Chapter 376: Earth Mother Mysterious Chapter Refining the Demon Tree, Demon Dragon Tree Heart

While the dragon-blood vine monsters on the periphery still offered some training benefits, it was no longer worth his time to remain there for quiet cultivation. If the Black Sky Talisman Lord were to arrive in Fengzhou, his identity as the Ice Demon Boy would be revealed. Fortunately, this persona was generally perceived by the world as an old Nascent Soul monster. Although he also practiced ice magic, he was extremely fond of human alchemy. He was widely believed to be a rogue cultivator originating from the Heaven-Refining Demonic Sect's territory, given that sect's most renowned motto: "Refine humans, refine demons, and refine the very heavens!" The sect claimed that all things could be refined. The characteristics of the Ice Demon Boy and Wang Yu's true form shared only minor similarities, making it highly unlikely for anyone to connect the two.

Having resolved to delve deeper into the Fallen Dragon Valley, he simultaneously activated his Ice Transformation Secret Art and Invisibility Spell. While infiltrating from a high altitude would allow him to reach the valley's core quickly, it would make it difficult to ascertain the conditions underground. Therefore, Wang Yu opted for the main path he had explored countless times over the past year, advancing from the Dragon Tail Tip entrance. This method was merely a little slower, but considerably safer. The art of covert infiltration had always been his forte; while he might have shortcomings in other areas, his mastery of stealth was absolute.

Thus, he maintained a low-altitude hover, his feet never touching the ground, as he slowly advanced into the Fallen Dragon Valley. His spiritual sense extended like delicate threads into the earth. He recalled reading somewhere—though he couldn't remember the exact text—that ninety percent of all treasures are found underground. The Fallen Dragon Valley certainly fit this description. With his spiritual sense clearing the way and his familiarity with this particular route, he reached the middle section of the valley in just over half a day. This was near its "abdomen."

This core area was slightly wider than the outer sections but far from expansive. The valley floor was barren, not a single blade of grass to be seen. The soil itself consisted of hard, compacted lumps, almost sand-like. When his spiritual sense probed more than twenty meters deep, Wang Yu was astonished. Beneath the surface, countless dragon-blood vine monsters were intertwined, writhing incessantly like a ball of mating snakes. They formed a vast, subterranean layer of vines, resembling an underground forest.

Wang Yu had initially believed that the opportunity Blood Axe spoke of might be the core of a Fourth-tier Dragon-Blood Vine Monster, or perhaps a queen-like entity. This peculiar sight, however, brought to Wang Yu's mind an ancient demonic entity: the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree! Legends already stated that a supreme dragon beast had once perished in the Fallen Dragon Valley, so the emergence of a species like the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree was not surprising. Such a creature was essentially an entire forest contained within a single tree. Those dragon-blood vine monsters were likely merely detached offshoots, constantly drawing nutrients from the earth's meridians and growing. Due to the immense power of the main body, these offshoots could not fully develop into independent trees. However, they could proliferate indefinitely until the earth meridian they rooted in reached its capacity. As a demonic tree, it naturally required flesh. Since its main body was immobile, these vine monsters served as its predatory tentacles. They appeared to be mass-produced, peak Third-tier entities, but in essence, they were still integral parts of the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree.

Given this, the main body's power likely surpassed the early Fourth-tier; it was highly probable that this demonic tree was a mid-Fourth-tier entity. While it presented an opportunity, Wang Yu's current strength made it incredibly difficult to defeat, let alone seize this opportunity. It was no wonder that the early Nascent Soul cultivators mentioned in the intelligence reports had retreated. Engaging it on its home ground put him at a severe disadvantage. A thought of retreating crossed his mind.

