The golden cube shone with dazzling brilliance, and Li Ping's voice echoed for a long time within this pitch-black pocket world.
When the instinctual fear faded, what welled up in Su Yuqing's heart was an uncontrollable, intense yearning for the thing sealed within the golden cube.
Even the unborn child in her womb felt the same.
"In a sense, you and the fledgling Heavenly Dao awakening in this pocket world can be considered of the same kind. Using the method I pass on to you, slowly refine and absorb it. Doing so may well equal hundreds of years of arduous cultivation."
As Li Ping spoke once more, a profound and marvelous technique emerged in Su Yuqing's mind.
It resembled a secret art, yet also a formation, or perhaps a blend of both. Incredibly esoteric, it proved somewhat difficult to grasp even with Su Yuqing's natural comprehension.
"This realm holds great significance for me and for the entire Great Qi. Once you devour and refine its Heavenly Dao consciousness, you can take its place, wielding supreme authority within this pocket world. Only with you watching over this place will I be able to rest easy."
Only when Li Ping explained this did Su Yuqing come to a clear understanding.
Though it sounded like a thankless chore, she was by nature placid and indifferent to worldly desires. Moreover, cultivating here by merging herself with the Heavenly Dao would likely be her fastest path to advancement, bringing immense benefits to her daughter as well.
"I obey Master's command," Su Yuqing said, taking a deep breath.
"Mas-ter, I don't want to stay here! It's so dark!" Dao Child Liuli shook her head frantically.
Li Ping was obviously not going to indulge her.
Rapping Liuli on the head with his knuckles, Li Ping said in a low voice, "The two poles of light and darkness are inherently two sides of the same coin. Without darkness, the existence of light would lose its meaning, and vice versa. As a Liuli Wisdom Fruit, cultivation is nothing but easy for you. Yet that is precisely your fatal flaw..."
Liuli listened with wide eyes, understanding only half of it, but her intuition told her that this somewhat frightening Master was not lying.
"You progress swiftly, but compared to human cultivators, your upper ceiling is naturally constrained. If you wish to break past your limits, you must seek insight first from the principle of 'liuli' and second from the principle of 'wisdom.' And from this place, you can gain insights into both.
"You are the youngest among my disciples, so naturally you will not go without a gift."
Another sphere of light appeared in Li Ping's hand. Unlike the seal binding the golden cube before, this was a pure condensation of energy.
Dao Child Liuli subconsciously licked her lips, feeling her stomach grow hungry the instant her eyes caught sight of the light orb.
She reached out to grab it, but the orb was ethereal, slipping through her grasp without settling in her palm. Utterly exasperated, Liuli flailed her hands repeatedly, but it was all in vain.
With an exquisite delicacy right before her eyes that she could look at but not eat, Liuli was on the verge of crying from sheer grievance.
"Mas-ter..." Liuli looked up at Li Ping with pleading eyes.
Li Ping gave a faint smile. "I have placed two seals upon this Source Power Essence. The seals will unravel only when you make a breakthrough in either wisdom or liuli.
"And once you surpass your limits, this energy will help you thoroughly stabilize your newly transformed state."
Dao Child Liuli stared fixedly at the orb of Source Power Essence and nodded vigorously.
"The Heavenly Dao is not benevolent; it treats all things as straw dogs. When you take command of this realm, take nature as your guiding principle. Remain aloof and exalted. Unless absolutely necessary, it is best not to personally meddle in the affairs of mortal lives."
Li Ping's voice lingered in the air, but his figure had already shattered abruptly, vanishing from this realm.
Recalling her master's usual demeanor before the people of Great Qi, Su Yuqing could not help but fall into thoughtful contemplation.
"The You people?" Su Yuqing examined the various records her master had transmitted into her mind.
Meanwhile, Dao Child Liuli looked around constantly, anxious to find where the path to breaking her limits lay.
***
The Xuanhuang Realm.
Wang Xuanba had now returned beneath Yueyang Province.
Lin Ling was with him.
Fiddling with the wheel Li Ping had bestowed upon her, Lin Ling seemed rather indifferent toward the mission of subduing the Earth Vein Ancient Tree.
"Junior Sister, can we begin?"
Wang Xuanba felt a bit intimidated by this humorless junior sister of his and asked with caution.
"No rush. Wait a little longer," Lin Ling replied, shaking her head.
"Wait? Wait for what?" Wang Xuanba asked, somewhat startled.
To his perception, quite a few of the sixteen dormant worm swarms had already awakened from their seals and were growing restless.
"Master said to give it a chance. If it remains obstinate, it won't be too late to strike," Lin Ling explained patiently, though she furrowed her brows slightly.
"Then we'll do as Junior Sister says," Wang Xuanba said with a grin.
The two stood quietly within the earth vein for nearly half a day. Suddenly, Wang Xuanba once again felt that vast consciousness belonging to the Earth Vein Ancient Tree sweep past them.
