Red lights twinkled, terrifying cosmic energies rose to the skies and blotted out the sun. The crowd saw intertwining red vines among them. Those were probably the viscera of the Heavenly Grace Ancient Tree. According to legends, the red Godly Wood contained an infinite amount of blood.
"The one the Godly Wood will choose must be like your ancestors, I want you to stay with me and someday I'll become an emperor! I won't disappoint you," said Ji Chang, slowly rising up into the air. Nine dazzling dragons appeared, lights shone out and surrounded the tree.
As expected, when the tree heard Ji Chang, it became even more dazzling. It could understand Ji Chang!
At that moment, those watching saw a silhouette appear under the Heavenly Grace Ancient Tree. That person looked like an ancient great emperor. He was walking next to the tree, in symbiosis with it. Suddenly, the strong cultivator stretched his hands out and embers appeared, the flames glittered. He exhaled and the embers flew away from his hands and turned into dazzling lights which moved towards the distant mountain ranges.
The small embers rose to the skies before descending and turning into real fire mountains. They looked like true ancient mountains.
"Eternal strength," whispered Ji Chang after he saw the illusion. Lin Feng and the others shivered too. What a terrifying strength. They all swallowed. That fire was eternal and had turned into a mountain!
"Ancient kings had their own path. I will have my own path too. I will become a powerful ancient cultivator someday. I won't be a disgrace to the Godly Wood," said Ji Chang confidently. He had the soul of a Champion. The illusion disappeared.
The Heavenly Grace Godly Wood has its own life, thought Lin Feng, amazed. Ji Chang was determined and strong. He really had the potential to become an incredible cultivator. He was never satisfied, always wanting to become stronger and stronger. Without the will to become stronger, a cultivator was destined for failure.
Thunder rumbled. The Heavenly Grace Ancient Tree rose up, the red lights continued blotting out the sky. Suddenly, the tree turned into a bleeding Godly Wood. The crowd frowned. Had the tree chosen and acknowledged Ji Chang?!
The crowd was shivering with excitement. Ji Chang had managed to make the tree submit? Was he going to obtain the tree?
—
At the top of the mountain, the old man looked at that display and sighed. "It's the third time in ten years that a tree chose someone. People are really strong these days. The young people of the Godly Wood Clan can't compete with them. How many new kings will appear in the next hundred years?"
Many people were jealous of the Godly Wood Clan's people because they had the privilege of guarding the forest. Many times, the situation had almost deteriorated. However, the strong and powerful clans didn't attack them because anyone could go there and if the trees acknowledged people, then they could leave with them. Therefore, letting the Godly Wood Clan guard the forest wasn't a problem.
—
The Heavenly Grace Godly Wood was floating above Ji Chang. The blood-red lights condensed and at that moment, blood appeared and a drop fell down onto Ji Chang's head and penetrated into his body. Suddenly, Ji Chang's cosmic energies became much more powerful. He looked eternal.
"You will follow me for a hundred years now," Ji Chang said proudly. Suddenly, the red Godly Wood started whistling and penetrated into Ji Chang's body.
It acknowledged him!, thought the crowd in astonishment. They began walking up to him and smiled, "Congratulations, Brother Ji Chang! The Godly Wood acknowledged you! The gods protect you. You will definitely become a king!"
"Brother Ji Chang, you're amazing. Congratulations. You'll soon become a champion."
Ji Chang looked aloof and composed. It was a big step for him. Soon, he'd become a Champion. He suddenly remembered back then when Ying Cheng had become a Champion.
"Ying Cheng, wait for me. Ling Tian is gone, now I'm your new opponent," said Ji Chang sharply, clenching his fist.
Qi filled the air. The old man reappeared in the sky.
"Ji Chang," shouted the old man.
Ji Chang raised his head and said, "What is it, Master?"
"You can keep the tree for a hundred years, and in a hundred years you must bring it back. Besides, the Heavenly Grace Ancient Tree only has a hundred drops of blood. A drop of blood is extremely valuable. When you bring the tree back, it will need a hundred years to recover. Remember it's a priceless creature!" the old man said to Ji Chang.
Ji Chang nodded obediently and promised, "I'll bring the tree back in a hundred years!"
"Very good," nodded the old man. He wasn't worried about that. People acknowledged by trees were incredible, and benefited a lot from the time they spent with trees. They were also very determined. They didn't try to steal the trees forever.
"Since the tree already chose an owner, Shen Mu Qi, bring everyone back," said the old man. The crowd was stupefied.
"Master," said Lin Feng suddenly. The old man looked at Lin Feng strangely and said, "What do you want?"
"Ji Chang has his own tree, but I haven't tried yet. I hope you can give us more for time to try," said Lin Feng to the old man. The old man was surprised.
"People who try to find a tree here are usually high-level emperors or higher, or at least, they must be at the top of the medium Huang Qi layer. However, even though you seem to be a cultivator of the top of the Zun Qi layer, it seems that you're hiding your cultivation level. You must have studied some strange and mysterious techniques. Show me your cultivation level."
"Low-level emperor," said Lin Feng. Then, he released his cosmic energies.
The old man frowned, "You can control ten sorts of cosmic energies? Impressive. Alright, I'll give you a chance, but I have to warn you, people who come here to take Godly Wood are usually medium-level emperors at the least, and usually they are about to become high-level emperors. I don't think you can succeed."
"Thank you, Master. I understand. Having a chance is an honor," replied Lin Feng politely. He perfectly understood that with his cultivation level it was going to be difficult. The Godly Wood Clan didn't even allow their own young people to come to the forest.
"No problem. If you can take a tree away, then, you'll be able to become much, much stronger. There are a dozen trees. If all the trees are taken away by cultivators, then the region will become extremely powerful," said the old man indifferently before disappearing.
The crowd looked at Lin Feng strangely. He was a low-level emperor and he wanted to try and take a Heavenly Grace Godly Wood? It was impossible…
"Brother Ji Chang, let's go back. We want to have drinks with you," said Shen Mu Qi, smiling at Ji Chang. He didn't feel like staying there. Ji Chang had already obtained a tree.
"With pleasure," said Ji Chang, smiling back. He was very happy, he had obtained a Heavenly Grace Godly Wood. The others didn't move, though. Just like Lin Feng, they also wanted to try and get a tree.
—
After they left, Lin Feng continued running through the forest using his thousands and thousands of clones.
At the same time, he released his godly awareness palace and sensed the powerful cosmic energies all about him.
Lin Feng ran at full speed and landed in front of a Heavenly Grace Ancient Tree, but that tree wasn't an king, it seemed. However, Lin Feng didn't look at the tree, he looked at the earth next to it.
Dong!
Lin Feng suddenly jumped, earthly lights rose up to the skies.
Lin Feng started running around like a madman, while the earth shook and cracked. A gigantic tree slowly emerged from the ground, but then it stopped, it didn't leave. Its energies were extremely thick and dense. It was provoking Lin Feng, it seemed.
"That tree is quite amazing," whispered Lin Feng. Then, world strength emerged… it was the world of his spirit!
The tree suddenly started shaking violently. The tree turned into a Godly Wood and suddenly left in a flash of red lights.
"Eh?" Lin Feng frowned, the tree had reacted strangely when it sensed Lin Feng's energies, and even fled.