Translator: CinderTL
As the Silver Leaf descended, Elsa, who had already taken command of the Imperial Capital Formation, appeared to have anticipated its arrival.
Not only had she led her forces outside the city to engage the rebel army, temporarily repelling their assault to demonstrate sufficient military strength to the Human Delegation, but she had also ordered the thorough cleansing of the capital's streets.
Furthermore, she decreed that all citizens must adorn themselves in lavish attire to showcase their wealth. Those with weaker cultivation were forbidden from venturing outside, lest the Human Delegation underestimate the Wood Spirit Clan and jeopardize their negotiating position.
Under these carefully orchestrated circumstances, when the warship docked at the specially cleared plaza within the Wood Spirit Empire, Elsa and dozens of her ministers were already awaiting its arrival.
As the Silver Leaf's hatch opened, Yu Jin emerged, his gaze immediately settling on the leading Wood Spirits.
The aura emanating from these beings...
It's formidable!
Each possessed strength comparable to a Primordial Spirit True Monarch. Some had even reached the mid-Primordial Spirit stage, equivalent to Fourth Tribulation to Sixth Tribulation True Monarchs.
Their numbers alone would qualify them as a major clan in the Azure Sea Domain.
Yet Yu Jin could clearly sense that these Wood Spirits possessed remarkably crude control over their own power.
The moment he laid eyes on them, he could roughly gauge their individual strengths and weaknesses, their preferred Mystical Arts and Mystical Powers, and even the evolutionary pathways of their lifeforms with near-perfect accuracy.
These True Monarchs...
A single Human True Monarch could easily defeat ten of them.
No wonder they had been pushed to the brink of annihilation in just six months by the newly awakened Heart Demon.
While Yu Jin and his party scrutinized the Wood Spirit Empire, its inhabitants were also observing them.
When the Wood Spirits sensed the formidable aura emanating from Yu Jin, the delegation's leader, and the other Primordial Spirit True Monarchs—an aura that rivaled, if not surpassed, that of their own Emperor—the leading Imperial Princess lowered her head slightly.
"Elsa, Acting Emperor of the Wood Spirit Empire, welcomes the Human Delegation to inspect our realm," she said.
"Oh?"
Yu Jin noticed the Imperial Princess's demeanor. Though somewhat expected, it quickly sparked a realization.
It seemed their battle against the Titan Race outside the Lesser Thousand World of the Wood Spirit Empire had been observed.
That fierce clash had likely made them keenly aware of the vast power disparity between the two races.
This made things much easier.
"No need for formalities," Yu Jin said. "Let's get straight to the point. We need to understand the unique characteristics of your clan and learn about your method of communicating through the Spirits of Nature. Furthermore, what is the current state of your empire? We'll decide whether to deploy troops to assist you based on your situation."
"We have prepared everything," Elsa replied, avoiding unnecessary formalities as she respectfully ushered Yu Jin's delegation into the main hall.
She summoned her assistants and presented stacks of detailed reports to the delegation.
The truth was...
The Wood Spirit Empire's situation was dire.
Though they had repelled the rebels in the recent battle, their own losses had been devastating.
Without swift support from the Human Race, their Imperial Capital Formation might not hold out for even another month.
Yu Jin accepted the documents but immediately passed them to Dong Xuan.
This unexpected gesture surprised the Wood Spirit Empire's delegation. However, seeing that everyone in the Human delegation seemed to find it perfectly natural, they refrained from asking further questions, lest they offend their human envoys.
Dong Xuan receiving the documents was essentially the same as Li Chunjun receiving them. After thoroughly reviewing the information, Li Chunjun gained a deeper understanding of the Wood Spirit Clan.
This race...
They resembled plant spirits, yet there were distinct differences.
Their cultivation method revolved around nurturing their own Life Mother Trees. The stronger their Ancient Trees grew, the more power flowed back to them—somewhat akin to a Sword Cultivator's Lifebound Flying Sword.
The primary reason for these differences lay in their ancient Life Mother Tree, which Li Chunjun recognized as material for a Seventh-Tier Dao Artifact.
The next step was to verify the authenticity of the Wood Spirit Clan's information.
Buzz! Buzz!
As Li Chunjun examined the documents, an invisible ripple emanated from the Life Mother Tree at the very heart of the Imperial Capital.
Immediately, Li Chunjun seemed to sense a peculiar voice resonating directly within his mind.
"Friends of the Human Race, I implore you to save my children."
Li Chunjun's heart stirred. He quickly realized this was a form of telepathic link. The towering Seventh-Rank Life Mother Tree was using Dong Xuan as a medium to project its voice deep into his consciousness.
"I can sense an evil force corrupting them, plunging them into darkness and fear, but I no longer possess the strength to protect them..."
"Why me?"
"You possess immeasurably powerful Mind Power! I've only sensed such potent Mind Power in Seventh-Rank Divine Beings of the Human Race!"
Mind Power.
Though his Heavenly Heart Eternal Method hadn't yet broken through to the third layer, its resilience rivaled that of Void Refining experts in the third stage of the Mind Realm.
