Thus, one shouldn’t be fooled by the Tree of Life’s thick and sturdy trunk and incredible height and size. It really didn’t possess that many drops of power of divinity.
To put it bluntly, not only was it the weakest half-deity, but it was also the poorest half-deity.
Precisely because it was poor, how the Tree of Life wished it could use every drop of power of divinity as if it had the capacity of three. How would it possibly have extra power of divinity lying around to squander and waste?
After all, its father was no Li Gang1 or Little Big Brother Ma2, much less the Heavenly Emperor or the Creator.
Therefore, how could the Tree of Life possibly not be filled with fear when faced with a weapon that could consume one’s power of divinity?
“What kind of weapon is it, exactly? To think it can actually consume the power of divinity? Could it be a divine weapon?
“And that hammer, too. It’s even sturdier than my body! It has to be at least a half-divine weapon!
“That bastard! Why does a Saint Domain like him have that many divine weapons? Is there even any justice in this world?!”
The Tree of Life felt terribly frustrated. How venerable and how powerful was a great half-deity like it?
Yet, it was still an impoverished pauper even to this day. On the other hand, Meng Lei instead had divine weapon after divine weapon. How infuriating!
“What is he trying to do? That location...! Could he be...”
The Tree of Life’s countenance changed greatly. It had suddenly realized what Meng Lei wanted to do.
“Damn! His goal isn’t the life essence but my vitality core! I have to stop him! I have to!
“Not only does he hold two divine weapons in his possession, but he’s even ridiculously strong. Once I allow him to go near my vitality core, I’ll be in great danger!
“Divinity Personification!”
Upon realizing the severity of the situation, the Tree of Life was no longer miserly with its power of divinity. It created an even stronger divinity personification and charged toward Meng Lei at all costs!
“Here to deliver food again?”
At the sight of the divinity personification that’d appeared once more, Meng Lei threw the Gods-Slaying Spear over again without any hesitation.
The divinity personification had come prepared this time. It easily dodged the Gods-Slaying Spear, and then it unleashed its skill.
“God’s Domain!”
A terrifying energy wave descended and froze Meng Lei to the ground.
“Divine Technique: Deprivation of Life!”
Meng Lei gave an icy chuckle. Then, a great force erupted from all over him, and he knocked away the shackles of God’s Domain. The Hammer of Destruction appeared in his hand, and he smashed it ruthlessly at the divinity personification!
“Hmph! This is home ground for me here. How can I possibly let you attack me?”
The divinity personification snorted and evaded the Hammer of Destruction’s attacks. To its surprise, however, the Gods-Slaying Spear actually ambushed it from the back and, with a splurt, pierced through its head.
“So what even if it’s your home ground?” Meng Lei sneered, “I can kill you insidiously with a pincer attack all the same!”
Buzz!
Lightning dazzled brightly on the Gods-Slaying Spear’s surface. Then, as though drinking sweet dew, it began to absorb the divinity personification once more.
“You bastard!”
The divinity personification roared furiously. Nevertheless, amid utmost indignation, it was ultimately still cleanly and totally absorbed by the Gods-Slaying Spear, leaving behind not even a trace of itself.
“Let’s continue forward!”
Meng Lei pushed on continuously.
Boom!
The third divinity personification descended. It was obviously an even more solid manifestation than the previous two. Its aura was also more ferocious, and its divine power even more fearsome. The Tree of Life had clearly invested heavily in it.
However, this time round, without even needing Meng Lei’s command, the Gods-Slaying Spear that had gotten addicted to the taste shot forward by itself, chasing after the divinity personification and chomping down on it.
“What the hell!”
The Tree of Life was so frightened that it darted about everywhere. It didn’t have the leisure to attack Meng Lei anymore.
“Here’s my chance!”
It wasn’t attacking Meng Lei, but that didn’t mean that he was going to let it off. Upon finding an opportune moment, Meng Lei smashed the hammer over.
