Meanwhile, by the divine tree.
The main force, led by Wang Jíwǎng and others, had successfully reached the vicinity of the divine tree.
With Jiang Wúyá absent from the divine tree's side, and his wood puppet dharma body mostly dealt with by the vanguard troops like Yu Lùníng, Wang Jíwǎng and his group were able to venture deep into the core area.
When they beheld the terrifying divine tree, the powerful figures hanging from it, and the mountains of corpses and seas of blood beneath it, everyone felt a sense of suffocation.
Fortunately, they were all elites and did not freeze in terror.
They quickly recovered and began the rescue of Yu Lùníng and the others.
However, as they approached, they activated the divine tree's self-awareness, and countless air-generated roots began to attack them.
Fortunately, the divine tree's consciousness was not strong, or rather, it was very chaotic. It seemed as if millions of consciousnesses were vying for control within the divine tree, making its attacks erratic.
This gave Wang Jíwǎng and his group an opportunity. While fending off the divine tree's air-generated roots, they rescued all of Yu Lùníng and the others.
Liu Yīrén, leading a team of elites from the Heavenly Master's Mansion, rescued Yu Lùníng from the divine tree. She immediately noticed the large hole in Yu Lùníng's chest.
Where a beating heart should have been, there was now an empty void.
"Old Jin!"
Liu Yīrén quickly called Old Jin over to assess the situation.
Upon arrival, Old Jin immediately recognized that Yu Lùníng was still alive. However, if the heart was not recovered, while Old Jin could devise a way for Yu Lùníng to continue living, he absolutely could not guarantee that his strength would return to its peak.
"But where can we find a Heavenly Master's heart!"
Liu Yīrén looked around. Jiang Wúyá was not here, and they had no clues whatsoever.
"Let's not worry about that for now. Getting the person out quickly is the most important thing!" Wei Chángqīng shouted back while dealing with the air-generated roots.
Yu Lùníng's heart could be found later, but he himself had to be brought back urgently!
Everyone quickened their pace and soon rescued all the captured individuals.
With their sect elders "resurrected," everyone was exceptionally excited. This was thanks to Yan Shǒuyī, who had not let them give up hope.
Just as everyone was busy with the retreat, Wang Jíwǎng noticed Cháng Shān standing still on the spot.
"Cháng Shān, what are you spacing out for?!"
Wang Jíwǎng rushed to Cháng Shān's side, intending to pull him away, but Cháng Shān stood firmly in place, refusing to budge.
"Cháng Shān?"
"I hear it… I hear this great tree weeping and crying out." Cháng Shān clasped his hands together, his eyes closed, tilting his ear to listen.
"At a time like this, you're still listening to a damned tree cry?" Wang Jíwǎng couldn't understand but was greatly shocked.
Cháng Shān opened his eyes and stared at the divine tree, saying, "Amitabha, I sense many wronged souls within this great tree. If they can be transcended…"
"Transcended?"
Wang Jíwǎng frowned, then thought of something and quickly asked, "Cháng Shān, if the wronged souls within this divine tree can be transcended, would that weaken the divine tree's power?"
"The divine tree's power originates from those wronged souls, so theoretically… yes." Cháng Shān gave an affirmative answer.
Wang Jíwǎng hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Then let's give it a try!"
Of course, he did not want Yan Shǒuyī to truly be sealed with Jiang Wúyá. Therefore, if there was an opportunity to severely damage the divine tree and weaken Jiang Wúyá, Wang Jíwǎng would not let it pass.
He turned back and shouted, "Those transporting the injured, go ahead. The rest of us will transcend the wronged souls. Everyone stay behind!"
The others were unsure of Wang Jíwǎng's intentions, but now the Xuanmen sect was united. Those capable of transcending the wronged souls stayed without hesitation, and began to gather around Cháng Shān.
Cháng Shān shouted loudly, "There are countless wronged souls within the divine tree. By transcending them, we can weaken the divine tree's power!"
Hearing this, everyone's morale surged. Under Cháng Shān's leadership, they began preparing for the transcendence ritual!
Cháng Shān sat down on the ground, clasped his hands, and began reciting the "Heart Sutra."
Golden "卍" symbols slowly materialized in the sky as the power of Buddhist transcendence began to take effect.
The normally ferocious air-generated roots seemed to react slowly, affected by the power of transcendence, and finally attempted to touch the "卍" symbols.
Pale arms extended from the air-generated roots, like people in quicksand desperately grasping for a lifeline.
Vengeful souls struggled to break free from the air-generated roots. The moment they touched the "卍" symbols, they were transcended.
The divine tree's power began to weaken, and Wang Jíwǎng was overjoyed.
"It really works!"
Although everyone still didn't know the divine tree's true purpose, it seemed to be one of Jiang Wúyá's trump cards.
If the divine tree could be destroyed now, Jiang Wúyá's chances of winning in the future would be greatly reduced!
…
"Someone is attacking the divine tree while I'm away!"
Jiang Wúyá, within the Zhenguo Shrine, was furious.
The divine tree was his trump card, his only chance to recover his strength. He would not allow anyone to disrupt this plan!
Boom!!!
Above his head, with the air-generated roots no longer obstructing him, Yan Shǒuyī once again launched an attack on the bluestone fortress.
With each descent of his Zanpakutō, the ground shook, and the roof seemed on the verge of collapse.
Jiang Wúyá's expression turned grim. Looking at the air-generated roots wrapped around the Zhenguo Sword, he made a resolute decision.
"Since you are so eager to die, then do not blame me!"
Jiang Wúyá cut open his right palm and then tightly grasped the air-generated roots before him. Upon contact with Jiang Wúyá's blood, the air-generated roots seemed to go mad, absorbing it ferociously!
Jiang Wúyá, already not fully recovered from his injuries, turned even paler and nearly lost his footing.
Meanwhile, the air-generated roots were nourished and became even more potent!
Jiang Wúyá slowly raised his head, gazing up at the Zhenguo Sword. He seemed to hear a woman's mocking laughter in his ears.
This voice was like that of his wife from a thousand years ago, mocking his current state of disarray, her cries hysterical.
"I will obtain everything I desire!!!" Jiang Wúyá roared at the Zhenguo Sword.
…
Beside the divine tree, the transcendence ritual was proceeding smoothly.
The divine tree was like a tamed wild horse, becoming quite docile, with the souls within it awaiting transcendence.
However, an anomaly suddenly occurred.
One air-generated root went berserk and violently whipped towards the crowd, instantly crushing a dozen people into pulp!
Following that, other air-generated roots began to flail wildly, and even the "卍" symbols in the sky were scattered in an instant!
"Wh-what is happening?!"
Everyone was terrified and at a loss.
Cháng Shān said solemnly, "A force has caused the wronged souls within the divine tree to go berserk, lose their sanity, and become as savage as demons."
Wang Jíwǎng realized that Jiang Wúyá might have intervened. He immediately shouted, "That's enough! That's enough! Everyone leave here!!"
The crowd immediately abandoned the transcendence and began to flee towards the outside of Daqing Mountain. Even Cháng Shān no longer lingered, "The wronged souls within the divine tree are beyond saving…"