CHAPTER 538: CHAPTER 345. IHUI’S PAST (8000-WORD GOAL ACHIEVED)

Beichuan Si had now completely taken control of the situation.

Two hours remained before the disturbance at the Gate of Yellow Springs.

Ihui Ju Xu writhed, her voice strained, "What on earth are you trying to do, Beichuan Master?!"

"I’ve already shared my thoughts earlier," Beichuan Si reminded succinctly after walking under the Divine Tree and looking back.

Had he already shared his thoughts?

Suddenly realizing something, Ihui Ju Xu’s face drastically changed, "You couldn’t possibly be planning to..."

"Indeed, I intend to fell the Divine Tree," declared Beichuan Si, patting the trunk of the Divine Tree.

As soon as these words were spoken, not just Ihui Ju Xu’s expression changed drastically, but also Ihui Nai Luo’s and Ihui Guangjiu’s.

"Have you lost your mind, Beichuan!?" Ihui Nai Luo couldn’t comprehend at all, "This is the Divine Tree that protects the islanders! By felling it, do you wish to plunge the entire Ihui Island into the assault of wicked creatures?"

"Even if you don’t want all islanders to become Heavenly Persons, you don’t need to do something so extreme..." Ihui Guangjiu, lying on the ground, could not help but speak out as well.

Beichuan Si continued to pat the Divine Tree, calmly building on their words:

"If the Divine Tree falls, then the whole Ihui Island will succumb to the assault of wicked creatures. At that time, the little island will transform into a true slaughterhouse, just as it did twenty years ago—"

He paused, and at the same time, he delivered a retort that made Ihui Nai Luo and the Ihui sisters feel breathless:

"But is that really the case?"

Under this pointed retort, Ihui Ju Xu stared directly at Beichuan Si, trying to speak with conviction, "I don’t understand what you mean..."

However, her voice trailed off, barely discernible toward the end.

Beichuan Si’s gaze was too serene, so serene that it sent a chill through her!

Under everyone’s gaze, Beichuan Si gently tapped the Divine Tree, closing his eyes to sense.

This mighty tree indeed played a role in suppressing the Gate of Yellow Springs; this was indubitable.

But... was it really as Ihui Nai Luo, Ihui Ju Xu, and Ihui Guangjiu had said?

If the Divine Tree were felled, would wicked creatures indeed gush forth?

Beichuan Si held a different opinion on this matter.

He removed his hand from the Divine Tree and said unhurriedly, "I’ve seen the records about the Divine Tree held by the Ihui Main Family."

"Capable of temporarily housing the souls of islanders, altering their nature to become Heavenly Persons, and simultaneously used to suppress the Gate of Yellow Springs... At first glance, it indeed seems beneficial to the islanders."

"Then why would you still want to fell it..."

"But!"

Ihui Ju Xu had not finished speaking when Beichuan Si interrupted her, "But is that really true?"

Beichuan Si continued with a straight back, "The actual situation is like this."

"The Divine Tree has always been controlled by the people of the Ihui Main Family and the Izumi Shrine. Ordinary islanders can only become Heavenly Persons through cruel and bloody trials. Otherwise, even survival is difficult."

Ihui Nai Luo and the others opened their mouths but then all fell silent.

What Beichuan Si said was true.

From the rituals involving the Divine Tree to the selection of Heavenly Persons, it was essentially the people from the Ihui Main Family and the Izumi Shrine who were in charge; ordinary islanders simply did not have their inherent status.

Those from the Ihui Main Family and the Izumi Shrine who controlled the Divine Tree were merely symbols of power on Ihui Island.

Who could the Divine Tree truly benefit?

Undoubtedly, it was the Ihui Main Family and the Izumi Shrine.

And the Ihui Main Family and the Izumi Shrine were essentially one and the same, which was evident from the fact that Ihui Nai Luo, as a shrine maiden of the Izumi Shrine, was also a revered Great Heavenly Person of the Ihui Main Family—

They were all cut from the same cloth.

What about the islanders?

Beichuan Si snapped his fingers, "From the beginning, the islanders were never in your considerations, whether it be Ihui Nai Luo or you... Ihui Guangjiu, all you thought about was yourselves."

Indeed, from the beginning, Ihui Nai Luo, Ihui Guangjiu, and the others only considered themselves.

Ihui Nai Luo wished to turn all islanders into Heavenly Persons.

But what after becoming Heavenly Persons?

Those islander Heavenly Persons would still have to obey the commands of Ihui Nai Luo, who controlled the Divine Tree, wouldn’t they?

On the other hand, Ihui Guangjiu and Ihui Ju Xu simply didn’t want to become sacrifices in the ritual... This point was completely reasonable, hence Beichuan Si offered his help appropriately.

After all, if blood was offered and the Spiritual Body had nowhere to reside, their disembodied spirits would completely disperse.

They did not want to become sacrifices in Ihui Nai Luo’s plans.

But when these two were freed from danger, their hidden desires also surfaced—

To become Heavenly Persons, to control the Divine Tree.

And the daggers they had prepared well in advance said it all.

After being saved by Beichuan Si, one of them came forward, offering her own blood, allowing the Spiritual Body to enter the Divine Tree, and then to take control of it.

If it really succeeded, replacing Ihui Nai Luo’s position on Ihui Island wasn’t impossible.

And they could also become immortal Heavenly Persons...

Unfortunately, all these plans had already been seen through by Beichuan Si before they could succeed.

"From the start, the legend of the Divine Tree was a hoax," Beichuan Si said, binding Ihui Guangjiu and Ihui Ju Xu tightly, "All of this is nothing more than a deception woven by the Ihui Main Family and the Izumi Shrine."

"As for becoming Heavenly Persons through the five trials, that’s just a dreamlike goal. The Ihui Main Family and the Izumi Shrine deliberately set these conditions, luring islanders to participate in the scam intently, and in the end, every single person who passed these trials... without exception, all became Earth Spirits."