The Burning of Tree-Man Valley

Only a spirit valley that had given birth to Life Nectar could nurture Tree-Men like those. This place could not be lingered in. Xiao Chen thought of the Tree-Man undergoing metamorphosis not far away—a being comparable to a ferocious dragon. That he was so close was likely to guard the Life Nectar, but his transformation had left him no time to attend to this area.

Xiao Chen and the others swiftly retreated from the valley's depths, carefully avoiding two Tree-Men along the way. The little beast, too, seemed to understand not to alert those great creatures and stayed unusually quiet on the return path. Once, relying on its keen senses, they evaded a Tree-Man that had taken the form of an ancient tree. In the darkness, without careful observation, one would hardly imagine it was a mobile Cyan Giant.

Counting the old one transforming, there were five Tree-Men in Tree-Man Valley. This was an exceedingly powerful fighting force, and the old Tree-Man in particular might have reached an inconceivable level of strength. Xiao Chen did not believe that Zhao Lin'er and her group could command that transforming elder. He had already taken full human form, his intellect far beyond the other Tree-Men, and possessed unmatched combat power—how could he be driven by others?

Since he had already decided to stay clear of the vortex of killing and find a place to hide and cultivate, Xiao Chen resolved to strike once before leaving as a warning and a blow to the valley's inhabitants. He and the three skeletons turned into four streaks of light, circling the perimeter of Tree-Man Valley, setting fires everywhere.

The vegetation on Dragon Island was mostly oily; once ignited, it burned fiercely. Xiao Chen needed a torch to start fires, but the three skeletons possessed considerable spiritual power. Their soul-flames flickered, and wherever they passed, clusters of Nether Darkflame burst forth.

In just a short time, the area around Tree-Man Valley was ablaze. The towering flames, unstoppable, spread into the valley.

Xiao Chen and the three skeletons dared not linger a moment. They fled swiftly into the distance, unable to return to the Death Swamp region and unwilling to head back in that direction. They raced westward, toward unexplored territory.

Behind them, flames lit up the mountain forest, dazzling in the deep night. Half the sky was stained red. Only after they had run more than a dozen li did Xiao Chen and the skeletons stop to look back. No one was pursuing; aside from the roars of wild beasts, there was no other sound.

The snow-white little beast had followed as well, excited for a long time during the fire-setting, then fled with them all the way.

Standing on a ridge, watching the valley burning red, they could faintly hear the noise and chaos within. Xiao Chen could imagine Zhao Lin'er's mood at that moment. Even if no one was harmed, it was a heavy blow to everyone in the valley. Their alliance had barely formed, and on the very first day, someone had set Tree-Man Valley on fire—an affront, a humiliation!

Xiao Chen turned away. He and the three skeletons sped through the forest, heading west, avoiding the primeval beasts along the way. They traveled dozens of li through the night before stopping. Dragon Island was truly vast; these dozens of li still counted as its outer region, but it was a large island with sprawling territory.

Let others go mad. Let them kill. Xiao Chen did not want to be drawn into the vortex of the struggle for the Companion Dragon King. In the coming days, he would go into seclusion and calmly wait for someone to find the Companion Dragon King, then board their ship to leave Dragon Island and enter the vast continent of the World of Immortality.

Coincidence or some sinister power on Dragon Island—the great fire had burned for an hour, destroying half the valley, when suddenly the clear starry sky roiled with dark clouds and a torrential rain poured down, extinguishing the raging flames.

No one in the valley was hurt, but everyone's expression was grim. The signs of arson were unmistakable.

Zhao Lin'er stood atop a Tree-Man's shoulder, a ball of bright radiance shielding her from the rain. The mist formed a hazy veil around her, making her appear ethereal and unreal.

But the Royal Celestial Maiden's heart was far from tranquil. She burned with fury.

At first, she thought other groups on the island were attacking their alliance, but she quickly dismissed that. She recognized the distinctive claw marks of the three skeletons. This was undoubtedly Xiao Chen's doing.

A direct confrontation indeed. She had only just gathered a formidable force, and Xiao Chen had already struck a blow to their pride. This would surely become a laughingstock among the other cultivators on Dragon Island.

From the crowd, Kai'ao let out a low growl. Being driven out of Tree-Man Valley by fire at Xiao Chen's hands filled him with rage. His partner Arold remained calm, his gaze frequently drifting to the three Tree-Men. There were five Tree-Men in the valley. Two deeper inside had been unaffected by the fire. Of the remaining three, one had a burned left arm, but the other two were intact. This was a powerful fighting force, and Arold's heart stirred.

The others were equally furious. Over a dozen experts had been humiliated by a single man setting a fire.

Most of the cultivators on the outer reaches of Dragon Island were roused. Some stood on the ridges and looked on, others climbed to high treetops. A few Spellmasters and Spiritists even flew over for a closer look.

Yan Qingcheng stood on a cliff not far away, watching the starlit sky while only the area over Tree-Man Valley was shrouded in dark clouds. She seemed thoughtful. "This is the power of Dragon Island itself…"

It had been an unsettled night.

The next day, the burning of Tree-Man Valley was indeed the talk of the island.

Xiao Chen once again became the focus of attention, but no one could find any trace of him. He seemed to have vanished from Dragon Island. Many speculated that he had fled deep within.

However, this storm did not last long. It was soon overshadowed by what happened next.

Less than three days after the Tree-Man Valley incident, a major event occurred on Dragon Island: someone had discovered the Companion Dragon King!

"Roar…"

The dragon's cry shook heaven and earth, sending all beasts into panic. And the source was a little dragon barely a meter long! Its roar, like a thunderstorm, shook the mountain forest violently. In terms of sheer sound power, it almost rivaled the Tyrant Dragon and the Eight-Armed Malignant Dragon!