Immortal Druid

I looked at the cultivators gathered around me. Guo Yupin stood with Chen Lin, Kang Wen, and Xing Mei. Around us, my surviving crows circled through the air, their cries echoing across the corrupted battlefield. The presence of immortals weighed heavily upon the land, turning the very atmosphere oppressive.

"Leave this place to me," I said firmly. "Your job is not yet done. My crows still live, and with what little cultivation they possess, they shall aid you. The Dark Order remains. Their stronghold still stands. Gather the crows and annihilate them. End this war while I deal with these immortals."

None of them argued. They understood as well as I did that this battle had gone beyond them. Against immortals, even Nascent Soul cultivators could do little. As for Kang Wen, he was merely at Core Formation. Remaining here would only place them in greater danger.

Guo Yupin grimaced as he adjusted his grip on his dead Sect Leader. With a pained expression, he opened his storage ring and carefully stuffed the old man inside.

"Give them hell, Sage," Guo Yupin said with a grin that carried both confidence and concern. "We'll finish what we started."

The next moment, spiritual energy surged around them. One after another, they vanished from the battlefield, retreating toward the Dark Order's stronghold alongside my surviving crows.

The instant they disappeared, I slammed my staff against the ground.

A Thorn Whip erupted to my left.

"Not so fast."

The whip snapped through the air. A blur twisted away from it as an invisibility technique shattered apart. Spiritual ripples revealed a man dressed entirely in black. His robes concealed every feature of his body, leaving only a pair of cold eyes visible beneath the shadows.

He cupped his fist politely.

"My name is Li Chao," he said. "I apologize for doing something so drastic as attacking your companions. However, since it seemed you care so much about them, it felt like the proper course of action."

Then he vanished.

The world fell silent.

I immediately struck my staff against the earth once more. Thorn Whips erupted behind me, forming a massive wall of twisting vines. At the same time, I activated my newly improved Druidic Insight. Combined with the spiritual sensing techniques I had learned from Mab, the battlefield became infinitely clearer.

Every fluctuation of qi? Every movement of air? Every disturbance within nature itself?

Nothing escaped my perception.

"Sunlight Orb."

I pointed my staff to the right, and golden spheres burst into existence.

Li Chao suddenly appeared mid-step before leaping backward to avoid them. His eyes narrowed as he landed atop a broken branch.

He was glaring at me.

I ignored him and shifted my attention toward the old man standing atop the corrupted tree.

"Is Yuan Tao really your name?" I asked. "And why did you betray the Willow Order?"

The old man nodded calmly.

"Yuan Tao is indeed my name, just as that child called me earlier."

His wrinkled face remained expressionless.

"But what difference would it make if you knew why I betrayed the Willow Order? In the end, we are still enemies."

Before I could reply, danger erupted behind me.

Li Chao appeared at my rear.

"Silent Killing," he whispered.

Twin daggers flashed toward my neck. The moment they connected, my body dissolved into withering leaves, because of Shedding. Li Chao's eyes widened as I reappeared beside him.

"Dark Murky Swamp."

Dark energy exploded beneath his feet. The earth softened into a sucking mire while countless vines burst forth to tear him apart. Yet Li Chao simply teleported. He appeared further above the vines, stepping effortlessly through the gaps before vanishing once more. His voice echoed from nowhere.

"I hoped you hadn't forgotten there are two of us."

At that exact moment, the trunk of the corrupted tree split open. An enormous crimson eye stared from within. The eye radiated hatred, and then it fired. A vengeful red beam erupted across the battlefield.

Before it could reach me, a figure appeared. It was Hao Lei. Paper talismans danced around him like a storm of white butterflies. They arranged themselves into a barrier and intercepted the beam. The impact shook the ground.

Yuan Tao's eyes widened slightly.

"You truly betrayed me."

Hao Lei snorted.

"You must have suspected."

"I always felt you were doing everything halfheartedly."

Hao Lei smiled.

"Perhaps because my heart was never with you."

Then he glanced at me.

"You have my loyalty, Senior Wo Li. You need only say the word."

I stared at the battlefield, at the corrupted tree, at Yuan Tao, at Li Chao lurking in the shadows, and at the countless deaths this conflict had caused. Now, I was just pissed. I raised my hand, and then I grabbed at the empty space.

