Chapter 57: Intense Battle Against the Crimson Willow Tree

"Insignificant human, are you finally willing to face me in a direct battle?"

The ancient willow tree emitted an overwhelming aura. Although Gu Chen had performed remarkably and slain dozens of soul beasts over five thousand years old, he still appeared merely as an insignificant human before it.

This was because its cultivation realm was not ten thousand years, but exceeded fifteen thousand years. Coupled with the year-round nourishment of fresh blood and the blood lake, its physical body had become incomparably sturdy.

The tens of thousands of drooping red willow branches on its body were its weapons, and each one was no weaker than an imperial artifact.

"No matter how strong you are! Since I, Gu Chen, have walked this far, I must destroy you!"

"Stellar Strike." Gu Chen exerted force through his soles, turning into a shooting star as he slashed towards the massive willow tree.

"Overestimating your capabilities!" Over a dozen branches of the blood-colored willow tree attacked Gu Chen from various directions.

"Overestimating my capabilities?" Gu Chen sneered.

"Netherworld Stealth, Demonic Energy Eruption." Gu Chen's body vanished instantly. The demonic energy on his body was also burning fiercely.

This was an innate skill of the Lesser Inner Demon. After merging with the Lesser Inner Demon, he naturally became capable of using this skill.

The Starry Sky Ancient Sword severed dozens of willow branches and charged deep into the territory of the blood-colored willow tree.

Sensing Gu Chen's uncanny disappearance, the blood-colored willow branches also raised their guard.

"Rolling Willow Sea!" The tens of thousands of branches of the blood-colored willow tree rapidly contracted and then violently sprang outward.

Like countless steel needles, they formed a wave of ocean-like coverage across the entire area, leaving Gu Chen with nowhere to escape.

"Starry Sky Sword Technique, Cleaving the Firmament with a Sword." This was the strongest strike Gu Chen had created after witnessing the battle between the two titled Douluo, Ghost Slave and Ghost Charm, combining the Stellar Art and the third illustration of the Seventeen Starry Sky Swords, "Opening the Heavens with a Single Sword."

The sounds of "crack, crack" snapping echoed.

Gu Chen used almost all of his strength for this single sword strike.

Yet, it left only a shallow scar on the trunk of the blood tree.

Faced with this outcome, the blood-colored willow tree was somewhat shocked, while Gu Chen felt somewhat dejected.

It seemed that his own strength was still not strong enough. Did he have to rely on Ghost Slave once again to defeat his opponent?

Gu Chen felt somewhat unwilling. He wanted to defeat his opponent relying on his own strength, rather than thinking of finding helpers the moment he encountered difficulties.

Having figured everything out, Gu Chen's eyes suddenly turned sharp.

Having accumulated for so long, it was time to break through to the second realm of the Profound Heart Technique—the Realm of Creation.

"The Bodhi tree is fundamentally nonexistent, nor is the bright mirror a stand; since originally not a single thing exists, where can dust alight?"

"What does it matter if your realm is higher than mine? You are not without weaknesses."

"The reason you are so strong is not because you are inherently powerful, but because you rely on the lake water below." Gu Chen looked at the blood-colored willow tree, a brilliant light flashing in his eyes.

"Then let me suck dry the lake water here, and slay you with a single sword!"

"Ridiculous! I will not give you this chance at all!"

"Willow Sea Storm!" The branches of the blood-colored willow tree began to sway in a single direction.

Furious winds whipped up around them, forming a tornado whose intense tearing force sought to rip Gu Chen to shreds.

"Meritorious Golden Body, Merge." Facing this stubborn strike from the blood-colored willow tree, Gu Chen showed no sign of panic. He rapidly merged the Meritorious Golden Body with himself and plummeted downward.

At the same time, he activated the first domain of the divine artifact, the Heavenly Luo Umbrella.

He swiftly brought the three demonic spirits—the octopus, the large black snake, and the beautiful woman—into the range of the domain.

They were to help him hold back the blood-colored willow tree and buy time for him to absorb the blood-colored lake.

The moment before contacting the blood-colored lake surface, he threw out the Starry Sky Ancient Sword, separated from the Lesser Inner Demon, and plunged into the lake.

Relying on the Starry Sky Ancient Sword, the Lesser Inner Demon joined the three demonic spirits in resisting the "Willow Sea Storm" attack of the blood-colored willow tree.

