The secret behind the end of the Gods and Devils

The Netherworld Silkworm had now rejuvenated, resembling a charming and beautiful woman, unlike its previous aged and grotesque appearance. However, Mu Nanzhi still felt somewhat uncomfortable under the intense scrutiny of its black gem-like gaze, frowned, and shrank behind Xu Qi'an.

It couldn't have figured out Nan Zhi's identity, could it? That doesn't make sense. The bracelet given by Daoist Jinlian can conceal one's aura; even Warlock can't see through it. Xu Qi'an frowned, slightly tightening his grip on the Zhenguo Sword.

He had already obtained the Netherworld Silkworm Silk, and unless absolutely necessary, he did not want to fight a transcendent beast.

However, they also knew that the spiritual essence of the Flower Goddess was extremely alluring to those who specialized in cultivating the physical body.

Just as he was about to manipulate the Floating Pagoda to take Mu Nanzhi and the little white fox inside, he suddenly saw the Netherworld Silkworm's enormous body tremble, and the light in its black gem-like eyes seemed to collapse layer by layer, just like the pupils of a human contracting violently.

Her beautiful face showed extreme excitement and shock, and she screamed:

"Ganmu, it's the scent of Ganmu."

Seeing that the Netherworld Silkworm was suddenly agitated but showed no signs of attack, Xu Qi'an stopped his actions of capturing the creature and looked at the person in Mu Nanzhi's arms:

What did it say?

Bai Ji said sweetly, "It's sweet wood."

Xu Qi'an and Mu Nanzhi both had a question mark in their minds at the same time. The former thought to himself, "What the heck is this otherworldly version of Mary Sue?"

The latter thought to himself, "When did I become a block of wood, and a sweet one at that?"

Xu Qi'an frowned slightly and gave the order:

"Bai Ji, ask it what 'sweet wood' means."

Shirahime shrieked out strange syllables.

After listening, the Netherworld Silkworm explained:

"Ganmu also has another name, the Immortal Divine Tree. It grows in the sacred mountains of the northwest of the Nine Provinces Continent. It is thousands of feet tall and reaches into the clouds. Its sap is like blood and can be used to refine the elixir of immortality. If mortals take it, their lifespan will be extended by eight hundred years."

"Its canopy stretches for ten miles, and countless creatures dwell upon it. My ancestors lived on the immortal tree, feeding on its branches and leaves."

After Bai Ji translated, Xu Qi'an couldn't help but glance at Mu Nanzhi, thinking to himself, "Aren't you the reincarnation of the Flower Goddess? How did you get involved with the Immortal Tree?"

The Netherworld Silkworm continued:

"When I was young, I followed my ancestors to pay homage to the Immortal Tree, and cultivated myself on its canopy for hundreds of years. I still remember its sweet leaves. Later, the era of Gods and Devils ended, and the Immortal Tree, as a primordial Gods and Devils, withered in that catastrophe."

As it spoke, it revealed an expression of nostalgia and fascination.

As soon as Bai Ji finished translating, Xu Qi'an couldn't wait to ask a question:

"Quickly ask it how the Gods and Devils perished, and what the relationship is between the Immortal Tree and your aunt."

Bai Ji translated it accurately.

How did the Gods and Devils perish?

The Netherworld Silkworm looked somewhat frightened, as if even after so many years, the events of that time still filled it with dread and lingering fear.

"One day, the Gods and Devils suddenly went mad and began to kill each other. That upheaval was extremely terrible, and the Nine Provinces continent was completely destroyed. The continent in ancient times was many times larger than it is now."

There were many powerful Gods and Devils like Gu, but they all died in that upheaval.

"If I remember correctly, it seems only the Gu survived. Many of us descendants of Gods and Devils were also affected and died in the great turmoil."

So the scene of Gods and Devils and demons falling that I saw back then wasn't because someone killed Gods and Devils, but because the Gods and Devils were killing each other?

Beings like the Gu God, which are of the highest grade, are not uncommon among Gods and Devils, which I can understand. But why did the Gods and Devils suddenly go mad?

Xu Qi'an's mind was buzzing as he processed the information, expanded his thinking, and began to analyze.

"How did she go crazy?" Xu Qi'an asked, then looked at Bai Ji.

"How did he go mad?" Bai Ji asked curiously in the language of Gods and Devils.

"I don't know, they just suddenly went mad, inexplicably went mad. My ancestors also went mad, recklessly joining the fighting." The Netherworld Silkworm shook its head.

At this moment, Xu Qi'an finally figured out a clue and asked:

"You say the Gods and Devils suddenly went mad, so why haven't you, their descendants with Gods and Devils blood, gone mad? How did you manage to avoid it?"

The Netherworld Silkworm looked at Bai Ji, and after listening to the childish voice, it replied:

"Initially, we, the descendants of Gods and Devils and demons, did not understand the cause of the turmoil. After the era of gods and Gods and Devils ended and the world became peaceful, the descendants of Gods and Devils and demons tried to find the truth, and even put aside past grievances to discuss it together."

