Sudden Rainstorm

"Boom!"

That night, without any warning, a muffled clap of thunder exploded, jolting countless sleeping people awake.

Old Man Yu and his family scrambled up in a hurry. The moment they opened the door, a gust of chilly wind swept inside.

"This is bad, the weather is turning."

Old Man Yu blurted out instinctively.

He had originally thought there was at least half a month left before the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster arrived, but he hadn't expected that this year's Black Annihilation Wind Disaster seemed to show signs of coming early.

"The Blessed Land didn't issue an early warning."

Yu Ershan looked up at the gloomy sky, which felt as if it were about to collapse, his expression turning grave.

"I suppose even the Blessed Land didn't expect the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster to arrive early."

Old Man Yu said.

"Not necessarily."

Yu Ershan shook his head.

"Regardless of whether the Blessed Land issued a warning or not, you must head to the Blessed Land first thing tomorrow morning. We cannot delay any longer."

Old Man Yu said sternly.

"Alright."

Yu Ershan did not argue. According to the patterns of previous years, the weather would only grow increasingly severe before the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster arrived; gale-force winds and torrential rain were all to be expected.

It was as if the heavens themselves were warning all living things to prepare in advance.

Until the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster finally descended in full.

"Second Brother, will our Rare Species be alright?"

Yu Xiaoshan poked his head out from behind, looking worriedly at the small tree swaying in the wind in the corner of the wall.

"This bit of wind and rain is nothing for either the Rare Species or ordinary trees. Besides, this is their last chance to absorb nutrients with all their might; they will enter a dormant state before the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster fully arrives.

So, take advantage of these next few days and increase the input of Spirit Stones. As long as it can absorb them, keep feeding it."

Yu Ershan said with a tone of total commitment.

"I'll feed it."

Yu Xiaoshan said immediately.

"Alright, you go with Dad to feed the Spirit Stones. Pay close attention to the changes in those root systems. Eldest brother, let's hurry and pack our things. I'm afraid that come tomorrow morning, rain or shine, we have to set off."

Yu Ershan nodded.

Hearing his second brother agree, Yu Xiaoshan let out a cheer, immediately ran to Old Man Yu's bedroom, lifted the thick wooden planks on the bed, and was the first to jump inside.

This was the entrance to the Yu family cellar, over ten meters deep.

The diameter of the entrance was less than half a meter, just enough for a person to squeeze through.

Below, a space of over a dozen square meters had been excavated. In the corners were placed various living supplies: clean water, prepared Rice Cakes, as well as warm clothing and thick quilts—all of which were essential.

Before the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster arrived, they would seal all the doors and windows, then block the entrance, leaving only a ventilation shaft.

Under the dim oil lamp, one could see that on the side leading toward the courtyard, another tunnel over a meter high had been dug, also lit by an oil lamp.

Yu Xiaoshan nimbly fished out a few Spirit Stones and crawled into the tunnel.

Soon, he arrived at another narrow space.

This space was densely covered with finger-thick root systems, and right in the center was a main root that looked like a Coiled Dragon.

Upon arriving, Yu Xiaoshan used the tools he had prepared in advance to crush a Spirit Stone, then sprinkled it evenly over the surrounding area.

The tiny roots, having long been impatient, immediately emerged to wrap around the Spirit Stone fragments, absorbing them with all their might.

If an outsider were to see this scene, they would only be creeped out.

But Yu Xiaoshan was filled with joy.

"Eat, eat as much as you can. Only when you're full can you withstand the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster."

Yu Xiaoshan muttered to himself.

By the time Old Man Yu arrived, he had already begun crushing the second Spirit Stone.

Then, the father and son watched with faces full of relief as the Spirit Stone fragments were absorbed completely.

Then came the third.

After absorbing so many Spirit Stones, the densely packed root systems around them were also growing rapidly, becoming thicker and denser, almost forming a small room completely encased by tree roots.

