Ye Wan’s expression changed drastically. She flicked her body forward and arrived outside, only to see a vine wrapping around Suisui and whisking her away, with Bian Yun closely following behind, a long sword manifested in her hand.
Ye Wan chased after them in a panic, only hating that her cultivation was currently insufficient to arrive in the blink of an eye.
Suddenly, her arm tightened, and Ye Wan found herself being carried into the air by the Sect Master.
They passed through the main hall’s plaza and entered a spacious garden. Inside, all sorts of exotic flowers and rare herbs vied for attention, but the most eye-catching feature was a towering ancient tree standing in the center.
This ancient tree, steeped in a sense of history, had foliage as dense as a canopy. Every leaf was a vibrant, shiny green, appearing as though it could drip with spiritual fluid. The aerial roots hanging beneath the canopy looked very much like the long beard of an octogenarian, as if telling the tale of the sect’s rise and fall that it had witnessed.
This was the Wan Yan Sect’s guardian divine tree, the Taigu Langxuan. It was said that the reason the Wan Yan Sect chose to establish itself here was because of this tree. Its existence was like a massive spiritual vein, continuously radiating a thick aura of life into its surroundings.
Under the protection of the divine tree, the vegetation within the sect grew exceptionally vigorous. At the very least, the spiritual plants grown by the Wan Yan Sect were the best. The Dan Xia Sect dreamed of spiriting this divine tree away or trading sect locations with the Wan Yan Sect.
It was heard that five thousand years ago, when extraterrestrial entities invaded, the guardian divine tree displayed great divine power, whipping away any entities that drew near the sect, preventing them from approaching even an inch. It was more effective than the sect’s protective array.
After that great war, the divine tree had fallen into a state of dormancy, only showing signs of movement again today.
By the time Ye Wan arrived, carried along by the Sect Master, Bian Yun was already swinging her sword to strike the divine tree.
“Stop!”
The Sect Master set Ye Wan down and flew forward to intervene.
Ye Wan managed a timely mid-air flip to avoid crashing into a heap upon landing.
The Sect Master was also at the Void Refinement stage and directly summoned his natal magical treasure to block Bian Yun’s sword qi. However, the Sect Master’s natal treasure was knocked aside, and that sword qi continued to surge toward the divine tree with irresistible force.
The Sect Master: ?
It seems your Void Refinement stage and my Void Refinement stage are not the same thing.
At the critical moment, a figure appeared in mid-air, dissolving the sword qi with a wave of his hand before standing with his sleeves fluttering.
“This is our sect’s guardian divine tree; it has no ill intent. I ask that you show mercy,” the elder with white hair and eyebrows said to Bian Yun.
Bian Yun looked toward Ye Wan, signaling that it was her decision.
Ye Wan didn’t want to show mercy at all. It was lucky her heart was strong; otherwise, she would have been scared half to death.
“Giggle! Higher…”
Suisui’s childish laughter echoed in the air, breaking the frozen atmosphere.
Everyone looked over to see that, at some point, the divine tree had woven a swing out of its aerial roots. Suisui was sitting on it, her small figure swaying gently with the swing. The air was filled with her joyful laughter, her previous terror of almost being scared to tears completely forgotten.
“Ahem, the divine tree simply likes this child too much. I hope Master Bian Yun can be magnanimous,” Chong Yuan said, cupping his hands toward Bian Yun.
Bian Yun still waited for Ye Wan to decide.
“Even if it likes her, it can’t just snatch the child away. Is a child’s courage not courage, and is the mother’s life not a life? Who would be responsible if I was scared to death?” Ye Wan still felt a lingering fear in her heart.
Heaven knew how much she feared that her journey back to the cultivation world would end before it even began, which was why she had found a bodyguard for Suisui immediately.
Chong Yuan: …
You really say whatever is on your mind. Have I, the Sect Master, been too kind and pleasant toward you?
“The sect will provide compensation to you and your daughter. Quickly ask Master Bian Yun to come down so she doesn’t tire herself out,” Chong Yuan chose to remain kind and pleasant.
Ye Wan hadn’t expected unexpected compensation. Her mind whirred, and she cupped her hands. “It is because of this disciple’s lack of experience that I made such a fuss. I beg the Sect Master to allow this disciple to enter the second and third floors of the Library to gain some knowledge, so as not to lose the sect’s face in the future due to a lack of it.”
The disciples watching nearby felt that Ye Wan really dared to dream and knew how to talk.
The sect’s Library was divided into three floors, each with its own unique collection and purpose.
The first floor was the public reading area, housing the sect’s history, basic theories of the cultivation world, and general introductory books about everything related to cultivation, including some collected disciple journals.
There was no cultivation requirement; one only needed a single sect contribution point to enter and read. Those new to the cultivation world who lacked common sense could go to the first floor of the Library to find books, and some miscellaneous essays about experiences in the world could be quite beneficial.
The second floor housed books on cultivation techniques, pill recipes, formations, runes, and more. Only those at the Foundation Establishment stage or above, or inner disciples, could enter. The lucky ones might even find cultivation journals and insights from senior experts, which could be greatly inspiring for cultivation.
The third floor was the forbidden collection area. Only disciples who had made immense contributions to the sect or those who had placed in the top three of a competition could enter. It housed the sect’s Heaven-grade techniques, ancient forbidden arts, ancient pill recipes, formations, runes, and unknown ancient historical legends.
With Ye Wan’s current cultivation, if she wanted to enter the Library, she could only enter the first-floor public reading area.
The Sect Master, who had originally intended to give contribution points as compensation: …
“I shall make the decision; it is granted.” The Supreme Elder in the sky landed on the ground with his hands behind his back.
