To be more accurate, the tree gave birth to a Consciousness and it metamorphosed to a new lifeform, a sentient one, the small and weak voice I heard in my mind just now was actually coming from that new lifeform .
It was a plea for help, I didn't even need to ask what it was wanting helping with, since I already know what it was that threatened it with my own eyes .
The dark red energy was actually trying to devour that new lifeform's spirituality, if there was a stalemate before, it was because that cursed red energy was trying to remove the nuisance which was us .
But now, now it seemed to have deemed that this wasn't needed any more, the two energies started to collide again, right before my eyes, one was materials sizing in the shape of a white Willow tree releasing blinding light and as for that Red Energy, it had materialized in the shape of a red slime like monster with glowing eyes .
Each time the two energy collide, that slimy creature would get bigger in size and aura, while the willow tree would grow weaker and the voice asking for help will grow fainter .
After finding this out, everything was starting to become clear to me, this invading energy was the thing affecting the tree and from what I had observed before, I'm now convinced that one side of that Willow tree meant us no harm while the other side wanted us dead .
That Red Energy was the thing responsible for the tree going berserk from time to time, not only that, but it was the one ordering all the other trees here to attack us, whether by itself or by using the power of the Moon-Whispering Willow tree .
With everything being cleared up, I finally had a clear understanding of what was going on and how to solve the tree's troubles, removing that Red Energy should be enough to solve the problem .
If I managed to do this, there would be no longer a problem with the tree and it might even benefit a little from this misfortune, but how should I do remove that damn energy now .
As if clearing my doubts, the second that dark slimy monster stared at my direction, I felt chills running down my spine, but then I felt something deep inside me seemed to be quite happy for encountering that red monster, the Force Sapling inside my body had been dormant all this time trying to digest the strange spiritual energy it kept on consuming all that time .
To this day it hadn't managed to finish refining all those Spiritual Energies and seemed to be stuck in some kind of bottleneck, I had yet to fully achieve perfection in all the three Martial Arts, so that might be the only thing keeping it at bay from ushering in another transformation .
The Panel had already helped me more than enough with how it regulated those different Forces and forced them to stop quarrelling and peaceful coexist instead, my Martial Realm was also increasing even without me doing any training or anything for all that matter to make it increase .
That sapling force, not had only it gave me Spiritual Qi, but gave me a weird suction force on all of the energy I had met, each time it will appear this enthusiastic, it meant only one thing, finding a new source of spiritual energy it wanted to eat .
I couldn't help but wonder about the source of those Martial Arts and what exactly were the intentions of the Man who created it, shaking those usless thoughts away, I started to inject my spiritual qi into the tree and as if already able to judge that I was here to aid it, it actually didn't try to fight me .
Instead it welcomed me greatly and directly gave me a safe passage to where the battlefield between the two of them were, appearing there suddenly like this was enough to bring the attention of that monster over to me, the person who seemed to be coming here to spoil its fun .
It directly swarmed towards me and my spiritual body suddenly extended his hand and whirlpool made of that suction power originating from the Force Sapling started to act on that weird monster, it tried to fight its way through at first, but then sensing that fighting was futile, it tried to escape .
But it was already too late for it to do so at this point of time, the second that suction force appeared, its fate was already sealed, that red energy was being devoured relentlessly, in less than 2 minutes, the thing had already shrunk to the size of a fist, after it was a huge like a two or three-story house .
But here when things started to become a bit weird, as me and the Moon-Whispering Willow joined hand to deal with that thing, the latter helped entrapping him for me and was able to surprisingly siphon even more energy than me even, that thing suddenly felt as if his death was imminent and directly tried to withdraw .
But neither me nor the tree was willing to see something like this happening, so even though the suction force was no longer as effective as before, due to it being so small, enough to make the Force Sapling somehow losing its appetite .
The tree on the other hand wasn't willing to let go of that weird thing that had tormented it for so long already, but just as it managed to finally hold it in place and was ready to stomp it, that thing actually disintegrated into mud like substance .
But things weren't just over yet, there was suddenly a sound of fluttering wings, then we both were caught of guard as from where that thing had disintegrated before, a black stripes yellow hornet appeared and second after it appeared, its body flashed with pale blue light and it directly pierced through the spiritual domain of the tree and appeared in the real world .
