Yuan Ming withdrew his gaze and looked at his own arm that had turned into a tree branch, sighing as his shoulders slightly moved.

The branches that his arms had turned into quickly shrank and soon reverted back to the shape of arms.

Compared to Xi Ying's orthodox cultivation, his Ju Mang Spirit Technique encountered quite a few problems from the very beginning, as it didn't take root outside for nurturing but instead in his Dantian.

Now that the seed had grown into a small tree, it still took root in his Dantian, turning him into a being that was half-human, half-tree.

However, this wasn't entirely a bad thing. The Undying Tree and Yuan Ming's body had completely grown together, their connection much closer than that of ordinary Ju Mang Spirit Technique cultivators. The astonishing vitality of the Undying Tree flowed within his body, and the Sandman Poison in his spleen had long been neutralized.

The tempering of the Spirit Root was also better than cultivating a Spirit Plant externally.

Although the Ju Mang Spirit Technique had only completed the First Level, Yuan Ming's Spirit Root had already been considerably enhanced, and the speed at which he refined nature's spiritual energy was now no less than that of someone with three spirit roots.

Yan Sijing on the other side had not yet finished refining the elixir, so for more than a year, Yuan Ming relied solely on meditation and practice for cultivation.

With the Gathering Spirit Tree displaying its effect, the spiritual energy within the Stealing Heaven Tripod Space became even denser, surpassing any of the cultivation sacred lands he had stayed in before by quite a bit. He set up the Yimu Gathering Spirit Array he had obtained at the auction to enhance the concentration of spiritual energy.

After a year of arduous cultivation, his mana had increased significantly, steadily moving toward the Late-stage Core Formation.

Having learned the true intent of Body Cultivation from Xi Ying, in order to balance the Spirit Root and prevent problems with the Ju Mang Spirit Technique, Yuan Ming hadn't neglected his Body Cultivation exercises.

With the help of ample Blood Origin Power, his Demon Image Prison Suppression Skill had also improved a lot, and he was not far from achieving the Innate Body.

As for Soul Cultivation, the progress was minor.

It wasn't due to Yuan Ming's negligence; rather, this Time Cave Secret Realm cut off most of the Desire Power from the outside world, with only a tiny fraction being able to penetrate inside and not playing a significant role.

Fortunately, Yuan Ming had thought of this issue in time and had brought Yun Jiuxiao, Bing Xin, and White Scale Master into the Time Cave before.

Bing Xin and Yun Jiuxiao prayed daily, providing Desire Power.

However, White Scale Master and the others were becoming increasingly perfunctory towards their prayers to the Lord Nether Moon God, worshipping sporadically and not earnest in attitude, which resulted in not much Desire Power being produced.

"These Nascent Soul cultivators are all so proud, it seems necessary to suppress them and fully subdue them," Yuan Ming thought to himself. He sat down on the White Jade Lotus Platform, and his Divine Sense descended along Yun Jiuxiao's Desire Power anchor point.

In the secret realm within a pair of twin peaks, White Scale Master, Queen Ming Kong, and a stout man from the Water Ape Clan had each established a Cave Mansion for cultivation.

Underneath the twin peaks lay a human-head-sized piece of blue jade, drawing spiritual energy from all directions, making the spiritual energy of the Twin Peaks much denser than other places.

"This blue jade is the Gathering Spirit Stone…" Yuan Ming's expression stirred slightly.

Yun Jiuxiao and Bing Xin were also there, with the Cave Mansions they opened up situated in a corner of the Twin Peaks, far from the Gathering Spirit Stone.

Yuan Ming observed the Gathering Spirit Stone for a moment with his Divine Sense and quickly moved on, enveloping White Scale Master.

White Scale Master was forming hand seals, practicing a secret technique of the Snake-man Clan when the vast cover of Divine Sense descended, startling him immediately.

"Lord Nether Moon God!"

"Hmm, you still remember there's a Lord Nether Moon God? Have you been conducting the promised prayers four times a day recently?" Yuan Ming said slowly.

"This…" White Scale Master's face stiffened.

