Wood Escape Technique

Fingers touched the wall.

From the front came the hard but not cold touch of wood, smooth from being painted.

Lin Jue's eyes widened, not daring to blink.

It wasn't entirely to steal techniques; the spells themselves were marvelous and interesting, especially to him. For any ordinary person in this world, such an experience would likely be highly attractive, but the vast majority of people don't encounter Demonic Ghosts, and those who do are afraid. It's difficult to get Demonic Ghosts to agree to requests, nor do they dare to easily entrust their safety to them.

If there were no danger, perhaps few people could refuse the experience of passing through a wooden wall.

But Lin Jue had a pair of extraordinary eyes.

In his eyes, he saw the Vital Energy flowing within the wall, constructing something profound. Suddenly, the Spiritual Charm of this Vital Energy flowed to the outside of the wall, and the entire wall instantly became illusory.

The sensation in his fingers suddenly became peculiar.

It was as if the wall had changed, becoming like water or air, something that could be passed through, or as if his own fingers and arms had changed, becoming part of the wall.

"..."

Lin Jue's fingers passed through the wooden wall just like that.

At the same time, Lin Jue immediately felt that familiar strange sensation.

The Tree Demon's strength didn't stop, slowly pulling him, from his fingertips, to his palm, until half of his forearm was gradually pulled into the wall.

The feeling was cold, viscous, incredibly strange, and profoundly mysterious.

"If you let go now, this forearm of yours will be stuck in the wood. I've heard that some Demonic Ghost sorcerers have no other skills but to deceive and harm people this way. So, in the future, when you go elsewhere, don't easily agree to let others pull you into walls, not just walls, but into water or earth as well. They might not let you out."

"I'll take your advice."

"Slowly pull your hand out."

"Okay!"

Lin Jue slowly withdrew his hand. After it was completely out, he let go of the branch.

He flexed his fingers, looked down at his hand, and saw no abnormalities. He then touched the wall in front of him again; the sensation was as usual.

This feeling was truly magical.

Wonderful, truly wonderful.

At the same time, Lin Jue had basically confirmed--

The ancient book had reacted.

"Is there a difference between the 'Wood Escape' that humans cultivate and the divine ability you're using?" Lin Jue couldn't help but ask.

"It's not big, and it's not small," the Tree Demon's voice came from within the wall. "In this world, even for just one category, there can be thousands upon thousands of spells, but there is only one Dao. Others say that spirits and monsters originally walked ahead of human cultivators. It's likely that human cultivators saw the abilities of us plant spirits and then explored to create similar spells."

"Why do you know so much?"

"You don't know, but originally, the spirits and monsters here secretly worshipped a deity. Although we haven't heard any news of that Empress for many years, we still have a connection."

"Empress?"

"It's inconvenient to tell you more about the affairs of spirits and monsters."

"Of course, of course," Lin Jue nodded. "I'm just surprised that you, who are inconvenient to go out, know so much."

"If I were to go out, I could learn all of this in a year. It's precisely because it's inconvenient for me to go out that it took me decades to learn just this little bit."

"You are already very knowledgeable."

Lin Jue was both flattering and genuinely impressed.

He then sat back on the nearby bed, trimmed the wick of the oil lamp, and let the lamp flicker as he continued to ask: "Are there many spirits and monsters here?"

"Not many, but there are some. Very few in the city, though some live among humans like people. But I can't say who they are. Outside the city, in the mountains and wastelands, there are more. However, because this isn't a remote or desolate place, there hasn't been a war recently, and it's not far from Mount Qi Yun, so even the wild mountain spirits and ghosts are rarely extremely rampant or ferocious."

"So Mount Qi Yun is really that powerful?"

"Of course. Mount Qi Yun is one of the four major Daoist mountains. I don't know about the others, nor have I personally been there, but from legends, I can only guess that it is indeed powerful."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Some spirits and monsters I know with high Cultivation are wary of Mount Qi Yun's name. Even the City God of this city seems to have some connection to Mount Qi Yun. I've also heard other rumors before, saying that some malevolent spirits have met their end at the hands of Mount Qi Yun."

