Chapter 1200, The Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree

Translator:  Ashish

Translation Checker: Silvain

 

Time flew by like a bolt of lightning streaking across the sky; before one could grasp it, three years had already passed.

 

And on this day, in a corner of the starry expanse, a lone figure drifted through the boundless cosmos. Carrying sixteen golden wings on its back, crowned with a sacred halo, the figure carved a trail of light across the stars.

 

It was Yu Zi Yu.

 

Now, he had returned from the Central Sector.

 

As for the Heaven-Connecting Jianmu, he had only glimpsed it from afar, from the very edge of the Sector.

 

And yet, even at such a distance, it was exactly as he had imagined, magnificent beyond words.

 

Its trunk stood like an Ox, and its countless branches wove through the starry expanse.

 

Every time they swayed, they stirred a horrific tide of Spiritual Energy, cascading like waves across the stars.

 

It was really vast, and majestic.

 

It was undoubtedly a genuine Tier-7 Hegemon.

 

However, just as Yu Zi Yu was prepared to approach, perhaps to speak, the distant Jianmu seemed to have sensed Yu Zi Yu’s approach.

 

No words were exchanged, nor did they signal to each other.

 

Only, a single object, green and luminous, resembling a heart, emerged from her vast canopy and soared toward him.

 

And then, like a meteor guided by fate, it vanished into the depths of the Nine Realms.

 

Then, Yu Zi Yu, after a brief silence, chose to depart.

 

Without exchanging a single word, he understood everything, for the green, glowing thing, resembling a heart, was the Tree Heart.

 

Just as Yu Zi Yu’s own Tree Heart was his second life, Jianmu’s heart was no less.

 

And now, without even meeting him face-to-face, Jianmu had entrusted this second life, her last hope, into his hands.

 

There was no discussion, no consent, everything had already been said in silence.

 

‘I entrust my hope of life…to you.” Maybe it was his imagination or what, Yu Zi Yu could almost hear that aged, melancholic voice echoing once more in his mind.

 

*Haaaa…* Yu Zi Yu breathed a sigh, as a heavy weight settled on his shoulder.

 

This was not a burden he could reject, because Jianmu had once shown him great kindness.

 

According to Anzuiel, Jianmu had long since erased all information of Yu Zi Yu.

 

That was why he did not find the leaf that represented him on Jianmu.

 

It was news to Yu Zi Yu.

 

However, in the instant he laid eyes on the distant Jianmu, he understood that Jianmu had protected him in secret, and more than once.

 

And now, he was in Jianmu’s debt, a debt that must be repaid.

 

What Yu Zi Yu could do, must do, was to guard Jianmu’s second life: her Tree Heart.

 

“So does this mean… when the day comes to hunt Jianmu, I can fight with all my strength?” With a self-mocking smile on his lips, Yu Zi Yu muttered to himself, his voice carrying a sense of helplessness.

 

“Naturally.” a calm voice echoed in his ear, belonging to Anzuiel.

 

“Since she’s placed her final card in your hands, you no longer need to hesitate. I believe. she’d rather die by your hand than fall into someone else’s.”

 

Yu Zi Yu sunk into a brief silence.

 

Jianmu’s resolve was loud and clear to Yu Zi Yu.

 

[If fate truly demanded it, then so be it… I’ll send Jianmu to her final journey.]

 

*Haaaa…* Another sigh escaped Yu Zi Yu.

 

No explanation was necessary. Everything was already understood.

 

Except, in that moment, Yu Zi Yu failed to notice that, deep within the Nine Realms, the green ‘heart’ glimmered faintly, radiating a misty emerald glow.

 

And within that glow, if one looked closely, they could just barely make out a figure. Miniature beyond belief and peerlessly graceful, the figure was seated with its legs crossed.

 

“Now… all I can do is leave it to fate, and do all I can…” Her lips curled into a faint, knowing smile.

