I'm a villain, not a devil

Chapter 716 This tree... is a genius!

The World Tree... a clan?
A flash of surprise flashed across Sean's eyes. There was indeed more than one World Tree, but it was the first time he heard the word "race" from the mouth of a tree.

A world tree where every tree is a god is actually a race?
The other party looked very friendly, but Sean did not let down his guard. He just showed a curious expression: "Are you from the World Tree Clan?"

The man made of solid energy shook like jelly, and then laughed heartily: "Isn't it obvious? Apart from the World Tree, even in the most primitive times, there would not be such a huge... um, plant?"

Before Sean could speak, the 'Jelly Man' opposite him showed a strange look again. He scratched his head and said, "That's not right. If I remember you, you have a deep connection with our World Tree Clan, so you wouldn't be unable to see it... Um, you were reincarnated and lost your memory?"

This time Sean was really surprised. The other party could actually see his origins at a glance.

His expression was well maintained, but the tree opposite him seemed to have other special perception abilities and laughed immediately: "Are you surprised? That's normal. It was like this when we first interacted with the World Tree Clan. People were always amazed at the erudition of our race."

He waved his hand in mock modesty and said, "It's nothing serious. The longer you live, the more you know. It's not worth mentioning. It's not worth mentioning."

Sean looked a little strange. This tree seemed to be... talking a lot?
This time, his expression was captured again, and the energy gel man in front of him began to shake again.

After a moment, the little man who originally looked like a rough jelly became delicate and vivid. Although he was still only about one meter tall, he looked like a kind young man with squinty eyes.

"This way you can capture my expression more accurately. Will you be less wary of me?" The squinty-eyed little man smiled kindly and his body movements were very active.

Without waiting for Sean to speak, he patted his head and said in a daze: "I haven't introduced myself yet. Although it is probably not the first time we meet, you definitely don't recognize me after reincarnation. Ha, even though I have forgotten who you are - my name is Zan, the Zan of Zan, which is the hairpin on the head that holds the hair, because I used to be a hairpin, haha."

He gestured on his head and then looked at Sean with an expectant expression.

Sean pondered for a moment and did not hide his identity: "My name is Sean."

Zan nodded immediately: "Okay, okay, Sean. Your name is good, and my heart trembled as soon as the name came out. My feeling is right. We knew each other a long time ago."

Sean raised an eyebrow: "You look excited."

Zhan stretched out his hand helplessly and sighed with an exaggerated expression: "Of course I'm excited. I'm a world tree and my life span is very long! But I've been at the bottom of the sea for a very, very, very long time - my God, no one talks to me at all, I'm almost going crazy! I finally meet someone, and he's a friend of my world tree clan, I'm so excited!"

He took a few steps forward, covered his chest with both hands, and his expression became more exaggerated: "Finally someone is talking to me - the last time I talked to someone seemed to be 13,786 years, 42 days, 6 hours, and 32 minutes ago. Sorry, it's been too long, the time may not be accurate."

Isn't this... accurate enough?
This world tree seems to be going a little crazy.

Noticing Sean's expression, Zan stepped back a little and quickly explained: "I was just too excited. Don't worry, my friend. I don't have any ill will towards you. The World Tree will never have any ill will towards its recognized friends - although our clan itself doesn't have many enemies."

Sean looked up and down at the person opposite him and asked, "How do you know for sure that I am your friend?"

Zan's legs were embedded in the treetops, like a standing dolphin swimming on the sea.

He circled around Sean and said cheerfully, "The heart of the tree. Once you are recognized by the World Tree clan, you will be recognized by the World Tree—uh, is this nonsense? Hahaha, don't mind. That's probably what I mean. Anyway, I can sense that the World Tree recognizes you, and that's enough, my friend!"

Sean nodded thoughtfully, and after thinking for a moment, he asked, "You are different from the World Tree I have seen."

Zhan blinked, then suddenly opened his mouth and exhaled a puff of light green gas.

