Chapter 1558: Killing Pigs, Big Plate Traps the Five Domains; Evil Plant Seeks Lives and Recognizes Mother

"...And so, my body shattered into starlight. That was the last scene my final wisp of spiritual thought witnessed, Li Daren."

"Then, I came out!"

Outside Shui Jing Gong, in the newly established Mu Zi Li intelligence department of Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, a middle-aged man in black clothing clutched his neck, his face pale with lingering fear.

Death was a terrifying experience.

Even though one wouldn't truly die in the Ran Ming Yi Ji site.

But something like "beheading" still left a deep shadow on this intelligence worker, who wasn't skilled in combat.

Li Fugu had already emerged from Shui Jing Gong. Now, he looked at the person in front of him with a grave expression and asked:

"So, you are the last one to come out of the site?"

"And after you, for a full quarter of an hour, none of our people came out?"

Although Tian Shang Di Yi Lou was still in its early stages, Li Fugu had many people at his disposal, thanks to his previous role as one of the "Hua Cao Shi Ba Ling."

To investigate the rules of the Ran Ming Yi Ji site, he had established a rule early on:

"One person every hundred breaths."

That is, after the first batch of intelligence personnel entered the Ran Ming Yi Ji site for exploration, regardless of whether major events occurred inside, one person would enter every hundred breaths, and simultaneously, one would return.

This ensured the timeliness, effectiveness, and accuracy of intelligence, while also keeping that final "life channel" open.

The accident happened a quarter of an hour ago!

People could still shout "Ran Ming" to enter, but no one came out anymore.

At first, everyone thought it was because something urgent had happened in the site, requiring the intelligence personnel to organize a lot of information to bring out, so the timing was disrupted.

It wasn't until after three hundred breaths that no one returned from inside, and someone realized something was wrong, leading them to contact Li Daren.

After Li Fugu arrived and understood the situation, he summoned the last returnee and asked in detail about everything he experienced before leaving the site. From this, he drew the following conclusion...

"Yes, Li Daren, everything was normal!"

The middle-aged man's face was ashen, and he swallowed hard before continuing:

"At least inside the site, there were no abnormalities at all."

"If I had to say there was something, it was that Shou Ye came in, and he fought Yue Gong Li in Hei An Sheng Lin..."

He paused, noticing the somber expressions around him, and hesitated before asking: "Could it be because of Shou Ye's arrival?"

In everyone's minds, Shou Ye represented variables, anomalies. His arrival was even more like the start of a bizarre story.

He entered the site, and suddenly the site's rules changed, trapping people inside... It seemed normal, no need to ask why!

If this were in the past, people would have scoffed at the idea.

But everyone in the Mu Zi Li intelligence department was personally trained by Li Daren and had handled Shou Ye-related intelligence work for a long time—ever since the title "Shou Ye" came into use.

It could only be said that over time, their mindset had shifted from "astounded" to "completely numb."

Upon hearing this, Li Fugu shook his head: "Absolutely impossible!"

If Shou Ye entered the site and the rules changed, it meant the site was waiting for him.

So why didn't the rules change the instant he entered, but only after he started fighting Yue Gong Li?

If it wasn't at the beginning, it wouldn't be later either.

Shou Ye was surely just a factor, a key, but not the core of the problem. The key lay in...

Li Fugu's mind raced, digesting the scattered pieces of information, and he said gravely:

"Hei An Sheng Lin!"

The surrounding black-clad intelligence workers looked at him in surprise. "What's the suspicious point here?"

Li Fugu pointed to the last returnee and said: "Based on A Liu's timeline, when he came out, it was right after Shou Ye and Yue Gong Li had entered Hei An Sheng Lin. And at that time..."

"At that time, Li Daren, you had been called away by Shou Ye for quite a while," someone pondered aloud.

Li Fugu nodded emphatically.

By then, Shou Ye had probably discussed the "Di Ying Sheng Zhu" and "Dao Ying" with me.

Moreover, the arrival of Long Xing Zhi Ling came after explaining a lot, leaving behind that strange phrase:

"The Di Ying Sheng Zhu has changed; do not approach, and all will be well."

It was clear that it might have come just to deliver that advice.

Li Fugu thought quickly, and soon a gleam appeared in his eyes, as if he had found the answer...

