31: Aokijie picked up a sapling spirit

In the back mountains of the All Heavens Star Palace, the spiritual spring eye area, which had been tightly sealed by Lie Tian's Blazing Golden Divine Flame dome, finally quieted down. The erratic force, which was alternately freezing and warm, and carried destructive Sword Intent, was temporarily suppressed. But Lin Xuan knew this was just a seemingly calm volcano, and the three ancestors underneath might provoke each other again at any time.

"Damn it, I can't live like this anymore!" Lin Xuan looked at the spiritual spring area, still faintly radiating energy fluctuations despite being isolated by the divine flame dome, his head buzzing. His ninth disciple was still nowhere in sight, and the time bomb at home could explode at any moment. He opened the system panel, looked at the pitiful five thousand-plus points of luck, and the solitary All Heavens Mall lottery ticket, and steeled his heart.

"System! Draw! Right now! Give me something that can find people! Be quick! Be accurate! Be able to pinpoint that Child of Destiny!" Lin Xuan practically roared. He was now counting on this last draw to turn the tables!

Ding! Using All Heavens Mall Lottery Ticket!

Drawing… Congratulations, Host, you have obtained: Myriad Worlds Treasure Hunt Compass, One-Time Lock-On Edition!

Effect: Input target characteristics (Child of Destiny, Ancient Monster, associated with Insect Race Shura), can lock onto its current location in a mortal realm plane! Precise delivery! Honest dealings!

"Lock-On Edition? One-time use?" Lin Xuan looked at the palm-sized, ancient-looking, dilapidated compass with a wildly trembling needle, feeling a bit exasperated. This thing looked unreliable, and it could only be used once? But there was no other option now.

"Alright! Dead horse as a living horse!" Lin Xuan faced the compass and silently chanted in his mind: "Find me one! An SSS+ talent! A Child of Destiny! An Ancient Monster! And one that's somewhat connected to insects or Shura! Preferably someone who can solve all the messy problems at home!"

Buzz—!

The needle on the compass spun wildly as if electrified! After a few seconds, it suddenly stopped! Steadily pointing in a direction in the void! At the same time, a line of small characters appeared on the compass's surface: Target locked! Aoki Realm · Depths of the Misty Forest!

"Aoki Realm? Misty Forest?" Lin Xuan's eyes lit up! It worked! Although he didn't know what it was, he finally had a target!

"Lie Tian! Get to work!" Lin Xuan put away the compass, grabbed Ye Chen, who was still diligently digesting insights in the spiritual spring with a bewildered expression, and handed him a spirit-rich jade pendant he had pilfered from Emperor Qinglan's treasury. "Kid, take this and go to the main peak to find your Senior Sister Yun Qingyao. Have her arrange a place for you to stay and teach you some basics. Don't run around! Your master is going out to pick up a junior brother or sister for you!"

Ye Chen held the warm jade pendant, looking at Lin Xuan's hurried back, opened his mouth, and finally managed to squeeze out one word: "...Yes." His voice was still hoarse. This master... is truly efficient.

"Roar! Master! What are we picking up this time? Not another zombie or a nuclear bomb, right!" Lie Tian grumbled as he skillfully tore open a spatialaisle and plunged in with Lin Xuan on his back!

Aoki Realm, depths of the Misty Forest.

This place was completely different from a dilapidated mortal city like Black Rock City. Towering ancient trees obscured the sky, vines intertwined, and the air was so humid it could be wrung out, permeated with a rich, mixed scent of earth, decaying leaves, and strange herbs. Thick white mist lingered year-round, visibility was pitifully low, and even Lin Xuan's Law-Breaking Sword Eyes were significantly weakened, only able to see about a hundred meters.

"Roar, Master, this place is eerie." Lie Tian's massive body moved through the giant trees, its blazing golden flames retracted to its body surface, dispelling the damp, cold mist that tried to entwine it, its tiger eyes vigilantly scanning its surroundings. It could feel that there were many strong presences hidden in this forest, and there was a faint feeling of being watched.

Lin Xuan said nothing, his Law-Breaking Sword Eyes operating at full power, following the compass's guidance deeper. The further they went, the thicker the mist, the darker the light, and the eerily quiet surroundings; even insect chirps and bird calls had disappeared. There was only the slight crunching sound of the thick humus layer underfoot.

Suddenly!

"Rustle, rustle, rustle."

An extremely subtle sound, like countless leaves rubbing together, came from the depths of the dense fog ahead! The sound was so dense it made one's scalp tingle!