Li Chao suddenly materialized in midair, while my fingers wrapped around his throat.

The assassin's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.

"W-What?"

He struggled violently.

"Impossible! How are you seeing through my stealth arts so easily?"

His disbelief reminded me of countless lessons I received from Mab.

I squeezed tighter.

"Unless your stealth is at the level of an Immortal Art," I said, "these are just petty tricks to me."

Li Chao's face turned pale.

Meanwhile, Hao Lei looked ready to assist.

I glanced toward him.

"You must be mistaken about something."

My grip tightened further.

"They're my prey."

A dangerous silence followed.

Li Chao's expression twisted into desperation.

"Dao Domain—"

I never allowed him to finish. With a flick of my fingers, I used Raindrop Edge to slice open my arm. Blood mixed with mana and qi. The wound became a perfect vessel. It was an energy source purer than any spirit stone.

"Entanglement."

Massive and violent roots exploded from my arm. They were living roots overflowing with mana and spiritual energy. They wrapped around Li Chao instantly, binding every limb and crushing him within their grasp. His struggles only made the roots tighten further.

And then I extended my other hand.

"Sunblaze Inferno."

Fire erupted.

Li Chao screamed.

Golden flames consumed him completely, burning with such intensity that the surrounding air warped from the heat. The assassin's body disappeared beneath the inferno as his cries echoed throughout the battlefield.

However, I wasn't finished. The scattered fire elements remained. I gathered, recycled, and controlled them to such a fine degree that I was able to cast another spell through them.

"Sunlight Orb."

Hundreds of brilliant golden spheres manifested around me. They illuminated the battlefield like a second sun. With a wave of my staff, every orb shot toward Yuan Tao. The heavens lit up with countless streaks of golden light as an army of miniature suns descended upon the ancient traitor.

"That's not enough," said Yuan Tao as he waved his hand. "Oh, roots, protect me."

Enormous roots engulfed Yuan Tao's position, forming a colossal sphere of tangled wood and writhing vines. Hundreds of Sunlight Orbs slammed into it one after another. The golden spheres ricocheted through the interior, burning everything they touched. Light flashed from countless cracks as explosions echoed continuously from within.

The scattered flame elements remained under my control.

"Explosion."

The roots detonated. Fire erupted in every direction as the enormous sphere burst apart. Burning fragments of wood and vine scattered across the battlefield like meteors while a pillar of flame rose into the heavens. Without taking my eyes off the inferno, I addressed Hao Lei.

"Join the others and help destroy the Dark Order's stronghold."

The illusion master blinked.

"Senior—"

"You'll only get in the way," I interrupted. "And don't misunderstand anything. I still don't trust you. If you wish to earn that trust, then heed my words and assist my companions."

The battlefield gradually settled. Smoke drifted through the air. Within the ruins stood Yuan Tao, completely unharmed. The old man folded his hands behind his back. "How arrogant," he said. "To belittle Hao Lei in such a manner. Your confidence has truly reached the heavens."

Hao Lei merely smiled.

"As you command, Senior Wo Li."

His figure distorted.

An illusion spell concealed his departure as he vanished from the battlefield.

The moment he left, Li Chao's voice emerged from the shadows.

"Are you sure you want to fight the both of us alone?"

I didn't answer, not surprised that he was still alive. Instead, I silently cast additional Thorn Whips beneath the earth. Roots and vines spread through the battlefield without revealing themselves. While speaking, I had been observing. Testing. Learning.

Li Chao was troublesome, but manageable.

The true problem was Yuan Tao.

The old man possessed too many unknown abilities.

"Dao Domain," Li Chao said as darkness rippled outward. "Shadow Hunting Ground."

The world shifted as shadows deepened unnaturally around me. Li Chao vanished, reappeared, and vanished again, his movements blending seamlessly into the darkness. Figures began to surround me—first a dozen, then a hundred, then what seemed like a thousand. Yet I wasn't convinced they were mere afterimages. Something about them felt wrong, and more importantly, something about them felt real.

In response, I activated a Wild Shape.

"Wild Shape: Steppe Mammoth."