Unlike before, however, the Earth Vein Ancient Tree did not simply ignore them this time; it lingered, unwilling to leave.
Wang Xuanba caught sight of Lin Ling putting away the wheel in her hands, her expression turning solemn.
She seemed to be conversing with someone.
Wang Xuanba did not interrupt the dialogue between them, though inwardly his nerves were drawn taut as bowstrings. The moment Lin Ling sent word, he would coordinate with her to trigger all the Dao-One Worm swarms.
Initially, Lin Ling appeared to be having a normal exchange with the Earth Vein Ancient Tree, faint smiles even gracing her face from time to time.
Without warning, however, Lin Ling's expression abruptly shifted.
Her brows turned icy as she snapped, "Considering you are of my own kind, I spoke openly with you just now. How dare you spout such wild nonsense and urge me to rebel?!
"How could a puny, rotten old tree like you ever fathom my master's methods?!"
Having received Lin Ling's transmission, Wang Xuanba gave a cold laugh as well. He then awakened the dormant swarm here beneath Yueyang Province.
The black shadows surged like a flood bursting through a breached dam, sweeping onward with irresistible momentum.
Visibly to the naked eye, the surrounding rushing yellow earth veins were instantly dyed black. A shrill burst echoed faintly from deep underground, only to be swallowed up by the surging army of worms.
"How does it feel to lose a tentacle?" Murderous intent flared in Lin Ling's eyes. "Severing thousands of your tentacles would be just as effortless."
Wang Xuanba took the hint and coordinated by awakening the remaining fifteen swarms, holding them back purely as a deterrent.
The entire earth of Xuanhuang trembled almost imperceptibly—the rushing earth veins losing overall control due to the terror of the Earth Vein Ancient Tree.
An illusory projection of a hunchbacked old man materialized before the two.
He looked toward Lin Ling with fear written across his face, yet his tone also carried a hint of indignation as he demanded, "I came with genuine goodwill! Why must you harm me?!"
Wang Xuanba sized up the somewhat wretched-looking little old man, finding it hard to connect him with the legendary ancient tree controlling the earth veins of the Xuanhuang Realm.
Facing the accusations of the Earth Vein Ancient Tree, Lin Ling merely sneered. "Goodwill? I have followed Master for only a few years, yet not only did I successfully take human form from an ignorant, frail sliver of consciousness, but I have also attained my current formidable cultivation.
"How long have you cultivated? If I wish to kill you, it requires nothing more than a single thought!"
Lin Ling's cold gaze locked onto the Earth Vein Ancient Tree as the wheel abruptly materialized behind her, spinning ceaselessly.
The swarms within the earth veins seemed to sense something, stirring in unison to respond with violent resonance. Even without fully breaking free from their seals, those fifteen patches of shadow suddenly swelled a size larger.
"Let us talk this over reasonably, talk this over reasonably!" The stooped old man cried in total panic.
Lin Ling paid him no heed, pressing forward aggressively: "Your mother tree is not my mother tree. What you call leaving darkness for light is, in my eyes, nothing other than destroying my Dao path!
"Those who block my Dao shall be fought to the death!" Lin Ling shouted fiercely.
Wang Xuanba chuckled and loosened the restraints on another swarm in coordination.
The Earth Vein Ancient Tree's face changed drastically. Before he could speak, one of his legs seemed to snap as though shattered by someone, throwing his entire form off balance so that he stumbled and crashed to the ground.
"A misunderstanding! Truly a misunderstanding! The Mother Tree is the source of all life in the world! Not to mention spirit trees like us, even humans—"
Before the Earth Vein Ancient Tree could finish, he was cut off by the explosion of another worm swarm. This time it was his other leg. The hunchbacked old man looked up in disarray, terror written plain across his face.
"The source of all living beings in the world? Where is it now?" Disdain dripped from Lin Ling's words. "Even if what you say were true, so what?"
Lin Ling stepped forward until she stood directly before the Earth Vein Ancient Tree.
"Compared to my master...
"It is nothing more than clay chickens and pottery dogs!"
Lin Ling brought her foot down hard upon the Earth Vein Ancient Tree.
The illusory old man let out a wail. Although part of his body had been eroded by the Dao-One Worms, with his remaining strength, he was by no means entirely incapable of resistance. Yet the Earth Vein Ancient Tree did not struggle.
For the old man knew that this young fellow spirit tree was not wrong.
*What on earth are these things...* On the surface, the Earth Vein Ancient Tree appeared thoroughly submissive, but in secret, he was trying to dispel this bizarre black energy.
Yet this power seemed distinct from anything he had ever known in the Xuanhuang Realm, leaving him entirely helpless.
