In the very center of the array, a giant willow tree stood tall. Its trunk was incomparably thick, resembling an ancient pillar of heaven that supported this mysterious and chaotic universe. Its luxuriant branches and leaves stretched out wantonly, every single leaf shimmering with a mysterious, chaotic luster as if containing endless mysteries. Most peculiar of all was that whenever its branches drooped, they triggered a ripple in space, like a stone dropped onto the calm surface of a lake, stirring up layer upon layer of mystical waves.
A thought stirred in Lin Feng's heart. He realized that this was in all likelihood the legendary Chaos Spiritual Root—the Hollow Willow Tree, which was none other than the true form of Yang Mei, the Space Demon God. Rumor had it that the Hollow Willow Tree harbored formidable spatial power and was one of the most mysterious entities in the Chaos World.
Lin Feng cautiously approached the Hollow Willow Tree, feeling the concentration and potency of the spatial power all around him. As the distance closed, he perceived the subtle shifts in space with increasing clarity, as though he had placed himself in a wondrous realm woven from Spatial Law. Every step forward felt like crossing different spatial dimensions, a marvelous sensation that left him both excited and tense.
When he finally stood beneath the Hollow Willow Tree, an inexplicable surge of joy rushed over him like a roaring tide. His eyes flashed with a burning fervor, as though he were gazing upon the most precious treasure in the world. Slowly, Lin Feng extended a hand, the limb trembling slightly with the weight of his inner excitement and reverence. As he gently brushed against the trunk, its rough texture instantly transmitted to his fingertips like the carvings of time. Every single grain bore an ancient and mystical aura, whispering of the long and distant history of the Chaos World.
At that moment, the Hollow Willow Tree seemed to keenly sense Lin Feng's presence. Its branches shuddered slightly, emitting a faint rustling sound like the gentle murmurs of an ancient spirit. The spatial ripples grew fiercer, spreading outward in concentric circles as if a massive boulder had been hurled into a tranquil lake. Rays of colorful light flashed forth from among the branches, intertwining in a dreamlike display resembling the primordial dawn of the Chaos World, illuminating this mysterious space.
Amidst his joy, a bold and perilous thought flashed through his mind—to devour the origin of the Hollow Willow Tree.
His gaze locked onto the shimmering branches as he calculated in secret. He knew very well that once he successfully devoured its origin, he would rapidly master the Spatial Law, sparing himself the long and arduous process of comprehension. Moreover, relying on his existing understanding of the Law of Time, if he could fuse the laws of time and space, his strength would leap to unprecedented heights. Perhaps he could ascend to an entirely new level within the Chaos World, wielding power mighty enough to handle any unknown challenge.
As this notion continued to well up, Lin Feng's heart began to beat faster, and his breathing grew ragged.
Right then, the Hollow Willow Tree seemed to perceive Lin Feng's dangerous intent. Its branches instantly thrashed wildly, like an enraged guardian swearing to defend its existence to the death. Blade-like cuts of spatial force, condensed from pure spatial energy, descended upon Lin Feng like a torrential storm. These spatial blades gleamed with a chilling light, slicing delicate cracks into the void wherever they passed and demonstrating their formidable power.
Seeing this, Lin Feng let out a cold snort, a flash of determination and confidence crossing his eyes. Unflustered, he rapidly activated the Time Wheel. The Power of Time poured forth from the wheel like an invisible shield, enveloping Lin Feng in its embrace. The ferocious spatial blades, the moment they touched the Power of Time, seemed to sink into a swamp of time, their speed gradually slowing until they finally vanished into nothingness. The powers of time and space collided and canceled each other out in that instant, agitating ripples of mysterious energy that radiated outward into the surroundings.
Realizing that its first round of attacks could do nothing to Lin Feng, the Hollow Willow Tree slowly formed an elderly face upon its trunk. This visage was covered in the marks of time, with crisscrossing wrinkles that seemed to engrave the ancient memories of the Chaos World. The look it cast at Lin Feng was filled with terror, yet mingled within that fear appeared to be a trace of entreaty and helplessness.
Fear spread like a dark cloud across the aged face of the Hollow Willow Tree. It clearly perceived the greedy covetousness lurking deep within Lin Feng's heart toward its origin; that dangerous thought felt like a specter in the dark, making it sense an unprecedented threat. Having weathered countless long years in the Chaos World, it had long since gained sentience and a sharp instinct for danger. The intense aura of desire emanating from Lin Feng drove it instinctively into deep terror.
"Senior, please spare my life," the Hollow Willow Tree pleaded in a low voice, trembling with fear. Having survived in the realm of chaos for endless ages, it was now facing an unprecedented crisis.
Lin Feng let out a cold snort, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "You just tried to assassinate me. Hand over your natal treasure, your Natal Formula, and your origin, and I can spare your life." Lin Feng knew full well the immense value of the treasures and origin possessed by the Hollow Willow Tree. Having endured hardships in the chaos, he understood that increasing one's strength required the accumulation of various opportunities and resources.
"This... Se—" Before the Hollow Willow Tree could finish, Lin Feng cut it off. "Since you refuse to hand them over, I shall simply take them myself." With those words, a formidable aura radiated from Lin Feng as he made a move to strike. Roaming the chaos, he never easily let go of opportunities, especially ones capable of drastically boosting his power.
"Senior, please hold your hand!" the Hollow Willow Tree hastily interjected. "This junior is willing to surrender the natal treasure and the Natal Formula. As for this origin, that is utterly out of the question. If Senior intends to take it by force, then even if this junior is destroyed, Senior will never get your hands on it." The Hollow Willow Tree understood that its origin was its very foundation; once surrendered in full, it would utterly lose any future possibilities. It was desperately seeking a glimmer of survival within a desperate situation.
Lin Feng fell into a brief contemplation. Weighing the pros and cons, he stated, "Very well. As long as you give me half of your origin, this matter will be put to rest. Otherwise, prepare to die." Lin Feng also understood that he could not push too hard; after all, if the Hollow Willow Tree truly chose mutual destruction, he might end up with nothing at all. In the chaos, balancing survival and profit was a key every expert needed to grasp.
Upon hearing this, the Hollow Willow Tree hesitated for a moment before gritting its teeth and agreeing. In its heart, it knew that the current situation placed it beneath another, and one had to bow one's head when the circumstances demanded it. It had not yet formed a human body and was completely incapable of escaping Lin Feng's control. As long as it could preserve its little life, a temporary compromise was hardly unacceptable. Under the cruel laws of the Chaos World, survival was the primary objective, and everything else could wait for future opportunities.
Nor did Lin Feng find anything improper about this. In the eyes of Chaos Demon Gods like them, the law of the jungle was the most normal thing in the world. In the chaos, strength dictated everything, and in pursuit of greater power, they would seize every opportunity to elevate themselves. Against the backdrop of the chaos, this transaction appeared both pragmatic and helpless.