Daqin Zhentiansi

"Puff puff puff—!"

Several streams of condensed, almost tangible chaotic energy shot out silently, precisely piercing the brows of all the demon soldiers who rushed forward!
The fierce light in their eyes froze and dissipated instantly, and filthy demonic energy seeped out from the hole between their eyebrows. Their bodies went limp like snakes with their bones removed.

It was swift and decisive, with not a single ounce of excess power wasted.

"Ah—! He killed the guard!"

"The Tree Demon's messenger has killed someone!"

"Quick! Seize him! Offer him to the Tower!"

The surrounding Wood Spirit descendants erupted in even more terrified and furious screams, their numbness replaced by a twisted fanaticism!

Forgetting their fear and their frail bodies, they grabbed stones and sticks and charged at Zhang Yuan like a tidal wave, howling as they rushed towards him!
It was as if they wanted to tear him, this "blasphemer," apart to prove their loyalty to the "Heavenly Immortals" and the "Purifying Magic Codex"!

Zhang Yuan frowned slightly as he looked at these pitiful creatures who were deeply deceived and willing to die, his heart filled with a mixture of murderous intent and pity.

He had no intention of slaughtering these manipulated puppets, but if he got entangled with them, it would attract a stronger being, which would be troublesome.

Just as he was preparing to use any means to escape, or forcibly shake off the frantically rushing survivors—

Mutation and regeneration!

The scene before my eyes rippled and distorted violently like waves on water!
The Wood Spirit descendants pounced wildly, a cacophony of curses and insults filled the air, the streets were filthy, and the buildings were twisted...

Everything became blurry and illusory in an instant, like a faded painting.

An ancient, desolate yet vibrant atmosphere quietly spread out.

As the light shifted, the scene became clear again.

Zhang Yuan found himself no longer in the noisy and filthy Demon City.

Before them was a winding, ancient, and rough stone staircase. On both sides of the staircase were towering ancient trees, lush and verdant, exuding a pure wood spirit aura, which was in stark contrast to the scorched earth and demonic realm they had just left.

The air was filled with the fresh fragrance of grass and trees and the moist scent of earth after the rain.

An elderly man dressed in a gray linen robe, with a hunched back, was standing with his back to him, holding an ordinary-looking bamboo broom, slowly and carefully sweeping away non-existent fallen leaves from the stone steps.

His movements were calm and focused, as if he had been sweeping this place for millennia.

Zhang Yuan understood. His gaze fell on the old man, and he sensed the vast, silent, yet perfectly integrated wood spirit power within him, which was completely integrated with this space.

He slowly ascended the stone steps, his voice calm:

"Senior, is that the 'Ancient Tree of Ten Thousand Spirits' that was slandered as the 'Evil Tree' and suppressed under the tower?"

The old man continued sweeping without stopping, as if he hadn't heard anything.

Zhang Yuan took a few more steps forward and stopped not far behind the old man. His tone was cold and questioning: "Since you were able to reverse the deadly situation with your remaining will, revive life, and manifest your divine soul in this pure place, it must not be difficult for you to break free from that filthy seal."

"This junior does not understand. Senior, since you have watched your descendants' minds be corrupted by demonic runes, hating you generation after generation, willingly becoming the enemy's lackeys, and gradually perishing, why... did you sit idly by?"

The old man sweeping the floor finally stopped.

He slowly, very slowly, straightened his hunched back, as if this simple movement had taken a tremendous amount of effort.

He turned around, revealing a face etched with deep lines, weathered by time, yet remarkably calm.

His eyes were like two bottomless ancient wells, containing the wisdom and weariness of countless years.

He raised his head, his gaze piercing through Zhang Yuan, looking towards the sky at the end of the stone steps, obscured by the branches and leaves of ancient trees, as if looking into an even more distant time and space.

His withered lips moved slightly, his voice low and hoarse, carrying a sense of desolation and bewilderment that seemed to transcend eternity:
"Because... I can't see the road ahead either..."