Bam!
The divinity personification was utterly stunned by the blow.
“Ahhh!”
The Gods-Slaying Spear took advantage of the opportunity and impaled the divinity personification’s buttocks in one strike.
“Third divinity personification down!”
Meng Lei chuckled, and then he darted swiftly toward the vitality core.
“Almost there! The life essence is becoming richer and richer! The vitality core must be nearby! Hurry! C’mon! Find it!”
Ol’ Amos was incredibly agitated, so much so that even his voice was somewhat shaking.
Meng Lei broke into another mad dash.
Boom!
Dazzling light suddenly erupted ahead. The light was so piercing that Meng Lei couldn’t even really open his eyes. He had actually arrived at a massive hollow zone.
It was hollowed out.
The area ahead was straight up hollowed out.
And in the center of the hollowed-out zone, a golden sun-like bead hung suspended.
Spanning 100-meters-wide, the surface was covered in mysterious magic runes. It gave off a surging, gushing sense of vigor as if one would extend their lifespan by a thousand years just by taking a breath of it.
Root-like strands extended from the golden bead, connecting to every area of the Tree of Life.
They led everywhere, crisscrossing and intertwining as though one’s neural networks, yet also like a sheep’s intestinal tracts.
Dense and packed, innumerable, and infinite!
“The vitality core! That’s the Tree of Life’s vitality core!
“The most dangerous and most critical moment has come, Meng Lei. You must be careful of its counterattacks. A moment of carelessness will doom you to hell!
“Of course, should you succeed, then congratulations, you shall achieve the great feat of slaying a deity—though just a half-deity!”
Chapter 192: Perishing Together, Goodbye Meng Lei
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“The golden barrier is gone!”
“Here’s my chance!”
“Quickly!”
“Hurry and leave this place!”
At the moment that Meng Lei found the vitality core, the golden shield enveloping the outside disappeared with a boom.
Everyone who was trapped within was overjoyed, and they seized the opportunity to flee.
The Tree of Life didn’t stop them. They fled a long way out in one go before they finally came to a stop.
“That was close! We’re finally out!”
“That was really too close!”
“A moment of carelessness, and we’d all have been finished!”
“We’re still in a passable condition. It’s Prince Barbarossa and the others who are in for it...”
Prince Barbarossa and the other 100-odd contestants’ appearances were all shriveled up, and their faces filled with wrinkles, making them look even older than an 800-years-old elderly man!
The strong ones were still breathing faintly, barely hanging on—all of them were Saint Domains.
On the other hand, the weaker ones—all ninth-grade—were deader than dead.
“How are they?”
The Golden Colossal Dragon Person barked the question with a grave look on his countenance.
“Captain, out of 108 contestants, only 36 of them are barely managing to ha
ng in there. The rest are all dead!”
“Bastard!”
With an awful look on his face, the Golden Colossal Dragon Person swore. “That goddamn evil deity! To think it’s killed so many of the empire’s elites. How utterly hateful!”
“Hmph! Isn’t all of this Meng Lei’s fault?!”
One of the contestants snorted icily and said, “If it weren’t for him, why would we be in such a predicament?”
“Exactly! It’s all Meng Lei’s fault! He has to take responsibility for the 72 contestants’ deaths!”
“So many contestants have indirectly died by his hand. It’s no different from him killing them himself. He’s no longer qualified to participate in the competition. He should be disqualified!”
“That’s right! He should be disqualified...”
The Golden Colossal Dragon Person gave the contestants a long, deep look before he said, “At this point of the competition, all of you are the only ones left now. Whether or not the competition goes on is dependent on His Majesty’s decision.”
Upon hearing that, the contestants’ countenances changed slightly, becoming dismayed at once.
...
“I understand, Ol’ President!”
Meng Lei took a deep breath and primed his body to its best condition. The Gods-Slaying Spear quietly appeared in his hand. Then, he leaped into the air and hurled it forward forcefully.
