"Are there other hidden circumstances?"

Nie Kong's heart skipped a beat. At this moment, the scene before his eyes shifted rapidly again; Mu Xueyi's figure shot like lightning, instantly arriving outside the grand hall.

Heaven and earth were cast in a dim, oppressive gloom. On the wide expanse before the hall, countless thick, black vines writhed and coiled, resembling the frantically waving tentacles of massive octopuses, engulfing an area spanning hundreds of meters.

The sharp, hissing shrieks produced as the vines cut through the void rose and fell incessantly, deafening.

In the gaps between the black vines lay several white-clad maidservants, scattered about, their state of being—alive or dead—unknown.

"Is this the Xīn Xiàng that Mu Qingyi cultivated?"

Nie Kong was greatly astonished. To this day, he had only witnessed the Xīn Xiàng displayed by Long Ling'er of the Dragon Spirit Clan and She Yan of the Snake Spirit Clan. Both those spiritual clans’ Xīn Xiàng possessed their own unique qualities, but in terms of sheer strangeness, neither could compare to the one before him now, wielded by Mu Qingyi.

The moment Mu Xueyi appeared, the swarm of black vines paused momentarily, only to erupt into an even greater frenzy.

"Hee-hee-hee..."

A cascade of enchanting, soul-stirring laughter abruptly drowned out the piercing sound of air tearing. Those black vines, like giant serpents breaking free from their cages, or ravenous beasts catching the scent of blood, surged toward Mu Xueyi in a devastating tide. In the blink of an eye, the graceful white silhouette before the hall was swallowed by the tangle of vines.

"Break!"

With a soft cry, a burst of brilliant green light suddenly erupted, flinging the black vines away one by one. However, as the last of the recoiling vines settled, the white figure before the hall had vanished, replaced by a towering, magnificent tree dense with foliage.

Judging by its appearance, it was an exact replica of the "Ancestral Heaven Divine Luo Tree"—only much smaller!

Nie Kong murmured in surprise. His mother's Xīn Xiàng was the "Ancestral Heaven Divine Luo Tree"? If the Wood Ancestor was an awakened spirit of the "Ancestral Heaven Divine Luo Tree," perhaps only one who cultivated such a Xīn Xiàng could serve as the Wood Sect Master of Yin Xu?

"Hee-hee-hee, as expected of the Wood Sect Master, possessing such power even after bearing a child!"

The black vines thrashed wildly through the high air, and Mu Qingyi’s voice, laden with intoxicating allure, sounded once more.

"You are not Qingyi! Who exactly are you?"

Mu Xueyi’s voice was somewhat low, her white form flickering indistinctly on the trunk of the "Ancestral Heaven Divine Luo Tree."

"I am not Mu Qingyi? Sister Xueyi, have you gone mad from childbirth, not even recognizing your own sister?"

A dark shadow drifted up from amidst the dense tangle of vines, its figure graceful, its face identical to Mu Xueyi’s, a smile capable of toppling cities playing upon its slightly upturned lips.

"Hmph!"

Mu Xueyi let out a soft snort, and her figure receded into the tree trunk. Immediately, the miniature "Ancestral Heaven Divine Luo Tree" began to dissolve rapidly, starting from its uppermost leaves and branches. Vast clouds of green mist rose up, and in an instant, the entire tree transformed into a thick fog, swirling toward Mu Qingyi.

"Boom!"

A dozen black vines lashed down like lightning bolts from the sky, slicing the green mist into several distinct sections. Yet, the fragmented mist instantly merged again, flowing like water along the vines, creeping toward Mu Qingyi at the center. In a mere few seconds, the thick green fog tightly enveloped the entire massive cluster of black vines.

"Devour?"

Mu Qingyi’s charming laughter drifted from within the green mist. "Sister Xueyi, if it were before, perhaps I would fear you by a third, but now? Can you devour me? Hee-hee-hee..." Before her laughter faded, the green mist began to churn violently, countless sharp spikes jutting out from its surface—the black vines desperately trying to break through the enclosure. Regrettably, the green mist possessed tremendous tenacity; no matter how wildly the vines thrashed within, not a single trace of black showed through.

Nie Kong observed that as time passed, the green mist was actually slowly contracting.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a heaven-shattering explosion resonated from within. The green mist trembled, then abruptly expanded, instantly returning to its original volume.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Three more violent concussions followed in quick succession, and the green mist became increasingly agitated.

