55: Chapter 55 The Green Snake's Life is So Bitter
Xu Qing remained calm and composed.
In reality, he was panicking like crazy.
He currently had no power to resist at all.
Although he had long suspected the Tree Spirit had ulterior motives,
at that time, if he didn't cooperate, he would die. He simply had no choice.
The moment he was struck by lightning, he had completely fallen into the Tree Spirit's palm.
If he didn't seek out this tree, he would have been killed by the Cultivators.
He could only come to it, and thus fall into its grasp.
Thinking back, was being struck by lightning really a coincidence?
Or was everything fundamentally within the Tree Spirit's control?
The Tree Spirit put away the golden core imprint.
Then she looked in Xu Qing's direction.
She slightly raised her small hand, and tree roots pierced through his scales, taking root in his flesh.
"Resurrection Green Snake."
"A Green Snake capable of constant revival. However, such a forbidden ability naturally requires a price to be paid."
"The price is intense pain from the Soul."
"This intense pain will continuously torture the Soul, so a newly revived Resurrection Green Snake is at its most vulnerable."
The Tree Spirit floated in front of Xu Qing.
Xu Qing struggled violently, opening his mouth to bite the Tree Spirit.
A tree root pulled, dragging Xu Qing back and suppressing him beneath the tree.
The fruit tree seemed to grow upon Xu Qing's body, its roots burrowing deeper and deeper inside.
"Self-Destruct!"
Xu Qing attempted to trigger a Self-Destruct.
But before his Demonic Power could erupt, it was absorbed clean by the tree roots.
"I won't let you die and resurrect."
Xu Qing endured the pain, struggling constantly.
"What exactly do you want to do?"
He wanted to understand the Tree Spirit's goal.
"A heaven and earth spiritual root is just a joke."
"Manipulated for a lifetime, raised like livestock."
"Born of heaven and earth, a spiritual plant favored by heaven and earth—it's simply a joke!"
"I have spent a lifetime comprehending, yet I remain forever at Foundation Establishment. Even if I obtain a golden core imprint, I cannot achieve a Breakthrough."
The Tree Spirit stomped her feet in anger.
She absolutely did not want to be raised. When she told Xu Qing before that she wanted to be raised, she was merely mocking her own kind.
"Therefore, I don't want to evolve into a heaven and earth spiritual root."
"I originally planned to draw the Lightning Tribulation to a Cultivator, then take root in a human Cultivator to completely reincarnate as one."
"That one named Lin Donglan was my target."
"But then you suddenly popped out, the legendary Resurrection Green Snake that was thought to be extinct."
The Tree Spirit looked Xu Qing, who had reverted to a dark green color, up and down with satisfaction.
"...Screw you."
Xu Qing slightly regretted letting Lin Donglan go.
He had originally felt a bit guilty for dragging Lin Donglan in to shield him from disaster.
Looking at it now, he was the sucker who had shielded Lin Donglan from disaster.
What a loss.
"Although I know the legends of the Resurrection Green Snake, I have, after all, never seen its Resurrection ability."
"So, I didn't lure you over immediately; I wanted to see you resurrect once."
"As expected, it's magnificent!"
"To think such a forbidden, unreasonable ability truly exists in this world!"
The Tree Spirit spoke thus.
Meanwhile, the tree roots continued to burrow deep into Xu Qing's body, and he gradually lost control of himself.
This must be what the Tree Spirit mentioned... Fusion Reincarnation?
"Inciting you and the Golden Core Cultivator was also to force you to use all your trump cards, making it easier for me to occupy your body."
"But I didn't expect you wouldn't be tempted by the golden core imprint and only wanted to escape."
"Even more unexpected was that you could slay a Golden Core using wood armor without even needing your Resurrection ability."
As the Tree Spirit said this, her eyes showed admiration and covetousness.
"I can only say you are worthy of being the legendary Green Snake, with peerless talent."
"After resurrecting, and being heavily injured, you are extremely weak."
Xu Qing felt his heart go cold.
The Tree Spirit, with her Female Child appearance, chuckled like an angel.
But it was only 'like' an angel...
He was so passive that even the path to death was blocked off.
