“Shadowy Realm.”
Noah Ji murmured to himself, pondering slightly.
He had been rooted underground for a long time but never felt any Earth Qi, nor had he detected any nutrients in the soil.
As for Soul Qi and Yin Qi, he had no idea what they were.
Noah Ji preferred to choose between these two. After a brief moment of hesitation, he decided to absorb Yin Qi.
Hopefully, he made the right choice.
After making his choice, Noah Ji focused all his attention on the changes occurring within his trunk. If the situation worsened, he might not survive, but after making the choice, he couldn’t stop anything from happening.
All he could do was wait quietly.
As time accelerated, Noah Ji’s trunk gradually began to change. The originally brown trunk slowly transformed into black.
The changes didn’t stop but intensified.
It started with the trunk, then the roots, branches, and leaves…
In the end, the dark green Sophora leaves on Noah Ji’s branches all turned deep black, with a faint gray mist swirling around them.
After Noah Ji’s entire body transformed, he felt a sudden joy in his heart. As his body changed, his previously stunted growth resumed, and his trunk began to grow again.
After making his choice, Noah Ji’s vision also changed dramatically.
The previously empty surroundings now filled with a thick gray mist.
This gray mist didn’t suddenly appear; it seemed to have been there all along, but he couldn’t see it before.
As Noah Ji grew, he could clearly see the gray mist being constantly absorbed by his Sophora leaves.
Yin Qi.
The words appeared in Noah Ji’s mind. It seemed his choice was correct. This was a unique product of the Shadowy Realm, serving as nourishment for his growth.
And the Yin Qi around him was endless, making him feel extremely comfortable.
As Noah Ji reveled in the joy of growing, he suddenly noticed a blurry figure in the distant Yin Qi.
This discovery startled Noah Ji. Anomalies often signified choices, and choices represented danger.
But within danger lay a sliver of opportunity.
The longer he survived in this world of deduction, the more benefits he would gain.
Moreover, he was just a tree now, powerless to change the upcoming situation. He could only face it calmly.
As time passed, Noah Ji saw more and more blurry figures, and they got closer and clearer.
Eventually, one figure appeared in Noah Ji’s sight, allowing him to see what it was.
It was a figure with a blank expression, lifeless eyes, and a body made of gray-white mist.
“A soul.”
The description suddenly came to Noah Ji’s mind.
Soon, the figure approached Noah Ji, and new subtitles appeared.
【You have absorbed a large amount of Yin Qi, attracting a living soul. What do you choose?】
【Actively Protect】【Ignore】【Strangle with Roots】
“A living soul?”
Noah Ji frowned slightly, showing a hint of hesitation as he looked at the three distinct choices.
It was just a living soul; his roots could easily strangle it. However, there seemed to be countless living souls behind the dense Yin Qi, and he worried he couldn’t kill them all.
Moreover, he sensed that this living soul didn’t seem very aggressive. Noah Ji ultimately chose to ignore it, just like the Spring and Autumn Cicada did before.
This was the safest approach, a middle path that might allow him to live longer.
After making his choice, time continued to flow.
The living soul in Noah Ji’s sight stopped under his shade after approaching him. As Noah Ji’s Sophora leaves absorbed the Yin Qi, the living soul was also affected.
At first, it was just one living soul, but as time passed, more and more living souls gathered under Noah Ji’s shade, eventually covering his entire field of vision.
As Noah Ji’s Sophora leaves absorbed the Yin Qi, these living souls reacted strongly.
Their bodies gradually solidified, and a hint of spirit appeared in their hollow eyes.
Especially the first living soul that approached Noah Ji’s trunk, its body became the most robust over time, and a spark of intelligence appeared in its eyes.
It began to drive away the surrounding living souls, leaving a space solely for itself.
Moreover, this living soul practiced a set of martial arts in the clearing every day. Although its intelligence was low, it seemed to have become an instinct.
Noah Ji silently watched all this from above, a hint of surprise in his eyes. It seemed these living souls were not without memories.
What kind of place was this Shadowy Realm?
As Noah Ji absorbed the Yin Qi daily, he began to grow rapidly in a short time. Before long, he was over ten zhang tall, with a trunk as thick as a barrel, and a lush canopy with countless clusters of leaves.
The living souls also grew quickly, and gradually, more and more living souls had a spark of spirit in their eyes.
Centered around Noah Ji, they formed a hierarchical system, slowly expanding outward.
Noah Ji watched the development of the living souls with curiosity, finding it quite interesting for a time.
After a while, the living souls under Noah Ji’s shade gathered together, seemingly communicating in a special way.
At this moment, new subtitles appeared.
【A large number of living souls have gained intelligence. They decide to go out and fight, expand their territory, and offer sacrifices to you. What do you choose?】
【Generously Support】【Ignore】【Persuade the Living Souls】
Seeing the new choices, a smile appeared on Noah Ji’s lips.
Interesting.
After a moment of thought, Noah Ji chose to generously support.
Now, a large number of living souls had gathered below him, and many of them had solidified bodies. He wanted to see how far these living souls could develop.
After making his choice, the lush Sophora leaves on Noah Ji’s branches suddenly began to fall.
Each leaf landed in the hands of a living soul, transforming into a set of black armor that wrapped around them.
With the addition of the leaf armor, several living souls led the others and headed into the distance.
As Noah Ji quietly awaited the result, the subtitles suddenly made his expression freeze.
【The living souls under your shade went out to fight, seeking to become stronger, but they provoked the Shadow of War. You died.】
As the subtitles disappeared, a neighing sound came from beside Noah Ji.
When Noah Ji looked, he saw a half-human, half-horse knight, tens of zhang tall, wearing silver armor, charging with a blade.
Under its iron hooves, the living souls under the shade were crushed one by one.
Even the armor made from Noah Ji’s Sophora leaves couldn’t stop it.
In the end, the knight’s long-handled scythe swung horizontally, directly severing Noah Ji’s reinforced trunk.
…
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