At this moment, Ji Yang’s growth had already surpassed all his previous simulations, seemingly the most prosperous one yet. In his past simulations, he had never lived this long.
As he gazed at the lush greenery and the countless creatures thriving in this vibrant land, Ji Yang felt a sense of accomplishment. It was as if he had reached enlightenment, and even the simplest creatures in his domain had ascended alongside him.
But then, a wave of doubt crept in. A long time had passed, yet the subtitles that often marked the plot changes hadn’t appeared. This absence made Ji Yang instinctively uneasy. The subtitles usually indicated a shift in the storyline—an opportunity wrapped in danger. Though making the wrong choice could be fatal, those challenges often held the key to powerful divine abilities and techniques.
Peace was a blessing, but too much peace felt unsettling. Without scene changes, would he truly gain anything, or was he destined to simply continue growing without end?
While Ji Yang pondered these thoughts, he noticed something unusual about himself. The once vibrant green leaves were withering, the rough bark was shedding, and his once sturdy trunk was softening. Strangely, the underground roots grew hotter and hotter, as if burning themselves out.
Before Ji Yang could react, a line of subtitles appeared before him:
[The mutation of the roots has exceeded your lifespan, you have died of old age!]
The moment the words faded, Ji Yang’s trunk began to disintegrate, and the previously warm roots quickly lost their heat.
Ice and snow reclaimed the land, burying all traces of life and returning the terrain to its original, barren state.
As the scene before him dissolved, Ji Yang sighed inwardly. But before everything vanished, he caught sight of a young figure rushing toward the spot where he had grown.
The young man knelt at Ji Yang’s former location, muttering words that Ji Yang couldn’t hear. But he saw the regret etched on the young man’s face.
Ji Yang’s mind spun with chaotic thoughts as the simulated world crumbled entirely. When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the familiar surroundings of the Ancestral Hall. This time, he didn’t rush to check the results of his simulation. Instead, he replayed the recent events in his mind, feeling a growing sense of confusion.
He had always believed the simulation was an illusion, a false reality existing solely for his benefit. When he opened his eyes, the world came to life; when he closed them, the world ceased to exist. But the young man’s regret made Ji Yang question everything.
Were these places real or fake? If they were mere illusions, why did the young man display genuine regret?
But if they were real, how could the time within the simulation move so swiftly compared to the outside world?
Unable to find an answer, Ji Yang resolved to be more cautious. Perhaps the simulation world held more complexities than he had imagined. However, without sufficient knowledge, his questions would remain unanswered. He needed to gather more clues from future simulations.
Realizing these thoughts were beyond his immediate concerns, Ji Yang refocused. He still needed to establish a firm foothold in this world, where every day brought the threat of the Chen clan’s destruction or his own demise.
[Simulation completed!]
[Through this Simulation, you have acquired the following skills: Cold Resistance]
[You have gained the following abilities from this Simulation: Free Growth]
[You have gained the following divine power from this Simulation: Scorched Earth]
Cold Resistance: You can grow at extremely low temperatures.
Free Growth: You can grow into any shape you wish.
Scorched Earth: You can consume a certain amount of vitality to give your roots terrifyingly high temperatures.
Ji Yang focused on the new abilities he had gained, but he wasn’t entirely satisfied. Considering the time he had invested, the results fell short of his expectations.
It seemed that his simulation version was still constrained by a limited lifespan, perhaps because he hadn’t triggered more plot changes or encountered enough challenges.
Ji Yang calmed his mind and shifted his focus to the gains from the recent simulation.
Cold Resistance: This ability came as no surprise to Ji Yang. Compared to high-temperature resistance, cold resistance seemed far more suitable for his current situation. With temperatures steadily dropping around Chaotic Burial Mountain, even as a tree, Ji Yang could feel the chill creeping in. He knew that, without this resistance, the harsh cold might eventually force some changes upon him. But with this new ability, he no longer needed to worry about the effects of the weather.
Free Growth: Ji Yang felt a pang of envy when he read the description of this ability. How useful it would have been to his former self! But now, as a tree, its value seemed limited. No matter how beautifully he could grow, he was still just a tree. Nonetheless, it wasn’t entirely useless—at least he could avoid growing crooked branches, maintaining a more pleasing.
Finally, Ji Yang’s attention fell on the divine power he had gained: Scorched Earth. This ability allowed his roots to emit a terrifying heat, and it sounded quite formidable. However, after some thought, Ji Yang doubted its practicality. As the clan's Divine Tree, he would only intervene when the Chen clan was facing complete disaster, and this divine power alone was unlikely to turn the tide.
Moreover, Ji Yang was always skeptical of abilities that consumed vital energy. If the energy output was too low, the effect might be negligible, but if the heat was too intense, it could drain his reserves beyond what he could endure. With the same amount of energy, he might as well use One Leaf Darkens the Sky to enhance the strength of his clansmen.
Still, Ji Yang considered the clan’s recent dilemma: the Blood Rice had stopped growing due to the cold. Perhaps this divine power could provide a solution? After pondering it, Ji Yang decided to experiment.
He activated Scorched Earth, sending a faint warmth through his underground roots. As he increased the infusion of vital energy, the heat intensified, spreading up to the surface.
Around the Ancestral Hall, the clan members began to notice the change:
"Did you feel that? It’s getting warmer around here," one of them remarked.
"Yeah, I noticed it too!" another agreed.
Amid the confused murmurs of his clansmen, Ji Yang withdrew his divine power. He realized the ability had a significant limitation: it only affected areas near his roots and couldn’t extend much further. If he used the full power of Scorched Earth, he might end up setting the Chen clan’s houses on fire long before the Blood Rice could benefit.
On the other hand, using the power at a reduced level didn’t seem too costly—it had only consumed about one-tenth of his vital energy in that brief moment.
However, Ji Yang wasn’t certain how long the warmth would last if left unchecked.
In any case, he decided to conserve his reserves for now. After all, the Chen clan wasn’t in such dire straits that they needed underfloor heating!