Chapter 16: Ancient God Hunter
After listening to Yueling’s account, Su Xiao roughly understood the situation. In fact, the Tree God had arrived in this world earlier than that true Ancient God.
The reason the Tree God couldn’t suckle the world was that it originally belonged to the Neutral-Evil faction of deities, not the Ancient God system.
One day, within the Tree God’s world, a hole appeared in the sky, and black mud enough to submerge an entire continent fell down.
When the Tree God awoke, it was already in the Dark Star World. Having been soaked in that black mud, it was considered two-thirds of an Ancient God. To fully become an Ancient God was impossible; it could never gain the ability to suckle the world.
Although the Tree God couldn’t suckle the world, it had another ability. It could transform into a towering tree, its roots intertwining in the soil, releasing a unique fluctuation that attracted nearby living beings.
Any intelligent creature would be drawn by this fluctuation, come to the giant tree, have their bodies parasitized by the roots, and fall into an illusory trance.
Within the illusion world, everything was beautiful. People there would be surrounded by beauties, indulging in pleasure every day, or become “powerful”—with just a glance, everything they saw would crumble to dust. Whatever they imagined could be realized in the illusion world.
Seemed wonderful? Not at all. In reality, the Tree God’s roots absorbed those people’s lives. That was the price.
Exchanging life for brief, beautiful illusions. This matter came to the Mother God’s attention. When the two met, there was no hostility or battle.
Originally, the Tree God could have continued this way until that true Ancient God descended. The Tree God’s journey as a scapegoat began.
The world withered. The Light King, the Great Sage, and the Wolf Spider Queen began seeking solutions. It was then that the concept of the “Container” emerged.
The incomplete Container made by the Light King had long lacked an opportunity for testing. The Great Sage searched for a long time, found the Tree God, and discovered that this giant tree was also an “Ancient God.”
When the Light King learned this news, he was gratified. Whether the broken Container was useful could first be tested on the Tree God.
The sealing succeeded, but the process was difficult. This made the Light King realize the incompleteness of the broken Container, which led to the Light King mating with the Mother God to create the strongest Container.
After the Container was born, it also needed testing and adaptation. The Tree God was perfect for that. The result was that the Container easily sealed the Tree God.
The subsequent situation was that the seal had three layers. The Container was the core, while the Light King, the Great Sage, and the Wolf Spider Queen formed the outer layer, which could also be understood as the Container’s outer packaging. Between the outer packaging and the core, there was a small gap. The Tree God was here, serving as a filter, filtering the trace amounts of Ancient God energy drifting out from the Container.
Now that the Container had cracked, the Tree God, acting as the “filter,” had long been “full and satisfied.” That was why, when they first met, Su Xiao felt the Tree God’s Ancient God energy was so immense. After filtering and absorbing for a hundred years, how could it not be immense? It was forcibly accumulated.
“We need to stuff it back quickly. If it doesn’t go back, the corruption will worsen.”
Yueling’s lower body’s stone layer shattered. She trotted to the Tree God, thrusting her spear forward.
“Hah~”
The spear pierced the center of the Tree God’s chest. Yueling exerted force with both arms, lifting upward. Her small face flushed red, but she still couldn’t lift the Tree God.
Seeing this, Su Xiao had Amu release the ice seal, and he himself retracted the Realm Severing Thread. The gains from this battle were significant. Some methods for dealing with Ancient Gods worked better than expected, while others were impractical.
Yueling lifted the headless Tree God, rested the spear on her shoulder, and walked toward the throne.
Soon, Yueling gripped the spear with both hands, hoisted the Tree God high, and silently chanted. The Tree God’s headless body spread out, turning into many roots that sank into the gaps all over the Light King’s body.
Yueling’s entire process was smooth and practiced. In fact, even if the Tree God had broken out of the White Town, there were still “surprises” waiting for it.
Su Xiao watched the gradually disappearing Tree God, a new conjecture forming in his mind. If that were the case, the subsequent plans would need to be handled cautiously.
“Yueling, retreat outside the hall.”
The Light King on the throne spoke. His voice was weak and weary, but it reached everyone’s ears in the hall.
“As you command.”
Yueling knelt on one knee, then vanished in an instant, reappearing at the entrance of the Pale Palace to stand guard.
Su Xiao walked up a few steps and stopped before the throne.
“Guests from the outer world, what do you seek in this decaying palace?”
The Light King, whose entire body was pierced with soul chains, raised his head, his fractured pupils meeting Su Xiao’s gaze.
“In a few years, or perhaps longer, this world will wither. We are… reaping what we sowed.”
The Light King realized Su Xiao was not from this world, believing he, like the Demon Blacksmith or the Ancient God, came from another world.
“Your affairs have nothing to do with me. I am an Ancient God Hunter. I came only because there was an Ancient God here. After killing it, I leave.”
Hearing Su Xiao’s words, a glimmer of spirit returned to the Light King’s eyes.
“Remarkable. So there are beings like you. Cough, cough, cough…”
The Light King coughed dryly, fluorescent liquid like blood dripping from his chin.
“Re-sealing the Ancient God is the prudent choice.”
As soon as the Light King finished speaking, Su Xiao’s hand rested on his sword hilt.
“It seems our choices differ. The Container’s birth is my sin. He is my child, and I have taken away everything that made him human.”
The Light King showed no emotion like guilt. Many times, choices had to be made—whether to sacrifice one to protect the others or to face the end together. The Light King chose the former.
“A hundred years ago, I proposed cultivating another Container. The Mother God refused, saying my consciousness couldn’t withstand another fusion with it…”
The Light King’s vision blurred as he spoke. He was about to fall into slumber again.
“I won’t stop you, but you must open the seal correctly. First, kill the Wolf Spider Queen, then the Great Sage, and finally… kill me. Opening the seal this way will weaken the Ancient God. Let Yueling accompany you. She is a kind child, but as long as it’s an order, she won’t refuse.”
The Light King’s eyes gradually closed. Before falling asleep, he spoke his final words: “Ancient God Hunter, be careful on the road. We failures are also hard to deal with. Come back, Ancient God Hunter. Even the smallest hope, we…”
The Light King’s voice stopped there. He fell into slumber again, and light particles drifted from the cracks in his body, forming a translucent token.
[Tip: You have obtained the “King’s Hand Token.” Holding this item, the King’s Guard Yueling will assist you in battle without reducing kill rewards.]
[Tip: Yueling possesses a certain degree of World Child traits, which are post-natal enhancements.]
[Yueling’s base Luck Attribute is 52 points. This attribute will decrease or increase depending on the environment.]
[Main Quest: First Ring – Light King (Completed).]
[You have received True Attribute Points × 2.]
[Main Quest: Second Ring – Qualification (Activated).]