In the center of the tree hollow, Wu Xue lay with her eyes closed, her brow furrowed slightly.
Although she still resembled an infant, it was evident that she was a beauty in the making, destined to be breathtakingly stunning when she grew up.
Ye Ling flew before Wu Xue, observing her appearance, and couldn't help but gently jest, "No wonder Chu Yuan was so madly in love with this Wu Xue..."
"But why is she entangled by branches here?"
As Ye Ling mused, he reached out to grasp the poisonous branches, intending to snap them. However, he discovered that the branches weren't merely entwining Wu Xue, but had grown directly into her body!
If he were to forcibly pull the poisonous branches from Wu Xue, she would likely die from blood loss before any rescue could even be attempted.
Realizing this, Ye Ling abandoned the idea of tearing the branches away. He released his grip and surveyed his surroundings, "It seems this Forgetfulness Tree considers Wu Xue a vital organ, akin to a heart. These branches, growing from her body, connect to the trunk, likely serving as blood vessels."
Earlier, when Ye Ling had cleaved open the trunk, a large amount of blood had flowed out, making the wood appear indistinguishable from flesh and blood. At the time, Ye Ling had assumed the Forgetfulness Tree was transformed from Wu Xue, and thus the trees were her flesh and blood.
But now, it appeared the Forgetfulness Tree was just that – a Forgetfulness Tree. Its ability to transform into flesh and blood was entirely due to its absorption of Wu Xue's life essence.
If Wu Xue were to be separated from the Forgetfulness Tree, the tree would likely lose all its vitality, revert to fibrous wood, and become wood once more.
Just as Ye Ling was examining his surroundings, attempting to find a way to rescue Wu Xue, the poisonous branches, which had been dormant for only a short while, shot out from the darkness once more, attacking Ye Ling!
Even the branches growing on Wu Xue's body rapidly extended, attempting to force Ye Ling back.
"Is this tree trying to drive me out?"
Seeing the poisonous branches lunge at him, Ye Ling no longer dodged. Instead, he allowed the branches to coil around him.
Ensnared by the poisonous branches, Ye Ling's clothes were quickly torn to shreds. However, the sharp thorns could not pierce Ye Ling's skin. In the end, they could only choose to tightly bind him, dragging him downwards!
Before Ye Ling was completely enveloped by the poisonous branches, he caught sight of his tattered clothes and sighed, "Alas... I brought so few outfits from the Eastern Profound Continent, and now one is ruined here. What a sin..."
"This Forgetfulness Tree had better give me a surprise... otherwise, my wrath is not so easily borne..."
Amidst Ye Ling's murmurs, he was wrapped into a ball by the poisonous branches and pulled into the endless darkness below.
Ye Ling offered no resistance, allowing the poisonous branches to drag him, slowly sinking into the darkness.
Since Wu Xue was treated as the heart by the Forgetfulness Tree, the tree must possess its own independent consciousness.
As an intruder who had breached the Forgetfulness Tree, it would undoubtedly view Ye Ling as a thorn in its side, wishing to crush him into dust!
Now that the internal poisonous branches could not harm Ye Ling, the Forgetfulness Tree could only resort to more potent means of attack...
As for what these more potent means were... Ye Ling deliberately allowed the poisonous branches to envelop him and sink into the darkness, intending to find out.
*Splash!*
Soon, Ye Ling was dragged by a multitude of poisonous branches into a pool of water. The icy water seeped through the branches, touching Ye Ling's skin, and he couldn't help but feel a chill.
After dragging Ye Ling into the pool, the poisonous branches dispersed, and Ye Ling regained his freedom.
"Have we arrived?"
Ye Ling lay in the pool, watching the branches scatter. He stretched languidly and yawned.
Although he had intentionally allowed himself to be ensnared by the branches, being dragged downwards slowly by them had almost bored him to sleep.
The sharp, poisonous thorns had essentially acted as a form of massage, and it was quite comfortable.
"Intruder, Ye Ling..."
Just then, a deep voice echoed through the surrounding space. Then, a phantom appeared above, its pair of scarlet eyes fixed intently on Ye Ling.
