Chapter 52 When the old leaves fall, the new tree is born…
"Get up, stop pretending to be dead." Li Hongyi kicked the lying evil cultivator twice more. "Confess all your conspiracies and schemes."
"I've put a talisman on your heart; if you miss even one word, I'll make you suffer a thousand cuts."
Now the heretical cultivator could only nod in agreement.
A few timid ones would occasionally glance at Chang Yubai, fearing that this old nemesis would stab them in the back.
After all, he's a powerful figure who wields the power to purify souls... If he were to use this on them, they would all be annihilated.
There were a few who were stubbornly unwilling to speak, probably because they felt they were already in the hands of the White Emperor and were doomed either way, so they simply kept quiet to avoid upsetting the White Emperor. As a result, the stalemate didn't last long before they were sealed with truth-telling talismans.
Li Hongyi: "Aren't you stupid? Do you think I can't do anything to you?"
Chang Yubai: "...You used my talisman."
Otherwise, with Li Hongyi's penniless state after the breakup, where would he get the talismans to squander?
But wasn't the wealth that Chang Yubai used also the wealth that his master had prepared for him?
The mustard seed space in his hand was divided into three areas. One side contained a series of treasures that Venerable Qingyun had given to his beloved disciple in his early years. These treasures were all items used by cultivators, such as talismans, secret manuals, elixirs, and scrolls. It would take half a lifetime to use them all.
On one side were trinkets that Chang Yubai had casually collected, some of which he found interesting, including precious plants, scrap metal, and even some rare delicacies. The items were so varied and chaotic that they were impossible to categorize.
There was another place that Xiaoyun helped him manage. Most of his spirit jade was in Li Qingyun's hands, and all major expenditures had to be approved by his disciple first. Inside were things that the master and disciple had found useful over the past ten years, mostly miscellaneous items needed for travel.
As for rare and precious materials, Chang Yubai always stuffed them into Li Qingyun's mustard seed space. They were of no use to him, so he simply let his disciple squander them.
Li Hongyi originally wanted to force Chang Yubai to talk, but Chang Yubai found it troublesome and simply threw out the talisman and asked all the questions in one go.
After asking for a while, Li Hongyi frowned as he listened.
Chang Yubai's expression didn't look too good either.
These evil cultivators have been plotting against the Tree Domain for more than a year or two. Even before Lei Zhen Valley had planted its pawns, Saoying County had already become their stronghold.
"You mean, Li Qingyun... you deliberately drove her away?"
Li Hongyi asked the question cautiously, and even glanced at Chang Yubai several times.
With the ancient almanac being brought up, everyone realized that something was amiss.
Seeing the atmosphere turn cold, Chang Yubai simply said two words: "Continue."
Then we'll have no choice but to bite the bullet and go through with it.
The year Li Qingyun was born, the ghost messenger instructed them to make a fuss and spread the word about this kid's harm to the point that no one in the Tree Domain knew about it, in order to prevent the Tree God's life force from being replaced by Li Qingyun.
"At that time, Lord Ghost Messenger said that all the plans were based on the existence of the Tree God. Li Qingyun was born breathing in the life force of the Tree Domain, and he was afraid that he would take the place of the Tree God and ruin everything."
Who would have thought that all that trouble in the Forest of Ten Thousand Spirits back then would only have stripped Li Qingyun of his very essence?
Fortunately, the tree god's life force was preserved, and the ghost messenger's plan could proceed smoothly. Let Li Qingyun do whatever she wants.
Until the Ghost Messenger saw a ginseng in the Shadow County.
That ginseng was mischievous and liked to burrow out for some fresh air, but it was swatted back by a vine not long after it emerged.
The ghost messenger witnessed this scene and realized that the connection between Benyuan Can and the Forest of Ten Thousand Spirits was not yet over.
As long as Li Qingyun retrieves these original ginseng roots and reassembles them, the grand drama of the tree god's decline will likely be staged again.
After some deliberation, the ghost decided that since the Forest of Ten Thousand Spirits did not like killing, they would force the clan leader to exile the people.
