Transmigrating Into a Fantasy World: Signing in During Pregnancy, Reaching the Summit with My Childhood Sweetheart

54: Chapter 54: The Whispers of the Azure Spirit Clan and the Ancient TreeA silent gaze was more heart-palpitating than a furious roar.

Those indistinct humanoid forms composed of green light and plant fibers stood silently behind the glowing moss and vines. Their numbers grew, almost filling every corner within sight. They had no facial features, no obvious emotional fluctuations; they simply ”watched” with an inhuman, pure curiosity and observation.

The cavern remained warm, the green light soft, and the life energy so abundant it felt almost ready to drip. Yet, beneath this surface of ultimate vitality and tranquility, an intangible, suffocating sense of pressure silently spread.

Nangong Xuan endured the intense pain, struggling to tighten his grip on the ”unyielding” sword. The blade trembled slightly, emitting a low hum as the Vast Righteous Sword Intent instinctively activated, forming a thin protective barrier around him that resisted assimilation. Su Muxue’s ice-blue eyes gathered a chilling cold, and delicate ice crystals quietly formed at her slender fingertips, with Profound Yin Qi ready to freeze any foreign object daring to approach. Lin Mo’s chaos light cluster also contracted to its utmost, his Perception amplified to the limit, analyzing the energy composition and intent of these ”creatures.”

However, the anticipated attack did not come.

Those green light-shadow humanoids simply stood quietly, like extensions of the cavern itself. After a long while, one of them, with a slightly clearer form and a contour more akin to an adult human, slowly ”floated” forward a short distance.

It still lacked facial features, but the three facing it clearly sensed a gentle, probing wave of mental intent, like a spring breeze brushing over a lake, lightly touching their consciousness:

”Outsider... life?” ”Your... aura... is very different...” ”Injured...? The Life Mother Tree... can... heal...”

This intent was pure and direct, devoid of malice, even carrying a hint of childlike naivety and goodwill, inviting them to accept healing from that jadeite Ancient Tree (the Life Mother Tree).

Yet, this ”goodwill” made Nangong Xuan and the other two even more vigilant. Healing? This was likely the beginning of assimilation!

”We appreciate the kindness, but we must decline,” Nangong Xuan forced out, his voice hoarse yet carrying an undeniable refusal. ”We have strayed into this place by mistake. Our injuries are not severe; we only need to rest briefly before leaving on our own. We dare not impose.”

His words were clearly transmitted through Divine Thought.

The green light-shadow humanoid seemed to understand the meaning of refusal. It ”stood” in place, tilting its ”head” slightly, its conveyed intent now carrying a trace of confusion:

”Leave...?” ”Outside... is... void... deathly silence...” ”Here... there is light... life... is it not good?” ”Become... part of the Mother Tree... obtain... eternity...”

Its intent remained simple, yet it exuded a chillingly obsessive undertone. In its Perception (or perhaps the will of this realm), becoming part of the Mother Tree and merging into this eternal light and life seemed to be the only and best destination.

More light-shadow humanoids drifted forward slightly. Their emitted intents began to converge, like a silent chorus, repeating similar words:

”Stay...” ”Merge...” ”Eternity...”

The gentle intent began to take on a hypnotic, enticing quality. The rich life energy around them also became more active, gently yet firmly seeping towards them, attempting to erode their will to resist.

”Not good!” Su Muxue exclaimed in a low voice. The ice moon imprint between her eyebrows lit up, and a layer of icy, life-isolating profound ice barrier instantly expanded, enveloping the three of them, temporarily blocking the pervasive infiltration of life energy and mental erosion.

Sizzle... The profound ice barrier made a faint neutralizing sound upon contact with the life energy. The green light-shadow humanoids seemed disturbed by this cold, Fusion-rejecting force, retreating slightly. For the first time, their conveyed intent carried emotions akin to ”confusion” and ”slight rejection.”

They seemed unable to comprehend why such a wonderful ”blessing” would be refused.

