“Clan Chief, many of our people are injured. Can we stop and rest for a while?”
In the depths of Disordered Burial Mountain, a tattered and exhausted member of the Li Clan asked Joshua Li, who was following behind.
“No, keep moving! We must cover another twenty miles tonight!”
“I’ll go ahead and clear the path!”
Joshua Li, who was bringing up the rear, replied firmly while cautiously surveying their surroundings.
It had been two days since they left the clan and entered Disordered Burial Mountain, yet they had covered less than a hundred miles, not even a fifth of the way through the mountain.
The reasons were obvious.
Disordered Burial Mountain had a complex terrain, with rugged paths and frequent thorns, not to mention the presence of fierce beasts.
The closer they got to the center of the mountain, the stronger the beasts became.
Although the group of twenty were all young members of the clan, including several early Body Tempering Realm warriors, they lacked experience in navigating the mountain.
The harsh environment and various other factors slowed their progress.
But Joshua Li’s expression remained resolute, refusing to give up despite the difficulties.
There were many paths leading out of Disordered Burial Mountain, but when he and Jay Li discussed their escape route, they decided to eliminate all other options and cross through the mountain to evade the Chen Clan’s pursuit.
As for the rest of the clan, bringing them along would likely drag the entire clan down, so he had no choice but to abandon them.
The Chen Clan would never guess that they would cross Disordered Burial Mountain, right?
Even if they did, they might not dare to send people to chase them, given the limited number of Blood Condensation Realm warriors in the Chen Clan.
However, considering other factors, the clan still needed to leave the mountain as quickly as possible.
This was the clan’s only chance. As long as they could safely leave Disordered Burial Mountain, with the remaining warriors, they could rebuild and revive the clan.
In the past, the Elder Ancestor of the Li Family had established the clan single-handedly. Now, with better conditions, Joshua Li believed he could do the same.
The current difficulties in Disordered Burial Mountain were just the foundation for honing the younger generation of the clan.
…
“Clan Chief, there’s something wrong with the Sacred Tree.”
The next day, before Ethan Chen could even step out of his room, he heard the panicked cries of his clan members.
He had returned late last night and wanted to rest.
But upon hearing that there was an issue with the Sacred Tree, Ethan Chen’s face turned pale, and he rushed towards the Ancestral Hall without delay.
The Sacred Tree was crucial to the clan’s rise; nothing could go wrong with it!
When Ethan Chen arrived at the Ancestral Hall, a large number of clan members had already gathered under the Sacred Tree.
These clan members looked anxious, whispering among themselves, but none dared to get too close.
Seeing this, Ethan Chen’s heart sank. If the Sacred Tree had indeed encountered a problem, it would be a fatal blow to the clan.
“Make way, the Clan Chief is here.”
As Ethan Chen approached, the clan members stopped their discussions and made way for him.
Ethan Chen maintained a calm expression as he slowly approached the Sacred Tree.
He was the Clan Chief and the pillar of the clan. Even though he was anxious to check the situation, he had to appear composed.
Despite this, his steps quickened involuntarily.
When Ethan Chen finally reached the Sacred Tree, he could see its current state clearly.
The once vibrant and flourishing Sacred Tree had undergone a drastic change.
The trunk had turned a deep black, and even the branches and leaves were not spared.
This sight sent a chill down Ethan Chen’s spine. Could there really be something wrong with the Sacred Tree?
But as the Clan Chief, why hadn’t he received any warning from the Sacred Tree?
Oh right, he had been busy tracking the Li Clan yesterday and returned late, not having had the chance to check on the tree.
Ethan Chen felt a pang of regret, but then he noticed something on the branches of the Sacred Tree—dozens of small, light green fruits the size of thumbs.
This discovery left Ethan Chen astonished.
The Sacred Tree had borne fruit?
He had heard from the clan elders that the Sacred Tree bearing fruit was often a sign of it reaching maturity, providing opportunities for the clan.
It was said that the Sacred Tree had once flowered and borne fruit, bringing great benefits to the clan.
Unfortunately, he had been too young at the time and rarely had the chance to enter the Ancestral Hall, so he had never witnessed such a scene.
Moreover, he had heard that it could take months or even years for the Sacred Tree to flower and bear fruit.
But now, wasn’t this happening too quickly?
Ethan Chen was unsure of what to make of it. The clan members behind him, seeing his prolonged silence, began to whisper again.
“Quiet, no noise in the Ancestral Hall!”
Ethan Chen interrupted their discussions and turned to speak:
“The Sacred Tree is bearing divine fruit, which is why it has changed. This is an opportunity for the clan; there is no need to worry.”
Hearing Ethan Chen’s explanation, the clan members’ expressions relaxed, and they looked at the fruits on the tree with a sense of anticipation.
They were curious about what kind of fruit the Sacred Tree would produce.
After resolving the matter, Ethan Chen quickly left the Ancestral Hall.
From his observation, the Sacred Tree’s vitality was not in jeopardy; it had just undergone some changes.
However, he needed to consult the clan’s remaining records to understand what was happening.
He also considered temporarily closing the Ancestral Hall to prevent the clan members from worshipping.
But given that the Sacred Tree Grand Ceremony had just occurred, and to maintain the clan’s morale and cohesion, closing the hall was not appropriate.
Moreover, doing so would only confirm that there was indeed a problem with the Sacred Tree.
Since the Sacred Tree had not issued any warnings, these changes must be normal.
Nevertheless, Ethan Chen assigned two people to monitor the Sacred Tree. If there were any further changes, they were to inform him immediately.
Back in his room, Ethan Chen began to sift through the clan’s remaining records.
The news of the Sacred Tree bearing fruit caused quite a stir within the clan, prompting many members to visit the Ancestral Hall daily to worship and check on the fruits.
Since Joshua Li and the others had not been found, most of the clan’s warriors had not returned and were unaware of the changes in the Sacred Tree.
On the second day after the Sacred Tree bore fruit, the clan members went to observe it again.
They were astonished to find that the fruits, which had been the size of thumbs the previous day, had grown significantly, now reaching the size of half an egg, and the green fruits were turning a grayish-white.
The rapid growth of the fruits filled the clan members with awe.
The Sacred Tree truly lived up to its name.
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