Seeing the phantom appear, Ye Ling stood up from the pool, retrieved a set of black robes from his spatial ring, changed into them, and asked the phantom with a smile, "You know me?"
The phantom replied, "My roots spread throughout the Underworld. The fame of Emperor Ye Ling, I have heard."
Ye Ling: "Your roots... so you are the consciousness independently spawned by the Forgetfulness Tree?"
The Forgetfulness Tree replied, "That is correct... I am the Forgetfulness Tree."
"For hundreds of thousands of years, I have been law-abiding and have never left the Ten Thousand Underworld Mountains. You now forcibly intrude upon the Ten Thousand Underworld Mountains, and furthermore, you wish to make me your mortal enemy... When have I ever offended you?"
"Are you at peace with yourself for doing this?"
Ye Ling spread his hands, "You have indeed not offended me, but I am helping Chu Yuan."
The Forgetfulness Tree: "Helping Chu Yuan? He is a fiend god who has been deceiving you all along. Why are you aiding and abetting evil?"
Hearing the Forgetfulness Tree's words, Ye Ling raised an eyebrow slightly, "Chu Yuan deceived me? What makes you say that?"
The Forgetfulness Tree continued, "He wants you to rescue Wu Xue, seemingly to save his beloved. In reality, it is merely to retaliate against the Three Realms!"
"My roots are spread throughout the Underworld, and I also lock the nether energy of the Ten Thousand Underworld Mountains. If I am felled by you, the nether energy of the Ten Thousand Underworld Mountains will become unbalanced, and they will instantly devour the Underworld!"
"At that time, with the Underworld destroyed, the Immortal Realm and the Mortal Realm will not be far from annihilation."
Hearing the Forgetfulness Tree's words, Ye Ling chuckled, "You fellows are interesting... One says if I don't cut you, the Three Realms will be destroyed, and the other says if I cut you, then the Three Realms will be destroyed..."
"So, should I cut you or not?"
The Forgetfulness Tree: "Of course, you should not cut me!"
"Although I am unacquainted with Emperor, I have heard countless legends about you, Emperor, in the Underworld. I know you are a benevolent god dedicated to maintaining the balance of the Three Realms."
"Emperor, as such a figure, why would you heed the slander of a fiend god?"
"Wu Xue and I are one. Wu Xue is me, and I am Wu Xue. Chu Yuan wants Emperor to save Wu Xue, which means he wants Emperor to kill us!"
As the Forgetfulness Tree spoke, the dark space around them lit up, revealing scenes from the valley.
Ye Ling, standing in the pool, could see Chu Yuan hovering in the air, continuously channeling nether energy to erode the Forgetfulness Tree.
After presenting Chu Yuan's image to Ye Ling, the Forgetfulness Tree asked, "Emperor, aren't you curious how Chu Yuan, merely a wisp of residual soul, can mobilize the nether energy within the Ten Thousand Underworld Mountains?"
Ye Ling followed the Forgetfulness Tree's lead, asking, "I am indeed quite curious about this. Do you know why?"
The Forgetfulness Tree replied, "After Chu Yuan's battle with the gods in the past, Chu Yuan had already completely perished. What he is now is merely a wisp of obsession tainted by nether energy."
"In essence, Chu Yuan is not the original Chu Yuan, but an independent consciousness condensed from the nether energy within the Ten Thousand Underworld Mountains."
"He is of the same kind as me."
"However, unlike me, nether energy itself is a highly aggressive force. Coupled with Chu Yuan's inherent hatred for the Three Realms... he has now completely become a machine of vengeance."
"My existence was originally the key to maintaining the last shred of conscience within Chu Yuan's heart... Once I perish, Chu Yuan will inevitably gain complete control of the nether energy in the Ten Thousand Underworld Mountains and annihilate the Three Realms!"
"So that's how it is..."
Ye Ling nodded thoughtfully, then looked at the Forgetfulness Tree and smiled, "I know what to do now."
Hearing Ye Ling's reply, the Forgetfulness Tree chuckled, "Emperor indeed understands reason. I..."
However, before he could finish speaking, Ye Ling instantly appeared before him!
The Forgetfulness Tree's pupils contracted sharply, and it exclaimed in shock, "What, what are you doing?"
Ye Ling narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Killing you!"