*Even the disciples possess such methods. Just what kind of divine being is their master? Could he be some supreme powerhouse from ancient times? We have no grievances between us, so why suddenly make a move against me? Could it be... to target...* Uncertain and fearful, countless thoughts raced through the Earth Vein Ancient Tree's mind.
Lin Ling did not grant the Earth Vein Ancient Tree much time to think.
"Those who recognize the times are wise. Seeing as you and I are both spirit trees, I shall grant you a chance: submit to our Sacred Dynasty of Great Qi!
"Otherwise, I wouldn't mind reluctantly taking your place as the Earth Vein Ancient Tree!" Lin Ling declared coldly, chilling intent radiating from her.
As she spoke, emerald-green root tendrils extended from beneath her feet like countless tentacles, pouring into the black torrent of the worm swarm.
Pure verdant green spread from Lin Ling's lower body, rapidly dyeing the black into green.
Having taken command of the replica beast wheel, Lin Ling was now one with the swarm. She was the swarm, and the swarm was her.
Wherever the black torrent of Dao-One flowed, her will reached, becoming a part of her body.
If the parts previously infected by the Dao-One Worms still left the Earth Vein Ancient Tree a chance of reclamation—provided he found a way to exterminate all the Dao-One Worms and scour them away with the power of the earth veins—then the portion now occupied by Lin Ling...
The Earth Vein Ancient Tree's face slowly turned deathly pale.
He had completely lost all sensation of that part of his body. He even felt an entity harboring malicious intent lingering right alongside what remained of his original form.
At any moment, it could swallow whatever was left of him in a single gulp!
The sensation sent chills down his spine, further proving that Lin Ling's words were no empty boast.
*There is not much time left for me...*
The thought flickered through the Earth Vein Ancient Tree's mind.
Yet siding with this Sacred Dynasty of Great Qi meant betraying his father.
Ruomu's grim and sinister visage suddenly surfaced before the ancient tree's eyes, causing him to shudder involuntarily.
The intention to surrender that had just risen in his heart evaporated in an instant.
Just as the Earth Vein Ancient Tree wavered in indecision, he faintly sensed a peculiar intent transmitted from Lin Ling.
*Hm?*
After carefully savoring it, and recalling how Ruomu had seemed increasingly deranged lately, he finally made his choice.
"This old one..."
Lin Ling shot him a slight glance. The Earth Vein Ancient Tree paused, then changed his phrasing: "I... am willing to surrender to the Sacred Dynasty."
Wang Xuanba eyed the ancient tree with some suspicion. Lin Ling, however, simply instructed, "Then come with us to meet Master."
She left no room for refusal.
Feeling the swarms still eyeing him hungrily within his body, the Earth Vein Ancient Tree had no choice but to comply helplessly.
His form coalesced from illusion into substance, appearing in quite a disheveled state.
He followed obediently behind Wang Xuanba and Lin Ling.
The journey passed without incident, leading into the Daqi pocket world.
The unfathomable auras emanating from all directions made the ancient tree feel as though he were treading on thin ice, trembling with trepidation.
Two disciples alone had subdued him so thoroughly, to say nothing of the Sacred Emperor of Great Qi.
Inside the Sacred Emperor Throne, the ancient tree's submission went without saying.
In addition to falling into the Sacred Emperor's golden net of Source Power, having his body and mind bound from then on, and becoming a servant of Great Qi, the Earth Vein Ancient Tree confessed everything he knew concerning Ruomu.
In the end, he had preserved his life.
And the Sacred Dynasty formally acquired the means to locate Ruomu's true body.
"Sacred Emperor above, having leaked my father's aura today, he will surely sense it before long. Therefore, the key to success lies in one word: speed." Having chosen to surrender, the Earth Vein Ancient Tree submitted completely, actively offering strategy to Li Ping.
"You are right. Which is why I am already on my way."
Li Ping's voice drifted down from above, but what left the Earth Vein Ancient Tree thoroughly astounded was that the figure of the Faceless Sacred Emperor was already fading away into nothingness.
He had not even been able to detect when the other had departed.
*The Sacred Emperor's strength is truly unfathomable. It even surpasses Fa...*
*Hmph, the old lunatic is in for a treat now.*
For some reason, the Earth Vein Ancient Tree even found himself looking forward to it.
Meanwhile, outside the Sacred Emperor Throne,
Wang Xuanba looked at Lin Ling, hesitating to speak.
"If you have something to say, say it directly. If you keep staring at me like that, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself from drawing my blade."
Lin Ling's sudden remark gave Wang Xuanba a start.
Scratching his head, Wang Xuanba looked at his junior sister and hesitated no longer. "Just now, at the final moment of persuading the Earth Vein Ancient Tree to surrender, it seemed you said something to it?"
Lin Ling gave a disdainful expression that said, *What a pointless question.*
"I simply told him that if he surrendered, I could ally with him."
Chapter 1243