Chapter 39: The Decisive Battle Approaches-Douluo: Cultivando as Sete Seções do Senhor Xuan, Torno-me o Benevolente Rei dos Remédios!(Lingzhi não será amputada.)

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The horrific scene within the imperial palace could not be washed away or concealed by the torrential rain, and the howling wind failed to carry off the scent of rust. Even though the old woman had reached an age where she understood the decrees of fate, she could not hide the profound terror lurking in the depths of her eyes.

Now, only she and the few decrepit fossils she had summoned remained in the palace; the rest of the spirit master troops she had brought and those noble officials had all been ground into meat paste beneath their feet. After this battle, the upper echelons and the bedrock that the Douling Empire relied upon for stability were completely eradicated. Even if they were to survive this ordeal, the Douling Empire would inevitably be swallowed by the other empires. Moreover, given the current circumstances, there was no possibility of them surviving this catastrophe at all.

"Ahhh—!"

Ever since the Ginseng Fruit opened its eyes, the ghostly face on its trunk began to wail incessantly, its voice filled with such agony that it sounded like a woman in the throes of labor. The earth cracked open as endless tree roots burst forth, wantonly devouring everything in sight, desperately gorging on every nutrient they could find. Generally, the range of a tree’s roots is two to three times the spread of its crown; however, the Ginseng Fruit tree, cultivated personally by Lu Chun as a celestial herb, could not be judged by such standards. Unbeknownst to anyone, its roots had already permeated the entire imperial palace.

Its frenzied actions thoroughly shook the foundations of the palace. A vast number of magnificent, historic buildings were reduced to ruins, and countless roots writhed in the air like dense clusters of long, wriggling serpents. The survivors within Douling City lit lamps, and when they saw the blurred, nightmarish scene of demons dancing in the pitch-black sky, expressions of sheer terror appeared on their faces. Crowds of people braved the wind and rain, fleeing toward the city gates. In the chaos, countless incidents of trampling occurred; people were killed by their own kind before they could even be captured by the Ginseng Fruit tree.

The Soul-Eater Spider Empress’s eight long legs trembled. Watching the crazed Ginseng Fruit tree with apprehension, she said in a low voice, "You brat of an Emperor, what on earth have you come into contact with?"

She was an extraordinarily mystical creature with a sensitivity to the laws of the world that far surpassed that of ordinary beings. It was precisely because of this that she could detect the aura radiating from the Ginseng Fruit tree—an aura that was fundamentally incompatible with the world. The world and its laws were rejecting this thing—if it could even be called a living creature—as if it were never meant to exist, as if its very presence were a mistake!

Her biological instincts were screaming at her to flee, warning that if she stayed, something terrible would soon befall her—something sufficient to cost her her life. As she had predicted, the danger quickly descended upon her.

The chaotic consciousness of the Ginseng Fruit tree could not distinguish friend from foe; it acted solely on the instinct to acquire nutrients. As the only spirit beast present, the Soul-Eater Spider Empress was immediately targeted, and thick, long roots coiled around her.

The Soul-Eater Spider Empress, having prepared for this, swung her sharp spider spears to sever the roots directly. Foul-smelling sap splattered everywhere, eroding the ground into deep, pitted hollows. The effect seemed outstanding, yet it was ultimately futile; as soon as the roots were severed, new ones sprouted from the cross-sections, continuing to spread toward her.

Fighting as she retreated, the Soul-Eater Spider Empress roared at the Douling Emperor, "Make this monster stop!"

"Stop?" The Douling Emperor smiled and shook his head. "Why should I stop?"

"Do you remember what you said earlier? You promised to do three things for the Douling royal family. You have already completed the second; this is the third."

"Please, be a good sport and let yourself be absorbed by the celestial tree, becoming a brick on my path to eternal life!"

His delusional words infuriated the Soul-Eater Spider Empress. "Madman!" she cursed.

Giving up on the oath, she severed another mass of roots and reached the vicinity of the cavity she had dug earlier. She jumped in without hesitation, and a multitude of roots followed in hot pursuit, plunging in after her. Not long after, the cavity collapsed with a thunderous roar, and the ground sank by dozens of meters. The roots slowly retracted, but the Soul-Eater Spider Empress was not captured; she had escaped.

Before the Douling Emperor could feel disappointment, the sea-like tide of roots moved again, lashing out violently toward a spot in mid-air!

"Bang!"

The recoil caused the roots to shatter, inch by inch. At the spot where it had struck, there stood a shield resembling a turtle shell, and the person holding it was none other than the Xuanming Douluo who had previously assisted Ma Xiaotao. Standing beside him was Xuan Zi, who had disappeared after being repelled by the Golden Cavalry Douluo. The two had somehow joined forces.

Xuan Zi stared at the Ginseng Fruit tree with a grave expression, muttering to himself, "Is this what they meant by the 'Root of Calamity'?"

Stirring up war for the sake of a fruit of immortality—whether real or false—resulting in such devastation, truly fit the title of "Root of Calamity." It was no wonder the Sea God ancestor had passed down an oracle to eradicate this thing. No one knew to what extent it might grow if left unchecked; by then, it would truly be a disaster for the Douluo Continent.

Fortunately, it had been discovered in time before reaching that point. According to Xuan Zi’s judgment, this demonic tree was at a level equivalent to a Super Douluo like himself. With him present, and with the coordination of other powerful figures from various factions, eradicating it was not impossible.

Whether it sensed the threat from Xuan Zi or craved the nutrients within him—which far exceeded those of anyone else—the Ginseng Fruit tree gathered all its roots into a single, spear-like thrust!

"Bang—!"

The air was torn asunder, and a sonic boom rippled through the clouds! The Xuanming Douluo, known for having the continent’s premier defense, struggled to hold up his Xuanming Shield. The shield and the spear locked in a contest of strength, and the terrifying reaction force caused both weapons to begin crumbling.

However, the Ginseng Fruit tree, with its horrific regenerative abilities, clearly held the upper hand. Victory would only be a matter of time. But Xuan Zi, standing to the side, would certainly not grant such an opportunity. The phantom of a mythical beast solidified behind him, letting out an earth-shattering roar. As its twin hooves descended, the root-spear was utterly destroyed!

"Ahhh—!"

The ghostly face wailed, and the Ginseng Fruit tree swayed, releasing waves of stinging, crimson mist that caused severe corrosion wherever it drifted.

"Go!"

Xuan Zi knew that this demonic tree was not something he could resolve alone. He did not choose to continue the fight, instead signaling the Xuanming Douluo to retreat. Upon hearing this, the Xuanming Douluo quickly disengaged from the battle. He glanced at the old woman and the others, who had long since lost their ability to fight, a strange glimmer in his eyes; after a moment of hesitation, he chose to take them with him.

The riotous Ginseng Fruit tree wanted to continue its assault, but it was pacified by the Douling Emperor, for he knew they would return soon. And before they returned, he still had things to prepare.

Stepping over the piles of bleached bones, he walked up to the Golden Cavalry Douluo, who was kneeling on the ground. The Douling Emperor smiled and said, "I do not blame you; after all, everyone makes mistakes."

"As long as you correct them properly, it will be fine."

Soft, sticky roots crawled onto the Golden Cavalry Douluo’s body, gradually covering him until he was encased in a cocoon. In the final moment before the light vanished, he was still staring at the Douling Emperor's face, until he sank forever into the darkness.