“Go, Gods-Slaying Spear!”
Whoosh!
Lightning weaved around the spear, and the Gods-Slaying Spear turned into a stream of light that shot toward the 100-meters-wide golden bead.
“God’s Domain!”
A roar that contained endless fury rang out. The space was locked down in an instant. The Gods-Slaying Spear’s speed reduced dramatically until it ultimately became imprisoned and stopped where it was.
“You lowly and cunning human!”
A gigantic human visage appeared in the sky. Its mouth opened and closed as it emanated endless murderous intent and immense wrath.
“How dare you seek to slay a great deity! How utterly audacious of you! I’m going to rip you into a million pieces!”
“Divine Technique: Imprisonment!”
Buzz!
Power of divinity even more fearsome than God’s Domain swept toward Meng Lei. Since he had been prepared for it, Meng Lei’s form flashed about again and again, and then, he vanished altogether!
“Old tree demon, your divine techniques are certainly fearsome. Once it hits me, I’m finished!” Meng Lei’s voice resounded in the surroundings as he went on. “But casting these techniques requires time, and so does hitting me with them. As long as I’m on guard against it, what can you do to me?”
His voice echoed in the void, but his form was nowhere in sight at all; hence the divine technique naturally also missed its target. The Tree of Life was so furious that it was screaming.
“You goddamn little thief! Get out here! Get out here!”
“Get out there? As you wish!”
Meng Lei abruptly appeared in front of the Gods-Slaying Spear, grabbed it in one smooth motion, and then, he vanished right away. By the time he reappeared, he was already on the other side of the golden bead.
“Break!”
With the Gods-Slaying Spear in hand, Meng Lei pumped all the strength in him into it and jabbed it forward ruthlessly.
Slash!
The Gods-Slaying Spear ripped through the air, emitting a sharp and shrill screech as it did so, and stabbed the golden bead.
Clang!
It was as though the Gods-Slaying Spear were stabbing against a firm, solid metal board, spraying sparks everywhere.
Apart from that, it actually hadn’t managed to impale the golden bead.
“What the! It’s that solid?” Meng Lei was shocked.
“This is normal. Magic cores are where all of a Magical Beast’s essence is stored,” Ol’ Amos explained, “Even low-grade Magical Beasts’ magic cores are incredibly hard, let alone an old half-deity demonic tree like the Tree of Life that has lived for an immeasurably long time.”
“That’s true!”
Realization dawned on Meng Lei.
“Bastard!” The Tree of Life roared, “Divine Technique: Elemental Storm!”
Boom!
An endless amount of wood elements sprayed forth and turned into innumerable formidable tornadoes.
Each tornado’s size might not be that big, but all of them were imbued with the power of divinity. The might they carried was countless times stronger than typical tornadoes’!
Should any hit him, while Meng Lei had no idea whether or not they could penetrate his defenses, what he did know was that with his current short and small body, he’d definitely be sucked into them.
When that happened, wouldn’t he become a trapped mouse?
“How can I let things go according to your plan?”
Meng Lei began to weave through the innumerable tornadoes. No matter how the storms howled, slashed, or cut, they actually couldn’t even... touch Meng Lei at all.
The Gods-Slaying Rat bloodline’s powerful superiority in speed was fully displayed at this moment.
Running around isn’t going to kill the old tree demon. I have to think of something! A way that I can kill it!
Eh? That’s it! There’s the Hammer of Destruction!
Meng Lei appeared at the golden bead again with the spear in his left hand and the hammer in his right. He pressed the tip of the spear against the golden bead and swung the hammer down on it!
Boom!
Carrying with it a great, vast force, the Hammer of Destruction struck the Gods-Slaying Spear’s end heavily, causing a great force to course through the spear.
Crack!
With a crisp, melodious crack, the Gods-Slaying Spear’s tip actually pierced through the solid and sturdy golden bead’s defenses to make a small opening.
