"Our Leaf Spirit Sprite clan has always had a tradition of offering sacrifices to the Divine Tree. Every spring equinox, we take our clan's secret passage to hold the rites beneath it, but we've never seen any Divine Tree Sap," Yuan Yuan said in puzzlement.
"Every Divine Tree in the world draws upon the sun and moon above and receives the fortune of the earth below, intertwining with the yin and yang of the earth veins. So it must produce sap. Perhaps the Ginkgo Divine Tree's sap is hidden deeper, which is why you've never seen it," Wuman'er said.
"Mm, if there is any, perhaps we can take our clan's secret passage straight beneath the tree. We might be able to avoid that great demon's surveillance then, without having to fight and kill," Yuan Yuan said.
Shen Luo nodded. "That would be best. Whatever happens, we've already come this far. We have to try."
Wuman'er hesitated for a moment, then nodded. In the end, she did not truly want to give up just yet.
They set off again and, with Yuan Yuan leading the way, arrived at the Leaf Spirit Sprites' clan grounds.
Returning to her old home, Yuan Yuan saw the devastation everywhere, and her eyes instantly reddened.
Shen Luo swept his gaze over the wooden houses. Once small yet exquisite, most now lay in ruins, and he could well imagine what had happened here.
He sighed deeply in his heart. If his strength had not been lacking, he would have dearly wished to eradicate that Nine-Headed Insect once and for all.
Wuman'er cradled Yuan Yuan in her palm and quietly comforted her.
Yuan Yuan wiped away her tears and soon regained her composure, leading them to an ancient tree so broad that it would take two people to