As the world tree, how could Long Xing Zhi Ling not know how powerful its world master, Shou Ye, was? A mere Zu Shu could just be dug up from Apricot Realm, so why the warning not to approach?

As a Zu Shu itself, how could Long Xing Zhi Ling be so wary of another Zu Shu, the Di Ying Sheng Zhu? After vaguely hinting at this heavenly secret and saying that phrase, it hid away and vanished, not even letting Shou Ye ask more questions.

What was it afraid of?

One Zu Shu fearing another—even if one was mediocre and the other had been gone for a long time—what was there to fear?

This was like a Shen Yi from the Ten Zun Seats suddenly becoming extremely wary of Kui Lei Han, who appeared in Chang De Town with unknown combat strength, just because it was only at the Lian Ling Tai Xu realm—why go that far?

"Unless Kui Lei Han has broken through the Ten Zun Seats' limitations, or even surpassed Shen Yi in reaching that threshold, maybe with one foot already inside!" Li Fugu's expression turned extremely ugly.

"Li Daren?"

The people around him voiced their confusion.

Weren't we discussing the Ran Ming Yi Ji site? How did we get to Kui Lei Han and Shen Yi?

Li Fugu didn't respond; his thoughts continued to wander, even leading to more ideas...

"When the Zhan Shen Guan Yi Ji site first appeared, it forcefully pulled all the semi-Saints who were half-involved into the site. Only Dao Dianzhu was prepared in advance and escaped, but even Ai Cangsheng of the Ten Zun Seats couldn't avoid it!"

"The losses in Sheng Shen Dian Tang's personnel led to Shou Ye attacking Yu Jing City and even storming Gui Zhe Sheng Mountain. Ai Cangsheng had no choice but to return, exchanging places with Shou Ye, which reluctantly resulted in the 'Qing Sheng Ling' being issued... Another large group of semi-Saints rushed in!"

"Once the Qing Sheng Ling was issued, Zhou Tian Can, number one on the Zu Shen Bang, 'just happened' to go to Hei An Sheng Lin, shifting the focus of the Ran Ming Yi Ji site to that bizarre place. Coincidentally, Shou Ye discovered traces of the Shen Zhi Yi Ji world's tree, the Di Ying Sheng Zhu, there... The top two on the Zu Shen Bang both entered Hei An Sheng Lin!"

"Yue Gong Li wants to seize Shou Ye's Shen Zhi Ming Xing, so people from Sheng Shen Dian Tang will definitely enter Hei An Sheng Lin; Wu Xiu Qianbei and others want to protect Shou Ye, so they'll absolutely go to Hei An Sheng Lin; the Saints summoned by Qing Sheng Ling are for Shou Ye, so they must enter Hei An Sheng Lin... Everyone has to go to Hei An Sheng Lin!"

Will everyone die?

Sweat beads formed on Li Fugu's forehead as he felt like an ugly Dao Ying had grown in his mind at that moment. All the strangeness described by Shou Ye was explained, all tracing back to this source:

"The Di Ying Sheng Zhu!"

What does it want?

Is it playing such a big game?

From the very beginning when the Ran Ming Yi Ji site opened in the Si Xiang Mi Jing, it planted a thunder that 'won't lead to death' or 'Saintly fall,' luring everyone in and then cutting off their retreat?

Then why could Dao Dianzhu stay safe, reportedly hiding in the Wu Da Sheng Di Shi Jia? Did he collude with the Di Ying Sheng Zhu?

Or did he foresee it but couldn't avoid it, so he went along with the flow and continued his schemes?

Ai Cangsheng of the Ten Zun Seats couldn't resist...

Dao Qiong Cang of the Ten Zun Seats couldn't evade either...

"Report—"

A subordinate suddenly exclaimed.

Li Fugu, deep in thought, was startled, his body trembling as he turned and snapped: "Speak!"

"The hidden branch of Hua Xiang Gu Li reports: Tian Meng Mengzhu Yan Sheng has appeared and issued a Tian Meng order—semi-Saints are not to enter the Zhan Shen Guan Yi Ji site anymore. He said... the site..."

Li Fugu's heart sank.

