Reincarnated as a Divine Tree

Feeling the immense force behind Shi Podi's attack, Chen Qingyu lifted his gaze and looked at the blood-colored tiger pouncing toward him. A faint crease appeared between his brows, but the subtle hum and vibration of the iron sword in his hand left his expression calm.

During the chase just moments ago, the sword had already absorbed enough strength. The enemy's fear was his confidence.

Raising the iron sword, Chen Qingyu brought it down, and in that instant, a blinding white light burst forth, sharp enough to make one's eyes tear and blur.

As the sword slashed through the air, the radiant white engulfed Shi Podi's entire body. In the next breath, the fear buried deep in his heart was forcefully drawn out, dragging his mind into a daze. His movements slowed; even the blood-colored tiger roaring above his head faltered slightly.

It wasn't until the sword edge was almost at his throat that Shi Podi snapped out of his stupor. But by then, it was already too late.

The profound-tier technique he had viewed as his greatest strength proved utterly useless before this ordinary-looking iron sword. The tiger, which moments ago had radiated overwhelming might, now looked like nothing more than a paper effigy, shredded effortlessly in an instant.

Shi Podi wanted to move, to dodge, but the terror rooted deep in his heart pinned him to the spot. And when the white light came pressing down, old memories rose unbidden from the depths of his mind.

Then everything was gone. As the white radiance faded, the world around him scattered like a shattered dream.

After finishing him, Chen Qingyu's figure swiftly vanished into the night.

But not long after he left, something stirred within the folds of Shi Podi's clothing. A pair of faintly gleaming eyes peered out cautiously. It was a small, nimble bird, sharp-eyed and clever, slipping free of the corpse and taking flight into the night.

Yet before it could escape the dense forest and ascend into the sky, a hand suddenly shot out from the shadows atop a nearby treetop, catching it firmly in its grasp.

The bird let out a pitiful cry, but it was quickly cut short by a crisp snap. The forest fell silent once more.

Chen Qingyu didn't move recklessly. He remained hidden within the branches, quietly waiting for a moment longer to confirm there were no other birds hidden away. Only then did he descend to dispose of the little corpse properly.

Good thing I didn't leave right away, he thought. If I hadn't discovered that bird, the message might really have slipped out.

Though the Shi brothers' deaths would likely be difficult to completely conceal, as long as there was no evidence, who could tie it to the Chen family?

By the time anyone traced it back, the family would've grown, and the Shi Clan might not be a match for them anymore.

After carefully handling the remains, Chen Qingyu lowered his gaze to the iron sword in his hand.

The once plain and unremarkable blade was now covered in fine cracks, webbing across its length like fractures in ice. Ordinary iron couldn't withstand the pressure of an Innate Realm martial artist's qi and blood, especially not when martial techniques were involved.

Even so, when Chen Qingyu recalled the terrifying might of the Seven Emotions Six Desires Sword, his heart filled with awe.

Top-grade Earth-rank martial techniques… their power was terrifying beyond reason.

He hadn't absorbed that much emotion, and yet the emotions he did draw came directly from Shi Potian and Shi Podi. When used against them, the effect multiplied exponentially.

And this was just the initial stage of his mastery. Right now, he could only draw from four of the Seven Emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and contemplation.

If one day he fully mastered the technique, he could even extract the Six Desires.

The Seven Emotions could be restrained to a degree, but a person's desires—those were rooted in every breath, every glance, every thought. Even a fleeting expression or unconscious movement could provide power to the sword.

However, reaching full mastery wasn't something achievable in a short span of time. Worse still, this technique devoured too much of his qi and blood.

Just three swings of the sword had nearly drained him dry, forcing him to burn through more than half of his newly-acquired white jade coins just to recover.

Suppressing his thoughts, Chen Qingyu cleaned up the last traces of his presence and set off for the family estate.

…

Back in Yong'an City, within the ancestral hall of the Shi Clan, the quiet space was now filled with gathered clan members.

Although the Shi Clan didn't possess an incense totem, their family's divine stone still held unique, extraordinary power. Whenever a clan member left on a journey, they would place their hand on the stone, offering a blessing. But that act was not merely for prayer—it allowed the divine stone to record the unique breath of each clan member.

Once recorded, unless someone fled to the farthest corners of the world, the divine stone could locate their whereabouts and provide a sense of their general condition. It was because of this that the clan had immediately sensed Shi Potian's death, summoning everyone to discuss the matter.

After pinpointing their last known location, the clan swiftly dispatched one of their Innate Realm martial cultivators to investigate. But before that scout even returned, another devastating report arrived.

A second Innate Realm martial cultivator had fallen.

Two Innate Realm deaths in such quick succession—the Shi Clan couldn't afford this kind of loss.

At the head of the great hall, Patriarch Shi Chenghong sat with a darkened expression. Below him, the gathered clan members murmured in grim, furious voices.

"Patriarch, both Potian and Podi fell during their investigation of the Chen family. And both died in the Chaotic Burial Mountain. This absolutely has something to do with the Chen family!"

"That's right! I say we rally the clan immediately and attack the Chen family tonight! We'll avenge them!"

"Vengeance! They dared to touch the Shi clan—they'll pay for it with blood!"

Voices of rage echoed through the hall. This was no longer just about honor—attacking the clan's Innate Realm cultivators was an unforgivable blood feud. It had to be repaid.

Just then, as the indignation boiled higher, a lone figure stepped forward, his brows furrowed as he spoke in a low voice.

"Patriarch, there may be something suspicious about this matter. I believe we should investigate thoroughly before making any decision."

His words immediately drew all eyes to him, sharp gazes filled with fury.

"Pojing, what the hell are you talking about? You were the one advocating for action before, and now you hesitate?"

"Are you saying we shouldn't avenge Potian and Podi?"

"What's there to investigate? The matter's clear enough!"

The fury and questioning voices were relentless, but Shi Pojing remained calm, his tone steady.

"Clan brothers Potian and Podi deserve justice. Their deaths must be avenged. But if we act blindly, striking without understanding who is truly responsible—and the clan suffers greater losses—who will shoulder that responsibility?"

"Pojing! Are you saying seeking revenge for our fallen kin is wrong?"

"Hmph. Sounds to me like you're just afraid at the last moment!"

Shi Pojing's face darkened slightly. Inwardly, he cursed them as fools, but he kept the words behind his teeth. He didn't speak again, only raising his gaze silently to the clan patriarch seated at the head of the hall.

Hello readers!

Every review counts.