One person: Senior brother Zhang Zhiwei, the Celestial Master begged me to descend the mountain.

Zhang Taichu's words were like a death warrant, making Nathan's already pale face even paler.

Without the slightest hesitation, and without even bothering to wipe the cold sweat and tears from her face, she immediately got up from the ground, picked up the now dull and lifeless golden branch, and turned to walk towards the depths of the island.

Her steps were unsteady, and her body was still trembling slightly from fear and weakness.

It wasn't a king inspecting his territory; it was more like a sacrifice about to be placed on the altar, heading towards its destiny.

Zhang Chulan and Wang Zhenqiu exchanged a glance, both seeing the helplessness and shock in each other's eyes, and quickly followed.

Feng Baobao walked briskly beside Zhang Taichu. Her eyes, which were usually dull, were now sparkling as she stared intently at the center of the island. Her nostrils twitched incessantly, like a little mouse that had smelled cheese.

The deeper you go into the island, the more eerie the surrounding environment becomes.

The rich life energy in the air was no longer a refreshing fragrance, but had become as thick as syrup. With each breath, it felt like inhaling a heavy liquid into the lungs, making it hard to breathe.

Those ancient vines hanging down, each as thick as a water bucket, are like sleeping giant pythons, coiled on those towering ancient trees that require more than a dozen people to encircle.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of humus, and when you stepped on it, you could even feel the faint cracking sound of the bones buried underneath.

The scariest thing is that there is no sound at all.

The primeval forest, which should have been filled with the chirping of insects and birds, was now as quiet as a giant tomb.

It was as if all of nature held its breath in the face of this uninvited guest, and even the wind stopped flowing.

The atmosphere was extremely oppressive.

King Nathan, who was walking at the very front, found his steps growing heavier and heavier.

As a queen who coexists with the divine tree, she can perceive the emotions emanating from the front more clearly than anyone else.

That wasn't anger, that wasn't a warning.

Rather, it was... extreme fear and relentless resistance.

The sacred tree is afraid.

It was afraid of the man behind it, dressed in pajamas and flip-flops, who looked like he was on vacation at the beach.

Finally, King Nathan stopped in his tracks.

She stood at the edge of an open area. Beyond that was a region bathed in rich golden light, where even the plants appeared to have a translucent, jade-like quality.

"Why did it stop?"

Looking at Nathan King's violently trembling back, Zhang Chulan couldn't help but ask.

"Are we... almost there?"

King Nathan did not turn around; her voice trembled with sobs as she said in despair:

"Ahead... ahead lies the true form of the Divine Tree."

"It...it's begging me, it doesn't want you to pass..."

"It said...it would die..."

Before he could finish speaking...

Rumble rumble rumble—!!!

The once-dead forest suddenly erupted into chaos!

The ground churned and tore violently, and countless massive tree roots, as thick as train carriages, roared out of the earth like awakened dragons. They intertwined to form an impenetrable high wall, each root tip sharp as a spear, gleaming with a metallic luster, blocking all paths.

Above, the dormant vines also came to life.

They were like thousands of green venomous snakes descending from the sky, their sharp tongues flicking and their bodies whistling as they lashed down on Zhang Taichu and his group.

In that instant, the heavens and earth seemed to be filled by this endless army of plants.

"Holy crap!"

Zhang Chulan let out a strange cry, his whole body radiating golden light, and he subconsciously wanted to rush forward.

Wang Zhenqiu's expression also changed. The energy reading on his tablet computer instantly spiked, emitting a piercing alarm.

Even Feng Baobao, who had been very excited, frowned at this moment, seemingly feeling somewhat dissatisfied with this unfriendly welcome.

however.

The target, locked onto by countless attacks, didn't even flinch.

Zhang Taichu kept his hands tucked into his sleeves and even lazily yawned.

Looking at the overwhelming army of plants, he was not angry at all; instead, he was so angry that he laughed.

"Oh."

A soft laugh rang out, unusually clear amidst the howling winds.

"A tree that's grown for thousands of years, with no one to discipline it, has it really started to think it's something special?"

He raised his eyelids, and a hint of extreme impatience finally showed in his usually calm and even eyes.

"Giving you a piece of fruit is giving you face."

"You shameless bastard."

Buzz—! ! !

There was absolutely no action taken.

A wave of pure and domineering golden energy suddenly erupted in all directions, with Zhang Taichu as the absolute center!

That was not an attack.

It doesn't even possess any physical lethality.

That was merely intimidation.

It's an absolute crushing defeat on a life level!

It is the absolute condescension of the Creator over His Creator, the God over Mortals, the Superior over the Inferior!

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

The vines that howled towards them and the tree roots that broke through the soil froze in mid-air the moment they came into contact with the golden energy wave.

Then, Zhang Taichu slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the layers of branches and leaves, locking onto the massive, indescribable divine tree at the very center of the island.

His thin lips parted slightly, his voice not loud, yet it carried an unparalleled majesty that commanded respect.

"Kneel down."

Just two words.

But it was like a god-king in the heavens, issuing an inviolable decree to his subjects.

crackling-

Click!Click!

A series of sharp, teeth-grinding cracking sounds rang out.

Those tree roots and vines that were just moments ago baring their fangs and claws, seemingly ready to destroy everything, now seemed to have encountered their most terrifying natural enemy.

They convulsed and spasmed violently, then all their strength vanished, and they collapsed to the ground, their surface luster dimming instantly, as if all their life essence had been drained away.

But this is not the end.

The moment that truly caused Nathan and Zhang Chulan to lose their minds occurred.

far away.

The Nathan Tree itself, towering hundreds of meters high and seemingly connecting heaven and earth, was a massive, sky-covering structure.

The enormous, canopy-like tree crown...slowly...drooped down.

crunch - crunch -

The ancient tree trunk emitted a heart-wrenching groan, as if it were about to collapse under its own weight.

Its countless thick branches are like countless bent arms.

And that huge canopy is like a drooping head.

Under Zhang Taichu's indifferent gaze.

This towering tree has been worshipped by the island's inhabitants for thousands of years and is regarded as an incarnation of a deity.

And so, in an extremely anthropomorphic posture, slowly and humiliatingly... bent down.

Like a humble subject bowing to a supreme monarch...