"The Dragon Blood Demonic Tree is rooted in the earth's meridians and is virtually immobile," he mused. "Perhaps I can try a different approach to deal with such a fixed target." With that thought, Wang Yu swiftly ascended higher. Among his various abilities, the Ice Dragon Pill Flame offered the greatest advantage against the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree; fire conquers wood. If he could completely engulf the Fallen Dragon Valley in flames, the opponent would be severely suppressed in such an environment. Then, deploying the Yellow Springs Earth Grudge Puppet would significantly increase his chances of victory. To achieve this, he needed a concrete plan. His magical power might be insufficient, and he couldn't instantly blanket the entire Fallen Dragon Valley with the Ice Dragon Pill Flame. Should the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree seize an opportunity, and manage to withdraw its roots from the earth's meridians, it would transform from a stationary target into a formidable hunter, making the situation incredibly tricky.

After leaving the Fallen Dragon Valley, Wang Yu began sifting through the storage rings of the hundreds of Core Formation cultivators he had hunted in the preceding period. While these cultivators were individually weak, their combined wealth yielded a significant amount of spirit stones. There were even more spiritual artifacts and magical treasures of all kinds. He meticulously sorted and categorized them. Using the Ice Dragon Pill Flame, he melted down a portion of his soulbound magical treasures, refining them into valuable liquid materials, which he then blended with various spiritual items. Wang Yu then began to set up a miraculous Feng Shui formation around the core of the Fallen Dragon Valley, using this compound spiritual liquid as his "ink."

From the four chapters of the *Earth Mother Sutra*, the "Profound Chapter of Feng Shui Secret Arts," the "Golden Eye of Qi Observation," and the "Detailed Explanation of Dragon Restraint and Meridian Fixing" would all play crucial roles in this operation. The Golden Eye of Qi Observation allowed him to discern the flow of the earth's meridians. The Profound Chapter of Feng Shui Secret Arts enabled him to establish wondrous Feng Shui formations. The Detailed Explanation of Dragon Restraint and Meridian Fixing would help Wang Yu sever the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree's connection to the earth's meridians, thereby preventing it from drawing upon earth qi to resist the Ice Dragon Pill Flame. This intricate knowledge would have been beyond Wang Yu's grasp before. However, he had possessed the *Earth Mother Sutra* for several years now. Though he rarely delved into it on a daily basis, his comprehension had steadily advanced, with nearly all its sections reaching the minor completion stage. With no regard for cost, setting up a scheme against a stationary target was something he had some experience with.

From a high-altitude perspective, one would observe the colossal Feng Shui array Wang Yu had meticulously arranged, encompassing the entire Fallen Dragon Valley. It had been incredibly costly. The core section, in particular, was complex and enigmatic. The lineage of geomancers had always been closely intertwined with the art of formation, often leading them to be referred to as Feng Shui Array Masters. However, they pursued an unconventional and perilous path, specializing in unique methods. They harnessed the raw power of mountains and rivers, which required a period of accumulation before yielding results, unlike typical formations that unleashed their full power immediately upon activation. At crucial points, he strategically placed portions of the Ice Dragon Pill Flame to act as the "eyes" of the formation. Wang Yu established a total of three hundred and sixty such points of concentrated power. All the spoils he had acquired previously were invested into this endeavor.

Several months after the miraculous Feng Shui formation took shape, Wang Yu declared, "Success or failure hinges on this single strike!" Launching a preemptive attack on the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree involved immense risk, but external pressures compelled him to do so. If this allowed him to break through to the Fourth-tier of body refinement, his confidence in entering the Endless Ice Plains would significantly increase. That region was an extremely perilous place, and without significant means, long-term survival there was incredibly difficult.

This time, he had no qualms about alarming the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree's main body. Wang Yu plunged directly from the sky, unleashing a Yellow Springs Grand Hand Seal as he descended over the Fallen Dragon Valley, aiming straight for the core area. This was the first time he had fully activated this divine ability since mastering it. With the expenditure of his magical power, a turbid yellow palm print, nearly a thousand meters long, materialized. It slammed down with immense force. In an instant, the already unyielding ground was utterly pulverized, and countless vines thrashed wildly, resembling the legendary Heaven-Reaching Jianmu Tree as they pierced towards the sky. These demonic vine branches coalesced into colossal pillars, forcibly shattering the Yellow Springs Grand Hand Seal and extending towards Wang Yu's true form with incredible speed.

