Chapter 285: Soul-Stabilizing Tree

The Star Power surged mightily, yet there was no change in the corpse.

Jiang Changkong swept his Divine Control Art over it and discovered that the corpse had long been dead.

The life force was emanating from the roots of the sapling, which had taken root in the corpse, leading him to mistakenly believe that the corpse still held vitality.

After a brief moment of thought, Jiang Changkong reached for the sapling again, remaining vigilant all the while.

The sapling swayed, and the rebounding force struck once more.

Jiang Changkong mustered all his strength, shattered the rebounding force, and grabbed at it.

A strange scene unfolded: Jiang Changkong’s hand passed directly through the sapling.

It was not a physical entity!

“Let me try with the Divine Control Art.”

After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Changkong decided to give it a try.

The Star Power of the Divine Control Art surged directly toward the sapling. This time, he felt no rebounding force whatsoever.

A dark, chilling aura washed over him, an endless expanse of darkness devoid of any color.

A cold voice rang out: “Which floor have we reached now?”

“The third floor. Our soul power can only take us this far.”

“Impossible. We’ve already reached the Star level. How could we only be on the third floor?”

“We truly are on the third floor. I don’t know why either. To go higher, we can only rely on ourselves to climb.”

Jiang Changkong murmured, “From the sound of it, there are two people? Is this a memory scene?”

If it were merely a memory scene, it likely held little use, shrouded entirely in darkness.

“Who’s speaking?”

Two voices echoed simultaneously.

Jiang Changkong was momentarily stunned. Could they hear him? This wasn’t a memory scene?

“Come out!”

An angry shout resounded, stirring the darkness as powerful Invisible Star Power rippled within it.

Jiang Changkong hesitated, uncertain of what was happening.

Two Star-level beings, their backgrounds unknown—he dared not engage with them lightly.

Moreover, he had no idea what this sapling was. Venturing recklessly into the unknown could bring unforeseen dangers.

“We do not know which master this is, but we ask you to show yourself.”

The two voices called out.

It seemed they hadn’t detected his Divine Control Art Star Power. After a moment’s thought, he asked, “Who are you?”

“There really is someone here. Please show yourself. We are members of the High Star Clan.”

A proud voice declared.

“High Star Clan? Those ugly, worm-like creatures?”

Jiang Changkong scoffed. How could something so repulsive dare call itself a High Star Clan?

“You’re not a Star Demon?” The two voices paused in surprise.

Jiang Changkong hesitated briefly. “Of course not. Such hideous creatures are unworthy of being mentioned alongside me.”

“Then you must be human?” The two voices grew slightly excited.

“Aren’t you Star Demons?” Jiang Changkong was taken aback.

“Of course not. Sometimes, it’s just easier to get things done using the Star Demon name. Where are you? Why can’t we see you?”

The two voices inquired.

Jiang Changkong thought for a moment, then channeled his Divine Control Art inward. Within the endless darkness, two ethereal figures materialized.

One male, one female, both appearing youthful, but in truth, they were undoubtedly two ancient beings.

Moreover, Star Power fluctuations emanated from their souls, stronger than his own.

These were two Star-level soul cultivators.

“I see you now.”

Jiang Changkong used his Star Power to form a human figure, though not his true appearance, and his Star Power manifestation remained invisible.

“What is this?” The two were puzzled, sensing only the Star Power fluctuations without seeing Jiang Changkong.

“Where is this place?” Jiang Changkong asked.

The two looked at him strangely. “How did you get in? You don’t even know where this is?”

“I was cultivating and suddenly appeared here for no reason,” Jiang Changkong said.

The two exchanged glances. “We’re not entirely sure either. We obtained it from the Ancient Ruins not long ago—a six-story palace. Which part of the Void Realm are you from?”

“Asking for my location so directly isn’t appropriate.”

Jiang Changkong said calmly, “There are six floors here, and it’s pitch black everywhere. How do I go up?”

“Little brother, with this attitude, it’s hard for us to answer. Until next time.”

