Reincarnated as a Divine Tree

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After surviving the beast tide, Ji Yang's already meager life force began to wither. The roots that extended underground could no longer absorb nutrients for him. He felt the weakness creeping in but could only remain still, waiting for the simulation to end.

As his consciousness blurred, a familiar prompt shimmered into view. Ji Yang didn’t need to guess its meaning—he simply waited for his awareness to return to the ancestral hall.

[Attracted by an unknown force, a Spring Autumn Cicada has perched on your tree trunk. What do you choose?]

[Drive it away] [Ignore it]

Seeing that his consciousness lingered, refusing to fade, Ji Yang glanced toward the prompt. When the words fully formed in front of his eyes, he was momentarily surprised.

Turning his gaze, he noticed that the Spring Autumn Cicada, which had flown away earlier during the tremors of the beast tide, had silently returned and was now resting once again on his tree trunk.

Ji Yang was both startled and elated. That mention of “unknown attraction” in the prompt also piqued his curiosity, though now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. Without hesitation, he chose to ignore it.

Still, gazing at his current state, a trace of unease crept into his heart. His lifespan was running thin—would he even make it to the next triggered event?

Yet just as anxiety began to take root, the cicada stirred. Its wings quivered lightly, and with each motion, a subtle and mysterious aura spilled from them.

As they moved, Ji Yang's brittle tree trunk—once on the brink of death—began to glow with renewed vitality. Even the decaying roots beneath him stirred with new life.

Stunned, Ji Yang's eyes widened. Could the Spring Autumn Cicada actually restore the dead?

No—something was off.

Watching as his tree trunk regenerated, he sensed it wasn’t resurrection in the usual sense. It wasn’t just a return from the brink—it was a reversal of time, restoring him to a state he had once known.

Such a power... in the hands of any great clan, this creature could rival even the most revered totems.

Once Ji Yang’s vitality had fully returned, the Spring Autumn Cicada finally folded its wings and nestled itself quietly against the bark. Yet now, a faint, dull gray marked its wings—clear evidence that reversing time carried its own cost.

Time flowed swiftly. Another prompt appeared before Ji Yang's eyes.

[Because of the Spring Autumn Cicada’s presence, you have begun to develop spiritual intelligence. To accelerate your growth, you decide to—]

[Absorb the essence of the sun] [Absorb the soul energy of the moon]

Joy sparked in Ji Yang’s chest. He had waited so long for this opportunity.

Without a trace of hesitation, he selected the essence of the sun.

Once the choice was made, peace settled over him. Even if nothing else came of this simulation, the ability to absorb the sun’s essence made it all worthwhile.

Now that he could afford the time, Ji Yang took a closer look at the strange and marvelous cicada. To his surprise, it seemed more vibrant than before. The gray hue that had tainted its wings was now completely gone. Its recovery speed far exceeded his expectations.

As Ji Yang watched the time around him accelerate unnaturally, a realization struck him. The Spring Autumn Cicada could reverse time, flowing backward through the current of existence. Although he himself hadn’t actively turned back time during the simulation, his personal time had been moving in accelerated waves. Wasn’t that, too, a form of temporal reversal?

Maybe the cicada’s arrival wasn’t chance at all... but fate.

While pondering this thought, Ji Yang suddenly noticed something alarming. His tree trunk had begun to wither again, rapidly this time, and his life force was draining away. Then came another prompt—sharp and final.

[Your tree sap has been completely consumed by the Spring Autumn Cicada. You are dead.]

His sap—gone again.

As the vision shattered, Ji Yang caught a final glimpse of the cicada flitting joyfully away, its wings dancing in the wind.

[Simulation complete!]

[In this simulation, you have awakened a new divine ability: Rejuvenation][You have learned a new technique: Solar Eclipse]

[Rejuvenation: Consume a portion of your life force to seek out another version of yourself in the river of time.]

[Solar Eclipse: Absorb solar essence and convert it into life energy!]

As Ji Yang reviewed the fruits of this simulation, the tree sap he had lost returned once more to his trunk. The Solar Eclipse technique was somewhat expected, but Rejuvenation was an unexpected surprise. It seemed this, too, had something to do with the Spring Autumn Cicada.

To seek another self in the river of time.

Reading the description of Rejuvenation, Ji Yang fell into quiet thought.

…

“Clan Leader, Tianquan requests an audience.”

“So it’s Tianquan. Come in. I was just thinking of sending for you,” said Chen Xingzhen with a smile as he looked up in the clan hall.

Before Tianquan could speak, Chen Xingzhen nodded in approval and praised, “Tianquan, you’ve done excellent work with the school. Lately, the younger members of the clan have shown great enthusiasm, and many others have spoken highly of you.

“It’s clear you’ve invested real effort in this. I’ve decided to have more members of the clan come learn this new knowledge from the books alongside you.

"You know, our clan has remained closed off for too long. It shouldn’t just be the younger generation that learns—people like us should be learning too..."

"In a few days, after the clan finishes planting this batch of blood rice and everyone is free, I’ll organize the others to go to school and learn. I’ll also take some time to participate."

Hearing these words from Chen Xingzhen, Chen Tianquan’s mouth opened slightly in surprise, and a trace of astonishment flickered in his eyes.

"By the way, Tianquan, what did you want to say earlier?"

Chen Tianquan hesitated for a moment, then gathered his courage and spoke.

"Clan Leader, I actually came here to talk about the school. Lately, I’ve found it difficult to teach the clan members. Many of the topics are beyond my understanding. This matter concerns the future of the clan, so I think we should bring in some professionals to teach them."

After he finished speaking, Chen Tianquan stood quietly to the side, his face showing a hint of unease.

But Chen Xingzhen simply patted him on the shoulder, his tone encouraging.

"Tianquan, you’re being too modest. More than once, when I’ve passed your house at night, I’ve heard you reciting from your room. With that kind of dedication, how could you not be suited to this responsibility?"

"Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Just keep teaching the way you have been—it’s going well. Lately, even in casual conversations among the clan members, there’s a depth of thought that even I must ponder carefully to grasp. That’s your doing."

"You’ve done an excellent job."

Hearing the clan leader’s generous praise, Chen Tianquan’s face lit up with joy and pride. He was more than willing to contribute to the clan.

But thinking of how he'd already run out of material lately, Chen Tianquan scratched his neck anxiously and muttered with hesitation.

"But—"

"No need to say more. This role is meant for you. That said, it's true that one person alone can't carry the whole burden. I’ve heard from nearby villagers that a few well-educated people have recently moved to settle near the Chaotic Burial Mountains."

"As it happens, our clan is also in need of such talent. Here’s what we’ll do—soon, I’ll have some clan members invite them here to assist you in teaching. That way, you won’t have to worry about being overwhelmed."

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