2290 2290. Plants

June and the others couldn't help but find similarities between Marcella's technique and Noah's parasite. Still, there was something intrinsically different in the aura radiated by those roots.

Noah's parasite expressed one of the deepest aspects of destruction. It could erode anything in the world, and even the strongest experts from the sky feared its power.

Instead, Marcella's roots didn't have a single nature. They flourished and released intense power that affected their surroundings and altered the environment, but they had no specific effect. They actually resembled proper magical plants.

Marcella's technique tried to affect the void, but its power fell slightly short. The different space-time array shook under the weight of the roots, smoke, and flowers, but it didn't change enough to place them above the ninth rank.

Nevertheless, the green cloud changed and transformed as the roots expanded and more bright flowers came out of their surface. The smoke thickened and started to release a pleasant scent that June and the others couldn't fend off.

The seemingly harmless technique surprised the landmass' group. Divine Demon didn't care too much about the details behind Marcella's ability, but his companions didn't share his confidence.

Even the space dragon interrupted its offensive as it stared at the expanding roots and flowers. It could feel the connection with Heaven and Earth in those plants, but its instincts couldn't completely see them as enemies. They were almost part of a natural environment.

June inspected the immense amount of power released by Marcella for a few seconds before wearing an excited expression. That was exactly what she wanted. She was in front of an opponent with immense energy reserves, and she couldn't wait to challenge her.

However, Divine Demon stepped forward before June could muster her energy again. That gesture reminded her of his previous actions, and her anger inevitably returned.

"You won't get to fight her all by yourself," June declared.

Divine Demon's expression gained rare traces of sympathy when he turned to inspect June. He remained silent as his eyes studied the depths of her power. A smile appeared on his face, but some sadness also arrived.

"What?" June snorted.

"This isn't mere battle intent, right?" Divine Demon replied before glancing at the black sphere where Noah and Caesar were trapped. "You are in a hurry to improve."

"All of us are," June pointed out. "That's why we split our opponents. We all must get our chance to improve."

"What if I told you that you can't defeat her?" Divine Demon wondered.

"I'll prove you wrong," June declared.

"My heir really found a troublesome partner," Divine Demon laughed. "I guess it suits him."

"Noah has nothing to do with this," June corrected.

"I know about your deal," Divine Demon revealed. "Well, I should call it "promise". It takes strength and courage to accept something like that during the cultivation journey. Defying Demon is better than me in that field."

<br/>June fell silent, but her eyes retained her anger. Sparks even started to flow over her skin. She was ready to fly past Divine Demon to get her battle if he kept hindering her.

"Your time will come," Divine Demon stated as a blood-red flash ran through his eyes. "You know what you need to improve. You shouldn't worry too much about it."

"Stepping aside isn't my style," June joked.

"You might survive if you jump into this fight," Divine Demon uttered. "You might even achieve something since I'm here, but that would leave you broken, unable to fulfill your real role."

June wanted to complain, but her gaze instinctively went past Divine Demon and fell on the sky. The net's light had become incredibly faint. Anyone could understand that Heaven and Earth were about to break free.

"A true demon knows when to save energy," Divine Demon explained.

"You mention demons only when it suits your argument," June complained.

"And I'm always right," Divine Demon laughed. "Step back for now. We'll all need you afterward."

Divine Demon flew past June to approach Marcella. June wanted to follow him. Her world yearned for battle, but a loud heartbeat echoed out of her figure when her gaze fell back on the sky.

June's injuries began to close as battle intent built inside her. Her very skin started to release crackling noises. There seemed to be a storm raging inside June, but she didn't advance. Instead, she retreated until her figure left the green cloud.

Maribel and the others inspected the scene without saying anything. They had understood what Divine Demon wanted from June, but he didn't say anything about them. It was clear that their role had yet to end.

"It's rare to see your wise side," Marcella teased while Divine Demon flew toward her.

"I'm always wise," Divine Demon commented. "You all simply fail to realize it most of the time."

"Then, tell me," Marcela announced while moving her fingers over the roots coming out of her body. "Does your wisdom understand the nature of my world?"

"I'm wise enough not to care about it," Divine Demon stated. "I only have to kill you."

"Your companions don't share your confidence," Marcella pointed out while moving her eyes among the rest of the group. "Even that creature is confused."

The space dragon had yet to move. It sniffed and relied on its instincts to study Marcella's technique, but it failed to find proper answers. Even its programming couldn't push it to fight against her again.

"The magical beasts are so simple," Marcella sighed. "Even something improved to target Heaven and Earth can fall for such a low-level trick."

"Tricks can't last long," Sepunia's voice resounded in the area as she teleported next to Divine Demon. "I've stopped your power once. I can do it again."

"The traitor," Marcella exclaimed.

"Rebel," Maribel's voice arrived in the area as she also teleported next to Divine Demon.

"A cultivator who spent most of her life in hiding," Marcella corrected. "I'm surprised you even achieved a decent understanding of your path. Creation and destruction, life and death, you managed to get somewhere without the complete picture."

"Are you trying to instruct us about the cultivation journey now?" Maribel mocked.

"It's always the same with cultivators," Marcella sighed. "Even the sky lacks expert with such a broad vision. You all spend your life admiring and envying the magical beasts without appreciating a far stronger alternative."

"She is trying to buy herself some time," Maribel declared.

"No," Divine Demon said. "She wants us to admire her power."

"My path," Marcella corrected as branches came out of the roots and created a thick net all around her. "Everyone in the world thinks that the magical beasts have the greatest innate advantage. Everyone is wrong."

Some of the branches grew until they transformed into proper trunks. Leaves and flowers came out of them at that point, and the process continued until immense green crowns covered the whole net.

"I should probably thank your idiocy," Marcella announced. "You have left my path almost completely devoid of competition. I could become a queen without needing to compromise."

"A queen of the weakest type of living being in the world," Sepunia added.

"Your arrogance won't last," Marcella exclaimed. "You'll bow in front of the true leader of the magical plants' field."