Aren't there frequent trade routes between the Tree Realm and other places? Entrusting the little brat to a trader and taking him out of the Tree Realm is a perfectly legitimate option.
"His parents aren't any better. We just mentioned we had some business dealings, and they immediately thought of selling their son! You can't blame us!"
The heretical practitioners were still arguing their case, fearing that all the crimes would be pinned on them.
In any case, they could tell that when it came to Li Qingyun, Bai Huang's anger was beyond words.
That was the hatred of someone wanting to kill!
"It shouldn't have been this year, but for some reason the Forest of Ten Thousand Spirits is getting increasingly strange, the plants are becoming more and more ferocious. Lord Ghost Messenger specifically consulted the Prophet and the Great Clan Chief to confirm the situation, and learned that the Tree God is still in its decline period, and it hasn't stopped all these years..."
"The Ghost Messenger said that if things continue like this, the Forest of Ten Thousand Spirits will be completely destroyed before the plan can be implemented. He told us to hurry up and carry out the matter of the Tree God becoming a demon ahead of schedule."
"There are many talented people in Muqiong County and Shuque County, but the two counties have always been at odds. In order to prevent them from noticing anything amiss, Lord Ghost Messenger sent several people to help stir up trouble, making them fight between the two sides and unable to pay attention to the changes in Shuying County."
“The roots of the Tree God are buried in the Tree Shadow County. A demonic curse was planted there recently, and it’s only a matter of time before the tree falls into demonic possession.”
"Once the tree spirit becomes possessed by a demon, we should evacuate."
But Zhu Yan, that idiot, made a mistake while spying on Chang Yubai, causing them to be discovered ahead of time.
The subsequent conspiracies and schemes were no longer related to Li Qingyun, and the evil cultivators became bolder in their words.
But after they finished speaking, Chang Yubai's expression did not improve, and they all shrank back and pretended to be quails.
Li Hongyi was also a little intimidated by him. He knew that Chang Yubai treated his apprentice like a treasure. Although he didn't seem particularly considerate on the surface, he always gave his apprentice the best of everything and helped him meet all his needs. He would even ignore the most unreasonable things.
Now that he's heard how these evil cultivators have treated Li Qingyun so harshly, it's no wonder he's furious.
But Li Hongyi didn't expect that Chang Yubai would still remain rational.
"What will happen if the tree god becomes possessed?" Chang Yubai asked.
All the heretical practitioners present shook their heads in unison.
"Oh," Chang Yubai replied.
"ah--"
Suddenly, cries of agony filled the air.
Before Li Hongyi could even react to what was happening, he saw all the evil cultivators grimacing in pain, their faces contorted.
Naturally, Li Hongyi swallowed hard in alarm.
He noticed that the spiritual energy around Chang Yubai was starting to act strangely.
"Dude, don't tell me you're going to become a demon..." Li Hongyi had already taken out his natal magic weapon. As long as Chang Yubai showed any signs of attacking, he could immediately make a move and escape.
"..."
"…………"
Chang Yubai didn't even glance at him.
From beginning to end, Bai Huang's murderous gaze never left the evil cultivator.
How can he be contacted?
Chang Yubai spared one of the heretical practitioners who showed enthusiasm during the questioning.
"Who...you mean, who..."
"The ghost messenger."
"...Ah, yes, with spells, or by consulting a prophet..."
"Tsk." Chang Yubai found him troublesome and simply stopped him from speaking. He directly formed a circle of spiritual patterns with his fingertips and imprinted them on the evil cultivator's brow.
The Soul Searching and Spirit Exploration Spell allows one to directly view all the memories stored in a soul, but in return, the person whose soul is searched will become mentally impaired and lifeless, like a useless person.
Chang Yubai was truly aiming to annihilate them.
Li Hongyi watched as the demonic energy grew stronger and stronger. By the time Chang Yubai finished searching the last evil cultivator, the place was filled with idiots babbling "Aba aba".
He gripped his weapon tightly, his defensive stance stretched to the limit.
Chang Yubai turned around and gave him a look.
That was a terror unlike the hollow, numb terror of my memories.
It was a contradiction that seemed to be full of anger, yet covered by a layer of solid ice.