Seizing this opportunity, Lin Mo’s thoughts rapidly analyzed and transmitted to Nangong Xuan and Su Muxue:

”They are not individuals; they are more like... extensions of this realm’s will, or ’worker ants.’ The core is that Ancient Tree!” ”Their thinking is simple and direct; they cannot comprehend the concepts of ’individuality’ and ’leaving.’” ”A direct fight is unwise. Their numbers are too great, and their energy seems limitless.” ”We must communicate with that Ancient Tree! Or find a flaw in its will!”

Communicate with the Ancient Tree? Easier said than done!

Just then, perhaps stimulated by the Profound Yin Power Su Muxue released, the core of this life Domain reacted.

In the center of the cavern, one of the enormous jadeite Ancient Tree’s low-hanging branches, flowing with liquid green light, suddenly swayed gently without any wind.

A will far more vast, ancient, yet equally gentle (even carrying a hint of languor) than those light-shadow humanoids, like a waking giant, slowly swept across the entire cavern.

All the green light-shadow humanoids instantly froze, like soldiers receiving an order, bowing slightly in reverence.

The focus of that ancient will fell upon the three protected by the profound ice barrier, lingering for a moment especially on Lin Mo’s chaos light cluster and Su Muxue’s Profound Yin Immortal Body.

Then, an aged, slow voice, as if having just awakened from an eon-long slumber, sounded directly in the depths of their Sea of Consciousness:

”Chaos... aura...” ”And... the favor of... Taiyin...” ”Interesting... outsiders...”

This will held no malice; instead, it carried a pure curiosity, like a naturalist discovering a novel specimen.

”Why... refuse... life’s embrace?” ”Your... bodies... crave... repair...”

It seemed unable to comprehend ”refusal.”

A thought stirred in Lin Mo’s mind; he realized this might be their only chance. Concentrating all his mental intent, he attempted to transmit information to the Ancient Tree’s will, striving to mimic that simple, direct thought pattern:

”We thank... your... goodwill.” ”But we... must... preserve... our selves.” ”We... come from... the outside... must... return.” ”Do you... know... a way... to leave?”

The Ancient Tree’s will fell silent for a moment, as if processing this complex information.

”Self...?” Its intent conveyed deep confusion. ”Separation... is... incompleteness... pain...” ”Returning... to the mother... is... Perfection...”

But it seemed to notice Lin Mo’s emphasis on ”the outside.”

”The outside... ah...” The ancient will rippled with an extremely faint wave, as if recalling distant memories. ”That... cold... desolate... place...” ”A passage... once... existed...” ”It was... sealed... by... ourselves...”

Sealed by themselves?

The hearts of the three sank.

”Why... Seal it?” Lin Mo pressed on.

”Because... of fear...” The Ancient Tree’s will responded slowly and heavily. ”Fear... of the outside’s... deathly silence...” ”Fear... of those... life-devouring... monsters...” ”Isolation... is... safety...”

Was it referring to the Bone-Corroding Demon Spiders in the Burial Ancient Abyss? Or perhaps... something even more terrifying?

”Please... tell us... the passage’s... location...” Lin Mo did not give up any hope.

The Ancient Tree’s will fell silent again, as if weighing options.

After a long while, a stream of information accompanied by intent flowed into the minds of the three.

It was a location in an extremely deep, remote corner of the cavern. There had once been a small, unstable spatial rift there, connecting to the outside (likely other areas of the Burial Ancient Abyss), but it had long been completely sealed shut by a powerful life barrier.

”There... is... an abandoned... fissure...” ”The Seal... is very strong... for... safety...” ”Cannot... be opened...”

The Ancient Tree’s will conveyed a clear message: it knew the location but would not help open it, and would not even allow it to be opened. For the sake of ”safety.”

Their only hope seemed to be right before them, yet it was utterly blocked.

Meanwhile, during the communication with the Ancient Tree’s will, the green light-shadow humanoids had slowly closed in again, their hollow ”gazes” focusing on the three. The gentle intent of assimilation grew clearer.

The Ancient Tree’s will seemed to lose interest in conversation, slowly withdrawing its attention as if about to fall into slumber once more.

A gentle, yet absolute, dead end descended once again.