Although the highest level among those present was only at the 33rd-rank Soul Elder strength, they had all been exceptionally powerful entities before becoming demonic spirits. Currently restricted by the Heavenly Luo Umbrella, they were unable to unleash their full power.

However, their combat experience was extremely rich, and their cooperation was exceptionally tacit.

The octopus demonic spirit was responsible for control; its eight octopus arms continuously entangled the incoming willow branches, buying time for the teammates in the rear.

The large black snake demonic spirit was responsible for offense; black snake venom was continuously spat into the air, destroying the willow branches.

The beautiful woman continuously released seeds of the Othershore Flower; once parasitism succeeded, she would frantically extract power from the blood-colored willow tree.

Although she could not extract too much power from the blood-colored willow tree, many ants could bite an elephant to death, and it would ultimately weaken the blood-colored willow tree for a moment.

The Lesser Inner Demon took over Gu Chen's position, controlling the domain on one hand to weaken the power of the blood-colored willow tree, and occasionally deflecting attacks for the three demonic spirits on the other, preventing them from being instantly crushed by the blood-colored willow tree.

All they could do now was try their best to buy more time for Gu Chen.

Time ticked away by the minute. On the lake surface, the blood-colored willow tree and the demonic spirits led by the Lesser Inner Demon were locked in an intense, evenly matched battle with blow-for-blow exchanges.

Deep within the blood-colored lake shore, Gu Chen sat cross-legged at the bottom of the lake, frantically absorbing the lake water, letting the water cleanse his inner self and enter his mind.

He had carved an opening deep enough to see bone on his chest with a dagger.

At the location of his pounding heart appeared a quaint little mirror, reflecting the lake water within itself.

The lake water inside the mirror grew increasingly abundant, while the water in the blood lake decreased at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Noticing the lake water vanishing rapidly, the blood-colored willow tree panicked. It frantically whipped its branches, trying to beat to death the few detestable fiends blocking its path.

However, these fiends clung to it like stubborn dog-skin plasters, refusing to let go and preventing it from launching an attack on Gu Chen.

Furthermore, it discovered that its own strength was being restricted while the enemy's strength was actually increasing!

This made it feel exceptionally irritated.

As the blood-colored lake surface gradually diminished, the power it could mobilize was also continuously weakening.

Its offensive power began to gradually match that of the four demons, and eventually fell into a disadvantageous position.

The blood-colored willow tree finally realized that it had underestimated the enemy!

"Stop absorbing it, I beg you to stop absorbing it! I am willing to submit!" The voice of the blood-colored willow tree resounded in Gu Chen's mind. Gu Chen showed not a trace of pity, continuing to frantically absorb the lake water.

When the very last drop of lake water was completely absorbed into the bright mirror within Gu Chen's heart, the blood-colored willow tree turned the color of a normal willow tree. Its massive body deflated like a punctured ball, rapidly shrinking to a fraction of its original size.

It was slain by a single sword strike from the Lesser Inner Demon. A black soul ring slowly rose, and the Lesser Inner Demon mobilized a portion of Gu Chen's soul power, guiding the black soul ring to settle onto her own Black Lizard Martial Soul.

Her cultivation realm also successfully broke through to the 31st rank.

Compared to Gu Chen, the cultivation of an inner demon was much simpler; as long as Gu Chen had obsessions he could not let go of, she could continuously draw power from them.

If one day Gu Chen were to kill his wife to attain the Dao like the perverted male leads in certain storybooks, the Lesser Inner Demon estimated she could soar. However, she believed Gu Chen would not do such a thing, nor was she willing for Gu Chen to do so!

Even though she was an inner demon, the kindness deep within Gu Chen's bones profoundly influenced her.

After the mirror in his heart absorbed all the lake water, the mirror underwent a transformation. The mirror surface, which had originally presented a chaotic and hazy color, became bright and clear. Gu Chen could summon it at will to clearly inspect the flaws within his own soul.

With the enhancement of his state of mind, his soul could comprehend the laws of heaven and earth much faster.

His physical body could more effortlessly absorb the energy between heaven and earth, converting it into soul power to elevate his cultivation.

His realm ushered in an unprecedented peak of breakthrough.

Great Soul Master 24th rank, Great Soul Master 25th rank... Great Soul Master 28th rank.

Consecutively leaping five ranks—if this were spread across the entire Douluo Continent, everyone's jaws would drop in astonishment!

Even the most monstrous genius could hardly leap five ranks in a mere quarter of an hour.