"Disperse for this mistress!"

Mu Qingyi shrieked coldly, followed by another deafening roar. The mass of green mist enveloping her shattered explosively, scattering into small clusters floating across the vast space of hundreds of meters. The thick black vines instantly revealed their monstrous forms once more.

"She should be alright, right?"

Although Nie Kong had never met Mu Xueyi before, and the soul within his body was not her original one, seeing the scattered fragments of green mist still tightened his chest with worry.

"Gather!"

Mu Xueyi's voice sounded ethereal. The green mist swiftly coalesced into a single mass, but compared to its initial form, it had shrunk by nearly half, indicating the fierce battle had left her significantly weaker.

With a whoosh, the green mist passed through the palace doors and vanished into the interior of the structure.

"Trying to flee?"

Mu Qingyi’s voice turned grim. A hundred black vines shot out like arrows loosed from a bow, instantaneously crossing dozens of meters to reach the palace entrance. But just as she prepared to pursue them inside, billions of green rays scattered forth from the doorway. The vines seemed to slam into a sheet of steel, all recoiling violently upward.

"Wood Spirit Hall!"

Mu Qingyi materialized, her face slightly contorted. "You think hiding within the 'Wood Spirit Hall' makes you untouchable? Hmph, I went to the trouble of detonating so many 'Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines' to break your devouring, not just to watch you hide comfortably inside the Wood Spirit Hall!"

As she spoke, Mu Qingyi pulled a handful of black granules, the size of broad beans, from her embrace. With a wave of her right hand, the granules scattered like raindrops around the Wood Spirit Hall.

Then, a scene of overwhelming shock unfolded before Nie Kong’s eyes. The black granules on the ground began to root and sprout before his very eyes, growing into thickets of black vines. In less than a minute, the Wood Spirit Hall was entirely overgrown with these black vines.

During the monthly assessment in Lingyu City, Nie Kong and the little one had made the "Dragon Whisker White-Faced Flower" root, blossom, and bear fruit, leaving the Pavilion Masters of the Herb Heart Hall utterly dumbfounded. However, compared to Mu Qingyi now, Nie Kong’s skills back then seemed like a mere child’s trick.

"Rise!"

A cruel smile played on Mu Qingyi’s lips as she contorted her fingers in a bizarre pattern before her.

Instantly, wisps of black energy seeped out from the massive vines surrounding her, swirling around the smaller vines that had grown two to three meters high. The next moment, those small black vines shot into the sky as if injected with a stimulant, spreading frantically from all directions toward the apex of the Wood Spirit Hall.

After completely encircling the palace, the vines began to weave in intricate patterns.

In just a few minutes, the gaps between the vines completely vanished. The Wood Spirit Hall was sealed off, entirely covered by a colossal black shroud.

"Sister Xueyi, let's see how long you can last within this expanse of 'Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines'!"

The black vines dancing wildly around Mu Qingyi abruptly retracted into her body, like a receding tide. Then, with a cold laugh, she turned, her delicate body gradually dissolving into the void and disappearing. The scene abruptly ended.

The tangible layer of dark green light rapidly retreated from Nie Kong’s body, and the Wood Ancestor’s hand retracted back into the sphere. During the preceding vision, Qingyue had seen nothing; bored, the little one had simply sat cross-legged on Nie Kong’s shoulder, commencing her cultivation.

Looking at the dark green sphere floating before him, Nie Kong couldn't help but ask, "Wood Ancestor, twenty years have passed since those events. How is she...?"

"Still alive..."

Nie Kong breathed a sigh of relief, but the Wood Ancestor's tone immediately shifted. "Although she lives, she is not far from death. Those 'Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines' are extremely insidious; they can completely sever all life force."

"When Xueyi was at her weakest, she was enveloped by the 'Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines,' leaving virtually no chance for recovery. She can only decline day by day. If it weren't for the protection of the 'Wood Spirit Hall,' she likely would not have lasted this long..."

Nie Kong fell silent. He hadn't expected that upon entering Yin Xu, he would worry about Mu Xueyi, a mother he had never met. Perhaps this was the power of blood?

After a long pause, Nie Kong hesitated. "Wood Ancestor, you have awakened for a hundred years, your power must be immense. Why did you allow such a thing to happen in Yin Xu?"

Since witnessing Mu Shang's demise, Nie Kong had held this doubt, and now he could no longer suppress it.

