CHAPTER 284: CHAPTER 4: REINCARNATION DIVINE WOOD

The secret agreement between the two siblings was easily reached amidst laughter and a snowball fight.

Hearing Yue Chen’s shy yet hearty laughter, Ye Zi, who had just returned, felt an increasing unease in her heart, filled with jealousy and resentment.

She felt like she was grass and flowers buried under heavy snow, being firmly pressed down by Yue Jinghua, unable to breathe even a little bit.

Her fingernails dug into her palm, drawing blood that dripped onto the snowy ground, like blooming blood plums. She clenched her teeth, her eyes growing darker with rage; after reflecting for a moment, she turned and ran towards the other end of the Cedar Forest.

The snow seemed unstoppable as it continued to fall for a solid two hours. The path they had come from was buried, all traces obliterated. The snow reached above their knees, and even the official road was hardly better. The journey ahead was sure to be affected for the group.

Fortunately, not all was bad news. After advancing in rank, the Flash Cloud Leopard, Little Shanshan, brought back a plump Snow Chicken when out scouting.

When the siblings returned to the campsite, the snow had stopped. From a distance, the temporary campsite’s carriages were covered in silver, looking like several mounds of snow. Lie Rou and the other women were all gathered outside. Yue Jinghua was startled; with Teng Wu in the camp, she had left without worry. Could something have gone wrong?

As the two approached, they saw Ye Zi crying and tugging at Lie Rou’s sleeve, her clothes torn and ragged. Her originally delicate and unblemished feet were also riddled with various scratches from thorns and stones.

This sight gave Yue Jinghua a bad premonition, and Yue Chen beside her looked helplessly on.

"Huahua, you’re back. Miss Ye has been separated from her family and was left alone in the snow, nearly frozen to death. Mother found her by the carriage this morning; she also intends to go to the Dragon War Empire. Could we take her with us?" This morning, upon waking and not finding Yue Chen beside her and seeing a note saying he had gone with Yue Jinghua to collect dry wood in the forest, Lie Rou was about to leave the carriage and look for them when she discovered Ye Zi unconscious beside the carriage.

"Mother, make the decision," said Yue Jinghua, understanding Ye Zi’s scheming. Seeing as she was from Yue Chen’s clan, she likely had a good capacity for self-preservation. Sending her away would upset her mother, so for now, they would take her in. As long as she caused no trouble on the way, it would be fine.

Seeing Ye Zi, Yue Jinghua suddenly remembered the effect of Earth Yin Escape she mentioned the night before. "Miss Ye, we have similar builds, and you’re in a sorry state. Better come with me to the carriage and change your clothes." Pretending to care, Yue Jinghua took Ye Zi’s hand and whispered in her ear, "Don’t think of harming my mother, or else..." As she spoke, a surge of Evil Qi radiated from Yue Jinghua, causing Ye Zi, who felt it, to shiver.

Seeing this, Yue Chen also spoke up, "Mother, I’ll go change my clothes too."

Yue Jinghua handed the Snow Chicken caught by Little Shanshan to Teng Wu, then took Ye Zi into the carriage.

Just after the two got on the carriage, Yue Chen followed closely behind.

"I don’t care what you’ve planned or what you’re thinking, but it’s best you keep it all to yourself, to die in your heart," Yue Jinghua was never a kind person. She took Ye Zi in, naturally wanting to extract the greatest benefit from her. "As long as Yue Chen does not wish to return to the Senming Sea, don’t you try to force him. If not, I’ll destroy both the Sky Sun Shuttle and the Earth Yin Escape."

"You can’t possibly destroy a Spiritual Treasure," retorted Ye Zi disdainfully. A Spiritual Treasure made from the Reincarnation Holy Wood could not be damaged by ordinary Spiritual Treasures.

"You are more than welcome to try," Yue Jinghua’s eyes suddenly shifted, and she slowly extended her right hand, revealing the Dun Qinglian Fire suddenly ablaze in the palm of her hand.

Inside the carriage, the heat became unbearable instantly. Ye Zi felt her entire body burning hot, as if the blood within her veins wanted to boil over and burst forth at any moment.

She could feel that within this fire, resembling a green lotus, lay an immense amount of energy. Standing before this green flame, Ye Zi experienced a delusion, as if she were once again standing before the Reincarnation Holy Wood.

How insignificant she was, at any moment she could be devoured by that small green flame. Ye Zi believed that this tiny fire truly had the power to obliterate both the Sky Sun Shuttle and the Earth Yin Escape.

Yue Jinghua’s face, stunningly beautiful yet equally dangerous, drew close to her side, with green flames flickering near Ye Zi’s delicate skin.

"I know, don’t come any closer," Ye Zi was frightened to the point of losing her composure, and Yue Chen’s expression also shifted slightly.

"Remember what I just said. Yue Chen has lost some of his memory, and he has forgotten certain things. You better honestly tell me everything about the Senming Sea and his origins. Remember, no tricks," Yue Jinghua withdrew the Dun Qinglian Fire.

Ye Zi wanted to retort, but when she met Yue Jinghua’s gaze, she saw in those eyes a devilish power that sent shivers down one’s spine.

"I didn’t plan on having the Young Clan Leader return to the Senming Sea immediately. His Spiritual Wood Core has been damaged, his strength greatly reduced, and he’s unable to summon a significant number of Grass Soldiers and Tree Generals. Going back now is useless," Ye Zi dropped the pitiful facade she had earlier. Although she deeply disliked Yue Jinghua, she agreed with her statement; it was not yet time for the Young Clan Leader to return to the Senming Realm.

After some thought, she briefly described the situation in the Senming Realm, just as Yue Jinghua had imagined. The Senming Realm was a domain beyond the Canglong Continent, home to countless members of the Chi Mei Clan. Trees are the demons, flowers are the charms.

The entire Senming Realm worships a tree known as the Reincarnation Divine Wood, a gigantic tree that supports heaven and earth. The Holy Wood Spiritual Energy that radiates from it is the source of all Cultivation for the Tree Demon Flower Charm Clan. The Sky Sun Shuttle and the Earth Yin Escape are indeed the Holy Treasures of the Tree Demon and Huamei Clan; they are each derived from the sacred Reincarnation Holy Wood of their respective clans.

Every member of the Tree Demon Flower Charm Clan, upon reaching the age of one hundred, will come to the base of the Reincarnation Holy Wood to partake in the awakening ceremony to obtain a Spiritual Wood Core suited for themselves.

The Spiritual Wood Core is as vital to the Tree Demon Flower Charm Clan as the Dark Pill is to the Dark Beast. It comes in five different attributes: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Once they’ve obtained a Spiritual Wood Core, members of the Tree Demon Flower Charm Clan can begin to cultivate corresponding Spiritual Skills, shouldering the responsibility of procreation and the protection of their clan.

For millions of years, the cycle repeated itself for the Tree Demon Flower Charm Clan.

"However, after the birth of the Young Clan Leader, a disaster occurred when he was about to turn one hundred. Like all other members of the Tree Demon Clan, Yue Chen was brought before the Reincarnation Divine Wood for his awakening ceremony. But during that particular ceremony..." Ye Zi paused here, not continuing any further.

The Tree Demon Clan and the Huamei Clan shared a deep bond, so on that occasion, the Clan Leader of the Huamei Clan, along with his underage daughter Ye Zi, was also invited to attend the awakening ceremony.

"Are you saying that something happened during the ceremony?" Yue Jinghua urged.

Yue Chen, on the other hand, wore a look of confusion, his memory of the ceremony’s events completely lost.