Transforming into a stunningly beautiful fox spirit, leaving a scar on the heart of a prodigy.

With the infusion of righteous energy, the originally dark and inconspicuous sycamore seed began to change.

Its rough texture gradually became brighter.

That was golden light.

Pure, fiery, and imbued with a regal majesty.

"Thump!"

Another heartbeat.

This time, the sound was much louder than before.

The air in the entire cave seemed to tremble with that heartbeat.

Gu Xiang felt a burning sensation in her chest.

The seven orifices of the exquisite heart within the body seemed to sense some kind of summons and began to beat violently.

With each throb, a surge of powerful blood energy washed over the seed.

The seed is absorbing nutrients.

It was like a greedy child, devouring Gu Xiang's noble spirit and Linglong Xin's vitality.

As it was devoured, it grew brighter and hotter.

Finally, it pierced through Gu Xiang's clothes and hovered in front of his chest.

A golden beam of light shot out from the seed and shone straight onto the withered sycamore tree.

"Buzz—"

A deep humming sound rang out.

The once lifeless, withered tree trembled violently the moment it was bathed in golden light.

The dry, cracked bark on the tree trunk began to peel off.

It's like a snake shedding its skin.

The gray, dead bark fell away in a rustling sound, revealing the newly grown tree trunk inside.

The tree trunk was no longer withered yellow, but instead had a warm, jade-like texture, with golden veins flowing across it.

A powerful suction force emanated from the tree trunk.

Su Qing, who was standing to the side, suddenly swayed.

She felt an irresistible force pulling at her soul.

That was the summoning of the original body.

"Qing'er!"

Although Gu Xiang kept his eyes closed, he kept a close eye on Su Qing's movements.

He sensed that Su Qing's breathing was unstable and subconsciously tried to get up.

"Don't move!"

The old ancestor's voice rang out from the edge of the pit.

"This is the sacred tree guiding the goddess back to her rightful place."

"If you move, your vital energy will be cut off, and all your previous efforts will be in vain!"

Gu Xiang gritted her teeth and forcibly suppressed the urge to get up.

He could only increase the output of his righteous energy to make the golden light even more dazzling.

Su Qing did not resist the suction force.

She looked at the rejuvenating sacred tree, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

Then, she closed her eyes and released the restraints on her soul.

next moment.

Her body transformed into a streak of red light, following the golden pillar of light, and flew into the sacred tree.

dark.

warmth.

This was Su Qing's first impression upon entering Shenmu.

There was no rejection as I had imagined, nor was there the coldness I had expected.

This place feels like a giant embrace.

It was full of pampering and indulgence.

Su Qing's soul wandered within the tree trunk.

She saw the memories of the sacred tree.

She saw how the sacred tree struggled to survive amidst the malevolent aura of the land abandoned by the gods.

She saw how it gradually sealed off its meridians and severed its life force in order to prevent even the slightest trace of its aura from leaking out.

It wasn't rejecting her.

It is using this almost self-destructive method to keep all dangers out.

"fool."

Su Qing cursed inwardly.

But my heart felt warm.

With Su Qing's soul returning to its place, the divine tree was fully awakened.

The once bare branches sprouted new buds at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The tender buds grew larger, stretched out, and transformed into golden leaves.

It only took a few breaths.

The withered tree, which was originally only three zhang tall, began to grow wildly.

Five zhang, ten zhang, twenty zhang...

Its canopy supports the dome of the cave, and its roots penetrate the hard rock.

Golden rays of sunlight streamed down from every leaf, illuminating the entire dark cave as if it were daytime.

The spirit-drawing array runes on the rock walls shattered instantly under the divine light, turning into ashes.

The old ancestor stood by the pit, tears streaming down his face.

He threw away his cane, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed heavily to the sacred tree.

"The sinners of the Mountain Moving Sect...respectfully welcome the resurrection of the sacred tree!"

The sycamore seed on Gu Xiang's chest gradually lost its luster.

It didn't fall off, but slowly merged into Gu Xiang's body.

It neither returned to the pocket nor disappeared.

It has truly blended in.

It pierced through the flesh and bones, and finally landed on that exquisitely beautiful heart.

Then, it takes root and sprouts.

Gu Xiang felt a tremor in his heart.

A wonderful feeling arose spontaneously.

He seemed to have established a blood-related connection with this tree.

He could feel the tree's joy and its attachment.

Even... the heartbeat of the person inside the tree.