"If I could have stopped it, I would have done so long ago," the Wood Ancestor sighed deeply. "Nearly ten thousand years ago, heaven and earth underwent a great change. I survived one calamity and occupied a fractured illusionary realm. It took three thousand years of remodeling to create this Yin Xu. Living alone in such a vast expanse was too lonely. I used my wood seed as my heart, condensed dozens of female infants, and nurtured them. These were the earliest humans in Yin Xu, the so-called Half-Spirit Race in the outside world. Although I could not manifest a human form like other Ancestors of the Spirit Races, the Half-Spirit Race of Yin Xu are all my descendants. Since I am the Wood Ancestor of Yin Xu, how could I stand idly by when my descendants were in peril? However..."

Nie Kong listened in utter astonishment. He knew the Wood Ancestor had a close relationship with the Yin Xu Half-Spirit Race, but he never imagined that every member, including himself, was his descendant. No wonder Qingyue had previously called the ten-thousand-year-old Tree Spirit his ancestor; it was entirely true.

He wondered how the Yin Xu Half-Spirit Race propagated. In the vision just now, his father never appeared. Could it be that they, like the Wood Ancestor, used wood seeds as hearts to condense infant bodies and produce offspring? The more Nie Kong thought about it, the more unbelievable it seemed.

After a while, Nie Kong dismissed the chaotic thoughts and focused on the Wood Ancestor's unfinished remark, his heart leaping. Disbelief flashed across his face, and he blurted out, "Wood Ancestor, could it be that you...?" Nie Kong did not finish the sentence, but the implication was clear: the Wood Ancestor allowed this calamity to befall Yin Xu without intervening. There seemed to be only one explanation—that he had met with trouble too?

But Nie Kong truly couldn't imagine what could possibly harm the Wood Ancestor. He was a ten-thousand-year-old Tree Spirit! Even without manifesting a human form, having cultivated for such an immense span of time, he must have long since broken through the Heavenly Spirit realm and achieved the Spirit God status! Who on the Tianling Continent could threaten such a supreme powerhouse?

The Wood Ancestor did not reply, merely asking in return, "Child, watch closely. Have you discovered anything?"

As he spoke, the dark green sphere slowly began to rotate.

Nie Kong watched with suspicion, not daring to blink.

When the sphere completed its second rotation, Nie Kong suddenly noticed three dark spots, thick as a finger, amidst the dark green color.

"You have already seen it."

The Wood Ancestor's aged voice carried a hint of helplessness. "The source of these three black spots is the 'Dark Blood Spirit Worm.' These 'Dark Blood Spirit Worms' are not insects, but rather poisonous barbs. Like the 'Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vine' Xīn Xiàng displayed by Qingyi, they originate from the 'Abyss of Corruption'..."

"The Abyss of Corruption?"

Nie Kong started. This was the first time he had ever heard of this place.

The Wood Ancestor sighed. "Child, what your mother said is true: the Qingyi of today is not the original Qingyi. The three 'Dark Blood Spirit Worms' are what she left behind. This sphere is my heart. Once the 'Dark Blood Spirit Worms' entered, their poison began to erode my spiritual intellect. I must constantly suppress them to maintain my clarity. Twenty years ago, letting you out was the limit of what I could do. If I had intervened to capture Qingyi, I would have needed to exert a greater force. At that time, the 'Dark Blood Spirit Worms' would have seized the opportunity to invade. Once my intellect was lost, my power would have spun completely out of control, and not only would I have failed to save your mother, but the entire Yin Xu would have collapsed, killing every one of the hundreds of thousands of children here."

What exactly were those "Dark Blood Spirit Worms" that even the progenitor of the Yin Xu Half-Spirit Race was helpless against? Nie Kong was deeply shaken. He took a deep breath and asked incredulously, "Wood Ancestor, you are a ten-thousand-year-old Tree Spirit. Mu Qingyi, at most, is only a Heavenly Spirit. How could you fall for her trick?"

The Wood Ancestor let out a faint, self-deprecating laugh. "Child, when Qingyi pierced my heart with these three 'Dark Blood Spirit Worms,' I was deep in slumber. How could I have possibly anticipated my own child suddenly turning against me? Furthermore, these 'Dark Blood Spirit Worms' were specifically refined by that Spirit God in the Abyss of Corruption targeting me. When Qingyi made her move, that Spirit God even secretly embedded a portion of its spiritual consciousness within her body. With these three factors combined, it was nearly impossible for me to avoid misfortune!"