Retreating from that domain in hurry as well, wanting to inspect what exactly was that bug and how come it appeared here and managed to do all that it did, I saw that the tree had already managed to surround both of us and entrap that weird insect as well .
At least I thought that it did, but then as if the hornet was ridiculing us, it seem to be waiting here until we both come out to catch it, before it slip through our fingers and escape, but just as its body started to flash with light again, seemed to be ready to escape, I suddenly had a thought in mind that might put an end to it once and for all .
Just as the thing pierced through the thick wooden skin of the tree as if it was nothing at all, I shot it with the Soul Weapon Projection I have, the power of the projection in my mind was directly unleashed, even though this was a weakened version of the attack that targeted the Bone Forging Realm expert from before, it was more than enough to deal with that bug .
Even though it was only a suspicion of mine, but that form he was in must likely have something to do with how it managed to enter the Spiritual Domain of the tree in the first place, if that was indeed correct, soul attacks would be the most effective against it and so I fire a simple shot at it .
The second the hornet seem to buzz even more than before as if expressing how happy it was to have escaped alive, the shot of mine was fired, the buzz of the hornet didn't last for long before it was directly split in half and the light covering its body was still covering it as it crashed into the ground .
Its thin wings fluttered for a few seconds more, but that was all it did, before it finally lay down there motionless, this wasn't what I expected, I was trying to capture not kill it, I still wanted to inspect it for a bit more time, but that didn't seem to be possible anymore .
The second the thing laid down there dead, the ground beneath it was suddenly split open like a monster opening its mouth and in one gulp it devoured the whole area surrounding that weird hornet .
I already know the culprit and was trying to tell the tree to hold off eating it for the time being, but it seem that all my pleas fell on deaf ears, the tree had completely digested it by now, a few more light circles appeared on its leaves, branches, trunk, indicating how much gains it managed to scoop this time, seeing this I already understood that it was quite futile to try and dissuade or reprimand it, so in the end I let it go .
The tree had gained quite the number of years as it seem, the branches now had buds over it and seemed beer fruit, the seal in my mind was suddenly stirring as I looked at the tree in front of me and a name appeared, a name different to the Moon-Whispering Willow that I kept calling it .
Enlightenment Conscious Tree, the fruit that seemed to be starting to grow on those trees could help someone to awaken his Soul Power, something this precious was found here, this was beyond shocking to me, how on earth did Master acquire such a treasure .
The only issue is with the time it took to bear one fruit, it would take roughly 4 years in a place that's filled with pure Yin Qi, Qi that is this pure can only be produced by Moon-Sky Stone or by absorbing the Moon Qi directly from the...., oh, so that's the reason for the opened dome and Master forbidding anyone to go near it sometimes .
It was actually cultivating and absorbing the Yin Qi from the Moon, how many years it took her to reach this stage, I wonder .
As I stared at it, I felt like it was staring at me as well, we hadn't done anything since we beat that weird hornet, it was the biggest hornet I seen in my life, it was my palm sized, not to mention that it was able to do all that weird stuff as well .
As the chaos finally seemed to settle, cheers soon followed, the tensed faces of my senior brothers finally relaxed and even the still coldly staring at Liu Ru Yu had released a breath of relief, but none of them dared to step close to the tree still .
Only after I told them that there was no longer a problem, did they finally begin to get closer, Bai Ming was the first to approach the trunk of that tree, then Gu Chu, Liu Ru Yu, Fu Liu, Ba Zi .
All of them touched that tree trunk and were starting to become quite sentimental, I too was the same, if not for the fact that Master liked this tree and focused on nurturing and taking care of it, I might have not helped it and just let my Resentment devour it whole .
Suddenly and as as if reading my rude thoughts, a whip made of wood was suddenly unleashed towards me, but luckily I managed to evade it in time, Ba Zi was close to me and that made him bear it instead .
But he didn't suffer silently, he started cursing all its 8 ancestors and threatened to once again uproot it, so he once again was whipped and this time he didn't say anything more, a snicker came from those who was still watching and that led him to grow even more frustrated, but he found a way to release some of that frustration .