Li Hongyi thought he had seen the most desperate look in someone's eyes.
But now he's not sure if he's still alive.
Was that coldness a result of the fear conveyed by the gaze, or the chill of one's own body?
He didn't realize he was still alive until he heard his own breathing.
Chang Yubai had already disappeared without a trace.
“…Damn it.” He couldn’t help but collapse to the ground.
"There's actually someone even more terrifying than Li Tiansheng..."
...
Qu Lingfeng led Li Qingyun through numerous tunnels to a fluorescent underground core.
The core material resembles jade, yet it has a heart-like shape and makes a continuous thumping sound, as if it were alive.
"Lord Tree God, the person has been brought here," Qu Lingfeng said respectfully.
Li Qingyun glanced at the fluorescent core a few more times, frowned, and then realized something, her breathing becoming rapid.
"This is a tree spirit?!"
Li Qingyun really couldn't believe it.
Qu Lingfeng nodded, tacitly acknowledging his question.
Then, the fluorescent lights flashed more rapidly and brighter. After Li Qingyun was blinded and everything turned white, he realized that his soul had been drawn away and he had come to an unfamiliar spiritual territory.
"...Tree God?" Li Qingyun asked softly.
Aside from the Tree God, he couldn't think of anyone else who would need to do such a thing.
An elderly, frail elder stood before me.
[Are you the one who took his place?]
Li Qingyun remained wary upon hearing this: "Who are you?"
They call me the Tree God.
Li Qingyun had anticipated this.
[It also calls me the Forest of All Spirits.]
This was unexpected.
Li Qingyun couldn't help but ask in surprise, "What do you mean? You are from the Forest of Ten Thousand Spirits?"
The old man nodded.
The old man told him that he was a born spirit, which transformed from a sapling into a tree, and then naturally grew into a towering tree. After the seeds were sown in various places, a forest grew.
After many years, he felt lonely and began to accept humans, allowing human cultivators to settle in his body. However, when these cultivators were conceiving newborns, they would breathe in the wood-type spiritual energy he released.
The tree spirit itself is a spirit, and absorbing spiritual power is equivalent to absorbing a part of the tree spirit.
Over time, this led to the creation of a unique human race—the Wood Spirits, who possess the bloodline of wood.
Later, the Wood Spirits worshipped the Tree God and regarded him as the leader of the Tree Domain. He then gave these people the benefits of cultivation, helping them to better master the spiritual power of the wood element.
Some exceptionally gifted members of the Wood Spirit Clan are able to comprehend the art of attracting other life forms at a young age. Although these individuals are intelligent, their bodies are no longer human due to absorbing too much of the spirit of the Tree God, and they can be classified as rare and precious treasures.
However, few people know this secret, and even the Wood Spirits themselves are unaware of the changes in their bodies.
"So, when Lian Wushuang wanted to capture me back then, it was because she wanted to refine me..."
Li Qingyun never expected that she had such an effect.
"A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime." Fortunately, not many people knew about this, and he didn't often use his influence in public when he was young. Otherwise, he would have died before Chang Yubai could accompany him.
"And now? Why are you telling me all this?"
[You were born with the ability to attract attention; your intelligence goes beyond mere natural gift.]
"..." Li Qingyun was indeed speechless on this point.
He himself didn't know why he could use this move so skillfully without having to learn it.
[Your attraction affects not only life, but also spiritual energy.]
[You are a born spirit.]
When Li Qingyun was born, the spiritual energy of the tree domain converged towards him. In reality, it was because he subconsciously used the Attraction skill when he was an infant, attracting thousands of spiritual energies to approach him and merge into his body.
The more Li Qingyun listened, the more she felt something was wrong.
"You're making me sound so mysterious... really?"
The old tree spirit nodded in agreement with his idea.
[You are the same being as me; you are the substitute bestowed by destiny.]
Li Qingyun: "..."
Li Qingyun turned around and started looking for the exit, cursing as she searched: "What the hell! They're just fooling people. There's no good in the Forest of Ten Thousand Spirits!"
[……you,]
"Let me make this clear first, I don't care about fate or destiny. If I hear those two words again, there's nothing to talk about today!"
