Chapter 398 – Divine Tree Guardian Spirit

Fire Nation Capital was extremely large, occupying a large amount of space. It had existed since the ancient times, baptised by the endless passage of time. It did not collapsed this entire time.

“How unfortunate. We’ve been here for so many days, yet we haven’t encountered a single human race expert. Is the so called battle between the two Stone brothers really true? Otherwise, how could there not even be anyone that seems close to them?”

There were a few people who were doubtful. They came from outside this region and stayed within this large city for many days, yet in the end, they didn’t even see a single exceptional youth.

“You can’t say it like that. The Fire Nation’s princess is not simple. She seems to possess the blood of the Vermilion Bird, and she is always changing. I have also seen her a few times, and each time I see her, she would always be much stronger. She isn’t a simple figure.”

These people temporarily stopped on the streets when they recognized each other. After chatting for a while, they separated again.

People continuously moved about in a seemingly endless stream. This majestic ancient city was flourishing with activity with who knew how many tens of thousands of people entering and leaving each day. It was extremely bustling. When people walked on the streets, their shoulders bumped into each other.

Of course, the most shocking thing was that there were creatures from all different races present here. There were even some races that they had never seen before.

Shi Hao saw many races with bizarre and monstrous appearances. He had never even heard of creatures like them before, but the other people on the street didn’t dare to point at or talk about them. It was clear that these creatures were quite powerful, and the people here knew that a loose tongue would only cause trouble.

There were many stores at the sides of the streets, and they were all stores with well-established reputations. There was no lack of medicine, weapon, treasure stores, or restaurants. Many cultivators came in and out of their doors; business was booming.

Shi Hao was extremely relaxed as he walked about. He stayed over a year in the mountains where it was extremely peaceful, to the point where he became a bit lonely. Now that he entered such a bustling world of mortals, he felt extremely comfortable.

“After growing weary of the clamoring of the world, entering a world of peace is a type of pleasure. However, after staying too long in a tranquil place, spending time in a flourishing city has its own type of enjoyment.”

Shi Hao spoke to himself. He was rather moved, but soon after, he became baffled. He made the connection that there were two types of cultivators: those that bitterly cultivated in isolation and the free and unfeathered eccentrics in the world of mortals. These were two completely different lifestyles.

“What a large tree!” Shi Hao was shocked. When he arrived at the eastern part of this ancient city, he saw an ancient tree that reached into the skies. It was truly enormous.

Its entire body was fiery red and surging with scarlet multicolored lights. Regardless of whether it was the branches or the leaves, they were all red. The treetop was like a large fan reaching into the sky as it towered in the city. It was clear that this tree was rather special.

What kind of tree was this? The diameter of this tree was at least a few dozen meters in length, and its old bark extended out layer after layer. It was clearly quite ancient. The enormous tree occupied quite a large region.

This tree was even taller than a mountain. It was simply impossible for an ordinary city to contain such a tree. Fortunately, Fire Nation’s capital was large enough and could occupy many enormous mountains. As a result, the amount of space this tree occupied didn’t matter too much.

“This is the Fire God Tree. Back then, it was also one of the Fire Nation’s guardian spirits!” There were people discussing. It was clear that Shi Hao wasn’t the only one that was shocked. Many people that had just arrived in the city had similar expressions.

This place was a well known tourist location. Those that visited the Fire Nation would all take a look here; otherwise, it would be rather regretful.

“This tree has existed since the ancient years and grew until today. Unfortunately, its divine fire has been extinguished and its divine awareness dried up. It no longer possesses any great divine abilities.” Someone said.

This used to be a divine tree guardian spirit? When Shi Hao heard this, his eyes began to dazzle. This was too shocking! He began to inspect it carefully.

This tree was truly enormous and ancient to a ridiculous level. For this tree to grow to this level and experience the endless passage of time, based on normal reasoning, even if its divine flame was extinguished, it should still be able to become great again. It was definitely not an ordinary tree.

However, after watching it for a while, he did not notice any divine fluctuations. It did not possess that kind of aura.

The things those people said weren’t untrue. It had once became a deity, but later on, its divine flame was extinguished. As a result, it became a regular tree.

Shi Hao was extremely interested. He asked around for guidance to find out more details.

“During the struggles between saints in the ancient years, deities fought. This was a period of brilliance, as well as a time of chaos for the world. Powerful figures emerged in large numbers and great talents soared across the sky. The great ancient countries first started during this era…”

This tree came from the Fire Nation’s ancestral grounds, just like the Vermilion Bird. Their powers were closely related, and they both became deities. They were incomparably valiant and surpassed all those around them.

When the Fire Nation became a country, it fought against all sides together with the Fire Nation’s Holy Emperor and established great achievements. Unfortunately, while struggling against large numbers of powerful individuals, it suffered a disaster. Its divine flame was attacked and destroyed, dropping down from the divine altar. The Vermilion Bird and the Holy Emperor were its old friends, and as a result, they brought it to take root in the Fire Clan, allowing it to continue living through great magic.

“Even though it survived, its previous will, the divine flame, and the rest have scattered. It is now simply an ordinary tree.”

“The reason it was able to live for so long is due to the moisture of the Immortal Sprint. However, it can no longer ignite its divine flame again, to the point where it cannot step on the path of dao again.”

Many people were discussing this, and all of them sighed with sorrow and regret. An ancient splendid divine existence ultimately ended up in such a state.

“Wu, you guys have only described one side of the story. It isn’t complete. There is another rumor, only that there aren’t many people that believe it.” An elder walked over and said.

“What other story is there?” Some people revealed looks of shock.