The Yellow Springs Demonic Sword shot forth from his Qi Sea, its malevolent sword aura raging. Empowered by Asura's murderous intent, it transformed into a sharp, colossal sword of red and yellow, slicing through the entwined vines like tofu. Black and green chunks rained down everywhere. Dragon blood spattered, creating a gruesome downpour. Wang Yu, who abhorred waste, immediately opened his Grand Yin Corpse-Nourishing Coffin nearby, siphoning all the blood inside to be used as material for cultivating zombies.

After more than a dozen breaths, the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree finally stirred to life. The earth ruptured as a colossal tree, more than five hundred meters in diameter with a canopy that obscured the sky, emerged from deep underground. Resembling a banyan tree, its crown cascaded with vine-like offshoots, and its dragon-head pistils spewed forth crimson beams of light, striking at Wang Yu. The main trunk itself bore nine wooden dragon heads. These also launched attacks simultaneously.

"Mid-Fourth-tier!" In that moment, Wang Yu fully confirmed the opponent's power level. With a wave of his hand, the still tattered Yellow Springs Earth Grudge Puppet appeared before him. This construct was difficult to refine and slow to repair, and each use incurred a substantial cost. However, its strength was undeniably impressive.

"Yellow Springs Demonic World Spear!" One of the Earth Grudge Puppet's most potent techniques, it wielded the spine of the Yellow Springs Demonic Bone as a sword. This time, both of its arms detached from its body, transforming into two bone spears. One found an alternative angle and directly pierced the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree's main body, while the other brandished its spear, summoning a turbid Yellow Springs current that flowed along the shaft. This spear absorbed all the attacks comprising crimson light beams, demonstrating Wang Yu's increasing proficiency in controlling the Yellow Springs Earth Grudge Puppet with each successive battle. Such a feat would have been impossible for him previously.

Simultaneously, Wang Yu tossed the Feng Shui compass high into the sky. It instantly connected with the miraculous Feng Shui formation that had been accumulating power for months, temporarily severing the earth meridian energy flow outside the Fallen Dragon Valley. Hundreds of pale white pillars of fire surged skyward. It was the Ice Dragon Pill Flame! The accumulated power of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers from this period propelled the Ice Dragon Pill Flame to its absolute limit. A sea of fire instantly enveloped the entire Fallen Dragon Valley, with the central region becoming the focal point of the attack. Though it appeared as if a thousand miles had been frozen, in reality, the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree writhed in agony from the flames. Its offshoot clones, in particular, were almost entirely consumed by the inferno. With its connection to the earth's meridians severed, the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree temporarily lost its greatest advantage—its regenerative capacity. Under the dual environmental suppression of extreme cold and extreme heat, its power was significantly diminished, though it still remained formidable.

In a direct clash, the Yellow Springs Demonic World Spear struck the tree trunk, emitting a jarring metallic clang. The trunk merely dented slightly before a wooden dragon head extended from it and snapped the spear off. The nine wooden dragon heads appeared to sprout into nine full-fledged wooden dragons. Some lunged at the Yellow Springs Earth Grudge Puppet, others at Wang Yu himself, and one at the second Demonic World Spear! Wang Yu's expression subtly shifted at the sight.

"Yellow Springs Buried Bone Curse Sword!" One of the Earth Grudge Puppet's most potent techniques, it wielded the spine of the Yellow Springs Demonic Bone as a sword, sweeping horizontally with an explosive roar that shattered both the air and three of the wooden dragons. Wang Yu then manipulated the Ice Dragon Pill Flame engulfing the valley. Using the Ice Dragon Art, he transformed them into Ice Dragon Flame Dragons, incinerating the remaining six wooden dragons, then freezing them into shards of ice that scattered as debris across the ground.

