68: Chapter 68 Dead Tree Comes Back to Life

The limitations of Spiritual Root Aptitude were like a chasm, lying before him.

He had tried every method.

Medicinal Pills, secret techniques, Opportunities—nothing helped.

At the age of one hundred and forty, he returned to the Qingmu Sect, back to that bamboo forest.

The bamboo forest remained, the bamboo leaves rustling, exactly as they had been in his youth.

He sat before the grave of Uncle-Master Fang, drinking his homemade Spirit Tea, gazing at the distant mountains.

The setting sun dyed the bamboo forest gold.

He suddenly smiled.

"Uncle-Master Fang," he said softly.

"You were right. My Aptitude is limited; I cannot reach the Golden Core."

"But I have no regrets."

He lowered his head, looking at his aged hands.

These hands had planted countless Spiritual Plants, fought countless battles, and saved countless lives.

"This path, I have walked it worthily."

He closed his eyes.

The wind of the bamboo forest was still blowing.

[Simulation Ended]

[Life Summary: Lin Yue, lived to the age of one hundred and fifty-three, Medium Grade Wood Spiritual Root, Outer Sect Disciple of the Qingmu Sect, Foundation Establishment Peak. Diligent throughout his life, compensating for clumsiness with hard work, creator of the "Green Wood Fist", achieved the realm of "Withered Wood Meets Spring". Although he did not reach the Golden Core, he had no shame in his heart.]

[Evaluation: Low Grade A (Limited talent, but firm will and character, formed his own school)]

[Inheritance Options:]

[1. Complete "Green Wood Fist" Legacy (Includes thirteen basic forms, methods for circulating Spiritual Qi, and the ultimate form "Withered Wood Meets Spring")]

[2. One Hundred Years of Combat Experience (Significantly improves combat reaction, combat intuition, and judgment against enemies)]

[3. Qingmu Sect Spiritual Plant Insights (Includes secret techniques for cultivating various Spiritual Plants, complementary to the "Evergreen Plant Truth Scripture")]

The night was deep, the candlelight in the storeroom flickering.

Li Changsheng opened his eyes, a complex light flashing in them.

One hundred and fifty-three years.

From youth to old age, from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment Peak, from a beginner to creating his own fist technique.

The Lin Yue of that world was him, and yet, not him.

But that state of mind, that realization of "vitality", that combat instinct tempered from countless life-and-death struggles, had already been deeply branded into his Divine Soul.

He lowered his head, looking at his own hands.

These hands had fought countless battles in the simulated world, killed Yao Beasts, saved people, and killed people.

Now, these hands had returned to his Qi Refining Level 4 body.

But that memory, that experience, that ultimate realization of "Withered Wood Meets Spring", remained.

[Select Inheritance: 1. "Green Wood Fist" Complete Legacy & 2. One Hundred Years of Combat Experience]

[Warning: Inheriting both will consume all simulation attempts and impose a significant burden on the host's Divine Soul. Confirm?]

"Confirm."

In an instant, a massive amount of memory surged in like a tide!

One hundred and fifty-three years of life, details of countless battles, the exertion of power and circulation of Spiritual Qi for every punch and kick, every realization and decision at critical moments of life and death.

It all surged into his Divine Soul!

He let out a muffled groan, veins bulging on his forehead, biting his teeth tightly, his body curling into a ball.

He did not know how much time had passed.

Perhaps it was an instant, perhaps an hour.

The impact finally subsided.

Li Changsheng opened his eyes, his body already soaked in cold sweat.

He slowly raised his right hand and made a fist.

Spiritual Qi circulated, following the path of the "Green Wood Fist" within his body.

The feeling was as natural as if he had practiced it a thousand times.

He threw a punch; it was silent, yet it left a faint green fist shadow in the air.

As the fist shadow dissipated, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

The minor tournament in half a month.

He would wait.

Outside the window, the moonlight was like water.

That Spirit Tea Tree swayed gently in the night wind, the dew on its leaves reflecting tiny glittering points of light.

His new trump card was ready.

The peaceful days did not last two days.

A piece of news made Li Changsheng furious.

The news was brought by Ding San.

