I am the sacred tree, evergreen for eternity.

The next morning, the sky was bright and clear.

Xiao Xiao stood in the sand, slowly raising his thick, stone-like arms.

Place your palm down on the sand.

A dark yellow light seeped from the cracks in its trunk, like lava flowing beneath its stone surface.

The light spread down his arm, penetrating deep into the earth from his fingertips.

The ground began to tremble.

A deep rhythm emanated from the earth, like the heartbeat of an ancient behemoth.

Behind them, Xuan and the others narrowed their eyes slightly.

They felt an unfamiliar power surging beneath their feet, different from the cultivation power bestowed by the Tree God.

It's more like a primal force, belonging to the earth itself.

Stone Spirit Talent: Power of Rock Veins.

She opened her mouth slightly and let out a long chant.

boom--

The first stone pillar broke through the ground.

Right in the center of the camp, in an open space, a stone pillar as thick as a millstone pierced straight into the sky.

Then came the second, the third, the fourth...

Stone pillars rose one after another from the ground, each over ten feet tall.

There are twelve in total, arranged in a neat arc, like a group of silent guards protecting the core of the camp.

She quickly withdrew her hands and staggered slightly.

The stone legs could no longer support its massive body, and it sat down on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The golden patterns that were just moments ago as fiery as magma have now faded, leaving only faint traces.

"I can't take it anymore...you need more money!"

The stone spirit's message was somewhat weak, but the crack representing the mouth still stubbornly twitched open.

Qi stepped out of the crowd and strode toward the twelve stone pillars.

Xuan, Meng, and Feng followed closely behind, and the top human experts, including Qi, simultaneously shone with spiritual light.

Qi placed his right hand on the cold pillar, and spiritual light surged from his palm, swirling around the stone pillar.

Wherever the spiritual light passed, mysterious engravings silently appeared on the surface of the stone pillar.

It was as if an invisible carving knife was moving across the stone surface, each stroke deeply imprinting itself into the stone's texture.

Those are the array patterns of the spirit field.

These are the profound runes extracted and summarized from the spiritual energy circulation patterns of the tree god's branches.

In preparation for this expedition, the Xia Kingdom brought the wonders of the Great Spirit Field to the mountains and seas.

The light leaped, collided, and merged between the stone pillars, like countless rivers nourishing and converging.

Li removed his mask, revealing a pale, bloodless face of a young boy.

He walked to the very center of the twelve stone pillars and sat down cross-legged.

He pressed his hands on the sand, and a faint light emanated from his palms.

The gray-white abyssal power, carrying the meaning of the return of all things to stillness, extends in all directions like tree roots, connecting the twelve stone pillars together.

Two forces, though different, converged underground.

There was no collision, no repulsion.

Spiritual energy arises, and the abyss returns to its final resting place.

Life and death form a complete cycle between these twelve stone pillars.

This seemed to be the true essence of the earth's spiritual energy field, a truly perfect ritual!

Golden rays of light shot up from the twelve totem poles, weaving into a giant dome of light above the camp.

The light curtain enveloped the entire camp, and the sandstorms, fel energy, and even darkness... no longer dared to look up.

In an instant, a muffled rumble came from the depths of the earth.

The ley lines on the edge of this oasis, which had been eroded by the evil energy of the Abomination for decades, seemed to be reactivated by something.

The remaining power of the earth's veins surged and converged, flowing into this emerging spiritual field.

The dome of light grew brighter and more stable.

The human expeditionary warriors all looked up, gazing at the luminous dome that radiated the spirit of the tree god, and a sense of peace and tranquility settled in their hearts.

"By the Tree God."

May your spirit illuminate the dark mountains and seas!

Xiao Xiao squatted on the ground, gazing at the glowing totem poles with her dark yellow stone eyes.

On that stone-like face, the blurred features stared blankly, revealing a clear shock.

It has traveled to many places, met many races, and heard many myths.

It has witnessed the ingenuity of the civilization of creation, the sophistication of the civilization of trade, and the brutality and greed of the civilization of hunting and gathering.

But it had never seen such power before—

Spread spiritual light into the dead land, let the earth's veins beat again, and let life sprout anew.

"Humans...are indeed interesting."

Perhaps, this wild and untamed world will change because of this weak race.

Who knows?

The moment the spiritual field was formed was like the sounding of a counterattack horn.

Xuan carried a small totem pole and walked out of the camp's main gate.

That was prepared in advance by the expeditionary force. It was only three zhang tall, and the pillar was covered with basic spiritual patterns. It was just waiting to be connected to the spiritual field to be activated.

Meng, Feng, Qi... one after another, the Mingling Realm cultivators, carrying totem poles, strode into the oasis.

A dazzling golden light spread from the camp, like a revitalized spring, inch by inch overflowing the green land that had once been sealed off by fel energy.

The moment the totem walkers stepped onto the oasis, thousands upon thousands of plant puppets swarmed out.

They let out hoarse roars and surged towards the human race like turbid waves.

Xuan did not draw his sword.

He calmly and deliberately planted the totem pole in the ground.

The moment the base of the stone pillar was chiseled into the soil, the spiritual patterns on the pillar lit up one by one, shining brightly.

Wherever the divine light passes, evil energy is like snowflakes meeting the sun.

The plant puppet at the forefront froze instantly when it was struck by the spiritual light.

The roots of the Ashoka plant that were wrapped around them began to spasm, wither, and bulge from under the skin, like snakes struggling in their death throes.

Amidst their mournful cries, their bodies shattered into dust.

The puppet behind paused for a moment.

Just for a moment.

They continued their relentless attack.

Qi stepped forward and placed the totem pole in his hand next to Xuan's stone pillar.

One after another, three-zhang-tall totem poles were smashed into the oasis land, and the isolated spiritual lights gradually merged into one.

From a single spark to a prairie fire, it resonated with the dazzling light dome above the center of the camp.

Xuan drew his battle blade and stepped to the forefront of the totem pole array.

"By the Tree God."

"Come with me!!"

With totems at their backs and sacred ground beneath their feet, the human race is fearless and invincible.

Plant and wood puppets are no longer an endless source of terror.

Under the suppression of the spiritual light, their movements became increasingly sluggish, and their bodies became increasingly fragile.

Most importantly, after the puppet's body shattered, the parasitic Worry-Free Grass was also burned away by the spiritual light.

Although slow, the evil energy was indeed gradually and thoroughly eliminated.

The green space, illuminated by the divine light, is miraculously beginning to revive.

The true scent of earth has returned to this oasis that had been lost for over two decades.

The human race is not reckless.

Each totem pole is a lighthouse; wherever the light of the sacred field reaches, the expeditionary travelers advance.

Victory seemed to be just around the corner.

Unfortunately, war is not that easy.

Deep underground, a chilling consciousness suddenly solidified.

Pure, undisguised malice descends...