Immortal Druid

“Sunlight Orb.”

The words left my lips quietly as I held my staff inches from her face. A radiant sphere no larger than an apple hovered above its tip, yet its condensed solar essence distorted the surrounding air with unbearable heat.

Surprise flashed across Jin Hong's beautiful face. 

However, the astonishment quickly dissolved into exhilaration. A feral grin stretched across her lips, her crimson eyes burning with excitement and bloodlust.

Just as quickly, she vanished before me with instant teleportation.

It was a technique high-level cultivators relied upon instinctively, traversing space without leaving behind the obvious fluctuations that ordinary cultivators depended upon to track movement. Against most opponents, it was nearly impossible to predict.

Fortunately, I wasn't relying on ordinary perception.

Through Druidic Insight, the world unfolded differently before my eyes. Every tree, every blade of grass, every drifting leaf became part of a living network connected by nature itself. Disturbing one thread subtly altered countless others.

I saw where she would emerge before the teleportation had even finished. I briefly felt the space fluctuate behind a cluster of towering ancient trees. Instead of chasing her immediately, I flicked my staff. The Sunlight Orb shot forward like a miniature star.

At the same instant, I activated Nature's Stride.

The surrounding forest embraced me as I stepped through it, crossing the distance in an instant. I emerged directly behind Jin Hong the moment she reappeared, leaving her scarcely enough time to react.

I thrust my staff forward.

"Elemental Orb."

One orb after another erupted from my staff at point-blank range, each woven from a different elemental affinity intermixed together before slamming toward her in rapid succession.

Jin Hong reacted with astonishing speed.

Her twin crimson fans snapped open.

With a graceful sweep, overlapping crimson barriers blossomed before her, intercepting my barrage. The impact forced her backward as she retreated with another flickering movement, refusing to remain stationary for more than an instant.

The Sunlight Orb I had launched earlier silently arrived behind her.

She sensed it too late.

A thread of quintessence flowed from my body into the distant spell.

One of my favorite discoveries during recent months had been the ability to transform an already active spell on the battlefield. As long as the replacement belonged to the same Circle or an adjacent one, I could reshape its nature without casting an entirely new technique.

Sun and Flame shared enough common principles.

That was all I needed.

"Explosion."

The brilliant orb instantly collapsed inward, and then it exploded.

BOOOOOOM!

A blazing pillar of golden fire erupted into the heavens.

The explosion swallowed everything nearby. Ancient trees burst apart as the surrounding grass ignited instantly, transforming the peaceful forest into a sea of roaring flames. Heat washed across the battlefield in violent waves while splintered wood and burning leaves rained through the air.

When the flames finally receded, Jin Hong remained standing.

Her robes had been scorched, and several deep wounds covered her body, exposing cracked flesh beneath. Golden immortal vitality surged through every injury as muscles reformed, skin knitted together, and fractured bones mended before my eyes.

The regeneration reminded me of the Dark Seed's ability to restore its hosts.

There was one crucial difference.

Watching the Dark Seed regenerate someone always filled me with disgust. It felt unnatural, like life itself was being twisted into something foul.

Jin Hong's regeneration didn't evoke that feeling.

Nature accepted it.

It was simply another expression of life.

She leisurely brushed a strand of golden hair behind her ear, seemingly unconcerned by the injuries that had already vanished.

"What a delightful battle."

Her smile was warm, almost friendly.

"I suppose introductions are overdue. My name is Jin Hong."

She tilted her head slightly.

"And yours?"

"I'm Wo Li."

I rested my staff against my shoulder, watching her carefully.

"When were you planning to get serious?"

Jin Hong laughed softly.

"Oh? You noticed? I'd have been disappointed if you didn't."

Neither of us moved. 

The forest burned around us while embers drifted lazily through the air. Despite everything we had exchanged so far, the battle still felt restrained. Compared to what Immortals were supposedly capable of, these clashes barely scratched the surface.

Mab had mentioned something similar before.

Battles between Immortals rarely began with overwhelming techniques. They spent time probing one another, testing strengths, weaknesses, habits, and hidden cards before committing to decisive moves. A reckless Immortal rarely remained an Immortal for long.

Thinking about it, Lu Li and Yuan Tao had been rather unusual. 

Lu Li immediately unleashed his Dao Domain the moment he sensed the tide turning against him, throwing caution aside in favor of overwhelming force. I think he was still weakened, considering his damaged soul, thus the recklessness. 

Yuan Tao had gone even further. Rather than allowing himself to be subdued, he chose to destroy himself instead.

Jin Hong smiled with unmistakable excitement.

"I suppose I've played around long enough."

She slowly spread both crimson fans before her.

"Dao Domain: Golden Red Festival."

The forest around us disappeared.

I found myself standing in the middle of an old festival street.

A single stone road stretched endlessly into the distance. Colorful stalls lined both sides, displaying lanterns, sweets, painted masks, ornaments, and delicacies that looked freshly prepared. Crimson and golden lanterns hung overhead, illuminating the street with a warm glow.