Lie Tian suddenly stopped, his tiger fur bristling: "Roar! Master! Something's there! Many of them!"

Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed, his Law-Breaking Sword Eyes piercing through the dense fog! He saw that in the forest clearing ahead, covered by giant ferns, countless insects had appeared, densely packed!

These insects were not large, only palm-sized, and presented a strange withered wood color. Their exoskeletons were covered with twisted wood grain, and their eight slender legs resembled withered branches. They moved silently, only their carapaces rubbing together to produce a rustling sound. Their scarlet compound eyes flickered with cold light in the mist, and their mouthparts opened and closed, revealing fine serrated teeth. The most bizarre thing was that the aura they emitted was subtly connected to the surrounding towering ancient trees, as if they had climbed directly out of the trees!

"Wood Nightmare Insects?" Lin Xuan frowned. He had seen these things in the Insect Race illustrated guide provided by the system. They were a variant branch of the World-Devouring Insects, skilled at camouflage, parasitizing trees, and feeding on the essence of wood spirits. Wherever they passed, forests withered and the land became barren! He hadn't expected to encounter them in this small forest of a mortal realm! And looking at their numbers... at least ten thousand! Among them were dozens of larger insect guards with auras approaching the Core Formation stage!

"Roar! A bunch of wooden lumps! How dare you block the way?" Lie Tian let out a low roar, and his Blazing Golden Divine Flame was about to erupt! He never went easy on insects!

"Wait!" Lin Xuan suddenly raised his hand to stop him, his Law-Breaking Sword Eyes fixed on the center of the insect swarm!

In the center of that sea of withered wood-colored insects, a small figure was trapped!

It was a little girl who looked only seven or eight years old. She wore a "small dress" simply woven from emerald green vines and fresh tree leaves, her bare feet, and her exposed arms and legs were fair and tender. Her messy dark green hair was disheveled, with a few blades of grass still clinging to it. Her small face was dirty, but her features were exquisitely refined, unlike a mortal, especially her eyes, which were a pure, jade-green, like the finest emeralds! At this moment, those big green eyes were filled with terror and helplessness, tears hung on her long eyelashes, and her small mouth was pursed, trying hard not to cry out.

She was being forced back step by step by the insect swarm, her back against a huge ancient tree that emitted a faint, glowing green light. The ancient tree also seemed to be suffering from the insects' erosion, its branches and leaves appearing somewhat withered.

What truly made Lin Xuan's pupils constrict was—this little girl was actually emitting an extremely pure, rich, and unresolvable life aura! This aura perfectly blended with the wood spirit energy of the surrounding forest, yet it carried an... indescribable will of purification and protection! Around her small body, a very faint but incredibly tough emerald green light shield had formed. The withered wood mouthparts and sharp claws of the Wood Nightmare Insects scraped against the light shield, emitting hissing corrosive sounds, but for a while, they couldn't break through!

More importantly! Under his Law-Breaking Sword Eyes, Lin Xuan clearly saw that deep within the little girl's life essence, there was an extremely subtle, yet incredibly resilient... green thread intertwined! This thread pierced through the void, its distant direction pointing to... precisely those worlds in the All Heavens and Myriad Realms that were suffering from insect plagues and withered vegetation! She seemed to be inherently bound to the vitality of "wood" and had an endless karmic connection with the "insects" that destroyed vitality!

Child of Destiny! Ancient Monster! Full connection to the Insect Race! It had to be her!

"Roar! Master! That little one can't hold on much longer!" Lie Tian saw a Core Formation stage Wood Nightmare Insect Guard raising its sharp, withered wood foreleg, fiercely stabbing at the shaky emerald green light shield!

"Scram!"

Lin Xuan didn't watch idly this time. He pointed his fingers like a sword, not even getting up, but simply pointed casually from hundreds of meters away towards the insect swarm!

Buzz!

There was no earth-shattering sword qi, only a wisp of gray, chaotic sword qi, thinner than a hair, silently traversing space!

Puff! Puff! Puff!

Like a red-hot needle piercing butter!

The Core Formation insect guard about to commit evil, along with a dozen or so ordinary Wood Nightmare Insects around it, suddenly stiffened! A tiny, imperceptible hole appeared simultaneously in their foreheads! The next instant, their withered wood-colored bodies, along with the strange wood nightmare evil qi within them, turned into the most primordial dust from the inside out, silently, as if thrown into an invisible furnace of annihilation! Not even a speck of residue remained!