That evening, Li Changsheng was watering the Spirit Tea Tree by the ridge, and Ding San ran over, panting, his face looking very ugly.

"Junior Brother Li! It's bad! Something happened over at Houtu Peak!"

Li Changsheng paused and looked up at him.

"What happened?"

"That fellow villager of yours, Shi Tiezhu!"

Ding San wiped his sweat.

"I heard that he found some treasure while hauling in the mine, but it was snatched by someone, and they broke one of his arms!"

Li Changsheng's gaze suddenly turned cold.

"Where is he?"

"The infirmary of the Hundred Crafts Academy at Houtu Peak. I just passed by and heard people talking about it..."

Before he could finish, Li Changsheng had already put down the water bucket and strode out.

The Houtu Peak infirmary was a row of simple wooden houses, with a few Hundred Crafts Academy Disciples standing at the entrance, whispering to each other.

Seeing Li Changsheng approach, they stepped aside, their gazes complex.

Li Changsheng pushed the door and entered.

The room was filled with the smell of medicine. Shi Tiezhu was lying on a wooden couch by the window, his right arm wrapped in bandages, his face pale, cold sweat still seeping from his forehead.

An old man in grey was taking his pulse. Seeing someone enter, he looked up.

"You are..."

"His fellow villager."

Li Changsheng walked to the bedside, crouched down, and looked at Shi Tiezhu.

Shi Tiezhu opened his eyes, and seeing it was him, his lips moved.

He wanted to say something, but only let out a hoarse "Brother Changsheng".

"Don't speak."

Li Changsheng pressed his shoulder and turned to the old man in grey.

"Senior, how is his injury?"

The old man sighed.

"The ulna and radius of his right arm are both broken, the joints are shattered, and the Meridians are also severely damaged."

"I have already used bone-knitting ointment to set it, but full recovery... is difficult."

"I'm afraid he won't be able to do heavy labor in the future, and casting Spells will also be affected."

Li Changsheng was silent for a moment, then took out a small jade bottle from his bosom and handed it to the old man.

"This is spiritual liquid extracted from Jade Dew Ginseng, which has miraculous effects on external injuries and the recovery of Meridians. Please, Senior, use it on him. I will pay for however many Spirit Stones it costs."

The old man took the jade bottle, opened it, and smelled it, his eyes lighting up.

"Such pure spiritual liquid! This... this is worth at least two or three hundred Spirit Stones..."

"It doesn't matter," Li Changsheng said, "As long as he can recover as soon as possible."

The old man nodded and began to change Shi Tiezhu's dressing.

Li Changsheng sat by the couch and waited for the old man to finish and leave before asking in a low voice.

"What happened?"

Shi Tiezhu gritted his teeth and recounted the incident intermittently.

This afternoon, while he was hauling stones in the abandoned mine behind Houtu Peak, he had accidentally discovered a pale gold stone the size of a fist among the rubble.

The stone was warm in texture and faintly emitted fluctuations of Spiritual Qi, appearing to be some kind of Ore essence.

He recognized that it might be "Stone Marrow".

A Body Refining treasure that could greatly strengthen bones, so he carefully put it away.

Who knew that just as he walked out of the mine, he would be stopped by three people.

"They were from Wanqi Peak,"

Shi Tiezhu's eyes were full of hatred.

"The leader is named Wang Xin, Qi Refining Level 4."

"He saw the Stone Marrow in my arms and snatched it without a word. I wouldn't give it to him, so they beat me."

"Three people ganged up on me, and I couldn't beat them..."

His voice dropped.

"Wang Xin said that this thing should belong to Wanqi Peak, and trash like me doesn't deserve to have it."

"Then he... he stepped on my arm in front of the other two..."

Li Changsheng listened, his expression becoming calmer and calmer.

But beneath that calmness, something was burning.

"Wang Xin,"

He said slowly.

"Is he one of Zhao Yan's people?"

Shi Tiezhu was startled.

"You, how did you know?"

"I guessed."

Li Changsheng stood up.

"Where did he go after he snatched the Stone Marrow?"

"I, I don't know..."

Shi Tiezhu looked at him, a trace of worry flashing in his eyes.