The light dissipated.

The sacred tree has stopped growing.

A red figure slowly emerged from the tree trunk.

Her red dress was like fire, and her bare feet were like snow.

The nine phantom fox tails behind him were more solid and larger than before.

Su Qing.

The real Su Qing.

No longer is that clone that could vanish at any moment, nor is he the prisoner trapped on Luofeng Slope.

She regained her original body and reshaped her physical form.

The terrifying pressure belonging to the nine-tailed celestial fox permeated the cave.

Gu Xiang opened her eyes and stood up.

He looked at Su Qing with a silly grin on his face.

"Qing'er."

He opened his arms, wanting to hug her.

Su Qing looked at the grinning man and a proud smile curved her lips.

"Silly girl."

She complained verbally, but her actions betrayed her words.

She started walking towards Guxiang.

One step, two steps, three steps.

"Buzz!"

A ripple suddenly appeared in the air.

Su Qing suddenly stopped in her tracks.

It was as if she had bumped into an invisible wall.

No, it's not a wall.

It is a rope.

An invisible rope, one end tied to the depths of her soul, the other end...

Su Qing followed that feeling and looked over.

The other end was tied to Gu Xiang's heart.

It was tied to that exquisite heart with seven orifices that had just been fused with the wutong seed.

Su Qing was taken aback.

Refusing to believe in evil, she channeled her demonic power, attempting to force her way out.

"Bang!"

A tremendous rebound force came.

Su Qing was thrown back and crashed heavily into the sacred tree behind her.

The sacred tree swayed, and a few golden leaves fell, as if to soothe it.

Gu Xiang was startled and quickly ran over.

"Qing'er, what's wrong?"

As soon as he ran over, the pulling sensation disappeared instantly.

Su Qing leaned against the tree trunk to stand up and rubbed her sore shoulder.

She looked at Gu Xiang with a strange expression.

"Don't move."

Su Qing pointed at Gu Xiang.

"Just stand there."

Gu Xiang obediently stopped.

Su Qing tentatively took a few steps to the side.

Nothing.

She took a few more steps further away.

Everything is fine.

She continued until she was five meters away from Gu Xiang.

That pulling sensation returned.

She took another step forward.

"Whoosh!"

An irresistible force pulled her back.

Staggering, she bumped headfirst into Gu Xiang's arms.

Gu Xiang instinctively hugged her, looking completely bewildered.

"What... what's going on?"

Su Qing lifted her head from his embrace, gritting her teeth.

"Old Stone!"

She turned to look at her ancestor kneeling on the ground.

"What the hell is this thing?"

The old ancestor raised his head, looked at the two embracing each other, and a look of sudden realization appeared on his face.

"Oh……"

"Old man, I forgot to mention."

"The seeds of the paulownia tree are the essence of the sacred tree and its very foundation."

"Now it has taken root in Prime Minister Gu's heart."

"That Prime Minister Gu... is the root of this sacred tree."

"A tree cannot survive if it is separated from its roots."

"so……"

The old ancestor shrugged, looking completely innocent.

"Although the Empress has regained her original form, she is still subject to the instincts of the divine tree."

"You...cannot leave more than five meters away from Prime Minister Gu."

"Otherwise, the sacred tree will think that its roots are broken and will forcibly pull you back."

Su Qing was stunned.

Gu Xiang was also dumbfounded.

Five meters?

Doesn't that mean...?

From now on, no matter what you do—eating, sleeping, even going to the toilet…

Must we all be together?

Su Qing looked at Gu Xiang, and Gu Xiang looked at Su Qing.

At the same time, images of their future life flashed through their minds.

When Gu Xiang went to court, Su Qing had to squat next to the dragon throne.

When Gu Xiang took a bath, Su Qing had to stand guard by the tub.

Su Qing's face instantly darkened.

"Gu Xiang!"

"Spit that rotten seed out of me!"

Gu Xiang looked distressed and touched his chest.

"Qing'er...it's grown inside her flesh, she can't spit it out."

Linjiangxian - A Union

Golden light pierced the darkness, awakening the divine tree; withered branches sprouted new buds.

The red-clad figure returned to her place amidst the rosy clouds.

So many things from the past are now hidden in my heart.

Planting jade in Lantian, may our branches grow intertwined; from now on, even if we are separated by vast distances.

Wherever you go, that is home.

Even in places where you can't leave for a moment, those are the best years of your life.