Before that message fully settled, another voice rang out:

"Report—"

"Hua Cao Ge reports: The Zhan Shen Guan Yi Ji site is now one-way only—no one can exit. The retreat is cut off, and it's suspected that the 'undying' rule has been lifted. Now, everyone who dies inside... will truly die!?"

Li Fugu's heart sank even further.

This time, it wasn't just him—his face changed.

The messenger himself was full of shock, and those around who heard it erupted in an uproar.

No fools in the room; everyone smelled a massive conspiracy.

"How is that possible?"

"Old Mo, did you see it wrong, or did Hua Cao Ge mess up the message?"

"This is a jade slip transmission. Are you doubting my spiritual thought, my expertise, or my loyalty?"

"No, Old Mo, I just..."

"Quiet!" Li Fugu shouted, and the entire Mu Zi Li intelligence department fell silent.

"Li Daren..."

The last returnee's face was as white as paper; he touched his neck and said anxiously: "If Hua Cao Ge's message is true, then our people inside..."

Upon hearing this, everyone felt a chill down their spines.

Yes, for convenience, the quickest way for those in the Ran Ming Yi Ji site to handle intelligence work was self-inflicted death.

One self-inflicted death every hundred breaths—quicker than instant noodles.

But that was the simplest method, not the most enjoyable.

Since no one died, and simple intelligence transmission was boring, the brothers came up with new ways to play:

Since the outcome was the same, and the chance to not die was rare, why not make the process a bit more fun?

So, there were those who performed seppuku, those who nailed their heads, those who had good brothers behead them to experience the feeling of separation... All sorts!

Now, more than a quarter of an hour had passed since the Ran Ming Yi Ji site's anomaly.

The people who went in stopped due to the accident, and those inside couldn't get outside information. If they were still trying those experimental methods...

"No... it can't be?"

Someone stammered in fear.

He had entered the site once; his method of death was his best brother using a large cleaver to behead him while five people held down his hands and feet, and he "struggled desperately."

If...

If that happened!

How guilty would the one with the knife feel?

Could the ones holding him down still laugh?

"We have to go in!" someone said in panic.

Yes, they had to go in and tell the brothers to stop playing—it's not the time for games; they could end up dead for real!

But...

Going in now meant they couldn't get out!

Panic, unease, and anxiety spread like a web, quickly covering every corner of the Mu Zi Li intelligence department.

A thick layer of gloom settled on everyone's faces, as if they could feel that "guilt" themselves.

No one came out.

They all killed themselves or were killed in the site.

Now, that place was ten thousand times more terrifying than here—not just physically!

Li Fugu's eyes scanned the surroundings, his thoughts racing as he said emotionlessly: "Who is next in line to enter the site?"

"Me!" Without hesitation, a boy around sixteen years old stepped forward.

"Xiao Ran?"

The surrounding middle-aged people, like worried parents, immediately panicked.

Intelligence work wasn't better the younger you were; it was the older, the more valuable.

But for someone so young to be selected for the Mu Zi Li intelligence department, it went without saying—Xiao Ran's talent and ability were outstanding.

Such a well-behaved kid...

"I'll go; I was originally next." An elderly man said.

"Cheng Lao!!"

"No." Xiao Ran was firm. "Li Daren, I'm next. I'll complete the task perfectly. Do you have any message for the brothers and sisters?"

Li Fugu was silent for three breaths, his eyes slightly narrowed, and he said calmly:

"Find them, tell them not to try to come out. Don't go to Shou Ye..."

He paused, organizing his thoughts:

"Shou Ye's place is the storm's center; don't go there. Find Wu Xiu Daren or Shui Gui Daren; they'll take care of you."

"Tell those two: The Zhan Shen Guan Yi Ji site might not be the Zhan Shen Guan's site anymore."

"Finally, protect yourselves."

Xiao Ran was about to speak, but Li Fugu interrupted: "Do you have any last wishes?"

The Mu Zi Li intelligence department fell into a somber mood.

Li Fugu continued: "Or for your family..."

"Li Daren, you forgot—I'm an orphan."

Xiao Ran smiled: "My wish is to protect Li Daren."

"...Ran Ming."

The figure vanished.

The Mu Zi Li intelligence department plunged into a long silence.

