“Oh! Our little treasure is born! It’s a Wood! Hahaha.”
A white-bearded man carefully picked a tiny baby from a gigantic tree, gently peeling off the thin membrane that enveloped the little one.
Lin Xiaohe finally broke free from her constraints and opened her eyes. The first thing that greeted her was a big, youthful face.
“Grandpa?”
Lin Xiaohe was utterly shocked. The next second, her field of vision was taken over by another familiar face.
“Oh my, why is this child so tiny? What’s she babbling about? What do we do with this? She can’t talk, can’t walk, can’t jump, can’t do any witchcraft. This is bad. Did you pick her too early?”
Grandma Lin stared at the palm-sized child, her anxiety setting her hair on fire.
And I mean that literally! Every strand of her hair was blazing with fierce flames, the acrid smell of burning filling Lin Xiaohe’s nostrils.
Lin Xiaohe was dumbfounded.
This is Grandma?!
I knew you weren’t ordinary, but I didn’t expect you to be this extraordinary!
Lin Xiaohe twisted her head left and right, searching for the others.
Where were Dad, Mom, Big Brother, and Second Sister?
“Hmm? Dad? Mom? Brother? Sister?” Grandma Lin’s eyes were full of confusion. “Those names are really quite strange.”
Lin Xiaohe’s mouth fell open in surprise. Grandma Lin could actually tell what she was thinking?!
Mind reading?!
Grandma Lin laughed heartily. “This isn’t mind reading. It’s our Wu Clan’s telepathy.”
After saying that, Grandma Lin lovingly stroked Lin Xiaohe’s head, then turned to Grandpa Lin and grumbled, “It’s all your fault for picking her too early! The child hasn’t fully developed yet.”
She didn’t even inherit the instinctive knowledge etched into their very beings!
So sad. So upset.
This was the baby fruit she’d waited over ten thousand years to grow!
Lin Xiaohe cleared her mind, not daring to think of anything, making herself a blank slate.
The next second, she saw Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin push off with their feet and soar into the air.
Her perspective climbed higher and higher, the flowers, grass, and trees shrinking rapidly. Soon, the three of them had broken through the atmosphere.
Lin Xiaohe’s face scrunched up
The Lotus Wood was so furious that it slaughtered every beast within a hundred-mile radius. Then, it picked out the softest branches, carefully cradled Lin Xiaohe, and placed her into the lotus heart.
Lin Xiaohe thought she was done for. Shouldn’t a newborn baby be properly taken care of?
But she never expected the Wu Clan’s physique to be so ridiculously formidable.
Even though Lin Xiaohe hadn’t inherited much of anything, she actually grew up safe and sound just by drinking dew, eating honey, and devouring raw beast meat!
Once she could run and jump, the Lotus Wood refused to let her stay in the lotus heart anymore and only allowed her to build a nest at the base of its roots.
“You’re cold, you’re heartless, you’re unreasonable,” Lin Xiaohe said, hands on her hips, fuming.
She was still just a baby! How could it make her fend for herself already?
The Lotus Wood couldn’t care less. After watching Lin Xiaohe casually punch a nine-headed bird to death with one fist, it wouldn’t even let her build a nest anymore.
The Lotus Wood used its branches to mark out a boundary, signaling that Lin Xiaohe was not to set foot inside, or she’d get a thrashing.
Lin Xiaohe took quite a few lashes, wincing in pain.
The night was quiet, the moon bright, and the stars sparse.
Lin Xiaohe sat cross-legged on the ground, looking up at the bright moon.
Though she had no proof, she suspected that this star region was the same as the Federation’s star region.
Most likely, the Wu Clan civilization was one of the prehistoric civilizations.
Lin’s mother had once said that before the Shentao Empire, there were at least three civilizations, and the first two were both humanoid.
Was the Wu Clan civilization the first, or the second?
What did the Sacred Stele want by pulling her in here?
