Chapter 59: Clarification

"No... everyone... everyone, don't listen to him! Everything is because of him!"

Jiu'er suddenly raised her head, her eyes bloodshot, her delicate face twisted with a hint of ferocity. Seeing Zhang Shouzheng standing there in shock, she bowed her head slightly again and continued, "It was all Luo Benchun's doing, and this Chen San is his accomplice. He deceived me, saying he had a gift to give me, and brought me here. When I arrived, all these villagers were already dead. Luo Benchun used the Earth Energy Lock to restrain me so I couldn't move at all—how could I have killed these villagers?"

By now, Jiu'er's voice was choked with emotion, though she struggled to hold back her tears.

"No matter what you say, you can't escape the fact that you're a zombie. If it wasn't you, who else could it be? Stop trying to deny it, everyone—burn her!"

Standing in the tree, Chen San shouted harshly.

Yet none of the villagers moved. It wasn't just fear of Jiu'er, transformed into a zombie—they were also wary of Zhang Shouzheng and Jiang Litian.

At this moment, Zhang Shouzheng's mind was blank with disbelief as he stared at Jiu'er. How could Jiu'er have become a zombie? His own junior sister! But the crisis had to be resolved, no matter what. He saw Luo Benchun sitting atop a tree that seemed oddly familiar. Thinking hard, he recalled his master mentioning such a tree.

He let out a cold laugh and spoke loudly, "Good act, but isn't everyone overlooking one thing? Look at the tree Luo Benchun is sitting on—did Guye Village ever have this kind of tree before? If you don't know, let me tell you: this tree is called the Blood Spirit Tree. It can't survive in the secular world because it's only found in Kunlun, under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Dao Sect. But this tree is very different from the one my master described.

"Senior brother, why don't you explain the difference?"

Jiang Litian nodded. From the moment he entered, his gaze had never left the tree, as if he were searching for something in its branches. Hearing his junior brother call him, he spoke in a somber tone: "My junior brother is right—this is a Blood Spirit Tree, but it's different because it's been watered with fresh blood. When the Blood Spirit Tree is nourished with blood, it becomes a demon tree, and its fruit is infused with demonic energy.

"Look at where the corpses lie—right beside the Blood Spirit Tree, their blood all absorbed by its roots. And examine their wounds—were these made by a zombie? Now look at Jiu'er—is there a drop of blood on her?"

Zhang Shouzheng pointed at Jiu'er. Aside from some dirt, there was no blood on her at all. Her current state was simply the result of being unable to control the zombie’s bloodthirsty nature—just the scent of blood would force her true nature to emerge.

"You two young Daoists are right—these people likely weren't killed by Jiu'er."

Qingshui had recovered from his shock. Recalling Jiu'er's behavior over the past few days, he didn't believe she killed the villagers. If she had wanted to, she would have done it upon entering Guye Village, not waited until now. He'd been to this small hill before as well, and never seen this strange Blood Spirit Tree.

"That's right, everyone saw Elder Qingxu many years ago. He was a revered cultivator, and his disciples wouldn't have turned out evil either," Wang Mazi remarked thoughtfully.

"It's Old Luo—he's the real demon cultivator!"

A voice shouted from the crowd, and suddenly the villagers all echoed the cry. Sitting on the Blood Spirit Tree, Old Luo glanced at Zhang Shouzheng and Jiang Litian in surprise. He hadn't expected these two youngsters to know so much about the origins of the Blood Spirit Tree, since he’d heard they’d never even returned to the sect. Still, none of that mattered now—the Blood Spirit Fruit had ripened, and he had already ingested it.

Thinking this, he began to laugh, his expression twisted. Rising leisurely, he swept his eyes over the villagers and said calmly, "Ah, this matter could never have been kept secret. I may as well face it head-on. The two of them are right—I admit it. These villagers were killed by me and Chen San."

"Master Luo, you… Didn’t you promise that everything would be returned to Jiu’er? Why go back on your word now!"

At the foot of the tree, Chen San’s face changed dramatically as he demanded an answer, glancing warily at the hostile villagers around them.

"It's too late for second thoughts. What are you worried about? Haven't you also eaten the Blood Spirit Fruit? Doesn't your body feel different now? Why fear these foolish villagers? If you do, I have nothing more to say."

Luo Benchun sighed and looked at Chen San with a hint of resignation.

Chen San suddenly understood. After luring the villagers here, he and Luo Benchun had joined forces to kill them, their blood nurturing the Blood Spirit Tree. The fruit ripened quickly, and Luo Benchun had generously given him one. After eating the fist-sized, flame-red fruit, he felt a surge of power within, though it was still hard to control. Luo Benchun also promised to teach him Daoist cultivation so that this new power would be his to command.

"I'll do whatever Master Luo says."

Chen San burst into wild laughter, his gaze turning vicious. A strange green light flickered in his eyes, though he remained oblivious.

"Shouzheng, do you see? That aura is demonic energy. If we don’t destroy them now, they’ll become true demon cultivators!"

Jiang Litian smiled coldly, killing intent flashing in his eyes, and charged straight toward the Blood Spirit Tree. Luo Benchun sneered at Jiang Litian and swiftly formed seals with his hands. As Jiang Litian neared the tree’s base, Luo Benchun stopped, pressed his palm to the trunk, and shouted:

"Earth Energy, summon blood vines—bind!"

Earth is the element of ground. Luo Benchun was using the tree roots to attack Jiang Litian. From among the corpses, thick, blood-red vines as wide as arms burst forth, lashing wildly at Jiang Litian. These blood vines matched the tree’s color exactly—they were its roots, now surging with demonic energy and driven by Luo Benchun’s secret art, writhing like living serpents.

Besides attacking Jiang Litian, many of the vines snaked toward Zhang Shouzheng as well. Their speed was terrifying. Some villagers who tried to flee were instantly trapped, wrapped up by the vines. A man in his forties screamed as he tried to tear the vine from his body, but there was a sickening crack of bone and he was strangled to death, spewing blood from his mouth before his head lolled and life left him.

One vine coiled around Zhang Shouzheng’s ankle. With a slash of his broken sword, he severed it. From the wound, thick red sap poured out, smoking and sizzling as it hit the ground.

"Jiu'er, let's destroy this demon tree together!"

Seeing Qingshui entangled, Zhang Shouzheng darted forward, his sword flashing as he cut the blood vine and caught Qingshui as he fell.

Jiu'er nodded. Though still imprisoned by the Seventh Earth Energy Lock, it wasn't impossible for her to break free—she would simply have to unleash her zombie strength.