Chapter 19: The Sacrifice of the Divine Tree, A Grief Shared by Heaven and Earth

The human race had astonished Jiang Ping with decades of preparation. Their alchemical cannons now reached the technological level of the Earth in the 19th century, and these Dragon Cannons possessed extraordinary qualities, harboring a hint of profound energy.

Paired with powerful extraordinary beasts, Jiang Ping was convinced that if the Original Humans were brought to the present, they could indeed rival modern military teams in regular warfare. If nuclear weapons and missiles entered the battlefield, it would be anyone’s guess.

In this grand conflict, regardless of who emerged victorious, Jiang Ping, as the Creator God, would have no losses. He had no intention of intervening; in fact, he lounged comfortably on the sofa, sipping his drink, ready to enjoy this era-defining battle.

“This feeling of gaining strength while lying down is absolutely delightful!”

Jiang Ping gulped down a large swig of his drink, moved by the moment.

In the Original World, the war had been raging for three years. During this time, countless lives from all races had been lost, and the bodies of the devoured ants could circle the world a hundred times, staining the endless oceans red.

The earth lay barren for miles, a desolate wasteland marred by scars of battle. Both sides had painted the battlefield in crimson, and the Dragon Cannons had been constantly modified in the short span of years.

It was common for freshly forged cannons to be pushed directly to the battlefield by workers, with no time for debugging. They would fire directly at the ocean of ant enemies.

The young warriors of the myriad races had been decimated; every inch of battlefield was littered with severed limbs, turning each combat zone into a meat grinder.

Upon witnessing this scene, Jiang Ping suddenly found his drink less appealing. “There’s truly no word that can describe this battlefield better than ‘hell’!”

With a sigh, Jiang Ping expressed his sentiments. Genesis hovered in front of him, automatically recording the final war of the era.

With billions dead, the very essence of the Original World had become tainted with endless resentment and killing intent, driving it into madness. As the world’s essence was corrupted, every being became consumed with the desire to kill and destroy! “Sigh, is this era really coming to an end?” The Divine Tree Rahil shook its branches, withering as the world’s essence was poisoned.

Swoosh

Suddenly, the recently deceased Elven King Mia appeared. Rahil knew she had just perished alongside an ant tribe hero.

After multiple deaths, the consciousness of the previous Human King had long since been lost, equivalent to the previous life of the Elven King. She merely watched like an audience member, retaining memories from her past life. Despite this, she continued to fight for humanity, constantly dying!

This might be her deepest, most profound obsession! Rahil sighed, saying, “I have been here since the beginning of creation, witnessing the passage of time and the arrival of the Creator God, undergoing multiple rebirths, all to see you once more, to return to my origin in the divine realm.”

Deep underground, the Ant Queen Belsha stared blankly into the void. Then, she let out a peal of laughter like silver bells. “Hehe, is this era really coming to an end? It’s quite amusing that I’m the one pulling back the curtains! Hehehe!”

With eyes full of affection, the Ant Queen looked at her massive belly, gently caressing it. “Children, it’s time for you to be born. End this era, annihilate all races, and devour the land!”

With a commanding voice, the Ant Queen shouted, and nine gigantic eggs began to emerge from her abdomen. Soon, nine strange ants crawled out of the eggs.

Though newly hatched, their aura could rival the strongest Human King of the time. They’d just been born! These were the super-devourers that the Ant Queen had labored for fifty years to create, blending the genes of countless tribes, including those of humanity. With added special substances, each of them was unique.

These nine super devouring ants had surpassed racial confines, almost qualifying as a new super race, strong like an interstellar insectoid species! “From now on, you shall be known as the Nine Divine Guardians. Immediately lead the army and launch the final assault against the human race!” Belsha declared sternly.

Naming them with the prefix ‘Divine’ illustrated the Ant Queen’s expectations and underscored their terrifying potential! The Nine Divine Guardians exchanged grins filled with killing intent before swiftly heading to the battlefield, their speed creating trails of shadows in the city that even the Ant Queen could hardly see!

