Chapter 1233: Drawing the Sword Toward Ruomu

The golden cube shone brightly, and Li Ping's voice echoed long in this absolutely dark miniature world.

As the instinctive fear dissipated, an irrepressible, intense desire for the sealed item within the golden cube arose in Su Yuqing's heart.

Even the fetus in her womb felt the same.

"In a sense, you and this nascent Heavenly Dao of the awakening miniature world are akin. If you follow the method I impart to slowly refine and absorb it, it could equate to centuries of arduous cultivation."

As Li Ping's voice resounded again, a mysterious and wonderful technique appeared in Su Yuqing's mind.

It resembled a secret art, or a formation. Or perhaps both. It was profoundly esoteric, making it difficult for Su Yuqing to comprehend, even with her innate understanding.

"This realm holds significant importance for me and for the entire Great Qī dynasty. Once you devour and refine the Heavenly Dao consciousness of this realm, you can take its place and possess supreme authority within this miniature world. Only with your help watching over this place can I be at ease."

Only then did Su Yuqing realize the full implication of Li Ping's words.

Although it was a difficult task, Su Yuqing was inherently a person of placid disposition with few worldly desires. Moreover, cultivating here by embodying the Heavenly Dao would likely be her fastest path to advancement, and it would also greatly benefit her daughter.

"I will obey your command, Master," Su Yuqing said, taking a deep breath.

"Master, I don't want to be here either! It's so dark!" the Daoist child Liu Li frantically shook her head.

Li Ping clearly wouldn't indulge her.

Tapping Liu Li's head with a bent finger, Li Ping stated gravely, "Light and darkness are two sides of the same coin. Without darkness, the existence of light loses its meaning, and vice versa. As a Glazed Wisdom Fruit, cultivation comes easily to you. But this is also your fatal flaw..."

Liu Li listened wide-eyed, half-understanding. Her intuition told her that her somewhat formidable Master was not lying.

"Your progress is swift, but compared to human cultivators, your upper limit is inherently restricted. To break through this limit, you must cultivate in two aspects: the Principle of Glaze and the Principle of Wisdom. And you can gain something from both here."

"As my youngest disciple, you naturally won't lack for gifts."

Another ball of light appeared in Li Ping's hand. It wasn't a seal like the golden cube before, but a pure aggregation of energy.

The Daoist child Liu Li instinctively licked her lips, feeling her stomach grow hungry the moment she saw the orb of light.

She reached out, trying to grasp it, but the orb was ethereal, impossible to hold. Liu Li was utterly frustrated, waving her hands repeatedly, yet to no avail.

With ultimate deliciousness before her, yet unable to eat it, Liu Li was almost brought to tears of grievance on the spot.

"Master..." Liu Li looked up at Li Ping with pleading eyes.

Li Ping smiled. "This orb of refined source energy has two layers of restrictions I've placed on it. The restrictions will only be lifted when you achieve a breakthrough in either wisdom or glaze."

"And once you break through your limits, this energy will help you completely stabilize your new, transformed form."

The Daoist child Liu Li stared intently at the orb of refined source energy and nodded vigorously.

"The Heavenly Dao is impartial, treating all beings as straw dogs. When you control this realm, you must abide by the principle of nature. Remain aloof; unless absolutely necessary, it is best not to personally interfere with the affairs of mortal life."

Li Ping's voice lingered, and his figure suddenly fragmented, vanishing from the realm.

Su Yuqing recalled her Master's usual demeanor before the people of Great Qī and became pensive.

"Ghost Clan?" Su Yuqing began examining the various pieces of information her Master had transmitted to her mind.

Meanwhile, the Daoist child Liu Li kept looking around, eager to find the path to breaking limits that her Master had mentioned.

Xuanhuang Realm.

Wang Xuanba had now returned to the underground of Yueyang Prefecture.

Lin Ling was with him.

Lin Ling idly toyed with the turning wheel Li Ping had given her, appearing somewhat nonchalant about the task of subduing the ancient geoma tree.

"Junior Sister, can we begin?" Wang Xuanba felt a little intimidated by his solemn junior sister and asked cautiously.

"No rush, let's wait a bit longer," Lin Ling shook her head.

"Wait? For what?" Wang Xuanba was somewhat astonished.

To him, many of the sixteen lurking swarms had already awakened from their seals and were stirring restlessly.

"Master said to give it a chance. If it remains stubborn, it won't be too late to act," Lin Ling frowned slightly, but explained patiently.

"Then we'll listen to Junior Sister," Wang Xuanba said with a grin.

