After the Immortal Disappeared

Chapter 396: Chapter 395: Spirit Seed

’My father has been honing his skills for twenty years. Could it all be for naught?’

Hee Lingchuan felt his father wouldn’t be so easily defeated.

”I’m not sure how far they’ve gotten. It seems Nian Zanli is sick.”

”There’s a rumor: while supporting Nian Zanli, Hong Chenglu encouraged him to use a lost Supreme Treasure from the Qingyang Palace called the Green Bottle. That’s how they managed to secure a decisive victory,” another official said. ”I heard some people in Lingxu City are very unhappy with this operation.”

’Here it is.’ Hee Lingchuan had always suspected Nian Zanli must have used a strategic-level Magical Artifact. How else could he have turned the tables against the odds? ’So that Magical Artifact is called the Green Bottle?’

”What does the Green Bottle do?”

”That, I don’t know. But it must be something powerful.” He wasn’t an official from Lingxu City, after all, so he wasn’t privy to the finer details of the war. He had already exhausted all his gossiping skills just to find out the two words ”Green Bottle.”

Another person asked, ”They won the battle, what’s there to be unhappy about?”

”That treasure can’t be activated by the Primordial Power of a single team. I heard that National Preceptor Frost Leaf, with a wave of his hand, allocated a massive amount of our Beiga’s Primordial Power to Nian Zanli. Otherwise, he could have tried until he burst and still wouldn’t have been able to use it!”

Hee Lingchuan let out a soft hiss. ”If they gave so much away, doesn’t that mean we have less in reserve?”

”Exactly! That’s why those elders in Lingxu City are up in arms, saying it’s a waste of strategic reserves. We still have conflicts in the east, how can we just squander massive amounts of Primordial Power on an unrelated war?”

Hee Lingchuan murmured, ”Unrelated?”

Yes, the one desperately attacking to the south was Xunzhou Governor Nian Zanli; the Northern Demon Kingdom hadn’t sent any troops. To the people of the Beiga Kingdom, wasn’t it indeed unrelated?

’But if they hadn’t intervened, would the war in the Yuan Kingdom have become such a struggle?’

”Besides, why give so much Primordial Power to a turncoat general? He’s made no contribution whatsoever to Beiga,” the official continued. ”That’s why the Emperor ordered National Preceptor Frost Leaf to cut the Primordial Power quota for Nian Zanli’s army and recalled Hong Chenglu back to the country.”

Originally, officials could have addressed the Demon Emperor with a title meaning ’Holy Highness.’ However, since Lingxu City worships the ’Lingxu Saint Venerable,’ using the word ’Holy’ would be presumptuous and disrespectful. Thus, he is addressed simply as ’Emperor’.

In Ancient Times, ”Emperor” was a venerable title for an Upper Immortal who had pacified a region. This showed that the Demon Emperor also had a very high opinion of himself.

Hee Lingchuan asked, ”With the Primordial Power reduced, Nian Zanli’s southward invasion should slow down, right?”

”Perhaps. It still depends on the Yuan Kingdom’s resistance. If they crumble at the first blow, Nian Zanli might just march all the way to the Yuan Kingdom Capital City.”

Another official chuckled. ”The Yuan Kingdom is hardly a small country. Though it’s weak now, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse.”

”Hong Chenglu is being recalled to Lingxu City. What position will he take up?”

”Haven’t heard yet. Maybe he hasn’t even reached Lingxu City?” The official shook his head. ”It takes about a month for news to travel back and forth.”

It was indeed a long way from the Treasure Tree Kingdom to Lingxu City.

Hee Lingchuan had managed to gather the intelligence he wanted. He cupped his hands to the two men and said, ”My thanks to you both.”

Just then, an Announcer up ahead called out, ”The Lingxu Envoy has arrived—!”

With a RUSTLE, the entire assembly rose to their feet.

Hee Lingchuan turned his head to look. The delegation consisted of only seven or eight people, with those in the back carrying gifts. The leader was a middle-aged man of about forty. He held a talisman staff, touched it lightly to the ground, and announced in a clear voice, ”By decree of the Emperor Venerable, King of Treasure Tree, receive your gifts!”

