Chapter 2058: Time to Show Our Hands

Everyone heard the rustling sound, without him needing to say anything further. The tree bark had crumbled into powder, sifting down.

Then, the warriors in the tree heard a muffled, distant creaking sound from beneath their feet, a sound that made their hearts pound.

"What's that?" Luo Xie's expression changed. "No good, everyone get down quickly! The tree is falling!"

Hearing this, everyone scrambled down the tree as if their lives depended on it, wishing they had more legs to move faster. If such a towering giant tree fell, anyone caught underneath would be crushed into pulp.

The creaking grew louder and more frequent, like countless ropes snapping. Luo Xie blew a piercing retreat whistle as he ran, urging everyone below to move away quickly.

Just as the last person leapt from the tree, the colossal, unprecedented giant timber, like a collapsing mountain, crashed directly towards the north! As it fell, its trunk, branches, and boughs gave way, pulverizing into dust or splintering into fragments. Its descent shook the entire forest. It was a sight no witness would ever forget.

Even in a world full of mysteries, the existence of a colossal, hundred-zhang tree defied common sense. It was, in fact, a creature spawned by the Great Square Pot, combining the features of two divine trees. Its entire life force had to be extracted within a limited time to break the Wood King Cauldron. Having undergone such extreme pressure, its life was destined to be brief—so brief that it wouldn't see a second night, destined to return to dust.

Fortuitously, the giant tree did not fall in their direction, but the terrifying clouds of dust and haze still forced them back several *li*. Looking at the swirling dust nearby, Luo Xie knew there was nothing left to do at the site. He raised his hand and signaled to everyone: "Form up, back to camp!"

The events of the past two nights were destined to become an enduring legend within the Dragon God Army! They were already eager to return and recount their incredible tale.

After everyone left, the mountain forest gradually returned to its peaceful state. The fire was out, the tree had fallen. Within three months, the clearing left by the battle would quickly be reclaimed by new vegetation, much like a wound healing on a body.

Two days later, a large flock of woodpeckers, appearing from unknown origins, flew in and out of the fallen giant tree's ash and timber piles. Humans had long departed, and though many birds frequented the area, these woodpeckers were half again as large as eagles. Numbering over two hundred, they promptly drove away all other fowl before beginning their work.

*Tap-tap-tap-tap*... The entire mountain forest echoed with their pecking, a frequency even higher than an electric drill boring into a wall from another world. However, the ruins were vast. After pecking at the wood for five days and five nights, only a few woodpeckers managed to extract some plump, white worms from the larger fragments.

At first glance, these worms resembled slugs, but the antennae on their heads bore ears instead of eyes. Their bodies, like honeycomb briquettes, were covered in peculiar small openings called "sound holes," capable of detecting the faintest sounds in their surroundings. They could change color and move swiftly to escape enemies. These small creatures were also known as "Echo Bugs."

Many varieties of Echo Bugs existed in the world, differing in appearance. These particular ones had been secretly pressed into the tree trunk by Qingyang when he was defeated and fell to the ground. Upon landing on the tree, these Echo Bugs immediately burrowed deep into the bark, constantly monitoring the activity outside. Three days after the battle concluded, once the humans had departed, the flock of woodpeckers arrived to retrieve these Echo Bugs. This, of course, was also Qingyang's plan.

A heavy snowfall last night had left three *chi* of snow on the ground in Shen's capital city. When Queen Ying woke and saw the snow, she felt too lazy to move, preferring to remain nestled in her warm chamber and read a book while gazing at the snowy landscape outside. To her surprise, King Shen arrived.

"How unusual," she remarked. "Are you not busy with affairs of state today?" Her husband typically rose earlier than roosters and retired later than anyone, often so occupied that Queen Ying wouldn't see him for three or four days.

He Chunhua smiled. "I'm not made of iron, am I? Don't I deserve a break now and then?"

Queen Ying merely hummed.

He Chunhua quickly added, "I also wanted to spend more time with you."

Queen Ying's irritation turned to delight. "What's there to do together? The snow's too deep; we can't go anywhere."

"The entire Cloud City is your home," he replied. "Is there truly anywhere you can't go?"

He Chunhua stayed with her in the warm chamber for half a day. Later, they changed into casual clothes and quietly slipped out for a stroll around the city. As dusk approached, Queen Ying, having happily purchased many items, heard He Chunhua say, "It's time to return to the palace. I'll send for Yue'er; let's have a family dinner, just the three of us."

With both her husband and son often busy, opportunities for the three of them to dine together were rare. Queen Ying nodded immediately but felt a sense of unease.

King Shen's family banquet was, naturally, exceptionally lavish. He Yue arrived even before his parents, and the family enjoyed a harmonious meal together, just as they had many years ago. The only difference was the absence of one person at the table. Time, of course, could dilute any pain.

After several courses had been served and the atmosphere at the table was just right, He Chunhua cleared his throat gently. "Actually, there's something I need to tell you both."

Mother and son both turned to him. Just moments before, he had laid the groundwork, lamenting the burdens of kingship and the difficult choices rulers faced, then praising He Yue for his diligence, studiousness, and his own kingly demeanor. He Yue knew then that his father likely had an important or difficult announcement to make. Now twenty, he was no longer the simple-minded boy of five or six years prior. He had campaigned with his father in the army, north and south, and had also managed logistics and supplies from the rear. He was accustomed to the battlefield and had seen the complexities of human nature, gaining a deeper understanding of his father.

Queen Ying, still in good spirits from their conversation, smiled casually and said, "Please, Your Majesty."

"Do you know of the Glimmergold Plains?"

Queen Ying thought for a moment. "I think I've heard of it. It's very far away."

He Yue replied, "It's east of the Mou Kingdom, a vast area, but constantly plagued by warfare."

Given the vast distance and underdeveloped transportation, it was commendable that people from Shen even knew its location and size.

He Chunhua spoke softly. "The Heavenly Deity has informed me that a new powerful leader has emerged in the Glimmergold Plains. His army is invincible and is on the verge of sweeping across the entire region."

"Is that so?" Queen Ying said, unfazed. "He sounds quite formidable." But what did his formidable nature have to do with Shen? It was tens of thousands of *li* away.

"Since the collapse of the Glimmergold Empire, that region has been in chaos for over eight hundred years, with various factions constantly vying for control, never establishing a unified nation. It had several opportunities, but all failed." He Chunhua sighed with a hint of helplessness, but some truths simply couldn't be concealed forever. "However, the Heavenly Deity Naraka believes this time might be different."

He Yue asked, surprised, "The Glimmergold Plains seem to be even larger than the Mou Kingdom. Can this powerful leader truly conquer it all?"