His voice was soft, yet it was like a boulder thrown into Zhang Yuan's heart, stirring up countless waves.

Zhang Yuan stood on the ancient stone steps, a gentle breeze carrying the pure scent of grass and trees, making him feel as if he were in another world from the filth of the demonic realm behind him.

The desolate cry of the remnant soul of the Ancient Tree of Ten Thousand Spirits, "I can't see the road ahead," echoed through the quiet forest, carrying the weariness and confusion of ten thousand years of suppression.

Gazing at the old man's deeply lined yet wise face, Zhang Yuan's eyes shimmered with a chaotic divine light, as if piercing through the barriers of time and space, seeing not only the decline of this ancient ancestral land, but also another distant time and space.

The civilization known as "Huaxia" was also shrouded in clamor and bewilderment during the modern era of decline and revival.

"Can't see the road?" Zhang Yuan's deep and clear voice broke the silence of the forest, carrying a kind of insightful understanding that came with experience. "Senior, confusion is the nature of all living beings, and even gods and demons cannot escape it."

"However, the inability to see the path ahead is not necessarily because there is no path, but because the clouds obscure our vision and our hearts are troubled by noise."

He took a step forward, the stone steps beneath his feet silent, yet his gaze pierced through the ancient tree branches like a sharp sword, as if looking directly into the deepest pain of this world:
“I once saw a region that, like the homeland of my predecessors, was plagued by deep-seated problems and evils, surrounded by powerful enemies, beset by internal and external troubles, and teetering on the brink of collapse. Its people also cried out in despair: ‘This road is blocked!’ ‘The light of that country illuminates our future!’ ‘The laws of our ancestors cannot be changed!’ ‘Only by overthrowing everything can we be reborn!’ All sorts of clamor filled the world.”

The remnant soul of the Ancient Tree of Ten Thousand Spirits finally showed a slight ripple in its well-like eyes, looking at Zhang Yuan with a hint of confusion.

What Zhang Yuan said was not a story from the primordial era, but rather seemed like... a projection of another world?

The name "Huaxia" left no trace in his ten-thousand-year memory.

Zhang Yuan did not pause; his tone grew increasingly serious, carrying an undeniable conviction:

"However, the backbone of their people, amidst the blood and fire, finally found a path—not worshipping gods, not envying hegemony, not belittling themselves, and certainly not kneeling before foreigners!"

"Only by basing ourselves on our own land and water, inheriting the flame of our own civilization, absorbing the essence of all things, using 'seeking truth from facts' as our blade to break the shackles of dogma; using 'independence and self-reliance' as our backbone to uphold the spirit of the nation; and using 'people first' as our guiding principle to gather tremendous power!"

His words were like a resounding bell, deafening and awakening:
"This road is full of thorns and is extremely difficult!"

"There are internal traitors framing us, external evils blocking our way, rumors smearing us, and endless pessimism!"

"Yet their faith remained unwavering, their steps firm, and they worked diligently, generation after generation!"

"We do not seek momentary verbal pleasure, nor do we covet illusory beacons; we only strive for the prosperity of the land beneath our feet and the dignity of future generations!"

Zhang Yuan's gaze sharpened as he stared directly at the Ancient Tree of Ten Thousand Spirits:

"Senior! You asked for directions?" "The way lies right beneath your feet on this ancestral land, ravaged yet teeming with life!"

"The path lies in the hearts of those Wood Spirit descendants whose bloodlines are tainted and whose minds are clouded, yet who still stubbornly survive!"

"The path lies in the hands of those who dare to break the chains and reshape the world!"

"It is neither the 'Purifying Demon Mystic Manual' bestowed by the Heavenly Palace, nor the illusory power promised by Chaos!"

"It is a path to rejuvenation that has been carved out bit by bit with their own blood, sweat, wisdom, and indomitable will!"

His voice suddenly rose, like the beating of war drums:

"The Heavenly Palace builds its towers on lies, drains your bloodline, tarnishes your reputation, and causes your descendants to hate their ancestors and willingly become their lackeys!"