My body expanded instantly. Fur covered me. Tusks erupted forward. Immense strength flooded every muscle. With Nature's Stride enhancing my movement, I charged. The earth shattered beneath my feet. I became a living avalanche as I rushed toward the corrupted tree where Yuan Tao stood.

The old man shook his head.

"Fool."

The crimson eye embedded within the trunk opened once more. Hatred radiated from its gaze. A red beam erupted toward me.

"Verdant Barrier."

Layers of vegetation manifested before me. The laser shattered them one after another, but they absorbed enough of the impact for me to endure. I crashed into the tree. The impact echoed like thunder, yet something immediately felt wrong.

I reached out with phytokinesis.

Nothing answered.

The tree ignored me entirely.

Whatever this thing was, it had become something completely unnatural. Cracks spread throughout the trunk. The enormous tree burst apart. Bodies emerged from within. There were hundreds of them. They were Core Formation cultivators. The same cultivators Yuan Tao had murdered. Their flesh had merged with the corrupted wood, transforming them into twisted puppets.

They swarmed me.

At the same moment, Yuan Tao vanished.

Pain exploded through one of my legs. A blade had severed it. Li Chao. The assassin appeared for only an instant before disappearing again. Red glints surrounded me. Dozens. Hundreds. Tiny points of crimson light. The next moment, laser beams erupted from every direction.

"Wild Shape: Butterfly."

My enormous mammoth form vanished. A tiny butterfly replaced it, healing my leg in the process. The lasers passed harmlessly by as I fluttered between them. While moving, I cast another spell.

"Dark Murky Swamp."

Darkness spread across the battlefield as the charging corpses sank beneath the mire, grasping vines dragging them downward into the depths. I dispelled the transformation and returned to my original form, but the instant I reappeared, shadowy limbs erupted from the darkness and coiled around my arms, legs, and torso, locking me completely in place.

Li Chao's voice echoed behind me.

"Just die."

I snorted.

"How about no?"

The assassin's tone became colder and more murderous.

"True Killing Art."

He struck, yet I was faster.

"Wild Shape: Primal Nature Elemental."

Power surged through me, and the world exploded into color as wood, stone, water, fire, and life itself flowed through my transformed body. A metallic clang echoed across the battlefield when Li Chao's assassination technique struck and failed, his blade unable to penetrate my defenses. I flexed, shattering the shadow limbs restraining me in an instant, and Li Chao immediately retreated, vanishing into smoke while relying upon his terrifying speed.

Then a voice appeared beside me.

"Lockshape."

A palm struck my chest. It was Yuan Tao. The blow landed before I could react, as an immense force launched me backward. I immediately stabbed my staff into the earth to halt my momentum. The ground beneath me suddenly softened, and roots erupted. They wrapped around my limbs, restraining me again.

"Quadruple Killing Art: Square."

Four Li Chaos appeared around me. Each held a dagger. Each radiated killing intent. I attempted to cancel my Wild Shape. However, nothing happened. Lockshape. The old man's technique prevented it. I clicked my tongue and then smiled.

"Summer Bloom."

Crimson petals began falling from the heavens. They were beautiful, gentle, and deadly. Every petal that touched something exploded violently. Flames spread everywhere. Summer Bloom enhanced every flame spell I cast several times over on top of the already existing fire damage.

So naturally, I followed it with another.

"Sunblaze Inferno."

I became the center of a blazing sun. Fire exploded outward in every direction. The battlefield vanished beneath waves of golden flame. The roots binding me burned away instantly. The surrounding corpses turned to ash. The shadows retreated. And somewhere within the inferno, I heard Li Chao curse.

"Damn it!"

The assassin was forced from concealment.

Above me, Yuan Tao floated calmly beyond the flames.

His expression finally became serious.

"Dao Domain: Blasphemous Tree of Decay—"

I raised my staff.

"Natural Order."

The world answered. Nature itself rejected his authority. The gathering Dao collapsed. The forming domain shattered before it could manifest. Genuine shock appeared on Yuan Tao's face.

I grinned.

My turn.

I lifted my staff toward the heavens.

"Spirit of the World Tree."

The battlefield trembled, the earth groaned, and something ancient began to awaken.

Behind me, an enormous tree appeared like a mirage.

