Reincarnated as a Divine Tree

Upon hearing these words, Zhou Huai’an laughed and coughed.

"Ha ha ha ha... Of course!"

"Then I shall speak plainly. Though my Zhou Clan has been destroyed, some clansmen survived and are still out there. I hope that, should your noble clan ever encounter them, you will lend them a helping hand.”

Chen Xingzhen did not immediately agree, instead falling into hesitation.

On the surface, the request seemed simple enough, yet hidden within it were endless risks. Moreover, Zhou Huai’an said that if there was no opportunity meaning if they never encountered his clansmen then no aid would be required.

Even if they did meet them, the decision to help would ultimately be his.

Nevertheless, Zhou Huai’an had managed to bring along a Wind Immortal Flower while fleeing for his life, thus honoring his promise. Given that, how could the Chen Clan forget gratitude and turn their backs on such loyalty?

Chen Xingzhen nodded firmly and said, "I no longer hesitate.

"Since Clan Leader Zhou trusts us, if we encounter Zhou clansmen in the future, we will do our utmost to help!"

"Hahaha! Excellent! With Clan Leader Chen’s word, I can rest easy!"

Hearing his agreement, Zhou Huai’an laughed heartily and raised his wine jug, drinking several more mouthfuls of rice wine. Afterward, he said,

"It's getting late. I should be on my way.”

With the jug in hand, Zhou Huai’an started to leave. Seeing this, Chen Xingzhen quickly spoke up in an attempt to keep him.

“Clan Leader Zhou, why don't you rest here for the night and leave tomorrow?”

Zhou Huai’an chuckled at the suggestion.

“Clan Leader Chen, you are bold indeed. But if I were to stay here tonight, in two days, rumors would spread not only about the destruction of the Zhou Clan, but the Chen Clan as well.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Xingzhen's face changed slightly, and he remained silent.

Zhou Huai’an didn't mind at all. After speaking, he took unsteady steps forward, clearly bearing heavy injuries.

But before he could cross the threshold of the great hall, Chen Xingzhen called out to him once more from behind.

“Clan Leader Zhou, please wait!”

Zhou Huai’an's eyes flashed with surprise at the words of restraint. He had already spoken so plainly, yet Chen Xingzhen still dared to hold him back. Did he truly not place the safety of his clan above all else?

When he turned his head, however, he heard Chen Xingzhen say:

"Our clan's Divine Tree still holds some healing power. Clan Leader Zhou, why not let it treat your wounds before you leave?”

Zhou Huai’an laughed carefree, but waved his hand dismissively.

"Thank you for your kindness, Clan Leader Chen. Yet, my injuries are beyond remedy—not even a Martial Immortal could save me. There is no need for you to keep me here.”

Zhou Huai’an did not look back when he left. Though his steps were unsteady, his face shone with vigor and his expression brimmed with confidence. The bloodstained sleeve of his robe fluttered in the wind as if he were still the proud Clan Leader of the Zhou Clan of Yunmeng City Zhou Huai’an!

Only after his figure vanished from sight did Chen Xingzhen and the others finally come to their senses.

Yet the events of this night left their hearts deeply unsettled.

Gazing at the wooden box in his hands, Chen Xingzhen said,

"Qingyu, take this item and make use of it as soon as possible."

Then he turned to the other two.

"Tianyu, Tianjing, tonight's events must not be revealed to the rest of the clan.

"Furthermore..."

He began to issue another order, intending to have them erase any traces that Zhou Huai’an might have left behind. However, after a moment's thought, he realized that since Zhou Huai'an had come here, he must have concealed his tracks long ago.

Zhou Huai’an left without looking back. Though his steps were faltering, he still carried himself with radiant confidence. His blood-stained sleeve fluttered in the night wind. For a moment, he resembled the proud Clan Leader of the Zhou Clan of Yunmeng City once again.

Once outside the Chen family estate, he vaulted over the high wall. Turning back for a single glance, the composure he had shown earlier finally crumbled. He quickly pressed his sleeve to his lips and began to cough violently.

Cough! Cough!

When he lowered his arm, his sleeve was already soaked in blood.

Zhou Huai’an was not an Inner Gang Realm martial artist but rather a fourth-stage Qi Manipulation–Realm cultivator of the Outer Gang. At this level, one could see every detail of the body clearly.

He had refused Chen Xingzhen’s offer of aid precisely because he understood the severity of his injuries.

No matter how extraordinary the Chen Clan might be, he did not believe the Divine Tree he had seen earlier could heal his wounds.

Still, with such grave injuries, he wondered if he would have the strength for one more battle.

No matter the outcome, he was no longer prepared to run because he knew there was no escape.

Staring into the pitch-black night, Zhou Huai’an’s gaze hardened. He did not linger; instead, he fixed his direction and prepared to flee into the distance.

If he remained too close to the Chen family estate, his reason for coming here would be for naught.

Just as he was about to leave, though, countless green light points suddenly seeped out from the wall behind him.

Sensing the anomaly, Zhou Huai’an narrowed his eyes sharply and whipped his head around.

Though wounded, he was still a martial artist of the Outer Gang Realm, one standing at the brink of death yet still formidable.

Yet, upon seeing the green lights, Zhou Huai’an's expression betrayed his astonishment.

Before he could dodge them, the green lights surged forward, racing to engulf his body.

Zhou Huai’an furrowed his brows as he tried to circulate his Inner Gang Qi, intending to force the strange lights out of his body.

But the moment the green motes surged into him, his expression shifted dramatically.

"This is..."

Realizing the peculiar effect of the lights, he no longer resisted. He stood calmly in place, his gaze steady, quietly absorbing the healing energy they carried.

Moments later, the green motes faded away, vanishing into the night.

Now, Zhou Huai’an’s eyes gleamed brightly, and his complexion was flushed with vitality. The weakness that had plagued him only moments before was gone.

Though his internal injuries had not fully healed, he was satisfied.

This state was more than enough for him to engage in battle!

It seemed he had underestimated the Chen family after all.

Zhou Huai’an’s gaze grew profound as though piercing countless walls to reach the ancestral hall where the towering locust tree stood unyielding and eternal.

After gazing at it for a moment longer, Zhou Huai’an finally clasped his fists together.

"Many thanks!"

With that, he leapt away without hesitation.

Inside the ancestral hall, Ji Yang remained calm as he sensed Zhou Huai’an’s departure.

There was something strange about this man, so strange that even Ji Yang, whose roots spread deep beneath the earth, had not detected it. It was only after Zhou Huai’an entered the Chen family grounds that Ji Yang noticed, prompting him to send a warning to Chen Qingyu and the others.

Aiding Zhou Huai’an in healing his wounds was not meddling on Ji Yang’s part.

He simply did not want this man to be discovered or worse, perish before leaving the Chen family’s territory. Such an outcome might bring unnecessary trouble upon the clan.

Additionally, Ji Yang had another desire: to witness a battle between martial artists in the Qi Manipulation Realm. This would allow him to better gauge the strength of high-level warriors and prepare himself mentally.

However, he had not expected healing an Outer Gang Realm martial artist's wounds to consume nearly twenty points of his own life force.

He could not tell if this was because Zhou Huai’an’s injuries were too severe or if the man's cultivation realm was unusually high.