Reincarnated as a Divine Tree

That evening.

After handling the clan’s affairs, Chen Xingzhen and the others returned to the Ancestral Hall. As always, they prayed before the Divine Tree and then gathered around to watch the light screen, eager to see Chen Qingyu’s progress.

Three days ago, Chen Qingyu had left the Zhou clan and begun his journey home. However, the task Chen Xingzhen had assigned him was far from simple. Along the way, he had to investigate the routes outside of Chaotic Burial Mountain and gather intelligence on other families. The journey would take time, but the insights gained over the past few days had already deepened their understanding of the outside world and prepared them for the challenges ahead.

Just as they were immersed in watching, the sharp cry of a newborn baby echoed through the clan grounds.

Almost immediately, a voice rang out, filled with uncontainable joy.

"I’m a father! I’m finally a father!"

The words sent a ripple of excitement through the Ancestral Hall.

Chen Xingzhen and the others blinked in surprise before remembering that Chen Tianquan’s wife had been due to give birth around this time.

Chen Tianquan, one of the younger members of the Tian generation, was already over thirty years old. Though younger than figures like Chen Tianyu, he had not yet fathered any children. His wife had conceived during the clan’s darkest days, when survival itself was uncertain. The clan had been too preoccupied with its struggles to celebrate the pregnancy.

But now, things had changed.

Realizing the significance of the moment, no one could focus on the light screen any longer. In an instant, they rushed out of the Ancestral Hall.

This was the first newborn of the clan’s next generation. A sign of hope. A symbol of the future.

Excited murmurs spread across the clan grounds as people hurried to offer their congratulations, bringing small gifts as tokens of goodwill.

Ji Yang, observing through the Divine Tree, had also heard the baby’s cries.

It was a boy.

Though Ji Yang did not share the same emotional attachment as the living clan members, he still felt a certain satisfaction. The clan was growing. Quantity did not always guarantee quality, but with enough people, talent would surely emerge.

As the newborn continued to wail, a sudden thought struck Ji Yang.

Babies cry because they lack awareness—they do not understand the world around them, cannot express their needs, and rely on instinct to seek comfort and protection. Normally, it would take two months before they developed enough intelligence to form simple thoughts.

But… why wait?

A divine ability flickered in Ji Yang’s mind.

Spiritual Awakening: You can use a certain amount of vital energy and spiritual power to awaken a being’s intelligence and accelerate its growth.

Up until now, Ji Yang had only used this ability on animals like the Spirit-Tailed Chicken. He had never considered using it on a human infant.

But why not?

Perhaps he had been thinking too narrowly, assuming that Spiritual Awakening was only meant for wild beasts. But if it worked on animals, then why not on a newborn whose intelligence had not yet fully formed?

If he could awaken a child’s intelligence earlier, their development could be accelerated significantly.

Before Ji Yang could put his idea to the test, Chen Xingzhen, Chen Tianquan, and several others carried the newborn toward the Ancestral Hall.

According to clan tradition, every newborn had to be presented before the Divine Tree to receive its blessing. This custom had existed long before the Divine Tree showed its spirit—now, with the Divine Tree truly alive, the ceremony held even greater meaning.

A group of people entered the Ancestral Hall, stopping at the base of the Divine Tree.

Prayers were offered.

The mother, a woman in her thirties, held the baby in her arms. Though her face was pale from childbirth, she cradled the infant carefully, refusing to let go. The child, wrapped in soft cloth, had fair skin and bright, lively eyes. But despite the soothing touch of his mother, he would not stop crying.

As the final prayers were spoken, Ji Yang made his move.@@novelbin@@

The leaves of the Locust Tree trembled, and shimmering green light rained down.

Tiny flecks of light sank into the mother and child, merging into their bodies.

Almost immediately, the newborn’s cries ceased.

His tiny head tilted upward, round eyes widening in amazement as he gazed at the falling green light. Instead of crying, he let out a joyful gurgle, waving his little hands in excitement.

Chen Tianquan, standing beside them, was overjoyed.

"The Divine Tree has truly blessed my son!" he whispered in awe, his voice thick with emotion.

He knelt down and bowed once more, offering another heartfelt prayer. His child was the first to receive the Divine Tree’s blessing—an honor that would surely make the other clan members envious.

However, Ji Yang had not only used Reversing Dan Progress to enhance the child’s vitality; he had also cast Spiritual Awakening upon him.

Yet, unlike with animals, there was no immediate notification or visible effect.

Still, Ji Yang could feel the change.

His vital energy dropped by ten points. His spiritual energy decreased by eight points.

It worked.

The energy consumption was roughly eight times higher than what was required for the Spirit-Tailed Chicken, but that did not bother him. His reserves were still plentiful, and he could recover his losses through daily moonlight absorption.

More than the expenditure, what intrigued Ji Yang was how this ability would affect the newborn’s development.

Would the child show signs of intelligence earlier? Would he speak sooner, comprehend faster, learn at an accelerated rate?

The answers would take time to reveal themselves.

For now, the baby in his mother’s arms seemed like any other newborn—aside from his unnatural calm and fascination with the Divine Tree’s light.

Once the prayers concluded, the clan members departed, still buzzing with excitement over the newborn’s arrival.

As Ji Yang observed them leaving, he took a moment to check his current status:

[Name: Ji Yang]

The recent clan sacrifices, the revival of the natural blood spring, and the expansion of his cultivation techniques had significantly accelerated his growth. In just ten days, his vitality had increased by thirty points, not including the energy he could convert from blood and qi.

As for his spiritual power, it was barely sufficient for now. If the number of newborns remained low, he could sustain them—but if the clan continued to grow, he would need to accumulate more reserves to ensure future awakenings.

His simulation points had dropped into the single digits after the last Tenfold Simulation, meaning he would need some time before he could attempt another multiple simulation.

Meanwhile, the Ancestral Spirits continued to strengthen. Thanks to his subterranean roots and increasing Yin energy absorption, their cultivation had progressed at an alarming rate.

In a few months, the soul clan members might even surpass the strength of the living.

And when that time came, if they could equip themselves with armor, it would be a game-changer.

The thought brought a hint of anticipation to Ji Yang’s mind.

Outside, the weather was gradually warming, yet within the clan’s borders, the temperature remained cool.

A minor inconvenience for some.

But for Ji Yang and his growing clan, it was nothing more than a small price to pay for the future they were building.

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