The Chief held the natural spirit mark high.
She prepared to push it toward Eve.
But at this critical moment of deciding the next Spirit Maiden, an unexpected change suddenly occurred.
The Spirit Maiden mark, which should have drifted toward Eve, actually made a sharp, right-angle turn in midair.
Then, under countless dumbfounded gazes, it flew straight toward Yinzhi in the audience.
“Eh?”
Eve’s smile vanished.
“W-Wait! On what grounds?!”
Looking at the docile mark floating in front of her, a flash of understanding crossed Yinzhi’s eyes.
This wasn't because of anything she had done.
Rather, it was because of the residual power left in her body, the final strength the Mother Tree had given her before it withered.
It was the power of nature entrusted by her mother during her lifetime, hoping she would keep it safe.
Yinzhi's feelings toward this power were actually incredibly heavy.
She had always cared deeply about it, but she was also conflicted to the extreme.
If her mother hadn't used the power of nature to conceive her back then, how could she have died so tragically outside?
Thus, she both hated this power and relied on it.
Because this was the only keepsake her mother had left behind in this world.
And at this very moment, it was precisely this deep yearning that attracted the will of the Spirit of Nature on the high platform.
Under the disbelieving stares of her clansmen, Yinzhi took calm steps up onto the stone platform.
She pushed the mark back.
“Chief, I refuse to accept it. I do not wish to be the Spirit Maiden.”
“What nonsense are you talking about, child! Stop at once!”
The Chief was shocked wide awake and hurriedly stepped forward to persuade her otherwise.
However, just as Yinzhi returned the mark, standing with her back to the audience while listening to the Chief's protests, an unexpected change suddenly erupted in a flash.
A short loli elf suddenly lunged out of the crowd.
Her eyes were filled with madness.
She held a sharp dagger in a reverse grip, stabbing toward Yinzhi's defenseless back.
“Xiaomi!” Qimeng blurted out.
But this was bad.
Because of her short stature, the Elders on the platform had their vision blocked and didn't see this happen.
Instead, Qimeng, sitting in the corner, saw it crystal clear.
She had wanted to have Xiaomi stop her, but that idiot vassal was unfortunately not by her side right now.
Qimeng frowned.
Since things had come to this, she had no choice.
She quietly gripped the black magic stone, preparing to activate the magic power inside and secretly lend a hand.
However, the moment the magic power of the black magic stone emerged, an ethereal force suddenly surged back.
Sensing her magic aura, the three Spirits of Nature on the platform instinctively resisted Qimeng all at once.
They looked as if they were facing a mortal enemy.
But worse than that was Qimeng's own bodily reaction.
The moment she established a magic connection with those Spirits of Nature, an extremely absurd thought suddenly popped into her head.
Wait.
Why do these Spirits of Nature smell so incredibly delicious?
To her, a Demon Tree, these were no Sacred Spirits.
They were clearly freshly baked, premium desserts radiating high-purity life force nutrients.
A strong craving welled up from the depths of her heart.
I want to eat them.
I want to devour them all, one bite at a time.
Because of this temporary daze, she almost forgot to cast the Shadow Entangle in her hand.
By the time she suppressed that intense urge to feed, black shadows had already extended from the ground, wrapping around the little loli.
But someone was faster.
Whoosh.
Several spinning fallen leaves knocked the dagger from the little loli's hand.
Then, a sharp green magic arrow slammed into her arm, leaving a piercing wound.
“Aaargh!”
The little loli screamed as she was knocked to the ground.
A leaf chain slithered over, binding her tightly.
And her eyes were overflowing with hatred.
“What do you think you're doing? How dare you openly assassinate the Spirit Maiden!”
The newcomer was none other than Yinzhi's spirit attendant, Elsa.
She strode forward, interrogating her warily while shouting her reprimand.
The little loli, bound like a mummy, struggled frantically.
She screamed at Yinzhi with jealousy and hatred.
“She clearly didn't bring back a Sacred Spirit! If so, why did she even come back? What right does she have to return?!”
“You returned completely unscathed, so what about our clansmen who died out there? Did they deserve to die? Why do you still get the Sacred Spirit's recognition? I refuse to accept this! I won't accept it!”
Qimeng glanced sideways at her from her seat.
She recognized her.
This speaking little loli was the one at the gathering who had kept an empty seat beside her and absolutely refused to let anyone else sit there.
It seemed someone extremely important to her had died out there.
“Who said the Spirit Maiden didn't bring back a Sacred Spirit?!”
Suddenly, an angry shout came from the side of the platform, interrupting the chaos in the venue.
Two travel-worn figures rushed onto the platform, joining Elsa.
There were dried bloodstains on their bodies.
They were Yinzhi's other two spirit attendants.
“Wait! Chief, how could you be so hasty and hold the ceremony without waiting for us to return?”
Seeing this, Eve immediately began to clamor in exasperation.
“Elsa! The Sacred Spirit has already been chosen, and it's mine! Since Yinzhi doesn't want the mark herself, then I'll take it! I am the new Spirit Maiden, so stop getting in the way!”
“We don't have time to argue with you here. Let the facts speak for themselves!”
The spirit attendants couldn't be bothered to pay attention to her.
The spirit attendant beside Elsa stepped forward.
She held a cocoon of light high with both hands.
Within that cocoon of light, a massive pulse of life was radiating.
“Chief, Elders, please look at this!”
“This is the Spirit of Nature that the Spirit Maiden risked her life to retrieve by infiltrating the earth spider nest!”
“The situation was extremely critical at the time. The Spirit Maiden insisted on acting as bait and refused to leave, strictly ordering us to escort it out, which led to her getting trapped in the nest.”
“That is the reason why she was chased all the way by the earth spiders!”
So that was what happened.
The entire venue went into an uproar.
The Chief reached out with trembling hands.
She hurriedly formed hand signs, driving the leaf vein spell to test potential with all her might.
One, two, three, four, five...
The light continued to skyrocket.
Under the terrified and shocked gazes of the entire clan, it forcefully condensed a six-layer leaf vein spiritual pattern.
“It's one layer higher than Eve's—a six-layer Spirit of Nature! A Sacred Spirit in the truest sense!”
“My goodness, this is unbelievable! It's actually at the same level as the Mother Tree!”
The Chief was so excited that tears streamed down her face, and she praised repeatedly.
“Spirit Maiden, you truly are the daughter of the former Spirit Maiden! You did well, you did wonderfully!”
“I announce that Yinzhi has brought back the Sacred Spirit! Not only did she bring one back, but she also brought back the strongest Sacred Spirit!”
“Entire clan, prepare to welcome the new Sacred Spirit!”
However, while the entire crowd cheered and seethed with excitement, Qimeng below the platform kept her eyes fixed on that six-layer leaf vein Sacred Spirit.
As the magic connection inside her body grew clearer and clearer, that strange craving for nutrients could no longer be suppressed.
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