Chapter 988: Recruiting

Zhu Xuan was momentarily taken aback. If he had eyebrows, they would have furrowed deeply.

"Hmph, whether you're lying or not, I'll know after I kill you."

A section of bamboo pierced through the void, streaking toward Li Qing's position.

Thanks to his powerful divine soul, Li Qing sensed the attack instantly. A pair of black wings materialized behind him, and he dodged with lightning speed.

This is getting troublesome. The Twisted Treant was already difficult enough to handle, and now several more formidable Tree Demons have arrived.

Both the Heavenly Sword Grass and this jade bamboo were clearly formidable foes, worthy of being called supreme among their peers.

The Tree Demon Clan's ambitions in the Heavenlight Secret Realm were clearly vast, having dispatched so many elites in one go.

Li Qing cast a resentful glance at Condensed Light Lake. The situation had become so dire that he would likely have to abandon this opportunity.

Meanwhile, Hu Sheng had been forced into a desperate retreat, barely maintaining his state by activating his lifebound dharma bell, a precarious effort that couldn't last much longer.

Old Lord Hei You, however, showed hesitation in his gloomy eyes, as if weighing a crucial decision.

Just as Li Qing resolved to withdraw, a thunderous roar shook the heavens:

"Great Spirit God above! Damn Tree Demon Clan! Taste my club!"

A colossal giant descended from the sky, wielding a bone club with terrifying momentum that instantly drew everyone's attention.

Gu Li's strike was aimed directly at the Twisted Treant, the runes on his bone club glowing with fierce light.

Boom!

As the club was about to shatter the treant, a black vine shot out, entangling Gu Li and halting his momentum.

"Hiss! They've even deployed Black Profound Vines? The Tree Demon Clan must be desperate for another three thousand years of breathing room," Gu Li growled. His missed strike had only shattered a branch of the treant before the dark vine dragged him backward.

It was common knowledge that the next great heavenly tribulation for the Tree Demon Clan's Ancient Ancestral Tree was imminent.

This ancient tree, having lived for countless millennia, could be considered an immortal or sacred tree. Yet even such an extraordinary divine tree lacked the confidence to survive the next great heavenly tribulation.

Thunder tribulations naturally suppressed the Tree Demon Clan, and it was no easy feat to achieve rebirth from such destructive heavenly might.

Therefore, in this Heavenlight Secret Realm, the Tree Demon Clan had deployed all their mid-generation prodigies, aiming to capture all the other clans' heavenly prodigies in one fell swoop and secure sufficient bargaining chips.

Gu Li, entangled by the Black Profound Vine, provided no substantial assistance to the battle.

The situation now appeared to be four-on-four, but Hu Sheng's limited combat power wouldn't last long.

Truth be told, Li Qing's side remained at a significant disadvantage.

"Moo!"

"Your Grandpa Bull is here!"

A sudden bull's roar echoed through the air as the Little Bull King arrived with his subordinate clansmen.

His body still bore numerous severe wounds, the scars from the thorns clearly visible.

Hearing this sound, Li Qing felt his heart settle. With the Little Bull King's arrival, the battle had finally balanced out.

A group of bull-headed men, wielding massive axes, charged furiously from the distance, raising clouds of dust and making the very earth tremble.

With the Little Bull King's addition, the atmosphere in the field grew tense, yet remained in a delicate balance.

Neither side dared to make the first move, and the situation remained stalemated.

Li Qing, of course, was content with this. He thrived on fishing in troubled waters.

Under these circumstances, he sheathed his conspicuous killing sword, lowering his presence.

Even so, the Tree Demon Clan wouldn't completely overlook him.

His earlier clash with the Heavenly Sword Grass, from which he had retreated unscathed, spoke volumes.

The Tree Demon Clan knew all too well the Heavenly Sword Grass's destructive power.

In this eerie stalemate, both sides seemed to be waiting for something.

However, the Twisted Treant grew impatient. "Just an extra sick cow," he growled. "What are we waiting for? Let's strike and wipe them all out in one fell swoop."

The Little Bull King took offense at this. Two white plumes of steam shot from his nostrils. "Moo!"

"Your Grandpa Bull can split you in two right now! Let's see who's truly sick!"

With that, the Little Bull King swung the massive double-bladed axe from his back. The weapon, in his hands, radiated an awe-inspiring aura.

Just as he gathered his strength, another strange sound echoed from the sky.

Screech!

A scarlet escape light streaked across the heavens, revealing a fiery red phoenix.

"Where is the Azure Phoenix?!" the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son of the Flying Spirit Clan demanded of the Tree Demon Clan as soon as he arrived.

Li Qing's heart stirred at these words. He recalled the Azure Phoenix Saintess, who had been encased in a strange crystalline layer within the Spirit-Devouring Flower.

He had previously wondered why the Spirit-Devouring Flower hadn't refined her. Now, it seemed there was more to the matter than he had imagined.

Zhu Xuan chuckled lightly. "Rest assured, the Azure Phoenix Saintess is safe with us. Join us, and I guarantee her safety."

A chilling killing intent flashed in the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son's eyes. "Are you threatening me?"

Zhu Xuan remained unfazed. "Not threatening, Holy Son. I'm recruiting you."

"As the saying goes, 'A wise bird chooses the best tree to nest in.' Why hesitate, Brother Crimson Phoenix?"

"Join us in eliminating these humans and the Barbarian Bull Clan, and we will return the Azure Phoenix Saintess to you unharmed."

As soon as these words were spoken, Li Qing's heart sank.

He finally understood the Tree Demon Clan's plan. After their previous war defeat, they intended to fully win over the Flying Spirit Clan and then launch another immortal dao war.

The current events in the Heavenlight Secret Realm were likely just the beginning. Once they returned to the Tonggu Continent, the situation would become even more chaotic.

The Crimson Phoenix Holy Son swept his gaze downward, passing over the Little Bull King, Gu Li, and Li Qing one by one.

He despised both the Wild Bull Ridge and the human race. In fact, his primary purpose for entering the Heavenlight Secret Realm had been to exterminate both clans.

Zhu Xuan's earlier words had struck a chord with him.

"I want to see the Azure Phoenix's current condition," the Crimson Phoenix Holy Son said coldly.

"Of course," Zhu Xuan replied. He then signaled the giant treant to retrieve the object.

Soon, the treant raised a crystal containing the Azure Phoenix Saintess and Fuya with its twisted tentacles.

"This is a unique sealing technique of the Spirit-Devouring Flower. To break it, you'll need to seek out a senior of the Spirit-Devouring Flower from my clan."

"But rest assured, the Azure Phoenix Saintess is completely safe."