“It is rumored that this tree’s divine fire hasn’t been completely extinguished, but rather that it is undergoing rebirth,” said the elder.

“What?!” Many people became stupefied when they heard these words. If it was reborn again, just how terrifying would it be? It would be unbelievable!

You have to understand that it has existed from the ancient times until now! If this really was true, then who in this world could be its opponent? At the very least, if an ancient deity didn’t emerge, there would be no one that could be its opponent.

“Why do you think there are some great sects that came to form an alliance with the Fire Nation’s imperial family? Rumor has it that it is precisely because they are scared of this rumor.”

“Impossible!” Many people didn’t believe this.

“The descendants of the Fire Nation Capital City have all heard of this rumor, only, not many people seem to pay much attention to it now.” The elder shook his head and left with his hands clasped behind his back.

“There really was this kind of rumor. In the past, I’ve also heard a few elders that discussed this here.” There was someone else that spoke from the side and gave out even more detailed information.

It was rumored that during the country’s sacrifices, the ones that immersed within divine flames were not only the guardian spirit and Fire Emperor, but a portion of it was even poured here to nourish this ancient tree.

“Let’s go and get some tea and food while the sky is still bright.” Someone said and waved towards his companions.

There were many floating palaces in the sky. They were all extremely big and quite far from the ground. They were all located around this ancient tree.

“I believe that elder’s words somewhat and don’t think that it is too unreasonable. Every time I go up this palace, I always feel like it will help my comprehension of the dao.”

After hearing these people talk, Shi Hao’s mind was shaken. He looked towards those enormous palaces and revealed a look of shock. He wanted to go up and take a look.

However, just when he was about to pay it a visit, he was suddenly given a fright. The prices were ridiculous! Just a cup of tea was enough to make one go bankrupt!

Ordinary people weren’t able to go up at all, and they couldn’t fly into the sky either. These were truly like bejeweled jade palaces that were constructed in the sky. They were protected by mysterious formations that prevented them from falling.

The palace sparkled with brilliant lights. Clouds curled up around these palaces one after another. It truly seemed like an enormous divine hall.

Shi Hao walked up the jade steps and entered the biggest palace. He paid the high price and entered. What he saw was quite extraordinary.

Those that could enter were naturally all cultivators. Moreover, their identities weren’t ordinary. Otherwise, how could the price be so high? It was enough to make normal cultivators shrink back.

In a sense, this place became the gathering place for Fire Country Capital’s cultivators. After entering this luxurious place, Shi Hao encountered even more creatures from outside this region.

Soon after, he felt that the price he paid wasn’t wrong and was still rather worth it, because he was able to learn some important information from their discussions.

“Supreme experts seem to have completely disappeared. They are all a bit scared of the imminent crisis and as a result they’ve gone into hiding.”

This kind of news made Shi Hao’s eyebrows jump; this was definitely good news. Since those kinds of figures weren’t going to jump out, it wouldn’t be a big deal even if he revealed his real body.

“The divine aren’t better than the mustard seed. This is news obtained from the great sects from outside this region. It seems like those with greater cultivation will suffer a greater impact this time. We should still be okay, right?”

“Wu, I’m pretty sure that the information is valid. Even the supreme experts of the great sects outside this region are backing off, yet their young disciples have stayed behind. The day of great change doesn’t seem to be too far off.”

Shi Hao chose a location by the window where he could see the enormous ancient tree. He tried to cultivate and found that it was truly a bit easier.

Shi Hao took up residence here, and each day, he would ascend into the luxurious palace and cultivate here. Cultivating within the clamoring of the mortal world was a different type of experience.

The big red bird silently cursed. It couldn’t sleep at all like this and could only unwillingly accompany him.

“Yi, something’s not right. This is so terrifying!” Several days later, he made a shocking discovery, because when he brought out the Vermilion Bird’s true feather he obtained from the Holy Emperor Palace, he experienced an ancient will that was difficult to comprehend.

If he simply tried to sense it without this true feather, he wouldn’t have experienced anything. However, when he held this precious red feather, he seemed to hear a great heartbeat.

This ancient tree wasn’t ordinary. It possessed a type of grandeur and a tremendous vitality, only, those outside couldn’t sense it.

At this time, even the creatures from outside this region that entered this place were ignored when they talked about him.

He hurriedly requested a private room, and then he used the ancient deity’s dual-pupil to inspect the enormous ancient tree. However, he was disappointed in the end, since he wasn’t able to see through it.

In the end, only when he held the Vermilion Bird’s feather again did some changes take place.

Shi Hao was astonished when he saw a few indistinct scenes within the tree. The dual-pupil alone wasn’t enough; he unexpectedly needed the sacred object of the Vermilion Bird race in order to see this.

“A door created from a pair of Vermilion Bird wings!” Shi Hao’s heart was greatly shaken. It truly were the wings of a Vermilion Bird within the tree, and it was flowing with auspicious light.

In addition, behind the Vermilion Bird gates was a golden coffin, and it blocked the cave entrance.

Shi Hao strained his eyes and did everything he could to the point where he was about to bleed from his eyes. Finally, he saw that there was a male within the golden coffin, and he wasn’t moving.

He immediately shivered. His heart began to pound intensely.

This male was too unusual. His aura was astonishing, and in addition, he seemed especially similar to a damaged statue he saw within the ancestral grounds’ Holy Emperor Palace. Huo Ling’er had told him previously that this was the Fire Clan’s Holy Emperor!

The golden coffin blocked the entrance to a cavern. What was inside? Shi Hao trembled inwardly. He never expected to encounter such a great secret!