Chapter 1437: Sun Goddess

The mulberry tree we had seen earlier in the mulberry forest was already very large, but compared to the tree before us, it paled in comparison.

The tree before them had a trunk tens of thousands of feet wide, so vast that its full extent was almost impossible to grasp at a glance. The entire tree shot straight into the clouds, seemingly as tall as the sky itself.

The tree's roots were in the ocean, seemingly anchored deep within the sea, and the seawater beneath them was constantly boiling!

Yan Xuehen was dumbfounded. "I heard Shun and Dafeng mention that the Golden Crows often bathe in the sea. Could this water be boiling because of them? But they've clearly flown away now!"

"The Golden Crows are terrifyingly powerful; even their residual heat is almost unbearable for me," Yun Jianyue said with a grave expression. Could they really contend with such formidable beings?

Yu Yanluo stared at the tree and said, "This must be the Fusang Tree they mentioned. How can there be such an enormous tree between heaven and earth? No wonder it can host ten suns."

Zu An, however, was stunned. This Fusang Tree was indeed massive, larger than most people could imagine.

But as a transmigrator, he knew how large the sun actually was.

Although this Fusang Tree was large, compared to a real sun, it was but a drop in the ocean. It couldn't even accommodate one sun, let alone ten.

Yet, in this world, it somehow served as a dwelling for ten suns!

He looked up at the ten scorching suns in the distant sky. A thought suddenly struck him: Could it be that the suns in this world weren't true suns?

Perhaps the Golden Crows merely fulfilled the role of the sun and were regarded as such by the people?

But if that were the case, where did the real sun go?

He looked up at the firmament above, recalling the terrifying gales and heavenly lightning he had encountered when trying to ascend. Not only he, but countless powerful individuals throughout history had failed to break through.

Could there be some secret intentionally hidden in the heavens?

Or perhaps...

The sky we see above us is merely a false sky?

As soon as this thought emerged, he felt a shiver run down his spine. But then he chuckled dryly, thinking, how could that be possible?

At this moment, Yan Xuehen exclaimed, "Is that a chicken?"

No sooner had she spoken than everyone heard a strange clucking sound.

They looked in the direction of the sound and saw a huge nest at the top of the tree. Inside was a bizarre-looking... chicken? The chicken tilted its head, observing them with apparent curiosity.

The group became tense. How could a creature nesting on top of such a divine tree be an ordinary chicken? They feared it might suddenly attack them.

Fortunately, it was a false alarm. The chicken merely observed them curiously for a few moments, then went back to nestling in its nest and sleeping, ignoring them completely.

"This chicken is quite bold. Isn't it afraid we'll capture it and eat it?" Zu An couldn't help but quip.

Yan Xuehen rolled her eyes. "How could something that lives in a place like this be ordinary? It's still uncertain who would eat whom in the end."

Zu An gave an embarrassed laugh, knowing it was true, and offered no rebuttal.

The group soon landed on the Fusang Tree, feeling waves of heat wash over them. Had their cultivation not been considerable, they might have been roasted alive instantly.

Zu An picked up a few Golden Crow feathers from among the branches; they faintly glowed with fire, clearly not ordinary objects.

He put these feathers away. "Why don't we see if we can set up some traps here to deal with the Golden Crows when they return?"

It seemed clear that a head-on confrontation was out of the question.

Yan Xuehen shook her head. "This is their home; they are here every day and are long accustomed to everything. Even the slightest change would not escape their notice. Moreover, the terrain here is peculiar, making it very difficult to set up formations."

Zu An had just noticed that there were no mountains here, making his 'Essence of Heavenly Drops Unveiled' difficult to apply effectively. He had originally hoped Yan Xuehen might have a solution, and upon hearing her words, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"I think we should focus on how to leave this place now," Yu Yanluo said quietly, "Once the Golden Crows return, we'll likely be doomed."

The expressions on their faces instantly froze. The feather Dafeng had given them earlier had completely vanished, and with the sea surrounding them on all sides, they truly felt trapped, with no way to ascend to heaven or descend to earth.

"That Dafeng guy only gave us a one-way ticket, what a rip-off!" Zu An couldn't help but complain. He was just about to search around with the three women for a way out.

Suddenly, a cold voice spoke, "Who are you?"

The group was startled. Given their current cultivation, they hadn't detected anyone approaching, which clearly indicated hostile intent from the newcomer.

They quickly turned to look and were instantly stunned.

Because what appeared before them was not a ferocious beast or anything sinister, but a great beauty.

Dressed in a long palace gown with many tassels and ribbons fluttering in the wind, she looked like a fairy descended from heaven.

However, compared to the fairies in their imagination, she was much more mature and alluring. Her hair was styled in a married woman's bun, and a gleaming golden headdress adorned her temples, its design appearing to be that of a Golden Crow soaring with outstretched wings.

At that moment, she was standing in a golden war chariot pulled by six dragons. Her presence there even exuded an aura of a queen ruling the world.

The group's hearts skipped a beat. "How is this so similar to the golden chariot the Golden Crow Prince summoned back then?"

Zu An quickly said, "Greetings, Madam. We happened to pass by this esteemed place. We hope we haven't caused any disturbance."

To their surprise, the mature woman showed no courtesy whatsoever. "Happened to pass by? How could anyone *accidentally* pass by this place? I wondered why those children suddenly rushed out like mad today. So it was you people causing trouble!"

Their hearts pounded. Could the children she spoke of be the Golden Crows?

Zu An felt a bitter pang because his Rage Value system had already registered the woman's rage. This mature and alluring woman before him was named Xihe.

She was the legendary Goddess of the Sun, one of Di Jun's wives, and the mother of the ten Golden Crows!

Zu An secretly groaned. How could they encounter a figure from mythology like this?

The group wanted to explain, but Xihe didn't give them a chance. With a wave of her hand, countless rays of divine sun-light rained down.

Their expressions instantly changed, as they sensed that Xihe's cultivation was that of an Earth Immortal, perhaps even surpassing the Demon Emperor!

They dared not hold back in the slightest, each employing their unique skills, but unfortunately, in the face of absolute power, their resistance was utterly insignificant.

Soon, they were all bound by strands of divine sun-light, unable to move.

"Trespassing into Tang Valley and disturbing my sons? A thousand deaths wouldn't atone for your crimes!" Xihe's voice was cold, like that of a lofty deity. She raised her sleeve, intending to execute them before going to search for her sons who had rushed out.

Facing imminent death, their hearts turned to ash. Just then, Zu An gritted his teeth, directly summoned the Golden Phoenix, and activated his 'Love as Strong as Gold' skill.