Bai Bing Zhe climbed down into the pit and began moving deeper inside, leaving the raging blizzard behind as he ventured into the depths of the cave.
As he advanced, he noticed that the number of white roots around him was steadily increasing.
More importantly, the roots had begun to emit a faint blue glow.
The light was weak at first, barely enough to illuminate the surrounding stone walls, but the deeper he went, the brighter it became.
Soon, he could see that the deeper regions of the cave were packed with countless roots intertwined together.
Their blue radiance filled the darkness, bathing the underground passage in an eerie, otherworldly glow.
Bai Bing Zhe's eyes narrowed.
A thought surfaced in his mind.
Could there be something hidden there?
Was this the location of the village's Spirit Spring?
Had it somehow survived the destruction of the village and endured until this day?
Or perhaps it was the remains of the village's treasury, where Gu worms, primeval stones, and various Gu recipes had once been stored?
When a village was destroyed and no survivors remained, news of it rarely stayed hidden for long.
The moment wandering Gu Masters learned of such a place, they would rush over like vultures descending upon a corpse.
Everything of value would be looted.
Every Gu worm.
Every primeval stone.
Every inheritance.
Nothing would be left behind.
And if members of the righteous-path super clans arrived first, they would simply drive away the scavengers and claim the spoils for themselves.
As a result, it was exceedingly rare for the ruins of an ancient village to retain any significant wealth after so many years.
Yet despite knowing this, Bai Bing Zhe continued forward.
There was no harm in taking a look.
After all, if fortune truly awaited him in the depths of this cave, he would be a fool to walk away without investigating.
Naturally, Bai Bing Zhe was not foolish enough to walk straight toward the light.
In the Gu World, not every inheritance was a fortunate opportunity.
Many demonic-path Gu Masters deliberately created fake inheritances, disguising them as blessings while, in reality, they were deadly traps designed to lure greedy people to their deaths.
Therefore, he inspected the path ahead as thoroughly as the means available to him allowed.
He activated the Gu worm that enhanced his hearing.
In an instant, the faintest sounds flowed into his ears.
The steady dripping of water deep within the cave.
The subtle scraping of tree roots against stone.
Even the distant whistle of the wind blowing in from the cave's entrance.
Yet he heard no heartbeat.
No breathing.
No movement that suggested the presence of any living creature.
Only then did he continue forward.
Each step was slow and nearly silent as he kept close to the stone wall, using the shadows to conceal himself as much as possible.
The closer he drew, the brighter the blue light became.
Eventually, he reached the end of the tunnel.
Only a single stone wall separated him from the source of the brilliant glow.
Holding his breath, he slowly leaned forward, attempting to steal a glimpse of whatever lay beyond it.
Suddenly an ancient voice echoed throughout the cave.
Its tone was calm, yet it carried a weight that made it seem as though it had endured countless ages before reaching his ears.
"There is no need to hide, mortal. I am already aware of your presence."
Bai Bing Zhe froze where he stood.
His pupils contracted, and a chill ran through his body.
He could not determine where the voice had come from.
It seemed to originate from every direction at once, reverberating through the cavern as though the cave itself had spoken.
Even so, Bai Bing Zhe was certain that the owner of the voice was beyond the stone wall—the source of the blue radiance.
He steadied his breathing, gathered his courage, and stepped out from his hiding place.
The moment he looked beyond the wall, his body stiffened.
Before him stood a colossal white tree.
Its trunk was so pale that it resembled polished bone rather than wood.
Countless roots spread throughout the cavern, glowing with the same eerie blue light that illuminated the underground world.
What truly caught his attention, however, was the trunk itself.
Thousands of human faces were carved into its surface.
Each wore a different expression.
Some were emotionless.
Some wept silently.
Some laughed wildly.
Others twisted in sorrow, rage, terror, or despair.
It was as though every face had been frozen at the very instant its owner experienced their strongest emotion.
Bai Bing Zhe narrowed his eyes and shouted,
"Who are you? And are you the one responsible for what happened to the village above?"
The ancient voice let out a low chuckle.
"Interesting... You do not seem afraid of me, mortal, despite your pitiful strength."
Bai Bing Zhe snorted coldly.
"Hmph. Are you trying to frighten me with death, you rotten tree? Know this—there isn't a single member of my clan who fears dying. Now answer my question. Were you the one responsible for what happened to the village above?"
The tree laughed again, its voice echoing throughout the entire cavern.
"Hahaha... I do like the young. Their blood runs hot. They are impulsive, reckless, unconcerned with their own lives, never stopping to consider the consequences of their words or actions."
After a brief pause, its tone grew colder.
"Tell me, mortal... do you truly believe death is the worst fate imaginable?"
"Did it never occur to you that I could seize you, pry the location of your clan from your mind, travel there, and slowly torture every one of them before your very eyes? After they have all died, I could turn my attention to you, tormenting you until you beg for death..."
The tree's voice became almost amused.
"...and then simply refuse to grant it."
Silence filled the cavern.
After a long moment, the ancient tree spoke once more.
"Now answer me this. Why do you care whether I was responsible for the destruction of the village above? What do you hope to gain from knowing the answer?"
"I want to know who I'm speaking to. I have no interest in wasting my time talking to a demon that slaughters thousands of innocent people."
Silence lingered for a moment before the ancient tree replied, its voice carrying a hint of amusement.
"Hmm... Perhaps I was the one responsible. Or perhaps I was not."
It paused briefly before continuing.
"But tell me... how would you know the truth?"
Without giving him a chance to answer, it effortlessly shifted the conversation.
"Let's set that aside and focus on you instead."
Its tone grew deeper.
"I can see the anger... the sorrow... the grief in your eyes."
"I know that look well."
"They are the eyes of someone who lives for nothing but revenge."
Silence fell once more before it asked,
"Is that why you fled your clan?"
"Is that why you wander the wilderness alone, risking your life despite your pitiful strength?"
It paused for a moment, then spoke in a tempting voice.
"What do you say... shall I help you?"
Bai Bing Zhe continued staring at the tree without blinking as his feet slowly retreated.
"I don't need your help."
The tree showed no sign of annoyance. Instead, it let out a soft laugh.
"Very well... I insist on nothing."
"You may leave whenever you wish. I will not stop you."
Silence followed before it continued in a calm voice filled with absolute confidence.
"I have existed here since long before you were born."
"And I can remain here for as long as eternity itself... even after you have become nothing more than bones buried beneath the earth."
Its voice then sharpened.
"But look at yourself."
"You're barely clinging to life."
"Most of your Gu worms have likely already starved to death."
"In your current condition... how do you intend to continue your journey?"
It deliberately paused, allowing him to reflect on the miserable reality before him.
Then it spoke slowly
"As for me...I possess vast knowledge... knowledge capable of making even Rank Five Gu Masters covet it."
"I can make you stronger."
"I can give you the power you need."
Its voice dropped until it became little more than a whisper.
"And I can... grant you your revenge."