Ye Wan knew this was the Wan Yan Sect’s only Mahayana ancestor, a powerhouse only one step away from ascension and the Supreme Elder of the Wan Yan Sect. Could he see through Suisui’s constitution?
“Thank you, Supreme Elder.” Ye Wan stepped forward and bowed, then walked under the divine tree and reached her hands out toward Suisui. “Suisui, come down. You scared Master Bian Yun.”
Bian Yun glanced at her and put away her magical tool. Whatever you say.
Suisui, who was having a great time playing with the divine tree, finally remembered her dear mother. “Tree Brother, I want to go into Mother’s arms.”
Under everyone’s gaze, the divine tree extended a vine and gently delivered Suisui to Ye Wan.
Ye Wan took Suisui into her arms and gently pinched her little face. “You certainly had a good time, but Mother was almost scared to death.”
“Mother, don’t be afraid. Tree Brother won’t hurt me! Next time, I’ll ask Tree Brother to let you play too.” Suisui’s small hand gently patted her mother’s chest, comforting her in a milky voice.
Although Tree Brother had scared her at first, she later realized that Tree Brother just wanted to play with her. As for why he was a “brother,” she just felt he was a brother.
Ye Wan looked at the vine that was still lingering reluctantly around Suisui. Recalling the heart-stopping moment from before, she couldn’t help but say, “Even if you are the guardian divine tree, you can’t just snatch away someone else’s child whenever you want.”
The vine, which had been swaying earlier, now drooped listlessly, looking like a child who knew they had done wrong and was hanging their head.
Everyone: …
This was the guardian divine tree that had existed since the founding of the sect, yet it was being scolded into hanging its head by a Grade 6 Qi Refinement disciple. It was… very surreal.
Seeing that her mother’s expression was still quite serious, Suisui’s eyes darted around. She climbed out of her mother’s arms, stepped forward, and grabbed the vine.
“Tree Brother, hurry and admit your mistake to Mother. If you admit you were wrong, Mother won’t be angry anymore; otherwise, Mother will spank your bottom.”
She was very experienced in this. Every time she was naughty and her mother was about to get angry, she would admit her mistake, and her mother wouldn’t be able to stay mad.
“Pfft! Does the divine tree have a bottom?”
“As expected of a child’s logic, actually teaching the divine tree to admit its mistake. How would it admit it?”
“This little milk dumpling is so cute and fun; I want to carry her around with me.”
“Who isn’t thinking that? I want to have one.”
As the onlookers were discussing, suddenly, the vine that had been drooping dejectedly flashed with light and transformed into a three- or four-year-old boy.
Everyone: !!!
Is this an illusion? Is it? Is it?
The guardian divine tree they worshipped and meditated under, hoping to gain insights through its spirit, was actually an ignorant and innocent child!
Everyone seemed to be frozen, their eyes wide with disbelief, even their breathing becoming light.
The little boy wore an emerald-green robe with brown vine patterns. He also had two small buns on his head, tied with vines. Looking closely, his hairstyle wasn’t much different from Suisui’s.
Ye Wan was also shocked beyond measure.
Who could have imagined that the guardian divine tree, existing since the founding of the sect, would only be the size of a three- or four-year-old child upon transformation? Considering the various fantastical things in the cultivation world, could there be a tree-skinned old monster inside this three-head-tall shell?
The Supreme Elder hadn’t expected the guardian divine tree to be able to transform either, let alone into a toddler. Looking at the ancient and majestic appearance of the divine tree and the willow-like aerial roots beneath the canopy, even if it transformed, it should have been the image of a wise sage.
The legendary Langxuan tree was said to produce fruits of pearls and fine jade, exclusively for the consumption of phoenixes. Since the founding of the sect, no one had seen the Langxuan divine tree bloom or bear fruit.
Now the truth was out: the transformed divine tree was still a child. It would be a wonder if it could bloom or bear fruit.
It was hard to imagine that five thousand years ago, it was this divine tree cub that had whipped away the extraterrestrial entities approaching the sect.
“Wow! Tree Brother, so you’re a person just like Suisui.”
Suisui, very familiar with him already, took the divine tree’s hand, looking at it again and again, and even pinched his face.
Mhm, it was just as soft and tender as Suisui’s. No wonder the adults all liked to pinch Suisui’s little face.
“I am a tree, not a person,” the divine tree spoke, its voice as childish as its appearance.
“You are a person right now.” Suisui put her hands on her hips, insisting she was right.
Seeing that Suisui was getting angry, the divine tree immediately nodded. “Mhm, I am a person right now.”
Everyone: …
Not just the appearance, but even the thoughts were like a child’s.
“Good boy.” Suisui stood on her tiptoes to pat the divine tree’s head. She took the divine tree’s hand, turned around, and said to Ye Wan, “Mother, Tree Brother knows he was wrong. Please don’t be angry with Tree Brother anymore, okay?”
Ye Wan: … Why does this feel like a ‘Golden Boy and Jade Girl’ scene?
The culprit was an ignorant divine tree transformed into a three- or four-year-old child. She felt that if she stayed angry, she would become a public enemy of the sect.
Couldn’t she see the reverence in the eyes of the surrounding disciples? Even the Sect Master looked like he wanted to step in and forgive it on her behalf.
“Alright, Mother isn’t angry anymore. However, you can’t be so reckless next time.”
Ye Wan patted Suisui’s head. When the divine tree cub followed suit and tilted his head toward her, she simply didn’t dare to put her hand on it. She was afraid the Sect Master beside her would go berserk.
No matter how small the divine tree was, it was still a revered existence in the sect.
“I know, Mother,” Suisui nodded obediently.
“I know, Mother,” the divine tree cub followed suit and called out.
“I don’t dare accept that.” Ye Wan took a step back in terror. She hadn’t even figured out her daughter’s origins yet; she didn’t want to suddenly have a tree son too.