Chapter 1254: Human Shield

Jiang Fan was secretly shocked. Was this the power of a powerful cultivator at the fourth stage of the Heavenly Being's Five Decays? The mere aura emanating from them held an unstoppable, devastating power!

Fortunately, the millennium ginkgo tree was no pushover. The essence orb in its eye, containing the origin of Revered Wutong, emitted a vibrant green light. Wherever the light shone, the wind immediately calmed, and the waters became still. On one side, there was raging wind and fierce energy; on the other, complete tranquility. The two forces were distinctly separated by the edge of the green light.

The next moment, Revered Lianjing vanished from her spot, and simultaneously, all the ginkgo tree's roots transformed into elusive afterimages. Even with his Origin of Wind, Jiang Fan found it difficult to sense the trajectory of their movements. However, the occasional bursts of destructive energy indicated that they were locked in an intense battle.

Boom! Splashing arcs of light shot out in all directions. The swirling demonic liquid, which even the five demonic revered cultivators couldn't break through, was torn apart like thin cloth by the residual arcs of light. Holes were easily punched through it. The five demonic revered cultivators, trapped in the liquid, turned pale and were filled with dread. If even one of those arcs hit them, only Revered Wuyu and Revered Hongchen might survive. The other three revered cultivators would certainly not. Jiang Fan also turned slightly pale and quickly shielded Revered Wutong's remains, hiding behind the ginkgo tree. But in a battle between revered cultivators of such caliber, where could safety be found?

A remnant wave of light sliced a long, dark crack in the void and shot directly towards Jiang Fan. It was too fast, giving Jiang Fan no time to react. Suddenly, a tree root shot out, blocking the residual light wave. It was the ginkgo tree protecting them. The root snapped with a crack, spewing milky-white sap. Jiang Fan's heart sank. How could a powerful combatant afford to be distracted in battle? What's more, the ginkgo tree was already at a disadvantage against Revered Lianjing.

Thud! Several muffled thuds echoed from the sky as several tree roots were successively severed. Immediately after, with a devastating roar, more than half of the ginkgo tree's canopy was shorn off. Large quantities of sap splattered like rain. The trunk trembled violently, and the remaining roots, now visible, were too weak to fight further.

"Still distracted?" Revered Lianjing, clad in a long black dress, revealed herself. In her fair right hand, she held a strange, serrated longsword, its blade radiating an astonishing spiritual pressure. It was clearly a top-grade spirit sword!

The ginkgo tree raised its remaining roots, wrapping them around Jiang Fan and Revered Wutong's body, its voice weak: "It's regrettable that I am merely an ordinary tree. If I had even a hint of divine tree potential, I wouldn't have been defeated by you, despite inheriting my master's legacy."

Revered Lianjing didn't deny it. The ginkgo tree before her had inherited the complete origin of a supreme being at the fifth stage of the Heavenly Being's Five Decays. If it had fully absorbed it, it would have become a new supreme being within five hundred years. Holding her serrated sword, she approached the ginkgo tree's eye and said calmly: "Hand over your origin yourself, and I will spare your life."

The ginkgo tree smiled sadly: "If you take my origin, I will lose my sentience and become nothing more than an ordinary tree. There will be no one left in the world to protect my master. Rather than that, just kill me."

Revered Lianjing remained silent for three full breaths before slowly raising her sword and saying: "Very well! I shall grant your wish!" She swung her sword down, aiming for the ginkgo tree's eye. That was the core of the ginkgo tree; this strike would undoubtedly kill it.

Watching this, Jiang Fan gritted his teeth and activated his Secluded Zen, saying: "Use my body to block her sword! Quickly!" The ginkgo tree paused, astonished. How could Jiang Fan, a Nascent Soul cultivator with five apertures, block that sword? He would likely be shattered into a bloody mist by the spiritual pressure on the spot. Knowing this, why would Jiang Fan make such a request? Could it be that Jiang Fan had something on him capable of blocking this attack? Without time to think, it decisively wrapped Jiang Fan with its roots and teleported him to block in front of itself.

Just as Revered Lianjing's sword descended. She shook her head slightly: "Pointless resistance..." How could a mere tree root block this sword? But suddenly, she noticed Jiang Fan wrapped in the roots. This startled her slightly, and by the time she thought to withdraw her sword, it was too late. The serrated sword easily cut through the tree roots like tofu and struck Jiang Fan. The expected bloody scene of Jiang Fan being split in two did not occur. Instead, the serrated sword abruptly stopped three inches from his body. A faint wisp of a Rule Power surged from his body, blocking the sword.

"A Sage's Rule?" Revered Lianjing was greatly astonished! She never imagined that the Nascent Soul realm youth before her would possess the protection of a Sage! The ginkgo tree was also surprised. But it quickly reacted. Seizing the opening created by Revered Lianjing's failed attack, several roots pierced her body like sharp arrows.

"Hiss!" Revered Lianjing gasped in pain, quickly raising her sword to sever the roots before her body could be crushed. Then she rapidly retreated to a distance. From the four bloody holes, divine blood gushed out like a spring. Furthermore, the wounds were constantly expanding due to the presence of Revered Wutong's origin power. This single strike left her severely wounded.

The ginkgo tree breathed a slight sigh of relief and chuckled hoarsely: "Revered Lianjing, you can't do anything to me now." Although both were in a poor state, the ginkgo tree still controlled the forbidden ground. If the fight continued, Revered Lianjing wouldn't fare well.

Revered Lianjing's face was pale, and she glared at Jiang Fan with annoyance: "Brat! You lied about being Revered Wutong's junior nephew, and I didn't hold you accountable. And now you even ambush me! This is outrageous!"

Jiang Fan felt the wisp of Rule Power disappear from his body, his heart bleeding. His life-saving Rule had just been used up! He glared back at Revered Lianjing angrily and said: "But you were also lying to me! Lost in the forbidden ground? You were clearly after Revered Wutong's relics! Neither of us is innocent!"

"You!" Revered Lianjing gritted her teeth and glared fiercely at Jiang Fan. This little rascal! Feeling her life force constantly weakening with the loss of divine blood, she stared at the ginkgo tree and said: "Give me all of Revered Wutong's merit! She protected so many beings in the Great Barren State even in her state of Heavenly Being's Five Decays. Over a thousand years, she must have accumulated considerable merit. Give it to me, and I won't trouble you anymore!"

The ginkgo tree sighed slightly: "You truly came for the merit. I presume someone important to you couldn't break through to become a Grand Sage, so you want to seize others' merit to achieve Sagehood this way, correct?"

Revered Lianjing clutched her continuously bleeding wound and said in a deep voice: "It's none of your concern. Give it to me, otherwise, the next person who comes won't be me. He won't be as lenient as I am, willing to spare your life."

The ginkgo tree's voice grew increasingly hoarse, its tone carrying a profound earnestness: "I will not hand over my master's merit to anyone. And I advise the person you are helping: since he cannot enter the Sage realm, it shows he lacks popular support and the faith of all beings. As the saying goes, if one's virtue does not match their position, disaster will surely follow. Forcing entry into Sagehood will ultimately result in becoming an Impure Sage and suffering backlash. It's not worth it!"