Chapter 2635

The place where the Longevity Wood grows must be peaceful and safe. It requires careful nurturing. Only when the wood naturally sheds its branches can those pieces be used for cultivation. But that was not how he obtained it.

His method was cruel. He stole the Longevity Wood at night while everyone slept. This caused an artificial earthquake, burying the entire village. To hide his crime, he set up a formation to seal the area, erasing the village’s existence. No one knew a village had ever been there.

But hearing this man’s words, the Daoist felt a chill. This man might know the truth.

Though worried inside, he kept his face calm. He looked at the Immortal Emperor and said, "I do not know what you are talking about."

"Do you not?" The Immortal Emperor looked at the Daoist. His clear eyes seemed to see through everything. The Daoist felt uneasy under that gaze.

"Then do you know this child?" The Immortal Emperor pointed at Ding Chengpei beside him.

Only then did the Daoist look closely at Ding Chengpei. He felt a sense of familiarity. "I think I have seen you somewhere."

"You saw me in Ding Family Village. I am Ding Chengpei, the grandson of the village head. You buried our entire village alive because of the old tree. Even if you turned to ash, I would recognize you."

Ding Chengpei’s eyes were full of hatred. This man had taken his family for selfish gain. He would never let him go.

The Daoist’s face changed slightly. He looked at Ding Chengpei and said, "I think you have mistaken me. What Ding Family Village? I know nothing of it."

"You did not mistake me," Ding Chengpei said firmly. "I said I would recognize you even in ash. And…"

Ding Chengpei pointed to the Longevity Wood on the ground. "This is the old tree of Ding Family Village. Our ancestors nurtured it for generations. Every Ding family member dropped a drop of blood on the tree at birth. So the tree bears our marks. These are them."

She pointed to the spots on the bark. "So even without leaves or roots, I can recognize it."

The Daoist sneered. "This is just the word of a young child. What proof do you have? Can you make the Longevity Wood testify?"

His eyes were full of mockery.

Ding Chengpei was surprised by this and did not know how to answer.

The Immortal Emperor spoke up. "You are not wrong. Your actions caused the Longevity Wood to bear karmic merit and debt. The wood hates you. The cause and effect are already set. How you treated the Ding family, so shall your end be."

The Immortal Emperor looked at the Longevity Wood calmly. "Longevity Wood, you were destroyed in this life. Now is the time to settle the karma. Once the karma is settled, you may be reborn."

The Longevity Wood, lying on the ground, slowly stood upright.

The Daoist watched in shock as branches and leaves grew from the rootless wood. The leaves displayed scenes of the Ding family protecting the tree. Then, the scene changed. The wood turned into a stone pillar and crashed down toward the Daoist.

Normally, the Daoist could have escaped. But now, he could not move. He stood there, frozen and foolish.

The wood smashed into him. He felt himself shrinking. The sunlight seemed to move further away.

Finally, the light turned into endless darkness, swallowing him.

Ding Chengpei saw the wood crush the Daoist into pulp. Then, the wood caught fire without a flame. It slowly turned to ash. Finally, a green seed fell into Ding Chengpei’s palm.

"This is the seed of the Longevity Wood," the Immortal Emperor said.

"This wood was a thousand years old. It could have become a spirit immortal. But this Daoist cut its roots. Even if you had not appeared, the Daoist would not have lived long. But your appearance gave the wood hope. It knew the Ding family was not extinct, so it left a seed for you. This is also a chance for its own survival."

Ding Chengpei looked at the seed in his hand. "Where should I plant it?"

"I suggest you give it to your master’s wife. She has a natural wood constitution and an affinity for plants. If she tends to it, the Longevity Wood will grow safely in its next life."

"Then I will give it to her," Ding Chengpei said seriously.

"Are you sure? You know this is Longevity Wood. It is very valuable. It can help cultivators refine spiritual energy and remove impurities."

"I do not need the Longevity Wood. My master and master’s wife became gods and immortals without it. I can too. Besides…" Ding Chengpei looked at the seed with complex emotions.

"This is the old tree’s seed, but it is no longer our family’s tree. Since it is reborn, it should have a new way of life. It is better with my master’s wife than with me. She is much stronger than I am."

The Immortal Emperor laughed. "You have such a broad mind, child. Your future will be limitless."

Ding Chengpei looked around, a bit shy. Then he asked curiously, "There are many vendors here. Why didn’t they come to watch when we dealt with the Daoist?"

"Because of the barrier," the Immortal Emperor explained happily. "I used a barrier when dealing with the Daoist. This prevented disturbing the people outside. Naturally, they could not see the scene here."

The Immortal Emperor looked around. "This place is lively but complex. If people saw this, it might not matter to us, but it could cause trouble if noticed by those with bad intentions."

Ding Chengpei understood. "I see."

The Immortal Emperor pulled Ding Chengpei’s hand. "Now your enemy is gone. Your heart demon will not appear again."

"Thank you, Uncle," Ding Chengpei said sincerely. Thanks to the Immortal Emperor, he had gained much reward. In a way, the Immortal Emperor was his benefactor.