The sound of laughter echoed all around me as the festival pulsed with life. Children chased one another through the bustling crowd, their giggles rising like sparks into the air. Merchants enthusiastically advertised their wares from brightly colored stalls, waving trinkets and sweets to draw in passersby. Nearby, musicians performed lively songs on flutes and drums, their melodies weaving through cheerful conversations that filled the square.

Yet something felt profoundly wrong.

I moved closer, my steps faltering as the joyful chaos pressed in. Every person walking around us lacked a face. Their heads were smooth and featureless, blank canvases where eyes, noses, and mouths should have been. Still, they continued laughing, talking, and celebrating as though nothing were amiss, gesturing animatedly, tilting their blank heads in apparent delight.

Only Jin Hong possessed a face.

She stood at the center of the festival like a living beacon, with both fans resting gracefully upon her shoulders. Half of her hair had turned a deep, vivid crimson, while the other half remained its original brilliant gold. The same striking duality extended to her eyes, one crimson, one gold, and even the fans in her hands, perfectly divided down the middle with one side crimson and the other radiant gold.

“My Golden Red Festival is a Dao Domain unlike any other,” declared Jin Hong, her voice ringing clear across the square. “Within this world, I am unique. I am invincible. And no one can harm me.”

As though responding to her declaration, more musicians materialized from thin air around her. They struck resonant drums, plucked vibrant strings, and played flutes whose haunting melodies seemed capable of captivating the soul itself. Then came the dancers, women in flowing robes who stepped gracefully onto the street, their crimson-and-gold ribbons fluttering through the air as they circled Jin Hong in perfect harmony.

She joined them without hesitation. Every movement was elegant, every step perfectly matched to the rhythm of the music.

Watching the performance, I felt something strange stir within me. The urge to fight gradually faded from my heart. The music soothed my racing thoughts, and the surrounding laughter eased my vigilance. The idea of simply watching felt almost… reasonable.

“…I should resist a bit, huh?” I muttered with a helpless smile. My staff struck the ground lightly. “Spirit of the World Tree.”

Emerald light erupted around me. The illusory silhouette of the colossal World Tree rose behind my back, its mighty trunk piercing the heavens while countless luminous branches spread across the sky. The festival flickered. For the briefest moment, the surrounding forest became visible once more beneath the overlapping realities.

Then pain lanced across my body.

I looked down to see fresh cuts blooming across my arms and chest. Blood trickled onto the stone road. The dancers had already reached me. Their beautiful ribbons were not ribbons at all. Each graceful swing concealed razor-sharp edges that sliced through flesh as effortlessly as silk.

The faceless festival-goers abandoned their leisurely strolls. They reached beneath their sleeves, drawing swords, spears, knives, and axes. They rushed toward me in eerie silence.

Not people. Puppets.

Their wooden joints briefly became visible beneath torn sleeves before vanishing once more beneath the illusion.

“Lifepulse,” I commanded.

Warm vitality surged through my body. The wounds rapidly closed as emerald light restored torn flesh and shattered muscles. Without waiting for another attack, I slammed my staff into the street.

“Entanglement.”

Enormous roots burst upward from beneath the stone road. The festival street cracked apart. Stalls collapsed. Lanterns shattered. Massive vines erupted in every direction, wrapping around the dancers and crushing them to splinters. Wood cracked and splintered as the illusion peeled away in patches.

Yet more dancers emerged. More puppets climbed from the broken road. Even the enormous roots I had summoned became gateways through which additional wooden figures continued to appear. It was as though the festival itself endlessly replenished its performers.

I recalled Mab’s lessons on battles between Immortals. They generally unfolded across three levels. The first revolved around Dao Domains, manifestations of one’s Dao where Immortals relied on their innate immortality to heal while trying to exhaust their opponent’s domain. Maintaining such a domain demanded tremendous energy; only those with complete mastery could sustain one indefinitely. Those who couldn’t were still considered amateurs.

The second level involved Immortal Arts, each one utterly unique and drawn from one’s immortal essence. At that stage, understanding and adaptation mattered more than raw power.

The third level was through war, something that could be achieved by commanding organizations, allies, and subordinates as extensions of oneself. It was something that could only be learned through experience.

I raised my staff toward the heavens. “I call upon the contracts that bind us.”

The surrounding roots trembled.

“Old Crow.”

Dark feathers scattered across the sky.

“Xuanwu.”

The earth rumbled beneath my feet.

“With the bonds forged between us, come before me.”

Powerful mana emerged around my body.

“And teach the offender a lesson she shall never forget.”

The contracts answered.

Old Crow descended from the heavens, transformed. His feathers gleamed like molten gold, every plume radiating brilliant divine light. His enormous wings stretched across the sky as countless golden feathers drifted downward like sacred blessings. The Spirit of the World Tree had elevated him to the Nascent Soul Realm.