Many scenes emerged, and without exception, there was a huge world tree in the scenes.

Those world trees stand in different scenes, including primeval forests, tall buildings, and even lava fields and mountains of corpses.

However, these world trees have one thing in common, that is, they are lifeless.

Just like the tree Sean saw in the holy crypt of the Stoneheart people.

Zan showed a somewhat helpless and sad expression: "Is it always like this?"

Sean looked at the other person with some surprise. The other person seemed to know a lot of things.

Zan's head drooped in dejection. "Although I don't know how many World Trees you saw after reincarnation, they should have all turned into rotten wood. World Trees are usually like this. They have a long life but like to meddle in other people's business. They are always associated with some disasters. They either die from natural disasters or are cut down by people. In short, they don't have a good ending."

Sean glanced at the other party and asked curiously: "There are so many World Trees...?"

Zan nodded as a matter of course: "Of course, World Tree, World Tree, just look at the name and you will know. There is at least one World Tree in every world. We are the darlings of heaven and earth, and we are also recognized as important existences by the world - even in a newly born world, it won't be long before our people take root there."

He spread his hands helplessly again: "However, when the world develops, the World Tree will inevitably fall. I'm used to it."

Sean looked at the other person calmly: "What about you?"

Zhan immediately puffed out his chest proudly: "I dare not say I am the best, but among the World Tree Clan, my life span can be ranked in the top three——"

Sean asked curiously, "So how old are you now?"

Zan laughed loudly: "It's a full 128,642 years, nine days, three hours and five minutes - now it's six minutes. Isn't it amazing?"

Sean flattered casually: "It's amazing that you can live this long."

Zan said proudly: "When the world was first created, the World Tree began to take root. The lifespan of our clan can easily exceed tens of millions of years!"

Sean raised a question: "It's easily more than 10 million years, but you're in the top three in 100,000 years?"

Zan corrected him: "It is one hundred and twenty-eight thousand six hundred and forty-two years, nine days, three hours and six minutes - there is indeed nothing wrong with the first three."

He spread his hands helplessly: "Although we have long lifespans, the lifespan of a general world tree will not exceed 50,000 years. Generally speaking, an era of a world is about 10,000 years, and the world tree usually starts to be unlucky after the fourth era, and is basically doomed to collapse." "A world tree with better luck may be able to live for 70,000 to 80,000 years? But by the eighth era, almost no world tree can survive. Of course, there are even more unlucky ones, rooted in those worlds with higher activity and more killing. Some world trees may not even live for 20,000 years."

Sure enough, there are multiple worlds... Sean asked curiously, "Then what is considered a world with higher activity and higher killing?"

Zan spread his hands: "A world where people are more violent and there are more gods, just like this world - of course, this world may be the most violent world I have ever seen."

Is this world we live in...

The world-famous villain Sean showed a curious look: "You have seen many worlds?"

Zan shook his head: "No, I have been rooted in this world since the beginning - but a long time ago when most worlds were not developed, the World Tree Clan still had the leisure to establish connections with other worlds. I have talked with many of the clan members and shared our experiences with them."

He sighed with emotion again: "I also chose the wrong place. This world is too violent. Not long ago, I sensed that a member of my tribe had fallen. Tsk, I feel that the member of my tribe is not even an adult yet. He must be at most 10,000 years old. Poor child."

Not long ago?
Sean raised an eyebrow: "How long ago?"

Zan thought for a while and said, "More than a year. I don't like to keep the time of my tribe's death in my mind. Sadness can easily affect my state. However, I have a deep impression of that child. He is not pure. He may be a hybrid tree born from one of my adult tribesmen and another race. Tsk, it's even more miserable. He didn't even enjoy the care of the world."

Mixed race...

Could it be... Winner?
Sean thought of his cheap son from Xiaonan.

Being an adopted son is not a big problem, but Winner repeatedly plotted against his adopted father Sean, and was finally killed by Sean.

The timing is right, and the mixed blood is right.

