I am the sacred tree, evergreen for eternity.

Yu Su stands atop the sacred mountain, overlooking the changes in the human world.

As the spiritual field of heaven and earth continues to evolve.

The miasma was driven away, and the turbid air was purified.

Those areas that once required travelers to risk their lives to reach have now become safe hunting grounds and farmland.

The valleys, river bends, and dense forests occupied by the demon race were all bathed in spiritual light, and the turbid air melted away like snow meeting the sun.

The progress of civilization has been rapid in this process.

The population of the Xia clan grew from 50,000 to 100,000, and then from 100,000 to 200,000.

Newborns thrive under the protection of the spiritual light, and the mortality rate has decreased by 70% compared to Hong's time.

In the iron workshops, the furnaces burned day and night, and the craftsmen produced more plowshares and hoes than knives and axes.

In textile workshops, clothing made of linen and animal hides became increasingly exquisite, and even dyed patterns began to appear.

The art of brewing wine spread from the northern regions to all corners of the land, and millet wine and spirits made from wild fruits became hard currency in the trade between tribes.

The village was transformed into a town, and markets sprang up within the town.

The totem walkers who retired from the front lines voluntarily became inheritors of civilization. Under the shade of trees, they taught younger generations to read, tell stories, and pass on skills, and were respected as "teachers".

The children sat in a circle under the branches of the tree god, drawing on the sand with sticks in their hands.

They learned not only about "sun," "moon," "mountain," and "river," but also about "benevolence," "righteousness," "propriety," and "trustworthiness."

The older traveler squatted to one side, patiently correcting each crooked stroke and telling the story behind each character—

The migration of the wild geese, the blessings of the tree god, the Xia clan's journey from savages to the blood and fire of today...

Civilization has taken deep root on this once wild and untamed land.

Everything is moving in a positive direction.

Yu Su took in all of this.

Xia's remorse, struggles, and efforts over the years...

He never blamed the human race for their faith.

From beginning to end, he was merely a totem of the Xia clan, not the master of the free will of the human race.

The tree only needs to take root, grow, flower, and bear fruit.

After the seeds fall to the ground, the tree will not help them break through the soil, nor will it shelter the seedlings from the wind and rain.

They need to struggle on their own, take root on their own, and stretch towards the sky on their own.

"Wild mountains and seas, yet we strive for self-improvement."

Therefore, Yu Su chose to wait and watch.

He manipulated the spiritual field, concealing the location of the sacred mountain from the human race's perception.

It wasn't a punishment, but rather a way to completely sever the rope of "dependence" from Xia's family.

Looking at it now...

Xia family, very good.

Yu Su's spiritual consciousness spread out in all directions along the earth's veins.

Then, his consciousness froze for a moment.

The numerous spiritual field nodes, like stars in the night sky, lit up one by one in his perception.

With the four Mu Hua clones as the main axis, countless points of light connect to form a clear outline of the territories of the four tribes.

Countless small yet unwavering beliefs surged towards Yu Su along the spiritual field—

That was the tireless sweat and devotion of hundreds of thousands of Xia clan members, their determination and courage to transform one barren land after another into their home.

Yu Su was surprised to find that the higher realm he had been trying to comprehend for many years was gradually becoming clear in the magnificent spiritual field of heaven and earth.

In the dark void stretching to the other side of the path, flames of faith shone like stars, and countless converging sparks paved a road.

A road paved with the faith of hundreds of thousands of people, leading to the other side of the path.

Yu Su calmed her mind, gathered and concentrated the surging power of faith, and then resolutely climbed higher along the path of starlight.

A magnificent and sublime sense of oppression descended in an instant.

It didn't come from a single direction, but rather from all directions, from above, below, left, and right, simultaneously crushing everything in its path.

The force was as heavy as if an entire mountain and sea were pressing down on you, as heavy as if the sky were collapsing.

Yu Su's spiritual light trembled violently under that power, and the mysterious patterns on the tree trunk emitted a fine buzzing sound, as if they were about to collapse at any moment.

He did not back down.

The purest and most devout will from the depths of every member of the Xia clan lifted him up to the highest height.

Finally, Yu Su saw it.

A colossal figure, towering between heaven and earth, stands at the boundary between chaos and order, grasping the sun and moon and plucking stars from the sky.

It is formless and without appearance, possessing only a pure, ineffable aura that transcends all levels of life.

Yu Su's consciousness became clear and empty in that instant—

"The path to enlightenment is right here."

……

Boundless mountains, deep and dark abyss.

The turbid air was so thick that it couldn't be dispersed, and even the bright sunlight couldn't penetrate it.

In the deep cave, a dozen or so great demons sat in a circle, their pupils, each with a different shape, gleaming with different colors of eerie light in the darkness.

A deathly silence settled over every demon's chest, like a boulder pressing down on it.

The totem poles of the human race have completely shaken the very foundation of the demon race's survival.

For every inch the spiritual light spreads, the turbid air dissipates by an inch.

The environment on which the monsters depend for survival is being gradually eroded, prey is becoming increasingly scarce, and the land available for them to inhabit is becoming increasingly narrow.

Those humans who were once considered food by the demons have now turned the tables and driven them to the brink of extinction.

We cannot fight, and we have nowhere to retreat.

At the critical moment of life and death, the faces of all the demons were filled with the same expression—despair of helplessness.

Finally, the largest snake demon spoke.

"There's another way."

All the great demons' gazes converged on this at the same time.

The cave was quiet for a moment, then the sound of churning air became exceptionally clear.

"This is our last chance—"

"Blood sacrifice!"

The snake demon flicked its tongue, its voice low, as if even mentioning those two words was taboo.

It paused, a glint of madness flashing in its vertical pupils.

"Let's gather our impure energy together, using enough flesh and blood as a catalyst..."

"Awaken 'it'."

The great demons looked at each other in bewilderment.

A trembling voice came from a large bear demon covered in black and gold armor:

"You mean... that 'it'?"

A terrifying demon, comparable to the one who seeks the Dharma, dared not even utter that name!

Hesitation, struggle, fear...

Words that shouldn't be used to describe these monstrous creatures of mountains and seas now enveloped the entire abyss.

The snake demon did not answer; its silence itself was the clearest answer.

A three-headed giant wolf spoke first, its low growl turning into a hoarse, resolute cry:

"I'd rather die than have those 'sheep' trampled on my head!"

"Let's give it our all!"

The spider demon remained silent for a long time, its eight eyes closing one after another, then opening one after another.

"good!"

The other powerful demons responded one after another.

They gritted their teeth, crushing the last trace of hesitation in their hearts.

There were no impassioned vows, no tragic atmosphere.

There is only naked, desperate, and unavoidable choice.

The snake demon slowly straightened up, its eerie green vertical pupils reflecting the swaying murky light in the cave.

"Then—begin the blood sacrifice!"

Deep inside the cave, the turbid air surged and boiled.