He seemed to have gained the upper hand. Yet, the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree possessed such vigorous vitality that nine new, verdant wooden dragons regrew from the broken trunk in merely half a breath. "Boom—" With a resounding crash, the wooden dragons' speed surged dramatically, blasting the Yellow Springs Earth Grudge Puppet into the mountainside. Simultaneously, crimson light beams, interspersed with emerald spiritual glow, swept towards him once more. Even with his Aurora Escape Art, Wang Yu couldn't completely evade the attack. He too crashed into the ground, causing intricate spiderweb cracks to spread outwards. In the swirling dust, Wang Yu wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and unleashed his Soul-Shattering Death Ray. As the gray death ray shot forth, the Immobilizing Mirror flew high. In the synchronized instant it took effect, even the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree froze for a moment. Seizing this crucial opportunity, countless black ice chains, burning with Ice Dragon Pill Flame, coiled around its trunk. The God-Binding Curse patterns swiftly spread across it. The Yellow Springs Earth Grudge Puppet also seized the chance to fly, manifesting the form of the Great Yellow Springs River with every movement, then violently swept it towards the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree.

"Ohm—" Emerald spiritual light blossomed once more, this time focusing on the demonic tree itself. A demonic eye, nearly ten meters long, opened on its trunk. With a single glance, all the ice chains instantly shattered, and the Yellow Springs Great River manifested phantom branches that were forcibly ruptured. Wang Yu's heart sank. The Phantom Mist Ice Mirror, which he held before him, absorbed the entirety of the bizarre eye curse. Before it could even reflect the attack, it exploded in place, giving rise to a Dragon Blood Vine Demon. This combination of parasitic growth and curse magic must be a bloodline divine ability!

"It's too strong." Even in its weakened state, the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree's displayed power repeatedly put him at a disadvantage; he couldn't even truly inflict severe damage. The prowess of a mid-Fourth-tier entity was clearly evident. There seemed to be no hope of victory. Observing the vine demon that had just sprouted only to be swiftly incinerated by the surging Ice Dragon Pill Flame, Wang Yu realized that to truly defeat the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree, he would have to rely on this Fourth-tier spiritual flame. Its innate elemental properties ensured that it could suppress the tree, even if it were one minor realm lower than the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree.

With a thought, he recalled the puppet to his side. Round two—begin! This time, Wang Yu would not directly assist in the combat. He engaged the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree in battle using the Yellow Springs Earth Grudge Puppet, while his main body ascended high into the sky and settled into the greatly enlarged Feng Shui compass. This artifact served as a geomancer's soulbound magical treasure. He intended to try employing the Feng Shui secret art from the Profound Chapter of the *Earth Mother Sutra* to reverse the Five Elements. By compressing the Wood element of this region to its absolute limit, he would elevate the Fire element's position. Such an action would naturally draw assistance from heaven and earth, which was the most profound aspect of these miraculous Feng Shui arts. Human will altering the power of the land, reversing the fortunes of the heavens.

As he channeled his magical power, mystical golden characters flew out from the Feng Shui compass, disappearing into the Five Directions and Five Elements. Essence blood flowed from Wang Yu's five fingers, splattering onto the array plate, which he then forcefully plunged his hand into. As if twisting a powerful mechanism, he inverted the energies of the Fallen Dragon Valley. The Wood element was suppressed to its nadir, while the Fire element surged to its apex. Consequently, an endless torrent of fire-attribute spiritual energy began to gather from the heavens and earth. This made the Ice Dragon Pill Flame surge as if it had consumed a powerful tonic. The flames violently surged several meters higher. The core region was entirely engulfed by pale white flames, causing the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree to tremble incessantly. Its sky-obscuring canopy had become a breeding ground for the inferno. Its vitality was rapidly diminishing, which in turn led to a decrease in its recovery rate. At this opportune moment, the previously suppressed Yellow Springs Earth Grudge Puppet surged forward, wielding the Buried Bone Curse Sword. With a few swift slashes, it severed all the now vulnerable wooden dragons. Flying closer, the colossal bone sword suddenly plunged into the demonic tree's trunk, causing blood to gush forth! Thick, red dragon blood sprayed out like a fountain.