So, the Life Mother Tree mistook him for a Seventh-Rank Void Refining expert?
"What can I gain from this?" Li Chunjun didn't deny it.
"When I was young, a great being of the Human Race rested in the place where I grew. I was fortunate enough to hear that magnificent being expound the Dao, which triggered a transformative change within me and allowed me to grow to this day. In the years that followed, I encountered a small number of other humans—some kind, some cruel, each unique. Yet overall, the Human Race is an orderly and neutral people."
This consciousness dissipated deep within Li Chunjun's mind.
"A great being?"
Li Chunjun's gaze pierced through Dong Xuan, falling once more upon the Life Mother Tree.
Alas...
His limited experience prevented him from discerning anything from this ancient tree.
"For me, the greatest treasure of the entire Wood Spirit Empire is my people. I hope they can bear my life force, rest and recuperate, and continue our legacy. But for you humans, my most valuable asset would likely be... myself..."
The Life Mother Tree sighed, "My own strength was utterly depleted resisting the Void Storm. I've endured this long solely through my unwavering attachment to life and my deep affection for my people. But... time is running out."
Li Chunjun had no intention of wasting his precious time listening to the ramblings of a plant spirit who had lived for countless millennia. He cut straight to the point: "So, your offer is to sacrifice yourself in exchange for my protection of the Wood Spirit Clan's legacy?"
"..."
The Life Mother Tree seemed to have lost her train of thought. Or perhaps her thoughts simply moved at a glacial pace. A full breath passed before she finally responded, "You could interpret it that way."
"I can promise them sanctuary and a place to survive, but nothing more," Li Chunjun stated. "If they seek further assistance, they must prove their own worth."
"A safe haven is the last kindness I can bestow upon them," the Life Mother Tree replied with another sigh.
"Beyond your own existence, I'd like to know more," Li Chunjun said. "What kind of starry sky do you inhabit? How far is it from your domain? And what races and civilizations populate the surrounding regions?"
"Let me gather my thoughts," the Life Mother Tree replied.
A dozen breaths passed, and Li Chunjun began to wonder if the plant spirit had fallen asleep when her consciousness finally stirred again.
"After witnessing the greatness of that Human, I realized the vastness of the cosmos is boundless, far greater than we ever imagined. In your Human classification, my current life form would be considered Seventh-Rank. Yet throughout the cosmos, there exist Eighth-Tier and even Ninth-Tier beings."
The Life Mother Tree continued slowly, "However, those Eighth-Tier and Ninth-Tier entities are merely legends I've heard throughout my long life. I have never truly encountered them. The most formidable races I've personally encountered are the Divine Race and the Demonic Race. Though they may possess only Fifth-Tier or Sixth-Rank power, they can unleash tremendous destruction."
Her consciousness rippled, stirring a faint tremor in the air. "To escape these terrifying races, our Wood Spirit Empire undertook six great migrations, seeking refuge with two powerful clans. One was the Dragon Clan. But when the Divine Race defeated them, we were forced to seek shelter with the overlords of this starfield—the Immortal God Race."
She added, "Thanks to our clan's unique abilities, both races accepted us."
In the vast cosmos, weaker races indeed struggled to survive in the cracks between powerful empires. This came as no surprise to Li Chunjun.
"The Dragon Clan and the Immortal God Race?"
Li Chunjun had heard of the Dragon Clan, with its many branches devoted to the ancient True Dragons. In essence, their life essence resembled his own as the Flaming Phoenix Sword Prodigy. Bearing the Flaming Phoenix Bloodline, he could, in a sense, be considered part of the Flaming Phoenix Clan.
However, his fundamental nature remained human. Moreover, as cultivation progressed, lifeforms evolved beyond fixed shapes. The very definition of humanity no longer required a strictly human form. As long as one possessed a human soul and bloodline, and adhered to human civilization, one could still claim to be human.
However, the Immortal God Race...
Before Li Chunjun could even ask, the Life Mother Tree began to explain.
"The Immortal God Race is distinct from the Divine Race. Their methods are less domineering, and in fact, as far as I know, they originated as a faction within the Human Race that sought to split from the Divine Race. They imparted more refined, cultivation-like techniques to human-aligned sects. As these sects grew stronger, they severed ties with the Divine Race and developed a deep affinity for human culture, often adopting human forms."
The Life Mother Tree continued, "This Starquake, caused by the shifting of celestial bodies, has drastically altered our position. We've inadvertently stumbled into the Immortal God Race's forbidden zone—the Land of Buried Demons—a place extremely distant from the star system we once called home."
"So this vast, desolate expanse... is it specifically designated by the Immortal God Race for burying their Heart Demons?"
"Indeed," the Life Mother Tree confirmed. "Moreover, they are the overlords of this Great World."
"Great World?" Li Chunjun asked, surprised. "Are you saying this is an entire Great World?"
"Precisely! A Great World in the throes of transformation, teeming with nascent life!" the Life Mother Tree replied. "It is this Great World's 'growth' that has destabilized the surrounding spatial fabric, triggering the Starquake—an event that could potentially annihilate countless Lesser Thousand Worlds."
(End of the Chapter)
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