With the Nine Divine Guardians entering the fray, the balance of the battlefield shifted instantly. Their power and speed were overwhelming! Each one surpassed the strongest divine creations. Their bodies, made from indestructible metals, could withstand direct hits from the Dragon Cannons, leaving only indents behind!

With a mere flick of their hands, the Guardians shattered mountains and split the earth—one hand strike was enough to sever a Dragon Cannon, which was forged from half-meter-thick alloy!

The alliance of the myriad races was steadily collapsing, with eight to nine tenths of the world falling into the hands of the ant tribe. The elf race was easily slaughtered by the Guardians, even after resurrection, it was all for naught.

At last, the human race led the various tribes to a point of no return, with their backs against the center of the world, the place where the Divine Tree Rahil resided.

The ninth generation Human King, wielding the Spear of Destiny, limped onto the high platform, covered in wounds. He claimed to be the strongest Human King in history, his combat power eclipsing that of the first Human King, Wuma. Yet, faced with the Guardians, he still felt outmatched.

The Human King solemnly addressed the myriad tribes, saying, “Everyone, the Devourer Ants are formidable, and this time, we may not escape disaster!”

A chorus of astonishment echoed below; each ruler was shocked by the Human King’s demoralizing words. Did he intend to surrender? However, knowing the Devourer Ant’s nature, even surrendering would lead to death, explaining why the myriad tribes opposed them. Human King surveyed the surroundings, shouting, “Our human race possesses an ultimate forbidden method, our only chance of survival.”

He turned to the Divine Tree Rahil and gritted his teeth, saying, “The Divine Tree Rahil has agreed to my request!”

The powerful beings of each race chattered in confusion, unaware of the Human King’s intentions. Why was the central Divine Tree involved? Only the major kings frowned; if there were a real solution, why wait until now when the extermination of their tribes was imminent?

The next scene shocked the entire world; countless races gazed in astonishment at the Divine Tree.

Bang! Outside, Jiang Ping accidentally knocked over his drink. He had no time to pick it up, eyes fixed on the Divine Tree. “Self-sacrifice? She really is sacrificing herself to empower others!”

As the Creator God, Jiang Ping felt a pang of sorrow. This little tree he had personally planted was now radiating a kaleidoscope of light, countless branches and leaves dancing in the luminescence before curling toward the kings below.

In a moment of trance, Jiang Ping seemed to see the little sapling that once swayed towards him. Compared to the current self-sacrificing Divine Tree, he felt a sense of nostalgia—although it had only happened the day before.

All races gazed at this scene in shock, as the towering 9,000-meter body began to dissolve, transforming into the most primal energy that merged with other beings.

At that moment, the radiance of the Divine Tree Rahil was stunningly beautiful, so beautiful that the myriad races wept, even startling Jiang Ping.

Countless accompanying elves flew out from the dissolving Divine Tree, adorning it with graceful dances. Finally, they took one last glance at the world and dove into the disassembling tree, becoming colorful light to offer as sacrifice.

“Wuwu.”

The myriad beings were rendered speechless, weeping uncontrollably. This was a tree born of heaven and earth! It was sacrificing itself to save the world and its inhabitants!

Countless human soldiers bore their shattered bodies without flinching, yet now they cried in anguish. The Divine Tree was like their mother, protecting humanity since ancient times, and now it was dying for them!

The Human King’s eyes glimmered with tears as he spoke, his voice choked with emotion, “Unworthy descendants feel shame before our ancestors. We have ultimately caused the Divine Tree to sacrifice itself. If I survive this battle, I vow to guard the Divine Tree for eternity!”

The rainbow light radiating from the Divine Tree warmed the myriad races, just like the tender touch of a beloved mother soothing her child, imbuing their hearts with an unprecedented tranquility, erasing any traces of the fear of annihilation.

In the sky, a multicolored phenomenon appeared, and the world seemed to weep for her departure.