"The most secure fortress is always breached from within..." Nie Kong sighed inwardly. The Wood Ancestor was correct; with those three elements, even the strongest expert would find it difficult to guard against. He wondered why the Spirit God of the Abyss of Corruption targeted the Wood Ancestor and specifically refined the "Dark Blood Spirit Worms."

"That Spirit God's spiritual consciousness still clings to Qingyi's body, but I have completely sealed Yin Xu, severing the connection between its main body and that consciousness. Yin Xu can only be entered, never exited. Unless one is my direct descendant, even a Spirit God would struggle to reach this place through the spiritual meridian. That creature dreams if it thinks it can seize my Tree Heart to break through to Spirit God!"

The Wood Ancestor gave a soft snort, his voice carrying a faint, hidden anger.

"Only entered, never exited?"

Nie Kong's heart skipped a beat. Did this mean he, too, could never leave Yin Xu? As the thought occurred, Nie Kong suddenly realized, "Wood Ancestor, the spiritual meridian leads directly to Lingyu City. Now that Lingyu City is gone, and the Spirit Extreme Sacred Water... if they can no longer suppress the power of the spiritual meridian, won't Yin Xu still collapse completely?"

"That is also what troubles me. Yin Xu originally did not have that spiritual meridian. It was only three thousand years ago when my cultivation broke through and I required stronger heaven and earth spiritual energy that I condensed a meridian leading directly outside. If Lingyu City truly cannot suppress the meridian's power, perhaps I will have no choice but to forcibly send the children of Yin Xu out. However, in doing so, my spiritual intellect will inevitably be corroded by the 'Dark Blood Spirit Worms,' turning me into that Spirit God’s puppet. Then, my descendants will forever lose the place of their bloodline awakening, and the Yin Xu bloodline will gradually vanish from the continent."

The Wood Ancestor spoke mournfully.

After a moment of sighing, the Wood Ancestor's voice betrayed an irrepressible joy. "Fortunately, Heaven has not forsaken the lineage of my Yin Xu Half-Spirit Race! You have been sent back at this precise moment. Child, do you realize that your return is equivalent to saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of your kin?"

"Me?"

Nie Kong was instantly stunned, muttering, "Wood Ancestor, something you, who possess such capability, cannot manage—how can I, a mere Spirit Transformation Master, possibly accomplish it?"

The Wood Ancestor laughed heartily. "Child, you might not be able to do it alone, but you can with the help of the little fellow hidden beneath your acupoint!"

"Xiangxiang?"

Nie Kong blinked. The little one residing in his Yaochi Acupoint was indeed exposed.

Qingyue, who had been sitting cross-legged, suddenly leaped up, her face beaming. "So her name is Xiangxiang. I knew it! I told you Nie Kong must have another Herb Spirit inside him, but he kept denying it. Tree Spirit Grandpa is amazing; he immediately stopped this fellow from finding excuses."

"Hahaha..."

The Wood Ancestor erupted in a hearty laugh. "Child, the fragrance released by this little one is the nemesis of the flora in the 'Abyss of Corruption'!"

"Oh..." Nie Kong let out a soft exclamation of surprise. He knew the fragrance the Wood Ancestor referred to must be the little one's skill, 'Dark Fragrance.' It was likely released in small amounts when the little one was agitated earlier, which the Wood Ancestor detected. To Nie Kong's surprise, he had always believed the function of 'Dark Fragrance' was twofold: stimulating herb growth and helping Herb Spirits like Qingyue condense their bodies. He hadn't expected it could also counter the flora of the Abyss of Corruption.

"Come, let me see this little fellow." The Wood Ancestor smiled, and a dark green palm extended from the sphere, gently resting on Nie Kong's abdomen. A powerful suction force surged from the palm, burrowing directly into the Yaochi Acupoint. The little one shrieked in fright, its roots, stems, and leaves clinging tightly to the acupoint, refusing to let go.

However, compared to the suction force in the Wood Ancestor's palm, the little one's strength was negligible. In less than a second, the little one was pulled from the acupoint and appeared in the Wood Ancestor's grasp.

"Ah-ya-ya!" The little one was thoroughly terrified, wriggling its leaves and roots, escaping the Wood Ancestor's palm in a flash and leaping back onto Nie Kong's chest, hurriedly tucking itself inside his clothes. Nie Kong quickly checked and, upon confirming the tender sprout was only startled and unharmed, finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Little fellow, come out quickly, let your sister have a good look."

