Chapter 1051: The Divine Tree and the Master.

Upon the verdant fields, countless skeletons are piled up.

The visible range is this wide, and to think they are piled up so densely there.

Even.

‘Time has passed considerably.’

That they had become skeletonized to that extent meant they definitely weren’t things that died recently. Even seeing as they are on the verge of crumbling signified that a very long time had passed.

‘……What is it?’

It’s strange.

‘Was the barrier hiding even these things?’

The ashen sky I was confronting that crow bastard under. In the desolate space felt there, at least, there were no skeletons like these.

I had to frown at such a barrier disappearing and reappearing.

‘This is actually the reality.’

How on earth did something like this come into existence?

The moment I recalled the question.

‘Could it be.’

A thought comes to mind. The crystals I had encountered in the ashen space. I thought about the vitality felt inside them.

“Ha.”

It seems that’s what it is.

What was contained inside them was a living being. And moreover, one that was still alive.

I had witnessed their vitality soaring into the air for a moment, then undergoing a drastic change when absorbed by the crow.

‘Then these skeletons.’

Aren’t they all the things that were contained inside those crystals? Such a thought occurred to me.

If so.

‘Is the reason their form changed like this because the vitality disappeared?’

From the circumstances, these things must have had a long time pass, but didn’t I see it myself? Vitality escaping from the crystals, I mean.

Vitality is something that exists within a living being.

As it’s difficult to see these skeletons as having been alive, it was correct to judge that something had happened.

‘If vitality is drained, it seems they became skeletonized.’

Did that guy absorb all of what was emitted like that?

‘In the first place, how?’

How such a barrier was made is a question, and the fact that it was gathering this kind of vitality itself is a strange thing.

‘Judging by his reaction, it seemed like something prepared secretly from the Master.’

Something prepared so the Master of Myriad Worlds wouldn’t know.

What could be the intention? And.

‘What is that appearance?’

The white form that he showed.

I recalled the three pairs of wings discolored white and the blue eyes.

Gguk.

My fist clenches automatically.

‘It was overwhelming.’

The difference in level.

I realized the large gap coming from his presence with my whole body.

It was like.

‘……A sensation like when seeing my mother or the Abyss.’

The sense of otherness and overwhelmingness felt when confronting beings called Masters.

I could feel that from that crow bastard.

‘Something has changed greatly.’

His condition. His body, which had pulled out and contained vitality, I could realize that a drastic change had occurred no matter how I looked at it.

‘……What is he thinking?’

Even if I don’t know what it is, I could tell that his intention was something extremely troublesome.

‘Damn it. This is screwed.’

The situation is complicated.

Being discovered by that crow bastard is a problem, and not knowing his intention is also a problem.

‘What could be the intention?’

How on earth does he possess such an intention?

Just looking at it, at least, it wasn’t a positive feeling.

‘……Ssk.’

Exhaling the question, I turned my gaze. The skeletons are one thing, but the tree that soared up beyond them comes into view.

The giant soaring tree, even if not as much as the Sacred Tree that was inside the Hwasan Sect, was the second largest among the trees I had seen so far.

As soon as I saw it, I could tell.

‘It’s a Sacred Tree.’

That is a Sacred Tree. However.

‘……I can’t feel its energy.’

The unique energy that a Sacred Tree would possess was not felt. This means.

‘Does it mean it’s a dead tree?’

If it were just the energy, it could be possible, but vitality could not be felt even from the tree itself.

In other words, it meant that even that tree’s life had already ended.

Narrowing my brow, I approached the tree.

No, I tried to approach.

Throb-!

‘……Damn.’

When I tried to move my leg, I felt sharp pain. It was because my body had not fully healed yet.

‘What on earth did I do?’

What happened while I was unconscious that caused my vessel to become so damaged?

If only the body were hurting, I could at least understand.

‘The vessel itself has suffered strain.’

My dantian and vessel, everything became a mess. Though I don’t remember, it was evident that something had happened to my body.

Judging this, I look back. Cheonma and Yarang were staring quietly at me.

Meanwhile, Yarang had already put on a mask.

His upper body seemed to have blown off, almost half of it. It was perfectly healed due to Cheonma’s demonic energy.

While being amazed at that result.

‘What on earth is this guy?’

I heard that he has no memory.

I heard that his memories from when he was the Divine Sword have been forgotten, so he cannot recall them.

‘Why does he keep.’

Appearing beside me and making me bothered, I don’t know why.

I wonder if he might have memories.

‘……If he does.’

If he did, I think he wouldn’t have shown this kind of attitude. I believed so.

Dragging my aching body, I headed towards the Sacred Tree. Upon arriving, it was more certain.

‘……It’s dead.’

The tree was dead. Visually, it looked fine, but no energy could be felt. Feeling this, I reached out my hand and touched its surface.

I could feel the rough texture of the bark, but.

“Alas.”

There is nothing like what I had felt until now when touching a Sacred Tree.

Any sensation could not be felt.

It’s truly a dead tree.

