously, the white-robed Immortal slashed a sword, the Sword Qi passing through the flames, and purple lightning descended from the heavens.

The Sword Qi crisscrossed with thunder and fire, colliding fiercely with the poisonous giant tree hand, causing intense energy ripples that shredded the approaching poison creatures or the weaker trees nearby.

Amidst this collision, the poisonous fumes surged forward; Song Yan retreated. The palm of the tree being left a scar from the slash, thunder and fire madly penetrating the wound, but soon extinguished by the intertwining roots, then healing. Many sparks erupted like a volcanic explosion, triggering waves of fire where they landed.

At this moment, another tree hand emerged from the ground, reaching out to grasp Song Yan.

Song Yan swung his sword again.

The third hand...

The fourth hand...

The hundred-foot Divine Infant Wood Beast transformed into a multi-armed giant.

Song Yan used his Escape Technique, drifting like a ghost among these palms, continuously swinging out Thunderfire Sword Qi.

The regeneration ability of the Divine Infant tree person was terrifying; no matter how much damage Song Yan inflicted or how much thunderfire drenched its surface, it could rapidly recover.

But Song Yan did not despair and continued these actions ceaselessly.

As time passed, this special ancient forest area had become completely ignited.

The regenerative power of the Divine Infant tree person also began to weaken.

After a full day and night, when a streak of Thunderfire Sword Light descended from the sky again, the Divine Infant tree person could not sustain and was split in two without healing.

Song Yan exhaled a long breath, then focused his mind, expanding the "Yin Mansion Sacrificial Array" initially limited to the cave entrance, to envelop the Divine Infant tree person, extending several miles outward, while throwing in more Profound Crystals to maintain the array's operation.

Song Yan overlooked the area of the Celestial Calamity Wood Beast, accelerating the array's operation.

"Refinement!"

...

...

Strands of life energy were sacrificed, absorbed by both Song Yan and the Nether Tree.

This energy was extraordinarily pure due to the presence of the Divine Infant tree person, and the absorption by both lasted a full half-year.

By late winter, a heavy snow buried the mountain forest here, covering all remnants of the forest fire's charred wood, finally bringing things to an end.

Here was originally in the wilderness, and there had been no one around for some time; even if someone were around, they would simply view it as a wildfire and think nothing more of it.

During this time, Song Yan gradually narrowed the sacrificial array's range, and new trees quickly grew on the outskirts, bringing with them new small creatures.

The forest he destroyed was only a part of this vast forest; now it had begun to exhibit new vitality, but it was common vitality, not the ancient Wood Beast tree beings.

At this point, branches had appeared on the black sapling of Po Xu, whose daily production of Netherworld's Qi was more than half a month before, yet all were trapped within the sacrificial array without spilling over.

The white-robed Immortal on Song Yan's "Free Celestial Demon Map" had also changed: the previously blank pupils were now complete, becoming a pair of eyes that, although closed, were now whole.

With all his power, Song Yan could barely pry them open a crack, and he understood their power: Immorality!

These were the "eyes of a Demon Monk who comprehended the true meaning of immorality."

Monks abstain from deceit, killing, and immorality, yet Demon Monks are the opposite.

Among Celestial Demons, cannibalization is indeed one path; another path, however, is the sacrifice of life to evolve on its own.

This Immoral Demon Monk is no stronger than the Killing Demon Monk or the Deceitful Demon Monk, but when the three combine, there is an overall increase in strength.

Killing can enhance physical power, deceit can widen the fractures in a person's heart, while immorality... can pry open the defenses of the heart, causing a heart without fractures to develop them, forming a loop.

At this time, Song Yan suddenly understood more.

'One could say, every Cultivation Realm is the hunting ground for Celestial Demons, and when the Dark Calamity Era truly comes, it will be even worse.'

'In the Dark Calamity Era, mortals will perish from the horrors spawned by Celestial Calamity Beasts and Netherworld's Qi, while cultivators will be targeted by Celestial Demons.'

'Celestial Demons will not bother to sacrifice ordinary people, as it's meaningless; only strong, pure life energy will promote their evolution.'

Standing at this turning point of a new era, Song Yan, through his own experiences and logical deduction, gradually understood the characteristics of this era:

In the early stage of this era...

Mortals and ordinary cultivators must hide from Celestial Calamity Beasts; in the late stage, if the world holds, they must hide from Netherworld's Qi. Either way, whether before or after, death is inevitable.

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