How could Li Daren forget you're an orphan? He just... Li Fugu's thoughts were heavy. After a long moment, he raised his hand and said indifferently:

"Continue the..."

"No, halt the operation; don't send anyone else in!"

He turned toward the direction of Shui Jing Gong; Shou Ye was still there. These matters needed to be reported immediately!

"You all verify the information with Hua Cao Ge and Hua Xiang Gu Li; I'll go find Shou Ye..."

"Don't worry; we still have Shou Ye!"

"Shou Ye, think of something quick; I'm about to shatter!"

In the Shen Zhi Yi Ji, Yue Gong Li was running through a completely dark world, screaming strangely as he went.

He couldn't even find the way out of the darkness, but he couldn't stop running.

Because if he stopped, the bizarre Di Ying Sheng Zhu behind him—like the "mother of the world"—would pierce him with its branches and drain him dry!

Zu Yuan Zhi Li...

Yes, Yue Gong Li felt a dense evil god power from that towering Zu Shu!

The concentration was almost on par with the half portion of the most primitive Sheng Zu Zhi Li preserved in Sheng Shen Dian Tang!

Without a doubt...

The Ran Ming Yi Ji site,

The Di Ying Sheng Zhu,

Was also...

What exactly was the problem? Yue Gong Li didn't have time to think or figure it out; it wasn't important anyway.

What mattered was that in the first level of the Shen Zhi Yi Ji's three levels, such a terrifying monster had appeared—one that shouldn't be there...

On par with a Sheng Di, or even surpassing it!

This wasn't for trials; it was to kill all who tried to inherit!

"Shou Ye, save me—"

"At least, don't run so fast, wah wah ah..."

Yue Gong Li wailed miserably. His legs were long, but not as long as Xu Xiao Shou's space attribute; he was left trailing by more than ten body lengths.

As for why it was just ten body lengths and not farther, or why he wasn't running faster?

Xu Xiao Shou wanted to!

Damn it, if he went beyond a certain distance, the Di Ying Sheng Zhu's branches, from who knows where, would whip out again!

He didn't know how many times he'd been flung already.

His Lv.0 Sheng Di passive skills were like toys being tossed around.

This damned thing was more terrifying than any enemy he'd seen before—scarier than Rao Wang Ze's intent avatar, scarier than Bei Huai's Sheng Di will!

"A Sheng Di true body!"

"Even an unrestricted high-level Sheng Di true body!"

After a rough estimate, Xu Xiao Shou made this guess, evident from Yue Gong Li's panicked behavior, who had seen the world.

He was keeping pace with Yue Gong Li, not because that was his top speed.

But because...

In the face of disaster, you don't need to outrun everyone; you just need to outrun the companion beside you.

"Give her the Dao Ying!" Xu Xiao Shou shouted while running. "She wants it; just give it to her. How many times have I told you!"

"That's my child, Xu Xiao Shou! If it were you, would you give it to her?"

"You're talking nonsense! I'm Xu Mengshu, head held high to the sky, feet planted on the earth. If it were me, I wouldn't have let it be born!"

"You, Xu Xiao Shou..."

"Don't yell at me! Your belly got big because of her; the child has her share too. So what if she wants a hug? What's wrong with giving it to her!"

"Is this about a hug? Oh, how affectionate, how cute... She'd eat it! My Shou Ye!"

"Then let her eat it!"

"Xu Xiao Shou, are you crazy? My Dao Ying perfectly balances Sheng Zu, Tian Zu, and evil god power. If she eats it, she'd mutate on the spot, become a god, and claim ancestry, I tell you!"

"Your Dao Ying is that fierce; why are you running? Turn back and fight her now. From now on, I won't call you Yue Huli; I'll call you big brother. I'll make Ba Zun An call you big brother too!"

"Are you sick? My Dao Ying is my Dao Ying; I'm me. I haven't balanced the three Zu powers well yet..."

"You useless thing, shut up!"

"Xu Xiao Shou, I advise you not to curse... Wah ah ah, no, don't, not allowed... Eek—pfft!"

After the sound of vomiting blood from behind, an explosion rang out.

The terrifying shockwave instantly shattered the Dao Ze; time seemed to slow at that moment...

To the left, the mangled body of Liu Sui Shi Wang, which had been flung away, flew past, and from the mouth on its Su Xi Zhi Xin face, a dull, painless sound emerged:

"Huh?"