Its trunk rose beyond the clouds.

Its branches stretched across the heavens.

Its roots seemed to pierce the world itself.

The Spirit of the World Tree had manifested.

Everyone froze at the sight of its majesty. Even the raging flames paused as the ancient presence descended upon the battlefield.

The still-active Summer Bloom became increasingly violent. Crimson petals rained from the sky in endless numbers. Every petal that touched the ground exploded into fire. Every petal that touched a corpse reduced it to ash. Every petal that brushed against corruption burned it away.

Then my transformation evolved.

The Primal Nature Elemental shattered apart.

Something greater emerged.

"Primal Nature Spirit."

My body changed.

Silver-ivory skin hardened like divine jade. Ancient runes formed across my limbs. My hair lengthened and shimmered with emerald light. Immense druidic power gathered around me, causing reality itself to distort.

I no longer resembled a cultivator.

I resembled a king of the old forests.

A Fairy King.

The Spirit of the World Tree loomed behind me as I raised my staff. Power surged into it. The concentration of mana and qi became so dense that cracks spread through the surrounding space. Slowly, I spoke.

"Spring of Life."

The season changed instantly.

Summer Bloom vanished. The sea of burning petals transformed. Crimson flames became emerald leaves. Fire became life. Death became growth. Leaves drifted gently from the heavens. Yet hidden beneath that beauty was overwhelming destruction.

Any wood spell cast beneath the authority of the Spring of Life would be empowered.

And I possessed many wood spells.

The Thorn Whips hidden beneath the battlefield answered my call. First, they were strengthened by the Spirit of the World Tree. Then they were strengthened again by Spring of Life. The vines began to evolve. Thorns became blades. Roots became serpents. Whips became dragons.

The entire forest awakened, while the earth erupted.

Thousands upon thousands of colossal Thorn Whips burst from beneath the ground.

The battlefield disappeared beneath a sea of living wood.

Li Chao's eyes widened.

Yuan Tao's expression froze.

I raised my staff toward the heavens, and the World Tree behind me mirrored the motion.

My voice echoed across the battlefield, across the forest, and across the heavens as I declared, "Dark Order, you abandoned the true path of cultivation. You slaughtered innocents to strengthen yourselves, harvested lives as though they were mere resources, corrupted nature, twisted the cycle of life and death, turned disciples into sacrifices, and transformed cultivation into nothing more than an excuse for greed. Wherever you walked, you spread suffering, leaving behind widows, orphans, and countless corpses, yet you dared to call it cultivation. No. True cultivation seeks harmony. True cultivation seeks understanding. True cultivation seeks balance. You have defied all three, perverting the natural order for your own selfish desires. The tragedies you created, the lives you destroyed, and the suffering you inflicted upon this world cannot be ignored. The balance you shattered shall be restored, and the debt you owe to heaven, earth, and all living things shall be repaid today."

I pointed my staff forward.

"Tear them apart."

The world exploded.

Every Thorn Whip moved simultaneously.

Millions of roots.

Millions of thorns.

Millions of vines.

They descended upon Yuan Tao and Li Chao like divine judgment.

For the first time since the battle began, genuine shock appeared on Yuan Tao's face.

"No..." The old man's voice carried disbelief. His eyes widened as he stared at the impossible forest surrounding him. "No, this is impossible."

The approaching sea of living wood reflected within his pupils.

His composure cracked.

"This isn't nature. This isn't balance. This isn't cultivation!" The denial came immediately, his voice rising higher with every word as the Thorn Whips continued advancing. The old man took a step backward. For the first time, Yuan Tao looked afraid. Yet even then, he shook his head and said, "No. I was right. I had to do it. The weak exist to serve the strong. Everything I built was necessary."

The words grew weaker as they left his mouth, sounding less like conviction and more like an attempt to convince himself. The roots closed in. The vines surrounded him. The forest tightened. The Thorn Whips towered above him like executioners.

Yuan Tao looked up at me, at the World Tree standing behind me, and at the countless leaves filling the heavens.

For a fleeting moment, I saw something hidden beneath his denial. It was doubt. A tiny crack. A flaw in the conviction he had clung to for the entirety of his immortal life.

Regardless, the forest descended upon him without mercy.