This was like poking a hornet's nest! The entire Wood Nightmare Insect swarm instantly erupted! The rustling turned into sharp hissing! Countless scarlet compound eyes locked onto Lin Xuan and Lie Tian! The tidal wave of insects abandoned the little girl, surging towards Lin Xuan like a withered wood-colored death torrent!

"Roar! Seeking death!" Lie Tian had been holding back for too long. Seeing the insects dare to charge actively, he let out an excited roar, his mountain-like body suddenly stood up! The blazing golden divine flame erupted like a volcanic eruption, sweeping out with a roar!

Boom—!

The scorching divine flame and the withered wood-colored insect tide collided fiercely! Piercing burning sounds and the dying shrieks of insects rang out in a cacophony! Large swaths of Wood Nightmare Insects turned into charcoal in the divine flame! The air was filled with the acrid smell of burning wood and the strange smell of burnt protein.

However, these Wood Nightmare Insects were extremely strange! They didn't seem to completely fear flames; some insects glowed with withered wood-colored evil runes, actually enduring the scorching of the divine flame and continuing their charge without slowing down! Even more insects burrowed directly underground, trying to launch a sneak attack from below!

"Oh? A bit tricky?" Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow, not expecting these mortal realm insects to be so tenacious. He had just integrated the origin of the Chaos Sword Body and was itching to test its power.

"Sword Domain, open."

Lin Xuan calmly uttered three words.

Buzz—!!!

Centered on him, within a radius of a thousand meters, space suddenly solidified! An indescribable Nirvana Sword Intent, as if capable of severing all life and ending all things, instantly unfolded like an invisible domain!

Within the domain, time seemed to become viscous and slow!

The Wood Nightmare Insects, which were frantically charging, instantly moved like a slow-motion movie! In their scarlet compound eyes, terror was clearly reflected! It was a fear of absolute death!

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

No sword light was seen! But within the domain, all Wood Nightmare Insects, regardless of size or strength, whether on the ground or underground, instantly became covered with countless crisscrossing gray fine lines! The next second!

Puff puff puff—!

Like dominoes being toppled! Tens of thousands of Wood Nightmares, along with dozens of Golden Core Insect Guards, were simultaneously sliced by billions of invisible blades!

They instantly disintegrated! Turning into a sky full of evenly sized, fingernail-sized, withered wood fragments! Like a bizarre rain of wood chips!

There was no struggle, no screams. Only dead silence and annihilation!

With just a single thought! Within the domain, the insect swarm was completely annihilated!

"Roar, Master, this new move of yours is a bit terrifying," Lie Tian said, his tiger eyes wide as he watched the sky full of insect corpse fragments fall, even forgetting to retract the Divine Flame on his body. This efficiency was even faster and cleaner than his Divine Flame barbecue!

Lin Xuan also nodded in satisfaction. The Chaos Sword Body combined with Nirvana Sword Intent, plus this Sword Domain, made clearing out small monsters incredibly satisfying! And the consumption was even less than expected!

He retracted the Sword Domain, took a step, and his figure appeared in front of the little girl who was still scared silly.

The little girl was still in the posture of holding her head with both hands and tightly closing her eyes, tears hanging on her long eyelashes, her small body trembling. She seemed to not have noticed the disappearance of the insect swarm, nor Lin Xuan's approach.

"Hey, little one, it's alright now," Lin Xuan tried to make his voice sound as gentle as possible.

The little girl shivered in fright, then cautiously opened one large emerald-green eye. Seeing the unfamiliar Lin Xuan in front of her, and then looking at the empty ground around them, where only wood chips floated, her small mouth pouted, and she burst into tears with a "Waa!"

"Wuu waa! Tree Grandpa! The bugs bit Tree Grandpa! Nuan Nuan couldn't fight them off! Waa!" She cried so sadly, tears falling like broken strings of pearls, her small shoulders twitching.

Lin Xuan: "..." He was most afraid of children crying. Especially soft, fragile-looking little toddlers like this.

"Don't cry! I've killed all the bugs!" Lin Xuan was a bit flustered, wanting to pat her little head, but afraid his hand might be too heavy and hurt her. "Look, Tree Grandpa is fine too!" He pointed to the ancient tree behind her, which was emitting a faint green glow.

The little girl sniffled and turned around. Sure enough, she saw that although the giant ancient tree's branches and leaves were still somewhat withered, the traces of being gnawed and corroded by the insects on its trunk were slowly healing at a visible speed, and the vitality it emitted had also stabilized considerably. Only then did she stop her loud wailing, turning into soft sobs, her emerald-green eyes watery as she looked at Lin Xuan, filled with curiosity and a hint of dependence?

