Transmigrating Into a Fantasy World: Signing in During Pregnancy, Reaching the Summit with My Childhood Sweetheart

220: Chapter 220: The Mother Tree’s Lament and the Wild Ambition of NatureZi Linger’s weak voice fell like a feather, yet it stirred up a thousand waves in this silent, ancient grotto. Her vacant gaze focused on the mural of the ancient tree burning with black flames, and tears slid down silently—an empathy and grief originating from the depths of her Bloodline.

“Mother Tree... it’s crying... it hurts so much...” She reached out a trembling hand, as if trying to touch the cold rock wall, to touch the sorrow from ten thousand years ago.

Nangong Xuan and Su Muxue were both shaken. They hadn’t expected that Zi Linger’s first reaction upon waking would be to directly point out the greatest secret of this place—that what was sealed and polluted wasn’t simply a source of earth fire, but an ancient being, a sentient Mother Tree of Flame that had once protected this region!

Su Muxue quickly supported the weak Zi Linger, slowly channeling a stream of pure Taiyin Star Power into her body to help stabilize her mind, while saying softly, “Linger, speak slowly. What do you perceive?”

Zi Linger leaned against Su Muxue’s shoulder and closed her eyes, tears still hanging from her long eyelashes. As a Wood Spirit, she possessed a sensory ability far exceeding ordinary people when it came to plants, especially ancient and powerful spiritual flora. Now, in the Core of the Primordial Fire Eye, in close contact with that mural, she felt the vast residual Wood Spirit fire element and endless resentment. A torrent of dusty, broken memories seemed to cross time and space, surging into her heart.

She began to speak intermittently, like someone talking in their sleep:

“A long... long time ago... it was very big... very warm... like the sun... protecting all living things... children sang under its branches... danced...” (Corresponding to the first mural)

“Then... the sky broke... black rain... cold... filthy rain fell... everything it touched got sick... went mad... the Mother Tree was in pain... it was burning... burning from the heart... black fire... it couldn’t control itself... its children... those children who came close to it... they... they all melted...” (Corresponding to the second mural, her voice choked with fear)

“Grandpa Wise One... led everyone... used... used very, very bright discs... like stars... and buried the Mother Tree and those black fires... deep into the earth... the Mother Tree didn’t want to hurt the children... it agreed... but it’s so lonely... it hurts so much... burning forever... hurting forever...” (Corresponding to the third mural, revealing that the Seal wasn’t for destruction, but a mutual choice made out of desperation)

“Later... later some people in hard clothes came... they dug up the soil... they... they weren’t helping the Mother Tree... they were draining its blood... putting more dirty things inside... they wanted to make the Mother Tree... turn completely black...” (Corresponding to the fourth mural and the actions of the Tiangong Sect)

By the end, Zi Linger coughed violently, her face turning even paler, as if enduring these memories had consumed a great deal of her mental energy.

Nangong Xuan and Su Muxue listened with turbulent hearts, remaining silent for a long time.

The truth was far heavier and more tragic than imagined. This wasn’t simple pollution by a foreign object, but a benevolent guardian who, after being corrupted, voluntarily accepted the Seal to avoid harming her people, enduring ten thousand years of soul-devouring fire! And the Tiangong Sect, atop this suffering, committed the vile act of draining her blood and marrow, adding insult to injury!

“Unacceptable!” Su Muxue’s face was frosty, her beautiful eyes burning with fury. “The Tiangong Sect calls itself a great immortal sect, yet its actions are more poisonous than those of the Demonic Path!”

Nangong Xuan remained silent. He walked to the Eye of Silence and once again reached his hand into the dark red pool. This time, he didn’t just feel the energy; he released his Divine Sense, attempting to listen and feel.

With the four keys gathered, his Perception was countless times sharper. In the depths of that endless pure fire element, he indeed captured a trace of a painful will—extremely faint, yet continuous for ten thousand years. That will was filled with sorrow, loneliness, and a sliver of despair as it was about to be completely swallowed by darkness.