Chapter 1715: The Great Tree Submits

The Profound Blade was incomparably sharp, quickly severing the branches that lashed over. However, the immense force numbed his arm, forcing him to retreat.

Zhang Xuan's current strength, which allowed him to contend with Immortal Realm Great Perfection experts, relied heavily on various treasures. In terms of pure power, he still fell short of such formidable beings.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

Having lost a branch, the great tree seemed unfazed. Soon, more branches surged forth like an octopus, each carrying the power of a Great Saint Fourth Layer Immortal Realm Great Perfection. The surrounding space groaned under the pressure, as if unable to bear it.

Senior...

Unexpectedly, as the senior was investigating, he ended up fighting a tree. Everyone was extremely anxious and wanted to help.

Don't come over!

Zhang Xuan's voice rang out.

If even he could barely withstand this, these people charging over would only be courting death.

Whoosh!

Before his words faded, countless roots emerged from beneath the sand, sweeping toward the crowd.

Roots... I see. No wonder, your roots must have spread throughout the entire desert. You've been using your roots to perform spirit awakening!

Seeing this, Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

The tree before him didn't look particularly tall, but to possess the strength of a Great Saint Fourth Layer Great Perfection, its roots must have extended extremely far. The spirit awakening happening dozens or even hundreds of kilometers away was most likely its doing.

Otherwise, even he couldn't accomplish such a feat, so how could this tree?

You have many roots, but I have plenty of tricks too...

Having figured things out, Zhang Xuan didn't bother to dawdle. He flipped his wrist.

Whoosh!

Five beast kings appeared before him, each exuding a powerful aura. Upon receiving his command, they charged simultaneously at the great tree.

This...

The senior actually has so many sacred beasts?

It seems each one is at Immortal Realm Great Perfection...

Any one of them would be more than a match for us...

...

The people engaged in battle, seeing the young man casually release so many beast pets, swallowed their saliva, their lips trembling.

For an ordinary cultivator, having one beast pet was already good fortune. To have so many, each powerful... They thought they had already overestimated this young senior, but it turned out they had still underestimated him!

The visual impact was simply overwhelming.

Master, don't worry. I'll handle this...

With the five kings appearing, the great tree indeed lost its former might, its power completely suppressed. After a brief fight, the Heavenly Cang Fire Phoenix let out a cry that shook the heavens.

Whoosh!

Flames spewed from its mouth, dyeing half the sky crimson. The moment the great tree encountered the fire, it began to tremble, its former dominance gone.

Although this creature could release fluff that burned people into grains of sand, it was still a tree and feared open flames.

Raging flames!

Ignoring its fear, the Heavenly Cang Fire Phoenix continued to spew flames. Soon, the tree began to dry out, its lush green leaves turning withered and yellow, its power completely drained.

I know you have consciousness. Submit to me, and I will spare your life. Otherwise, you will not escape today!

With his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan said calmly.

Having tamed five beast kings, whether he personally acted or not was irrelevant against anyone below the Ancient Sage realm.

This great tree, capable of plotting to kill cultivators and awakening spirits in sand grains, clearly possessed its own intelligence.

Since that was the case, it was naturally best to take it for his own use.

Submit to you? Dream on!

As soon as he finished speaking, a thought was transmitted.

Then burn to death...

Zhang Xuan waved his hand grandly.

Blazing!

The Sky-Blazing Fire Phoenix turned fiery red and flew toward the giant tree before it.

Flames filled the sky, scorching everything around with intense heat. The tree gradually withered and then burned completely.

In a short while, it turned to ashes.

"Hmm?"

Seeing that even after complete burning, the tree still refused to submit, Zhang Xuan frowned and looked at the ground. A smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "Houtu Qilin, roll up all the underground roots for me. Fire Phoenix, cooperate. I don't believe we can't burn it to death!"

Houtu Qilin shook its body and burrowed into the desert. Then everyone saw massive tree roots being flipped up.

The Sky-Blazing Fire Phoenix charged again.

Flames spread, creating a vast sea of fire.

Although the flames of the Sky-Blazing Fire Phoenix were not as strong as Heavenly Fire, they were no weaker than Earth Fire.

If it burned its bloodline, the flames would be even hotter, enough to melt even Great Sage divine weapons!

"I will not submit to humans. Stop dreaming..."

Even with its roots burning, the giant tree still did not yield. A faint will transmitted over, carrying stubbornness.

"Still not submitting even after this?"

Zhang Xuan was stunned.

It was just a tree—did it have to be this defiant?

Without the trunk, it could revive as long as the roots remained, but if the roots were gone, it would surely die...

"No, there must be a reason. Even burning the roots won't kill it, otherwise it wouldn't be so stubborn."

His eyes flickered.

It was just a tree, even if it had gained intelligence, it wouldn't follow the same rules as a master teacher and prefer death over submission.

The reason it acted this way must be that it had some reliance or trump card, knowing that mere burning couldn't kill it.

"The pond!"

He looked down at the pool of water not far away.

Despite the Fire Phoenix's intense flames, the water in the pond hadn't diminished at all.

"Mingyou Xuan Turtle, you possess water-attribute power. Take all the water from this pond away. Let's see how long this fellow can hold out!"

Without wasting words, Zhang Xuan spoke again.

"Yes!"

The Xuan Turtle slowly walked over and opened its mouth wide.

Whoosh!

The water in the pond surged like a water dragon, pouring into its mouth.

Soon, the pond was drained, revealing a small, slender root inside, pure white and giving a warm, jade-like feel.

He grabbed it out of the air. The moment the jade-like root came into his palm, the tree that the Sky-Blazing Fire Phoenix was burning seemed to lose its foundation. It trembled and in the blink of an eye, turned into yellow sand.

"So that's the true body..."

Seeing this, Zhang Xuan understood everything.

The giant tree and roots before were all fake. Only this was the true body. No wonder it refused to submit—as long as this wasn't found, it wouldn't die.

"Fire Phoenix, burn this root for me... Jinyuan Ding, if it can't be burned, help me refine it into coal slag!"

With a flick of his hand, he tossed the root out. Jinyuan Ding, Sky-Blazing Fire Phoenix, and many other sacred beasts and weapons all flew over.

"Don't kill me..."

Seeing so many powerful beings bearing down on it menacingly, the root trembled incessantly and moved slightly: "I submit, I am willing to submit..."

If it hadn't been caught, it would have been fine—as long as the true body remained, the tree and roots could grow back. But now that it was caught in hand, it dared not talk back anymore.

"That's more like it."

Seeing that this fellow had lost its previous stubbornness once its true body was caught, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Soon, a contract was signed.

The culprit that had terrified all the experts in the desert had, in the next moment, become his beast pet.