The Purgatory Calamity
Chapter 184 - 169: The Wood Tribe’s Faith in the Divine Tree_1

Chapter 184: Chapter 169: The Wood Tribe’s Faith in the Divine Tree_1

The cave dwelling regained its tranquility.

Pang Jian sat rigidly on his meditation cushion, his face clouded with worry as he sipped from the jug of wine that Qi Qingsong had left for him.

His deep gaze occasionally flickered toward the blue garment and the shiny silver Token that Qi Qingsong had placed on the wooden table.

"Stay out of it? Withdraw completely?"

He shook his head, his complexion dark and surly, his body radiating ferocity and coldness.

The ruler of the Yuan Mang Fragmented Lands, Cao Mang, the Jiuyuan Elder of the Blood Moon, the unnamed elder of the Yin Spirit Temple...

Shadows, some clear, some blurry, flickered through his mind.

After a long while.

"One million Spirit Stones."

Pang Jian let out a soft exclamation, a tangible killing intent in his eyes.

Thinking about Luo Hongyan, who had been by his side for so long and who, due to a moment’s carelessness, had fallen into Cao’s hands, and how Cao treated her as merchandise, planning to sell her for a bid of one million Spirit Stones so that the elders of Blood Moon and Yin Spirit Temple could draw lots for her, a fiery rage ignited in Pang Jian’s heart.

He took deep breaths, furrowing his brows as he forced himself to calm down and ponder his next move.

After ruminating for a long time, he had an idea.

"Swish, swish!"

Piles of gleaming Spirit Jade were transferred out of his bracelet, accumulating in front of his cushion.

Four thousand blocks of Spirit Jade, minus the eight hundred and eight he had spent on the Great Creation Sacred Body, and the five hundred and five for the Soul Nourishing Pill, left him with about two thousand five hundred.

If he wanted to participate in the drawing, he also needed to have one million Spirit Stones on hand, which, if exchanged for Spirit Jade... would mean he was still short by seven thousand five hundred.

"Seven thousand five hundred Spirit Jade, seven hundred and fifty thousand Spirit Stones..."

Pang Jian mulled over it and silently took a Calming Pill, immediately establishing a connection with the Dark Giant Python in the Fifth Realm.

The scene quietly changed, and he found himself in a forest where countless bloodthirsty plants and trees blanketed the sky.

The man-eating giant trees of the Fifth Realm could be up to dozens of zhang high, and even the shrubs and flowers seemed bloodthirsty and terrifying.

"Yu Xin!"

"Goddess!"

A group of people suddenly flew out from the treehouses hanging in the ancient towering trees.

After they landed, most of them knelt down, as if... they were worshiping him with utmost reverence.

Only an old crone, leaning on a greenwood cane, walked over unsteadily.

While others called her Goddess, only the old crone called Yu Xin by her name, clearly indicating a close relationship with the new master of the Rebel Kid.

Upon closer examination, Pang Jian noticed that although the people who fell from the treehouses had the limbs and forms of the Human Race, their skin resembled tree bark.

The younger ones had greenish skin, while the skin of the elderly was cracked and withered like old tree bark.

Their eye colors also varied; the younger ones had emerald eyes, while those with skin as dry as old bark had deep brown eyes.

The menacing plants and flowers that were seen everywhere seemed to live in harmony with them, apparently able to communicate with them and never attacking them.

"Madam Muyuan!"

The Alien Tribeswoman named Yu Xin flew up from the Dark Giant Python’s back, smiling warmly as she approached the old crone with the greenwood cane, affectionately saying, "I haven’t come to visit the Wood Tribe for many years."

She approached fondly, taking the initiative to support the old crone, cooing, "It’s just like you, you used to often come to the Heaven Clan to see me, but you haven’t shown up in years."

"Yu Xin, I’m truly old now, my Life Vitality is nearly exhausted," the old woman chuckled bitterly, shaking her head.

Her face, cracked and dry like old bark, looked like a tree nearing its end.

"You know it too, our Wood Tribe has lost its faith, the Divine Tree we worshiped... has withered long ago. Due to His demise, our lives can no longer be extended for long."

"It’s good that you’ve come to see me. If you had come a few years later, you would only find my dry bones."

Madam Muyuan held Yu Xin’s hand tightly, her voice filled with regret.

At the mention of the Divine Tree they worshiped, Madam Muyuan sighed deeply, her expression one of utter loss and helplessness.

Scattered among the towering ancient trees, several hundred members of the Wood Tribe still maintained their kneeling position.

Hearing her words, they too lifted their heads to look at the tribal elder, Madam Muyuan, each revealing a sorrowful look on their faces.

The Divine Tree was the pillar of faith for the Wood Tribe, and its collapse had severely impacted them.

"Madam Muyuan, about the Corrosion Boundary Vine... the Divine Tree that you serve, the Heaven Clan is also trying to find its seeds."

"Unfortunately, we in the Heaven Clan have searched through the seven continents of the Fifth Realm, but still have not found the seeds of the Divine Tree," said Yu Xin with regret.

"I know," Madam Muyuan sighed, her voice filled with mourning, "Because the Divine Tree has gone extinct, our Wood Tribe... has become the weakest of all tribes."

"We have relied too heavily on the Divine Tree, the continuation of our entire tribe’s life, including the enhancement of our strength, used to be closely related to the Divine Tree."

"Without the Divine Tree, we have become dispirited, and can no longer regain the glory of the past."

"Alas."

She reminisced about the Wood Tribe’s glorious past, under the protection of the Divine Tree, how prestigious they once were.

On the other side.

Pang Jian, covertly observing Yu Xin and Madam Muyuan through the Dark Giant Python, felt his mind jolt slightly due to their conversation.