"This is a vicious scheme that will wipe out the entire clan and bring about their extinction!"

"If we don't wake up soon, if we continue to be trapped in the confusion of 'not being able to see the road ahead,' and if we continue to indulge in the hatred that has been instilled in us, the Wood Spirit lineage will eventually become utterly useless nourishment for the Demon Realm, and be doomed forever! This is not an exaggeration; this is the bloody reality before our eyes!"

The ancient tree of myriad spirits trembled slightly, and in the depths of its turbid eyes, the dormant, emerald-green primordial fire, which had been silent for millennia, seemed to be infused with a blazing ember, beginning to pulse and burn violently!
Zhang Yuan's words were like a sharp axe cleaving through the fog in his heart, and like a thunderclap exploding in the depths of the souls of those descendants he had protected but who had forgotten him!

"Roar--!!!"

A roar filled with endless grief and despair did not come from the mouth of the Ancient Tree of All Spirits, but from this revived ancestral land itself!
The earth trembled violently, and countless new shoots of grass grew wildly. Emerald light shot into the sky, instantly dispelling the remaining demonic miasma around the stone steps illusion!
At the same time, the entire Chaotic Demon Realm seemed to be completely enraged!
In the distance, all the towering town towers, like giant beasts being strangled, emitted sharp, soul-piercing hums, as if they were overwhelmed!

The tower's body surged wildly with filthy demonic light, which intertwined and formed a desperate demonic net that enveloped the sky!

The deepest darkness of the Demon Realm was suddenly torn apart!
Several terrifying demonic shadows, far more ancient and chaotic than the previous Primordial Beast, filled with pure destructive intent, carrying Primordial-level pressure capable of crushing stars, were like world-destroying ferocious gods awakening from an ancient slumber, instantly locking onto this revitalized oasis—locking onto Zhang Yuan and the remnant soul of the Ancient Tree of Ten Thousand Spirits on the stone steps!

Further away, the descendants of the Wood Spirits, controlled by the magic runes, surged wildly from all directions like a black tide, driven by the shrieks of the magic tower, accompanied by twisted fanaticism and roars!

A raging tide of shadows formed by chaotic monsters followed closely behind!
"Look! The jackals are here! Hesitation means death!"

Zhang Yuan's eyes flashed with a cold light, and the chaotic divine light emanated from his body, causing his Myriad Paths Furnace Body to roar and operate!
He no longer looked at the impending doomsday demonic shadow, but instead made his final decision to the Ancient Tree of All Spirits behind him:

"Senior, please follow me—break the shackles, burn the Tower of Defilement, restore the origin, and usher in a new era!"

"This road to revival, even if it is stained with blood and chaos, must be paved by our own hands!"

Before he finished speaking, his figure had already transformed into a streak of dark ink that tore through space, soaring into the sky!

The target was not a single demonic figure, but rather to rush straight towards the several ancient demon lords who were tearing through the void and about to descend!

He would use his own body as a shield to buy the Ancient Tree of All Spirits the last and most important time for its transformation!
The remnant soul of the Ancient Tree of Ten Thousand Spirits watched Zhang Yuan resolutely face the shadow of the world-destroying demon, then looked down at the resurrected earth below. The last trace of confusion in its eyes completely disappeared, replaced by a raging flame that had ignited after ten thousand years of silence, burning away all decay!

"The road to revival..." His hoarse whisper, like the prelude to an ancient war song, contained the resolute power accumulated over millennia.

His hunched body slowly straightened, and the bamboo broom in his hand crumbled inch by inch, turning into the purest life essence, like a reversed galaxy, all of which disappeared into the vibrant ancestral land beneath his feet.

The next moment, the entire revived ancestral land erupted with a deafening roar!
"Boom—!!!"

The earth seemed to boil!

Countless massive roots, as thick as ancient mountain ranges and gleaming with resilient emerald green divine patterns and dark gold prison-suppressing runes, burst forth from the earth!

