Reincarnated as a Divine Tree

Vol. 1 - Ch. 279 - Preparation

Even though they were not clan members, the snakes had their paths and the mice had their routes. Even ordinary people who survived in Yong’an City had their own ways of living.The seemingly ordinary villagers around Chaotic Burial Mountain could still play a significant role at a critical moment, just like them.

Most of the jade coins that the clan earned in Yong’an City were spent here.

Unfortunately, while these people were fairly well-informed, they were not quick to pass on news—otherwise, the clan would not have received the information until two days later.

Had a Blood Coagulation Realm warrior remained in Yong’an City, the clan would have known immediately once the Shi family made a move.

However, the clan had few Blood Coagulation Realm warriors, and Chen Xingzhen had recalled everyone to prevent accidents.

Fortunately, Yong’an City was far from the clan, and the Shi family’s large force was likely still traveling, which gave the clan time to respond.

Chen Xingzhen’s expression was grave. Earlier, his father had told him in a dream what he had heard from Shi Chenghou. This confirmed that the Shi family had a warrior in the Qi Manipulation Realm.

The Shi family would not necessarily mobilize all their strength, but the warriors who came this time were certainly their main force. Over a hundred warriors was several times the number the clan could field.

The Shi family’s Qi Manipulation Realm warrior was likely among them.

Facing such a powerful enemy, Chen Xingzhen did not harbor much hope.

Yet, when he looked at the clansmen diligently studying in the ancestral hall, a sliver of confidence returned.

No matter how strong the enemy was, the clan would not cower.

Soon, Chen Tianyu and the others arrived in haste.

Upon learning that the Shi family had mobilized, serious expressions appeared on their faces.

"Tianyu, gather some clan members and evacuate the villagers around Chaotic Burial Mountain. This will prevent innocent people from getting hurt."

“Got it!”

Chen Tianyu nodded. In fact, the family had already made preparations before the great battle. Although the villagers had little to do with the clan, Chaotic Burial Mountain was now clan territory. The villagers were also beneficial to the clan's development, so it would be best to reduce casualties.

Otherwise, once the two great families started fighting, the villagers would most likely be wiped out.

"Tianjing, later you go gather the clan and pass this message down—tell everyone to get ready!

"Qingyu, bring all clan members outside back to the family."

"Mm."

Chen Qingyu nodded, then asked, "Clan Leader, won't you let me scout the Shi family's situation?"

He was quick and of the highest realm, so sending him to reconnoiter would be most fitting.

But Chen Xingzhen shook his head.

"No, it's likely that the Shi family has a Qi Manipulation Realm warrior in their ranks. Even if you go out alone, it would be extremely dangerous to be far from the Divine Tree.”

Hearing that, Chen Qingyu did not argue.

Within the clan, he could hold his own against a Qi Manipulation Realm warrior, but outside the clan and without the protection of the Divine Tree, he knew he was no match for one.

There was already a chasm between the great realms.

“Let the people on my father’s side handle the reconnaissance this time.”

After hearing this, the others fell silent. A soul-form reconnaissance was most fitting.

However, daytime Yin Qi was too scarce for them to stay long. Only Innate Realm soul-forms could operate briefly. Still, with the clan’s Divine Tree, that wasn't a problem.

“All right, go downstairs and get ready!”

After the others left, Chen Xingzhen walked toward the ancestral hall, weighed down by worry. He was still thinking about what other ways the clan might have to repel the enemy.

The Burial Dust they had found earlier in the ancient ruins wasn't bad, but most of it had been destroyed and could no longer be used.

The ten or so clan members whose green fruits had formed on the Divine Tree would revive in a day, but they would likely be of little help to the clan.

However, the few bodies behind the ancestral hall that had recently undergone ritual refinement could still be put to use.

After ritual refinement, the clan members’ bodies had become noticeably firmer. Unfortunately, the clan’s reserves were too meager. If the clan had had more time to grow, those ritual-refined corpses might have been of considerable help.

Even if they were useless against high-realm warriors, they would be excellent for dealing with ordinary Body Tempering Realm fighters.

However, there are too few of them—only a slight improvement over nothing.

Moreover, winning this battle would be extremely difficult.

But considering this was Chaotic Burial Mountain and far from Yong’an City, it wasn’t without hope.

After all, even warriors needed to replenish their qi and blood.

Above, Ji Yang—who had also learned of the news—sighed softly to himself, it was time for life and death again.

However, compared to last time, he now felt a little more confident.

【Name: Ji Yang】

【Species: Netherworld Locust Tree】

【Vitality: 2722】

【Divine Abilites: Eye of Insight; Reversing Dan Progress; One-Leaf Obscuration; Soul Condensation; Protective Armor; Scorched Earth for a Thousand Miles; Spirit Awakening; Withered Wood Reborn; Soul Seizing; Transcendence; Qi Perception; Flourishing Branches and Leaves】

【Cultivation Techniques: Lunar Eclipse; Yin Gathering; Incense-Fire Golden Body; Spirit Devourer; Solar Eclipse】

【Combat Techniques: Taizu Long Fist; Seven Emotions, Six Desire Sword (Fragment); Taiyi Seal; Big Dipper Seven Stars Fist; Venomous Yin Wind Palm】

【Qi and Blood: 1550 (can be converted into Vitality)】

【Spirit Power: 102】

【Simulation Points: 3】

【Status: “Golden scales—surely not a creature of the pond?”】

The vitality he had absorbed over the past few days was almost depleted the last time Chen Changming and the others went out.

However, Ji Yang’s qi and blood had increased substantially; the price was that the Chen Clan had killed all the ferocious beasts within dozens of miles of Chaotic Burial Mountain.

Initially, the clan only hunted within a ten-mile radius, but they gradually extended it to twenty miles and beyond.

As the clansmen hunted, the mountain’s beasts seemed to sense the danger and began withdrawing from Chaotic Burial Mountain.

By the end, even when the clansmen hunted through secret passages, their gains were meager—almost as if they had swept up ordinary wild animals from the mountain.

The depletion of the Chaotic Burial Mountain’s ferocious beast resources was evident: at least, Ji Yang’s current qi and blood, even if converted into Vitality, amounted to more than seven hundred points.

Those extra points of Vitality kept the clansmen from worrying about injuries and allowed the soul-forms to perform multiple Overlapping Armor activations.

It also allowed Ji Yang to use his divine arts a few more times.

However, none of the Divine Arts he had gained were particularly direct or impressively powerful.

Perhaps the most lethal was Scorched Earth for a Thousand Miles, but that art did not distinguish friend from foe, so it would be difficult to use effectively in a clan-wide battle.

There was also Withered Wood Reborn, which he had obtained from a Spring Autumn Cicada, but he had never tested it.

After acquiring it, Ji Yang wanted to try it. However, when he attempted to invoke it, he sensed that it consumed an enormous amount of Vitality, markedly different from his other Divine Arts.

This made Ji Yang cautious. He could only hope that the art would play its proper role at a critical moment.