Reincarnated as a Ginkgo Tree: I Create an Eternal Divine Kingdom - Chapter 95

The roe deer, true to its carefree nature, didn’t seem to take Su Mu’s words seriously. Once it realized it wouldn’t be receiving any more life essence, it began to frolic around the Misty Forbidden Zone, clearly curious about its new surroundings.

Its curiosity soon turned into satisfaction, as it quickly developed a preference for this place over its previous home.

Not long after, while the deer was merrily wandering, its ears suddenly perked up, sensing something. Su Mu also sensed a disturbance.

Moments later, in the outskirts of the Misty Forbidden Zone, the Earthquake Bear and Huang Shuling appeared, with Huang Shuling riding a black ox. However, following close behind them was a massive crocodile, nearly fifty feet long, with a mermaid perched on its back. The crocodile exuded a powerful aura, clearly intent on pursuing Huang Shuling and the bear.

Both the crocodile and the mermaid were formidable beings—the crocodile was a third-tier supreme-grade creature, and the mermaid a third-tier upper-grade. In the Misty Forbidden Zone, few things could obstruct their path, not even the mist creatures.

Despite this, none of the beings in the Misty Forbidden Zone displayed fear or panic. At the same time, Su Mu felt a cold anger rising within him. These intruders dared to bring their aggression into his domain? If he didn’t respond, it would undermine his authority.

Su Mu’s consciousness swept over the crocodile and the mermaid. The crocodile had several abilities, but none that were of much interest to Su Mu. The mermaid, however, possessed a unique power known as “Water Domain Suppression,” which could stabilize any body of water in which she resided.

This was a skill Su Mu found intriguing, as it filled a gap in the capabilities of his current subordinates. The Sea Monk, while also a water creature, was more adept at destruction than maintaining order, and the green algae lacked such a stabilizing effect. Capturing the mermaid would be a valuable addition.

Moreover, Su Mu noticed that the mermaid’s anger wasn’t directed at him or his domain but seemed to be focused on the black ox. This gave him a hint about the situation.

As the mermaid and the crocodile charged recklessly forward, they soon found themselves at the base of Su Mu, the giant ginkgo tree. They came to an abrupt halt upon seeing the enormous tree before them.

In the next instant, several branches of the tree sliced through the air, striking the crocodile with incredible speed. The crocodile had no time to evade.

Whap! Whap! Whap!

In mere moments, the crocodile was sent flying, its thick skin, normally impenetrable and comparable to that of a fourth-tier creature, was torn open under the assault of the ginkgo tree’s branches. Despite its formidable defense, the crocodile was no match for the tree’s might.

Roar!

The crocodile let out a pained roar. It had known of the giant tree’s existence but had never feared it. It had always assumed that the tree was on par with it or even weaker. This overconfidence led it to charge in recklessly, only to be met with a brutal reality—the giant ginkgo tree was far more powerful than it had ever imagined.

The mermaid, meanwhile, was frozen in terror, her already pale face turning ghostly white. Moments later, the crocodile was incapacitated, lying motionless on the ground, its life extinguished.

The black ox, now shivering, began to comprehend the true power of the tree. Before coming here, Huang Shuling had spoken to the ox about the tree’s mystical nature, but she hadn’t mentioned its terrifying lethality.

The crocodile, though slightly weaker than the ox, wasn’t far behind in strength. If the tree could dispatch the crocodile so easily, it could undoubtedly kill the ox as well.

Soon after, a pair of enormous misty eyes formed in the air, focusing on the black ox. The ox gulped nervously, feeling a rare sense of unease. However, its resolve quickly returned, bolstered by its cultivation and mental fortitude.

“The poor Daoist Rushing Thunder greets the revered Daoist,” the black ox said politely, with a slight hint of pride in its voice when it mentioned its name. It had taken the ox several months of contemplation to come up with the name “Rushing Thunder,” which it considered quite brilliant.

Rushing Thunder? The other beings of the Misty Forbidden Zone could barely contain their laughter, finding the name rather rustic.¹ Su Mu, on the other hand, found the ox increasingly amusing. Despite its massive size and mountainous appearance, the ox’s mannerisms were surprisingly human-like.

Rushing Thunder was no fool. Noticing the reactions of those around it, it quickly realized that its name might not be as impressive as it thought. While it might have felt embarrassed or ashamed in front of others, the ox rationalized that the ancient and knowledgeable ginkgo tree, with its vast wisdom, was simply beyond its own understanding. With this in mind, it continued the conversation.

“I’ve heard from Daoist Huang that you are the renowned Enlightenment Tree, having existed for countless years. Surely your knowledge is vast. What do you think of my name?” the ox inquired.

Su Mu responded, “It has a certain rustic charm to it.”

“Rustic charm? What an excellent phrase!” Rushing Thunder’s admiration for Su Mu grew instantly. However, it also became clear to the ox that its name might not be as good as it had thought.

“Daoist, I’ve never been fully satisfied with my name. Do you have any suggestions?” the ox asked.

“Humans say, ‘Where the thunder strikes, nothing remains unscathed; where the weight of ten thousand pounds presses, nothing remains uncrushed.’ The name Rushing Thunder is not bad, but it lacks the power it deserves. I suggest you call yourself ‘Niu Wan Jun’—Ox of Ten Thousand Pounds!” Su Mu said.

“Niu Wan Jun? Niu Wan Jun… What a name! What a name!” The ox began to repeat the name to itself, its eyes growing brighter with each repetition. It quickly fell in love with the name, feeling a deep connection to it.

“Young Niu Wan Jun greets the Enlightenment Tree elder,” the ox said, changing its tone to one of deep respect. If Su Mu had only displayed power, it might not have won the ox over, but Su Mu’s evident wisdom and vast knowledge deeply impressed the ox, filling it with admiration.

Su Mu couldn’t help but chuckle. For the first time, he had won over a powerful creature not with strength, but with knowledge and wisdom. And this was no ordinary creature—it was a true ruler, a third-tier supreme-grade beast.

“The poor Daoist Su Mu,” Su Mu finally revealed his own name for the first time.

“Ah, so it is Elder Su Mu,” Niu Wan Jun replied.

“The Misty Forbidden Zone welcomes you as our guest,” Su Mu said with a smile. The ox’s arrival gave Su Mu a sense of warmth, as if a friend had come from afar. Niu Wan Jun’s abilities were quite impressive.

[Species: Water Buffalo]

[Length: 50 feet]

[Lifespan: 3600 years]

[Rank: Third-tier, Supreme Grade]

[Abilities: Kui Niu Bloodline, Thunder Power, Water Control, Mountain Treading Sutra, Ox Horn Strike, Storm Power]

This ox not only possessed the bloodline of an ancient beast but had also received extraordinary teachings. Its immense strength was now understandable.

However, Su Mu wasn’t in a rush to subdue the ox. The most valuable abilities of the ox—its Kui Niu bloodline and Mountain Treading Sutra—were difficult to replicate and would require a vast amount of lifespan.

But Su Mu wasn’t going to offer hospitality without compensation either.

“There is an underground world within the Misty Forbidden Zone. You may reside there,” Su Mu offered.

He planned for Niu Wan Jun to guard the underground world. With the mermaid overseeing the Sui River and Misty Lake and Niu Wan Jun guarding the underground world, Su Mu’s two main strongholds would be securely defended, freeing him from the daily burden of maintaining stability. He could then focus more of his energy on other matters.