Initially very wary of the Nether Moon God, White Scale Master's concerns declined after the drastic changes on Lank Immortal Island. They escaped into the Time Cave, but the Nether Moon God had not shown up at all, nor was there any sign of activity.

After consulting privately with Queen Ming Kong and the stout man from the Water Ape Clan, White Scale Master concluded that the Lord Nether Moon God most likely did not enter the Time Cave, so they became lax in their prayers. Little did they know that the Nether Moon God would come looking for them today!

"Lord Nether Moon God, please forgive me. It's not that I wasn't diligent, but recent affairs have been so numerous that I neglected my prayers…" White Scale Master hurriedly said.

"Is that so?" Yuan Ming sneered coldly, his powerful Divine Soul casting Illusion Techniques and invoking the help of the All Living Beings' Dream Rune.

A tremendous Illusion Power descended from the sky, forcibly tearing through White Scale Master's Sea of Consciousness defenses and invading his Divine Soul.

Yuan Ming was capable of plunging White Scale Master into an illusion with the aid of Desire Power while casting illusions before, and now that his Dream Butterfly Illusion Technique had significantly advanced and he had begun to grasp the All Living Beings' Dream Rune, his Illusion Technique power had greatly increased. White Scale Master immediately fell into an illusion.

He found himself in a white space, his body bound by thick chains, with countless blades shooting from the void, piercing every inch of his body.

"Ahh…" White Scale Master let out a wretched scream.

The blade attacks did not stop, with waves of blades coming from all directions, piercing White Scale Master's body time and again without giving him a moment to breathe.

The flow of time within the white space was peculiarly strange, as if it had halted altogether, making the pain of thousands of blades piercing the body feel eternal and leading to despair.

The Dream Butterfly Illusion Technique had reached the Illusion Dream Realm level and could now control the flow of time within the Illusion Space. A moment outside could lead to days passing inside the Illusion Space, and no matter how steadfast one's will, it could not withstand the continuous torment.

White Scale Master was just like that, enduring a day and a night before his will finally completely collapsed.

However, at that moment, his vision blurred, and his consciousness returned to his physical body.

White Scale Master trembled uncontrollably, his whole body covered in cold sweat, gasping for breath, and it took a while for his collapsed consciousness to recover.

"I thank Lord Nether Moon God for your mercy…" At this moment, White Scale Master finally understood the might of the Nether Moon God's divine skills—it would take almost no effort for the deity to kill him.

"From now on, pray five times a day without any negligence, or else I won't be as lenient as I was today!" Yuan Ming's voice was icy cold.

"Yes." White Scale Master's body shook as he knelt on the ground.

"As long as you worship sincerely, I will not treat you unfairly. I'm well aware of your circumstances. After thirty years, I will have a way for you to leave the Three Immortals Island," Yuan Ming said.

He sought Desire Power and could not simply suppress others; the right approach was to offer a sweet jujube after a beating.

"Really? Thank you, Lord Nether Moon God!" White Scale Master exclaimed joyfully upon hearing this and immediately knelt down again.

This time his gratitude was genuine and heartfelt.

Thirty years might seem long, but for a Nascent Soul cultivator, it was only enough to study one or two secret techniques, and a significant increase in strength was simply not possible.

The existence of the Undead Demon Tree had always been a heavy burden on his heart, and now Lord Nether Moon God had actually promised to take them away from Three Immortals Island!

White Scale Master was somewhat skeptical of Nether Moon God's boasting, but given the god's formidable strength, as long as he could help deal with the Undead Demon Tree, White Scale Master was willing to worship him day after day.

Yuan Ming's Divine Sense shifted away, settling on the Water Ape Clan's strong man and Queen Ming Kong, swiftly cajoling and reassuring them in turn to gain two substantial streams of Desire Power.

He was quite pleased and was about to withdraw his Divine Sense when he suddenly remembered something and connected his Divine Sense with another person.

In a cave mansion within a mountain hollow dozens of miles away, a figure stood up, it was Long Chong.

"I have a task for you…" Yuan Ming said.

"Yes, I shall heed the sacred command!" Long Chong replied reverently after listening and walked outside, quickly arriving at another cave mansion.

