Reincarnated as a Ginkgo Tree: I Create an Eternal Divine Kingdom - Chapter 12

“Demonic beasts?”

Su Yan and the gathered villagers erupted in chatter. They had heard tales of demonic beasts lurking within the Ancient Wilderness Mountain Range, but none had ever seen one in person.

“Village Chief, I’d like to meet the surviving girl—your granddaughter,” Wen Yuchao said after a moment of thought.

Su Yan replied, “To be honest, ever since the incident, my granddaughter has been frequenting the Ancient Wilderness Mountain Range. I’ve tried to stop her, but she insists on going. Fortunately, nothing has happened to her so far, so I’ve allowed her to continue.”

Wen Yuchao was taken aback. “You mean she’s in the mountains right now? Do you know when she might return?”

“She never stays out for long,” Su Yan responded. “In fact, it’s not just her. Many of the girls in the village, including Ah Xue and Ah Qin, used to enjoy going into the mountains because of the springs. The mountain springs are particularly favored by the girls.”

“Then we’ll wait here for her return,” Wen Yuchao decided.

Though he intended to investigate the situation within the Ancient Wilderness Mountain Range, he knew there was no need to rush. Su Yan quickly ordered some villagers to prepare mountain tea and wild fruits to entertain their guests.

Unbeknownst to them, several crows were circling high above the village, keeping a vigilant watch.

At the same time, deep within the Ancient Wilderness Mountain Range, Su Mu sensed the approach of the human cavalry. His thoughts immediately sharpened.

Through his connection with the spirit crows, Su Mu could perceive some of what they sensed. When the cavalry drew near Su Family Village, he became aware of their presence.

This wasn’t just any group of villagers; the organized formation and disciplined demeanor marked them as an official military unit.

“What’s going on? Why are they here? Could it be that my existence has been exposed?” Su Mu wondered, feeling a hint of concern. Despite his growing power, humanity was vast and formidable.

Their intelligence made them a threat, and Su Mu had no desire to be discovered by them prematurely. It would bring him no benefit and plenty of harm.

However, Su Mu quickly regained his composure, reasoning through the situation. Of the eight people who had originally discovered him, seven were dead, and the remaining one was devout in her belief, bowing before him even now. It was highly unlikely that the humans were aware of his presence.

“It seems I’ll need Su Yao to investigate and gather information for me,” Su Mu concluded. The decision to spare her life had been wise. There were many tasks, especially those related to the human world, that his animal companions could not accomplish.

“Su Yao’s cultivation is still too weak,” Su Mu mused. “In the human world, she has little influence and could easily be coerced. But if she shows exceptional cultivation and potential, others will think twice before trying to control her.”

Su Mu recognized the importance of Su Yao as his agent within the human world. With this in mind, he immediately condensed another ginkgo spirit fruit and offered it to her.

“Divine Tree?” Su Yao looked up in confusion.

Su Mu did not respond with words but simply urged her to consume the fruit. As soon as she ate it, she felt an immense and pure spiritual energy spreading throughout her body.

“Su Yao is eternally grateful for the Divine Tree’s blessing,” she said, kneeling in reverence. The white fruit had indeed been a gift from the Divine Tree.

A short time later, Su Yao’s aura underwent a dramatic transformation.

[Species: Human]
[Height: 5 feet]
[Lifespan: 120 years]
[Stage: Mid Qi Refinement]
[Ability: Heart of Faith]

Her entire demeanor had become more ethereal, almost otherworldly. Though she was still dressed as a village girl, she now carried an aura that made her seem like a fairy descended to the mortal world.

“Return to Su Family Village and gather information about that cavalry unit for me…” Su Mu transmitted his thoughts to her.

“I will obey the Divine Tree’s command,” Su Yao responded with deep reverence. A single divine fruit had elevated her cultivation by a whole level, something utterly impossible in the human world. This only deepened her devotion to the Divine Tree.

Back at Su Family Village, Wen Yuchao continued to engage in conversation with the villagers, hoping to learn more about the Ancient Wilderness Mountain Range. Su Yan was by his side, acting as the host.

“Village Chief, Su Yao has returned,” a villager reported, clearly pleased.

Su Yan smiled in relief.

“Good, I’ve been wanting to meet this young girl who survived such an ordeal,” Wen Yuchao said with a lighthearted tone, not expecting much. There were many cases of people who, through sheer luck, stumbled upon some fortuitous opportunity and became cultivators. But most of these individuals had little potential, much like Su Yan, who had been stuck at the early stages of Qi Refinement for decades.

However, the moment he laid eyes on Su Yao, his expression changed. Even the cavalrymen behind him paused, clearly surprised.

The girl before them was not the plain village lass they had imagined. Though she wore simple clothing, it couldn’t conceal her pure and elegant demeanor.

Unlike the other girls in Su Family Village, who had tanned or darker complexions, Su Yao’s skin was as smooth and white as porcelain.

The villagers themselves were taken aback. Although Su Yao had always been fair-skinned, it had never been to such an extraordinary degree. Now, she looked like a doll made of white jade.

“Mid Qi Refinement,” Wen Yuchao noted with a growing interest. The girl was not only at the mid-stage of Qi Refinement but also exuded a strong aura of wood elemental energy.

This suggested she might possess a high-quality wood spiritual root. During the era of spiritual scarcity, a high spiritual root might not have meant much. But in this era of spiritual resurgence, it was of great significance.

As the deputy general of Nanjing City, Wen Yuchao was well aware that major cities were secretly scouting for individuals with high spiritual root potential.

Nanjing City had always struggled to compete with larger cities, but Su Yao seemed like a gift from heaven, a potential breakthrough for them.

The others, unaware of Wen Yuchao’s thoughts, were still reeling from the shock of learning that Su Yao had reached the mid-stage of Qi Refinement. If anyone else had made such a claim, they would have dismissed it as nonsense. But coming from Wen Yuchao, a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, it could only be true.

Su Yan was so overwhelmed with excitement that his beard quivered. He had been stuck at the early stages of Qi Refinement for most of his life and might never breakthrough.

This had become a sore spot for him, and he had feared that his granddaughter might share the same fate. But now, she had already surpassed his expectations at such a young age.

Wen Yuchao originally intended to ask Su Yao about the situation in the Ancient Wilderness Mountain Range, but that thought was quickly set aside. He turned to Su Yan with urgency.

“Village Chief Su, I have a request. Su Yao’s talent is exceptional, and staying in Su Family Village could hinder her potential. I would like to take her to Nanjing City, where I will request the city lord to accept her as a disciple. I will also treat her as my own sister. I hope you can agree to this.”

Su Yan’s eyes lit up. He knew well the dangers of possessing great talent in a small place. Su Yao was like a rare gem, and keeping her in Su Family Village would bring more harm than good.

He had been wondering how to ask Wen Yuchao to take Su Yao under his wing and protect her. Now that Wen Yuchao had made the request himself, it was a fortunate turn of events.

Still, Su Yan feigned hesitation.

“As her grandfather, of course, I wish my precious granddaughter could stay with me forever,” Su Yan began. “But I also know that only by leaving the nest can a young eagle learn to soar.”