Reincarnated as a Divine Tree

Vol. 1 - Ch. 283 - Rallying the Clan

"Clansmen, more than twenty years have passed since our Chen Clan established itself here in Chaotic Burial Mountain. During that time, the clan has declined, and we have repeatedly faced peril.“Yet, no matter the crisis, the clan has never fallen. We have endured to this day and grown stronger with each passing year!

"But now, once again, the clan stands on the brink of destruction. Behind us lie our totem, the elders, the weak, and the young. How should we face this?"

In the ancestral hall, Chen Xingzhen stood beneath the divine tree. His voice flowed as he recounted the clan’s history of struggle and survival.

As he spoke, his words grew ever more impassioned.

The clansmen below listened in silence, but when he posed his question, many faces lit up with emotion.

From the crowd, a voice rang out, echoing through the hall:

"Only by battle!"

Immediately, the clansmen’s faces shone with renewed vigor. Raising their arms, they shouted in unison:

"Only by battle!"

"Good, then we'll fight!

"But if we lose this battle, the Chen Clan will be wiped out! The Chen Clan's name will vanish from the world. Are you willing to accept that?”

“We are not!”

"In this battle, victory is the only option. Defeat is not permitted. Can you achieve this?"

"We can!"

Watching the clansmen brimming with passion and eager to charge out immediately, Ji Yang felt a flicker of surprise. He had not expected Chen Xingzhen to possess such a divine ability, so stirring that even he, buried beneath the earth, wanted to rise and fight for the clan.

Yet, looking upon the fervent clansmen, Ji Yang felt relieved. As an immobile Divine Tree, he naturally wished for the Chen Clan to grow ever stronger and never yield to defeat.

Only with the clansmen’s unwavering faith could the clan truly flourish. Otherwise, relying solely on him, the Divine Tree, would never be enough to support the entire family.

The two forces complemented each other. Without either side, no great achievements could be made.

Beneath the Divine Tree, countless ancestral souls heard these stirring words and felt the fervent atmosphere within the ancestral hall.

Though many of the clansmen were advanced in age, watching this scene rekindled the passion they had long lost. It was as if they had returned to the eve of the great battles of the past.

Having already died once, they had no fear. Fighting for the clan even after death and protecting the descendants of their bloodline was a tremendous honor.

Now, there was no path of retreat.

In this battle, the clan’s bloodline could only continue unbroken by pouring forth all their strength and seizing victory.

...

"Elders, this is Chaotic Burial Mountain!"

"That is the Chen Clan!"

Shi Pojing arrived at the same outpost where he had previously stopped and slowly came to a halt, introducing the location to the elders beside him.

The journey that should have taken three days was shortened. After Shi Hezhang’s departure, the elders sped up, reaching their destination in just two days.

"At last, we've arrived!"

"For such a remote and insignificant clan to oppose our Shi Clan, they deserve nothing but death!"

"That stretch of red soil must be the fertile land where they cultivate Blood Rice. It’s quite sizable. After we claim it, the clan won’t need to expend much effort. Simply station a few clansmen here.”

"Then let the nearby villagers come and plant the Blood Rice. Those who refuse will be killed!”

The elders looked down from above, surveying the terrain of Chaotic Burial Mountain and making plans for their clan's future.

After a brief discussion, however, their gazes turned toward the intact Chen Clan compound. Suddenly, they had an idea, and they cried out:

“Where is Uncle He Zhang?”

"Where did Uncle He Zhang go? Have any of you sensed him?"

The elders’ faces lost their earlier calm and were now filled with panic. None of them dared to imagine what would happen if they reached the Chaotic Burial Mountain only to find out that Clan Uncle He Zhang had died. How could the family possibly endure such a blow?

“I am here!”

As they searched for Shi Hezhang, a silhouette slowly descended from above. It was Shi Hezhang, who had arrived at this place a day earlier.

"Wonderful! Clan Uncle He Zhang, are you unharmed?"

“The Chen Clan? What trouble could they possibly cause?”

Shi Hezhang's expression remained unchanged and his tone was indifferent.

Seeing that he was in excellent condition, the elders’ panic subsided. With Clan Uncle He Zhang leading them, the Chen Clan would have no chance of resisting.

One elder spoke up from the side:

“Clan Uncle, the clansmen have been rushing along the road without pause, and many are tired. Moreover, our provisions are scarce, and the clansmen’s vitality has declined somewhat. Should we allow them to rest for a day before taking action?"

The other elders nodded in agreement.

The clan had warhorses, but the terrain of the Chaotic Burial Mountain was said to be treacherous and uneven. Bringing the horses would only hinder their movements.

Although the warriors were still relatively vital, the past two days of relentless travel day and night without pause had taken their toll. Even martial cultivators could not escape fatigue.

For the few Innate Realm elders, the strain was manageable. The real concern lay with the clansmen behind them, many of whom were still in the Body Tempering Realm. If they were forced into battle now, they would assuredly win, but casualties among the younger warriors would inevitably rise.

Moreover, they had just noticed several villages scattered around the Chaotic Burial Mountain. Even if those villages lacked the resources to replenish the warriors’ blood and qi, they could at least provide a full meal, allowing the clansmen to recover their strength.

The elders voiced their suggestions one after another.

But Shi Hezhang only shook his head.

"There is no need. The villagers here have long since fled. Not a grain of rice remains.”

Upon hearing this, the elders cursed furiously.

"The damnable Chen Clan left not a single grain behind!"

"Truly despicable!"

"Clan Uncle, when shall we strike?"

Shi Hezhang gazed into the distance, his eyes narrowing slightly, before speaking.

"Two days ago, I visited the Chen Clan. I forced them to expend a great deal of their totem power. To avoid unforeseen complications, we will move tonight."

The elders were overjoyed at this revelation.

It meant that the Chen Clan could not restrain Clan Uncle He Zhang, so victory for their family was all but assured!

"Very well, we shall follow Clan Uncle's command. Tonight, we strike!"

"The Chen Clan must still have Blood Rice stored away. Once our family breaks through their defenses, the clansmen can restore their vitality! I have yet to taste Blood Rice myself..."

…

Meanwhile, the clansmen of the Chen Clan had made their preparations, already aware of the impending assault.

On the outer wall, Chen Xingzhen carefully instructed the clansmen on their defensive positions.

Although this battle between clans was still unequal, the Chen Clan’s defenses were no longer weak. The towering outer walls, which had been reinforced not long ago with specially embedded stone slabs, formed the family’s first line of defense.

Though these fortifications could not withstand an assault by high-level martial cultivators, they would at least ease the burden on ordinary clansmen.

However, what weighed on Chen Xingzhen’s mind was the scarcity of high-level warriors within the clan. He did not know how many Innate Realm elders the Shi Clan had dispatched this time.

If they were few in number, then with the aid of the Five Viscera Ascension Technique and the divine tree’s power, the Chen clansmen might be able to hold their ground.

After all, the divine tree stood behind them, its healing force ready to mend their wounds.

Chen Xingzhen fixed his gaze on the distant horizon, silently awaiting the Shi Clan’s arrival.

Since they had already reached the Burial Mound, he was certain the Shi Clan would not wait much longer.

It would be even better if it were night!

He lifted his head and gazed at the sky as it dimmed toward dusk. In his heart, he prayed silently.

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