Chapter Thirteen: The Giant Tree Underground

After severing the tangled vines, Shen Chang’an finally breathed a sigh of relief. The creature’s main method of attack depended on those vines; now that they were cut, even if the body remained below, it would likely behave itself.

At that moment, Wang Yue sidled over. “Daoist Shen, what kind of talisman did you just use? I’ve never seen such a powerful spell before.”

Shen Chang’an glanced at Wang Yue. He remembered that when he’d introduced himself earlier, he’d used the name Ling Xiaozi, never revealing his real name. Yet Wang Yue already knew his surname was Shen—a testament to the formidable intelligence network of the Bureau of Demon Purification.

Still, when Shen Chang’an had killed the bureau’s flag officer, he hadn’t used any cultivation techniques at all—just street brawling mixed with a few dirty tricks. He wasn’t worried the bureau would trace the act back to him; at most, they’d discover that both Shen Chang’an and Wuyouzi were nearby at the time, but it would be difficult to guess Shen Chang’an was the killer.

“It was just an ordinary demon-slaying talisman, nothing special,” Shen Chang’an replied.

Wang Yue was taken aback, wanting to ask more, but Shen Chang’an was already striding toward the altar. Knowing Shen Chang’an was unwilling to explain, Wang Yue fell silent and followed.

Zheng Xin trailed behind Shen Chang’an, careful not to expose herself. The three gradually reached the site of the altar, which was now nothing but a pit.

It was pitch-black inside, impossible to discern what lay below. Shen Chang’an reached into his robes and produced a Brightness Talisman.

He had plenty of talismans on hand. When he’d tried to bring supplies from the real world, he had been prevented—items like glow sticks and tactical flashlights couldn’t be brought in. Frustrated, he’d decided instead to carry ink, talisman paper, and a brush. Over a month of wandering, he’d steadily accumulated these talismans, just in case.

Now, he tossed a Brightness Talisman into the pit. Instantly, it flared to life, shining with a fierce light and illuminating the scene below.

“Huh? That thing…” Shen Chang’an paused for a moment, then vaulted into the pit.

“Hey, wait for me!” Wang Yue called, jumping in without hesitation.

But as he landed, his expression changed—the pit seemed... much deeper than expected!

Fortunately, the wall was close at hand. He drew a dagger, stabbing into the side to slow his descent, repeating the maneuver several times before landing safely.

His dagger could slice through iron as if it were mud; using it on earth was somewhat excessive, but effective.

He landed firmly and saw a talisman glowing faintly on the ground—not enough to illuminate the surroundings, but at least a light source.

Looking around, he saw talismans plastered everywhere, lighting the entire pit.

“Wow, so many glow talismans—it’s almost extravagant.” Wang Yue stared in amazement, while Shen Chang’an couldn’t help but twitch his lips at this reckless youth who’d jumped down without hesitation.

“Hey, Daoist, what’s it like down there?” Zheng Xin called from above. Seeing Shen Chang’an and Wang Yue descend, she didn’t dare follow; if the pit was too deep, she’d lack either Shen Chang’an’s brute strength or Wang Yue’s equipment and might not make it out.

“It’s fine—just a cavern. Stay up there, don’t jump; it’s too deep,” Shen Chang’an replied.

Hearing his voice, Zheng Xin relaxed. This time, she didn’t contradict him and sat beside the pit, waiting for his return.

Below, Wang Yue looked curiously at Shen Chang’an. “Daoist Shen, why did you jump down so suddenly?”

Shen Chang’an glanced at him and retorted, “And you, Officer Wang, why did you jump after me?”

“Just call me Wang Yue.” Wang Yue smiled, then explained, “I saw you jump, guessed there might be survivors below, so I followed.”

Shen Chang’an nodded. “I saw something down there, so I gave chase.”

“Something?” Wang Yue raised his brows. “Do you mean the core of those vines?”

Shen Chang’an didn’t conceal the truth. “Yes, I saw a ghostly shadow fleeing, carrying a sphere woven from countless weeds and vines. I suspect that’s the tree demon’s true body, so I chased after it.”

“Tree demon? You figured that out?” Wang Yue asked.

Shen Chang’an sighed. “It’s just a hypothesis. Those attacking vines were far thicker than ordinary vines, and I can’t imagine a vine itself having a core. A tree demon fits the situation much better.”

For animals to cultivate into monsters is already extremely difficult; for plants, the challenge is hundreds of times greater, and for a single vine to gain sentience, the odds are even slimmer.

Shen Chang’an doubted such coincidence—a sentient vine? Far more likely it was a tree demon. Vines as weapons weren’t exclusive; tree demons could wield them just as well.

“It sounds like a great tree absorbed vengeful spirits, causing this whole mess,” Wang Yue analyzed.

Shen Chang’an nodded slightly. The ghostly shadow he saw, if real, was likely a soul absorbed by the tree demon, eventually becoming its consciousness. This is how most plants gain sentience; for a tree to develop intelligence on its own is nearly impossible, but absorbing human souls is far more common.

“Come, let’s catch up—don’t let the demon escape!” Wang Yue urged, charging ahead.

Shen Chang’an followed at a measured pace, holding back his speed. He activated the Jade Dragon Talisman, continuously gathering the ambient energies, wary of any unexpected dangers.

The two traveled for a while, crawling through a narrow passage, until it suddenly opened up before them.

The instant they stepped inside, they were greeted by a scene almost fantastical.

Beneath a towering tree, dozens of people lay sprawled on the ground. Tree roots were wrapped around their faces, the roots piercing into their brains, engaged in some unknown process. Yet each face wore an expression of blissful happiness.

Shen Chang’an felt his scalp tingle. These captives weren’t dead—they were imprisoned underground, endlessly supplying the tree demon with nourishment. But the question remained: how did they survive without food?

Suddenly, Shen Chang’an noticed one of them had a thin vine inserted at the corner of his mouth, from which droplets of tree sap occasionally emerged. Could these people be surviving by consuming this? And what nourishment did the tree demon seek from them?