Chapter 36: The Wrath of the Believers
By: Gu Zhenren
Pan Shi was the last to step through the glowing portal.
The scene before him instantly changed. Once he adjusted, he found himself in a lush jungle.
He looked out at a verdant, vibrant, and peaceful landscape.
Tall ancient trees stood in abundance, with vines intertwining their branches, forming a continuous canopy. Demonic Beasts like Serrated Pythons, Green Fang Snakes, and Sharp Claw Monkeys were active in the jungle.
Of course, there were also Demonic creatures from other continents, such as Incense Frogs, Electric Squirrels, and Blueberry Mushrooms, along with others whose names he couldn’t recall.
The sky was as blue as crystal, with white clouds drifting by. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and the sound of pine waves echoed through the air.
Pan Shi was almost stunned, his eyes held wide in disbelief.
Such a harmonious and serene natural atmosphere no longer existed in Xingzhou. This was undoubtedly a paradise untouched by the outside world.
Even the air here was so fresh, carrying a hint of subtle sweetness.
Pan Shi couldn’t help but take a few deep breaths, and his expression suddenly changed, filled with shock.
“The Vital Energy here is so dense, it’s incredible!” he exclaimed.
“Haha, yes, we were all surprised when we first came in. This is a natural treasure trove for cultivation!” Sun Yan said with a hearty laugh beside him.
“Why aren’t the Medicine Poison Twin Star King and Intuition King here?” Bei Guangguang asked.
Pan Shi then recounted what had happened earlier.
The group sighed, and a few faces paled, but no one voiced any objections.
They had already sworn an oath, and having entered this place, there was no turning back. Moreover, with such abundant Vital Energy and no divine or demonic calamities, these two points alone were enough to make everyone reluctant to leave.
“I say, we can totally establish a base here.”
“Indeed, the resources here are plentiful, and the environment is excellent. If developed well, we could build a city.”
“We all met by fate to enter this World together. In this unfamiliar place, shouldn’t we stick together?”
This superior environment filled everyone with joy. Before they knew it, a lively discussion erupted, and they began to look forward to the future together.
Only Bei Guangguang was cautious, observing Pan Shi closely. He asked prudently, “Lord Pan Shi, does Your Majesty the Spirit Emperor have any specific instructions for us next?”
Pan Shi was also confused. Although he had been accepted as the eldest disciple by Chu Yun, he had spent years struggling in Xingzhou with little support from Chu Yun. This was his first time here, and he was no better off than the others.
Just as he was about to shake his head, the Nine Virtues Wheel mark on his forehead flashed, and a piece of information entered his mind.
Pan Shi’s expression turned solemn, and he said in a deep voice, “I just received guidance from my Master. Everyone must not build a city without authorization. On this land, one thousand two hundred cities have already been established. You can freely choose one of them to settle in. I will now lead you to the nearest one, Green Wood City.”
“So there are cities here!”
“That’s right, the Spirit Emperor brought the entire Archipel and Dunhuang Royal City here back then.”
“But twelve hundred cities, that many? Is that really possible?”
The group chattered curiously as they trekked through the jungle with Pan Shi for several hours until they reached Green Wood City.
Green Wood City was situated in the heart of a forest. It was an extremely majestic city, with walls made of golden pillars and jade wood planted in the ground.
Golden Pillar Jade Wood was a peculiar Demonic Plant. It only had a main trunk, with no branches or leaves. The entire tree was a giant golden-green cylinder, thick and tall, reaching dozens of meters high.
Thousands of Golden Pillar Jade Trees stood close together, encircling the city and enclosing an area of tens of thousands of mu. The city lay within the embrace of these giant trees.
“This is a grand undertaking, truly a grand undertaking!”
“This is simply divine craftsmanship. Such powerful defenses are more terrifying than the Holy City.”
“An incredible masterpiece…”
Everyone looked up, many with their mouths agape. Such a magnificent sight delivered a powerful visual impact.
As they approached the city, a group of people were already waiting for them.
“Greetings, Lord Pan Shi, I am Situ Jing’an, the City Lord of Green Wood City.” A Jun level Beast Tamer stepped forward with fervent respect.
Pan Shi was surprised, “You knew we were coming?”
“Several days ago, the great and immortal Spirit Emperor issued a decree, ordering all twelve hundred City Lords in Spirit State to await Lord Pan Shi and his entourage. We have been eagerly anticipating your arrival. Today, to see Lord Pan Shi is our greatest honor and fortune!” The City Lord of Green Wood City spoke with great excitement, his eyes blazing with fervor.
He was one of Chu Yun’s fervent believers.
“Spirit State? So this World is called Spirit State.”
“Are there really twelve hundred cities?”
“I never imagined the Spirit Emperor had become the supreme ruler here with boundless authority.”
Sensing the City Lord’s faith, the members of the group were all moved.
“Please follow me, Lord Pan Shi. A welcoming banquet has already been prepared in the city.” The City Lord of Green Wood City led the way.
Passing through the city gate and entering Green Wood City, the sight before them astonished everyone once again.
They looked in awe at the treehouses, their primitive, and distinctly different architectural style from Xingzhou’s, leaving everyone speechless.
“These Demonic Plants are called Dwelling Trees. Once planted, they grow according to the owner’s will. There are also higher-grade Moving Trees that not only grow into treehouses for people to live in but can also move their growing positions. Of course, these Demonic Plants are generally not aggressive; they are auxiliary Demonic Plants.”
