"Actually, those World Seeds were my gift to you. You didn't need to give them to the others," the World Tree said.
"Ah?"
Qin Zi was taken aback and asked, "Wasn't it random? Why did you give them to me?"
"Because... you and I come from the same place. You're from my homeland," the World Tree's voice carried a tone of nostalgia.
"You're from Xuanyuan Heaven?" Qin Zi asked.
"No, the homeland I speak of is not Xuanyuan Heaven. It is another place. To this world, both you and I are outsiders," the World Tree replied.
"What is that place?"
Qin Zi's breathing quickened, feeling that he had touched upon a great secret.
"That place... cannot be spoken of, cannot be described," the World Tree's voice turned somewhat melancholic. "I've already taken root in this world, losing the ability to return. But you... you still have a chance. You are still connected to that place by fate."
Qin Zi suddenly recalled that his father had once said their family didn't come from the higher realms, but from another world.
Now, it seemed to be confirmed.
His father hadn't lied to him!
He took a deep breath and asked, "Then do you know who my father is? What is his true identity?"
"Your father?"
The World Tree hesitated for a moment and then replied, "I don't know who your father is. If he stood in front of me, I might be able to discern something. But my power is confined within the World Tree's space, and I cannot see beyond."
"I see."
Qin Zi nodded in disappointment, then asked, "You mentioned I didn't need to give the World Seeds away. But what if they all turn against me? Holding onto treasures can be a dangerous thing."
"Hmph, let them dare!"
The World Tree chuckled coldly. "A bunch of ants, if they dare disrespect the envoy, there will be divine retribution!"
"Ah?"
Qin Zi was utterly confused.
What did that mean? Did he have some exalted status? Was his background significant just because he came from that place?
"I know you're confused. The explanation is complex, and some things cannot be said. All you need to know is that you have certain privileges in this world. Coming from that place makes you a Guardian of this world, wielding the authority of heaven and earth."
The World Tree's voice resonated with authority.
"The authority of heaven and earth?"
Qin Zi's eyes widened, and his heart raced.
It felt as though he had just discovered that his family's ordinary fire poker was actually a scepter commanding all under heaven!
But soon he calmed down and hesitantly said, "But I don't feel like I have any authority. I can't command the laws of heaven and earth, and even my status as the Lord of Xuanyuan Heaven is in name only."
"That's likely because you've lost your past memories. You must have descended into this world with a mission, but something went wrong, and you've forgotten your purpose," the World Tree sighed.
It then reassured him, "However, it doesn't matter. As long as your connection to your homeland remains, you are surrounded by boundless fortune. No one in this world can kill you—neither heaven nor earth can bury you!"
"Really?"
Qin Zi gasped in disbelief.
"Absolutely."
The World Tree affirmed confidently.
"This..."
Qin Zi took a deep breath, then let out a bitter laugh, suppressing the excitement in his heart.
I don't believe a word of it!
Perhaps the World Tree was telling the truth, but was he really going to test it? What if he really died? Could he resurrect himself and come back to argue with it?
Life only comes once. He couldn't afford to take such risks!
"Sigh, I understand why you don't believe it. I'm only telling you the truth, not expecting you to believe me. In fact, it makes no difference whether you do or not. With the fortune you possess, you are destined to be immortal and indestructible," the World Tree muttered.
"Alright, alright, I believe you," Qin Zi nodded, half-heartedly appeasing the World Tree. After all, the World Tree had given him so many World Seeds—he couldn't be ungrateful.
"Sigh... you don't know how blessed you are."
The World Tree sighed again, its voice tinged with sadness. "I envy you, being able to return, while I... can never go back. No matter how much time passes, my homeland will only be a fleeting memory, like a flower falling in a dream."
Qin Zi sensed the sorrow in the World Tree's tone and tried to comfort it, "Don't be so pessimistic. If I can return one day, I'll bring you with me."
"Hehe, that's impossible."
The World Tree gave a bitter smile. "I can never return. My connection to that place has been severed. To me, it no longer exists, and to it, I no longer exist. We are in two different dimensions."
Qin Zi frowned, unwilling to accept this. "But that's just a rule, isn't it? As long as we surpass that place, can't we break the rule?"
"Impossible."
The World Tree laughed bitterly.
"Why not? Is there truly an absolute strongest in the world? I've heard the saying: the Dao gives birth to fifty, and heaven evolves through forty-nine, leaving one behind. That one represents infinite possibilities!"
Qin Zi stubbornly pressed on.
"Heh heh..."
The World Tree chuckled again, its voice filled with helplessness and bitterness, but it neither explained further nor refuted his claim.
That one...
After a long silence, the World Tree finally spoke again, "Regardless of everything, I'm glad to have met a fellow from my homeland. Let me give you another gift."
Qin Zi's eyes brightened!
He watched as the crown of the World Tree emitted a vibrant green light, like fireflies rising into the air. The glowing light coalesced into a beam of emerald light, which descended upon his head.
Boom!
It felt like a divine revelation as a vast surge of power flowed into Qin Zi, breaking through barriers within him.
Crack, crack, crack!
Chains of energy appeared on the surface of his body, and they all shattered simultaneously. His strength surged wildly, growing more and more powerful.
"Ahhh—!"
Qin Zi roared as if a great river had broken free and was flowing unimpeded. A radiant divine light burst from his body.
He had broken through.
The God King Realm!!
"The power I've gifted you will mostly remain dormant within you, and for now, you won't be able to control it. But in times of crisis, it may prove invaluable," the World Tree's voice sounded tired as it spoke. "That's it. I've exhausted the strength I accumulated over the years. It's time for me to return to slumber. I hope we can meet again... fellow from my homeland."
With those words, Qin Zi saw the World Tree's form grow faint, and the swirling chaos energy surged around him like a tidal wave.
Whoosh!
His vision blurred, and in the blink of an eye, he was back in the grand plaza from before.
"Huh? He's back?"
"His aura... wait, what is that?"
"He broke through to the God King Realm! He's in the God King Realm now!"
The people around him were momentarily stunned, then they erupted into shocked exclamations, their faces filled with awe—and greed.
Normally, even with a World Seed, it would take hundreds of years to break through to the God King Realm. Yet Qin Zi had vanished for just a short while, and he'd already broken through.
There had to be something fishy!
He must have received some kind of extraordinary fortune!!