Sean didn't mention Winnak, he just looked at Zan: "How come you can live so long? Besides, the World Trees are all gods, right? You..."

He couldn't help but take another look at the huge trees rooted in the seabed.

Zan immediately puffed out his chest proudly: "That's right, the World Tree has been a righteous god since its birth, and we are naturally complete! Oh, I forgot that you were reincarnated, you don't know what completeness is?"

Sean responded, “I know.”

Zan showed a bit of surprise: "It seems that you have been reincarnated for a short time, but you still know about integrity? However, it saves me from explaining. Ha, our World Tree is naturally complete! And it is an integrity that cannot be plundered, so those evil gods generally don't have any ideas about us."

He suddenly touched his nose in embarrassment again: "However, the World Tree is destined to fall. I have known this since I was a child. To be honest, I am very afraid of death, so I thought of a good idea!"

Zan chuckled and winked at Sean: "I gave up my integrity and headed for the water."

The corners of Sean's eyes couldn't help but twitch. He seemed to know why the hairpin appeared at the bottom of the sea and survived for so long...

Zan seemed to be recalling the correct decision he made many years ago, his face full of nostalgia and emotion.

"After all, we are trees. We are used to taking root in the land and absorbing sunlight. But I think that in order to avoid the fate of collapse, we need to break away from the constraints of the ground. At first, I tried to move to a pond, practiced holding my breath, and tried to absorb nutrients from the water."

"To be honest, it wasn't very successful. But I met an old turtle. The turtle was very kind and taught me a lot, especially how to draw energy from water."

"As I got better and better at training, I changed my roots to a large lake. After I got used to the lake, I changed to the ocean. After I got used to the shallow waters, I changed to the deep waters, and then to the deep sea... Finally, I had completed my evolution, and I successfully took root in the deepest part of the seabed and lived to this day!"

Zan's face was filled with pride when he recalled the past.

Sean couldn't help but say, "It's not impossible to turn into seaweed... but I feel like discarding your integrity is the reason you're staying alive?"

Zan nodded: "Yes, I think so. I was not good at swimming at that time. In order to repay the old turtle who taught me, I gave him the integrity."

The corner of Sean's mouth twitched: "Is there a possibility..."

Zhan shrugged his shoulders and said indifferently: "I know that the old turtle came for my integrity - I had thought about giving up my integrity before. Some powerful gods can sense the changes in fate, and the old turtle was the first one to come to me."

"But it doesn't matter. I was going to give up anyway. It doesn't matter who I give it to. And that old turtle is indeed a good person. He taught me good things. Tsk, there is indeed a problem with the integrity. Although I gave up, I still have a vague feeling that the old turtle should die soon. Alas, good people don't live long. He can be said to have collapsed for me."

This tree's train of thought is a bit strange, but from the perspective of a person who has mastered the Tao, there is really nothing wrong with him.

Sean couldn't help but sigh, "So you've been staying under the sea until now?"

Zhan nodded: "Yes, it has been many years. Oh, yes, I built that energy channel. On the one hand, there is abundant energy in the seabed, and I have to transport the energy out, otherwise I will grow taller and taller, and then it will be easy to be targeted. On the other hand, there must have been a very powerful god who fell into this sea area at that time. I had nothing to do anyway, so I used His remaining energy to do this."

This is how the energy channel came about...

Sean asked in confusion: "Don't you want people to find out? This energy channel goes all the way to the ground."

Zan immediately showed a proud look: "It doesn't matter, I just wanted to be discovered on purpose. My energy channel is a good thing, it will definitely be hidden and protected, so that only certain people can find me."

"However, if someone wants to come in through the passage, this passage filled with the aura of the World Tree will automatically reject those who are not recognized. And those who can be recognized by the World Tree are friends of our tribe. They don't have to worry about being betrayed, and there will be people to chat with."

He looked at Sean and said excitedly: "It's you! Although I didn't expect that you are the only one who came after so many years..."

This tree is genius, Sean thought.

(End of this chapter)