The village chief slowly approached the Tree of Life, as if preparing to embrace it. However, Zhang Nu quickly realized what the chief was about to do—he was planning to sacrifice his own life to the Tree of Life.
“Chief, don’t!” Zhang Nu shouted, but before his words could take effect, the chief’s body dissolved into specks of light in front of the Tree of Life.
The radiant fragments floated toward the Tree’s trunk, merging with it.
Everyone watching this scene was stunned. They couldn’t believe what had just happened, especially the village elder. She had been determined to save her grandson from the clutches of the Tree of Life, only to see him willingly sacrifice himself to it.
“Why? Why did you have to do this? I was so close to succeeding!”
“Why would you give your life to the Tree of Life? You had a chance to survive!”
Zhang Nu, seeing the elder’s despair, understood that she didn’t fully grasp the depth of the village chief’s commitment. But now it was time to lay everything bare.
“Granny, isn’t it clear by now? The chief could never stand by and watch the Tree of Life wither away.”
“Now his power has been absorbed into the Tree of Life, like a mere stream merging into an ocean. It hasn’t brought the Tree back to life, nor has it reversed its decay.”
“Please, Granny, stop this. Otherwise, the chief’s sacrifice will have been in vain.”
The village elder hesitated for a moment, her mind clouded with doubt. She couldn’t understand why the chief had chosen to sacrifice himself if what she was doing was truly wrong. All she had wanted was to free the villagers from their suffering, yet her actions had led her grandson to his death.
“No! I won’t stop. Everything I’ve done has been for the sake of the villagers.”
“I haven’t done anything wrong,” she insisted.
Zhang Nu sighed, realizing that the old woman had become blinded by her determination. To her, destroying the Tree of Life had become the sole purpose of her existence. Nothing and no one could deter her.
As Zhang Nu and the others continued to argue about the Tree of Life, the YaoGuai from Nine Fox Ridge began descending the mountain.
Long ago, they had made a pact with the first village chief: as long as the Tree of Life remained intact, they would not harm the villagers. But the Illusion YaoGuai could sense that the Tree of Life was now withering, its energy fading. This was their moment. With the Tree of Life in its final stages of decline, it was the perfect opportunity to strike.
As Zhang Nu was still trying to save the Tree, the YaoGuai arrived at its base. Everyone turned to face the unexpected intruders, their intentions clear from the menacing aura they carried.
Liu Hai immediately recognized them as the YaoGuai from Nine Fox Ridge.
Although he didn’t understand why they hadn’t revealed themselves when the village elder had led them up the mountain earlier, their current presence left no doubt—they were here for the Tree of Life.
“You filthy YaoGuais, why have you come down the mountain? Get back to where you belong!” Liu Hai shouted angrily.
The YaoGuais laughed mockingly at his words, as if they had just heard an amusing joke.
“What right do you have to order us around?”
“What could you possibly do to stop us?”
“The Tree of Life has withered. There’s no point in your futile resistance.”
“We made a pact with your ancestors: the day the Tree of Life withers will be the day we wipe out your entire village.”
“For thousands of years, we’ve waited for this moment. And now, the time has finally come.”
After speaking, the Illusion YaoGuai let out a triumphant howl, as if savoring their long-awaited victory.
Zhang Nu and Liu Hai knew the situation had grown dire. The Tree of Life had to be revived immediately. If not, the YaoGuai would slaughter everyone in the village, and neither Zhang Nu nor Liu Hai could stop them.
“Granny, did you hear what the YaoGuai just said? If you don’t restore the Tree of Life’s energy, everyone in the village will die!”
The village elder had indeed heard the YaoGuai’s words and understood their gravity. But she remained steadfast in her belief that the village no longer deserved to exist.
Even if the Tree of Life were revived, she thought bitterly, what would it truly change?