Reincarnated as a Ginkgo Tree: I Create an Eternal Divine Kingdom - Chapter 125

The woman’s eyes were as cold as the moon.

Even though she was veiled, everyone around could feel her extraordinary beauty. However, the disciples of Mount Longhu had no time to admire her appearance, for the killing intent emanating from her was terrifying.

Her cultivation had reached the peak of the Golden Core stage, and with the Qingzhou Sword in hand, even Zhang Yusheng was filled with fear.

Swish!

The woman gave Zhang Yusheng no chance to react. In a blur, she darted past him, her sword flashing by his side. She was so fast that Zhang Yusheng couldn’t even begin to dodge.

Slash!

As the woman landed behind him, blood spurted from Zhang Yusheng’s throat. Yet, she didn’t stop there. In the blink of an eye, the other Mount Longhu disciples present were also cut down by her sword.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…

The sound of rushing wind filled the air as hundreds of cultivators from afar began to approach. The woman, without further bloodshed, softly said, “Let’s go.”

The four members of the Sect of the Other Shore quickly followed her, disappearing into the dense forest.

Deep within the forest, Ruan Huian, the Holy Maiden of the Sect of the Other Shore, looked at the mysterious woman with gratitude. “Holy Maiden of the Sect of the Other Shore, Ruan Huian, thanks you for saving our lives.”

“No need to thank me. The Divine Tree Lord sent me,” the mysterious woman replied coldly.

“The Divine Tree Lord?” Ruan Huian was puzzled.

“Follow me,” the mysterious woman ordered. “The Divine Tree Lord wishes to see you.”

Ruan Huian hesitated. “Do I have to go?”

She knew nothing about this so-called Divine Tree Lord, and naturally, she was reluctant to go. The mysterious woman didn’t answer; she merely stared at Ruan Huian with a cold gaze. The three remaining disciples of the Sect of the Other Shore shuddered, sensing the icy killing intent in the air. It was clear the mysterious woman was warning them: if they didn’t go, they would be killed.

Ruan Huian swallowed nervously. “I’ll go.”

In the Misty Forbidden Zone, a few figures from the southern wilderness entered from the southern edge of the Ancient Wilderness Mountains. They were all geniuses from the various nations of the Southern Desolation.

“So, this is the Misty Forbidden Zone of the Great Xia?”

“They say the Great Xia has made this place out to be something extraordinary, but I don’t see what the big deal is.”

“Two months ago, we broke through the Forbidden Zone of Weishan Mountain together, which is said to be the most dangerous zone in the Southern Desolation.”

“From what I can see, this Misty Forbidden Zone isn’t much either.”

These genius cultivators were full of confidence. Their cultivation levels varied, with the strongest among them at the mid-Golden Core stage and the weakest at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage.

The Weishan Mountain Forbidden Zone might not be well-known in the world, but in the Southern Desolation, it was the most formidable. Because of this, they assumed that the Misty Forbidden Zone, while formidable, wouldn’t be much more dangerous than Weishan Mountain.

Having heard that the Nine Great Forces were forming an army to attack the Misty Forbidden Zone, they thought the alliance was overreacting. So, they decided to enter the Misty Forbidden Zone themselves, confident that if they could escape unscathed, they would become famous once more in the Southern Desolation.

Moreover, if there truly was a supreme medicinal herb in the Misty Forbidden Zone, they might even be able to obtain it before anyone else.

Initially, when they entered the outskirts of the Misty Forbidden Zone, they were nonchalant. With their strength, they indeed found little resistance in the outer areas. However, as they ventured deeper into the inner regions, they began to notice something was off. The strength of the beasts there was noticeably greater than those in Weishan Mountain.

“What’s going on?” The geniuses were finding it hard to accept. They had thought that Weishan Mountain was the most powerful Forbidden Zone, but now it seemed that compared to the Misty Forbidden Zone, Weishan Mountain was the one that was not so formidable. Could it be that the Great Xia’s Forbidden Zone was stronger than those in the Southern Desolation? This seemed illogical to them.

At that moment, deep within the Misty Forbidden Zone, Bai Qianzhang spoke, “The Southern Desolation’s spiritual energy is not weaker than that of the Eastern Desolation. However, the dragon veins in that area were the most severely damaged in the past, which likely means the underground spiritual energy there is not as strong as in the Eastern Desolation. Trees rely heavily on underground spiritual energy to grow, which in turn affects the beasts of the forests. Therefore, I would speculate that the Forbidden Zones in the Southern Desolation are generally weaker than those in the Eastern Desolation. Of course, the cultivators there should not be underestimated; after all, they rely primarily on the world’s spiritual energy.”

Su Mu nodded thoughtfully. No wonder he couldn’t sense any particularly powerful Forbidden Zones in the Southern Desolation.

“Hmm?” As he pondered, Su Mu sensed something and showed an amused expression.

In the core area of the Misty Forbidden Zone, the geniuses from the Southern Desolation, despite their formidable strength, had somehow forced their way into the heart of the Misty Forbidden Zone. However, their previous arrogance and disdain had vanished. Now, they were battered, covered in wounds, and their clothes were in tatters.

“We can’t stay here any longer.”

“This place is a kingdom of monsters.”

Fear was now evident on their faces. Just then, they saw a boat passing by on the nearby river, with several figures standing on its deck.

“Look, isn’t that Ruan Huian, the Holy Maiden of the Sect of the Other Shore?” one of the geniuses exclaimed.

The others looked over and were equally surprised. “It really is her.”

