“Willow God, how is it here?”
Even in the direst of life-and-death moments, Shi Hao’s heart surged with overwhelming emotion. He sprinted forward at breakneck speed, shouting, “Willow God!”
Boom!
Behind them, a sea of thunder rolled and roared, devouring everything in its path, burying the narrow trail completely as it surged forward.
They fled in desperation.
“Who is Willow God?” Sanzang wondered as he ran, also catching sight of the golden willow tree. His heart trembled, unable to comprehend why Shi Hao would recognize an ancient tree here.
To him, the tree should have been a manifestation of lightning, for no living being could possibly exist in this place.
Could it truly be a real tree, not a lightning construct? The thought stunned Sanzang.
“Kid Shi Hao, what are you yelling about? Watch your step—you’re blocking my way!” Shen Ming snapped, her tone sharp. Tall and slender, her long legs moved swiftly despite the chaos.
Though both Shi Hao and Sanzang had been charred black by the lightning tribulation, Shen Ming remained untouched, having donned a protective treasure robe that shielded her from the storm.
The garment was as light as gauze, thin yet incredibly resilient, wrapping around her body and preserving her form. Its translucent fabric hinted at her graceful curves, lending her an ethereal beauty.
“No, this isn’t lightning—it must be Willow God! That aura can’t be wrong!” Shi Hao murmured before dashing forward again.
Deep down, he knew it was unlikely. Could he truly encounter Willow God here? More likely, it was just a lightning projection imprinted with its past essence.
He understood—the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.
Yet today, he couldn’t suppress the surge of emotion within him. He shouted, screamed, praying that it was indeed Willow God.
The terrifying lightning surged from behind, sweeping all three of them into the air, shattering the sky. Coughing blood, their bodies wracked with pain, they crashed into a towering thunder mountain.
The mountain loomed massive and imposing, like a black lion crouching with restrained ferocity.
As they collided with its surface—crack!
Lightning bolts pierced through their bodies, drenching them in blood. The mountain was merciless—even a touch invited calamity.
The sheer force was overwhelming.
Only the three of them could withstand it. Any others of their level would have been reduced to ashes, not even bones remaining.
“Willow God!”
Struck by the lightning, Shi Hao quickly rose and pressed forward, still drawn to the tree. Was it truly a lightning construct?
Why did it feel so familiar?
“Huh?”
This… was it a real tree? A living being?
Sanzang was stunned. He, too, sensed something unusual—the tree pulsed with life, not mere lightning.
The golden ancient tree stood tall and vibrant, its countless leaves shimmering with radiance. Its trunk was thick and gnarled, as if holding up the heavens.
As they neared, the lightning around them grew erratic—sometimes weak, sometimes fierce.
The tree’s essence was palpable.
“Willow God!” Shi Hao called out again. But why no response? He was so close now.
“Careful, this place is dangerous!” Shen Ming warned.
Near the tree, a narrow path crackled with terrifying lightning. Behind them, the sea of thunder surged again, ready to strike.
This was lightning beyond their endurance—a killing force.
Boom!
The path ahead exploded with blinding light as the thunder sea crashed down upon them.
In an instant, all three were wounded again, coughing blood.
This place was deadly, and they were in dire straits.
Thud!
Yet, the impact flung them forward, right beneath the tree. Gazing up, they marveled at its golden brilliance.
“This is…” Shen Ming reached out, touching the trunk. It was real—not lightning. Her eyes widened in shock.
“Kid Shi Hao, how do you know this tree? Have you seen it before?” she demanded. A golden willow rooted here couldn’t be ordinary.
“Willow God, what’s wrong?” Shi Hao’s voice trembled with concern.
The ancient tree stood motionless, rooted in silence.
“Strange. For such a massive tree, its life essence is faint—barely any,” Sanzang observed.
Shi Hao snapped to attention, scrutinizing the tree. What had happened to Willow God?
He circled the massive trunk—so thick that many couldn’t encircle it.
“It’s… severely wounded!” Shi Hao gasped. On the other side, the trunk was hollow, reduced to mere bark, its insides eaten away.
From the other angle, it had seemed whole, but now the truth was clear—the tree was a shell, its branches still hanging like divine chains.
“Is it dead?” Shen Ming murmured.
“This tree must be tens of thousands of years old. Its spirit is long gone,” Sanzang concluded.
Shi Hao fell silent, then sighed.
He knew Willow God’s history—the ancestral sacrifice spirit of the Immortal Ancient Era, mighty yet plagued by misfortune, enduring repeated calamities.
It had lost roots, turned to seed, even shed its cultivation to start anew.
Willow God’s journey was complex, leaving remnants scattered across the world.
Shi Hao sighed. Where were Willow God and the little pagoda now? They had been gone for so long.
“Look! The lightning isn’t coming near—the tree repels it!” Sanzang exclaimed.
Beneath the tree, they were safe. The thunder couldn’t reach them, replaced instead by a gentle glow. Though the tree was withered, its lingering power still shielded this space.
Was this Willow God’s remains? A discarded husk?
Shi Hao felt a pang of loss. This wasn’t the real Willow God.
“But the aura is identical. Could it remain unchanged after millennia?” he muttered.
Suddenly, his eyes widened. Inside the hollow trunk, a glimmer of green light caught his attention. He rushed inside, gazing upward.
A single willow branch, fresh and emerald, glistening with vitality—utterly unlike the golden boughs.
“Willow God’s aura—so strong!” Shi Hao gasped.
Up close, the presence intensified, as if Willow God stood beside him.
His heart raced. This was no mere remnant. Perhaps… it truly was Willow God!
“The leaves are glowing!” Shen Ming cried.
Each jade-green leaf shone like a miniature sun, shimmering as if aflame. Characters appeared upon them, trembling with energy.
“If you can come, these leaves will bloom.”
“A trail of footprints, a flickering path.”
Only these two lines formed.
“Willow God!”
Shi Hao shouted, but there was no reply—only the radiant branch, its leaves blazing like green suns, displaying the words.
“This is the imprint of a supreme being. They’ve long departed—no dialogue is possible,” Sanzang said.
“Willow God was here! This is for me!” Shi Hao clenched his fists, exhilarated. Was this guidance from Willow God?
Shen Ming eyed the green branch covetously, but before she could protest—boom!
The branch erupted with blinding light, its verdant radiance flooding the sky.
Then, the entire golden tree withered, crumbling into dust as all its brilliance poured into the branch, gilding its edges.
The branch floated gently into Shi Hao’s hand.
Simultaneously, the thunder mountain collapsed silently, dissolving into lightning. Ahead, the path lay unobstructed.
Yet the terrain beyond was peculiar—no longer part of the lightning abyss, but eerily still, like the world’s end or the heart of a desert.
On a stretch of sand, a line of faint footprints glimmered, flickering in and out of sight.
“A trail of footprints, a flickering path?!” Shi Hao shuddered, recalling the words on the leaves. Was this the path Willow God meant?
Willow God—are you ahead?!
His heart cried out. After years apart, he had finally found its trace, uncovered its clues.
Was this leading him onward? Beckoning him forward?
And the little pagoda—since their separation, he hadn’t seen it again. As a supreme treasure, had it repaired itself? Was it with Willow God now?
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage