Chapter 274: Narrow Paths for Rivals

When Donald reached the fifth layer of the true core of the ruins, the others who came with him were scattered across the illusions on the first layer. Only two companions at the Legendary realm—Carlisle and Anchored God—used their domain powers to break through the illusions and reach the periphery of the ruins. However, because they were transported to different locations, they couldn’t reunite.

Since they broke through the illusions through their strength, they did discover a small area contaminated by evil forces, but they didn’t fully understand the challenges involved. To avoid being corrupted, they weren’t directly transported to the top layer by White Mountain God and instead stayed on the first layer to explore.

The first layer of the ruins was a vast space. Aside from the illusions and extended areas, it was as large as a baronial domain. It was once the home of the core members of the Green Tree Tribe, who built a cluster of structures around the roots of a giant ancient tree.

If there were any secrets in the ruins, it would be obvious to anyone that they must be in those buildings. Thus, both Carlisle and Anchored God headed toward the center of the first layer without prior agreement.

As Anchored God moved toward the center, he reached a turn and suddenly encountered someone coming from the opposite direction.

“It’s you…” Anchored God said through gritted teeth.

He inwardly cursed his bad luck—out of all the people who entered the ruins, why did he have to run into him?

The figure was none other than Spear God, the most powerful Legendary totem god in the coastal areas near Iron Anchor Island, and the son of the demi-god Warhammer God. Earlier, Anchored God had seen Spear God and several of his subordinate gods standing near the entrance of the ruins, so he had chosen a hidden corner to avoid being noticed and harassed again.

Compared to Anchored God’s muscular and sturdy build, Spear God was equally tall, but his muscles were even more pronounced, giving him a more imposing appearance. His square face looked stern and resolute, though it was spoiled by a slick and frivolous demeanor that ruined his otherwise impressive image.

“You’re here too… Have you reached the Legendary realm?”

Upon seeing Anchored God again, Spear God showed a complex expression—some joy, some surprise, and a hint of trouble.

It was delightful to see him after several years. The kid still seemed as fascinating to him as before, to his surprise. He hadn’t expected the originally weak Anchored God to rise so quickly to a level comparable to his own. The problem was that using his usual tactics might provoke a fierce counterattack from the other side. Thus, the Spear God racked his brains, thinking about how he could get hold of this Anchored God kid.

Although the Spear God always acted like a frivolous good-for-nothing, that was merely an act. Though his father, the God of War Hammers, was a powerful demigod, he still had his struggles and enemies. So, from a young age, the Anchored God had to disguise his true nature. In reality, he was quite intelligent, and years of deception had made him cunning and deeply scheming.

He wasn’t planning to reveal his true self until he became strong enough.

While the Anchored God and the Spear God stood in a tense standoff, many powerful legendary totem gods who had forced their way out of the illusion had already reached the roots of the giant tree at the center of the first layer.

But they were disappointed here. Along the way, they had searched those buildings, but aside from some daily necessities, they found nothing valuable, let alone any divine artifacts or treasures.

These first group of candidates who broke through the illusion and reached the center of the first layer found nothing. Before they could figure out a way to break through the space of the first layer, the Green Tree Ruins suddenly shook violently, and a dazzling burst of divine light flashed. All beings still inside the illusion and the first layer, whether mortals or gods, were powerless to resist and were transported outside the ruins by this immense force.

At the same time, a gentle yet authoritative voice echoed in everyone’s ears.

“The Green Tree Legacy has chosen its successor. The ruins will soon close. Everyone, disperse!”

Most of those powerful legendary totem gods had heard this voice before. It was the Lord of the Great Snow Mountain, the White Mountain God. Though reluctant, they didn’t dare defy him. After circling outside the ruins for a while with no one else emerging, they left in disappointment.

There were simply too many people at the Green Tree Ruins this time. Even the powerful totem gods couldn’t remember everyone’s identity and appearance.

Only those who came with Donald knew that one person was missing from the group. They gathered together and guessed that Donald must be the lucky one who had received the demi-god inheritance. So they didn’t stay outside the ruins but chose a secluded place deep in the snowy forest, about ten miles away from the entrance, to wait.

This distance allowed them to stay out of sight of others while still being able to reach the entrance quickly if anything happened. They all knew there was a connection between Uther and Donald, so they would be informed as soon as Donald appeared, allowing them to come to his aid.

After all, there were still some unwilling totem gods and mortal warriors guarding the entrance to the Green Tree Ruins. If Donald appeared now, he might face trouble.

After the God of the Giant Spear and the God of the Anchor were transported away, the God of the Anchor tried to say something after seeing his companions reunite, but ultimately left in silence with his subordinates.

Meanwhile, the God of the White Mountain went to handle subsequent matters, leaving Donald and the God of the Green Tree to talk on the fifth level.

The God of the Green Tree was indeed a peak demi-god warrior renowned for nearly a thousand years. Some of his words made Donald suddenly see things more clearly.

After all, throughout his cultivation, he could seek advice and guidance from teachers and other mages while at the Golden stage. But due to his extraordinary fortune, he quickly surpassed the Golden stage and reached the Legendary level or even higher, so his teachers could no longer offer much guidance.

His current knowledge came solely from incomplete information and experience obtained from the Books of Divinity and Truth, which inevitably led to biases. The more he progressed in his cultivation, the more obstacles he faced. Making a mistake could make it a hundred or a thousand times harder to go back.

The God of the Green Tree was also a genius recognized by the gods of the Totem Continent. His many innovative ideas amazed the gods, and his extraordinary wisdom need hardly be described.

Therefore, Donald cherished this opportunity greatly and asked the God of the Green Tree some crucial questions.

Having been trapped in seal for hundreds of years, the God of the Green Tree could only occasionally communicate telepathically with the God of the White Mountain. The lack of long-term interaction made him very talkative.

Moreover, since Donald was the one who saved him from his imprisonment, he naturally answered every question.

Donald’s questions were also innovative, offering the God of the Green Tree a perspective different from that of the gods of the Totem Continent. Some of these questions prompted deep reflection and led to many potential paths for improvement.

So both parties were extremely satisfied with this exchange. When the White Mountain God dealt with those mortals and deities in the ruins and returned to the fifth layer, he was somewhat surprised to see the Green Tree Goddess chatting happily with Donald, showing a mutual understanding and affection. It should be noted that although the Green Tree Goddess had a gentle personality, she was very cold toward those and things she wasn’t interested in. For this mortal to be able to converse with her for such a long time—it seemed they had met too late. So just how talented was this person?
“Is everything taken care of?”
The White Mountain God gently stroked the Green Tree Goddess’s hair affectionately. Nodding, he said, “Mm, they’ve all been sent away. It’s much quieter now!”
The Green Tree Goddess preferred a quiet environment, especially since these ruins were created based on her true form, allowing her to sense every movement within. Thus, the White Mountain God naturally didn’t want his beloved goddess disturbed.
After the White Mountain God returned, although Donald still had some questions, he didn’t want to interrupt the couple. After centuries of waiting, he was eager to express his feelings. So he stepped aside voluntarily, taking some time to process what he had discussed with the Green Tree Goddess, and then checked the reward given to him by the White Mountain God. He prepared to leave and join the Iron Anchor God and the others.