However, this small room seemed a bit too cramped; not even a grown man could lie down in it, only curl up inside.

Yet in Old Man Yu's eyes, this was the best hiding place.

At this moment, Yu An was also absorbing the Spirit Stones with all his might, making his root system, especially the main root, thicker and tougher. It seemed that only in this way could he feel a greater sense of security.

When the critical moment truly arrived, even if he had to abandon the tree trunk, as long as the root system survived, he would not die.

That night, Yu An absorbed a full seven Spirit Stones before he could no longer take in any more; he even felt a sense of indigestion.

But the growth he achieved that night was also quite considerable.

Setting aside the root system that now covered most of the small courtyard, his tree body had surged once again, shooting up by nearly half a meter. He now faintly loomed over the height of the courtyard wall, and even his canopy had become quite impressive.

His trunk had also reached the thickness of a fist, and the patterns on his bark had become more detailed and dense. Even if Old Man Yu were to take an axe to him again, he probably wouldn't even be able to break the bark without exerting seventy or eighty percent of his strength.

Undoubtedly, after this wave of growth, Yu An had become much stronger once again.

If he had previously been equivalent to someone who had just stepped into the Fetal Movement stage, he should now be considered to have entered the Fetal Movement Minor Accomplishment.

Of course, the fact that Yu An could have such a growth rate did not mean that other Rare Species could do the same.

His growth was a combination of favorable timing, geographical advantages, and human factors; it was non-replicable.

Because of the existence of his soul, he could utilize the nutrients he absorbed to the maximum extent without any waste, and his efficiency was far beyond what other Rare Species could compare to.

Moreover, Yu An could faintly feel that this autumn rain seemed to carry a rich vitality; it was a gift from this world to all living things.

In the early morning, amidst a faint mist, Yu An could vaguely see that the trees on Ox Ridge had all undergone significant changes, which proved that his previous guess was not wrong.

As morning arrived, the Ox Ridge Settlement suddenly became lively. People kept coming out of their homes with large and small bags, gathering at the center of the settlement.

Compared to previous years when everyone would head to the Blessed Land with their bags, this year there were undoubtedly many people seeing them off, which made the atmosphere of the settlement heavy.

Perhaps this farewell would be a matter of life and death.

Before Yu Dashan and his group could even leave, someone arrived at his house ahead of time.

"Dashan, Ershan, I'll have to trouble you on this journey."

Tiezhu led his wife and two children, who were about ten years old, to the Yu household.

"Brother Tiezhu, don't worry. I will take good care of your wife and children along the way."

Yu Dashan nodded.

This had clearly been agreed upon long ago, as Tiezhu had to stay behind with his elderly mother, leaving only his wife and children to head to the Blessed Land.

Although everyone from the settlement would be traveling together on this road, it was hard to guarantee that no one would have ill intentions toward a woman traveling with two children.

"Dashan, thank you. This is a blade I forged over the last few days; take it for self-defense on the road."

Tiezhu immediately handed over a thick-backed broadsword.

Adding this to the long spear he had previously given to Old Man Yu, this "hardship fee" was already quite substantial.

"Brother Tiezhu, there's no need for this. I have a weapon."

Yu Dashan pointed at the heavy battle-axe by the wall.

"Take it. An extra layer of protection is always a good thing. I have a long spear at home, so I don't need this."

Tiezhu insisted, however.

Seeing that Tiezhu was adamant, Yu Dashan glanced at his younger brother beside him. After receiving a nod, he silently took the axe.

Tiezhu and his wife both visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, Yu Dashan and the others turned their gaze toward Old Man Yu.

"Go on. I'll be here at home waiting for your return."

Old Man Yu smiled slightly, his face showing no sign of the sorrow of parting.

A fledgling eagle must eventually leave the shelter of its parents' wings to soar on its own.

The only thing he could do now was to guard the Rare Species at home and protect this family.