Chapter 569: Subbordinates' Progress P4

Chapter 569: Subbordinates’ Progress P4

Next day.

The small Spirit boat sliced through the quiet waters under the pale evening sky.

The sea around Emerald Cove was calm as ever, but the air held a faint pulse of Spirit energy that could make any intruder’s heart tremble.

A single figure stood on the narrow wooden deck. His name was Shuan.

His dark-green robe fluttered slightly as the wind brushed past. He had grown taller and sturdier over the years. His eyes gleamed with sharpness, but his lips curved into a faint smile that softened his face.

When the boat drifted within five hundred metres of the island’s shore, it suddenly slowed down. No sound of oars or paddles could be heard, for it was a Spirit boat that moved without a driver, guided only by Spirit stones and intent.

Shuan narrowed his eyes as the familiar sight of Emerald Cove came into view. From this side of the island, it looked almost abandoned—dense trees grew wildly, their roots crawling over stones and sand, while a layer of mist danced above the waterline like a breathing veil. But Shuan knew better. Beneath the calm surface of the island lay countless arrays, traps, and hidden constructs designed by his master.

He took a deep breath and then chuckled softly. “It’s been a while,” he murmured.

Without hesitation, he jumped into the air. His movement was light and controlled, his robe flaring like a wing. As he hovered above the sea, a long spear appeared in his hand. The weapon glowed faintly—its body made of silvery wood infused with Spirit metal.

Shuan spun it once, then placed his foot on the shaft. The spear floated steadily in the air, carrying his weight as if it were alive. He waved his hand, and the Spirit boat disappeared into his storage ring with a ripple of light.

He looked down at his palm and pulled out a small wooden token. On one side, an image of a tree growing atop an island was carved with fine detail. On the other, the words Emerald Cove were etched in ancient Dadangar script.

“This token should let me pass safely,” Shuan said to himself, smiling. But then, he laughed—a clear, bold laugh that echoed over the water.

“Hahaha! Now that I’ve become a Foundation Establishment Expert, what’s the point of using such a simple pass? Let’s see if your defenses still work, Master!”

With that, he tucked the token away and bent his knees. Spirit energy gathered under his feet, and the spear trembled before shooting forward like a meteor. His figure turned into a streak of light heading straight toward the island.

The barrier around Emerald Cove reacted instantly. Layers of faint green light shimmered into view, one after another, like ripples spreading across the surface of a pond.

From afar, it looked beautiful—like curtains of light being drawn in the sky—but Shuan could feel the heavy pressure pushing against his Spirit Sense.

He grinned wider, his blood boiling with excitement. “So they’re still working as fine as ever. Good.”

He leaned forward, pouring more Spirit essence into the spear. A blast of wind followed in his wake as he shot straight toward the barrier.

For a moment, the air trembled like a lake’s surface after its calmness is disturbed by a stone throw. The barrier pulsed as if alive, meeting his charge head-on.

A loud crack resounded through the sky, followed by a flash of light. Shuan’s body jolted slightly as he forced his way through the resistance, his robes whipping around him violently.

Then—he broke through.

The impact burst apart in a wave of green light that scattered like fireflies before fading into the mist. Shuan hovered above the island’s inner area, looking down at the dense forest that covered most of Emerald Cove. His eyes softened again.

“It hasn’t changed much,” he said quietly. “Still peaceful… still beautiful.”

His Spirit Sense spread out, brushing across the familiar shapes of the island—the Spirit farms, the wooden huts, the caves hidden beneath the trees. Deep down, somewhere at the centre of the island, a stronger presence pulsed faintly like a heart.

“Master’s still here,” he murmured.

“Let’s see if he’ll scold me for breaking the barrier.”

He chuckled again and urged the spear forward, flying deeper into the island. The forest below stirred slightly, leaves rustling as if whispering in welcome… or warning.

What Shuan didn’t know was that Aksai had recently modified the Demon Tree formation. It appeared nearly the same but worked a lot differently.

The outer barrier, though strong and sturdy for regular low-level Spirit cultivators, was just a facade. The real strength of the otherworldly defensive formation lay somewhere else. And Shuan was about to find out more about it.

