At this moment, Yun Fan returned to the Eight Directions Dao State, from his previous high spirits to his current disheveled state. It could be said that he had been through a great deal.
His final outcome was a defeat, not due to his recklessness. After all, having slain so many Demon Lords, he could be considered the foremost among them.
It was just that the Dark World Tree was beyond his expectations.
Was the World Tree powerful? Of course, it was. It had managed to batter him to this state. In the end, it was only thanks to the sacrifices of Huo Hai Wu Bian and Tian Xia Wu Di that he and the allied forces were saved.
However, it wasn't so powerful as to make Yun Fan despair.
Yun Fan's defeat was due to his own depletion and his inability to locate the World Tree's true form.
Without any advantage, defeat was inevitable.
Upon his return, though his injuries had mostly healed, Yun Fan had fallen into despair. He couldn't accept failure, but he absolutely could not accept the sacrifice of two people.
After all, Tian Xia Wu Di and Huo Hai Wu Bian were his wife's father, and thus his father-in-law.
Therefore, Yun Fan felt he had failed You Ruo, Leng Ran, and Huo Ling'er.
Under so many blows, it was normal for him to fall into despair.
He confined himself to a place devoid of light, seeing no one. If others wished to see him, they could not enter.
Yun Fan was atoning for his sins. Even now, he could not forget the scene of Huo Hai Wu Bian and Tian Xia Wu Di sacrificing themselves for him.
For Yun Fan, a nightmare was thus born.
The dark him had completely taken over his body.
After an unknown amount of time, Yun Fan, in a haze, heard someone calling his name. Seeing this, Yun Fan immediately awoke.
He had nearly been completely consumed by his dark consciousness. Fortunately, he regained his senses at the critical moment, otherwise, it would have been too late.
At this moment, the person who had arrived was none other than You Ruo.
"Wife, why are you here?" Yun Fan asked in a flustered manner.
You Ruo said, "If I didn't come, would you have ever planned to come out?"
"No, it's not like that!" Yun Fan became flustered as never before.
"Are you still blaming yourself?" she asked Yun Fan.
"Mm!" Yun Fan nodded. "That's right, I'm still blaming myself, blaming my two fathers-in-law for sacrificing themselves. If it weren't for my impulsiveness and my insistence on conquering the异魔界 (Yi Mo Jie - Realm of Alien Demons), they wouldn't have met such a fate!"
Hearing this, You Ruo said, "You don't need to blame yourself. Your conquest of the 异魔界 was for the Eight Directions Dao State. Every martial artist in the Eight Directions Dao State must be prepared to sacrifice themselves! Their spirits in heaven would not want to see you fall into despair like this. What you need to do is not to shut yourself away in this lightless place all day, but to summon your courage once more for their sake, for the Eight Directions Dao State, and conquer the world!"
This was You Ruo's consolation to Yun Fan.
Their father had died, so how could they not be heartbroken? But some things were destined.
Where there was victory, there was sacrifice. Even if it were them, the outcome would have been the same.
"Do I still have a chance?" Yun Fan's eyes held a hint of confusion. He had never felt so utterly defeated before. He had been confined here for thousands of years.
For thousands of years, he had been in a self-blaming slumber.
In the battle against the World Tree, perhaps his initial courage had been lost. He had been defeated thoroughly!
You Ruo said, "Of course, there is a chance. If even you give up, then the precarious Eight Directions Dao State will also fall. You are the last hope for the Eight Directions Dao State, and our last hope. You must persevere!"
After repeated hesitation, Yun Fan remained silent, unsure of what to say.
Finally, You Ruo left.
"Husband, don't forget your mission. To save this world, any of us can sacrifice ourselves for you. If you wish to reduce sacrifices, then you must persevere and resolve the crisis!" This was You Ruo's final counsel.
Afterward, You Ruo vanished from the spot. She couldn't stay here for too long. It had taken her and her sisters hundreds of years of effort to see the self-isolated Yun Fan.
What needed to be said had been said. To continue would often be counterproductive. She wanted to give Yun Fan a space to consider things alone.
As expected, after You Ruo left, Yun Fan became completely clear-headed.
"That's right, I am the last hope. If I fall into despair like this, how can I be worthy of their sacrifice!" Yun Fan regained his confidence and prepared to set off.
But at this moment, his bright self and his dark self, two personalities, reappeared.
His dark self said, "I know you are facing an unprecedented crisis! Therefore, we will put aside our differences and help you together!"
"That's right!" His bright self also said, "You need his strength, and my rationality. Only when we two merge will you truly fulfill your destiny!"