The two stood quietly in the geoma for half a day. Suddenly, Wang Xuanba once again felt the immense consciousness of the ancient geoma tree sweep past them.

However, unlike before, this time the ancient geoma tree didn't ignore them outright, but lingered for a long time.

Wang Xuanba noticed Lin Ling putting away the turning wheel in her hand, and her expression grew serious.

She seemed to be conversing with someone.

Wang Xuanba did not interrupt their conversation; in fact, his internal strings were already taut. The moment Lin Ling conveyed a thought, he would cooperate by activating all the Dao Yi swarms.

At first, Lin Ling seemed to be having a normal conversation with the ancient geoma tree. A slight smile even occasionally appeared on her face.

But without warning, Lin Ling's expression suddenly changed.

With a cold frown, she rebuked, "Considering you are of my kin, I opened my heart to converse with you. Yet why do you utter such nonsense and urge me to rebel?!"

"How could a small, decaying ancient tree like you possibly fathom my Master's methods!"

Wang Xuanba received Lin Ling's telepathic message and likewise sneered. Then, he awakened the slumbering swarms beneath Yueyang Prefecture.

The black shadows, like a flood after a levee break, surged forth irresistibly, sweeping everything before them.

Visibly, the surrounding yellow geoma currents were instantly dyed black. A sharp boom faintly emanated from underground, but it was drowned out by the surging insect army.

"How does it feel to lose a tentacle?" Lin Ling's eyes gleamed with killing intent.

"It would be easy for me to sever a thousand more of your tentacles."

Wang Xuanba understood, and cooperatively awakened the remaining fifteen swarms, though he still kept them under control as a deterrent.

The entire Xuanhuang land began to tremble imperceptibly. It was the ancient geoma tree's fear causing the geoma currents to lose overall control.

A stooped old man's silhouette appeared before Wang Xuanba and Lin Ling.

He looked at Lin Ling, his face filled with terror. At the same time, his voice carried a hint of anger as he demanded, "My intentions were truly good, why do you harm me?!"

Wang Xuanba eyed the somewhat scruffy-looking old man before him, finding it difficult to connect him with the legendary ancient tree that controlled the geoma of the Xuanhuang Realm.

In response to the ancient geoma tree's accusation, Lin Ling merely scoffed, "Good intentions? I have only followed Master for a few years, yet I've not only successfully transformed from a naive, ignorant, and weak consciousness but also gained my current impressive cultivation."

"How long have you cultivated? My desire to kill you is but a single thought!" Lin Ling's cold gaze locked onto the ancient geoma tree, and the turning wheel suddenly appeared behind her, spinning continuously.

The swarms within the geoma seemed to sense something, responding with a synchronized surge of unrest. Even without collectively escaping their seals, the fifteen shadowy masses suddenly grew visibly larger.

"Let's talk this through, let's talk this through," the hunched old man stammered in panic.

Lin Ling ignored him, continuing aggressively, "Your Mother Tree is not my Mother Tree. What you call 'abandoning darkness for light,' to me, is destroying my path!"

"Those who obstruct my path shall face endless strife!" Lin Ling roared.

Wang Xuanba chuckled, and again cooperatively loosened the restraint on one of the swarms.

The ancient geoma tree's expression instantly changed. Before it could speak, one of its legs seemed to suddenly break, causing its entire form to lose balance and stumble to the ground.

"A misunderstanding! It's truly a misunderstanding! The Mother Tree is the source of all life under heaven, not just for us spirit trees, but even for humans..."

The ancient geoma tree was interrupted before finishing its sentence by another swarm bursting forth. This time, it was the other leg. The hunched old man awkwardly looked up, his panic evident.

"Source of all life under heaven? Where is it now?" Lin Ling's words were full of disdain.

"Even if what you say is true, what then?"

Lin Ling took a step, standing before the ancient geoma tree.

"Compared to my Master..."

"You are nothing but a common cur!"

Lin Ling stomped hard on the ancient geoma tree's body.

The old man's silhouette let out a wail. Although some of its body had been eroded by the Dao Yi insects, even with its remaining strength, it should not have been utterly powerless to resist. Yet, the ancient geoma tree did not struggle.

This was because the old man knew that his young kin standing before him was not wrong.

"What exactly are these things..." The ancient geoma tree had outwardly surrendered completely, but inwardly, it was secretly attempting to neutralize the strange black energy.

However, this power seemed unlike any it had ever known in the Xuanhuang Realm, leaving it utterly helpless.

