Otherworldly Desert Dust

Although the Erosion Core Rock Octopus did not speak human words, the biological signals it transmitted made Wu Hen's entire body uncomfortable.

He had no interest in analyzing the past glory of this lifeform; if it dared to crawl out, then eradicating it again was the only solution!

Wu Hen gripped his right hand tightly and pulled several Flame Veins from the Holy Orchid Fire Domain, condensing them into a hundred-meter-long Earth Brilliance Flame Spear!

It's a pity he couldn't summon Little Bronze; otherwise, this Earth Brilliance Flame Spear could also erupt with ominous Calamity Water. Water and fire intertwined would double the power...

Wu Hen leapt atop a massive lava wave, the hundred-meter-long Flame Spear in his hand tearing apart the corrosive mist, plunging straight at the central head of the Erosion Core Rock Octopus.

"Clang——!!!"

The Rock Octopus immediately flipped its body, hiding its head beneath its Illuminating Green Rock Scale Armor. At the moment Wu Hen's spear collided with it, the resulting burst wasn't mere sparks but a kilometer-wide plasma fireball!

Holy Orchid patterns bloomed across the muscles of Wu Hen's arms, generating hundreds of crimson rivers surging around him. These rivers of lava amplified the Flame God's Power of the spear in his hand, causing the surroundings to begin incinerating under extreme temperatures.

The underground Rock Octopus seemed to sense Wu Hen's terrifying fiery godly aura. As its Illuminating Green Rock Scale Armor showed signs of turning into black dust, the Erosion Core hidden within its scales started spinning at an overclocked speed.

This time, the hive-like holes emitted not rays but solidified dark red crystalline spikes. The spikes, resembling countless clawed hands of core-bound grudges, densely stabbed toward Wu Hen.

Instead of retreating, Wu Hen advanced. The Flame Spear shattered into tens of thousands of gold-white fiery trails that collided with the crystalline spike barrage.

In an instant, the heavens and earth lost their sound, leaving only black and white flashes—pure Fire Elements and Dark Crystal Dust annihilating each other, blossoming into flowers of death.

Amid the dazzling black-and-white fireworks, a streak of bright red stood out dramatically.

It was Wu Hen, whose Fire Bud within still swayed violently. His molten fire-infused blood coursed through his veins, forming molten golden Flame Divine Patterns on his skin's surface. The patterns expanded, shining as brilliantly as a star!

Soon, Wu Hen became a human-shaped supernova, carrying the most ferocious wrathful flames within his body as he hurtled toward the cracked Erosion Core-covered head.

The Rock Octopus, even with its high-speed spinning Erosion Core hidden within its armor, was rendered defenseless. The extreme temperatures of the fiery supernova turned its entire body into black dust instantly!

There was no process of burning—merely the instant the energies clashed. Its once indestructible, unparalleled ancient divine shell disintegrated into nothing, leaving only a unique and eternal Erosion Core. This core evidently didn't even belong to the Octopus. It was merely something it had claimed at some point in the past, like a bandit stumbling upon a military insignia, using its intimidating presence to garner some prestige. But in the end, a bandit is still a bandit, forever incapable of fully wielding its power.

"I thought it was some kind of Ancient Divine Species, but it turns out it was just occupying a divine artifact," Wu Hen said as he passed through the swirling black dust, his eyes fixed on the slowly rotating Erosion Core.

The Core continued to radiate a mysterious and volatile energy. This energy oscillated between destruction and rebirth. Whether it could bring about the regeneration of all things or the extinction of all life lay solely in the hands of the wielder, requiring just a subtle adjustment of its polarity.

Truth be told, this thing bore quite a similarity to the Barbaric Evil Root.

If left to float freely in a world, that world would rapidly deteriorate. The radiation energy within it would destroy the genes of all life forms in the natural world, turning a thriving planet into a wasteland of acid, decay, and mutation within a few years.

The contamination of this object was immense, and absorbing it into one's own body was an extremely perilous act.

But Wu Hen didn't hesitate. He brought it back to the Soul Nesting Wood. The unrestricted Soul Nesting Wood would undoubtedly assimilate it. After all, even the Barbaric Evil Root significantly bolstered its growth, and the Erosion Core's corrosive force wasn't as savage as the Evil Root's.

"With this, the Soul Nesting Wood should grow into a towering tree," Wu Hen said.

"You've really unlocked Divine Skill Mahayana; your host body alone is already so unbeatable," Wang Rui exclaimed with admiration.

"I'm taking a break now. The next part is up to you all to perform," Wu Hen said.

"No problem. These two subterranean beings were indeed tough to deal with, but as for the rest of those vultures lurking nearby, I'll clean them up with ease!" Wang Rui nodded.

Gao Yu Yan was still comprehending the Genetic Chains. She had sustained injuries during her battle with the Giant Flower Monarch, and without effective Life Potions, she could only rely on her body's self-healing ability.

However, human self-healing genes were inferior even to those of geckos, octopuses, and earthworms. Right now, Gao Yu Yan was attempting to break through the chains on self-healing genes...

Her eyes were tightly shut, sweat pouring down her body in large amounts, glistening like tiny Night Pearls. This gave her an almost "pearly luster."