"Senior Shi, I have something to report," he said respectfully.

One year after settling down in the secret realm, Yuan Ming had released Long Chong and informed him of how his father had been captured by the Undead Demon Tree.

After grieving, Long Chong resolved to take revenge on the Undead Demon Tree.

Seizing the opportunity, Yuan Ming guided him to join the Moon Sect, and, feeling weak, Long Chong agreed without hesitation.

Since Thousand Dragon Island and Red Leaf Island had some connections, Yuan Ming sent Long Chong to stay with Shi Yanshi and the other two for protection and also to keep an eye on them.

"This matter is of great importance; may I come in to discuss further?" Long Chong asked.

"Certainly, come in," replied Shi Yanshi, a bit surprised.

Long Chong walked into the cave mansion and soon arrived in a stone chamber.

The floor of the stone chamber was engraved with a red Array, filled with numerous fiery Spirit Stones, with a huge Artifact Refining Furnace erected above the Array, currently enveloped by surging spirit flames, seemingly refining a Magic Treasure.

"Long lad, just speak your mind," Shi Yanshi said, looking a little tired.

"Senior Shi, are you refining a magical treasure? Since that's the case, I'll keep it brief. What I have to disclose is related to the Undead Demon Tree and the situation outside," Long Chong said with a slight bow.

Upon hearing this, Shi Yanshi's expression turned serious.

"That Undead Demon Tree is overwhelmingly powerful. Feeling my own strength to be too weak, some time ago I was introduced and joined the Nether Moon God Sect..." Long Chong repeated the same reasons Yun Jiuxiao had given when guiding White Scale Master and others to join the Moon Sect and also told Shi Yanshi about the destruction of Fusang Island.

Shi Yanshi's face turned pale upon hearing these details.

"Are you certain?" he asked, his gaze sharp as a knife.

"I wouldn't dare deceive you about such a significant matter. This is the Imprint Talisman given to me by Lord Nether Moon God, which records the current state of Fusang Island," Long Chong said, taking out an Imprint Talisman and passing it over.

Shi Yanshi's Divine Sense dived into it, and his expression changed once again. He halted his refining, called over Aunt Wan Hua and Old Man Hei Zhu, and repeated the information.

They too were taken aback upon hearing it.

"Young Master Long, what is Lord Nether Moon God's purpose in informing us of this news?" Old Man Hei Zhu inquired.

"Lord Nether Moon God possesses vast Divine Skills and can transfer items from the secret realm to the outside. All three seniors are island masters, and given that the outside situation is changing rapidly, Lord Nether Moon God said he could help send out your commands and items, to prevent Yuzhu Island, Red Leaf Island, and Wanhua Island from being affected by the chaos," Long Chong explained.

At this news, joy appeared on the faces of the trio.

"We are truly grateful if Lord Nether Moon God can help us in this way. But we are not sure what price we need to pay," Aunt Wan Hua inquired.

"The Moon God Sect is now spreading its influence throughout the East Sea, and Lord Nether Moon God hopes that the three seniors will believe in the Nether Moon God and join our Sect," Long Chong revealed.

"Join the Moon God Sect..." Old Man Hei Zhu and Shi Yanshi did not find this surprising.

"Lord Nether Moon God also mentioned that he can ensure the three seniors leave Three Immortals Island safely," Long Chong then threw out another piece of significant news.

Upon hearing this, all three of them abruptly stood up.

"This matter is of great importance; may we speak with Lord Nether Moon God directly?" asked Old Man Hei Zhu after pondering for a moment, and after exchanging glances with the other two, he continued.

"Of course," Long Chong replied.

Yuan Ming couldn't help but smile as his vast Divine Sense enveloped them.

Old Man Hei Zhu and the others had their vision blur and entered an Illusion Space.

A quarter of an hour later, Long Chong left the cave mansion and returned to his own dwelling to continue his cultivation.

Within the Stealing Heaven Tripod Space, three more robust Desire Power streams were conveyed to him.

Yuan Ming revealed a satisfied smile, sat cross-legged, refined and absorbed the three new streams of Desire Power, and his Soul Power progressed rapidly.

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