"If a few disciples possess such methods, who then is their Master? Could it be some mighty ancient power? We have no past grievances, so why suddenly target me? Is it perhaps to deal with..." The ancient geoma tree was filled with doubt and suspicion, countless thoughts flashing through its mind.

Lin Ling, however, did not give the ancient geoma tree much time to ponder.

"Only the wise adapt to circumstances. Given that you are also a spirit tree, like me, I'll give you a chance. Submit to our Holy Dynasty, Great Qī!"

"Otherwise, I wouldn't mind reluctantly taking your place as the ancient geoma tree!" Lin Ling said coldly, her killing intent palpable.

As she spoke, verdant roots extended from beneath her feet, like countless tentacles, surging into the black swarm.

Pure green energy spread from Lin Ling's lower body, rapidly dyeing the blackness green.

Lin Ling, now controlling the replicated Beast Turning Wheel, was at this moment one with the swarm. She was the swarm, and the swarm was she.

Wherever the Dao Yi black torrent passed, it became a part of her body, reaching wherever her will extended.

If, previously, there was a possibility for the ancient geoma tree to reclaim those parts of its body infested by Dao Yi insects by finding a way to destroy all the insects and then continuously flushing them with geoma power.

But now, the portion occupied by Lin Ling...

The ancient geoma tree's face slowly turned incredibly pale.

Because it had completely lost sensation in a part of its body. It even felt an ill-intentioned presence next to its original form.

It could swallow the rest of it at any moment!

This feeling was truly chilling and further confirmed that Lin Ling's words were not empty threats.

There wasn't much time left for it...

This thought flashed through the ancient geoma tree's mind.

But defecting to the Holy Dynasty, Great Qī, would mean betraying its father.

Ruo Mu's sinister face suddenly appeared before the ancient geoma tree, causing the tree to shiver involuntarily.

The intention to surrender that had just arisen in its heart vanished instantly.

Just as the ancient geoma tree hesitated, unable to decide, it faintly sensed a special thought from Lin Ling.

"Hmm?"

After carefully pondering it and recalling Ruo Mu's recent increasingly erratic behavior, the ancient geoma tree finally made its decision.

"This old one..."

Lin Ling glanced at it slightly, and the ancient geoma tree paused, then changed its words: "I, am willing to submit to the Holy Dynasty."

Wang Xuanba stared at the ancient tree with some suspicion. Lin Ling, meanwhile, commanded, "Then come with us to meet Master."

There was no room for refusal.

Feeling the still menacing swarm within its body, the ancient geoma tree could only reluctantly agree.

Its body materialized from an ethereal state, appearing quite disheveled.

It honestly followed behind Wang Xuanba and Lin Ling.

The journey was uneventful, and they arrived within the miniature world of Great Qī.

The various unfathomable auras emanating from all directions made the ancient tree feel as if it were treading on thin ice, trembling with fear.

If two disciples could subdue it so completely, let alone the Holy Emperor of Great Qī.

Within the Holy Emperor's throne room, the tree's submission went without saying.

Besides falling into the Holy Emperor's golden net of source energy, thereby losing its freedom of body and mind and becoming a servant of Great Qī, the ancient geoma tree also confessed everything it knew about Ruo Mu.

But in the end, it saved its own life.

The Holy Dynasty, therefore, officially gained the method to find Ruo Mu's true form.

"Your Majesty, I have revealed my father's aura today, and he will surely sense it soon. Therefore, the key to success lies in speed," the ancient geoma tree, having chosen to surrender thoroughly, voluntarily offered advice to Li Ping.

"You are right. And so, I am already on my way."

Li Ping's voice came from above, but to the ancient geoma tree's astonishment, the faceless Holy Emperor's figure was slowly fading and had disappeared.

It hadn't even noticed when the other party had left.

"The Holy Emperor's power is indeed unfathomable. It is even greater than my father's..."

"Hmph, that old lunatic is in for it now."

For some reason, the ancient geoma tree actually began to feel a sense of anticipation.

Meanwhile, outside the Holy Emperor's throne room,

Wang Xuanba looked at Lin Ling, hesitating to speak.

"Just say what you want to say. If you keep looking at me like that, I might just pull out my blade."

Lin Ling's sudden remark startled Wang Xuanba.

Scratching his head, Wang Xuanba looked at his junior sister. No longer hesitating, he asked, "Just now, at the crucial moment of persuading the ancient geoma tree to surrender, Junior Sister seemed to say something to it?"

Lin Ling showed an expression of disdain, as if to say, "Is that all?"

"I merely told it that if it surrendered, I could form an alliance with it."

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