[……good. ]
The tree spirit said that he had been watching over Li Qingyun since the day she was born.
There's a human proverb that says, "Two tigers cannot share one mountain," and the same applies to the spiritual realm.
The spiritual energy in a given area is ultimately limited; the tree god possesses it exclusively, preventing other spiritual entities from absorbing it.
But the tree spirit is a tolerant old man.
[This is a change of position for the Tree God.]
The Tree God believed that Li Qingyun should absorb him and become the new Tree God.
"Oh, and then?"
Judging from Li Qingyun's reaction, she doesn't seem very willing.
The tree spirit was surprised.
Surprised, she then recounted the whole story to Li Qingyun: [Afterwards, the Forest of Ten Thousand Spirits will decay, and the bodies of the new gods will transform into new forests, spreading throughout the Tree Realm.]
"...That sounds absolutely terrible."
[Don't you want to become a god?]
"I've changed my root essence, so I can no longer be considered a born spiritual body, right?"
[...]
That's true.
The prerequisite for Li Qingyun to become a tree god was his natal core, which could absorb and release spiritual energy. However, now that the core has been divided into ninety-nine eighty-one, it is difficult for him to absorb the spiritual energy of the entire tree domain.
"Besides, I don't want to be the forest."
"There are places I want to go."
[...I misunderstood.]
"So the commotion in the Forest of Ten Thousand Spirits is related to you?"
[Yes, I thought you took the original essence earlier to take over.]
Therefore, the tree god deliberately allowed itself to decay.
However, he did not see Li Qingyun return for a long time, so he could only temporarily slow down the decline of the Forest of Ten Thousand Spirits, and wait until he reached an agreement with Li Qingyun before it withered away again.
It now seems that reaching an agreement is completely impossible.
[This should have been your path to godhood.]
"I have my own path to godhood; why should I need a shortcut?"
"Heaven wants me to be the forest, but did Heaven ever ask me if I wanted to be one?"
Li Qingyun detested fate the most.
In his youth, he loathed the fate of being a cursed lone star, but now he says that he was destined to become a god, only to be delayed by the stripping of his original essence.
joke.
If this celestial being truly wanted him to be the Tree God, he should have had his original essence welded to him. Why was it so easily taken away?
Why, after he painstakingly cultivated new hope, was he given a cursed fate of being a lone star?
The Mandate of Heaven is simply unreliable.
He abandoned the heavens long ago.
[In that case, I will continue to be my tree spirit.]
[However, you cannot retrieve the entire core essence.]
"Don't worry, I won't take it even if you beg me."
He was going to travel the world with Chang Yubai, how could he possibly stay put in one territory?
Whether it's a tree spirit or a cursed lone star, which of these two destinies isn't lonely?
None of them can compare to the living Chang Yubai.
Only this person, irrationally barging into his life, ruthlessly crushed those predetermined destinies.
Li Qingyun no longer wanted to be alone.
In a daze, his consciousness returned to its place, and his conversation with the tree god was already harmonious.
However, before anyone knew it, Chang Yubai also arrived at the core of this underground place.
This was so unexpected... Li Qingyun blinked, thinking it was just her imagination.
But Chang Yubai's warm touch shattered her illusion.
"Master?" Li Qingyun spoke slowly, "You were waiting for me?"
"Yes, I'm waiting for you," Chang Yubai said.
"Your robes are disheveled."
"I'm glad you're alright."
They were each talking at the same time, and their words collided.
“…Ha!” Li Qingyun laughed. “I’m fine. I was just talking to the Tree God and I already know the cause and effect.”
"Master, I'm fine."
Seeing the worry in Chang Yubai's eyes, Li Qingyun felt a sweet warmth in her heart.
So what's the point of being a tree god?
In this situation, isn't it even more worthwhile for him to go over there?
He grasped Chang Yubai's hand, feeling the warmth that belonged only to this person.
This is where I should be.
He thought to himself.
He had promised to be Chang Yubai's master and apprentice for life, never to be separated again.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Chang Yubai (correcting his face): Actually, it's two lifetimes.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