“Our Green Wood City is the largest Dwelling Tree base in Spirit State. Every year, we cultivate about two hundred million Dwelling Tree seeds and sell them throughout Spirit State, where they are highly popular. You might also consider purchasing some for your convenience during future adventures.”
As he spoke, the City Lord of Green Wood City couldn’t help but reveal a hint of pride in his tone.
“Dwelling Trees? I’ve lived in Xingzhou this long, how have I never heard of this Demonic Plant?” Pan Shi asked, a little puzzled.
The City Lord of Green Wood City chuckled heartily, “Because these Dwelling Trees are not originally from Xingzhou; they are produced in Bingzhou. In fact, most of the citizens in this city are not originally from Xingzhou either; they are mostly from Bingzhou.”
Pan Shi and his group were utterly astonished.
“You are from Bingzhou?” Many gazes swept over the City Lord of Green Wood City.
In recent years, the existence of the Nine Provinces was no longer a secret. Wars not only caused ideological turmoil but also, through a process of elimination, led to the exposure of many secrets amidst the constant flux of new and old faces.
After all, in Xingzhou, many forces originated from other continents. For instance, the Ku Tuo Temple was founded by someone from Tuo Zhou. Before the unrest, the followers of Ku Tuo Temple had kept this secret.
The City Lord of Green Wood City maintained a faint smile as he led them, saying, “We are not only from Bingzhou but were once citizens of the Azure Emperor. It was only after the Azure Emperor was defeated by His Majesty the Spirit Emperor that we had the fortune to serve under the Spirit Emperor. In fact, it’s not just us; many people in Spirit State once served various Great Emperors. Emperor Incense and Emperor Dawn from Female Continent, Emperor Gang and Emperor Melon from Tuo Zhou, Emperor Night from Ghost Continent, Emperor Gua from Hezhou, and so on.”
Upon hearing this, everyone’s jaws dropped in astonishment.
“The Spirit Emperor is this strong?!” Many cried out in shock.
From the City Lord of Green Wood City’s brief words, they gleaned a shocking piece of news. The Spirit Emperor’s might was terrifying, as so many Great Yan Emperors had fallen to him.
This news completely shattered their previously held image of a weak Spirit Emperor.
“Is the Spirit Emperor really that strong?” After the shock, doubts inevitably arose.
“What? You dare to question His Majesty the utterly great Spirit Emperor!?” The City Lord of Green Wood City, who had been smiling peacefully, suddenly changed his expression. His eyes blazed with fire, as if he could devour them.
“Someone is questioning His Majesty the Spirit Emperor!”
“A sinner! A sinner!”
The attendants beside the City Lord of Green Wood City became even more incensed. They glared at Pan Shi’s group and moved towards them, their eyes filled with cold hostility.
The arrival of Pan Shi’s group and the City Lord’s reception had already drawn the attention of passersby. This commotion immediately provoked the displeasure of the onlookers.
“Damnable wretches, questioning our great Spirit Emperor.”
“Hearing such words is truly my misfortune. It’s polluted my ears; I need to wash them. Someone fetch me water!”
“He is unforgivably guilty!”
The clamor, condemnation, and curses grew louder, quickly spreading throughout the city.
The entire Green Wood City was enraged, and hundreds of thousands of citizens converged on their location.
The faces of the people behind Pan Shi turned pale. Faced with such widespread anger, many began to tremble.
Even the faces of King level powerhouses like Bei Guangguang and Sun Yan grew grim.
Especially when they saw Lion Mane Fighting Trees with manes like lion manes approaching them, ancient green vines like giant pythons extending towards them, and insect nest trees entangled with electrical insects, their branches like cannons pointing at them, their expressions worsened.
“Damn it, these are actually Spirit Monsters, even Tribulation Demons!”
“Is this still a city? It’s a damn war fortress!”
“Is it necessary? We just asked a question…”
Everyone cursed inwardly, but dared not speak aloud.
“Fanaticism, too much fanaticism. It’s as if flames are burning in these people’s hearts.”
“They all deeply believe in the Spirit Emperor; even if the Spirit Emperor told them to die, they probably wouldn’t hesitate!”
“What’s most incomprehensible is that these people all seem to be seasoned warriors. The killing intent radiating from each of them is truly chilling.”
Honestly, when they first discovered that the City Lord of Green Wood City only had Jun level cultivation, some of them couldn’t help but feel a bit dismissive.
But now, that dismissiveness had vanished completely.
In this situation, perhaps only King level powerhouses could barely escape?
It was hard to imagine an entire city rioting over a single sentence. The power of faith was truly terrifying!
“Wait, we are all newcomers. What we said earlier was unintentional carelessness, not deliberate offense,” Sun Yan shouted.
Bei Guangguang also urgently sought help from Pan Shi, “Lord Pan Shi, this cannot go on. We all know we were wrong. Only you can save this situation now!”
Pan Shi was also in shock himself.
He had never imagined such a situation could arise.
But amidst his shock, there was more surprise and admiration. He admired these citizens and felt a deep sense of belonging in his heart.
“My Master deserves such support and faith!” Pan Shi cried out in his heart. At this moment, he suddenly felt the wonderful sensation of being home and finding his organization.
(To be continued)