This experience reminded her of Number 741. Back then, the leader of the Suixing envoy team had dragged her in to be a scapegoat.
What about this time?
Lin Xiaohe felt a bit regretful that she hadn’t managed to hitch a ride on the inheritance. If her inheritance rate had been high enough, maybe many of her questions would have been answered.
Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin had left without a trace, and she had no way to ask them anything.
But still, as the saying goes: since she was already here—
If she couldn’t get the inheritance or resolve her inner doubts, she might as well get some other benefits out of this.
Lin Xiaohe’s eyes darted around. She snuck back under the Lotus Wood.
The tree was already sick of her antics. Seeing her approach, it waved its branches threateningly.
Lin Xiaohe chuckled slyly. The moment the Lotus Wood let its guard down, she grabbed a lotus seed pod and bolted.
Huh?!?!
The Lotus Wood flew into a rage. This brat—if you don’t spank her for three days, she’ll tear the roof off.
Of all the things to steal, she had to go for its seed!
Oh, come on! It only had this one seed—don’t let her wreck it!
Lin Xiaohe ran ahead, with the Lotus Wood’s branches hot on her tail.
They chased each other back and forth across the entire exclusive planet.
After all, Lin Xiaohe’s current body was still young—explosive in short bursts, but lacking endurance.
Just as she was about to be caught by the Lotus Wood, Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin suddenly descended from the sky.
Grandma Lin planted her hands on her hips, glowering. “Lotus Wood, what do you think you’re doing? How dare you bully my little one!”
The Lotus Wood’s branches whipped through the air, leaving afterimages, a clear sign of its fury: “Your little brat stole my seed!”
Grandpa Lin glanced at the lotus seed pod in Lin Xiaohe’s hand and twitched his lips.
It wasn’t even anything special—look how thrilled she was.
“Ahem, since the child likes it, just let her have it as a toy!”
The Lotus Wood was utterly speechless. Behind every menace of a child stood a pack of menacing adults.
Grandpa Lin mercilessly called it out: “Besides, with your strength, catching up to Wood would be a piece of cake. Why did it take you so long?”
The Lotus Wood: …
It just liked playing tag with the chubby little kid, alright? So what?
And just tell me—under its relentless pursuit, didn’t Wood get fast as heck? Case closed!
Lin Xiaohe panted heavily, clutching the lotus seed pod and refusing to let go.
It was hers! All hers!
Grandma Lin tapped her forehead from a distance through the air and rolled her eyes. “Pathetic. You’d snatch any seed you see.”
Grandpa Lin said to the Lotus Wood, “We’re taking Wood away now. Consider this seed a farewell gift.”
The Lotus Wood finally spoke, its voice crisp and clear like a mountain spring: “Where to? Wood is still young.”
Grandpa Lin: “The Wu Clan’s development has reached a critical point. The great world-ending crisis is about to be set in motion. This is the weakest moment of the cage. The Clan Chief has decided to begin the cage-breaking operation.”
The Lotus Wood’s tone carried a hint of indifference: “Will they even allow Wood onto the Sacred Vessel?”
The Chosen One’s Sacred Vessel—how could it be so easy to get on?
Wood was essentially a discarded piece of the Wu Clan. Would they be willing to give up a precious ticket for her?
Grandpa Lin stroked Lin Xiaohe’s head. “No. We are the Sacred Stele’s guardians. We’re taking her to guard the Stele.”
The Lotus Wood was momentarily at a loss for words. Guarding the Sacred Stele was no different from waiting for death in place.
“Wood, I’m giving you that seed. When the time is right, it will sprout on its own.”
Lin Xiaohe left with Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin.
The exclusive planet returned to its usual silence.
Lin Xiaohe’s body still couldn’t walk through the void. She sat in Grandpa Lin’s arm, staring blankly at that lush, green planet.
Was this Haige Star?
But Haige Star wasn’t a water world? Why were there flowers, grass, trees, and so many land creatures?