Xu Qing steeled his heart, wanting to bite down on the bead he had been holding in his mouth, letting Silly Snake trigger the toxin to kill him so he could resurrect and escape control.
"Hehe, aren't you looking down on me a bit too much?"
The Tree Spirit lightly hooked her finger, and Xu Qing's mouth instantly became unable to move.
She reached out, stuck her hand into Xu Qing's mouth, and took out the bead.
Xu Qing struggled with all his might, the picture of desperate resistance.
"Do you have any conscience at all?"
"I am just a tree."
The Tree Spirit replied.
It was a line Xu Qing often said.
Argh, she stole the Green Snake's line. Unbearable, absolutely unbearable.
"I will take you to a safe place."
"Peacefully enjoy these final moments."
The Tree Spirit used the tree roots to wrap Xu Qing up and flew toward the depths of the Monster Beast Mountain Range.
Xu Qing constantly fought for control of his body.
But having just resurrected, his Soul was extremely weak, and he could only barely hold on and resist.
Falling was only a matter of time.
But Xu Qing could only grit his teeth; he had to use all his strength to stall for time.
The entire Monster Beast Mountain Range, the luring of the Yao Beasts, the falling of the Lightning Tribulation—
all of it was the scheme of this Tree Spirit with a child's appearance. Everyone and every Yao was being toyed with by a heaven and earth spiritual root.
The Tree Spirit carried Xu Qing along as she flew until they reached a hidden underground cave.
She looked at the cave with satisfaction, then controlled Xu Qing to enter.
They went all the way to the depths of the cave.
She set Xu Qing down and began to form hand seals with her small hands.
Vast Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi gathered toward the depths of the cave, enveloping Xu Qing and the Tree Spirit.
The tree roots began to grow faster, eroding Xu Qing's body bit by bit.
The Tree Spirit sat cross-legged on Xu Qing's head, her entire body emitting a glazed, multicolored light.
Xu Qing's head emitted a green light, resisting the erosion of the glazed light with all his might.
"Hey, hey, hey, what are you still resisting for?"
"Resisting now will only increase your pain."
"Even for a tree like me, I want you to pass away peacefully."
The Female Child opened her eyes and patted Xu Qing's head in confusion.
Xu Qing was fuming with rage hearing this.
Listen to that—is that something a human would say? No, she's a tree, so never mind.
He endured the pain and pondered for three seconds.
"I wouldn't let you have it easy even if I die."
After saying this, Xu Qing spoke no more, simply enduring the pain and resisting the Tree Spirit's erosion with all his strength.
No matter what the Tree Spirit said, he turned a deaf ear.
Time slowly passed in the cave, and the green light gradually showed signs of fading under the glazed light.
The horrific pain of the Soul being worn away continued to intensify.
"Compared to the pain of Resurrection, this is just a tickle."
...
On the outskirts of the Monster Beast Mountain Range.
Xu Linger looked at the bead in her hand with a worried expression.
"It's already been three days, and the bead hasn't broken yet."
"Has something happened or not?"
She looked at Silly Snake, thinking to herself.
As time passed, Silly Snake also began to grow restless.
If the bead hadn't broken within four days, they would have to trigger the toxin to kill Xu Qing once.
It would naturally be best if it broke on its own.
...
Deep in the cave, Xu Qing was still desperately resisting.
The entire heaven and earth spiritual root had already fully integrated into Xu Qing's body.
[Ding, new evolution path unlocked]
[Azure Wood Si Green Snake] Spirit Snake, born of heaven and earth, a Spirit Snake favored by heaven and earth, already extinct. Wood, Wind, and Water triple attributes. Known as a living heaven and earth spiritual root, possessing the characteristics of a heaven and earth spiritual root. Its flesh can increase longevity and break through realms; its bones and scales can be used to forge top-grade wood-attribute Spiritual Artifacts. The Azure Wood Si Green Snake can condense a natal spirit seed; if the main body dies, it can choose to resurrect from where the spirit seed is planted. Taking it as a spirit pet is equivalent to obtaining a top-tier spirit pet while also gaining a living heaven and earth spiritual root.