The young man smiled faintly, and his illusory figure vanished.

The young woman also disappeared, leaving this boundless darkness.

Jiang Changkong found it odd. It was pitch black here, and he couldn’t see anything clearly.

Thinking this, Jiang Changkong forcefully activated the Divine Control Art, but it was still a dark world, without even any buildings—just an empty, dark expanse.

“Forget it, I’ll withdraw for now.”

Jiang Changkong pondered for a moment and retracted the Divine Control Art.

“Hiss…”

As soon as he withdrew from the darkness, a sharp pain suddenly shot through his soul. In his mind, fragmented memories appeared—images of an altar.

On the altar sat a middle-aged man, holding a seed in his hands.

Ancient Star Script surged into his mind, filling his thoughts.

Immediately afterward, an endless Star Array appeared. The middle-aged man, holding a nine-zhang-tall gray tree, stood alongside a body-refining Martial Artist whose blood energy surged to the heavens.

Jiang Changkong even recognized this Martial Artist—the one from the Three-Colored Stone Pearl, whose corpse had once waved at him.

The two worked together, one refining blood energy, the other extracting souls, activating an unparalleled killing array.

“Soul-Stabilizing Tree?”

Jiang Changkong’s expression turned serious. This sapling was a Soul-Stabilizing Tree. With this tree present, one could maintain an indestructible soul, resist soul damage, and achieve eternal existence.

Provided, of course, no powerful being destroyed it.

The middle-aged man originally had a Soul-Stabilizing Tree, already thick and sturdy, nine zhang tall. This sapling, only about a meter high, was a seed left behind by the middle-aged man—a newly sprouted one.

Once the Soul-Stabilizing Tree reached its peak state, no one except a Near-Deity could destroy the soul.

Moreover, this Soul-Stabilizing Tree had another ability: it grew by devouring souls. Only souls could serve as its nourishment.

Jiang Changkong wasn’t concerned with these details. He focused on one thing: with the Soul-Stabilizing Tree, he could descend into that Dark Space and search for the treasure left behind by the middle-aged man!

The treasure of a Near-Deity!

Jiang Changkong saw many things in the images, including Star Crystals.

The Soul-Stabilizing Tree was the key to unlocking the treasure!

That altar was the middle-aged man’s weapon—a Soul Altar.

He didn’t care about that; he only cared about things like Star Crystals.

“According to what those two said earlier, they entered through a six-story palace. I wonder if they were lying.”

Jiang Changkong pondered. Whether they were lying or not, it proved one thing: the Near-Deity’s treasure wasn’t something only he could find.

However, with the Soul-Stabilizing Tree in hand, what did he have to worry about?

Even if they found it, to enter, they would either need to call upon a Near-Deity to force their way in, or they would have to beg him.

“Now I’ve become the treasure key again.”

A smile appeared on Jiang Changkong’s face. Speaking of which, he truly had a connection with that supremely powerful Martial Artist.

First, he obtained his Three-Colored Stone Pearl, and now he had acquired his companion’s Soul-Stabilizing Tree.

Wait, there was another possibility—there might be more than one Soul-Stabilizing Tree!

He couldn’t be sure how many Soul-Stabilizing Tree seeds the middle-aged man had left behind. What if it wasn’t the palace but another Soul-Stabilizing Tree?

“I’ll first gain control of the Soul-Stabilizing Tree. Over the next few days, I’ll keep an eye on the inside and wait for them to enter again.”

Jiang Changkong pondered the method of harvesting the Soul-Stabilizing Tree, which he had just obtained. He could directly control it to stabilize his own soul.

From now on, unless someone far surpassed his own soul cultivation, they would be utterly incapable of shaking his soul.

Moreover, even the Blood Qi Palace, even without him using his own strength, would find it difficult to harm him easily.

Once he harvested the Soul-Stabilizing Tree, he would go capture Star Demons and nurture them. In the future, the souls of Star Demons would no longer go to waste.