At this point, the Tree Demon paused and informed him:

"That boy Yuan Zhong called a young man from the Wei family. He's sitting at the main entrance downstairs right now."

"Hmm?"

Lin Jue thought for a moment and understood.

It was likely that there were still some treasures or valuable items stored in this residence. Although Wei Yuanzhong had left, he was still worried and had called a young man from his family to guard the entrance.

"Human nature."

Lin Jue simply said, not finding it odd.

"You are quite carefree."

"As it should be." Lin Jue wasn't too concerned and continued to ask: "What about Mount Yi?"

"Mount Yi? There are fewer rumors about Mount Yi, mainly because Mount Qi Yun worships deities, while Mount Yi cultivates spells. Moreover, Mount Yi is remote, few people go there, and few people leave. Even I rarely hear about Mount Yi."

Worshiping spirits? Practicing spells?

Lin Jue sat in the upstairs room of the Wei family's house, fearlessly chatting with the Demonic Ghosts and asking questions while absorbing knowledge about them in this world.

This Tree Demon clearly understood the curiosity mortals had for these fantastical and wondrous matters. Therefore, it continuously recounted what it knew, answering his questions and clarifying his doubts. As they chatted, Lin Jue gradually understood why it couldn't easily leave but knew so much—

Trees have no mouths, yet this one was quite talkative.

However, neither Lin Jue nor the Tree Demon noticed that in the alley outside the house, besides the young Wei family member sitting by the door on guard, there was an old Daoist priest standing quietly, listening to their conversation.

The Daoist seemed to have merged with the night.

Unknowingly, a whole night passed.

Lin Jue returned to the inn and opened an ancient book in his room. As expected, another page had appeared:

The method of Wood Escape, one of the Five Elements Evasion Techniques.

The heavens are born with Five Qi, and the earth bears Yin and Yang, all of which can serve as pathways. Thus, there are evasion techniques for Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements. By sensing the heavens and earth and being born from the Great Dao, practitioners can move freely among all things. When cultivated to a high level, the spell becomes harmonious with all things, making it impossible for them to be harmed. One can travel through metal and stone or tread on water and fire.

To learn the Five Elements Evasion Technique, one must have a connection with the Five Elements and be in harmony with them. Those who are not compatible cannot learn it, nor can those filled with distracting thoughts.

"Those who are not compatible cannot learn it?"

"Does it require special talent?"

"Or is it like the Fire-Repelling Technique, requiring one to sense the Spiritual Charm of fire? If people cannot sense the Spiritual Charm of plants and trees, or dislike plants and trees from a young age, they won't be able to learn it?"

Lin Jue frowned, guessing, and reached out to grasp the page.

Suddenly, words echoed in his mind:

"Among the Five Elements Evasion Techniques, Earth Escape is the most commonly used and the most dangerous to practice. Water Escape is second in both common use and danger, and is considered quite useful. Wood Escape is third.

"The method of Wood Escape originated from plant spirits. Cultivation requires closeness to plants and a talent for the Five Elements.

"Beginners can pass through living wood. Further cultivation allows one to pass through dead wood. Advanced practitioners can pull others into plants and hide themselves in thinner, oddly shaped, or even smaller plants than themselves. Legend has it that those who achieve great mastery can even use the roots of plants and trees, and the interlocking branches and leaves to move. As long as the roots are continuous and the branches and leaves are dense, one can travel a thousand miles in a day. All wooden objects in the world will be unable to harm them in the slightest.

"Insufficient Five Elements talent makes it impossible to practice. Inability to sense the Spiritual Charm of wood makes it impossible to practice. Those who frequently and casually cut down trees and uproot living grass will find it difficult to reach a high level of mastery.

"When casting the spell, one must try to cast aside distracting thoughts. If this is difficult to achieve, it will be hard to succeed in cultivation, and one may easily get stuck within the wood.

"..."

Just from the initial introduction, Lin Jue felt a sense of profound mystery that was difficult to grasp.

How does one become close to plants and trees and be in harmony with them?

