I am the sacred tree, evergreen for eternity.

In the center of the Eastern branch, Yu Su's consciousness quietly descended upon the clone.

As his thoughts raced, the image of Xuan slaying the one-horned rhinoceros flowed into his consciousness like a gentle stream—

The angle at which the iron axe struck, the trajectory of spiritual energy surging through the meridians, the compressed heartbeat and breath at that moment—nothing was missed.

Xuan called this technique of controlling the form of spiritual energy "spiritual energy".

Through the resonance of the tree god's branches, "spiritual energy" spread like wildfire to every corner of the Xia clan.

Gradually, one after another, a kind of spiritual energy emerged like bamboo shoots after a spring rain:

The "Iron Chain Force" can restrict the movement of demonic beasts; the "Drilling Force" can pierce through the hardest demonic beast skulls; the "Gale Force" is as thin as a cicada's wing and as fast as lightning...

Every totem walker who has entered the limit-breaking stage is searching for their own path of spiritual energy.

They soon witnessed the power of this force—transcendent practitioners who mastered spiritual energy were able to hunt down adult demonic beasts one-on-one, something unheard of before.

Among them, the most outstanding individuals already have faint signs of spiritual energy, including glimmers of light, radiance, and iridescence.

That is the potential to transform into a rainbow, the path to the Bright Spirit Dharma.

Yu Su watched all of this silently, a deep and complex sense of satisfaction spreading through her heart.

He only needed to point the way, and the human race would set out to explore and advance, paving the way from the Body Forging Method to the Spirit Enlightenment Method on their own.

In fact, this pioneering spirit is even benefiting him.

Using the dozens of spiritual energies discovered by the Xia family as a reference and his own insights from a century of cultivation as a foundation, Yu Su continued to explore the profound mysteries of spiritual light.

Finally, on a stormy night...

The moment a bolt of lightning cleaved the sky and illuminated the entire valley, he suddenly understood.

Spiritual energy can manifest not only as light, but also as a fusion with all things in the universe.

A flash of inspiration merged into the air, and a thunderclap resounded;

The light of inspiration merges with the soil, and the earth's thorns break through the soil;

A flash of inspiration blends into the stream, the water arrows are sharp;

These are just the initial changes, but they represent a qualitative leap in the spiritual energy of the earth's veins.

Yu Su has divided the currently deduced Mingling method into two stages:

【Heavenly Light】: Spiritual energy transforms into a rainbow, and divine power manifests itself.

[Seeking the Dharma]: The spiritual light is the guide, and the elements are the Dharma.

He could vaguely see that the end of this road was still shrouded in mist.

But Yu Su wasn't in a hurry.

With time on his hands, he has plenty of time to reflect.

While Yu Su was immersed in studying the Mingling Technique, the struggle between the Xia Clan and the Demon Clan intensified.

In particular, after the totem walkers gradually discovered that consuming the flesh and blood of demonic beasts could enhance their blood and qi and advance their cultivation of body-forging techniques...

The nature of hunting has completely changed.

The Xia clan members did not only defend and counterattack and rescue their own people, but also began to actively seek out demon clans and delve into those dangerous lairs.

As a result, the hunting grounds of the four major divisions continued to expand outwards, and friction with the demon territories became increasingly frequent.

Ultimately, this is a life-or-death struggle.

Demons eat people in order to dispel impurities and maintain their sanity;

Humans eat demons to enhance their qi and blood, and break through their bottlenecks.

It has nothing to do with good or evil; it's simply human nature.

Until, one day, suddenly...

Dark clouds loomed overhead, shrouding the world in gloom.

Hong sat on the steps below the tree god's altar, stroking the leaf with the character "summer" carved on it.

He was very old; even as a superhuman, his nearly 100-year-old body was inevitably heading towards old age.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from the valley entrance.

A young totem walker rushed over, his face ashen and his voice trembling:

"Chief! Urgent report!"

"All four branches are simultaneously under fierce attack from the demon race!"

"Hundreds of demonic wolves from the Eastern Mountains are besieging the branch headquarters, and Chief Xuan is leading his men in a desperate defense!"

"The horde of serpent demons from the northern forests has emerged from underground; the outer defenses have fallen!"

"The water monsters of the Southern Frontier have blocked the river, besieging our branch and causing heavy casualties!"

"The western swamp... the spider swarm has already breached the branch headquarters, and Leader Yan..."

The messenger's lips trembled, and he could not utter a complete sentence.

Hong suddenly stood up and did not ask any further questions.

He turned around and looked at the ancient tree with its canopy as wide as the clouds.

On Yu Su's body, the flowing patterns still radiated a warm glow under the dark clouds.

The tree spirit did not respond.

But Hong knew that the tree god was watching.

"Summon all totem walkers in the Valley of the Divine Tree who are capable of fighting."

"Depart immediately for reinforcements!"

His voice was flat and emotionless, yet it sent chills down one's spine, like the suffocating calm before a storm.

The messenger obeyed and left, his footsteps gradually fading into the distance.

Hong walked to his shed, took out the iron knife that had been with him for half his life, and hung it on his waist.

Then he stopped.

At the entrance to the Valley of the Divine Tree, a figure appeared out of nowhere.

It was a person wearing a black robe—no, not a "person".

He was unusually tall, two heads taller than the most robust totem walker of the Xia clan, and the outline of his bulging muscles could be vaguely seen under his long robe.

The hood covered his entire face, making it impossible to see his features.

He stood there at the mouth of the valley, his hands hanging at his sides, motionless.

Silent and still, like a solidified mass of darkness.

But Hong clearly felt that every hair on his body was pricking him.

Clearly, this black-robed man exuded a terrifying aura.

Without a doubt, this man in black robes possessed a level of cultivation that...

It's already beyond the extraordinary!

"Who are you?"

Hong's hand was already gripping the hilt of the knife at his waist, his voice hoarse and deep.

A dry, hoarse voice came from under the hood, like rusty iron rubbing against a stone slab.

"Finally...found it."

"That...strange tree."

Hong's sword was already drawn, its tip pointing directly at the black-robed man's throat.

But the man in black simply stood there, without even raising a finger.

An invisible pressure emanated from him, like a massive boulder pressing down on Hong's chest.

Hong's knees were trembling, his breath was catching in his throat, and his spiritual energy was surging wildly within his body but could not be released even a little bit, as if a giant hand was gripping his body tightly.

The disparity in strength was so great that even fear lost its meaning.

Hong did not kneel.

His knees bent, then he forced them straight.

His back was bent under the weight, but he gritted his teeth and straightened up.

Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth; he had bitten his tongue, using the pain to forcefully maintain his last vestiges of consciousness.

At that moment, the ancient tree that had stood for countless years finally moved.

The branches and leaves of Yu Su moved without wind, making a thunderous sound, as if the entire tree trunk had suddenly awakened from its slumber.

The mysterious patterns on the tree trunk instantly shone brightly, and spiritual light surged out like a raging tide, enveloping the entire valley in an instant.

The light was gentle as water, yet heavy as a mountain, crushing and dissolving the black-robed man's oppressive aura layer by layer.

Hong felt a relief in his chest, and the suffocating feeling instantly dissipated.

He gasped for breath, gazing up at the totem he had worshipped his entire life.

A deep and ancient voice descended from the clouds, as if it had been expected all along.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time."