In the astonished gazes of Hanba and the others, the square-cut piece of Divine Wood began to shift continuously, slowly taking the form of a colossal bird. Yet, its head remained distinctly human, gradually gaining definition. By the final moment, the timber had completely transformed into a gigantic figure: a being with the head of a man and the body of a bird, standing astride two coiling dragons…

Seeing this immense silhouette, Hanba, Zhurong, and even Hou Yi and Tianwu showed expressions of deep envy. A weapon forged from Jianmu was vastly superior to anything they could create, but envy was all they could manage. Despite Jianmu’s inherent resilience, its properties did not align with their elemental affinities; in their hands, it would merely become a potent weapon, incapable of fusing with their divine essence…

In all the realms, only one being, or perhaps one god, could achieve such a feat…

The Wood God, Jumang…

A monumental surge of vitality radiated from Jumang, suffusing the air with an ancient, primordial, and desolate aura that struck Ye Jingyu with profound awe. This was the Tai ancient Wood God?

Having manifested his true form, Jumang lifted one hand, releasing a bolt of energy that pierced the towering canopy of the Jianmu. Immediately, two leaves detached themselves and drifted down, settling upon his form, instantly coalescing into a suit of pale cyan light armor. In his hand, the wood transformed once more, materializing a great blade which he casually slung across the back of his neck…

Only then did his true physical being become wholly manifest…

“Uncle Jumang, you can’t hoard it all! That massive Divine Wood—couldn’t you spare a bit for me?” Hanba watched Jumang’s colossal frame with undisguised greed, practically vibrating with the urge to bite a piece off.

“You are of the Yin-cold attribute, steeped in stagnant death energy. The true power of Jianmu in your hands would barely reach ten percent utilization. What use is it as your weapon?” Jumang snorted lightly, then turned to Ye Jingyu, offering a smile that served as a greeting.

Among them, Jumang was the most fortunate. Whether Zhurong, Hanba, Tianwu, or Hou Yi, their divine bodies were formed from flesh and blood. But Jumang was derived from the primeval Divine Wood; this inherent nature put him leagues ahead. Moreover, the surrounding wood spirit energy was so rich that he could rapidly elevate his strength…

Yet, for some unknown reason, Ye Jingyu’s cultivation remained stalled at the Hong tier. No matter how they cultivated, their power seemed capped at that level. They might surpass Ye Jingyu marginally, but breaking beyond the Hong tier was impossible…

Consumed with the singular goal of rescuing Luo Ling’er, Ye Jingyu did not linger. Once Jumang had fully acclimated to his new body, the group departed the canyon. Kaiming Beast was naturally left to guard the Jianmu; Ye Jingyu harbored a persistent feeling that he would return one day, and that Jianmu was surely a gateway to another dimension.

Exiting the canyon, Ye Jingyu sheathed the Chi You Banner, and Zhurong and the others retreated into his Sea of Consciousness. Only Xiao Taotao, Ni Bo, and the now utterly subservient Devouring Dragon Beast King remained by his side…

“Xiao Taotao, Little Black, I plan to head toward the Earth Alliance. Are you two coming along…?”

“Of course we are, Little Ye! I know you’re going to save Ling’er. We have nothing else important to do here, so naturally, we’ll go with you…” Xiao Taotao interrupted before Ye Jingyu could finish his question.

“Mmm…” Ni Bo nodded in agreement. With the Devouring Dragon Beast King subdued in the Savage Forest, there was little left to challenge him here, and he desired to see the outside world.

Ye Jingyu glanced at the two companions, then at the crestfallen Devouring Dragon Beast King, and agreed.

Leaving the Devouring Dragon Beast King to secretly cultivate his strength in the Savage Forest, Ye Jingyu led Ni Bo and the other beast toward the Earth Alliance. Perhaps due to the presence of two high-level Savage Beasts, no other beasts dared to trouble them along the way. They traveled for a full month, finally reaching the periphery of the Savage Forest. Just as they were about to exit, they heard a string of agonizing screams…

The man and the two beasts exchanged glances and rushed at top speed toward the sound. When they reached the scene, they were paralyzed by the sight before them…

It was a village of considerable size, nestled on the very edge of the Savage Forest, inhabited entirely by humans. Currently, an army of demons, numbering over a thousand soldiers, was engaged in a brutal massacre of the human settlement.

All men and elders had been slain. Children and young women were being rounded up. The women were pinned beneath various grotesque demons, convulsing wildly. One soldier, bearing the head of a leopard and the body of a man, was relentlessly thrusting into a woman, his movements punctuated by the savage tearing of flesh from her body, which he promptly stuffed into his own mouth… A thick stream of blood dripped onto the woman’s form below…

However, in this era of abundant spiritual energy in the Heavenly Realm, even these ordinary humans possessed vastly superior physical fortitude compared to the past. Unless the wounds were instantly fatal, they would linger, forced to endure unimaginable agony…

Here? Why were there humans here? Ye Jingyu knew this region was supposed to be demon territory; how could humans exist?

“These people are exiles and criminals from the Heaven Alliance. Many are royalty or nobles from defeated nations, or those who committed grave sins, cast out by the entire Heaven Alliance and forced to cross the treacherous Savage Forest to survive in the Earth Alliance.

The Earth Alliance has always struggled with population growth, especially since the demonic species cannot reproduce as vigorously as humans. The population remained low for a long time, so many demons tacitly accepted these humans’ arrival. After several millennia of breeding, these humans have established a significant presence, making up a considerable proportion of the population. But this remains demon territory, and most humans receive little effective protection, with countless becoming slaves, subjected to endless humiliation and slaughter by the demons.” Ni Bo, sensing Ye Jingyu’s confusion, communicated telepathically: “Some humans, through their own strength, earned the favor of certain Demon Lords, becoming high-ranking officials. This afforded protection to their relatives and clans. But many villages never produced such powerful individuals, and their fate is to face slaughter at any moment…”

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