“Hahaha! It works!”
Meng Lei was immensely excited. He didn’t hold back at all with the Qilin Arm1, that he had painstakingly trained for so many years.
Amid loud collisions, the Gods-Slaying Spear was embedded bit by bit into the golden bead. In the blink of an eye, almost half of the tip had gone in.
“Ahhh!”
The Tree of Life let out a shrill cry that sounded just like the wailing of vengeful spirits from hell, making one’s scalp tingle and shivers to go through them.
“Hurry! Step on it! Kill that bastard!”
An incredibly stimulated Ol’ Amos cheered Meng Lei on.
“Break! Break! Break!”
Meng Lei let out a long howl, displaying even the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique1 that he’d painstakingly practiced for many years. Right away, deafening clings and clangs rang out, and sparks flew everywhere.
“C’mon, break!!”
“Aaahhhh!”
Each of the Tree of Life’s screams was louder than the previous, endless and eternal like the gushing rivers, yet also like the overflowing Yellow River, beyond control once the floodgates open.
Crack!
At last, amid crisp cracks that sounded incomparably wonderful, a thin crack appeared in the blazing sun-like golden bead’s surface.
The crack became wider and wider, longer and longer. Like a spider web, the cracks spread outward in every direction. In the blink of an eye, they had spread throughout the whole golden bead!
“Here’s my chance!”
Meng Lei’s blood boiled with passion as he leaped high into the air and swung the Hammer of Destruction down.
“I shall decide the universe’s fate with one strike of the hammer!
“Break!!”
Boom!
The incomparably heavy Hammer of Destruction contained a fearsome might. Added to this Meng Lei’s incredible strength, everything erupted the instant it came into contact with the golden bead.
Crack!
At last! It broke!
The enormous golden bead broke into half from the middle!
“Ahhh!”
A scream that sounded like the wailing and crying of thousands of vengeful spirits rang out, hysterical and insane... It was the Tree of Life!
“I did it! Ol’ President, I did it!”
Meng Lei panted heavily with a look of excitement and stimulation on his face.
“Go! Hurry and go! Leave this place immediately!” Ol’ Amos shouted, “The Tree of Life is doomed! But you have to be careful of its final blow before it dies!”
“Don’t worry, I know!”
Meng Lei didn’t dare dally. He took off at once.
“Leave? Do you really think you can go after you’ve injured me to this extent?”
A cold, imposing voice that contained great murderous intent and endless hatred rang out. Then, a small golden tree that dazzled a radiant gold abruptly appeared in the empty zone.
It was a tree but looked more like a human—more so than even its divinity personification.
“That’s...”
A huge jolt went through Meng Lei.
“That’s the Tree of Life’s soul. Or rather... Its divine spirit.” Ol’ Amos’ voice shook as he said, “It has already attained half-deification, so its soul has metamorphosed into a soul of higher class that’s nearly immortal—the divine spirit.”
“Immortal?” Meng Lei shook violently. “Doesn’t that mean that it can’t die?”
“Theoretically, yes!” Ol’ Amos nodded.
“Who cares? Let’s just go!”
With even a moment’s pause, Meng Lei continued his mad dash.
“You’ve broken my vitality core and destroyed my divine body, thoroughly cutting off my path to divinity. I’ll fight to the death with you!”
The crazed golden little tree charged right up to Meng Lei in an instant and blocked his path.
“What the hell! It’s so quick!”
A shocked Meng Lei immediately changed his course and ran off again.
“Die! Die! Die! Die!”
As the little golden tree screamed, its divine spirit’s surging power morphed into a hammer that swung ruthlessly toward Meng Lei.
“Look out! That’s an attack on one’s divine spirit!”
Ol’ Amos hastily shouted a warning.
But just how fast was a divine spirit attack?
He’d only just shouted the warning when the divine spirit attack reached Meng Lei, disregarding his body to smash forcefully onto his soul!
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