"A conclusion was finally reached, but it cannot be verified, and its accuracy is unknown."

"The reason why Gods and Devils have gone mad is probably because they were born of heaven and earth, and are innate Gods and Devils. We, their descendants, were born later in life. Although we inherited the bloodline of Gods and Devils, we do not possess their Gods and Devils essence."

It turned to look at Mu Nanzhi and said:

"Take the Immortal Tree for example. Its roots can grow into medicinal trees, but those trees have limited lifespans and cannot be resurrected because they do not possess the spiritual essence of the Immortal Tree."

"My ancestors said that the Immortal Tree would never die. Now it seems that my ancestors were not lying to me. Even though the Immortal Tree withered in the turmoil of the past, it now stands before me."

Bai Ji interrupted in a sweet voice:

"Stop for a second, that's a long passage, it's very difficult for me to understand."

Bai Ji quickly translated what Youming Can had said, which made Mu Nanzhi raise her eyebrows and look complicated.

She knew she was the reincarnation of the Flower Goddess. During the Great Zhou, the emperor was incompetent and obsessed with the Flower Goddess. He wanted to send troops to forcibly take her back to the palace, but the Flower Goddess attracted a heavenly calamity and burned herself, preferring death to submission.

But she never expected that the Flower Goddess had another identity before that.

I was puzzled. The Flower Goddess's characteristics and extraordinary spiritual essence clearly exceeded the realm of demons. If she were a reincarnation of Gods and Devils from ancient times, that would make sense and would also resolve one of my doubts. Xu Qi'an looked at Bai Ji:

Ask it, what is the root of the madness of Gods and Devils?

The Netherworld Silkworm shook its head slightly:

"I don't know about that. However, there is one person who might know. Many years later, the human and Demon Race races rose to power, especially the human race, which produced the first being comparable to Gu and Dragon. He drove us all out of the Nine Provinces Continent."

"I did not wish to travel far, so I settled on this island, and the days and months have passed in vain."

"Did you guys eat Daoist Master's mother?" Xu Qi'an complained.

"Did you eat the Daoist Master's mother?" the little white fox translated.

"Hey, hey, this sentence doesn't need translation." Xu Qi'an waved his hand.

"Perhaps someone ate his birth mother, but I believe that person must have known the secret of the Gods and Devils' madness back then. He feared that the descendants of the Gods and Devils of the Nine Provinces would influence him, which is why he drove us out," said the Netherworld Silkworm.

Thank you for informing me, senior.

Xu Qi'an bowed to it to express his gratitude.

He was very satisfied with his trip to the island. First, he obtained the Netherworld Silkworm, bringing him one step closer to resurrecting Wei Yuan. Second, he learned part of the truth behind the fall of the Gods and Devils and demons, which also solved a mystery.

Finally, they learned Mu Nanzhi's true identity.

"Two last questions!" Xu Qi'an said.

Is it possible to seize the spiritual essence of the Immortal Tree through some means?

Mu Nanzhi's expression changed, and her gaze towards Xu Qi'an became incredibly complex. Strangely, however, she did not retreat an inch.

The Netherworld Silkworm scrutinized the two of them and said:

"If you wish to absorb her spiritual essence, then consume her."

"A female version of Tang Sanzang? Looks like the circumcision joke won't be needed," Xu Qi'an thought to himself, turning his head and laughing, "I also have to watch out for you getting eaten by someone else."

Mu Nanzhi rolled her eyes at him.

The Netherworld Silkworm said, "However, this cannot completely seize the spiritual essence of the Undying Tree. Whether we eat it or seize it through some other means, we are just taking a share of the pie, just like how countless living beings relied on it to cultivate and survive in the past."

"The spiritual essence of Gods and Devils is a gift from heaven and earth, and outsiders cannot take it away. Otherwise, the Tree of Immortality would have been devoured by other Gods and Devils and would have ceased to exist long ago."

"My aunt is so weak, was she bullied every day before?" Bai Ji, taking advantage of Mu Nanzhi's inability to understand the language of Gods and Devils, quickly inquired about gossip.

"The Undying Tree is no weakling; it's one of the three ancient divine trees, but I don't know its current condition," the Netherworld Silkworm shook its head.

"What did you ask?" Xu Qi'an asked.

Bai Ji replied sweetly, "I asked if Auntie was the most beautiful woman in ancient times, and it said yes."

Mu Nanzhi happily patted its head.

"One last question, do you know Baidi?" Xu Qi'an asked.

After listening to Bai Ji's translation, Youmingcan shook his head:

"What White Emperor? Never heard of him."

Almost forgot, Bai Di is the name given to that descendant of Gods and Devils by the people of Yunzhou. Xu Qi'an described Bai Di's appearance and had Bai Ji translate it.