"Who are you?" the little girl asked timidly, her voice soft and sweet, with a crying tone.

"Me?" Lin Xuan grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth. "I was just passing by. I saw you being bullied by bugs, so I lent a hand. Little one, what's your name? Why are you alone in this big forest?"

"I... I'm called Mu Ling Nannan..." The little girl sniffed and said softly, "This is Nuan Nuan's home, Tree Grandpa is Nuan Nuan's home." She stretched out her fair, tender little hand and gently stroked the trunk of the giant tree, her actions full of reverence.

Under the Law-Breaking Sword Eyes, Lin Xuan saw clearly. This little girl's life origin was indeed closely connected to this giant ancient tree! As if she was an elf nurtured by this tree! And her talent... Ding! Target scanned!

Name: Mu Ling Nannan

Bone Age: 7 years old, Tree Age: Unknown

Status: Frightened, slight origin loss

Talent: SSS+ Rank · Child of Nature

Physique: Innate B-Wood Spirit Body (Perfect!)

Abilities: Communicate with plants, promote plant growth and healing, purify defilement, special attack against insect race evil energy

Potential: Highly compatible with the Law of Natural Vitality! Best gardener for the World Tree!

Evaluation: A walking super healer! Bane of insect race evil energy! Has miraculous effects on repairing damaged worlds! Strongly recommended for discipleship!

Child of Nature! Innate B-Wood Spirit Body! Bane of insect race evil energy! And can repair worlds?

Lin Xuan's eyes were practically glowing green! This wasn't just a disciple; this was clearly a super logistics manager + environmental restoration expert + insect race purifier! The Nirvana Death Qi emanating from that black coffin at home might even be neutralized by this little one's life purification power! And those worlds ravaged by insects... this was simply a stage tailor-made for her!

"Nuan Nuan," Lin Xuan's smile instantly became incredibly kind and approachable. He squatted down, looking at the little girl at eye level, "Look, there are so many bugs in this forest, how dangerous! Tree Grandpa was also bitten by bugs and needs to rest well, right?"

Mu Ling Nannan looked at the healing wounds on Tree Grandpa's trunk, then at the empty ground around them, and nodded her small head, her emerald-green eyes full of worry.

"How about coming with Uncle?" Lin Xuan began to coax. "Uncle's home is really big! There are so many, many big trees, even taller and stronger than Tree Grandpa! And sweet spirit spring water! Most importantly, Uncle's home has many powerful big brothers and big sisters who specialize in fighting bugs! Nuan Nuan, come back with Uncle, help Uncle take care of those big trees, and by the way, help the big brothers and big sisters drive away those bad bugs, okay? When Tree Grandpa recovers from his injuries, Uncle will send you back to see him!"

Lin Xuan offered a triple temptation: big trees, spirit spring, and bug fighting.

Mu Ling Nannan blinked her emerald-green eyes, looked at Lin Xuan's sincere face, then turned back to look at the weakened Tree Grandpa who needed rest. A conflicted expression appeared on her small face. She was reluctant to leave Tree Grandpa, but what Uncle said... seemed to make a lot of sense? And Uncle was so amazing at fighting bugs just now! Those bad bugs were gone in an instant!

"Then if Nuan Nuan helps Uncle take care of the big trees and drives away the bad bugs, will Uncle really send Nuan Nuan back to see Tree Grandpa?" the little girl asked timidly, with a hint of anticipation.

"Of course! Uncle keeps his word!" Lin Xuan patted his chest, thinking, by the time Tree Grandpa recovers, your Tree Grandpa might even want to move to my place where the spiritual energy is more abundant.

"Mhm!" Mu Ling Nannan finally showed a sweet smile, nodding her small head vigorously. "Nuan Nuan will go with Uncle! Help Uncle fight the bad bugs!"

Ding! Target Mu Ling Nannan agrees to become a disciple!

Discipleship successful! One direct disciple added.

Evaluation begins.

Disciple Talent: SSS+ Rank · Child of Nature (Unawakened!), SSS Rank · Innate B-Wood Spirit Body (Perfect!). Immense potential.

Discipleship Process: Host heroically saved the tree, displayed powerful strength, and promised a beautiful future of caring for big trees and fighting bugs! Process rating: S+ Rank!

Comprehensive Evaluation: SSS+ Rank! Triggering Ten Thousand Times Return Critical Hit!

Ding! Congratulations to Host for receiving Ten Thousand Times Return Reward: World Tree Sapling (Vibrant Edition) x1!