To the right, Yue Gong Li, covered in blood and in tattered clothes, spun rapidly by, forcing a smile through the pain as he passed: "Ah, ou."

"Faster than you."

Time froze in that instant.

"Faster than your ass!"

Xu Xiao Shou grabbed his scepter, retracted it, activated "Bian Hua," turning his hand into a vine, and directly entangled the fleeing Yue Gong Li.

"You sly fox, get back there!"

With a throw backward.

"Ah—"

Screams filled the air as he flew.

Yue Gong Li was forcibly pulled back.

That juicy, plump fruit... no, the Dao Ying, happened to fall right in front of him.

Thump!

Xu Xiao Shou's heart twitched, his eyes filling with hunger.

Though only for a moment, he snapped back to sobriety along with his spiritual awakening.

Yet...

A moment was eternity!

Sizzle sizzle sizzle sizzle...

Black branches pierced through his face, chest, abdomen, thighs, calves...

Countless black branches burst from his body, writhing and convulsing, more vile and successful than Zang Ku, greedily devouring his life force.

"Damn... it hurts so much..."

His entire face was filled with black branches. Fortunately, his vitality wasn't completely drained in an instant; his various passive skills and life mysteries held on for that brief moment.

A brief moment was also eternity!

"Chi Jie Li Chang!"

"Zha Lie Zi Tai!"

"Bao Po Jie Yu!"

Sword light, golden light, and light of destruction in three colors erupted, barely breaking through the terrifying defense of the Di Ying Sheng Zhu's branches.

Seizing that moment, Xu Xiao Shou used the breathing method to inhale fiercely, like an evil demon, sucking the broken Zu Shu branches inside him into energy to replenish himself.

"Roar—"

With a deep roar, the Jixian Giant soared into the dark sky, turning back to slap...

Behind him!

The vast, endless black branches crazily thrust forward, filling the entire world like a towering tsunami sweeping toward him.

The Jixian Giant slapped out!

Those branches, with toughness he had never seen before, were all shattered!

Boom boom boom boom boom...

The black tsunami's momentum was forcibly halted, and the giant's slap cleared a brief path to survival.

Xu Xiao Shou quickly deactivated the giant form, shrank, and continued rushing forward.

He could only do this much!

He could only achieve this!

Beyond that, he couldn't escape this bizarre dark world or fight that Di Ying Sheng... damn it, evil tree!

"Think of a way!"

"Haven't you thought of one yet?"

"If you don't hurry, you'll die coming in, and I'll die going out!"

Xu Xiao Shou unceremoniously exploited his second true body, like a wicked capitalist squeezing employee 007.

Normally, the second true body would at least reply:

"Almost, almost; I'll definitely awaken Long Xing Zhi Ling and ask clearly."

But this time, the mental transmission went out like a stone in the sea, without a ripple.

The second true body... was out of contact?

"Damn it!!!"

Xu Xiao Shou's eyes nearly split with rage; he was on the verge of madness.

He felt like he'd been tricked by Ran Ming, becoming the biggest pig in the slaughter pen, lured into this site without being fattened up and about to be butchered!

No...

Calm down, Xu Xiao Shou!

The situation isn't the most critical... Bullshit!

He'd never encountered something this disgusting before. Trees should all die; from now on, he'd chop down every one he saw!

Calm down... calm down...

I'm not the biggest pig, not the fattest one.

There's one on site fatter than me, with higher status, talent, and future achievements—a "Sheng Di heir"!

"Cooperate!"

Xu Xiao Shou turned and rushed toward Yue Gong Li, shouting: "Stop messing around; we only have cooperation left as an... option..."

His voice gradually faded.

Because what he saw was:

In front of that tsunami path briefly cleared by the Jixian Giant, after Yue Gong Li was thrown back, he seemed to have given up resisting, or perhaps his mind was completely controlled.

He knelt on the black ground, his body covered in ragged strips of cloth, half his buttocks exposed and bloody.

He trembled all over, especially his head, shaking the most violently.

With a deep emotion of longing for something long lost and finally touched, he stared blankly ahead at the thousands upon thousands of black branches surging toward him and tremblingly called out:

"Mother..."