The Goddess Yu Xin hadn’t spoken those three words in their entirety, realizing that it was disrespectful to the Wood Tribe, she hastily corrected herself to Divine Tree, but the words "Corrosion Boundary" still slipped out.

"Corrosion Boundary Vine!"

Pang Jian was absolutely certain that the Divine Tree mentioned by the elderly man of the Wood Tribe was the Sapling rooted in Thousand Miles of Cloud Land!

The Wood Tribe had eagerly awaited in the Lower Realm, while the Heaven Clan searched everywhere to no avail for the Corrosion Boundary Vine. Now, one vine had thrived and was growing robustly in Cloud Marsh!

The Wood Tribe venerated it as the Divine Tree, stating that the strength and continuation of their clan’s life were closely related to their Divine Tree.

Because the Divine Tree had completely vanished, the lifespan of the elder of Mu Yuan was prematurely dwindling away.

"Whether it is the one or not, I still need to verify it... for the Sapling’s sake as well," he said.

Pang Jian only hesitated briefly before he immediately instructed Rebel Kid to approach Madam Muyuan.

And so...

The Dark Giant Python, lounging lazily in the grass without caring about what Yu Xin and Madam Muyuan were discussing, suddenly showed an expression of reluctant irritation in its beastly eyes.

It leisurely slithered over to Yu Xin and Madam Muyuan’s side.

Its dark eyes stared at the aged Madam Muyuan, pondering what to do.

"Don’t rush. Madam Muyuan and I haven’t met for a long time; we have lots to catch up on," Yu Xin said.

Thinking it was impatient, Yu Xin smiled and touched its forehead, reassuring it, "You, after your Spiritual Intelligence greatly improves, I will have a serious talk with you."

"What’s there to talk about with this Dark Giant Python?" asked Madam Muyuan.

In their Fifth Realm, Dark Giant Pythons are not uncommon, and with Yu Xin’s status, she could capture higher-level Dark Giant Pythons as mounts.

Madam Muyuan didn’t understand why she valued this one so highly.

Yu Xin said proudly, "It is my best partner. It is full of wonders, unlike any Dark Giant Python you’re familiar with."

Madam Muyuan was speechless, thinking, "It’s just an ordinary Dark Giant Python; how amazing can it be?"

Even though she thought as much, Madam Muyuan naturally didn’t want to dampen Yu Xin’s enthusiasm and also peered at the Dark Giant Python with narrowed eyes out of curiosity.

The next moment.

"Ah!"

Madam Muyuan suddenly exclaimed.

Her staff planted on the ground suddenly emitted a radius of hundreds of miles of green luminescence, and thousands of flowers and trees instantly revealed deep malice towards the Dark Giant Python.

The Dark Giant Python was frightened, its serpent body shuddering.

"Madam Muyuan! Hei!"

Yu Xin called out urgently.

She saw her Hei, opening its huge bloody mouth towards Madam Muyuan’s hand that was not holding the staff, as if to swallow it in one bite.

Surprised, Madam Muyuan instinctively went on the defense, causing all the flowers and trees in the Wood Tribe’s living area to lock onto Hei, intending to strangle it on the spot.

However, within the depths of Hei’s eyes, she didn’t see a trace of malice.

Yu Xin suddenly remembered her miraculous Hei—the Gold Friday Stone, Thunderstrike Wood, and Sun Essence Stone had all been obtained through his huge bloody mouth.

"Madam Muyuan, Hei means you no harm. Place your hand on the tongue inside its mouth. Trust me, Hei listens to me; it won’t hurt you," Yu Xin begged.

"Hei might even give you a surprise. You have to believe me, Madam Muyuan."

Yu Xin pleaded.

In her dark brown eyes, a look of surprise emerged.

After a moment of thought, she smiled faintly and said proudly, "I was just startled by it; at its level... it really can’t hurt me."

With that said.

Madam Muyuan’s hand, as if made of dry wood, boldly reached into the wide-open maw of the Dark Giant Python, touching its tongue as instructed.

"Yu Xin, it isn’t seriously injured and needing my healing, is it?"

Madam Muyuan mused, frowning, "I don’t feel any wounds. Healing is something... actually, others could handle at my age..."

"Ah!"

While speaking, Madam Muyuan was suddenly shaken.

Perceiving something, her body, as if about to wither away, began to tremble violently!

"Life, Life Vitality!"

"The Life Vitality that can prolong our Wood Tribe’s lives, enhance our Wood Tribe’s bloodline, and even resurrect us!"

"Only the Divine Tree can condense Life Vitality!"

Tears filled Madam Muyuan’s eyes in an instant.

While one hand was still inside the mouth of the Dark Giant Python, she knelt down in an awkward posture, trembling.

With the other hand tossing aside the staff, she placed it on her chest, and with tears streaming, she said, "I believe that the Divine Tree worshipped by our Wood Tribe has been reborn in some world! The dawn of our Wood Tribe’s rise has appeared!"

All Wood Tribe members knelt, their bodies shaking with emotion, chanting the strange incantations praising the Divine Tree.

"Thank the Goddess for bringing the good news!"

"Thank the Goddess!"

It was unclear who started it, but the kneeling Wood Tribe members all bowed their heads and cheered.

Yu Xin was stupefied, staring bewilderedly at the Dark Giant Python, inside whose gaping maw Madam Muyuan’s hand still lay.

A very distinct Life Vitality emanated from Hei’s mouth, infusing into Madam Muyuan’s body.

The skin on Madam Muyuan, once like old tree bark, was radiating a faint green glow, and her aged face was visibly growing younger at a rate perceptible to the naked eye.

...