It seemed her breakthrough was achieving results. The numerous fine wounds across her body began to heal under this pearl-like fragrant liquid. Her cells divided rapidly, muscle fibers grew and intertwined, and collagen proliferated across her skin, restoring her refined appearance.

"Heh heh…" Wang Rui sneakily glanced at the changing Gao Yu Yan and said slyly to Wu Hen, "Look at her. Doesn't she look like one of those silicone girlfriends, the kind you can fix if they break?"

Wu Hen was speechless, fully affirming that the reason he had been unpopular among many female friends in adolescence must have been because he had spent too much time around someone like Wang Rui, who exuded a sleazy aura!

"Your Vine Beauties seem to be falling behind the pace. If they can't evolve anymore, just let them stand aside and provide emotional support. They can dance cheerleading routines like 'Brother, you're amazing!'" Wu Hen pointed at Wang Rui's reluctant-looking Vine Beauties.

Although the Vine Beauties had undergone transformations and gained some combat strength, it was only relative to their previous levels.

Now, the "Otherworldly Cultivators" hunting them were no longer just small-time Grunts. The Vine Beauties were mostly trembling beneath the Soul Nesting Wood.

Even Wang Rui's Mechanical Dog, after spinning in place and attempting a round of digital evolution, was reduced to mere barking, unable to even approach let alone pose a threat to the Bronze Bitter-faced Lives or that Ancient Rock Octopus.

"I wasn't well-prepared this time. As a Mechanical Beast Master, I can't unleash my full strength with a host body that has no proper foundation," Wang Rui grumbled in dissatisfaction.

He was undoubtedly formidable. As a leading figure in the field of Mechanical Beasts among humanity, he wasn't a minor character in the Cang Chu Divine Realm. If he had brought his meticulously crafted and perfectly evolved Mechanical Divine Beast here, this Soul Nesting Wood defensive battle wouldn't have required Wu Hen or Gao Yu Yan to act at all. Wang Rui alone would have swept across thousands of miles, obliterating the hordes of Otherworldly Beasts!

"True, not everyone can directly match with the Fire God Body and quickly complete a transformation with super-dimensional Divine Sense. How about this—when the Soul Nesting Wood blooms its first soul flower, you can use the base station to return to our Divine Realm and download your most powerful Mechanical Beast Soul Core. Don't hold back on those rare soul materials anymore," Wu Hen suggested to Wang Rui.

"Alright, you've been carrying the team in the Nightmare Realm; this time, let me carry you. When I come back with my ultimate weapon, even the strongest human hero, Lord Wu Hen, will have to cheer '666' on the sidelines!" Wang Rui declared.

Wu Hen nodded in satisfaction.

A good brother was always easy to cajole.

His current Fire God Body had already reached its evolutionary peak. If Outer Heaven materials attracted even stronger lifeforms, it would only grow more challenging to deal with.

At this moment, the contest between himself and the Black Navigators felt like a chess match.

It wasn't about whether his host body could lose—this match dictated that if one side's pawns were lost, more advanced pieces, like rooks or generals, would be forced into play. The greater the threat caused by his small pawn crossing the river, the higher his chances of victory.

Of course, Wang Rui was also a formidable piece on his side. If Wang Rui could help defend the Soul Nesting Wood, Wu Hen could tear a bigger curtain apart and see the true faces of the Black Navigators.

…

The energy from the Erosion Core was absorbed by the Soul Nesting Wood. In no time, the tree had grown broad and towering. Clusters of blue soul flowers began blooming on its sturdy branches, though they were currently only as big as banana leaves, not yet large enough to accommodate a person. However, its growth was rapid, and a fully mature Soul Flower Cabin would emerge soon enough.

Wang Rui's Mechanical Dog and Vine Beauties had completed their task, eliminating the scavenging "vultures" loitering nearby. The surrounding area, for once, grew unusually quiet.

Yet the quieter it became, the more unsettling it felt. The kings of the plant domain remained hidden, directing the Otherworldly Predators from the shadows. Stimulated by various biological signals, the predators continued charging in with manic, bloodshot eyes, each believing they would be the lucky winner in this hunt...

The current tranquility only signified the arrival of an even more terrifying presence. Its oppressive aura extinguished even the murderous scent released by the Plant Kings, forcing the majority of predators to halt. Much like the sudden silence of insects and birds in the jungle, the impending terror was unmistakable.

Wu Hen continued breathing deeply. His battle against those two subterranean beings had drained much of his energy and stamina. This host body of his was ultimately fragile—a glass cannon that required long recovery periods after unleashing wild Divine Power.

"The Soul Flower has matured," Wang Rui announced jubilantly.

"Good. Quickly bring over your trump card. Something massive is coming," Wu Hen said to Wang Rui.

Wang Rui nodded decisively. He climbed up the Soul Nesting Wood and settled himself within the Soul Flower, lying down inside. "You all better hold the line. Even though the Soul Flower is as strong as iron, it does have its limits. Don't let my host body get destroyed."

For Wang Rui, the destruction of his host would inflict severe damage on his soul.

"Relax. Head to the Heavenly Court and bring reinforcements!" Wu Hen said, patting Wang Rui's back.