Rather, it would have been better if it were said this wasn’t a Sacred Tree. But I instinctively sensed that it was a Sacred Tree. That’s why it’s a problem.

‘If it’s like this, what happens?’

The Sacred Tree in this area, called the Black Imperial Palace. I must obtain this, but if the tree has already died, what should I do?

‘……In the first place, is it possible for a Sacred Tree to die?’

I don’t know about this part because I haven’t heard about it.

‘Ssk.’

Regarding the Sacred Tree with no reaction, what or how I should do was a question.

‘In the first place, the fact that the Sacred Tree is dead is also a problem.’

According to my mother’s words, there should be some predetermined procedure, but perhaps because the Sacred Tree died, there was no movement at all.

Perhaps this too is the crow bastard’s doing?

Just as he sucked out the vitality, I suspected he might have done something to the Sacred Tree too.

‘As far as I can see, this has the highest probability.’

Than the possibility of the Sacred Tree itself dying.

The possibility that this too was done by the crow bastard is significantly higher.

“Hoo…”

I took my hand off the Sacred Tree. Just like that, when I looked back, the abundance of skeletons on the field came into view again.

“……”

I recalled the events in the ashen world. The reason I frowned looking at the crystals is none other than.

‘I could hear screams.’

Not only was I feeling the vitality from the crystals, but desperate screams could also be heard.

Something inside them was screaming.

Not asking to be saved.

‘Please, just kill me.’

‘Kill me so I can escape this place.’

They were crying out like that.

That was why.

I got a little heated at that damn sight.

That’s why I charged headfirst at the guy who looked like the culprit.

“Tsk.”

Clicking my tongue briefly, I moved my hand.

Sss-!

Energy moves from my heart. I feel sharp pain, but I ignored it. This much was bearable.

As I moved a considerable amount of energy, the skeletons gathered on the floor began to tremble.

And then.

Whoooosh–!!!

Collectively, they floated into the air. At that moment, looking at Cheonma, I said.

“Hey. Dig the ground deep.”

“……”

Hearing my words, energy surged from Cheonma’s feet. Dark energy erupted, and then he uprooted the ground.

Kugu-gugung–!!!

It was instantaneous. The hard ground shook, and a huge pit was made. Gathering the skeletons, I put them into it.

Hudududuk-! The skeletons went in.

I looked at the slightly piled skeletons. Even if I just covered them up, there would be no problem, but.

‘Still.’

Swinging once more, I created flames. Intense heat wrapped around the skeletons, crumbling them into dust with the heat.

“Cover it.”

After confirming they had become dust, I said to Cheonma. I covered the ground, which had been lifted with dark energy, back on top.

Thump-!!

It looked like a hill, but pressing it down with pressure to make it flat meant it wasn’t noticeable.

After tidying it up neatly, I looked for a moment and turned my back.

I didn’t do things like putting my palms together. Since it wasn’t my character to do such things, I thought this much was enough.

“……Well, what now?”

I don’t know the crow bastard’s intention either.

And I don’t know what he’s aiming for either.

‘I don’t know my body’s condition well either.’

I don’t know what events I experienced that caused my vessel’s current state to become like this.

For now, that is the most concerning.

‘I don’t remember.’

Right before my consciousness broke.

Something overflowed from the vessel in my body and seeped into my flesh.

A warm sensation wrapped around my whole enraged body,

And just like that, not long after, I lost consciousness.

‘And when I opened my eyes again.’

It was the place within Cheonma’s demonic cultivation scripture.

‘What could it be?’

What happened during that short time?

To say that Cheonma just came and saved me feels off.

‘The feeling is strange.’

The remaining traces on my body are subtle.

It’s not just the sharp pain I feel.

‘This is…….’

The overwhelming and alien presence I felt from the crow bastard.

That remains in my body, making me confused.

Furthermore, it’s even more so because I know where this energy flows from.

This is

‘Energy obtained from the Sacred Tree.’

The Sacred Tree’s energy, which I had obtained from there several times before and which had been quietly dormant within my vessel, was showing its presence for some reason.

Really, is this a good reaction?

As for me, I couldn’t know.

‘So, I need to see my mother to ask.’

Perhaps because of the Sacred Tree in this region or its condition, my mother did not appear.

The plan became tangled and complicated.

‘What should I do?’

Now, what should I do?

‘First, should I return to Hwasan?’

Then.

‘What about him?’

What about Yarang, who is next to Cheonma? Should I take him too?

As worries kept coming to mind, just then.

Chijik-!

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, a sound was heard in my ear.

Chik. Chijik.

It felt like the sound of something popping.

Feeling uncomfortable, I touched my left ear.

-……Could you hear me?

“……!”

Surprisingly, a voice was heard. It’s even a familiar voice.

This voice is..

“……Elder-nim?”

It’s undoubtedly Geobuk-i’s voice. Why am I hearing this out of the blue?

As my eyes widened in surprise.

-……Come back immediately. Something happened at Hwasan.

“……”

Geobuk-i’s words continued.

At that moment, I turned my head and ignited fire onto my body.

Hwareureuk—!!!

I had an ominous feeling.