Chapter 4672: Underground Palace The sound was like oil meeting fire as a sharp, sizzling noise resounded. As the flames danced and grew, the oppressive demonic energy in the vicinity began to wane, visibly shrinking back as if in fear. Even the surrounding trees seemed to recoil from the encroaching light and heat. Sensing an opportunity amidst the chaos, the demon tree itself made a desperate attempt to flee. But Feng Jiu was swift. Gathering her inner energy, she blurred into the shadows, a determined hunter pursuing its prey. She allowed the flames to continue their work, a cleansing force against the encroaching darkness. With a powerful leap, she closed the distance and plunged the gleaming Blue Edge sword directly into the demon tree’s thick trunk. The impact resonated with a sharp, cracking sound, and a viscous, greenish-blue sap oozed from the wound. Simultaneously, a heart-wrenching scream tore from the demon tree as its massive form shuddered and began to shrink rapidly. In mere moments, the towering entity was reduced to a pathetic, human-sized tree stump, still faintly pulsating with a malevolent energy. “Tell me,” Feng Jiu’s voice was sharp and demanding, the Blue Edge now withdrawn and pointed directly at the diminished tree, “Where are my people?” She pressed her sword down, increasing the force behind the sword’s tip, piercing the woody flesh once more. A thin trickle of sap escaped, accompanied by the tree demon’s desperate cries for mercy. “Don’t kill me! Please, don’t kill me! I’ll take you there,” it pleaded, its voice laced with terror at the prospect of its centuries of cultivation being extinguished in an instant. Reluctantly, the tree demon began to lead the way. As they moved through the darkened landscape, Feng Jiu’s eyes flickered downwards, though her body remained still. With subtle grace, she conjured a small, intense flame in the palm of her hand. In the next heartbeat, her hand shot out, striking a patch of ground that appeared utterly black and empty. “Bang!” “Ah!” A sharp cry of pain erupted from the seemingly vacant spot. The force of Feng Jiu’s palm, amplified by the searing flame, landed with a solid impact. A quantity of dark, viscous liquid splattered onto the ground. With a swift wave of her hand, Feng Jiu swept the foul substance aside. The demon tree, ever opportunistic, seized the moment to try and escape again. But Feng Jiu merely snorted in disdain. With a casual flick of her wrist, the Blue Edge flashed, severing several thick branches from the humanoid tree stump. “Ah!” The demon tree yelped, startled, and instinctively crouched lower. Seeing its severed limbs lying uselessly on the ground, it turned back to Feng Jiu, its remaining form trembling. “I… I can’t take you any further,” it stammered, fear evident in its voice. “Otherwise, the Demon King will surely kill me.” “And you’re not afraid that I’ll kill you right now?” Feng Jiu countered, her gaze unwavering. She idly played with the cluster of flames in her hand, the flickering light casting an ominous glow on her face. “Or would you prefer to experience what it feels like to burn as firewood?” Her voice was dangerously cold. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚 The sight of the heavenly fire sent a fresh wave of terror through the tree demon. It shrank back, its woody surface seeming to pale. “No, no! I’ll take you there. I’ll take you there, is that alright?” Only then did it fully resign itself to its fate, leading Feng Jiu onward. They finally arrived before an enormous tree, its girth so wide it would likely take seven or eight people to encircle its trunk. The demon tree recoiled slightly. “Go in there,” it mumbled, pointing a remaining branch towards the massive tree. “That’s the place.” Feng Jiu studied the indicated tree. It was undeniably large and lush, and the demonic energy surrounding it was noticeably denser than in the surrounding area. However, apart from its size and the faint oppressive aura, it appeared unremarkable. “How do we get in?” Feng Jiu inquired, her eyes narrowed. “Go around the tree trunk once to the left, then once to the right,” the tree demon whispered, its gaze darting nervously around their surroundings. “Then slap the trunk and shout ‘open,’ and it will open.” “An underground palace?” Feng Jiu raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in her voice. “Yes, yes,” the tree demon stammered. “The Demon Queen herself came out to capture those two people and took them inside. The Demon Queen… she loves to drain the essence of immortals. If you don’t want to see them reduced to nothing but white bones, you’d better hurry and go inside.” As it spoke, the tree demon edged backward, clearly anxious to put as much distance as possible between itself and Feng Jiu. Feng Jiu glanced at the retreating demon tree, then turned her attention to the massive trunk before her. Following the demon’s instructions precisely, she circled the tree once to the left, then once to the right. Finally, she placed her palm against the rough bark and shouted, “Open!” A gaping doorway appeared in the midst of the colossal tree trunk. Without hesitation, Feng Jiu stepped forward and disappeared into the darkness beyond.