Effect: Contains endless vitality and world origin! Can purify defilement, nourish all things, stabilize space, and slowly repair world damage! Has absolute suppressive power against insect race evil energy! Sect Luck Foundation doubled!

Ding! Congratulations to Host for receiving additional rewards: 80,000 Sect Luck Points! 100 drops of Life Origin Liquid (can accelerate spiritual plant growth and repair origins)! One All Heavens Mall 50% off coupon!

World Tree Sapling? Sect Luck Foundation directly doubled? 80,000 Luck Points? And Life Origin Liquid?

Lin Xuan looked at the system prompts, feeling his heart about to burst from his chest! How was this just a huge profit? This was practically robbing the Creator God's treasure vault!

Without another word, he carefully picked up Mu Ling Nannan, who was still in aignorant state, curiously looking at Lie Tian. The little one was as light as a leaf. "Let's go! Nuan Nuan! Come home with Uncle! Uncle will take you to see big houses and big trees!"

"Roar! Master! What you picked up this time... seems to be a treasure!" Lie Tian's tiger eyes gleamed as he looked at the little one radiating rich vitality in Lin Xuan's arms, and then at the World Tree Sapling rewarded by the system.

"Nonsense! Hurry home!" Lin Xuan, holding his newly accepted ninth disciple, was in high spirits. "Those troublesome matters at home finally have hope!"

...All Heavens Star Palace, Small Immortal Realm new home.

At the entrance of the newly built "All Heavens Transfer Station" valley in the back mountain of the main peak, it was bustling with activity.

"Quick, quick, quick! Senior Brother Su Yuan has deduced it! Another large insect nest has been discovered in the Black Tortoise Realm! Led by a Nascent Soul Insect King! Plenty of spoils to be had!"

"Senior Brother Chu! Is your newly modified Star Barbecue Grill Generation II ready? Last time, that batch of insect armor wasn't crispy enough!"

"Senior Sister Linglong! Please put away your divine ability! Your demonic sound ear-piercing is efficient at killing bugs, but our brains hurt!"

"Mmm mmm mmm!" Kong Ming was tightly covered by a silence barrier, gesticulating wildly, seemingly wanting to express something, but no one understood.

Yun Qingyao, in a moon-white dress, was as cold and aloof as an immortal, directing in an orderly manner:

"Xinghe, your formation is responsible for segmenting the insect swarm and crowd control, cooperating with Qi Qi's Nirvana True Flame for area clearing."

"Linglong, Su Yuan, you two are responsible for flanking harassment and weakness marking. Kong Ming... you are responsible for quiet transcendence."

"Outer Sect Disciples are responsible for clearing the battlefield, collecting materials, and rescuing survivors! Move quickly! Pay attention to safety!"

Chu Xinghe was squatting beside a strangely shaped, huge metal platform covered with star patterns, tapping and banging with a wrench. Hearing this, he didn't even lift his head: "Almost ready! This time I added 'Chaos Malice Qi' flamethrowers! Guaranteed crispy on the outside and tender on the inside!"

Feng Qiqi rubbed her hands together, the scorching white Nirvana True Flame leaping at her fingertips, her small face full of excitement: "Sister Qing Yao, don't worry! I'll make sure to burn them until they don't even recognize their own mothers!"

Linglong smiled playfully, shaking the pseudo-Myriad Transformation Demonic Banner in her hand, the demonic sound faintly present: "Don't worry, Senior Sister ~ I'll make sure the bugs dance themselves to death ~"

Su Yuan's deduction compass glowed, rapidly marking the structural weaknesses of the insect nest. Kong Ming... continued to perform a silent play within the silence barrier.

The entire All Heavens Star Palace, like an efficiently operating war machine, under Yun Qingyao's coordination, aggressively rushed towards another world ravaged by insect plague!

And Lin Xuan, holding his newly accepted tree spirit disciple, Mu Ling Nannan, who was curiously observing the new world with her emerald-green eyes, watched his disciples enthusiastically set off to kill bugs. Feeling the majestic vitality of the World Tree Sapling in his item bar, and the eighty thousand plus luck points in his account... He let out a long sigh, his mouth stretched into a wide grin.

"Ninth one done!"

"Those troublesome matters at home... are saved!"

"My disciples are killing bugs for income..."

"This life... finally has some direction!"

"Nuan Nuan," Lin Xuan gently ruffled the little girl's soft green hair, pointing to the distant, star-studded main hall, smiling like a kidnapper, "Let's go! Uncle will take you to plant a tree! A super big tree!"