Chapter 28

The light prison tightened, and heaven and earth were burned by the blazing net of light.

The red light from the decaying root pods travels along the soil veins, as if trying to drain all rhythm;

The illusion collapsed, reality and the phantom were torn apart, and even the shouts of Sprout 12 became shattered;

The Flower Tide Blade hovers in mid-air, and in the next instant, it will cut the earth into a blood-red wasteland.

This is the final blow from the combined forces of the four powers; any ordinary seedling will be crushed to ashes.

Seed 237's breathing became rapid, and its rhythm was almost completely suppressed.

Just as he was about to collapse—deep within his body, an ancient and profound pulse awakened.

That wasn't the frequency of the rhythmic web, but a lower, more inclusive oscillation.

The roots no longer struggle to extend outwards, but spontaneously take root in the earth, absorbing every drop of water, every ray of light, and even the toxins released by the decaying root pods.

Absorb, do not resist.

The next moment, the core inside Seed 237 suddenly glowed, turning into rings of "annual ring ripples" that spread outwards.

Each ripple is like the heartbeat of the mother tree, carrying the power of suppression and assimilation.

Light prison

When the ripples of the year wheel touched the light prison, the scorching light net gradually dimmed, as if it were being absorbed as new nourishment.

The Lord of the Light Prison, "White Ash Branch," roared in shock:

"Impossible... My radiant flames are actually growing inside his body?!"

Corruption monitoring

The Crimson Pod, which had intended to tighten further, disintegrated within the ripples of its growth rings.

Their roots are instead absorbed and become new roots of 237.

For the first time, "Erosion of the Roots" felt fear:

"He... he actually managed to tamper with my surveillance network?!"

Illusory Mist

The fog was parted in the ripples of the tree rings, and the overlapping shadows of reality and illusion gradually dissipated.

The creeping vine felt an instinctive pressure, and it murmured softly:

“That is… the vision of the Mother Tree… all illusions are meaningless before him.”

Flower Tide Blade

Countless blades whistled down, but abruptly lost their direction upon contact with the ripples.

Instead, they transformed into a rain of petals, drifting to the ground and nourishing the newly awakened buds.

Yefenghua's eyes suddenly narrowed:

"My murderous intent... has been purified into a spring breeze?!"

The entire hunting ground was overturned, and all the offensive was transformed into resources for growth.

Seed 237 has transparent leaf vein patterns on its surface, resembling the projection of a young mother tree.

Sprout 12 slumped down outside the fog, her eyes wide open, murmuring:

"This is not just a simple rhythm...this is the assimilation law of the mother tree!"

For the first time, he truly awakened the mother tree's potential!

The light prison shattered, the rotten roots retreated, the illusory mist dissipated, and the tide of flowers withered.

The four major powers were caught off guard, and for the first time, they went from being hunters to prey.

But Seed 237 did not pursue. He simply stood in the center of the battlefield, the ripples of his growth rings slowly receding, leaving an indelible mark:

—He is no longer just a seed being besieged.

—He began to influence the lifeblood of the earth in the manner of a mother tree.

After the hunting grounds collapsed, the cracked web of the Light Prison scattered like spider silk burned through by wildfire.

The rotten root pods turned into residue, the illusory mist dissipated in the wind, and the blades of the flower tide broke and fell silent.

The representatives of the four major powers retreated one after another, their faces filled with shame and fear.

They had thought their prey would be devoured in the blink of an eye, but now they watched helplessly as their offensive turned into fertile ground for growth.

"The rudiments of the mother tree have already appeared."

This is a consensus that everyone is unwilling to voice.

Under the cover of night, deep, resonant vibrations of roots could be heard emanating from the hidden depths of the rotten root army.

The "Bone-Eating Root" cast a fluorescent phantom, its voice hoarse:

"If he continues to grow stronger, all my listening pods will become ineffective."

Another shadow, belonging to the Lord of the Light Prison, "White Ash Branch," responded coldly:

“My burning light was absorbed by him… This is something a seedling cannot do.”

I suspect that the Mother Tree's genes reside within him.

The misty shadow of the "Lost Vine" swayed on the sidelines, as if it would never settle:

"The Mother Tree? A taboo tree that hasn't appeared for tens of thousands of years?... "

If that's the case, then all four of our forces will be dismantled by him one by one.

Finally, the shadow of the trailing wind flower slowly unfurled, carrying a fragrance of murderous intent:

"No need for further words. Either he dies, or we die."

But this time, it wasn't a solo hunt; it was a conspiracy.

For a long time, the Light Prison, the Rotten Root, the Illusory Mist, and the Flower Tide have been sworn enemies.

They each compete for water veins, light sources, and nutrients, and never sit on the same root system.

But now, for the first time, they reached a tacit agreement:

The Light Prison is responsible for sealing off the sky, preventing any light from falling in.

The rotten roots are responsible for listening in and cutting off, stripping rhythm from underground.

The illusionary mist is responsible for distortion and isolation, preventing the outside world from contacting the battlefield.

Hua Chao is responsible for a direct crackdown, aiming for a decisive victory.

The four factions will mobilize their respective elite legions.

A deadly trap was laid, covering the entire plain—

They need to nip any possibility in the bud before seed 237 truly grows into a mother tree.

In the darkness, Sprout 12 quietly listened to the wind among its roots in another place.

Although he is a free man, he has the talent to move between various powerful forces.

This time, for the first time, he felt that the sound of the wind was filled with the same word:

--kill.

Sprout12 felt a sinking feeling in her heart and muttered to herself:

"237, you are no longer just the hope of the Light Domain."

You have become a common threat to all forces...

And I must decide whether to continue wandering freely.

I'll completely side with you.

In the distance, Seed 237 is meditating, its roots slowly probing deeper into the earth's veins.

The ripples of time within my body had not yet subsided when they trembled slightly once more.

This was not a rhythm actively evoked by 237.

It was a response coming from the depths of the earth.

The mother tree's genes are awakening.

It sensed the impending, first-ever cross-factional conspiracy.