Still conversing with Senior Brother Bai and Gu Chu on what should we do from here on out, I heard a few shrills and screams, then saw Ba Zi come back after beating the bunch who laughed at him just now and he suggested that we should clean things here up first .
Everyone nodded and with the shovels that were in the place, everyone started to do their part of the job, all of us did, but Senior Sister Liu Ru Yu didn't want anything to do with cleaning up, so she just kept the accompany of the tree .
I went to where the earth was split just now and actually found something there, a wooden medal of some kind that was already contaminated by evil blood energy, the same as that red creature and from the same source it seem .
Luckily it didn't take long, before the thing was snapped in half all on its own, I was just about to start filling the holes that now filled the whole Garden, many plants were lost and this might affect the even more scarce number of resources for the next period to come, but now wasn't the time to worry much about that .
What are you doing ? .
Just as I started to shovel, a girls' voice filled with concern sounded from the Garden entrance, it was none other than Boa'er and she was for some reason glaring at me, well there might have been a reason, but why now of all times was she coming at me like this ? .
I turned to face her and even though her body seem to weakened due to grieve, perhaps .
I still saw her taking a few strong strides towards me then she angrily said :
Hadn't I told all of you not to uproot the tree, this tree is what my father promised to me, my last gift from him, so why do you damned guys are trying to bring it down .
So that what she thought we were doing, just as I was about to clear this misunderstanding, she directly collapsed on the floor and a dam of tears seemed to have broken down as she went on and said quite hurtful things like how the others in the Dojo were carrying out my orders instead of hers, she was about to continue explaining why they shouldn't be doing that, but Liu Ru Yu had stopped her in time .
Even though most of the disciples here didn't know what was going on with Master, they were aware that he was in a critical situation, but there was already news about him recuperating, so why would Boa'er acting like that, that was what their expressions seemed to say .
Any more words from here and Master's death will be known to all people here, but I didn't care in the slightest about that anymore, seeing the cold glare she gave me, I lost the composure I had before and unintentionally released my aura but only for a second .
It forced most of the people present to stay on guard, but even then I still continued to be unconcerned by their reaction, I instead continue to march towards the two of them by the entrance and even though some Senior Brothers seemed to have misunderstood my intentions doing that and them trying to step up and say something, but Bai Ming pushed them all back .
I appreciated the gesture and continued to head towards here with heavy steps, as I was a few inches close, seeing the look in my eyes troubled both girls, Boa'er was trying to hide behind Liu Ru Yu, while the latter was already putting her hand on the sword of her and ready to attack at any second now .
I used the concept of Thunderclap Fist in my movements skill and one second I was there before her eyes and the next I had completely disappeared from her view and appeared behind her, the whole place was suddenly filled with gasps carrying so many meanings and different emotions .
I stared at the girl in front of me who seemed to have nothing but hatred for me in her heart and I for the first time felt regret, regret for what kind of words had I accumulated in my throat and was no longer able to suppress, I said :
" Senior Sister Boa'er, I hope that you will remember who delayed me that day, I don't know if it had helped if I entered that time a bit quicker, but I'm certain that it only made matters worse, I don't know whether you are trying to shift the blame towards me instead or whether you truly believe that I was the reason, all I know is that you should be held responsible for your actions that day as well .
The second those words left my mouth, I wanted to deeply apologize for how inconsiderate they sound and how much pain will they cause, deep regret assaulted me, for the first time since Master passed away, my real emotions finally sufficed .
After saying this, I throw the shovels in my hand on the floor and directly got out of the Garden, just as I seem to have taken a few steps away from the entrance, I saw that she actually followed me outside and the edge of her mouth had a trace of blood .
Her Blood Qi was turbulent at the moment and seeing me was like seeing a lifelong enemy, she directly dashed towards me while saying things like, I will kill you, even if it cost me my life, I will do....it .
She was burning her vitality in hope of beating me, as she was midway her dashing, with a cold face completely filled with disappoinment on what she was doing and give her a chop to the neck, then closed all her acupunctures, as to prevent any massive backslash to befell here, she couldn't even finish saying anything before she fainted in my arms .
After that, a few guys stepped out in hurry after her, only to see the current scene .