Witnessing his success, Wang Yu once again activated the Feng Shui secret art, suppressing the positions of four of the Five Elements and allowing only the Fire element to flourish. This move further debilitated the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree. However, he also sustained considerable internal injuries. His face turned deathly pale. Such miraculous Feng Shui arts invariably carried side effects; otherwise, they wouldn't be termed "miraculous." Human capabilities are finite, and one cannot freely alter the patterns of existence without incurring some cost. Wang Yu had long been mentally prepared for this. Even if it foretold an ominous later life, that was still a distant concern.

He had finally seized the advantage. A few internal injuries couldn't deter Wang Yu. The Feng Shui compass groaned and creaked, as if operating at its absolute limit. The astrolabe mounted on it began to rotate. Wang Yu once more drew upon his essence blood as a conduit, mobilizing the power of Yinghuo (Mars), one of the Zhou Tian constellations, and projected it downward. With this, his advantage was fully solidified. With both opportune timing and strategic advantage secured, the Ice Dragon Pill Flame unleashed its maximum power, far more terrifying than anything Wang Yu could personally conjure, truly demonstrating its full potential. At this point, the situation required only the final "human element" to be decisively concluded.

In the arena, amidst the swirling firestorm, the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree's roots fractured extensively, having torn them from the earth itself. Although it was rare for plant-based entities to develop true sentience upon becoming demonic, the instinct for self-preservation remained. The environment inflicted such severe damage that the tree desperately sought to abandon the soil where it had thrived for untold years. Wang Yu, however, would not permit this. Under his mental command, the Yellow Springs Earth Grudge Puppet erupted, using the Buried Bone Curse Sword like a club to smash the Dragon Blood Demonic Tree forcefully back into its massive crater.

At this point, the Ice Chain God-Binding Curse, empowered by the Ice Dragon Pill Flame, was cast once more, making the demonic tree's struggles even more arduous. The Yellow Springs Hand Seal unleashed by the puppet was even more potent. Its destructive force completely breached the demonic tree's tough bark, tearing away portions of its trunk. Under this second severe blow, the demonic tree crashed to the ground. Through the gaping wound, Wang Yu's eyes suddenly lit up; he had spotted the key to the opportunity.

"—Demonic Dragon Tree Heart?!!" This was undoubtedly the spiritual object capable of helping him achieve a breakthrough. Its potent vitality and dragon blood essence would enable him to take that crucial step. It was highly probable that this was the opportunity Blood Axe had mentioned. As an ancient tree spirit, it must have survived for countless years to finally conceive a Demonic Dragon Tree Heart.

"Blood Axe truly holds me in high regard, to point me towards such an opportunity. If I had failed, wouldn't I have simply become food for this demonic tree?" It seemed more logical to view this as a trial. Blood Axe must have known about the Yellow Springs Earth Grudge Puppet's existence since its creation, considering it was Wang Yu's trump card refined within the Blood Abyss. Similarly, if he won, it would prove his capability to contend at a higher level. Wang Yu estimated that if he had first formed his Nascent Soul before coming to Fallen Dragon Valley, defeating the demonic tree would not have been difficult with his strength combined with the puppet, given the powerful suppressive effect of the Ice Dragon Pill Flame. However, arriving at the Fallen Dragon Valley before reaching the Nascent Soul stage had presented a challenge of hellish difficulty. He had to rely on stratagems to succeed. Against other Nascent Soul cultivators or transformed demon kings, such Feng Shui arts would be entirely useless. To replicate the legendary feat of Takigawa from back then, he would first need a pre-existing miraculous formation at his disposal, as his own arrangements were still far too rudimentary. Second, his mastery of the *Earth Mother Sutra* was still insufficient, and the cost of deploying such extraordinary maneuvers was simply too high. Therefore, in terms of actual combat prowess, he was still no match for mid-Nascent Soul opponents, let alone the late-Nascent Soul Nine Evil Sword Lord.

Numerous thoughts flashed through his mind. Wang Yu descended. The Dragon Blood Demonic Tree was not yet dead; merely suppressed. However, it had lost most of its abilities and capacity for resistance. Any wooden dragons or demonic vines it managed to grow would be incinerated by the Ice Dragon Pill Flame before they could even reach him. He intended to extract the tree heart while it was still alive!