"Only with our cooperation can you truly grow into the strongest!" They explained the situation to Yun Fan.
Yun Fan said, "Good. You are me, and I am you. Because of you, I have become more complete. Come! Let the storm rage even more fiercely!"
This was Yun Fan's decision. Even if it was a path of no return, he would fight to the end, for he had no other choice.
Finally, the two personalities merged into one, completely integrating into Yun Fan's body.
And Yun Fan became stronger, undergoing a profound transformation.
This time, he finally emerged from the dark cage and faced reality.
The day of his emergence was the most lively day in the entire Eight Directions Dao State.
Now, he was the last formidable warrior of the Eight Directions Dao State. All the world-destroying powerhouses knelt on the ground, welcoming his triumphant return.
At this moment, Yun Fan said, "Everyone, the sacrifices before were unforeseen. But because of them, I have learned of an even greater crisis! Although our homeland is vast and boundless, not an inch of land is superfluous. For our home, for our lives, I am prepared for a second conquest!"
"Conquer! Conquer!" Countless powerhouses shouted in unison, their voices echoing through heaven and earth, deafening. This was undoubtedly the greatest unity of faith they had ever experienced.
"However, this conquest can only be undertaken by me alone!" Yun Fan stated directly.
"What?" Everyone was stunned. Even they had not expected Yun Fan to make such a decision.
"We are not afraid of death. We are willing to fight alongside you, even if it means our bodies are shattered!" the crowd declared with conviction.
They thought Yun Fan did not want them to sacrifice, so they were all very anxious.
Yun Fan said, "I know you are all fearless. But because the situation is special, any extra people can only lead to innocent sacrifices. Therefore, only I can go alone. Please understand me!"
This was Yun Fan's reasoning. Were there still large numbers of warriors in the 异魔界 capable of threatening the Eight Directions Dao State?
Of course not. Now, his threat was the World Tree, and the demonic seed controlling it.
Therefore, in such a situation, more people would be useless. A solo mission was the ultimate choice.
The crowd no longer spoke. That was right. Although their hearts were filled with passion and they were not afraid of death, they could not become a burden to Yun Fan.
Otherwise, everything would be meaningless.
"We will listen to your arrangements! Whatever you want us to do, we will do!" they told Yun Fan.
They were all influential figures in the Eight Directions Dao State, and their will represented the will of the entire Eight Directions Dao State.
Since that great destruction, the Eight Directions Dao State had achieved an unprecedented unity.
At this moment, Yun Fan said, "Although you will not be fighting, your tasks are equally arduous. I want you to repair the Eight Directions Dao State!"
Because Yun Fan had severed the Eight Directions Dao State's connection to the 异魔界, many areas of the Eight Directions Dao State were in a state of fragmentation.
If only one warrior were to repair it, it would be unknown how many years it would take. Therefore, this was the task Yun Fan assigned them.
"We are happy to serve!" everyone said resolutely.
After all, this was something within their capabilities. For thousands of years, they had been repairing, but this was a vast undertaking spanning countless eras, not something that could be completed all at once.
At this time, their role became particularly important.
After making proper arrangements, Yun Fan prepared to depart.
This time, he would go alone. Although his life and death were unknown, since making this choice, Yun Fan had already cast aside any regard for life and death.
Therefore, at this moment, Yun Fan departed.
His wives saw him off, and the martial artists of the Eight Directions Dao State bid him farewell.
After taking one look at the Eight Directions Dao State, Yun Fan vanished from the spot.
...
When Yun Fan reappeared, he was actually in the 异魔界. However, the current 异魔界 had been completely taken over by the World Tree's roots.
The World Tree was expanding, this was the situation Yun Fan currently knew.
Similarly, with his arrival, he was discovered by these roots again.
One of the roots transformed into a human figure and stood before Yun Fan, sneering, "I knew you would come!"
"That's right!" Yun Fan said, "As long as you are not dead, my conquest will never stop. I believe you know this better than I do!" This was Yun Fan's attitude.
He said to Yun Fan, "You were utterly defeated in the last battle. I never expected that after only a thousand years, you would dare to challenge me again. Who gave you the courage?"
Hearing this, Yun Fan said, "It is hatred that gives me courage. You killed so many people from my Eight Directions Dao State. I will settle this score with you in the end!"
"Ridiculous!" He said to Yun Fan, "This is just the impotent roar of the weak. As a weakling, you should know the fate of the weak. Even if you return here, I will shatter you into pieces!"
"Is that so?" Yun Fan said coldly, "After my transformation, I am no longer the same as I was. Even the me of the past would not have been so easily defeated by you. You only struck when I was at my weakest!"
