Chapter 226: Spirit Array Awakens
Nan Xun knew full well that this wasn’t the heavens’ wrath at all. The weather was dry, and the forest was filled with deadwood and fallen leaves—perfect fuel for a blaze.
She quickly pulled A-Mang onto Big Gray’s back. Big Gray circled in the air, allowing them to clearly see what was happening in the forest below.
Flames were sweeping across vast stretches of woodland as far as the eye could see, advancing straight toward them. The fire was terrifying in scale and ferocity. With no firefighting tools, the prehistoric people were utterly powerless to stop it.
A-Mang’s expression grew heavy. In a low voice he said, “At this time of year, the dead trees that have just begun to sprout haven’t fully regained vitality. They’re the easiest for fire to consume.”
The forest they depended on for survival was being devoured bit by bit by the flames, and they could only watch helplessly, unable to contend with such a natural disaster. That sense of powerlessness was deeply painful.
Big Gray suddenly let out a long, mournful cry.
Nan Xun stroked its feathers, silently comforting it.
As if something occurred to her, a glint flashed in Nan Xun’s eyes. She suddenly asked Little Eight, “Little Eight, if I use Zui Li’s shamanic secret art to summon wind and rain, it wouldn’t affect this world’s main storyline, right?”
Little Eight answered without hesitation, “Don’t even think about it. It definitely would!”
Nan Xun froze. “What the hell—how would it? Who did I offend?”
Little Eight explained, “This great fire is one of the main plot points. After the forest burns, Chu Xue will lead the nearby tribes to migrate south and eventually establish a new homeland in a place with springlike weather all year round, where everyone prospers together.”
Nan Xun pressed her lips together. “So we can only watch this fire burn down the entire forest, until it finally devours my home with A-Mang too?”
Afraid she might act recklessly, Little Eight hurriedly suggested, “You could set up a protective barrier to shield you and A-Mang’s home.”
It was meant casually—but Nan Xun took it seriously.
Once they returned to the treehouse, Nan Xun immediately said to her man, “A-Mang, quickly—draw me a bowl of beast blood!”
A-Mang’s face was dark as he gazed into the distance. Hearing Nan Xun’s words, he didn’t ask any questions. He swiftly bled the sika deer he had hunted that day.
Nan Xun bit her finger and let a few drops of her own blood fall into the bowl of beast blood.
“A-Xi, what are you doing?” A-Mang frowned. He usually couldn’t bear for Nan Xun to suffer even the slightest injury, and seeing her shed so much blood made his heart ache.
Nan Xun didn’t explain. She handed him the bowl. “A-Mang, take this and walk in a circle. Surround this small patch of forest around us. Every ten steps, drip one drop of blood, until all the beast blood is used up. Don’t space out—go, now!”
A-Mang looked at her. Seeing her solemn expression, he was momentarily stunned. He had never seen A-Xi like this before.
He asked no questions and left with the bowl.
While he was gone, Nan Xun began drawing formation patterns on the ground.
Fortunately, the spiritual energy in this world was abundant. Even though the humans here possessed no mystic qi, Nan Xun could still use formations to draw in spiritual energy, using beast blood and her own blood as mediums to set up an isolation array.
Little Eight let out a breath. “Scared the hell out of me. At first I thought you were going to drain a whole bowl of your own blood.”
Nan Xun snorted. “It’s just blocking fire. I’m not isolating cultivators from the Xuanwu Continent. Why would I need such high-purity blood as a catalyst? Stupid Little Eight.”
Stupid Little Eight: “……”
A-Mang ran a wide circle, enclosing the nearby forest with beast blood. He vaguely guessed what A-Xi was doing, and beyond shock, he felt nothing else.
The wildfire raged for days and nights. When it reached the forest where Nan Xun and A-Mang lived, it suddenly veered away on both sides.
A-Mang walked to the blood-marked boundary and stared in disbelief as the roaring flames seemed to have their path abruptly cut off, spreading along the arc of the perimeter instead.
He could even feel the scorching heat of the inferno on the other side, so intense it warped the surrounding air.
Nan Xun protected her and A-Mang’s home, but the rest of the forest was burned to the ground. Throughout it all, the heavens cruelly withheld even a single drop of rain.
When the fire finally ended, everything in sight was blackened. The melodious birdsong and insect chirps were gone, replaced only by the harsh cawing of carrion birds.
A-Mang held Nan Xun tightly in his arms, silent.
With the forest destroyed, all animals and humans began migrating south. A-Mang looked back at their homeland again and again, clearly wanting to speak but stopping himself each time.
Nan Xun thought he must be reluctant to leave this land. Even though they had preserved this small territory, without food supplies they would starve. They had no choice but to leave.
Suddenly, Nan Xun grasped his hand and smiled mysteriously. “A-Mang, do you trust me? If you do, we’ll stay here.”
A-Mang answered without the slightest hesitation. “A-Xi, whatever you do, I’ll be with you. You’re the emissary of the Uto God—and also the only god who belongs to me alone…”
Together, they calmly watched wave after wave of animals and tribes pass by their home.
Nan Xun also saw Chu Xue and A-Yu leading their people south.
When these tribes saw the small patch of forest that remained intact, they were visibly shocked. When they looked at A-Xi, their expressions turned reverent.
But the preserved forest was too small to sustain them. Even the emissary of the Uto God couldn’t save them.
They had angered the heavens, and so this land had been taken back.
Chu Xue tried to persuade Nan Xun to leave with her. When she failed, her eyes reddened.
She likely believed Nan Xun and A-Mang were determined to live and die with this forest, having already resolved to perish here.
But Chu Xue couldn’t do that. She had A-Yu and so many tribespeople—they needed to live.
Early spring was meant to be a season of rebirth, yet Nan Xun and A-Mang watched as tribe after tribe migrated away. In the end, this vast forest was left with only the two of them, along with Big Gray and Big Black.
Big Gray couldn’t bear to leave its beautiful treehouse, while Big Black was old and no longer wanted to move.
With the treehouse and stone cave as the center, Nan Xun set up a massive spirit-gathering array.
As she worked, A-Mang stood by watching her. His gaze was burning and fervent—tender affection mixed with a hint of obsessive devotion.
With this enormous spirit-gathering array, spiritual energy from a hundred miles around could be drawn in.
Little Eight was stunned by Nan Xun’s actions. “Holy crap—are you trying to kill yourself? With such a huge array, how long can you sustain it? Are you planning to trade your lifespan for this?”
Nan Xun’s expression was calm. “I’ve calculated it. To sustain the array until this forest fully recovers will take at least ten years. For the sake of the life on this land, ten years—I can bear it.”
Little Eight had originally wanted to discuss leaving with Nan Xun, since the one-year vacation limit was almost up. But seeing how resolute and selfless she was, it suddenly couldn’t bring itself to say a word.
…Then maybe they could leave after ten years?
