Ethereal World: Vicious Cannon Fodder's Immortality Road

[Ethereal Small World]

"Great One, please calm your anger. We can sort things out; we simply lack communication." Shenlian Yingyue’s calm, light voice was like a soft feather soothing its chaotic emotions.

The Ancient Tree Spirit felt confused. How long had it been since it last lost control of its emotions like this?

"You seek freedom? Perhaps there is a way," she said softly.

"There’s no way. I have practiced for over a million years. No matter how far I travel, my roots are forever buried in this land. Whenever I go too far, I always end up returning," the Ancient Tree Spirit said, its voice full of melancholy, as if reflecting on its life’s journey.

"So you’ve traveled far, only to return to where you began. Your departure and destination have limits." She paused, then asked with a smile, "Great One, what is your greatest dream?"

"Stop that kind smile of yours. I don’t need your sympathy," the Ancient Tree Spirit said in annoyance. Then, after a moment of silence, it continued, a hint of bitterness in its voice, "My dream is to travel the world without being bound by this invisible chain."

"How about we travel the world together?" she suddenly suggested, throwing out a shocking proposition while it was deep in thought.

The Ancient Tree Spirit was stunned.

"Since you’re already with me, we can walk together. My dream is the same as yours. Don’t worry, I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to. You are free." A bright smile bloomed on her face as she gazed at the vast sky.

The Ancient Tree Spirit felt strange. It couldn’t help but ask; this offer was a great temptation. "You don’t wish to control my power? What are your conditions for allowing me to travel with you?"

"I have two conditions," she said.

The Ancient Tree Spirit chuckled. Sure enough, humans always have desires.

"First, you must not harm my family or my partners. If you do, I will destroy you, even if it means forcibly removing your roots from my world. Second, you must not bring disaster upon my home. This place is my light; the place where I met Yunyun and everyone else. It holds the memories of our journey until now." She spoke solemnly, her tone neither soft nor cold. She was kind to her companions but showed no mercy to those who would harm her loved ones.

The Ancient Tree Spirit felt conflicted.

"The world is vast, and the skies are endless. I believe that one day, you may truly be free. We just need to find a way to unbind your roots from the soil without harming your foundation or life." She stroked the black snake bracelet on her right wrist, the new form of the black sword.

She had named the black sword Xuan. Since coming to the Demon Realm, Xuan had been acting mysteriously.

At times, while she was training, Xuan would leave her side and return later, its aura filled with both demonic energy and pure spiritual energy. It was as if Xuan practiced both the righteous and demonic paths. No matter what type of energy existed, Xuan would devour everything.

While she was lost in thought about Xuan, the Ancient Tree Spirit’s voice echoed.

"Very well. I will neither harm your companions nor ruin your home. In return, you must bind my freedom."

"Deal!" she nodded. But then, her lips twitched; throughout the entire conversation, she had been speaking to the air. She had not seen the Ancient Tree Spirit at all.

"My name is Bu Si Shu. You may call me Shu or Si for short." The Ancient Tree Spirit appeared before her, not in its tree form, but in a human one.

He had both light and dark sides, with one side of his hair white and the other black. His phoenix-like golden eyes glowed softly, matching the shining moon symbols on his face and body. His smooth skin bore swirling patterns of gold and silver, and his fingertips shimmered with golden light.

His appearance was divine and otherworldly; impossible to describe, like a spirit from another world. He was tall, his body perfectly sculpted, without an ounce of excess fat, as if he were a masterpiece carved by the gods.

His eyes held a quiet, gentle sadness, adding an air of mystery to his face. ƒrēenovelkiss.com

"My name is Shenlian Yingyue. Nice to meet you, Bu Si Shu." She greeted him with a friendly gesture.

Although she was stunned by his otherworldly appearance, she quickly regained her composure. Anyone would be shocked by his divine presence. She had never seen an entity that embodied both light and dark.

Perhaps light represented his power to control the seasons, while darkness symbolized his power over disasters. Darkness was linked to fear and the unknown; uncertainty, mystery, and the unseen, much like unpredictable natural disasters.

In contrast, light symbolized hope and renewal; new beginnings, salvation, and the triumph over darkness. Each season brought a fresh start, another hopeful journey.

"Shenlian Yingyue... You’re a descendant of the Shenlian clan." Bu Si Shu frowned. He floated toward her, his bare feet hovering above the ground, his hanfu fluttering. The bell anklets on both his ankles jingled softly, their melody lightening the atmosphere.

When Bu Si Shu was not using his power to control disasters, his entire skin was white as snow, flawless like pure crystal. Only his hair remained the same, one side black, the other white. Whether he was light or dark, he was perfection itself.

"Do you have enmity with the Shenlian clan?" Shenlian Yingyue tensed. She took a slow step back, raising her guard, ready to counterattack if necessary.

"You seem to dislike your clan. You don’t carry yourself like someone of royal blood. Are you from a side branch? Or a distant relative?" Bu Si Shu’s hostility softened slightly when he noticed how she deliberately referred to them as ’the Shenlian clan’ instead of ’my clan.’ It was clear that she was distancing herself from them.

His gaze lingered on her. This girl’s black hair and black eyes did not resemble someone from that clan.

"This isn’t my true appearance. To avoid trouble, I have to conceal it for the time being. As for my connection to the Shenlian clan, it’s complicated. But I am not close to them." She didn’t elaborate further; she didn’t trust him yet.

Right now, their relationship was nothing more than two strangers living under the same sky, sharing the same goal.

She couldn’t say she disliked the entire Shenlian clan, but she felt no attachment to the people she had never met.

Her first encounter with them had been when they shamelessly tried to steal her master’s Immortal Bone and Celestial Veins. They had even imprisoned her master’s loved ones in a dungeon.

And she could never forget her brother’s warning; there were traitors within the clan, the very ones who had harmed her family.