Chapter 700: Chapter 36: Penglai Mountain
"Why not just destroy it directly?"
Yakumo Zi gently covered the lower half of her face with a fan and sized him up for a bit. Only after confirming that he had no issues did she softly ask.
It seemed that she had sensed the killing intent of the Great Demon...
The air was filled with oppressive, suffocating pressure.
The Demon Cherry Blossom, which had just calmed down, began to stir once more, and the Power of Death in the courtyard grew dense again, bit by bit. This was its strongest power, used instinctively, sweeping everything with demonic power that was passively unleashed.
"I was actually about to try chopping it down earlier, but..."
Gu Mo listened to Yakumo Zi’s words and gently shook his head.
He wasn’t averse to adapting; earlier, he took the risk of opposing the Power of Death from the Demon Cherry Blossom, discovering that his trump card, Time Stop, was ineffective. Methods to uproot the land or seal the Demon Cherry Blossom’s essence were futile.
At that moment, he was preparing to directly destroy the Demon Tree.
"But...?"
Yakumo Zi gently furrowed her brows, waiting for him to continue.
"The power of death has accumulated over the years, now thicker than we initially imagined. The part of the tree we’ve seen is just a fraction..."
Gu Mo placed a hand on his chin, pondering and speaking his insights, perceptions, and predictions.
"Moreover, I don’t know if it’s succeeded or not, but this tree can’t be easily destroyed now. It may not only be rooted in this land but also growing in another kind of ’soil’, perhaps a very hidden inner world, or in the fears of people over the years..."
"In short, its roots are no longer here. I actually cut through its main trunk at the last moment, but as you can see, it remains unharmed."
He pointed his finger at the massive trunk of the cherry blossom tree.
The bark bore no scars, appearing completely unharmed.
Gu Mo shook his head, gazing down at the direction beneath the trunk, where the malevolent energy surged like a tide... In reality, the entire residence and the vicinity for miles were suffused with the aura of death, thickly perceptible only to those within.
"To decisively kill it, must we find its root?"
Yakumo Zi pondered and asked.
This situation was very tricky; her words suggested that this Demon Tree now resembled a mere shadow remaining here, with its true existence grounded elsewhere, presenting a significant challenge.
Though it appeared only as a shell, if it blossomed naturally, events would unfold nonetheless.
"Perhaps that’s it. I don’t know if it’s intrinsic or intentionally devised... Hmm, who are you?!" Gu Mo softly nodded, frowning while scrutinizing the seemingly calm Demon Cherry Blossom, lost in thought, but then abruptly shifted his gaze elsewhere.
"What?"
At the same time, Yakumo Zi raised her exquisite eyebrows, instinctively looking in a specific direction.
That was another part of the courtyard, but it was empty, at least to her perception, it seemed utterly vacant there.
Zi couldn’t see?
Instantly, Gu Mo was somewhat surprised, but he responded decisively. In such a scenario, he could only assume that factors related to the Demon Cherry Blossom had emerged, so he swept his wide sleeves directly.
......
"It should be here, the source of the previous death wave, and... that bright moon..."
With silver hair braided and cascading elegantly down her back, Eirin confidently surveyed the courtyard before them and stated.
Beside her, the princess, her sleek black hair gleaming under the moonlight, exuded unmatchable beauty, even in the night. She curiously observed the surroundings.
"Let’s go in and take a look, but don’t retract your powers, Princess... though I think it’s unlikely to be Lord Tsukuyomi, just to be safe."
Eirin cautioned sincerely, and the two proceeded in single file, passing through the tranquil residence, effortlessly entering the courtyard.
The courtyard was calm and quiet, the enormous cherry blossom tree stood silently, but then... there was a figure, robes billowing, seeming like an Exiled Immortal, standing quietly in the courtyard, conversing with the surrounding air, which momentarily stunned the pair.
Because this situation was supposed to be impossible, completely beyond their expectations.
Even Eirin was unprepared for this, despite knowing full well that during the exercise of the princess’s powers, they were in a realm outside of history, a place belonging to "Eternal and Moment’s World"; this was the extent of the princess’s power—
The ability to manipulate eternity and the moment.
—Relative to "eternity", "moment" is a fleeting time. If one can utilize this unperceivable instant to act, others would naturally be unable to perceive it.
—Relative to "moment", the world of "eternity" refuses any change; even if activities occur there, it mirrors time being stopped.
This is essentially how it works. When these two merge, it forms a significantly powerful ability. It can create multiple differing histories or, as now, allow entry into a space-time without history, where no future will ever arrive, and actions leave no trace on human history.
