I fabricated myths to guide the revival of spiritual energy.

The first harsh winter after the initial catastrophe was longer than anyone had anticipated.

One hundred thousand Xuanjia Dao soldiers took control of the global abyssal rifts, holding back the monstrous void monsters. The endless gunfire finally ceased in the ruins of human cities. The remaining four billion humans greedily breathed in the long-awaited, gunpowder-free air.

They believed that the era of recuperation and rest had arrived.

Until the last day of November, the skies around the world were completely shrouded in an eerie, dark purple haze.

Then, the snow began to fall.

On the edge of the new Chang'an base city, several survivors who were clearing the ruins stopped and looked up at the sky. The snowflakes falling into their palms were not crystal clear white, but a shocking dark red, like diluted blood.

"It's bleeding... God is bleeding..."

At first, the red snow didn't show any deadly power; when it landed on the skin, it only caused a slight stinging sensation, like being shocked by static electricity. Aside from feeling panicked and unlucky, ordinary people didn't pay much attention and continued to busy themselves in the snow to make a living.

But high above, atop Kunlun Mountain, Gu Qing had already keenly sensed the terrifying killing intent hidden behind the snow.

[WARNING: Abnormal pollution has occurred in the global atmospheric circulation and water cycle systems!]

[Ingredient Analysis: Red Snow contains trace amounts of violent spiritual energy, 5% residual radiation from the void, and carbon-based resentment from over four billion dead souls on the surface.]

[Ecological Analysis: Earth is undergoing a passive 'detoxification' process. Current Red Snow Toxicity Rating: Extremely Low.]

[High-Dimensional Warning: This toxin possesses an extremely terrifying "material accumulation effect." The toxin will gradually seep into groundwater and soil with snowfall. It is predicted that within three months, ordinary plants will wither on a large scale; within one year, ordinary people who have not cultivated will experience irreversible organ failure and widespread mutations.]

Gu Qing stood quietly amidst the falling red snow. The dark red snowflakes would be silently evaporated by his protective aura within a three-foot radius around him.

"Like boiling a frog in lukewarm water..."

Gu Qing stared intently at the projection curve on the system panel: "The residual poison of the void, combined with the resentment of four billion living beings, is simply too much for Earth's original ecosystem to handle. The toxicity isn't strong yet, and mortals can't detect it, but if we wait a year before intervening, my Faith Farm will become a wasteland."

This potential threat must be nipped in the bud.

His gaze pierced through the heavy snow and wind, landing on the Qinling Mountains, the heart of China.

"System, retrieve the current status of the 'bronze box' we buried in the ancient riverbed."

Following Gu Qing's instructions, a semi-transparent surveillance screen appeared.

Looking at the things in the picture, Gu Qing's lips curled into a nostalgic smile. In order to start this mythical drama, he spent two hundred yuan to buy a modern craft box, spent 3 points of faith power to age it, and spent a mere 15 points of faith power to exchange for an unknown dormant seed with only "weak psionic energy reaction" and stuffed it in, as a "prop" to fool the official scientists.

The authorities dug it up as if it were a treasure and put it in a top-secret laboratory underground in the Qinling Mountains to study it as an ancient artifact for several years. Of course, they couldn't figure anything out because the bottom of that thing was just an empty shell.

But now, Gu Qing is determined to completely revitalize this seemingly useless piece.

"Since they regard it as an ancient divine object, I'll go with the flow and make it seem real."

Gu Qing opened the [Creation Mall] and quickly locked his gaze on an item radiating a vast blue light among the plant illustrations.

"Purchase the underlying logic and life force laws of the [World Tree - Jianmu (Remains Mutant)]." Gu Qing coldly issued the creator's command, "Directly and remotely inscribe these laws into the interior of the '15-point Faith Seed' beneath the Qinling Mountains, overwriting its original logic!"

[Command confirmed. Credit points deducted.]

[Conceptual modifications in progress... Underlying logic being written...]

The target item, "Dormant Unknown Plant Seed," has successfully been upgraded to: World Tree - Jianmu (Seedling Stage).

"Go, turn this endless poisonous snow into the richest nourishment for the cultivation civilization." Gu Qing turned around and walked back to the Creation Pavilion.

……

At the same time, 500 meters underground in the Qinling Mountains, China's "Top Secret Extraordinary Containment Facility No. 09" was located.

Behind the thick explosion-proof glass, the gray-haired and emaciated Mr. Qian, along with the newly appointed commander-in-chief of the defense zone, General Chen, were staring intently at a heavy magnetic levitation isolation chamber in the center of the laboratory.

Inside the cabin, the bronze box covered in red spots and green rust sat quietly.

"General Chen, have the red snow samples from the surface been analyzed yet?" Old Qian asked without turning around, his voice hoarse.

"The analysis is in. The Academy of Sciences says it contains an unknown complex toxin, currently very weak in toxicity, but extremely stable and cannot be broken down by conventional methods. The higher-ups are very worried that this substance will contaminate the nation's groundwater over time." General Chen frowned. "Old Qian, this bronze box... still no reaction?"

Old Qian shook his head bitterly: "In the past few years, we have exhausted all detection methods, but apart from that brainwave frequency that is similar to that of deep sleep in humans, it is like an absolutely dead object..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

Beep—! Beep—! Beep—!

The various precision instruments in the laboratory, which had been quiet, suddenly erupted with piercing alarms as if they had gone mad! The curves on the spectrum analyzer instantly went up to full capacity, directly exceeding the display limit of the screen!

"What's going on?!" General Chen suddenly drew his sidearm.

"Energy readings! The internal energy readings of the bronze box are skyrocketing exponentially!" A researcher scrambled to the monitoring console, his voice trembling with shock. "It... its brainwave frequency has changed! It's awake!"

Under the shocked gaze of everyone, the bronze box that had been silent for many years suddenly emitted circles of visible, hazy blue light.

As the blue light spread, the "Red Snow Toxin" that had seeped into the laboratory air in trace amounts through the ventilation system was pulled towards it by an invisible, enormous suction force, as if it had encountered a black hole, and was finally swallowed and absorbed by the bronze box!

Om-!

A deep, resonant sound, seemingly from the ancient wilderness, echoed through the base five hundred meters underground.

Immediately afterwards, there was a crisp "snap" sound.

A crack suddenly appeared on the surface of the bronze box.

In Qian Lao's trembling pupils, a crystal-clear, cyan sprout, exuding endless vitality and the aura of ancient laws, broke through the shackles of bronze, as if it had stubbornly emerged from a crack in ancient time.

As the tender buds appeared, an indescribable surge of spiritual energy and the fragrance of grass and trees swept through the entire underground base, erasing the fatigue brought on by the continuous hard work and the gloom of the red snow.

Even Qian Lao's full head of white hair, under the wash of this surging vitality, faintly revealed a hint of black.

"It's...it's sprouted..."