The ground trembled slightly. Only then did Hee Lingchuan notice a behemoth walking out step by step from the depths of the main hall. With the force of a toppling Golden Mountain or a collapsing jade pillar, it knelt before the Lingxu Envoy’s talisman staff.

It was a giant Tree-man, standing over twenty feet tall. Its body was a mass of gnarled branches and vines, some of which even had tender leaves and white flowers blooming at their tips.

It was obvious at a glance that this was an avatar of the King of Treasure Tree, its proxy for walking on the ground.

When it knelt, everyone else knelt with it.

Hee Lingchuan bent his knees but didn’t let them touch the ground. Looking up the long slope, he saw that everyone, human and Demon alike, had knelt. Not a single person or Demon remained standing.

All the living beings covering the mountain knelt in submission to the majesty of the Beiga Demon Emperor.

The Lingxu Envoy’s voice rang out, clear as a bell, as he read a formal proclamation from the Emperor. The content was nothing more than praising the King of Treasure Tree for its past contributions to Beiga, wishing it a happy 800th birthday and bestowing gifts, and encouraging it to continue its efforts in guarding Beiga’s southern gateway.

’Guarding the gateway...’ Hee Lingchuan thought grimly. ’Other countries would be thanking their lucky stars if the Demon Kingdom simply stopped bullying them.’

When the Envoy finished the proclamation, everyone rose. As was customary, the King of Treasure Tree’s Prime Minister came forward to receive the gifts on its behalf and then led the Envoy to his seat.

Hee Lingchuan had long heard that the King of Treasure Tree’s Prime Minister had little presence, and that Grand Tutor Sha was actually the more dominant figure in Internal Affairs. Looking at this Prime Minister Tang now—short and stout, with thin brows and narrow eyes—his exceptionally kind smile reminded Hee Lingchuan of Maitreya.

He was said to be a thoroughly good-natured man, but whether his appearance matched his true character, Hee Lingchuan couldn’t say.

At that moment, the Tree-man slowly ambled out of the White Cloud Residence, looked around, and let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

The sound rang directly in everyone’s minds, like the toll of a temple bell at dusk and dawn.

”I have lived for eight hundred years, witnessed countless natural disasters, and personally trod through the flames of war. By the grace of the heavens and the fortune of the Deities, I still exist...”

The moment the Old Tree Man spoke, the commoners and Demons on the slope knelt again, this time with palpable sincerity. Some, hearing it bare its soul, even shed silent tears and began to chant along.

The giant tree in the lake began to glow, every branch and leaf shimmering with a faint Golden Light.

The more devoutly the citizens of Fufeng City chanted, the more intensely the light around it blazed, as if it were a second sun.

Hee Lingchuan was dumbfounded.

He had never seen such concentration and purity of Primordial Power.

This was a clear testament to how deeply the King of Treasure Tree held the hearts of its people.

Then, the Golden Light exploded, and everyone squeezed their eyes shut.

When they slowly opened their eyes, they discovered that white flowers had bloomed amidst the dense canopy of the giant tree in the lake—first dozens, then hundreds, then thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands...

The entire tree was a cascade of brilliant white.

The mountain wind picked up again, sweeping the white flowers up and carrying them fluttering toward the shore, like a great snowfall.

Every person and every Demon cupped a white flower in their hands and, following the King of Treasure Tree’s earlier instruction, placed it gently on their forehead.

A sense of clarity washed over them, all sorrow and worldly cares instantly vanishing.

Afterward, the flower could be eaten.

Hee Lingchuan did the same, then ate the whole flower in one bite.

It had a clean, sweet taste, surprisingly like a lily, with a drop of fragrant honey in the center. Eating it was utterly refreshing.

This was a gift from the King of Treasure Tree. Eating these flowers, condensed from the Giant Wood Life Essence, could heal old illnesses and wounds without medicine, while the healthy would have their bodies strengthened. However, they had to be consumed on the spot; they would lose their efficacy after a quarter of an hour.

The atmosphere of the entire event reached its peak at this moment. Countless people bowed to the King of Treasure Tree from afar, thanking it for its generous gift.

Hee Lingchuan also faced the tree in the lake and bowed deeply. Whether his heart was in it or not, he had received the benefit and ought to give thanks.

However, a sudden heat bloomed in his chest.

