However, Chen Xingzhen hadn't expected Chen Qingyu to learn so quickly. Despite Chen Qingyu's usual aloof demeanor, he felt a bit uneasy under Chen Xingzhen's approving gaze.
After all, his rapid mastery wasn't entirely due to his own efforts but was heavily influenced by the Divine Tree. Chen Qingyu decided not to explain; he had no interest in competing for the top three positions within the clan. If there were misunderstandings, so be it.
"It looks like Taizu Long Fist!"
"Qingyu, you really are a genius. You mastered it in just one day."
Amidst the praise from his clansmen, Chen Qingyu pretended not to hear.
After dealing with Li Cailiang, Chen Xingzhen carefully inspected the Divine Tree once more and was relieved to find it unharmed. Then, remembering the dimensional passage, he issued an order:
"Chen Tianjing, take some more clansmen and accompany Qingyu into the passage. Check for any defects and see if there are any other Li clan members outside the passage."
Though this hidden path wasn't a vital route for the clan, it was still another path that needed protection.
There was a trace of regret in Chen Xingzhen's eyes as he looked at the damaged Ancestral Hall. He knew that the remaining members of the Li clan had gone to Chaotic Burial Mountain, but he hadn't taken any precautions. Even though the chances of an attack were slim, he should have considered it first.
It was his own carelessness that almost led to the destruction of the clan's Divine Tree.
Fortunately, the tree was unharmed. As much as he wanted to pursue the attackers and take revenge, he knew that Li Yongcheng and the others had probably already fled beyond his reach.
Deep within Chaotic Burial Mountain, there was also the formidable Green Wolf of the Innate Realm. Chen Tianjing had no choice but to abandon the chase and warn his companions not to venture too far.
Once everything was in order, Chen Xingzhen sighed and looked at the Divine Tree before him. The clan's strength was still insufficient.
Building a strong clan wasn't something that could be accomplished overnight. In fact, large families often took decades or even centuries to grow into their legacy.
The Chen clan had its own challenges, particularly their lack of even a single Innate Realm martial artist.
Meanwhile, as the Chen clan members cleaned up the mess, Ji Yang finally relaxed. The situation had been perilous earlier.
Ji Yang hadn't fully matured yet, and the arrival of a Blood Coagulation Realm warrior had been a close call. Li Cailiang, being in the late stage of the Blood Coagulation Realm, was a formidable threat.
At a critical moment, Ji Yang had strengthened one of his tendrils and barely managed to withstand the attack.
Fortunately, Li Cailiang hadn't been willing to risk his life in the confrontation; otherwise, the outcome might have been different.
The four tendrils that Ji Yang had strengthened earlier had consumed a total of 7.5 units of his Qi, leaving him with less than ten points.
To maintain his consciousness and condition, Ji Yang converted all of his previously reserved blood qi to restore his vitality.
This experience had left Ji Yang with a renewed sense of caution. Even with the Chen clan's current strength, there were no guarantees against future threats.
Ji Yang knew he needed to grow stronger, and he also understood the importance of ensuring that the Chen clan became more powerful and capable of handling risks.
He might need to discuss these concerns with Chen Xingzhen.
From Ji Yang's perspective, the Chen clan still had significant gaps in its development. At the current pace, it was uncertain how long it would take for the clan to truly flourish.
However, Ji Yang had no desire to get too involved in the clan's affairs; after all, he simply wanted to be a tree!
While he occasionally lent a hand and enjoyed the offerings from the clan, he had no intention of micromanaging everything. If every decision required his personal attention, he might as well become the clan leader, something he had no interest in.
Though there was some urgency, Ji Yang decided to wait until the fruit on the tree ripened before making any major decisions.
After Li Cailiang's death, Ji Yang noticed a faint soul materializing in the Ancestral Hall.
This soul was a copy of Li Cailiang's, but its expression was empty, unconscious, and not much different from other souls Ji Yang had encountered.
However, its qi was richer, and its state more complete compared to the souls his spiritual techniques had transformed before.
As Ji Yang gazed at the soul, his consciousness stirred, and he quickly absorbed it. This was a new ability Ji Yang had gained after his transformation, allowing him to interact directly with souls without relying on his roots as a medium.
Ji Yang activated his spiritual technique and attempted to transform the soul, but a prompt suddenly appeared before him:
[Bound to the clan, unable to condense souls other than those of the Chen clan.]
This restriction left Ji Yang momentarily stunned.
How could he build his army of souls with such a limitation? He had hoped this ability would make the Chen clan stronger, but it seemed that wasn't possible.
Seeing that Li Cailiang's soul was useless, Ji Yang's tree branches swayed slightly, creating a gentle breeze.
As the breeze passed, Li Cailiang's soul instantly dissipated, turning into dense Yin energy that was absorbed by Ji Yang's tree trunk.
After absorbing the Yin energy, the grey fruits on the tree seemed to grow larger.
At that moment, Chen Xingzhen remained in the Ancestral Hall, waiting for his clansmen to return.
As Li Cailiang's soul dissipated, Chen Xingzhen felt a faint cool breeze brush across his face, confusing him.
After all, he was a mid-stage Blood Coagulation Realm martial artist---why would he feel such a cool breeze?
Chen Xingzhen turned his head to look at the Divine Tree in front of him.
Only then did he notice the subtle changes in the tree's appearance, but his expression remained unchanged.
The Divine Tree was always evolving, and he had grown accustomed to its transformations.
Half an hour later, Chen Qingyu and the others returned from the tunnel, carrying several wild beasts with them.
Chen Tianjing reported that the outer layer of the tunnel had been pushed aside, revealing numerous tracks inside.
However, once outside the tunnel, the tracks became scarce. In addition, several ferocious beasts had been lurking just beyond the tunnel.
Unfortunately, these beasts didn't have high cultivation levels; the strongest among them was only at the mid-stage of the Blood Coagulation Realm.
Moreover, the beasts were attacking each other, which made it easy for Chen Qingyu and the others to kill them.
After eliminating the beasts, they inspected the surroundings and found traces of the Li Clan members. Finally, they cleaned up the tunnel and fortified the entrance before leaving.
Chen Xingzhen carefully examined the slain beasts after hearing Chen Tianjing's report. As he inspected them, he caught a distinct scent and his eyes brightened.
"Thyme," he murmured, recognizing the fragrance as something unique to the Li Clan.
It seemed that Li Cailiang had attracted these ferocious beasts with the herb.
However, the presence of the Innate Realm's Green Wolf deep inside Chaotic Burial Mountain had made even the wild beasts outside the mountain scarce.
Despite this, the thyme had managed to lure a few beasts, providing the clan with some unexpected gains.
"Enough, it's getting late. You should all rest," Chen Xingzhen said, dismissing his clansmen.
"As for these beasts, let's sacrifice them all to the Divine Tree."
Chen Xingzhen had earlier noticed that the roots of the Divine Tree seemed to have consumed a significant amount of qi.
The tree had demonstrated this ability before, and it appeared that it urgently needed to replenish its reserves this time.
Upstairs, Ji Yang silently listened to the conversation and nodded in approval.
"You understand well!" he thought, acknowledging Chen Xingzhen's decision.
The Chen clan was learning how to nurture the Divine Tree, and Ji Yang was pleased to see that they were attentive to his needs.
Although he didn't want to be too involved in the clan's affairs, moments reassured him that the Chen clan was on the right path.