Chapter 1 part 2
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
You can buy coins here to unlock advanced chapters: https://gravitytales.com/coins-purchase-page/
Puchi, puchi…
Wood shavings mixed with blood flowed like pulp, quickly soaking the earth in crimson.
Sixteen soldiers worked with grim faces—not just from the exhausting task of sawing the massive tree, but also because none of them had ever witnessed such a bizarre and terrifying sight.
The huge elm tree, over a meter thick, trembled and bled for nearly half an hour as they sawed. Finally, it ceased both its shuddering and bleeding.
In the next moment, the once-lush green leaves turned yellow in an instant and fell like rain to the ground.
Boom, boom…
A sudden dry thunderclap rang across the sky, followed by quickly gathering dark clouds. Within moments, torrential rain began to pour.
“It’s raining! It’s finally raining!”
“Heh, that tree really was a demon—soon as it died, the rain started!”
“Good thing the immortal master came. Otherwise, that tree demon might have devoured the entire village someday…”
“Yeah, good thing we cut it down. That tree was evil!”
As the rain fell, the villagers of Big Elm Tree Village no longer doubted it—
The giant elm was a tree demon. The cause of their droughts.
The iron saws injured it, yet couldn’t fully kill it.
Despite the sixteen sweat-drenched soldiers’ efforts, the final cut simply would not go through.
At that moment, the old Daoist standing by, dust whisk resting on his arm, suddenly flashed with cold light in his eyes.
“Still resisting? How laughable.”
As he spoke, the dust whisk in his hand transformed into a gleaming green sword.
“Move aside.”
The sixteen soldiers quickly pulled out their saws and retreated.
“Perish!”
With one slash, the Daoist’s sword radiated spiritual energy, launching a blade of sword qi that shot into the saw gap, passed cleanly through the tree, and flew dozens of meters beyond before gradually fading.
BOOM!
Thunder cracked overhead.
The elm began to fall, collapsing right toward the Daoist—its final act of vengeance.
For the first time, the usually expressionless Daoist smiled slightly and gracefully leapt aside, letting the colossal tree crash into the ground behind him.
He stepped forward, stabbed into the center of the trunk, and pried out a glowing green pearl, the size of a fist, fragrant and radiant. He laughed:
“It is done. The tree demon is slain. This land shall suffer droughts no longer.”
The commander wiped rain and sweat from his face and smiled in gratitude:
“Many thanks to the immortal for ridding the people of this demon.”
Still smiling, the Daoist sliced the giant elm into eight sections with his sword. Then, with a simple wave of his hand, the massive trunk—several meters tall and wide—vanished without a trace.
“My work here is done. Farewell.”
Without delay, the old Daoist pocketed the pearl, transformed his sword back into a dust whisk, and stepped forward. Each step carried him ten meters, and within seconds, he disappeared into the rain.
“Brothers, let’s go too! I’ll report this to the magistrate and get everyone rewarded!”
Relieved, the commander led the exhausted sixteen soldiers away.
They left behind only the blood-soaked ground stretching dozens of meters and the stump of the tree, torn and raw like severed flesh.
“It’s over! The demon is dead!”
“Oh no! I left my laundry out in the rain!”
“Damn! My grain’s still drying in the yard!”
“Hey, you know, the immortal said our county’s been in drought, but our village’s well never dried up. Even the spring in the mountain’s been flowing fine. What kind of drought is that?”
“Are you questioning the immortal?”
“Haha, just making small talk. Let’s go…”
“Well, we sure saw something amazing today. I’ll have a great story to brag about to the other villages—’I saw an immortal slay a demon!'”
…
The rain grew heavier, and the villagers gradually dispersed.
Only a single boy remained.
Though no one stopped him, he did not run toward the fallen tree again.
He just stood there, drenched, soulless.
“Big Elm…”
Tears streamed down Little Xian’s face, mixing with the rain.
He staggered toward the stump, reached out to touch the bloody wound—
But hesitated, afraid.
“They’re heartless… You protected so many of them… Every famine, you’d drop elm seeds by the ton… So much food… You saved them… But they… they didn’t save you…”
His sobbing echoed through the downpour, far and wide.
Darkness fell.
No one came to bring the boy home.
Little Xian was an orphan.
His father had fallen into a ravine gathering herbs when he was seven.
His mother struggled to care for him for three more years.
Before she died of exhaustion and illness, she had cupped his face and whispered:
“Don’t cry, Xian’er. Mama will become the big elm tree in the village and watch over you always…”
He curled up on the stump, pressing his face against the bloodied wood.
Not a single raindrop touched him anymore.
And like that, he fell asleep.
…
In the dark, a figure approached.
She knelt beside the boy and softly called out:
“Xian’er?”
He opened his eyes. Light returned to them. He leapt up:
“Mama!?”
The woman smiled like a crescent moon, cupping his face.
“Xian’er, listen to me. I wasn’t supposed to take physical form today… but I was tricked. My body is destroyed now. My soul won’t last. Rather than vanish… I’ll use it to reshape your foundation.”
“I buried a scroll beneath the tree—a cultivation manual for humans. There’s also a protective jade talisman. When you wake, dig it out and begin your path. Build your foundation early…”
“Xian’er, you’re a good child. You’ve grown into a fine man. From now on, you must face the world alone. No matter the hardship—
Never give up.”
“And Xian’er… don’t trust anyone. The cultivation world is full of wickedness. Remember: everyone you meet will be a bad person. Never trust them. Never… trust anyone…”
Her form grew transparent.
Finally, she turned into a wisp of green light that burrowed into Little Xian’s chest.
“Mama!!”
He screamed, tears streaking down his face—
And jolted awake.
Join Patreon CrazyCupcake/Patreon.com