And people who frequently cut down trees and uproot wild grass indiscriminately seem to become an obstacle to practicing this spell, making it difficult to achieve great mastery. Could it be because they lack respect for plants and trees in their hearts?

As he listened further, it felt even more mysterious and ethereal.

Lin Jue understood somewhat, but not entirely.

Therefore, he stayed in Danxun City for the next few days.

He had originally planned to leave the next day. Even though he was invited by Wei Yuanzhong, he only intended to stay for one night. However, after chatting with the Tree Demon for nearly a whole night and learning the method of Wood Escape from it, he couldn't possibly ignore this favor. Moreover, its cultivation was still in the hands of the Wei family. Lin Jue had no choice but to stay in Danxun City, waiting for the Wei family to retrieve a talisman from the Green Emperor Temple in Luosu County.

Coincidentally, he was studying the method of Wood Escape.

Whether it was about this spell, or about "being close to plants and trees" and "sensing the Spiritual Charm of wood," if he had any questions, there was no better teacher than a tree.

He suspected that even powerful cultivators might not have the same level of understanding and insight in this regard as it did.

Five days later, on a desolate mountain outside the city.

As per the Tree Demon's instructions, the Wei family had all their male members go out and dig up the tree stump along with its root ball and soil. They hired an ox cart and, with great effort, managed to transport it to the mountain.

Digging a hole, transplanting, filling with soil, watering.

Everything was done with extreme care.

Lin Jue also lent a hand, then stood by to watch closely.

If it were just this, a tree stump with not a single branch or leaf, it probably wouldn't survive. The rest would depend on divine aid.

That is, the so-called Green Emperor talisman.

There were not many temples dedicated to the Green Emperor in the mortal world. It was said that many years ago in Luosu County, one of the rare statues of the Green Emperor in the world had become covered in dust. At that time, a destitute man, wandering in the wilderness and drenched by rain, suddenly saw the statue, half washed away and half buried in mud, and felt his fate was similar. He couldn't help but feel moved, so he dug it out, cleaned it, and placed it in the nearby temple.

This act might have touched the Green Emperor, or perhaps the Green Emperor had intended to manifest his divine power and gather incense offerings again. Thus, he appeared in the man's dream, bestowed upon him a divine decree, taught him how to draw talismans, and made him the temple keeper.

With this divine decree, a ritual altar could be set up, and talismans drawn to borrow the Green Emperor's divine power.

It was heard that this temple keeper gradually became greedy. Every time someone came to request a talisman, he would charge several taels of silver. Whether the Wei family was afraid of the Tree Demon's revenge, genuinely repented, or feared their unfilial actions being known to the world, or even being punished after death, their sincerity in making amends was evident. They truly obtained a talisman from that temple keeper.

At this moment, Lin Jue watched as they took a bowl, burned the talisman, chanted prayers, and placed the burnt talisman into the water.

"Gurgle..."

As if in resonance with something, it caused a strange reaction. After the talisman entered the water, it did not extinguish but continued to burn into ash.

The Wei family members poured the water onto the tree stump.

Lin Jue seemed to sense something and turned his head to look into the distance.

"Whoosh..."

The sweltering, quiet summer day was suddenly broken by a breeze from an unknown source. It was as cool as a spring day, lifting everyone's hair and robes, causing the Wei family members to look around in surprise.

When they turned back—

At some point, a small bud had appeared on the edge of the tree stump. The bud grew rapidly, producing a branch nearly a foot long, as thin as a blade of grass. It trembled in the wind, unfurling a few tender leaves.

Lin Jue couldn't help but widen his eyes.

So the Green Emperor and divine power truly exist.

This is truly miraculous.

Indeed, one must venture out to gain such knowledge.

"Hoo..."

The tender leaves continued to tremble in the wind.

Lin Jue walked forward.

"It seems you have no more worries, senior. Thank you for answering my questions these past few days." Lin Jue bowed deeply, "I shall take my leave now."

"..."

As he straightened up, several pieces of Peach Gum appeared on the tree stump.

A faint voice, too indistinct to clearly hear, seemed to tell him to take them.