Chapter 109 ·The World Tree Sprouts

Meanwhile, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍in the Eastern Continent of the Spirit Realm, the situation was entirely different.

The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍same blizzard raged, the same freezing cold prevailed.

But ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the mortal cities of the Eastern Continent, for the most part, were still holding on.

Because ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍those righteous path sects had taken action.

Not ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍every sect had acted, but those with Golden Core cultivators or above overseeing them had mostly done what they could to help mortals.

They ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍hastened the growth of crops, using spiritual energy to protect farmland.

They set up formations to shield cities from the bitter cold.

They distributed porridge and medicine, aiding disaster victims suffering from hunger and frost.

Among them was the Azure Wave Sect.

......

Azure Wave Sect, Council Hall.

Sect Master Wu Chang’an sat at the main seat, his face weary, yet his eyes carried a trace of relief.

Below him, several elders were reporting.

“Sect Master, the situation at South Mountain City has been stabilized. The formation is operating normally, and the temperature within the city can barely be maintained.”

“As for the Western Ridge... it’s too far. Our formations cannot cover it. We can only send disciples in rotation to distribute porridge…”

Wu Chang’an listened one by one and nodded.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

An elder sighed. “It is not that it is hard work, but... Sect Master, if we continue like this, the sect’s reserves will be heavily depleted.”

“Formations require spirit stones, hastening crops requires spiritual energy, distributing porridge and medicine requires medicinal herbs... if this continues, we may not last much longer.”

Wu Chang’an fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking: “Then we endure for as long as we can.”

The elder hesitated.

Wu Chang’an looked at him calmly. “If you have something to say, speak freely.”

After a moment of hesitation, the elder finally spoke: “Sect Master, this disciple has heard... in the Southern Region, mortals have suffered massive casualties.”

“Those demonic sects have stood by and done nothing, instead waiting to harvest resentful souls.”

“Our Eastern Continent is in a somewhat better situation, but... we may not necessarily last until the end either.”

“If we continue to expend ourselves like this, when the blizzard ends, our sect’s strength will be greatly diminished. If the demonic path attacks then...”

He did not finish.

But the meaning was already clear.

Wu Chang’an did not respond immediately.

He stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the endless wind and snow outside.

After a long while, he slowly spoke: “Let me ask you—why has our Azure Wave Sect been able to stand until today?”

The elder was taken aback, thought for a moment, and replied: “Naturally because generations of ancestors managed it well, and the inheritance of techniques has never been broken…”

Wu Chang’an shook his head.

“Those are merely surface reasons.”

He turned around and looked at everyone in the hall. “The Azure Wave Sect has endured because this land has mortals.”

“When they bear children, we gain disciples.”

“If there were no mortals, how would there be an Azure Wave Sect?”

“If there were no mortals, how would there be the foundation of the Eastern Continent’s cultivation world?”

“Today, we help them not only out of compassion, but because they are, in truth, a part of us.”

“As for the demonic path attacking…”

“That is a matter for the future.”

“The future can be dealt with when it comes.”

“But the mortals before us—if we watch them die without helping, I would never find peace in my conscience for the rest of my life.”

The hall fell silent.

After a moment, an elder stood up and cupped his fists. “Sect Master is right. I am willing to take orders and continue to North River City to distribute porridge.”

Another elder stood up. “I will go to Western Ridge.”

Wu Chang’an looked at the crowd, a trace of relief flashing in his eyes.

He nodded.

“Go.”

“Stay safe.”

......

Deep within the Council Hall, a phantom figure stood quietly, watching the scene.

It was Nether Soul.

As Gu Yan’s Evil Body incarnation, he should have been the embodiment of malice.

Yet at this moment, as he watched Wu Chang’an and those elders who voluntarily stepped forward, there was not the slightest trace of disdain or brutality in his eyes—only a hint of appreciation.

Nether Soul understood very clearly that so-called evil meant being ruthless toward enemies, while still protecting one’s own side.

Those who killed indiscriminately without distinguishing friend from foe were not evil—they were mad.

......

This blizzard in the Spirit Realm lasted for four full years.

After four years, the snow finally stopped.

Sunlight once again shone upon the land, and the accumulated snow gradually melted.

Those mortals who had survived walked out of their homes, looking at the long-lost sunlight, and burst into tears.

As for those who had not endured, their bones were already buried beneath the ice and snow, turning to dust.

In the Southern Region, fewer than one in ten survived.

In the Eastern Continent, over half perished, yet the foundation was ultimately preserved.

Time flew like an arrow, days and months like a shuttle.

In the blink of an eye, another seventeen years passed.

Small Luo Cave Heaven, Longevity Hall.

Gu Yan slowly opened his eyes.

He was now four hundred and ninety-five years old, and today he had just broken through to the fifth layer of the Human Immortal Realm.

The time it took was no different from before.

He stood up and stretched his body.

Just as he was considering whether to continue cultivating, suddenly, a thought stirred.

【Entry “Fortune-Blessed Immortal Lord · Red” effect triggered, you have obtained a supreme-grade magic treasure · Profound Frost Sword】

Gu Yan glanced at it, smiled, and paid it little mind.

As expected, another ordinary item.

But he did not care.

Having good items was naturally nice.

Not having them was also fine.

With his current cultivation and wealth, a mere supreme-grade magic treasure was not worth more than a glance.

Speaking of which, ever since obtaining the Small Luo Cave Heaven, this Fortune-Blessed Immortal Lord entry had never given him anything particularly good.

Once a year it triggered, and all it gave were ordinary magic treasures, spiritual herbs, pills, and the like.

These things were no longer of use to Gu Yan.

So he casually handed them to Chen Lao and Lin Wei, letting them deal with them as they pleased.

Whether for personal use or as rewards for sect disciples, it did not matter.

Gu Yan walked out of the Longevity Hall and came to the entrance.

Three plants stood quietly before the hall.

On the left was the Nine Qi Returning to Origin Tree.

Its branches and leaves were lush, generating an immense amount of spiritual energy—it was the core of spiritual energy for the entire Small Luo Cave Heaven.

On the right was the Illusory Dao Seed of Chaos Planting a Green Lotus.

After all these years, it remained merely a phantom green lotus, with little change.

When his gaze fell upon the center, Gu Yan paused slightly.

There, buried in the soil, was the seed of the Eternal World Tree of the Myriad Heavens.

At this moment, on that once bare mound of earth, a hint of tender green had emerged.

It was a tiny sprout.

Only an inch tall, with two tender leaves just unfurling.

Gu Yan was somewhat surprised.

It had sprouted?

He remembered that the information he had comprehended back then stated that cultivating this thing would take at least a hundred years to begin growing.

How much time had passed now? And it had already sprouted?

Gu Yan looked at the little sprout, then at the Chaos Green Lotus beside it and the Nine Qi Returning to Origin Tree, deep in thought.

It seemed it had benefited from their presence.

With these two beside it, the World Tree seed sprouting early was only natural.

Gu Yan did not continue paying attention to the sprout.

Having just come out of seclusion today, he wanted to walk around and see how the Small Luo Cave Heaven had been managed by Sect Master Daoist Xuanchen.

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