Chapter 569 - 562: Misunderstanding
BZZZT!!
As the Great Clan Elder of the Forest Race exerted his will, guided by the sliver of Ancestral Power within him, he seemed to gain the approval of that great door.
The Ancestral Power, it seemed, was the key to opening that door. Only by possessing this heaven-sent power could one break through that boundary and truly reach a state that transcended the mortal life of Earth—the Ancestral Realm, or Saint Realm, becoming a Saint who walked the mortal plane.
’Finally... I’m about to truly touch that power, to become a Saint among mortals. I’ll become a pivotal figure in the clan’s annals.’
’Most importantly, only power of that level can truly stand against those terrifying existences. It’s the only way to have a chance at saving our people, or even the entire world.’
Amid a complex mix of excitement, anticipation, and curiosity, the Great Clan Elder’s will seemed to hear a faint sound. As he pushed with all his might, the door finally began to open slowly.
BOOM!!
A vast power instantly radiated into his will. He could feel that he could now call upon that terrifyingly formidable power at any moment.
At the same time, a warm current flowed through his will and his entire body, causing it to undergo a leap, a metamorphosis.
But...
CRACK!!
With a soft crack, his will and the Ancestral Power within him had both reached their limit. Even if he continued to push, the door wouldn’t budge another inch.
And right now, the door was only open by about a tenth.
’Is this my limit for now?’
’My Ancestral Power is limited, as is my own strength. Being able to push it open by a tenth is already a great feat. After all, I’ve only just broken through. There’s still plenty of room to grow. Perhaps when I can open that door completely and become the Sovereign of that vast power, I’ll be able to truly reach the realm of the Ancestors.’
’That’s a level of power one can only look up to in awe. With my current abilities, I definitely can’t reach it.’
He consoled himself with these thoughts, quickly calming his emotions before withdrawing his will back into his body.
Even after retracting his will, he could still clearly feel his connection to that unknown power from the infinite heights. The power from beyond the door traversed the endless void to settle upon him.
CRACK! CRACKLE!!
DRIP! DRIP!!
His body emitted a series of explosive pops as the Source Liquid began to drip faster. His body was undergoing a massive transformation.
Guided by his Bloodline, and bestowed by the Ancestral Power and that mysterious, unseen force, he didn’t need to control the direction of the change at all. All he needed to do was wait.
Feeling his body gradually growing incredibly powerful and terrifying, feeling the formidable power that constantly surged forth, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride swell in his heart.
’This is extraordinary, something beyond mortal means.’
’This is the power of a Spirit Guardian. This is the might of our Bloodline.’
BZZZT!!
He snapped his eyes open, a green light flashing within them. Every cell in his body vibrated as wisps of dense, amber-green Energy seeped out from him, carrying an extremely potent life signature.
RUSTLE RUSTLE RUSTLE!!
The surrounding plant roots seemed to cry out in submission, and all living things began to grow under the influence of his power.
At this moment, he was like the sovereign of the forests and plants.
’This feeling of omnipotence... it’s truly wonderful...’
After indulging in the sensation for a moment, the Great Clan Elder snapped back to his senses. He knew this was no time for self-admiration. The clan was facing a grave crisis, and he had been in seclusion for who knew how long. He had no idea what the situation was like outside and needed to find out as soon as possible.
’I hope everything is alright...’
He slowly closed his eyes again, and the Divine Soul Power within him spread out, merging with the network of plant roots.
Like a sovereign of plants, his vision and perception spread out rapidly, almost as if he were seeing with his own eyes.
His vision expanded quickly, but what he saw was a scene that made him tremble inwardly.
Surrounding the Forest Race Ancestral Land were the Green God Vines, coiled like a Divine Dragon.
He knew this was one of their last trump cards for defending the Ancestral Land.
