Xiao Jie rode the auspicious clouds, gradually lowering his altitude over the familiar Ginkgo Village. Before he had fully landed, his gaze was drawn to the village’s central iconic giant ginkgo tree.
In his mory, it was supposed to be a splendid sight with flourishing branches and leaves, a golden spectacle, but now it was all gone, replaced only by gray decay and desolation.
The towering ancient tree appeared entirely lifeless in a gray-black hue, the once lush branches and leaves seemingly drained of all moisture, twisted and dry, covered with cracked lines. The dense fan-shaped leaves were entirely withered and curled up, turning into a withered deep brown, hanging sparsely on the branches. When the wind blew, they rustled down, covering the ground with a thick layer of dry branches and decaying leaves.
The whole tree seed to have had its entire vitality taken away overnight by so invisible force, leaving only a giant hollow shell, exuding a worriso aura of decline.
A sparse circle of villagers surrounded this unusually gray ginkgo tree. They pointed and whispered about what was once considered the guardian deity tree, their faces full of worry and panic. A repressed and anxious atmosphere perated the crowd.
Seeing Xiao Jie descend from the sky riding a cloud, the villagers were first stunned, then burst out with exclamations, as if seeing a savior.
"It’s the immortal! Suifeng Immortal has returned!"
"Great! Now the village is saved!"
"Immortal, quickly see what’s happened to the divine tree!"
Xiao Jie landed steadily in front of the withered ginkgo tree, his feet stepping onto the leaf-covered ground, making a soft rustling sound. He gazed at the lifeless and desolate scene before him, and couldn’t help but feel a shadow rise in his heart — this was definitely not a natural phenonon.
"Ah, Brother Sui Feng! You’ve finally co back!" A familiar voice ca, Xiao Jie turned to look, and a shirtless strong man erged from the crowd, it was the Wang Kai. His level was still a pitiful Level 1, it seems this old brother ultimately didn’t choose to leave the newbie village to venture further.
"Long ti no see, Wang." Xiao Jie gathered his thoughts, greeted with a smile, "How have you been?"
"Haha, it’s been quite good!" Wang Kai said with so pride and self-deprecation, "My forging skill has already upgraded to Master Level! Now when I forge equipnt, the efficiency is exceptionally satisfying! Recently, gold prices in the ga have risen, thanks to this skill, I can earn several hundred thousand a month in reality! I have a luxury car, a villa, what’s not to be satisfied? This ga, to , is a gold mine!"
Listening to Wang Kai’s satisfied words, Xiao Jie couldn’t help but feel contemplative. This old brother really is the epito of "contentnt brings happiness," having found his own way to make a living in the ga and enjoying it, in so sense, this is happiness as well.
At this mont, several old acquaintances of Xiao Jie also squeezed over.
Tie Qianli looked anxious: "Suifeng Hero, long ti no see! Thankfully you arrived in ti, now there’s finally hope! This divine tree is our village’s lifeblood!"
Zhou Tong echoed promptly: "Exactly! Sui Feng, you’re now amongst immortals, you can’t ignore this matter!"
Yang Baichuan was even more pressing: "Suifeng... Immortal, if this tree is gone, what will beco of our village in the future? Back then, many evil spirits were repelled thanks to it!"
Only the old village chief, Master Huang, upon seeing Xiao Jie arrive, although a ripple of emotion appeared, did not rush over like the others, he remained alone standing at the edge of the crowd, staring at the withered ginkgo tree with a mixed expression of worry and resignation.
Xiao Jie nodded slightly to the approaching villagers as a greeting, then solemnly turned to the lifeless ginkgo tree, asking in a deep voice: "This ginkgo tree, when did it start to wither and turn into this state?"
Wang Kai quickly responded: "Just today! When I logged on in the morning, it looked quite normal, though the leaf color had darkened, but I didn’t pay much attention.
By afternoon when I went to the lumberyard to buy wood, I discovered its leaves had started to wither and fall off in large swathes, and by the ti I received your reply and you hurried over, it had... turned into this completely dead state!
Brother Sui Feng, now that you’re an immortal, knowledgeable, you should know what’s going on here, right?"
Xiao Jie didn’t answer imdiately, he just furrowed his brow, looking at the ginkgo tree before him, his mind also filled with doubt. By common sense, this ginkgo tree is extraordinary, within it seals a powerful tree demon’s soul, and it’s been worshipped by villagers for generations as a protective divine tree, enjoying Incense Fire Wish Power. Combining nature’s spiritual energy with the faith of all beings, such an entity should have extrely tenacious vitality, and certainly shouldn’t abruptly perish like this. There must be sothing odd behind it.
At this ti, the silent village chief, Master Huang, slowly stepped over, looking at Xiao Jie with complicated eyes, yet he still didn’t speak.
Xiao Jie was puzzled but didn’t ask, he took a deep breath, slowly extended a hand, suspending it in front of the withered tree trunk. He closed his eyes, focused his spirit, cautiously using his pure Spiritual Sense Power, like antennae, probing carefully into the ginkgo tree’s core.
However, the mont his spiritual sense touched the trunk, he imdiately felt an extrely strange sensation!
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