They intertwined with the newly born Wood Spirit essence and the suppressive will bestowed by Zhang Yuan, like billions of awakened primordial dragons, carrying the overwhelming rage accumulated over millennia by the Wood Spirit ancestral vein and the reborn power after the shattering of its shackles, lashing out fiercely—

That frenzy of Wood Spirit descendants, controlled by magical runes, surged in from all directions!
Those shadowy, chaotic creatures that followed closely behind, exuding a foul aura!
And... those town tower bases that are closest to us and whose demonic shrieks are the most piercing!
Wherever the roots intertwined with the emerald light and dark gold prison runes passed, the puppets controlled by the demonic runes crumbled like rotten wood, low-level demons instantly turned to ashes, and the filthy demonic moss was peeled off and burned away inch by inch!

The sturdy base of the magic tower trembled violently under the blows of the roots, which contained the will of new life and the power of suppression. After the magic runes flashed wildly, large areas of them dimmed and shattered!
A journey fraught with blood and fire, fueled by unwavering faith!

Zhang Yuan used his body as a shield to meet the Primordial Demon Lord, while the Ancient Tree of Myriad Spirits used its roots as a whip to settle the blood debts accumulated over the years!
Amidst the deafening roar of flesh and blood shattering, Zhang Yuan, like a chaotic furnace, fearlessly confronted the ancient demon god who carried the power to destroy the world!
The Myriad Paths Furnace manifested and roared around Zhang Yuan, and the phantom of the Chaotic Small World unfolded behind him, with dark gold runes, chaotic blue patterns, and the Prison Suppression Laws intertwining to form an ancient battle map.

He rose into the air and threw a punch, which was the "Myriad Paths Return to Origin Fist" that forged all paths!
Wherever the fist passed, the chaotic energy was forcibly drawn out and compressed, transforming into a blazing white torrent that tore through the darkness of the demon realm, crashing fiercely into the filthy demonic claws condensed by the ancient demon god.

"boom--!!!"

The moment of collision was like two worlds crashing together!

The violent spatial ripples exploded in a ring, carving deep, bottomless trenches into the scorched earth below.

The demonic claws of the ancient demon god shattered, and the sound of bones cracking was deafening. But Zhang Yuan was also violently shaken. His black Daoist robe fluttered, and a trace of pale gold blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. The void beneath his feet collapsed inch by inch!

His internal chaotic microcosm churned violently, and his physical power, exceeding that of Shi Hong, was boiling.

happy!

Only in this land occupied by demons could he fight so freely and enjoy himself!

At the same time, the gray-robed old man, transformed from the remnant soul of the Ancient Tree of Ten Thousand Spirits, completely ignited the dormant origin for ten thousand years.

His seemingly decaying bamboo broom has long since transformed into a life-sustaining scepter that pierces through heaven and earth!

The unimaginable vitality of the wood spirits transformed into countless emerald-like waterfalls of light, not for destruction, but for purification and cleansing!

Wherever the waterfall of light reached, the filthy, demonic light, which was corrosive and soul-consuming, melted and vanished as quickly as ice and snow thrown into the blazing sun, emitting a mournful "sizzling" sound.

This vitality contains the profound and pure origin of life, and carries the great power to wash away all impurities.

The waterfall of light not only swept towards the ancient demon god, but also gently brushed over the wood spirit descendants below, who were branded with demonic patterns and had bloodshot eyes as they frantically attacked Zhang Yuan.

The light seeped into their twisted skin, merging into their meridians corrupted by demonic energy—

Those plant cultivators who were skilled at cultivating spiritual plants and whose fingertips had once communicated with the spirits of plants and trees suddenly sprouted a tender green shoot from the charred black palms covered with magic patterns.

They looked down in disbelief at the faint life growing in their hands, which represented destruction and planting.

For the first time, the resonance of the Wood Spirit Ancestral Vein within his body overwhelmed the whispers of the demonic runes. The madness in his eyes faded, replaced by a surging wave of bewilderment and shock.

"This...this is the true power of our race?"

Someone trembled as they stroked the tender bud, feeling a long-lost warmth trembling deep within their blood. (End of Chapter)