“Why is Holy Maiden Ruan here?”

“Hurry, call out to her for help.”

The geniuses, seeing a glimmer of hope, called out for help.

On the boat, Ruan Huian heard the cries and, seeing the battered figures on the riverbank, was momentarily stunned. She recognized them as famous geniuses from the Southern Desolation. What were they doing here in the Misty Forbidden Zone? But soon, she was filled with helplessness. She was struggling to save herself, how could she possibly save others?

However, Su Yao, standing nearby, received a message. “Let them aboard,” she instructed. Immediately, a monkey-like creature leaped from the boat and grabbed the geniuses, pulling them onto the deck.

Now that they were on the boat, the geniuses realized something was off. It was clear that Ruan Huian was not the one in charge here.

“Holy Maiden?” they asked, their faces filled with uncertainty.

Ignoring them, Ruan Huian turned to Su Yao and asked apprehensively, “When will we meet the Divine Tree Lord you spoke of?”

“Very soon,” Su Yao replied.

“What is going on?” one of the geniuses asked, turning to Ruan Huian. “Holy Maiden, who is this, and why is she being so disrespectful to you?”

Su Yao’s eyebrows furrowed. The monkey was quick-witted and knocked the geniuses unconscious to stop their noise.

Soon, the boat reached Misty Lake. Upon seeing the scene at Misty Lake, Ruan Huian’s breath hitched. Was the Misty Forbidden Zone truly this terrifying? Even the Sect of the Other Shore’s headquarters did not compare to this place. In other Forbidden Zones, a third-tier being could rule as a master, but here, third-tier beings seemed to be everywhere, many of them even at the peak of the third tier.

Finally, they arrived at the heart of the Forbidden Zone. Though there were many towering trees, Ruan Huian’s attention was immediately drawn to one ancient ginkgo tree. At that moment, the first thought that came to her mind was the “Divine Tree of the Other Shore,” as recorded in the sacred texts of the Sect of the Other Shore.

Her heart surged with emotion. Could this be the Divine Tree of the Other Shore, revered by her sect? The Sect of the Other Shore did not worship beast gods or ancient human immortals but the Divine Tree of the Other Shore! According to legend, the Divine Tree of the Other Shore contained endless divine power and could guide souls to the eternal shore.

“Divine Tree Lord, this is the Holy Maiden of the Sect of the Other Shore…” Su Yao began to introduce Ruan Huian. Typically, religious figures like Ruan Huian would have their own beliefs and be resistant to other deities. Su Yao had taken a liking to Ruan Huian and was concerned that she might offend the Divine Tree Lord. However, before she could finish her introduction, Ruan Huian suddenly knelt before Su Mu and prostrated herself.

“Holy Maiden of the Sect of the Other Shore, Ruan Huian, pays her respects to the Divine Tree Lord,” she said, her voice filled with reverence.

Su Mu’s thoughts focused on Ruan Huian.

‘Feathered garments often colored with the hues of dawn, they do not envy the flowers of the world.’ (Famous Chinese poem).

At the sight of Ruan Huian, Su Mu couldn’t help but marvel. Ruan Huian was indeed worthy of being the Holy Maiden of the Sect of the Other Shore, her beauty rivaling even that of Su Yao, who had been purified by the Life Essence. Yet Ruan Huian’s beauty was entirely natural.

At that moment, Ruan Huian looked up. Su Yao had a melon-seed-shaped face, bright and cold, while Ruan Huian had a round face with a hint of baby fat and exceptionally pure features, yet her eyes carried a natural allure that she seemed unaware of. She was the epitome of both innocence and seduction.

“Divine Tree Lord,” Ruan Huian mustered the courage to ask, “In this chaotic world, where all beings are lost in the sea of suffering, do you know where the other shore lies?”

Su Mu chuckled softly before letting out a sigh. “All beings search for the other shore, but do they not realize that, in the eyes of the other shore, the sea of suffering that beings seek to escape is itself the other shore?”

Ruan Huian’s heart shook violently, her beautiful eyes widening in response. The meaning of Su Mu’s words was simple: the beings that sought the other shore didn’t realize that, to those on the supposed other shore, the world the beings wished to escape from was considered their own other shore.

These words had a profound impact on Ruan Huian. If this were true, what was the purpose of the Sect of the Other Shore’s existence?

“There is no such thing as right or wrong; one thing viewed from another’s perspective becomes something else entirely. Life and death, right and wrong, are just relative terms, interchangeable and reversible. And so, the Sage does not follow the path but sees it as the heavens, and this too is as it should be.”

Su Mu’s words, reminiscent of the Dao itself, echoed in the void. Not just Ruan Huian, but all the beings present were deeply moved. Su Mu was telling them that everything in the world is relative. When viewed from the perspective of one, the other becomes the “other shore.” Life and death, cause and effect, are all mutually opposed yet interchanging.

‘To some degree, I am the other shore; life is death, and cause is effect.’

Those who understood felt as if they had been struck by a giant bell, their spirits reverberating with clarity. Those who did not understand were left in bewilderment.

Ruan Huian clearly possessed great insight.

“So, all beings are already on the other shore but simply do not know it?”

She suddenly smiled brightly, her radiance like a hundred flowers blooming. Her gaze at Su Mu grew intense and bright. At this moment, Ruan Huian was certain—the ancient ginkgo tree before her must be the Divine Tree of the Other Shore. Only such a tree could possess such wisdom.

At that moment, Su Mu’s thoughts took a strange turn.