Reincarnated as a Divine Tree-Chapter 234: Breaking the Cauldrons and Sinking the Boats
"Awooo!"
Leading a group of clansmen, Chen Tianyu mounted the Azure Wolves that had been hiding in the dense forest, waiting for an ambush. They charged after the remaining Liu family warriors.
But as the chase continued, Chen Tianyu suddenly froze in surprise.
Liu Ziqi and the surviving clansmen hadn't fled to a distant refuge. Instead, they were running straight toward their family grounds.
This left Chen Tianyu utterly puzzled.
Yet, after thinking it over for a moment, he sensed something unusual.
He hadn't seen the other Innate Realm expert from the Liu family earlier. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮
Could that person have gone back to the clan?
Chen Tianyu's expression changed as this thought struck him.
Outsiders wouldn’t know, but as a Chen family member, he certainly did. The Liu Clan only dared to bring people out because they still had plenty of clansmen guarding their home!
At this point, however, everyone’s morale was shattered. Even if they returned to fight, they could no longer muster their previous strength.
"Tianjing, you take care of Qingyu. I’ll lead the clansmen and hunt them down!”
"All right! I’ll head back to the clan and request reinforcements immediately.”
Although they had managed to eliminate the strongest enemy, Chen Qingyu’s condition was grave. Despite the Divine Tree’s blessing and the Five Viscera Ascension Technique, he was gravely injured. He was unable to move, and his blood and qi were dangerously thin. Only the faint rhythm of his breath remained.
But for the clan, that was enough.
As long as he was still breathing, he could be saved!
Fortunately, the enemies behind them weren't pushing too hard. It was probably because of the backlash from using that organ-bursting battle technique earlier. This was their chance!
If he could meet up with Ziming, maybe they could harness the power of the family totem and destroy the Chen clan.
But that thought quickly faded. Meeting Ziming would mean the plan had succeeded.
Once they obtained the Heavenly Blood Spring, the family shouldn't create unnecessary complications. They needed to leave as soon as possible. Besides, the Chen clan was not a weak opponent. Even with the newly revived family totem, they might not be able to overcome the Chen clan.
Then there was the Shi family.
If the Shi clan learned that their Innate Realm expert had died here, they would erupt in fury, especially once they discovered that the Liu Clan had absorbed the Heavenly Blood Spring. They would definitely send people to hunt them down. They couldn't afford to linger any longer.
Keeping that thought in mind, Liu Ziqi urged his clansmen to pick up the pace.
Though they didn’t fully understand the patriarch’s intentions, his unwavering confidence gradually rekindled a spark of hope in their eyes.
“Are we here?”
Soon, Liu Ziqi spotted the unfinished outer walls ahead, an unmistakable landmark.
Earlier that day, he had observed it from a high vantage point. This was undoubtedly the Chen family’s territory.
As hope drew closer, a flicker of relief brightened Liu Ziqi’s face. His gaze swept rapidly across the area, searching for Liu Ziming’s figure.
But after a brief pause and a quick scan of the surroundings, doubt crept into his eyes.
Where’s Ziming? Why can’t I see him?
According to their plan, Ziming should have been waiting outside the Chen family compound.
Could Ziming have failed?
Liu Ziqi’s expression grew grim.
However, after thinking it through, the odds of Ziming succeeding should have been high. After all, he was at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm, and he had the protection of the family’s remaining divine power. ŖἁɴỖ𝐁Ëᶊ
After all, a family totem is called a totem because its combat strength is negligible. The Chen family's totem was a tree, so its fighting ability should be even weaker. It couldn't possibly stop an Innate Realm martial artist.
Unless the totem wasn't ready for combat yet and Lord Qingshan was still absorbing the Blood Spring's power.
“Awooo.”
The wolves’ howls behind him grew closer, darkening Liu Ziqi’s face.
Now, he had two options:
One, lead the clansmen around the Chen family and escape Chaotic Burial Mountain entirely.
After considering his options, Liu Ziqi urged his clansmen forward again.
After all, the Chen family’s main force was behind them and there was no one ahead to block their path. Taking the first route would preserve the family’s last shred of dignity.
However, the second route was to trust his judgment: enter the Chen family compound, find Ziming and Lord Qingshan, and burn the boats behind them.
If his guess was correct and Lord Qingshan was still absorbing the Blood Spring’s power, then choosing the first route would mean abandoning the family’s path to revival.
Liu Ziqi would rather trust his reasoning than accept that Ziming had failed and perished with the family totem.
If Ziming had truly failed, then even if these few survivors lived, the family would struggle to rise again.
It was better to fight to the death than to fade away in silence.
Resolve hardening in his eyes, Liu Ziqi stopped hesitating. He immediately rallied his clansmen and led them over the Chen family’s outer wall and straight into the compound.
Once inside, however, Liu Ziqi was stunned. The place was eerily silent and devoid of any signs of life. The entire Chen clan estate seemed empty.
“Search! We must find Ziming!"
Liu Ziqi barked, sending his people to scour the area.
Soon, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air.
The sound made Liu Ziqi quicken his pace. When he arrived, he found that one of the few remaining clansmen had fallen, killed in an ambush.
The most critical part was that, even at such close range, Liu Ziqi hadn’t sensed a thing, not even the direction from which the attack came.
"Damn it!"
He cursed under his breath. The clansmen who had fled here were already weakened, and now the Chen family was resorting to such insidious tactics!
"Ah!"
"Help me!"
More terrified cries and screams rang out in succession.
Fury surged through Liu Ziqi as he lashed out and smashed through several walls, but he still found nothing.
The Chen family was far too strange. If this continued, his clansmen would all be dead soon.
Liu Ziqi quickly called his people back and forbade them from moving any further alone.
Just as the group gathered, several figures suddenly appeared ahead. An elderly man, well past sixty, led them, and behind him stood a number of youths barely at the Body Tempering stage.
Though aged, the old man’s expression was calm, and every movement he made exuded an extraordinary air. That composed, unhurried demeanor was beyond the reach of ordinary people.
It was a quality that Liu Ziqi often saw in his own clan leader.
Judging by the man’s age and cultivation level, Liu Ziqi quickly deduced his identity. Gritting his teeth, he spoke.
"The Chen family patriarch, Chen Xingzhen."
While Liu Ziqi debated whether to take the patriarch hostage, the pursuing forces arrived.
Countless Azure Wolves leaped over the unfinished outer walls, and the Chen family warriors who had been chasing them closed in. They completely surrounded Liu Ziqi and the few remaining clansmen.
