Chapter 169: The Sacred Tree of the Wood Race

Chapter 169: The Sacred Tree of the Wood Race

Pang Jian's cave dwelling fell back into a tranquil silence.

Sitting cross-legged on the cultivation mat, he anxiously sipped Qi Qingsong's wine, expression clouded with worry. His deep gaze occasionally flitted to the blue robe and the silver token Qi Qingsong had placed on the wooden table.

Should I just stay out of it? Walk away?

Pang Jian shook his head grimly, exuding a violent, chilling aura.

Cao Mang, the master of the Primordial Wilderness; Jiu Yuan, the elder from the Blood Moon Sect; and the unnamed elder from the Sinister Soul Temple...

Their figures flashed through his mind, and he mulled over the situation for a long time.

"One million spirit stones," Pang Jian muttered, eyes filled with tangible killing intent.

A burning rage ignited within him when he thought about Luo Hongyan being captured and treated as merchandise to be sold for one million spirit stones to the Blood Moon Sect or the Sinister Soul Temple elders.

Taking deep breaths to calm himself down, he frowned in contemplation as he considered the situation. After some time, he eventually made up his mind.

Clink-clank!

Pang Jian took the glistening spirit jades from his spatial bracelet and piled them in front of the meditation mat.

The Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast's horn brought him four thousand spirit jades. After deducting the eight hundred eighty spirit jades for the Grand Providence Sacred Body and the five hundred fifty spirit jades for the Soul Nourishing Pills, he had about two thousand five hundred spirit jades left.

He would need one million spirit stones—or ten thousand spirit jades—to participate in the lottery, meaning he needed another seven thousand five hundred spirit jades to qualify.

Seven thousand five hundred spirit jades, seven thousand five hundred spirit jades... Pang Jian pondered.

Then, after taking a Mind Soothing Pill, he established a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World.

This time, he found himself in a forest teeming with menacing plants and towering trees. These carnivorous trees were several dozen zhang tall and blocked out the sky. Even the shrubs and flowers appeared terrifyingly bloodthirsty.

"Yu Xin!"

"Celestial Maiden!"

A group of people flew out from treehouses hanging on the towering ancient trees. Most of them prostrated themselves upon landing, seemingly in worship of him.

Only an elderly woman approached with trembling steps, leaning on a green wooden cane for support.

While the group called her "Celestial Maiden", only the elderly woman addressed the mysterious woman as "Yu Xin''. The two of them evidently had a close relationship.

As Pang Jian studied the group of people, he noticed that, while they had human limbs and forms, their skin resembled tree bark.

Yu Xin replied proudly, "It's my closest companion. It's different from other Giant Abyssal Serpents, you know."

Mu Yuan was stunned. It's just an ordinary Giant Abyssal Serpent. How remarkable can it be?

Despite Mu Yuan's thoughts, she did not dampen Yu Xin's enthusiasm and closely examined the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

"Ah!" she suddenly screamed.

Her wooden cane glowed a green luminescence that spread over a hundred-mile radius, causing thousands of plants and trees to become intensely hostile toward the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

The Giant Abyssal Serpent trembled in fear.

"Grandma Mu Yuan! Xiao Hei!" Yu Xin shouted. She saw her Xiao Hei opening its mouth wide, seemingly about to swallow Mu Yuan's hand.

The startled Mu Yuan instinctively went on the defensive, signaling all the plants and trees in the area to target Xiao Hei. However, she saw no malice in Xiao Hei's eyes.

Yu Xin recalled how Xiao Hei had produced Gold Obsidian, Thunderstruck Wood, and Solar Essence Stones through its large mouth and turned to Mu Yuan.

"Grandma Mu Yuan, Xiao Hei means no harm. Place your hand on its tongue. Trust me, Xiao Hei listens to me. It won't hurt you. Xiao Hei might even surprise you. Please trust me, Grandma Mu Yuan," Yu Xin pleaded.

Surprise flickered in Mu Yuan's dark brown eyes. Taking a moment to think over the situation, she then smiled and said pridefully, "It merely startled me. It's not strong enough to harm me with its strength."

Mu Yuan then boldly rested her withered-branch hand on the Giant Abyssal Serpent's tongue.

"Yu Xin, is it seriously injured and needs my help?" Mu Yuan wondered aloud. "I don't see any wounds, and I'm too old to perform healing anyway. I usually leave that to others—"

Mu Yuan's withered frame abruptly started to tremble!

"Life-life energy! The life energy that extends our lifespan, enhances our bloodline, and even revives us! Only the Sacred Tree can condense life energy!" Mu Yuan exclaimed, moved to tears.

She knelt awkwardly, body trembling, as one of her hands remained inside the mouth of the Giant Abyssal Serpent. Letting go of the wooden cane, she pressed her other hand against her chest in reverence and cried in a trembling voice, "I believe our worshiped Sacred Tree has been reborn in another world! The dawn of our Wood Race's resurgence has come!"

All the Wood Race members instantly prostrated themselves. Their foreheads touched the ground and their bodies trembled with excitement as they chanted strange, reverent hymns in praise of the Sacred Tree.

"Thank you, Celestial Maiden, for bringing us this blessing!"

"Thank you, Celestial Maiden!"

Soon, all the Wood Race members were bowing their heads and cheering.

Yu Xin stared at the Giant Abyssal Serpent in stunned disbelief.

A distinct life energy flowed from Xiao Hei's mouth into Mu Yuan. Mu Yuan's body emitted a faint green radiance, and her aged face grew younger at a pace noticeable to the naked eye.