Chapter 1235, The Quintessence of a Hegemon

Translator:  Ashish

Translation Checker: Silvain

 

Moreover, Yu Zi Yu had no doubt that he too would eventually encounter the imprint of the Axe of Nature.

 

After all, the Axe of Nature… was the most domineering of its kind, and in a way, it could be called the Nemesis of Divine Trees.

 

For someone like him, a Divine Tree that had attained enlightenment, encountering this Imperial Artifact forged by the Gods meant his combat power would be reduced by at least 10-20 percent.

 

More importantly, it could even sever vitality itself, which was an act capable of crippling Yu Zi Yu’s most terrifying Innate Talent: Everlasting Life.

 

*Haaaa…* With a long sigh, Yu Zi Yu knew this was not the time for such thoughts.

 

Right now, something else was far more important…

 

*Bam…* Thus, discarding the distracting thoughts, Yu Zi Yu took a step forward.

 

Immediately, traversing time and space, the scenery around Yu Zi Yu shifted as he appeared before the colossal, shattered body of the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree.

 

Looking up, he was met with gleaming gazes from one powerhouse after another. He saw the Dream Dragon, the Seven-Colored Divine Phoenix. They were both wearing expressions of astonishment.

 

“So this… is a battle for the remains of the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree…” A silent sigh rose in everyone’s heart, as the gathered powerhouses fell into a sombre silence.

 

After all, they knew that if this Demon Emperor truly desired the remains of the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree… their chances of contending for it would be reduced by more than half.

 

For this Demon Emperor… was truly terrifying.

 

He no longer stood on the same plane as they did.

 

However, to their surprise, Yu Zi Yu slowly raised his right hand and gently broke off what seemed to be an ordinary branch from the Heaven Connecting Diving Tree’s massive remains.

 

“As a fellow enlightened Divine Tree… I shall take one of your branches today, as a memento.” Yu Zi Yu’s voice was filled with regret and melancholy.

 

With the branch in hand, Yu Zi Yu took one more step and vanished into the starry void.

 

Only the vast, broken remains of the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree remained, suspended quietly in space.

 

“This…”

 

“This…”

 

“The Demon Emperor actually gave up the most precious part of the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree…”

 

…

 

One disbelieving voice after another echoed as countless powerhouses gazed at the figure fading into the distance, their hearts stirred with complex emotions.

 

[What a Demon Emperor!? He struck down the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree for the sake of all races. And yet, out of reverence for their shared origin as Divine Trees, he chose to leave behind its most precious remains, taking only a single branch as a memento…]

 

[Such grace. Such character! Truly a being who inspires both awe and fear.]

 

But before the powerhouses of Myriad Races could think further…

 

*Whoosh…* A streak of light pierced through space, shooting straight toward the remains. Under stunned gazes, it snatched away a dragon-shaped fruit.

 

“You bastard…!”

 

With a cry of shock, countless powerhouses’ expressions shifted.

 

Then—

 

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…*

 

One streak of light after another surged forth, as the entire starry sky plunged into chaos.

 

After all, the allure of wealth was something no one could deny.

 

And the remains of the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree… stirred hearts beyond compare.

 

For instance, if a First Order or Second Order Tier-6 manage to get their hands on a fruit from it, it could push them to Third or Fourth Order.

 

For a Late-Stage Tier-6, a single branch from it could nourish their body and Soul with its overwhelming vitality.

 

As for the Quintessence of a Hegemon, that needed no explanation.

 

Even to Hegemons, it was an unmatched treasure.

 

And currently, there was not a single Hegemon in the entire universe.

 

Thus, it was clear how irresistible the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree’s Quintessence was to these mere Tier-6s.

 

Looking up… one could already see multiple figures wielding Imperial Artifacts, all aiming to seize the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree’s remains.

 

Even the proud Ni Shang, the No.1 expert of the Phoenix Clan, had made a move.

 

…

 

“Do you see this, Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree…? Everything is unfolding just as you wished.” A soft chuckle echoed in a corner of the starry sky.

 

There, concealed in the dark and dreary void, Yu Zi Yu, who had just chosen to leave, secretly watched the chaos unfold.

 

The True Body of the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree was unimaginably massive; it resembled a star in both size and presence. Even after being split in two by the Axe of Nature, its remaining husk was still shockingly vast.

 

Thus, even with thousands of powerhouses scrambling for pieces, everyone got a piece of the huge pie.

 

However, a few were not content with merely a single leaf or fruit… Naturally, such greed would spark brutal conflict.

 

“Die!” With a furious roar, a Dwarf Cultivator swung his massive warhammer at a Troll Warrior.

 

As a member of the Dwarf Clan, he was a master of forging.

 

If he could claim this particular section of trunk from the Divine Tree, he was confident he could craft a Tier-7 Artifact.

 

However, unfortunately, a Troll had also set his sights on the same piece of the trunk.

 

So without a second thought, the hot-tempered Dwarf charged in for the kill.

 

Elsewhere, powerhouses such as the Dream Dragon and the Seven-Colored Divine Phoenix showed far more restraint. Each took a piece of the trunk and chose to leave.

 

In the end, there was karma tied to this. They didn’t wish to become entangled in it.

 

Besides, with the overwhelming foundation of the Dragon and Phoenix Clans, they weren’t lacking in resources.

 

They didn’t feel the need to fight to the death.

 

However, as the two departed, a figure flashed across the depths of their eyes, a noble and elegant figure in white robes, as pure as fresh snow.

 

“The Demon Emperor is… truly a man among men.” Unanimously, the two praised. Both women were filled with admiration.

 

[He single-handedly slayed the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree. And yet, out of respect for their shared lineage as Divine Trees, he left all of its most precious remains untouched. That’s… truly awe-inspiring.]

 

[Such virtue, however, finds no place among the Myriad Races. Here, schemes and betrayal are the norm! Today, the Demon Emperor forsook a great opportunity. Tomorrow, he might well come to regret it.]

 

…

 

And yet, unbeknownst to the Dragon and Phoenix, Yu Zi Yu was already fiddling with a branch, his face brimming with joy.

 

As the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree had said, this very branch contained 60 percent of her Quintessence.

 

60 percent, what did that signify? It needed no further explanation.

 

The massive trunk, large as a planet and the focus of endless slaughter, held only 40 percent of the total Quintessence.

 

Even that much had stirred such chaos.

 

Even the top figures of the Dragon and Phoenix Clans had used Imperial Artifacts to take pieces, PIECES, of trunk containing less than 5 percent of the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree’s Quintessence.

 

And yet Yu Zi Yu, alone, had obtained 60 percent of her Quintessence.

 

More importantly, because he too was a Divine Tree, Yu Zi Yu could fully absorb this Quintessence.

 

In other words, with some time, he could rely on this one branch to break through into Tier-7, into the Realm of Hegemony.

 

And this… was Yu Zi Yu’s true great fortune.