Reincarnated as a Ginkgo Tree: I Create an Eternal Divine Kingdom - Chapter 70

[Species: Algae Spirit]
[Height: 6 feet]
[Lifespan: 900 years]
[Cultivation: Late Foundation Establishment]
[Abilities: Heaven and Human Induction, Water Breathing, Binding Force]

As Su Mu had anticipated, Huang Shuling could no longer be considered human. Her bloodline, and even her very species, had been transformed. In fact, under normal circumstances, anyone who encountered a situation like Huang Shuling’s would only face one outcome: death.

Huang Shuling only survived and underwent this transformation because she had Su Mu backing her, continuously providing her with life essence liquid.

Huang Shuling slowly regained consciousness.

“I…” she muttered, clearly aware of the changes in her body. Her vision was now different from before as if the whole world was veiled in a faint, misty green hue. Although her sight was somewhat diminished, her sensory perception had greatly enhanced. She could now sense subtle changes in her surroundings even before her eyes could see them. This new awareness made her feel a bit panicked.

“Lord Tree,” she called out, looking for guidance from the silver ginkgo tree before her.

“Why do you panic?” Su Mu asked gently.

“Lord Tree, the way I look now, if others were to see me, they would surely consider me a freak,” Huang Shuling said with concern.

Su Mu asked, “Do you wish to return to the human world?”

Huang Shuling was taken aback by the question, and then she realized, “Lord Tree, I don’t think I really want to go back to the human world. I feel quite content staying here. I’ve already adapted to life in the Misty Territory, living peacefully with the spirit beasts, without the constant scheming and conflicts. If I were to return to the human world now, I probably wouldn’t be able to adjust.”

As she spoke, she understood something without Su Mu having to point it out: “How foolish of me. If I don’t even plan to return to the human world, why should I care about how humans perceive me?”

Su Mu smiled slightly. The leaves of the ginkgo tree rustled softly, as if laughing along with him.

Huang Shuling blushed and asked shyly, “Lord Tree, what do you think of how I look now?”

“You look very good,” Su Mu replied sincerely.

In his previous life, Su Mu thought, Huang Shuling’s appearance would have captivated countless people, especially since many women there deliberately styled themselves this way. But Huang Shuling naturally looked like this now.

Hearing Su Mu’s praise, Huang Shuling felt inexplicably happy.

Su Mu, however, didn’t dwell much on Huang Shuling’s feelings because the Misty Territory soon became lively again. The long-absent Ironback Ape had finally returned, bringing with it a troop of over three hundred monkeys, as well as more than a thousand other beasts.

Su Mu didn’t hesitate to deal with the other beasts, and the Ironback Ape showed no mercy either. In the animal world, the law of the jungle was the norm.

After slaying over a thousand beasts, Su Mu harvested thirteen thousand years of lifespan. The ape’s return had indeed brought him a pleasant surprise. This windfall caused Su Mu’s total lifespan to skyrocket to twenty-seven thousand years.

With this substantial amount of lifespan, Su Mu could finally do what he had long desired but had previously been unable to achieve: gaining a sixth-tier ability.

He didn’t hesitate and chose to enhance the Power of Mist.

For Su Mu, the Power of the Mist was crucial and indispensable, especially as he planned to extend his influence beyond the Misty Territory. Enhancing the power of the Mist had become an urgent priority.

“Power of Mist, upgrade!”

In an instant, twenty thousand years of lifespan vanished, and the Power of Mist advanced to the sixth tier.

[Species: Spirit Gingko Tree]
[Height: 630 feet]
[Lifespan: 7,600 years]
[Rank: Third Tier, Supreme Grade]
[Abilities: Innate Talent Duplication, Life Essence Condensation, Heaven and Human Induction, Fourth-Tier Earth Fiend Transformation, Fifth-Tier Phantom Snow Eye, Fourth-Tier Heart of Faith, Sixth-Tier Power of Mist, Fourth-Tier Heart Peering, Fifth-Tier Earth Force, Fourth-Tier Sword Mastery, First-Tier Bloodsucking Power]

Upon advancing to the sixth tier, Su Mu noticed a significant difference. Previously, when an ability leveled up, his influence would naturally expand. However, with a sixth-tier ability, things were different. Su Mu now felt his Power of Mist had significantly strengthened, but he could control the direction in which it extended.

Su Mu decided to first expand the mist power to cover a radius of sixty miles, which caused the Misty Territory to extend once again to the edge of the Archaic Mountains. Even then, he realized the mist power still had more potential.

“Then let it extend further,” Su Mu decided, letting the mist spread along the Sui River.

The Mist continued to stretch until it reached the junction of the Sui and Wushui rivers, then stopped. In fact, Su Mu could have extended it further, but he chose not to. Enveloping the Wushui River as well would likely provoke greater concern among humans. The current setup was just right. Humans would assume the Mist could only reach the end of the Sui River, with its boundary coinciding with the Sui-Wushui junction.

An hour later…

“Huh? When did this river appear?”

A group of people had arrived by the Sui River. They were a team of rogue cultivators on an expedition. Green Hills Mansion needed to focus on other top-tier restricted zones, but they couldn’t completely ignore the Misty Territory.

Thus, they issued a public mission, allowing cultivators across the land to investigate the Misty Territory. The rewards would depend on the authenticity and thoroughness of their findings.

With the resurgence of spiritual energy, the cultivation world now had numerous rogue cultivator expedition teams. After all, cultivators without backgrounds still made up the majority in this world. To enhance their competitiveness, these rogue cultivators often banded together, forming various teams.

The team before the river was known as the “Scythe Squad,” led by a captain with a scythe-shaped magical weapon. In the Green Hills Mansion’s exploration circles, the Scythe Squad had quite a reputation, known for their strength and capabilities.

Upon reaching this location, they immediately sensed something amiss. Captain Qin Lang quickly took out a map. The map clearly didn’t show this river in front of them.

“This map was purchased at a high price and has been used for months without any errors,” Qin Lang said. “But look, according to the map, the Wushui River should end here.”

“Not only that,” a female team member in red pointed out, “This isn’t just the end of Wushui; there’s mist on the river ahead, resembling the Misty Territory. But according to the map, we’re still six miles from the edge of the Ancient Wilderness Mountains.”

“It seems this mission is indeed unusual,” Qin Lang said, narrowing his eyes. “If the Misty Territory is as dangerous as they say, why did Green Hills Mansion issue a public mission instead of sending their own people?”

“Captain, it’s not that Green Hills Mansion hasn’t sent people,” the woman in red scoffed. “I have contacts in Green Hills Mansion, and they told me Green Hills Mansion has sent teams several times, but the results were far from satisfactory.”

“So, do we continue with this mission?” another team member asked nervously.

“What are you afraid of?” the woman in red dismissed his concerns. “I don’t believe the Misty Territory is as terrifying as they say. Over the past few months, we’ve explored various restricted zones. As long as we don’t delve too deep, with our abilities, there’s no reason we can’t retreat safely.”