Translator: Ashish
Translation Checker: Silavin
*Tap, tap tap…* With heavy footsteps, the brawny young man slowly made his way to the majestic Divine Tree not far away.
“Why have you come to me?” A faint voice resonated within the burly young man’s mind, bringing his footsteps to momentary pause.
He sized up the distance.
[About ten meters, it should be sufficient for a conversation.] With this in mind, the brawny young man wasted no time. He suddenly bent his legs and prostrated himself toward Yu Zi Yu, loudly proclaiming, “Oh Divine Tree, I offer you my unwavering allegiance. I wish to serve you day and night.”
“Uh…” Yu Zi Yu was caught speechless, a rare feat.
Confronted with a grown man suddenly prostrating before him, Yu Zi Yu found it difficult to react.
However, after a brief pause, he gently waved his branch.
*Boom!* The branch kicked up a gust of wind, sending the brawny youth tumbling and sprawling on the ground.
“Not interested,” Yu Zi Yu replied in a cold voice, devoid of any emotional fluctuations.
Yet, it brought a smile on the brawny young man’s face.
A response, that was all he needed. A response. What he feared was the silence.
However, now that he had elicited a response, he could finally put to use the myriad of words he had been meticulously preparing for days.
“O Divine Tree, I implore you to consider my proposition earnestly. It is my sincerest desire to forever remain in your service. Currently…” Yet before he could finish his piece, a voice cut him off, freezing his expression.
“You’ve one minute.” Saying so, Yu Zi Yu’s voice turned frigid, “If you fail to convince me, you’ll have no further opportunities.”
“Damn it…” The brawny young man cursed out loud, but swiftly covered his mouth.
[The Divine Tree probably doesn’t know any profanity, right? Hmm, it shouldn’t.] After reassuring himself, the brawny youth swiftly organized his thoughts.
After a brief moment, he exhaled a long breath, and began speaking, “O Divine Tree, Humans are an avaricious race. Unless you possess absolute strength, they’ll covet everything you have. Therefore, I advise against exposing yourself to Humans.”
“Oh!?”
A trace of amusement tugged the corners of Yu Zi Yu’s lips. He was somewhat intrigued by what this guy had to say. However, there was one thing he became certain of, this brawny young man had a pretty good head on his shoulders.
Observing the indifferent Divine Tree, the brawny young man gritted his teeth and admitted, “Divine Tree, I acknowledge that I hope to receive your care. I understand that this world is a survival of the fittest, and without ample strength, one is destined to become a mere prey. However, strength not only requires necessary cultivation but also natural talent, fortuitous encounters, and influential connections, among other factors…”
At this point, the brawny youth chuckled bitterly. “And as for myself, I’m just a lucky loser who has awakened the talent of Physical Enhancement. As for influential connections, I’ve none. Should I return to the Human World in my current state, I would just be an ordinary Human, awaiting an inevitable demise. But! I don’t want that! I want to become stronger!”
As he reached this point, the burly young man slowly raised his head, a glimmer of excitement flickering on his face.
“And now, I’ve come across you. And after encountering you, O Divine Tree, I’ve found hope… you’re my fortuitous encounter, my sole opportunity to attain strength. Therefore, I offer my allegiance to you, offering my unwavering loyalty.” With these words, the brawny youth gracefully dropped to one knee, gazing intensely…
“Hmmm…”Yu Zi Yu could not help but admit that he found himself swayed by this guy’s words. [Judging by his words alone, this guy seemed to live only for himself. What he is saying makes sense. To be strong meant having everything. Longevity, power… Once you have those, the world would be at your fingertips. As long as one was not pedantic, they would make such a choice. After all, self-interest drives the world. And now, what the Humans could not bestow upon you, I can. It is only natural for him to be willing to pledge his unwavering loyalty to me.]
Yu Zi Yu very well understood this point. However, understanding and being swayed were two different things.
[But, do you think that a few words alone would be enough to win me over? That would be presumptuous. Humans, no, some Humans are inherently rebellious. Today, they may betray Humanity, and tomorrow, they may betray me. If the day comes when I can no longer offer what they desire, they may be the first to plunge the knife in my back. Perhaps you are not that sort of rebellious type. But, why should I take the risk?]
A faint smile played on Yu Zi Yu’s lips as he looked upon the burly young man kneeling before him. He then calmly asked, “Are you finished?”
“Uh…” Momentarily stunned, the burly young man seemed to snap out of his daze and repeatedly nodded.
“Yes, I’m done.” With that, he slowly stood up and bowed deeply toward Yu Zi Yu.
“Divine Tree, I’ve taken up much of your time. I shall take my leave now.” Saying so, the burly young man decisively turned around and slowly walked toward the depths of the dense fog. He did not utter another word from beginning to end.
“Smart fellow.” Chuckling to himself, Yu Zi Yu, watching the figure disappear into the dense fog, for the first time, took the initiative to ask, “What’s your name?”
The burly young man’s footsteps slightly paused as a look of excitement appeared on his face. Then, suppressing the excitement, he responded in the direction of the voice, “Divine Tree, I don’t wish to mention my previous name, if possible…”
Before the burly young man could finish his words, a voice resonated through the mist, lingering for a long time.
“Qing Gang.”
“Qing…Gang…” Muttering, the burly young man’s heart refused to settle for a long while.
[Qing Gang, the full name should be Qing Gang Mu, symbolizing a tall tree with a thick bark.]
And he himself had awakened the talent of Physical Enhancement.
The profound meaning behind this name was glaringly evident.
With that thought in mind, the burly youth, no rather Qing Gang, cast his gaze toward the Divine Tree hidden behind a veil of dense mist, his gaze brimming with gratitude. Although he had not reaped tangible rewards, not even a promise, Qing Gang had achieved his objective.
[At long last, the Divine Tree had turned its attention toward me.]
With this realization, Qing Gang understood that all he needed to do now was work diligently, for it held the hope of earning him the genuine recognition of the Divine Tree.
“Phew…” Qing Gang exhaled a long, deep breath, feeling an immense surge of determination.
Then, facing the direction of dense fog, he raised his hand and declared in the loudest voice, “O Divine Tree, just you watch, time will prove everything to you.”