"This time, I will show you what true strength is!" Yun Fan declared firmly.
After this transformation, he had become even stronger. Even facing the World Tree, he had the strength to fight.
"I will show you that your so-called firm conviction is as fragile as paper in my eyes!"
Instantly, the World Tree attacked.
Countless roots surged towards Yun Fan.
However, this time, it was not as easy as before. Facing Yun Fan, he swiftly severed all these roots.
But unexpectedly, these severed roots grew back and merged together, forming the strongest roots.
The World Tree's voice echoed, "You have indeed become stronger, but your strength is insufficient in my eyes. I want to see if you can withstand the next strike!"
At this moment, this merged root descended like a deluge, its combat power reaching its peak. It was truly terrifying.
Seeing this, Yun Fan's gaze remained steady. If he had faced this in his severely injured state, it would have been a situation of utter despair.
But this time, he was not severely injured; he faced it in his peak condition.
Therefore, in his view, the opponent was not an insurmountable despair.
The next moment, Yun Fan transformed into an invincible war god and charged forward, engaging in a final clash with this root.
After igniting his boiling blood attribute, this root was shattered before his eyes. And Yun Fan, for the first time, defeated the World Tree.
Although it was not its true form, it was a good omen for Yun Fan. Countless demon worlds were thus destroyed.
But neither of them felt any pity.
At this moment, the World Tree's projection reappeared.
"Kid, you truly have boundless potential. You are not on the same level as me, yet you could force me into this situation. I can only say that you have indeed exceeded my expectations!" This was the World Tree's most sincere evaluation. It did not belittle Yun Fan after his victory.
In fact, the strong always admired each other.
Yun Fan said, "Then I will tell you, this is only the beginning, far from the end. I will personally defeat you and crush the demonic seed!"
"Overestimating yourself!" The World Tree smiled playfully. "If I were you, I would know when to stop, and wait for countless epochs before engaging in a true decisive battle, rather than rushing to your death when your potential has just begun to unfold!" This was his blow to Yun Fan.
Even though Yun Fan had won a battle, he did not take Yun Fan seriously.
At this moment, Yun Fan said, "There's no need. Because you are not invincible!"
The next moment, Yun Fan's power severed the World Tree's projection, and the World Tree's roots surged back into the world.
Yun Fan was not surprised by this, as without finding the World Tree's true form, these roots would continue to grow endlessly.
Therefore, he did not linger. After severing some roots, he vanished from this world.
Next, what he needed to do was to find the World Tree's true form and completely resolve this hidden danger. Although it seemed impossible, Yun Fan was full of confidence.
Thus, he wandered through the 异魔界. The worlds of the 异魔界 were even larger than the Eight Directions Dao State, so finding the World Tree's true form would not be simple at all.
For tens of thousands of years, he searched while fighting. Although he did not find the World Tree's true form, through tens of thousands of years of tempering, he had become even stronger. There were no other realms beyond the Battle Heaven realm.
Therefore, he was unsure of his exact level in the Battle Heaven realm, but now, he did not fear facing the World Tree.
If, before, he would have been at a disadvantage when fighting the World Tree, it was different now.
Now, when facing the World Tree, even if he could not win, he would not lose. This was Yun Fan's growth.
Being able to grow to this point was enough to prove that his talent and potential had reached their extreme.
During these tens of thousands of years, he had not merely played a game of hide-and-seek with the World Tree.
The two sides had clashed, and it was by no means simple. He did not know how many demon worlds he had destroyed. If this continued, Yun Fan knew that finding the World Tree's true form was not far off.
At this moment, the World Tree's projection reappeared. Ten thousand years ago, it had appeared to confront Yun Fan. Now, it appeared again.
"I didn't expect you to be so persistent. After ten thousand years, you still haven't given up!" it said playfully to Yun Fan.
Even after ten thousand years, and despite Yun Fan destroying many of its worlds, it still did not take Yun Fan seriously. In its eyes, Yun Fan was merely making a fuss, ultimately unable to amount to much.
Yun Fan said, "Don't say ten thousand years, even tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of years, I will not give up. The conquest will never cease until you fall!"
Upon hearing this, the World Tree said, "Then you will certainly not have the opportunity. Since you are insistent, I will give you an opportunity!"
"What opportunity!" Yun Fan asked coldly.
"Don't you want to find my true form? Then I will transport you to my true form's world for a decisive battle. Do you dare?" It was clear that by now, even the World Tree had lost its patience and was prepared for a final decisive battle with Yun Fan.
Yun Fan heard this and said, "It doesn't matter. I will act!"