“Look there. That’s our Sacred Stele,” Grandpa Lin said lightly, pointing at a black mountain peak.
Lin Xiaohe’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
That peak soared into the clouds, shrouded in white mist from its midpoint upward. Because the mountain was narrow but tall, it looked more like a longsword thrust deep into Haige Star.
“Are you sure that’s not called a Sacred Mountain, but a Sacred Stele?”
Grandpa Lin said indulgently, “What a childish thing to say. Of course it’s the Sacred Stele. It existed long before our Wu Clan was born. Every one of us leaves a spiritual imprint before the Stele, and the Stele records that we were once here.”
“Even me?”
“Of course. When you received your inheritance at the Sacred Hall, you were already in the Stele.”
It sounded like synchronized networking—or maybe one was a scanner, and the other was a server.
But here was the question: if the Sacred Stele already had her in it, then what was the relationship between Wood and Lin Xiaohe?
Had she transmigrated into Wood? Or was she experiencing her own past life reincarnation?
Before she could work it out, her train of thought was interrupted.
“Wood, come say hello! This is A-Cheng.”
“Ciwu, Nishan, Mayan…”
The guardians of the Sacred Stele weren’t just Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin.
Lin Xiaohe made a rough count—there were about a hundred or so people.
They were all clansmen, and they were all warm and welcoming to Lin Xiaohe, either ruffling her hair or pinching her cheeks.
Guarding the Stele was boring, but they didn’t avoid talking in front of Lin Xiaohe when they chatted.
“Ciwu, do you think we can break through the cage?”
“It should be fine, right? That’s the Chosen One—inheritance rate nearly 100%. And the Sacred Vessel is crewed by all of the Wu Clan’s top experts. The Clan Chief and the Great Shaman are on it too.”
“Great! The Clan Chief said our generation has the best chance of success. If even we fail… sigh, future civilizations will have an even slimmer chance.”
Lin Xiaohe suddenly interjected: “Why?”
Nishan was taken aback but still patiently explained: “Every reincarnation weakens both the inheritance and the soul. Our Wu Clan is the civilization closest to the divine race.”
Lin Xiaohe asked again: “What is the cage? Are we trapped?”
Nishan was about to explain when—suddenly, everything changed!
Everyone rose to their feet involuntarily, gazing up at the stars: “The cage-breaking has begun!”
There were no gods—only races with higher power.
like a steamed bun; the shock inside her could fill an ocean.
Grandpa Lin said with a smile, “Don’t worry. Once you grow a little more, you’ll be able to do it too. Our little Wood is definitely a smart one.”
Yes, they had named her Wood.
Grandma Lin undercut him, saying, “Oh, give it a rest. Other people’s babies can fly the moment they’re born. Yours can only lie there in your palm.”
Lin Xiaohe felt the strong sense of disdain and felt wronged and unsettled inside.
She had gone through so much hardship, merging with Little Black and Doudou and the others, just to be able to fly freely through the cosmos.
And yet, the finish line she’d strived for half her life to reach was merely someone else’s starting point.
It was truly so frustrating!
Grandpa Lin cupped his hands together, securely protecting Lin Xiaohe in his palm. “I’m going to speed up!”
No sooner had he spoken than Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin’s muscles bulged. With a soft grunt, each step they took left a dark-energy footprint beneath their feet.
A thousand miles per step—made tangible.
Lin Xiaohe felt the warmth in his palm, her brow furrowed tightly.
The way Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin moved through the universe was somewhat similar to hers. The difference was that the energy she used was far more complex.
Several unfamiliar voices reached her ears—likely Grandpa Lin’s friends or clan members.
“Are you heading to the Sacred Hall to receive the inheritance?”
Grandpa Lin: “Yes. Her name is Wood.”
“Ah, Wood, you must grow up quickly and contribute your strength to breaking us out of this cage and restoring our glory!”
