Nine Nether Dragon Emperor-Chapter 292: This is Seriously Over the Limit!

「Forbidden Zone.」

After passing through the decay and corruption, Ning Xuan came across an oasis. The oppressive aura from before had vanished, replaced by vitality. With a gentle inhale, every pore on his body seemed to expand. This place was filled with a peculiar energy, far more potent than Element Qi. The energy it contained was a hundred, even hundreds of times richer than the world's ambient Element Qi, giving one the feeling of imminent ascension to the heavens.

If it had been anyone else, they surely would have started to devour it voraciously. But Ning Xuan became extremely cautious. This was the Forbidden Zone, after all. How could such good fortune exist here?

Behind what seems like a serendipitous encounter, there must be a tremendous crisis lurking!

Ning Xuan sealed all his pores, completely detaching himself from his surroundings.

"Ning... Ning Xuan?!"

A voice suddenly called out. Ning Xuan turned to see Zhongli Ruoruo.

"How did you get here?!" After her initial surprise, Zhongli Ruoruo seemed incredibly excited. But in the next moment, her expression changed dramatically. "Quick, get out of here! Follow me!"

She started to lead the way but stopped after a short distance, realizing Ning Xuan hadn't moved from his spot.

"Do you think I'm a fake?" Zhongli Ruoruo smiled, then recounted the details of their first meeting. "I owe you my life from back then," she said with unprecedented sincerity. "If I had used the Six Yao Annihilation Hexagram, I surely wouldn't have survived. How could I ever harm you?"

Ning Xuan frowned. He was one hundred percent certain that this was not the real Zhongli Ruoruo, but the problem was, he couldn't detect any malice from her.

"Hurry... Let's go!" Zhongli Ruoruo urged him again.

This time, her face was the first to corrode. In an instant, her entire body turned to ash!

At the same time, roars echoed as the oasis transformed into Hell. The surroundings turned bleak, and countless ghastly faces surged toward Ning Xuan.

"Azure Dragon!" Ning Xuan whispered, directly activating the Azure Dragon Divine Meridian. The vitality present in this realm surged toward him through the earth. Even so, a chill ran down his spine.

"Qilin!"

"Bai Ze!"

Immediately, Ning Xuan activated two more Divine Veins. A golden light flickered in his eyes, and suddenly, he could see things invisible to the naked eye. In the darkness, strange substances, like fine dust, were drifting down onto him. They were the source of the hair-raising sensation.

Ning Xuan hastily built a Defensive Barrier with the unceasing power of the Earth, but it was completely useless.

Just then, BUZZ! As the void trembled, Ning Xuan's surroundings were filled with verdant, vibrant green. A mysterious force in the shadows was trying to help him—it was the same oasis he had seen before. Unfortunately, it still couldn't stop the strange substances. The oasis appeared only to wither. It reappeared only to be instantly devoured.

"Thank you, but please don't intervene anymore." Ning Xuan could clearly sense the entity's presence growing ever fainter, so he quickly spoke up.

At the same time, he silently chanted in his heart, "Taowu!"

For the first time, Ning Xuan unleashed the Taowu Divine Vein. He used it to directly transform the Earth Element Force from the Azure Dragon Divine Meridian into a ring of Breath Soil.

The peculiar matter that was about to engulf him was finally blocked.

The void trembled. In the darkness, an entity was shaken beyond comparison.

Immediately after, an old and feeble voice echoed in Ning Xuan's mind. "Come here."

Ning Xuan stepped forward. He didn't need any guidance; he knew where to go. When he had used the Azure Dragon Divine Meridian, only one place had shown any signs of life.

After walking through the darkness for some time, the space ahead suddenly cleared. The peculiar matter, which had already been diminishing as he moved, disappeared completely. Ning Xuan saw a tree that was only a few meters tall but incredibly thick, with lush branches and leaves. Beneath the tree stood a small log cabin. At the door, Zhongli Ruoruo stood charmingly.

Seeing Ning Xuan, she quickly greeted him, "Come over here!"

Ning Xuan walked over. Once he was under the tree's shade, he dispersed the Divine Vein Power he had been using.

"Thank you, Senior," Ning Xuan said, cupping his fist toward the ancient tree.

"What are you thanking me for? This old fellow didn't help you at all." The ancient voice resounded again. This time, however, it was not a mental transmission.

"You can actually withstand the Calamity Earth! Can you help—" Zhongli Ruoruo began, her expression somewhat excited.

An aged cough cut her off.

"Senior, what exactly is going on here?" Ning Xuan asked the ancient tree.

"I'm sure you've already guessed. This place became a forbidden land not because of me, but because of the Calamity Earth. I have been fighting against it for ages, but I ultimately failed. This small sanctuary is all that remains." The old voice was filled with desolation and helplessness.

"And you are...?"

"I was once the World Tree of a realm. Then one day, the Calamity Earth pierced through heaven and earth, and every living creature in my world was turned to ash." The ancient tree's voice was calm, but Ning Xuan could hear endless rage and regret within it.

The World Tree, the world-destroying Calamity Earth…

Ning Xuan realized he might have been unintentionally dragged into a titanic struggle. He couldn't help but give a wry smile. "I'm merely at the King Realm, yet I have the fortune to hear such a tale."

He had been looking forward to hearing untold stories from the ancient tree. Now that he had, he realized this was on a whole other level.

The World Tree directly disagreed. "King Realm?! No! I see unprecedented vitality and potential in you!"

He had once been immensely powerful, a godlike presence in His own world. Yet even He had been corroded by the world-destroying Calamity Earth, while Ning Xuan had managed to withstand its assault. Although the Calamity Earth could not exert its full power due to His presence, what Ning Xuan had just faced was something that not even a cultivator at the Holy Realm could necessarily withstand, let alone one at the King Realm.

This revelation shook the World Tree.

"I have lived for untold eons. The world I hailed from surpassed this one in every aspect. Throughout the endless ages, I visited countless worlds in search of a way to counter the Calamity Earth. I have met an innumerable number of so-called geniuses and prodigies…"

He paused, then His tone shifted.

"But not a single one could compare to you!"

This was an endorsement from a World Tree, its significance absolutely extraordinary.

Zhongli Ruoruo clenched her small fists, unable to contain her own feelings of pride and triumph. To gain Grandpa Tree's approval is a miracle, not just here, but across all the myriad realms!

"Rest assured, I am not saying this to ask for your help," the World Tree continued. "You don't need to intervene. The Calamity Earth wants to devour me, but it is not yet capable of doing so!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it contained an incomparable confidence.

"However, I do indeed require your help."

"Please, tell me."

The World Tree didn't speak. Instead, His entire body began to radiate an indescribable aura.