The Extreme Alchemist of the Mighty Cauldron
Chapter 1086 - Chapter 1086 Chapter 1085 On the Verge of Collapse

Chapter 1086: Chapter 1085: On the Verge of Collapse Chapter 1086: Chapter 1085: On the Verge of Collapse The so-called Sacred Qi is a unique power of the Demon Clan’s Sacred Tree, released once every decade. It can be absorbed by Demon Beasts or members of the Human Clan into their bodies, refined into their own strength, with infinite marvelous uses.

Among several major Demon Beast clans, there exist bone fragments that have been preserved for an unknown number of years. Upon them are recorded some matters regarding Sacred Qi and the Sacred Tree.

According to the records on the bone fragments, in an era long past, when the Human Clan had just emerged, the Demon Beast clan was the supreme ruler between heaven and earth. When the first Demon Saint appeared, the Demon Clan’s Sacred Tree was already in existence.

This tree seemed to share the same longevity as the heavens and earth and shine as brightly as the sun and the moon. It was the most important entity to the Demon Beast clan, and every generation of Demon Saint had to become ‘The Demon Clan’s Saint’ under the witness of the Sacred Tree.

And the Sacred Qi unique to the Sacred Tree can be regarded as the power contained within the Sacred Tree itself, vast and endless.

Every person or Demon Beast that absorbs Sacred Qi becomes extremely powerful, and their lifespan is much longer than that of others at the same level.

For instance, within Ancient Demon Ridge, there are more than a dozen Ancient Demons, each one a monstrous creature that has survived for ten thousand years. Because they possess Sacred Qi within their bodies, they have been able to live for so long. Their power is unfathomable, and any one of them stepping out would be a master of their domain.

However, there are risks associated with the absorption of Sacred Qi. With the opening of each Sacred Tree cultivation, there are always one or two people who are severely injured because they can’t withstand the Sacred Qi. Although it’s not fatal, it’s as good as being crippled.

The most severe instance was when, out of ten Demon Clan geniuses, five were unable to bear the Sacred Qi.

In the history of the Demon Beast clan, no member of the Human Clan has ever absorbed Sacred Qi, with the sole exception being the Old Dried Corpse Jin Zhulong.

Jin Zhulong was an anomaly, an oddity in the entire Demon Clan and even among the Human Clan.

It has always been Demon Beasts who became The Demon Clan’s Saint, yet Jin Zhulong, with the body of a member of the Human Clan, went against the grain to transform into a demon. With his absolute strength, he controlled the entire Demon Clan and became a Demon Saint unprecedented in history.

It was also Jin Zhulong who initiated the first great war between the Human Clan and the Demon Clan, ending that glorious and splendid era with his own hands.

As a Demon Saint of his generation, Jin Zhulong naturally cultivated under the Sacred Tree and absorbed its Sacred Qi, becoming the first person of the Human Clan to cultivate under the Sacred Tree.

And now, Fang Lin has become the second.

Unlike Jin Zhulong, when he was cultivating under the Sacred Tree, he already possessed a very high level of strength and realm, much stronger than Fang Lin is now.

Every generation of Demon Saint is connected to the Sacred Tree’s aura, able to continuously draw power from within it.

For example, the current Great Sage Equal to Heaven, as long as he remains within Ancient Demon Ridge, is invincible in the world. Anyone who comes to fight him is unable to defeat the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

Even if the Three Emperors join forces, they are helpless against the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, who has the power of the Sacred Tree at his disposal.

As for the origins of the Sacred Tree, they are too mysterious. The first generation Demon Saint left behind only fragments of information that seemed to touch upon the origins of the Sacred Tree, but it’s been too long, and those already scarce fragments have perished in the passage of countless ages, making it difficult to investigate further.

The origin of the Sacred Tree has become a mystery that generations of Demon Saints have wanted to unravel, but they all have come to an inconclusive end. And the deeper one understands the Sacred Tree, the more they find it to be extremely mystical and terrifying.

Fang Lin sat cross-legged under the Sacred Tree, on a meditation cushion, his body enveloped in white light. Wave after wave of indescribable and mysterious powerful breaths kept surging into Fang Lin’s body.

The strength of the Sacred Qi was like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea. Fang Lin felt unbearable pain that pervaded his entire body for a moment, almost causing him to lose consciousness.

Thankfully, Fang Lin had already endured countless trials. Such pain was still within his capacity to bear, and he managed to stay conscious.

The other nine Demon Clan prodigies, just like Fang Lin, were in extreme agony. Some were drenched in sweat, some clenched their fists so hard their knuckles turned white, and others trembled all over, emitting low growls like wild beasts.

“This Sacred Qi is actually so domineering!” Fang Lin thought to himself. This pain, he estimated, would probably never be forgotten in his lifetime.

“Once you get through it, it’ll be fine. As long as the pain doesn’t intensify, it means you can adapt to the Sacred Qi and there won’t be any problems,” the Old Dried Corpse said. However, his tone was not relaxed, carrying a hint of trepidation.

Upon hearing this, Fang Lin’s whole being took a turn for the worse, because the pain he was enduring was actually intensifying.

Before, it had been within his threshold of pain, but now it was making his life worse than death.

It was as if Fang Lin was being continuously hammered by a heavy mallet, his flesh mashed, his bones shattered, and then placed atop flames to be scorched.

Yet, Fang Lin had to grit his teeth and endure, to stay alert. Once he lost consciousness and was unable to control his body autonomously, he would fail to refine the Sacred Qi, ending in vain.

“Is your pain intensifying?” The Old Dried Corpse also noticed something amiss and quickly asked.

Fang Lin was already in so much pain that he was close to losing consciousness, and could not hear the voice of the Old Dried Corpse. Only a sliver of clarity still made Fang Lin desperately bite down and persist.

“Hmm?” Outside, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven noticed Fang Lin’s abnormality and his expression suddenly shifted.

“This kid, could it be that he can’t endure the Sacred Qi? That would be bad,” the Great Sage Equal to Heaven muttered to himself. Seeing Fang Lin’s situation grow more severe, he was weighing whether to intervene and save him.

At this moment, three or four Demon Clan prodigies had successfully made it through the toughest stage and started to smoothly refine the Sacred Qi.

Those three or four, opening their eyes, all looked towards Fang Lin, their faces showing varying degrees of mockery and satisfaction.

“Hmph, just a member of the Human Clan, naturally unable to withstand our Demon Clan’s Sacred Tree’s Sacred Qi, simply overestimating himself!” the man with a dark face thought to himself.

He Jinfeng also passed the most difficult stage. Seeing Fang Lin apparently in worsening condition, he couldn’t help but be surprised.

In his opinion, with Fang Lin’s strength, he should have been able to withstand the Sacred Qi.

He Jinfeng shook his head and stopped looking at Fang Lin. Although he had once been defeated by Fang Lin, it was destined that Fang Lin could not absorb the Sacred Qi, creating a gap between them. In future confrontations, the victor would be him, He Jinfeng.

“Ahhhhhh!” a scream erupted, and a young member of the Demon Clan fainted to the ground, convulsing all over, with blood flowing from his seven orifices.

The Great Sage Equal to Heaven acted swiftly, grabbing him and immediately forcing out the Sacred Qi from the young Demon’s body.

Thus, the first failure had occurred.

The remaining Demon Clan prodigies showed no sympathy; the Demon Beasts were all about the survival of the fittest. Those unable to adapt to the Sacred Qi were destined to fall behind them.

As for Fang Lin, he too was on the verge of collapse, his fists clenched so tightly that his fingernails dug into his flesh, blood seeping out from his palms.