"This..." The Netherworld Silkworm frowned deeply.

"Their race is called 'Lin.' If I remember correctly, after the end of the era of Gods and Devils, the Lin race was completely devoured by a descendant of a Gods and Devils called 'Dahuang.'"

Bai Ji provides simultaneous translation.

Xu Qi'an felt a chill run down his spine. "The Great Wilderness?"

The Netherworld Silkworm explained:

"Dahuang was a terrifying Gods and Devils. He and his descendants were all called the 'Dahuang' clan. The original Dahuang was an existence that could rival Gu."

"The Divine Ability divine power of this lineage is terrifying; it can devour the Essence Blood and talent of living beings and make it its own. In the Great Wilderness, it devoured the three great divine trees one after another. Although it could not seize the spiritual essence, it still gained great benefits. However, it has already perished in the turmoil of Gods and Devils."

"Shortly after the end of the Gods and Devils Age, the Lin Clan clashed with the descendants of the 'Great Wilderness' and was completely devoured. Well, you can also call that descendant the 'Great Wilderness.' The names of us descendants of Gods and Devils are all derived from our Gods and Devils ancestors."

"Be careful if you encounter the Great Wilderness."

It seemed to be in a very good mood, stroking its smooth, delicate skin as it spoke.

"Is the White Emperor's true identity a member of the 'Great Wilderness' clan? His entire clan was devoured by the descendants of the 'Great Wilderness.' What is that Great Wilderness clan doing impersonating the White Emperor?" Xu Qi'an asked.

I'm fine now.

The Netherworld Silkworm nodded:

"Then leave my territory. If you are still alive three thousand years from now, feel free to come back here, and I will exchange your Essence Blood for Netherworld Silkworm Silk."

"My lifespan probably won't be much longer than that of a saint," Xu Qi'an said, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture, thinking to himself, "You'd better wait for my descendants."

He rode the Floating Pagoda, carrying Bai Ji and Mu Nanzhi into the sky, where they transformed into streaks of light and disappeared into the horizon.

Qingzhou.

Inside the main hall of the Provincial Administration Commission.

Yang Gong sat behind the large table, listening to Li Mubai's analysis.

"The Dongling front has suffered a complete defeat. Our army has withdrawn from the Dongling area. Of the 30,000 troops, 60% have been lost. They are currently resting and reorganizing in Guo County, where they are recruiting soldiers to replenish their ranks."

"In Wan County, thanks to the Flying Beast Army of the Heart Gu Tribe, we were no longer passive. The reinforcements we sent there cooperated with the defending army from the inside and outside, and fought several brilliant battles, with both sides suffering casualties.

"Currently, there shouldn't be any major problems. The only concern is Songshan County."

Yang Gong nodded slightly:

"I know the battle in Songshan County has been fierce, with casualties on both sides exceeding 50,000. However, most of the Gu Clan's army is there, and their defenses are impregnable."

Li Mubai shook his head:

"It's not a problem of troop strength, it's a problem of supplies. According to the intelligence sent by Erlang, the defenders have already started gnawing on tree roots."

Yang Gong frowned:

"Although Qingzhou is short of grain, it's not so short that it can't supply the needs of Songshan County. Besides, Songshan County is prosperous, and its granaries have ample reserves. It should be enough for three months, let alone just a month or so. So, what's the point of talking about food supplies?"

A staff member spoke on behalf of Li Mubai:

"Well, those Gu people have an insatiable appetite. Each of them can eat the food of twenty people, and that's a conservative estimate. In addition, the flying beasts love meat and have practically bankrupted Songshan County."

"Lord Xu said there is only one plan that can solve this predicament, but it requires Lord Yang's approval."

Yang Gong understood.

This plan is called: Cannibalism!

For flying beasts, meat is not limited by species; what animals eat, humans eat too.

The aide who spoke first probed:

"If they are the bodies of rebels."

Yang Gong said in a deep voice, "No!"

Another aide sighed:

"Lord Yang, we are forced by circumstances. Although this plan is against the will of Heaven, Songshan County is already out of ammunition and food. Flying beasts are beasts, and they are meant to eat people. It's not like we're asking the garrison to eat people."

"Do not let a moment of mercy lead to defeat and total loss. Our current advantage was bought with the lives of countless soldiers."

Li Mubai slapped the table, glanced at the advisor, and said:

"Alright, we'll discuss this later."

He then looked at Yang Gong:

"The spring festival will be held in another month."

The tense expressions on the faces of all the staff members, including Yang Gong, immediately relaxed.

Yes, it's the spring festival.

If we can endure another month, Qingzhou's mission will be complete.

Furthermore, given the current situation, it's simply wishful thinking for the Yunzhou rebels to capture Qingzhou within a month.

An aide stroked his beard and smiled:

"This Yunzhou army came with great force; I thought they were quite strong, but they're nothing special."