Qingyue was enthusiastic, whooshing out from Nie Kong’s chest and diving in after it. The little one had been hiding near Nie Kong’s left breast, and upon sensing Qingyue’s approach, it immediately tried to slip downward. Qingyue grew even more excited, chasing after it with shouts: "Don't run! Stop! Sister won't eat you..."

The two little ones scrambled within Nie Kong's clothes above his belt like mice, leaving Nie Kong speechless with frustration. Just as Nie Kong prepared to retrieve them, Qingyue caught up to the little one, pinching its stem as she climbed out from Nie Kong’s chest, her small face flushed with excitement.

"Ah-ya-ya?"

The little one cried out, batting at Qingyue's arm with its roots, pleading with Nie Kong for rescue. Seeing Qingyue's agitated state, Nie Kong genuinely worried she might snap the little one's stem. He cleared his throat, used his fingers to gently hold Qingyue’s slender waist, lifting her, and snatched the little one away.

The Wood Ancestor chuckled. "Child, put this little fellow away. It is still young and cannot remain outside for too long."

"Okay!"

Nie Kong was eager to comply, quickly handing the little one over. The Wood Ancestor took it, patted Nie Kong’s lower abdomen, and in an instant, the little one returned to the Yaochi Acupoint.

Qingyue slipped free from Nie Kong's fingers, floating before his abdomen, gazing intently, her small face filled with regret—it seemed she hadn't finished playing.

"This little fellow’s fragrance is still too faint, but that is alright..."

Saying this, the Wood Ancestor touched Nie Kong's lower abdomen with his index finger. Instantly, that finger rippled gently like water. Nie Kong sensed wisps of thick, dark green liquid seeping into his body, entering the Yaochi Acupoint. In just a short time, the empty acupoint was filled.

This was not the blood containing the latent power of the Yin Xu bloodline! Nie Kong keenly perceived the difference between this liquid and the previous mass of dark green blood.

The Wood Ancestor raised his finger. "This is 'Divine Luo Nectar,' refined over a thousand years by collecting morning dew and condensing heaven and earth spiritual energy. Once it absorbs this, the concentration and quantity of that fragrance will be enhanced. Unfortunately, this little one is too young; it can only absorb this much 'Divine Luo Nectar' in the end. Countering the 'Dark Blood Spirit Worm' might be impossible, but it should still be sufficient to counter Qingyi’s 'Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines.'"

"Thank you, Wood Ancestor."

Nie Kong was overjoyed. He hadn't expected that by visiting Yin Xu, the little one would also receive such a significant benefit. The "Nightmare Spirit Black Demon Vines" were Mu Qingyi's Xīn Xiàng; to counter them, the "Dark Fragrance" contained within the little one had to reach an astonishing level.

"Ah-ya-ya!"

The little one paused for a moment, then let out an excited shout, happily sinking its roots down. The green liquid inside the Yaochi Acupoint rapidly diminished. Before long, only a little over half remained, and the rate at which the little one absorbed the green liquid began to slow. It took about fifteen minutes for the Yaochi Acupoint to become completely dry.

The little one lay sprawled out, humming contentedly.

"Dark Fragrance!"

Nie Kong exclaimed inwardly. This time, the little one didn't hesitate. Its flower bud instantly cracked open, releasing a thick plume of purple energy. However, the little one quickly sucked it back in, proudly waving its leaves. Nie Kong couldn't help but smile; no wonder it became so prompt—it was trying to show off to him.

Child, you are currently inside my body, and I will send you away shortly. You must proceed with utmost caution in this matter; it is not only for the sake of your kin but also for your own. Do you realize that if your mother is not rescued, your bloodline may never truly awaken?

Mu Zu’s tone grew grave.

"My bloodline hasn't awakened yet?"

Nie Kong was quite taken aback. After lying dormant for so long, his fractured blood vessels had completely healed. While Nie Kong’s cultivation level hadn't increased, he could clearly sense the immense, surging power within his blood. Most wonderfully, this power did not interfere with the flow of his spiritual energy.

Mu Zu couldn't help but chuckle. "It's not that simple. The process you just experienced was merely foundational work. True awakening only occurs when you possess the Mind Aspect. My Yin Xu lineage differs from other Spirit Races. You were born of Xue Yi, and only she can help you cultivate the Mind Aspect. Without Xue Yi, even I, Mu Zu, cannot assist you..."