Chapter 599 Flaming Tree
Jonathan ran like the wind in the dense forest. After parting ways with Lauryn and Irving at the central mountain, he took the opposite path from them.
In actuality, Jonathan also understood that his chances of surviving would be a little higher if he left with the other two. Although they were merely Grandmasters, he understood the logic behind harming the interest of others for one’s benefit.
If he brought them along with him, he could at least use them to get out of a critical situation as he did before.
However, Jonathan did not wish to do that for a simple reason.
As Lauryn said earlier, if we can’t find a way to leave this abyss, it’s only a matter of time before we die. Even if I use her and Irving to escape from death twice, I’ll only be delaying my death at most. Just like a line from a book saying that when a prison car is on the way to the execution ground, the number of red lights it encounters or whether or not it breaks down does not help with the situation at all.
While determining the direction, Jonathan stuffed a bitter fruit into his mouth, chewing hard before swallowing it.
It was the same type of spiritual fruit he previously ate, which he discovered when he passed by earlier.
Although the fruit was not ripe and extremely bitter, it contained plenty of spiritual energy that could quickly make up for what he had lost.
Jonathan knew that the pill was most likely with Vladimir, but if he got himself involved in the battle between the latter and Sophia, it would be no different from courting death.
Hence, he planned to head back and look for Sofus first to try his luck.
If the pill is with Sofus, it’ll save me a lot of trouble.
The ground beneath his feet quickly fell back, and Jonathan jumped down from a mountain peak.
Seeing that the bloodstains on the ground were clearly visible, he knew it was the spot he fought with Sofus earlier.
However, the latter had already vanished.
Jonathan looked around with the bronze handbell above him and finally found a few drops of blood more than ten meters away.
“Do you think you can run away?”
His gaze turned frosty as he ran in the direction of the bloodstains.
In a valley, an ancient tree with a wide canopy was swaying in the wind.
One would call the canopy of the tree wide because it was half the size of a soccer field, and under the leaves that danced like flames, dangling white roots swayed gently.
If such spectacular and beautiful scenery existed beyond the abyss, it would have been a popular photo-taking spot for influencers.
However, there was a mountain of bones under that huge tree that would cause anyone to shudder at the sight.
Jonathan looked beneath the tree from his position on the hillside and noticed that Sofus was stepping on the bones and staggering toward the tree.
Upon reaching the tree, the boy slashed the tree trunk with a battle axe, removing the bark after several slashes.
Then, Sofus half-knelt on the ground and began to lick the trunk with his tongue like a puppy.
What’s that?
Jonathan stared at Sofus with widened eyes.
At that moment, he could already feel the strong vitality coming from the latter’s body.
After a breath or two, Sofus stood up again.
As for the ancient tree trunk, it went back to its original state as though the slashing never happened.
The fiery red giant branches and leaves swayed in the wind.
Pieces of red leaves fluttered in the air, but before they landed on the ground, they had already turned into dust and dissipated in the sky.
That is caused by the dissipation of life aura!
Jonathan stared wide-eyed at the boy under the tree.
What this guy ate just now was the life essence of this tree! I smell danger!
While commending the peculiarity of the tree, Jonathan suddenly had the impression that he was being targeted.
“Defend!”
Around Jonathan, countless spiritual energy quickly entered the strange bronze handbell, and streaks of golden light quickly formed beside him.
As runes appeared, a broken horsetail whisk suddenly appeared out of thin air behind Jonathan and hit the shadow of the handbell.
Vladimir!
Jonathan was sent flying in mid-air, and at the spot where he previously stood, Vladimir’s figure appeared, looking disheveled.
However, just as Vladimir’s figure appeared, it disappeared again, and at that instance, a phantom impaled the spot where he stood.
Boom!
Rocks crumbled, and the whole earth seemed to tremble.
Joselle separated the scattered gravel that landed on the spear lightly.
She still had the same playful and naive look, but every time she attacked, a sense of powerlessness would emerge from the deepest part of anyone’s heart.
Jonathan stabilized himself on the mountaintop opposite the valley before lightly touching the storage ring with his right hand, and a short stick with intricate runes appeared in his hand.
As spiritual energy flowed into it, the less-than-a-meter-long short stick instantly turned two meters long. On its surface, the runes lit up one after another, and both ends of the long stick had become crimson.
The heat radiating off the long stick made Jonathan feel slightly at ease.
Previously, he only heard Irving mentioning that two seniors in the martial arts world vanished in Summerbank Abyss.
However, he did not expect one of them to have so many treasures.
Just this magical item that can change its size alone is probably priceless, but I don’t know if the power of this item can withstand the attacks of Vladimir and Joselle.
Vladimir stood in the valley in his wretched state and turned to look at Sofus next to him.
“You… You absorbed the life essence of the Flaming Tree?”
Sofus looked like he was still on the verge of death, but at present, other than his unkempt clothes, he was full of vigor and did not appear to be injured at all, so naturally, Vladimir understood what his precious apprentice had done.
“Master… I was injured too badly just now—”
“Bullsh*t!”
Vladimir stretched out his hand and slapped Sofus’ cheek.
“Do you know the importance of this Flaming Tree? It’s the only seedling left in the world. If something happens to it, there’s nothing you can offer to compensate it!”
With just a slap, Sofus was sent flying dozens of meters and spat out a dozen teeth.
After wiping his mouth, he struggled to stand up.
“Master, am I not as important as a tree?”
Sofus’ voice trembled as he said that, and his eyes teemed with confusion and bewilderment.
However, Vladimir’s gaze was cold, and he merely snorted when he heard the boy’s words.
“Useless prick! I’ve trained you for sixteen years and put so much effort into it, but you can’t even handle a few Grandmasters. I truly don’t know what’s the point of me keeping you!”
Vladimir stared at the red leaves that kept falling from the Flaming Tree before turning to look at Sofus.
“I can’t let anything happen to the Flaming Tree. Since you absorbed its life essence, you must replenish what you have taken. Now, die!”
