Reincarnated as a Divine Tree

"Back in the day, I had a single red tasseled spear, and I made my way from the front gates of the Meng Clan all the way to their ancestral hall without blinking once. I charged in and out of the Meng Clan seven times, treating my enemies like they weren't even there. Those were some pretty glorious times, if I do say so myself."

"Great Grandfather, which clan was this Meng Clan?"

"The Meng Clan? They were incredibly powerful! There were a lot of Innate Realm martial artists in the clan, like fish crossing a river, but I wasn't scared of any of them..."

"Great Grandfather, if you didn't blink for that long, wouldn't your eyes get dry?"

"?"

...

In the ancestral hall, Chen Changming looked at the group of younger clan members gathered around one of his uncles. He looked a little helpless.

Well, as for that so-called Meng Clan, it was just a small family with a few Body Tempering Realm cultivators.

But the speaker was always one of his elders. As a junior, Chen Changming couldn't really expose the exaggeration.

"Besides, the dead are dead anyway, there's no way to verify the truth now, so just let them brag."

Ji Yang's thoughts were all focused in the room, and he was really paying attention.

Whenever new clan members arrived, the old folks would retell their heroic exploits from back then. Each version was a bit different, but to Ji Yang, who was used to looking at the bright moon and countless stars in the sky, it had its own special charm.

The other clan members, who'd already heard different versions, paused their cultivation and listened attentively.

Ji Yang looked around. Right now, the number of soul bodies in the clan was over thirty.

It wasn't a huge group, except for the few clan members who had passed away just days ago. Even the weakest among them, after absorbing Yin Energy for several months, could now hold their own against a Blood Coagulation Realm martial artist.

Among those soul bodies, the few with the densest Yin Energy were none other than Clan Head Chen Changming and Chen Xingba, along with several others. This was also related to the fact that their cultivation levels before death had been higher, making their soul bodies more condensed.

With everything that went down, this side now had five Innate Realm martial artists. On top of that, Ji Yang had already saved some souls of the Liu family and gotten some pure Yin Energy.

At first, Ji Yang thought about letting Chen Changming and the others absorb this Yin Energy, which would make their power even stronger.

But after thinking it over, Ji Yang decided not to. Instead, he gave those groups of Yin Energy to soul bodies within the clan. Their strength was equivalent to that of late-stage Blood Coagulation Realm martial artists.

They were just a step away from the Innate Realm, but the Yin Energy in Chen Changming and the others was already dense enough. Adding a little more wouldn't make a big difference. But if a few more Innate Realm soul bodies were to emerge, the benefit to the clan would be far greater.

As it turned out, events unfolded exactly as Ji Yang had predicted. After absorbing those clusters of pure Yin Energy, two more clan members had already begun to show signs of breaking through to the Innate Realm.

This way, the clan could get even stronger.

...

"What's up? The Shi family invited us here, so why haven't their people shown up yet?"

"Hmph! If it weren't for the alliance our three families signed, I wouldn't even bother waiting for them!"

"Absolutely! Send someone from the clan to ask about it."

In the Huayun Residence, the two clan elders from the Shen and Gan families sat facing each other in a private room, looking pretty unhappy as they said what was on their minds.

Last night, the Shi family sent a secret letter asking to meet with them at a certain place to talk about how to deal with the Xie family.

That's why the clan sent two respected elders to negotiate. But after waiting for almost half an hour, not a single person from the Shi family showed up. Needless to say, the two elders were pretty annoyed.

"Hey, sorry for making the two elders wait!"

"Hm? Shi Chenghou—why is it you? Hey, do you know where Shi Chenghou is? Why didn't he come?"

When they realized that the arrival wasn't Shi Chenghou, the one with real power in the family, but Shi Chenghou, a late-stage Innate Realm martial artist, the elders from the two clans were surprised.

Shi Chenghou explained with a smile:

"My bad. Some stuff came up with the clan, so Chengqiu couldn't make it in time. But having me here is just as good."

"Okay, cool. Since you're here, let's sit down and talk. You said in that secret letter you already had a way to deal with the Xie family, right? Let's hear it..."

"Everyone, please don't be impatient. The Shi family called you here today to discuss this matter.”

Shi Chenghou wore a faint smile as he slowly stepped forward. Just as he was about to take his seat, however, a family Divine Stone that he had concealed in his hand for a long time suddenly erupted with a dazzling radiance!

“Wait—Shi Chenghou, what are you trying to do?!”

“Damn it! Does the Shi family intend to tear up the alliance pact established by our three great families?"

Hearing this, Shi Chenghou let out a cold laugh. After all, the Shi family had broken alliances more than once already—what difference did one more make?

Only stubborn clans like the Gan and Shen families still believed in family alliances.

“Xie Yanwu? Why are you here as well?!

"Ah! You...you actually—"

Under the illumination of the family Divine Stone, the screams of several people were cut off before they could escape the private room.

After dealing with the Shen and Gan families, Shi Chenghou let out a cold snort as he looked at the Xie family representative.

The Shi family had dispatched Shi Chenghou himself, a late-stage Innate Realm martial artist. Yet, he had not expected the Xie family to be so arrogant as to send only Xie Yanwu, a mid-stage Innate Realm martial artist.

However, Shi Chenghou did not linger any longer. After exchanging a glance with Xie Yanwu, the two swiftly rushed to the next location.

Since the Shi family had joined forces with the Xie family to deal with the other two great clans, they had to act quickly to dismantle as much of the other two clans’ active forces as possible within the limited time available.

Although they could temporarily conceal their actions with the power of their family totem, the Gan and Shen families would eventually discover their methods. After all, the two great clans had not established themselves in Yong’an City through empty reputation alone.

Although the clan’s elite forces were mobilized, this was not the only action being taken. With the combined strength of the Xie and Shi families, even if the other two great clans became aware of it, they would be powerless to do anything.

Shortly after Shi Chenghou and his companions began their attack, anxious reports echoed through the Gan family's main hall.

"Clan Head, something terrible has happened! The aura left behind in the totem by Elders Yingrui and Yingshan is gone!”

"What?!"

Gan Zongjin, the Gan family’s clan head, sprang to his feet upon hearing this, his voice filled with shock and disbelief. Yingrui and Yingshan were Innate Realm martial artists within the family. Moreover, this was happening in Yong’an City. How could the aura they left in the totem suddenly dissipate?

Before Gan Zongjin could respond, another panicked report came from outside the hall.

“Clan Head, this is bad! Multiple family shops and pavilions have been attacked. The clan has suffered heavy casualties!"

Upon hearing these words, Gan Zongjin could no longer stand. A terrifying thought instantly crossed his mind, and he hurriedly asked,

"Who was behind this?"

"Clan Head, it was the Shi and Xie families!"

Upon hearing this, Gan Zongjin's body went limp and he nearly collapsed into the seat behind him. He murmured to himself,

"So it really was them..."

However, as the Gan family's clan head, Gan Zongjin quickly regained his composure and spoke rapidly.

"Hurry—inform all clan members to enter the highest level of alert!

"Also, immediately send word to the Shen family!"