"Dammit, has it really come to this?! The enemy attack has already begun?! Has the Seal been broken?! No, I’m still safe, which means the outside hasn’t completely fallen. There’s still a chance! I’ve had my Awakening, and I succeeded! I’ve reached the Ancestral Realm! I can definitely fend off the invaders!!"
He sucked in a sharp breath, a terrible premonition rising in his heart. A rush of hot-blooded urgency surged through him, and the mix of worry and shock briefly clouded his judgment.
He was afraid of what he might see.
However, the next scene he perceived made him both terrified and relieved.
A third of the Ancestral Land had been turned into scorched earth. His fellow clansmen within the Ancestral Land were frantically channeling their power, as if they had just repelled some kind of powerful enemy attack.
’A third of the Ancestral Land is gone?!!’
A wave of intense emotion continued to assault his mind.
’Who is it? Who is the enemy?!!’
Then, his perception quickly locked onto a single figure.
Amidst the scorched earth stood a lone figure, and this figure was now walking step by step, slowly, toward his clansmen’s position.
’Is that the enemy...?’
’Thankfully, a true blessing in disguise. The attack has only just begun, and I completed my breakthrough at this very moment.’
’This is fate. Everything can still be saved.’
"My clansmen, wait for me!"
The immense Divine Soul Power in his body erupted. His figure burrowed into the earth like a plant root, and at the same time, the outpouring of power created a powerful disturbance in the surroundings.
...
...
Outside, the people who had withstood Yukun’s self-destruction wore looks of relief. When they lowered their defenses and saw Zhou Yuanjue walking toward them, unharmed, joyous smiles appeared on their faces.
He was alive! And the enemy was gone!!
This was probably the best news they could have hoped for. As long as they could repel the enemy, even sacrificing a third of the Ancestral Land was worth it.
However, before the joyous crowd could say anything to Zhou Yuanjue...
BZZZT!!!
An incredibly blazing light shot up into the sky from the ground behind them. The surviving vegetation began to sway violently under the light’s radiance, as if answering its call.
The members of the Forest Race felt an intense sense of reverence and obedience coming from the plants.
"This power..."
"Our clan’s Divine Soul Power?!!"
"It’s the Great Clan Elder! The Great Clan Elder succeeded! He broke through!"
"..."
A wave of thunderous cheers erupted from the Forest Race. The enemy was repelled, and the Great Clan Elder had successfully broken through—it was a double blessing!!
Amid their joy, they saw a figure shoot up from the ground and land heavily before them.
Before they could speak, the figure, wreathed in green Divine Soul Power, spoke first. "Everyone, you’ve worked hard. Leave the rest to me."
RUSTLE RUSTLE RUSTLE!!!
In an instant, the Great Clan Elder connected with the power from the infinite heights. A majestic green light descended from the sky, enveloping him, and his body underwent a tremendous change.
With a series of explosive pops, his body grew to a height of five meters, covered in a wooden structure and shrouded in profound Runes.
A formidable Life Force radiated from him, shaking everything around him.
Secret Skill, Green God Body!!
His pale green eyes stared intently at Zhou Yuanjue opposite him.
"Wait..."
The crowd stared blankly, unsure of what was happening. Only the clan chief, Kutum, and two other clan elders seemed to realize that the Great Clan Elder had misunderstood something.
However, by the time they tried to speak, it was already too late.
SWOOSH!!!
The Great Clan Elder’s massive body shot toward Zhou Yuanjue at an unimaginable speed.
A huge palm came crashing down.
BANG!!
Zhou Yuanjue’s body also swelled abruptly, growing to over five meters tall as he shifted into his power form and thrust out a palm of his own.
BOOM!!!
The Great Clan Elder’s body flew backward at a speed dozens of times faster than his charge. Under a sea of stunned gazes, he crashed through several hundred meters of special plants before finally coming to a stop.
"?"
Zhou Yuanjue’s body slowly shrank back to normal. He looked at the figure lying in the ruins, and a question mark slowly formed over his head.