Chapter 626: Three Major Systems, Tree Monster’s Spiritual Rhyme

"Indeed, I can't remember if it's been tens of thousands of years…" the giant tree's aged voice drifted out, sounding quite melancholy.

Xiao Fan was startled; he hadn't expected this to be a tree monster that had lived for tens of thousands of years!

The main reason he had sensed the tree monster's power yet hadn't fled was that it was heavily injured.

Currently, the tree monster's aura fluctuated wildly. Although it was a Grade 7 Demonic Beast, its actual strength was likely inferior even to the snake monster from earlier.

Otherwise, this tree monster wouldn't have been trying to hide itself from Xiao Fan's discovery all this time.

"How long have you been here?" Xiao Fan asked. At this moment, he was certain that whether it was the snake monster he just killed or this ancient tree monster, both had only arrived at this place of Opportunity in recent years!

With these two present, no matter how many young geniuses the Mao Family sent, they would all have perished!

"About a dozen years or so," the aged voice replied without beating around the bush.

"Was that snake monster protecting you?" Xiao Fan asked. That Grade 6 snake monster was very strong; there was no reason for it to stay here for nothing.

Spiritual Spring Liquid was a treasure, yet the snake monster hadn't touched it at all. From this, it was clear that something was suspicious.

"No, it wasn't." The aged voice replied, then added after a hesitation, "It didn't come to protect me; it came to kill me."

"To kill you?" Xiao Fan was stunned, not expecting the giant tree to say such a thing.

"Indeed, it came to kill me." The aged voice rang out as it began to explain the reason to Xiao Fan.

The Yao Race usually refers to spirits and monsters… 'Yao' refers to beasts, while '精' (Jing) refers to plants!

For a plant to become a Spirit Monster is an incredibly difficult process, the most difficult among all living things!

Among the various systems, the Human Race has the fastest cultivation speed and the strongest comprehension, aligning well with the Dao, but their lifespans are very short.

Next is the Yao Race. Yao Beasts possess naturally powerful physical bodies but advance slowly. However, they have long lifespans, living dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of times longer than humans of the same Realm!

Finally, there are the plants that become Spirit Monsters. It often takes thousands of years just to develop basic sentience and embark on the path of cultivation.

And the cultivation speed of these plant spirits is countless times slower than that of the Yao Race.

But the upside is that plants have exceptionally long lifespans. According to the old tree, a single long slumber could last thousands or even tens of thousands of years!

"At that time, I was heavily injured and forgot how long I had slept. After waking up, my condition was too poor, and I needed to find a precious land to recover… So I came to this stone cave. These stone walls can draw from the Earth Core Spring, which is beneficial for my recovery…"

The old tree slowly narrated. It was recuperating in the stone cave, using its roots to connect to the Earth Core Spring and absorb the nourishment of the Spiritual Spring Liquid to restore itself.

"And then?" Xiao Fan asked. He didn't fully believe the old tree's words. Why would that snake monster come to kill it?

"Then… that snake monster sensed my aura. Our path of plant cultivation is different from the Yao Race and the Human Race; our bodies are born with Spiritual Rhyme…" The old tree hesitated slightly while speaking but eventually explained the reason to Xiao Fan.

Plants are born of heaven and earth, growing under their nourishment.

Therefore, when plants become Spirit Monsters, they contain different Spiritual Rhymes within them from the time they are weak.

This Spiritual Rhyme varies depending on the Spirit Monster's Realm, talent, and original form.

The Spiritual Rhyme contained within a Grade 7 tree monster was enough to drive that snake monster mad!

"So that's how it is…" Xiao Fan murmured, his eyes gleaming as he looked at the massive old tree.

The old tree just said this Spiritual Rhyme was a good thing. Although he didn't know exactly how it was good, it was certainly of great benefit!

Not only Xiao Fan, but even Wei Zhongshan behind him showed a look of greed as he stared at the towering old tree's massive trunk.

"Little friend… the human cultivation system is different. My Spiritual Rhyme has a negligible effect on you humans!" The aged voice became slightly hurried; it felt very uncomfortable under Xiao Fan's gaze!

Negligible?

Xiao Fan was taken aback. If it was 'negligible,' didn't that mean it was still useful?

He could also understand that this was an excuse the old tree was using to try and dispel his ill intentions.

"Little friend… believe me, my Spiritual Rhyme is useful to the Yao Race, but it has little effect on humans. After all, humans do not need to align with heaven and earth!" The old tree's voice was very urgent as it shared the insights it knew.

It was, after all, a ten-thousand-year-old tree monster; it certainly knew a lot.

Xiao Fan was patient, waiting for the old tree's further explanation.

Among the living beings in heaven and earth, the Human Race is the most Heaven-Defying and thus the most likely to suffer Heavenly Tribulations.

Once a human reaches the Pi Hai Realm, they will attract a Heavenly Tribulation…

This Heavenly Tribulation is actually the punishment of heaven and earth upon the Human Race.

In contrast, the Yao Race and the Spirit Monster race do not have so-called Heavenly Tribulations.

The Yao Race must undergo the Five Declines of Heaven and Man. If a high-grade Yao Beast survives them, they will advance and gain even greater power.

As for the Spirit Monster race, they are extremely rare, and their own strength is very weak, often being the weakest among those in the same Realm.

However, this race is the one treated most leniently by heaven and earth. Not only do they have no Heavenly Tribulations, but they don't even have the Five Declines of Heaven and Man.

But the drawbacks are also obvious: their cultivation speed is extremely slow, and they are often at the mercy of others during their youth.

"Little friend, everything I've said is true. The Spiritual Rhyme of my Spirit Monster race can help the Yao Race pass the Five Declines of Heaven and Man, but it's of no use to humans!" The aged voice sounded very sincere.