With that, the World Tree's projection opened a passage. Yun Fan walked into the passage and was transported to the World Tree's true form's world. It could only be said that the World Tree was too vast.
One world was not enough to contain the World Tree's true form; it required an entire world to accommodate it.
One could imagine how enormous the World Tree's true form was. It could be said that all the heavens and myriad worlds that had risen before were merely a single world, a ripple.
Hundreds or even thousands of ripples made up a world, and this single world could only contain the World Tree's true form. The vastness and immensity of this were truly despair-inducing!
The World Tree's true form was indeed infinitely large.
Yun Fan thought he was about to engage in a life-and-death battle with the World Tree, but unexpectedly, a human figure emerged. This figure was no longer a projection, nor the World Tree, but someone as young as Yun Fan.
Of course, it only looked young. Its true age was unknown. And its entire body exuded an extremely terrifying demonic power. Yun Fan had never seen such demonic power, as this was the most pure demonic power.
"Are you the Demonic Seed?" Yun Fan asked directly, because it was the Demonic Seed's descent that had turned the World Tree into its current state. Therefore, Yun Fan had a vivid memory of the Demonic Seed.
He said to Yun Fan, "That's right, I am the Demonic Seed. If you call me that, then I shall be called the Demonic Seed!" The Demonic Seed did not object, clearly quite pleased with Yun Fan's calling him by name.
Yun Fan said, "You changed the World Tree and made it turn dark!"
"He was willing to let me change him like that. What's wrong with that?" The Demonic Seed said to Yun Fan, "Of course, if you are willing, I can change you like this too, and let you truly understand what peak power is!"
Upon hearing this, Yun Fan shook his head. "No, I don't want to become this neither human nor ghost-like being. I am not here to negotiate with you, but to kill you!"
"Kill me? You are too naive!" The Demonic Seed said to Yun Fan, "Although you have indeed reached the pinnacle of power, dealing with either me or him is not determined by strength alone!"
"That's right! You are still young. I can tell you clearly that you are not a match for either of us!" The World Tree also appeared. It looked ancient, but its power was undeniably terrifying.
At this moment, Yun Fan said, "How will we know if we don't try! From the moment I stand here, I have already seen past life and death. I am not afraid of death. Are you afraid of death?"
"Hahahaha!" The two laughed heartily. "We are indeed afraid of death, but unfortunately, you cannot make us die yet, because you are not qualified!" They did not take Yun Fan seriously at all. If one of them alone could kill Yun Fan, let alone both of them acting together.
Yun Fan should be the one to worry, not them. This was the source of their confidence.
At this moment, Yun Fan said, "Since that is the case, there is no need for further nonsense. Let's fight! Either I die, or you die! One side must die anyway! I am ready at any time!" This was Yun Fan's domineering declaration.
They said, "Very well, we hope you have the strength!"
Just as Yun Fan was preparing to fight them, suddenly, a space appeared and dragged Yun Fan into it.
Yun Fan's expression changed, but he quickly calmed down, because at this moment, he could not feel any darkness around him.
At this moment, the World Tree appeared, but it was not the dark World Tree from before, but a normal World Tree. However, it was evident that it was very weak.
"Are you the World Tree?" Yun Fan asked, confused.
It nodded at Yun Fan. "That's right, young friend, I am indeed the World Tree. I brought you here to save you!"
"What is going on?" For some reason, Yun Fan's mind was in a state of disarray at this moment.
It said to Yun Fan, "I am the awakened part of the World Tree. Before being completely infected by the Demonic Seed, I escaped and hibernated for countless epochs and ages. Now, I have finally found you!"
"Wasn't your true form willingly corrupted by the demonic path?" Yun Fan asked.
"That's right, but I am a tree. As a tree, I will have a righteous will, and I am that righteous will!" It said to Yun Fan, "I hope you can destroy me. Specifically, I mean destroying the dark me. However, we are one. If you destroy the dark me, then I will also die!"
"Since that is the case, why do you want me to destroy you?" Yun Fan asked curiously.
It said, "If you don't destroy me, then the disaster will only be the beginning. As for me, I do not wish to see the world I helped create destroyed by my own hand!"
"If I destroy you, won't these countless worlds collapse?" Yun Fan quickly asked. If that were the outcome, what would be the point of his conquest? After all, his plan was to kill the Demonic Seed and remove the dark side of the World Tree, not to truly destroy the World Tree.
It said to Yun Fan, "Young friend, do not worry, for I have found a substitute for you. Even if I am destroyed, these countless worlds will not collapse!"
"What is it?" Yun Fan asked curiously. He did not expect there to be something to replace the World Tree, which was truly remarkable.