“Haha, by the time Wood grows up, we might have succeeded already! Have you heard? The Clan Chief has already chosen the Chosen One, and the Sacred Hall inheritance success rate is nearly 100%!”
“How remarkable. Hmph, the evil fiends’ schemes will ultimately fail. When we return… we’ll settle old scores with them once and for all!”
Evil fiends?
Lin Xiaohe silently committed their conversation to memory. They seemed to know a great deal. Was it because of the Sacred Hall inheritance?
When Grandpa Lin’s palm opened again, they had arrived at the Sacred Hall.
It was hard to describe the Sacred Hall’s appearance. It wasn’t a building in the ordinary sense.
It was less like a building and more like a rainbow space—a kaleidoscope of colorful, chaotic streams of light everywhere.
At the very center was a pure white space that devoured the flowing light, no larger than about five square meters.
Grandpa Lin didn’t perform any ritual. He simply placed Lin Xiaohe directly into the pure white space.
Instantly, the entire rainbow space seemed to have a start button pressed.
The pure white space became like a whirlpool, frantically absorbing the surrounding streams of rainbow light.
Lin Xiaohe felt the streams of light trying to enter her body, but they just couldn’t get in.
She opened her palm, trying to catch the light, but grasped nothing but emptiness.
Helpless, the rainbow light streams could only ram violently against Lin Xiaohe’s body.
Crack.
Lin Xiaohe sensed a seal somewhere inside her body loosen. Yet, at this critical moment, the whirlpool actually stopped!
Lin Xiaohe was lifted out by Grandpa Lin, surrounded on all sides by sounds of regret and consolation.
“An inheritance rate of less than 1%? Good things come to those who wait. Maybe there’ll be a chance for awakening later.”
“Yeah, Wood hasn’t grown up yet.”
How awkward. How do I comfort them without sounding like I’m being sarcastic?
Throughout history, the inheritance rate had basically always reached 50%.
Wood had just set a new record!
Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin exchanged a glance and reluctantly admitted, “It’s not Wood’s fault. It’s my fault for being too impatient and picking her too early.”
Since Wood hadn’t received much of an inheritance, it meant she couldn’t command the wind and rain, couldn’t move mountains and seas, couldn’t shatter the void, and couldn’t strengthen herself with spiritual energy.
Ahhhhh!
This was truly a fragile little baby. How were they supposed to take care of her?
The two of them were worried sick. As main combat forces of the Wu Clan, they were already run off their feet with no time to spare.
According to the clan’s experience, raising a baby was simple. You just picked the fruit from the tree, and the baby could walk, jump, and talk from the moment it was born. The really impressive ones could even walk through the void.
They just needed to bring the baby to the Sacred Hall to receive the inheritance, and the babies would naturally awaken their innate skills.
Finally, they’d bring the baby back to its exclusive planet, and that was it—nothing else to worry about. Because on its exclusive planet, the baby stood at the very top of the food chain. The only thing it would do was bully other species!
Grandpa Lin stared at the soft, delicate Wood in his palm, his heart feeling like it had been struck by lightning.
Oh no! It seemed he’d picked up a hot potato. His gut told him he’d be tied down by this little one for the rest of his life!
Grandpa Lin’s face fell as he looked at Grandma Lin for help.
Grandma Lin wiped her face. “Don’t panic. I’ve got a plan.”
Grandma Lin’s plan was to take advantage of the dark of night and place Lin Xiaohe under the Lotus Wood tree on her exclusive planet.
As the second-in-command on the exclusive planet, the Lotus Wood’s combat prowess was astonishing. It would definitely be able to protect Wood!
The Lotus Wood was completely baffled.
You two wretched scoundrels—what kind of creature did you just leave me with?!
Lin Xiaohe, meanwhile, stared at the Lotus Wood, mesmerized. She had prided herself on having seen countless plants, but she’d never seen a tree that could bloom lotuses!
Be honest with me—this has to be grafted, right?!