He looked down and saw the Divine Bone Necklace was glowing again. Of course, only he could see this red light.

’What has this thing set its sights on now?’

Hee Lingchuan scanned his surroundings and suddenly realized that the Golden Light which had just swept across the entire area had actually shrunk down into a dense orb of light in the Old Tree Man’s hands.

Finally, the ball of Golden Light slowly dissipated, revealing a golden fruit cradled in the Old Tree Man’s hands.

It was a little larger than a lemon, burnished gold all over, and quite beautiful.

’The Divine Bone Necklace couldn’t possibly want that thing, could it?’ Hee Lingchuan took two big steps toward the Old Tree Man, and sure enough, the heat from the Divine Bone lessened.

A Guard at the side blocked him, saying sternly, ”Please step back!”

There was order to be maintained at the event; even distinguished guests couldn’t just wander around.

Hee Lingchuan retreated two steps, and the necklace became scalding hot again.

’As expected, the Divine Bone has always had... excellent taste.’

Hee Lingchuan heaved a long sigh. ’Big Brother, are you trying to get me killed?’

Although he didn’t know the miraculous uses of this seed, seeing the Old Tree Man, Prime Minister Tang, and Grand Tutor Sha huddled around it as if their lives depended on it, he knew that whoever touched this thing was a dead man. No matter how kindly the King of Treasure Tree appeared, it wouldn’t be polite with him.

’Stealing the Relic Shell from Second Madam Zhu was one thing—that was seventy percent luck. But stealing a seed from right under the King of Treasure Tree’s nose? Is that even possible?’

Hee Lingchuan patted the Divine Bone Necklace. ’Don’t be so greedy. Some things just aren’t for you to eat.’

The Heart-Protecting Mirror let out a long ”Whoa.” ”That seed is a real treasure! I can even feel the power contained within it!”

It wanted it too, but knew it was out of its league. ”Oh well, forget it. I’ll just settle for a branch!”

Shi the Second heard Hee Lingchuan’s sigh. ”What’s wrong?”

”Nothing. This flower is delicious. Can I get another one?”

The Guard nearby replied, ”The spiritual effect only works once. Taking more is useless.”

Hee Lingchuan shrugged regretfully and looked toward the Old Tree Man in the main hall.

The seed was handed to Prime Minister Tang, who faced the crowd and announced loudly, ”To the twenty-six lands of the Northern Realm, one more guardian is added.”

A small group of people on the slope immediately broke into cheers.

”Excuse me, what does that mean?” The Guard at his side was human, so there was no barrier to communication. Hee Lingchuan asked him, ”What is the connection between a guardian and this seed?”

”Each guardian is a Clone of my king, able to repel invaders and protect a region’s peace,” the Guard said. ”The ones cheering now are all residents of the Northern Realm. After waiting for so many years, it’s finally their turn.”

”If you aren’t scheduled, you have to wait?” Hee Lingchuan asked in surprise. ”It’s been eight hundred years. Shouldn’t the entire kingdom be covered with my king’s Clones by now?”

The Guard shook his head. ”I’m new on this shift. I don’t know.”

The Heart-Protecting Mirror chimed in, its voice audible only to Hee Lingchuan, ”In the current environment, it’s not easy for the King of Treasure Tree to produce a Spirit Seed. Do you think it’s laying eggs, popping out countless ones in eight hundred years? Look how grand today’s ceremony is, and it only managed to produce a single one.”

Hee Lingchuan asked again, ”Does the Northern Realm of the Treasure Tree Kingdom border the Chiyan Kingdom?”

Shi the Second chimed in, ”The Treasure Tree Kingdom’s northern border is quite long. To the northwest is Zulu County, and due north is the Twilight Plateau. Once you cross that great plain, you reach the Chiyan Kingdom.”

”The Twilight Plateau?”

”That’s one of the prefectures under direct central control.”

”So this seed is being sent...?”

The Guard replied, ”It should be heading to the far north.”

’So, to the border region neighboring the Chiyan Kingdom to the north?’

To the north of the Treasure Tree Kingdom were the Twilight Plateau, governed by Lingxu City, and the Chiyan Kingdom. Notably, the Chiyan Kingdom was also one of the Thirteen Demon Countries, not an external border of Beiga.