Beside him emerged Xuanwu. The once-familiar Turtle-Snake had become majestic beyond words. His shell shimmered like polished obsidian beneath flowing azure light, a magnificent black serpent coiling around his body, its golden eyes surveying the battlefield with ancient wisdom. The pressure he emitted far surpassed anything from before. He reached Soul Transformation under the effects of the World Tree.

Xuanwu slowly raised his head. His calm voice echoed across the festival as he unleashed all of his borrowed power.

“Dao Domain: Lake of Serenity.”

Ripples spread beneath his feet. An endless lake manifested beneath the festival street. Crystal-clear water quietly spread throughout Jin Hong’s domain without violence or resistance.

The cheerful music softened. The dancing slowed. One after another, the advancing puppets lowered their weapons. Silence settled over the Golden Red Festival.

Now that I thought about it, nothing was stopping me from empowering the other crows as well.

I smiled faintly before thumping my staff against the ground.

The emerald radiance surrounding the Spirit of the World Tree expanded even farther, its colossal roots spreading beneath the forest as though embracing the entire mountain range. Countless branches reached toward the heavens, and every living creature touched by its blessing resonated with overwhelming vitality.

The crows hidden throughout the forest answered.

One after another, they emerged from their concealment.

Each ordinary crow experienced a sudden surge in power, their cultivation rapidly climbing until they reached the Core Formation Realm. The Shadow Elementals dwelling within their bodies also evolved alongside them, rising another realm beneath the blessing of the World Tree.

A vast web of consciousness instantly spread throughout the battlefield.

Jin Hong's confident smile finally disappeared.

Her crimson-and-gold eyes widened.

"...Impossible."

She slowly turned her head, sensing presence after presence reveal itself throughout the forest.

"So those hidden auras weren't an illusion..."

Her expression became one of genuine disbelief.

"You've been hiding an entire army this whole time?"

I quietly observed the countless crows circling above the forest canopy, their wings cutting through the lingering haze of the festival.

Even I found myself reflecting carefully on the power I now wielded. I wasn’t underestimating myself. If anything, I had always tried to remain realistic about my abilities. Yet the more I fought, the more I realized there were depths within my arsenal whose full potential I had yet to explore.

Spirit of the World Tree was not simply strengthening me. It elevated everything connected to me: contracts, summons, companions, and even creatures willing to answer my call. Just how far could that blessing truly reach? I honestly didn’t know.

Across the fractured festival street, I noticed Jin Hong briefly glance toward the heavens. Not at me, but at something far beyond her Dao Domain. She was searching for her subordinates. I understood why immediately.

Through the Heavenly Eye, I had already witnessed that future. Her servants would assemble the Immortal Slaying Formation and unleash an attack powerful enough to nearly kill me. A future that would no longer come to pass.

I rested my staff casually upon my shoulder and called out to her.

“Don’t even think about it.”

Jin Hong’s gaze snapped back to me, her mismatched eyes narrowing.

“They won’t be coming for you anymore,” I continued, my voice steady. I offered a calm smile. “So stop worrying about what you can’t control.” I lowered my staff and pointed it directly at her. “And focus on the enemy standing in front of you.”

Mana surged violently throughout my body, responding to my will. Nature itself seemed to hold its breath.

“Wild Shape…”

The air around me thickened with primal energy.

“…Primal Nature Spirit.”

The transformation began immediately.

My silver hair grew long, flowing freely down my back like a shimmering mane. My skin gradually turned into smooth porcelain white, carrying faint emerald patterns that resembled intertwining vines beneath the surface.

A pair of magnificent antlers branched outward from my head.

Behind me, vibrant butterfly wings unfolded gracefully, every scale reflecting countless colors as though fragments of a rainbow had been woven into their delicate structure.

Even as the transformation took hold, my body continued growing taller, larger, and immeasurably stronger. My staff expanded alongside me until it matched my new stature perfectly. My teeth sharpened into elegant fangs, and my pupils narrowed into predatory slits.

The moment the transformation was completed, I could feel the difference. Power coursed through every fiber of my being with remarkable clarity. It was far greater than the last time I had assumed this form.

“Hm…” I flexed my fingers experimentally, the claws catching the light. “I suppose that makes sense.”

Experience wasn’t merely knowledge. Every battle, every victory, and every hardship had become nourishment for my growth. I had no idea whether this form possessed different stages or levels. I simply knew one thing. I had become much stronger.

I slowly raised my staff, a faint smile crossing my fanged face.

“So…” My voice resonated with newfound depth. “Do you have anything else to show me?”

The World Tree swayed majestically behind me while Xuanwu’s Lake of Serenity continued spreading through the Golden Red Festival, steadily suppressing the influence of Jin Hong’s Dao Domain. Old Crow circled overhead, and hundreds of empowered crows filled the skies beyond.

I looked directly into her eyes.

“Because if this is everything you’ve got, then I’d like to try a few things with you.”

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!