Reincarnated as a Divine Tree

Vol. 1 - Ch. 281 - Probing

"I never expected the clan to develop to such a degree. Even departed clansmen can be revived now. It seems the clan must be very powerful now.”Chen Cungao looked around, his voice filled with relief.

Hearing this, Chen Changming’s eyes carried a trace of guilt.

"Fourth Uncle, I was unable to restore the clan's former glory. What you see now—these clansmen—are nearly all the martial practitioners we have left."

Chen Cungao was momentarily stunned. Looking down at the ancestral hall, he saw only a few dozen martial cultivators, few of whom were at the Blood Coagulation Realm. It was far from anything resembling true glory.

Yet, Chen Cungao did not show disappointment. Instead, a gentle smile spread across his face.

"Changming, you have already done very well. Look—our clansmen are brimming with enthusiasm and vigor. Their eyes shine with hope. Even their blood and qi are strong. As long as no great clan war breaks out, I believe the clan will soon regain its brilliance!"

Chen Changming fell silent, but eventually spoke up.

"Fourth Uncle, I won't hide it from you. The clan is in grave danger. Our great enemy will attack soon. This time, I revived the clansmen so the family would have a little more strength.”

Hearing this, the smile on Chen Cungao’s face gradually faded. He lifted his gaze toward the sky and said,

"Well then, Changming, can I turn back into a fruit and hang on the tree once more?"

Seeing Chen Changming’s troubled expression, Chen Cungao suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, Changming, you're still as humorless as ever."

"But what is there to fear from a single enemy of the clan? As long as the family stands united, we will surely overcome this trial. Since the Divine Tree has revived us, it is clearly so that we may stand together to resist the foe. This is Heaven’s will!”

“Clansmen, am I right?”

More than ten of the newly revived clansmen, already aware of the situation, shouted loudly in response beside him:

“Yes!”

Seeing that these freshly reborn clansmen voiced no complaints but instead had resolute gazes, Chen Changming’s heart surged with pride.

With his clansmen supporting him, how could the family ever speak of defeat so lightly?

…

“Chaotic Burial Mountain?”

Half a day later, Shi Hezhang, who had rushed all the way, looked down upon the scene below. His voice dripped with disdain.

After a cursory inspection of Chaotic Burial Mountain, Shi Hezhang’s gaze shifted and quickly locked onto the prominent Chen Clan compound standing tall within the mountain.

Outside the Chen Clan compound, lofty walls rose high, encircling and protecting the entire family.

Yet, upon seeing them, Shi Hezhang merely let out a faint laugh.

In his eyes, these seemingly towering walls were nothing more than mud plastered with paper—utterly devoid of defensive power.

Shi Hezhang did not linger, but flew straight toward the sky above the Chen Clan compound.

A cultivator in the Qi Manipulation Realm can transform blood and qi into Gang Qi to sustain the body in flight.

This was the fundamental distinction between a warrior of the Qi Manipulation Realm and one of the Innate Realm. Since the Chen Clan had no cultivators of equal rank, they could not stop him.

Moreover, he carried the Divine Stone of his clan for protection. Even if the Chen Clan's so-called Divine Tree were to act, it would not be able to harm him.

He came so brazenly not only because he was arrogant, but also because he had another plan in mind.

By relying on the Divine Stone, he intended to probe the Chen Clan’s foundation. If possible, he planned to use his own strength to absorb some of the Divine Tree’s power, thereby reducing the losses his clansmen might suffer in the upcoming battle.

Although he could have come stealthily, Shi Hezhang, the clan’s sole cultivator of the Qi Manipulation Realm, possessed the arrogance and capital for pride to do otherwise. Dealing with such an insignificant clan did not require stealth!

"Clan Leader, Clan Leader, it's bad—the Shi Clan has sent someone..."

Shi Hezhang had not yet reached the Chen Clan compound when the clansmen quickly discovered his presence, as he made no effort to conceal himself.

Upon hearing the report, Chen Xingzhen’s expression grew solemn.

To fly through the skies—undoubtedly, this was a cultivator of the Qi Manipulation Realm.

However, what puzzled Chen Xingzhen was why the Shi Clan had arrived so quickly. According to the family's previous intelligence, the Shi Clan should have needed at least two more days to reach Chaotic Burial Mountain.

With matters at hand, however, Chen Xingzhen simply ordered the clansmen to prepare for battle.

As for the Shi Clan warrior of the Qi Manipulation Realm, Chen Xingzhen could only entrust Chen Qingyu and Chen Tianjing—both cultivators of the Innate Realm—to hold him off.

Fortunately, he had prayed to the Divine Tree beforehand. At that moment, all three of them were under its protection. Even a cultivator in the Qi Manipulation Realm would have a hard time dealing with them quickly.

Chen Xingzhen quickly climbed to the top of the outer wall of the clan compound. By now, the figure overhead had arrived above the Chen Clan.

Chen Tianjing and Chen Tianyu appeared swiftly beside him. They had long sensed the intruder and their gazes were locked on the figure above, utterly devoid of fear.

Seeing no clamor of battle around him, only a lone figure in the sky, Chen Xingzhen did not immediately order Chen Tianyu and Chen Tianjing to attack.

After all, with the target so high up, the two would have a hard time posing any real threat.

Shi Hezhang hovered overhead, gazing down at the Chen clansmen who had rushed out in haste. A faint laugh escaped his lips.

In his eyes, these Chen clansmen were nothing more than ants—weak and powerless.

When Shi Hezhang sensed the presence of the two Innate Realm cultivators outside the walls, he let out a cold snort.

But only two cultivators at the early stage of the Innate Realm? He couldn't fathom why his clan had lost so many elders in Chaotic Burial Mountain.

Initially, he had been wary of the Chen Clan, but what he saw now made them seem insignificant.

Perhaps the Chen Clan’s secret lay within the central area of their compound, enclosed by towering walls.

Shi Hezhang focused his mind slightly; the Divine Stone in his hand was already radiating a faint glow. As its light spread, his gaze sharpened as though it could pierce all barriers and reveal the truth beneath.

Yet, before he could investigate further, he suddenly sensed danger and darted away.

Turning his head, he saw a fierce slash sweep past him from behind.

"Gang Qi?"

A flicker of doubt crossed Shi Hezhang’s eyes, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

If it had truly been Gang Qi, the strike would have been much faster.

Moreover, he had not felt threatened by that attack. Clearly, it was not unleashed by a cultivator of his own realm.

This strike seemed to be a powerful condensation of blood and qi combined with a high-level battle technique, achieving such an effect.

Shi Hezhang looked down again and quickly spotted the source of the attack in the crowd.

It was a handsome young man. Though he was only at the Innate Realm, his gaze was sharp. Under Shi Hezhang’s scrutiny, he showed no fear; instead, his eyes carried a provocative challenge.

The strike had come from the gleaming white bone in his hand!

Shi Hezhang’s expression remained calm, unaffected by the youth’s attack. He merely glanced at him.

He was an Innate Realm cultivator at the mid stage with blood and qi surging strongly. No more than thirty years of age, his talent was considerable. The white bone in his hand could channel blood and qi, making it extraordinary.

Beyond that, Shi Hezhang sensed something else about the youth: an inexplicable aura seemingly connected to the Chen Clan’s totem itself!

Hello readers!

Read up to 12 advance chapters by joining us on Patreon! Support us and read ahead[Join Patreon]Enjoying the story? Help more readers discover it by leaving a rating and reviews on NovelUpdate!

Every review counts.

[Rate on NovelUpdate]Thanks for your support and happy reading!