The moment Shuan crossed the island’s outer barrier, the ground below him trembled faintly. He slowed down, scanning the area warily. The air smelled faintly of wet soil and Spirit herbs, just like he remembered. For a brief second, he even smiled, thinking that maybe his master had already sensed him and was about to come out.

But then, the earth shuddered violently.

In the next instant, countless brown and dark green wooden vines burst out from the ground like striking snakes. They shot upward with such speed that even Shuan barely had time to react. The air filled with sharp whooshing sounds as the vines twisted and wrapped around him in a blink of an eye.

“Tch!” Shuan clicked his tongue and tried to retreat, but before he could even lift himself higher, several thick vines burst out right below him and lashed straight at his weapon.

His flying spear jolted in the air and then froze. The vines wrapped around it tightly, pulling it toward the ground with immense strength.

“Seriously?!” Shuan cursed as he jumped off, twisting midair and landing a few dozen meters away on the grassy ground. His footwear skidded against the soil as he steadied himself, his eyes narrowing at the sight before him.

His spear was now completely trapped. Dozens of thick vines coiled around it like hungry beasts, digging into its shaft and forcing it down until it was half-buried in the dirt. The spear trembled faintly, still trying to break free under his control, but the vines held it firm. Shuan felt the faint resistance through his Spirit sense, then sighed helplessly.

“Fine, fine. I get it, Master. You win.” He raised his hands and gave up controlling the weapon.

The vines around him didn’t ease up, though. More and more of them emerged from the ground, spreading outward and forming strange shapes. Within moments, several of the vines hardened and reshaped themselves into long spears, swords, and shields made of wood. Their surface glowed faintly with green Spirit patterns, showing that they were not mere plants but weapons infused with wood-element Spirit essence.

Shuan’s expression turned serious. “Master Aksai… he… he is as paranoid as ever. How many traps has he added into the formation? And how did he add them and made them work together without destabilizing the entire formation?”

Before he could marvel at Aksai’s modified formation or plan his next move, a low humming sound came from behind the rows of wooden weapons. From the depths of the forest, several figures slowly emerged—Sentient Scarecrow Fiends.

Their steps were heavy but precise. Each of them looked almost human—robes covering their cold and pale bodies, Spirit tools strapped to their belts, and eyes that glowed faintly blue. If not for the lifeless expression and the nonhuman Spirit energy leaking from them, Shuan might have mistaken them for real cultivators standing guard.

“So, Master upgraded them again. Wasn’t he busy exploring the Duya Forest? How did he find time to do these things?” Shuan muttered, half impressed and half troubled.

The Scarecrow Fiends didn’t speak. They simply lined up, moving with eerie coordination. As soon as they formed a formation, the Spirit essence around them pulsed and linked together. A faint geometric glow formed under their feet, spreading out in patterns across the ground.

“Group battle formation,” Shuan realized, his face hardening.

Before he could even prepare, the Sentient Fiends charged at him. Their movement was fast—too fast for normal puppets. Shuan immediately gathered his Spirit energy and swept his arm in a wide motion.

“Wind Blade!”

Dozens of sharp currents burst forth from his hand. The invisible blades sliced through the first wave of Fiends, cutting two of them cleanly in half. The puppets fell to the ground, their bodies turning into piles of flesh, wood vines, green roots, and broken Spirit materials.

But before Shuan could breathe in relief, six more appeared from behind the formation, replacing the fallen ones. The formation’s glow pulsed brighter, and the Fiends spread out again, encircling him from all sides.

Shuan’s expression darkened. “Damn this is too much. It is getting out of hand.”

He prepared to unleash another wave of wind spells when a heavy thud echoed from above. He looked up just in time to see two large shadows descending from the sky.

The ground shook when they landed.

These new figures were different. They were larger—nearly twice the size of the earlier ones—and the aura they gave off was heavier, thicker, almost oppressive. Their bodies were covered with wooden plates, and Spirit light glowed from the core on their chests.

“Two 2nd Order puppets? Master is really one overthinking busybee. This is simply bullying the poor intruders.”

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AN: Shuan reached Spirit Refining Perfection in chapter 242. Aksai gives him the Foundation Building Pill in the same chapter.