 

Then, she sank into a deep yet final stillness.

 

She could not afford to be discovered. Thus, the best method at hand was to hibernate using the Turtle Breathe Technique.

 

She entered a long slumber, like death itself. This silence would last through the ages, until the day she could truly awaken.

 

This was her final decision.

 

And truthfully, she had no other choice.

 

The current she bore within her the greater part of Jianmu’s Spirit and inheritance.

 

Should her presence be discovered, it would not be just the Myriad Races, even the Consciousness of Cosmic Source itself would not allow her to exist.

 

The Myriad Races would naturally hunt her to the end of this world.

 

As for why? It needed no explanation.

 

Her existence alone was a threat to them, one too great to ignore.

 

Heaven-Connecting Jianmu, the ‘Heaven-Connecting’ part was not mere grandeur. It meant she was connected to the Consciousness of Cosmic Source.

 

And thus, she knew too many secrets, like the true whereabouts of the legendary Grand Divine Ability: One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones, or the origins of the elusive Void Clan.

 

An ocean of knowledge was stored within her mind.

 

And to the Consciousness of Cosmic Source, her existence would upset the balance of the universe. Thus, how could it allow her to exist?

 

What the Consciousness of Cosmic Source wanted was merely the hollow husk she had left behind in the Central Sector—an empty shell, moving like a corpse.

 

Had she not forged her Dharma Avatar early on and retreated into secrecy, she would have long been assimilated by the Heavenly Dao.

 

*Hoooo…* Taking a slow, deep breath, the figure suppressed the inner turmoil in her heart.

 

But suddenly, seemingly thinking of something, she actually channeled her Spiritual Energy, and began to inscribe something upon the outer layer of the Tree Heart.

 

“This… is all I can do for you now.”

 

Breathing a soft sigh, the slender figure closed her eyes.

 

Gradually, the Tree Heart dimmed, as if it was covered in dust.

 

However, if one looked closely, there would actually see words etched upon it.

 

They recorded the location of the remaining five steles that recorded the rest of the One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones.

 

And this was the final gift left behind by the Heaven-Connecting Jianmu to Yu Zi Yu.

 

And why final? Because even she did not know when, or if, she would awaken again.

 

The Consciousness of Cosmic Source was too fearsome.

 

Even the faintest ripple of her presence might send her into eternal damnation.

 

And so, until Yu Zi Yu had reached the Eternal Realm, she would not dare awaken.

 

And this was the gamble she had made.

 

She had staked everything on Yu Zi Yu, gambling on his destiny and fortune, his chance of attaining Eternity.

 

If he managed to attain Eternity, then he would be able to shield her Soul and safeguard her True Spirit.

 

If not, both he and she would be extinguished under the weight of the Heavenly Dao.

 

As for why she had chosen him?

 

The answer was simple, Among all the living in this vast sea of stars, in all the races, there was but one worthy of being called ‘First Under Heaven’.

 

The title, ‘First Under Heaven’ was no exaggeration.

 

Even the reclusive Dragon Emperor of the Eastern Sector, the newly risen King of Gods in the Northern Sector, or the peerless First King of the Void, hidden deep within the Void Space itself. None could compare to him.

 

Others might be oblivious to it, but she was not.

 

She knew, this man had never once shown his true cards.

 

What the world thought they saw was only what he allowed them to see.

 

Even the Sixteen Holy Wings, who stayed ever by his side, had not glimpsed the full truth.

 

Of course, she herself had not seen everything.

 

However, she had her suspicions.

 

She had once guided him

 

After all, it was her who had given him information on the One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones.

 

She knew he had begun cultivating this Grand Divine Ability.

 

And coupled with the fact the Azure Dragon and Purple Dragon constantly remained by his side, she began to see the shadow of a greater truth: Perhaps, the Heavenly Dao Dragon, and the oldest Emperor of the Void Space, were but Avatars of Yu Zi Yu himself…