"Aunt Olivia, what should we do now?" Even Thomas, a notorious demon lord, was losing hisposure.


    He too had noticed that the entire Druid order was stirring. They were like ferocious beasts, eager to devour the delicious morsel that was Cloudview County!


    The Forebearer had already given them a sign!


    On the fringes of the Emerald Empire, county towns were under attack by the Druids at this very moment, and to make matters worse, there were troubles brewing within the capital itself.


    "Focus on the present."


    Olivia let out a long sigh. "It won''t be easy for the Druids to make their move. I need time to clear my head. For now, you all should go home, and I''ll investigate the Druids'' activities."


    "Alright."


    Lucas nodded slightly. He had seen his sister''s capabilities; she could move through Druid territory as if it were uninhabited. Given the current situation, that was all they could do, even though the enemies of Cloudview County had just increased!


    As the group was leaving, they noticed Keh hadn''t moved.


    Lucas frowned. "What about him?"


    Keh gave a bitter smile. "Killing me won''t help you..."


    "That''s not true, your corpse would be quite valuable."


    William licked his lips.


    Keh was momentarily speechless, but Olivia shook her head at the others and smiled at Keh, "Stay alive. I look forward to the day you meet Michael again."


    Under Keh''s gaze, the ckwood n departed.


    His expression was one of dawningprehension; he seemed to grasp the meaning in Olivia''s words.


    "There will be another day. I... I haven''t lost yet. Yes, Cloudview County hasn''t lost either. We still have a chance!"


    ...


    "Yes, we haven''t lost. I must win!"


    Ethan narrowed his eyes.


    He was closely observing the situation on his game screen.


    Indeed, the county towns around the Emerald Empire had been invaded, and the situation seemed one-sided. News of the death of a Competent Force expert had arrived swiftly.


    But that didn''t mean ckwood had no ce to survive. ckwood had survived the hostility of the entire Cloudview County before, and they could do it again, though this time they might have to abandon their ancestralnd.


    At the Psychic Position, which was the shrine, the whole world was ckwood''s hunting ground!


    However, that meant he couldn''t descend into the world to absorb the natural energy and attempt a breakthrough.


    "If I enter the game now, there''s still time."


    Ethan took a deep breath.


    His current Spiritual Tribute value was enough for him to descend for a long time, and he coulde out at any moment if there were an emergency.


    He switched his view to the ancestralnd.


    [Would you like to use the Forebearer moment?]


    [You are currently at the peak of Developing Skill.]


    [Entering the game world to cultivate psychic powers will consume 50,000 Spiritual Tribute points per year!]


    [Confirm entry!]


    In an instant.


    Ethan entered the game world, invisible to all as before.


    The boundary, marked by a red circle, had expanded to the size of a county town.


    Now, ckwood looked even more formidable than thest time he saw it, and all the affiliated forces were busily preparing for battle.


    Nathan was directing the people of Gratitude Vige.


    Before long.


    The ckwood people who had gone to Crestwood Hills returned.


    [ckwood Year 130, the Great ckwood Festival begins.]


    [Your descendants offer you a Tribute...]


    A pale blue screen appeared, and Ethan, as before, chose items that could enhance his abilities.


    In the shrine.


    Ethan sat quietly at the shrine table, watching his family members kneel in worship. He truly felt like a spirit, watching his descendants honor him, a strange feeling of being revered even after death.


    As Nathan finished the annual sacrificial speech.


    Nathan bowed deeply. "Forebearer, with the total assault by the Druids imminent, please rest assured, your children have weathered many storms before, and we will survive this disaster too!"


    "What instructions do you have, Forebearer?"


    The Thunderfire Raging Python appeared, having undergone significant changes after devouring a demon king in the Joy Beast Tribe. It had grown two long tentacles.


    Ethan clicked on the blue screen, still disying the Thunderfire Raging Python''s icon.


    This time it seemed to be handwritten.


    As Ethan typed, the Thunderfire Raging Python spoke in a deep voice, "The master says, prepare for battle!"


    "Yes, Forebearer!" The descendants of ckwood smiled.


    They were a family used to doing as they pleased, and after a few quiet years, they even found themselves longing for the adrenaline of dangerous days.


    ...


    As the grand festival concluded, Ethan sat cross-legged under the Primordial Blood Tree, while the people of ckwood fell into a quiet anticipation, waiting for the Druids to make their move.


    They had traveled a long way to Cloudview County, a journey of at least half a month.


    The busiest were the allied forces of ckwood, who had heard the news and were now setting various traps. Everyone could feel the danger descending upon Cloudview County; this was no longer a personal matter, protecting their homnd was crucial.


    Beneath the trunk of the Primordial Blood Tree, a mysterious yellow light excited the tree, causing it to sway.


    [Rootless Soul Soil]


    [This special soil, existing for a million years, can generate unique abilities and give birth to Stone Beasts where it lies.]


    This was originally the habitat of the Giant Rock ability n, where Stone Beasts were born and controlled by the Giant Rock rk tribe.


    At this moment, with the Rootless Soul Soil beneath it, the Primordial Blood Tree was undergoing strange changes.


    Within a ten-meter radius of it, the ground had transformed into something resembling granite, etched with mysterious patterns.


    It was... altering the terrain of ckwood!


    Even a full-force strike from Foundational Energy couldn''t damage such ground.


    The people of ckwood, having heard the news, excitedly gathered to observe.


    Ethan grinned.


    [The Primordial Blood Tree reports to you that it and the Rootless Soul Soil canplement each other. It can continuously make thend of ckwood more robust through its intelligence, slowly altering the terrain within the range of its roots. Moreover, with sufficient ability, it can summon massive Stone Beasts.]


    "If this gives the family enough time, couldn''t we be a force even stronger than the Giant Rock rk tribe?"


    This pleasant surprise delighted Ethan, no wonder the Primordial Blood Tree wanted to experiment when the Rootless Soul Soil returned to the family.


    Ethan even noticed that the Primordial Blood Tree was undergoing another phase of transformation.


    While the people of ckwood were excited, Olivia in her wheelchair noticed Helen, who was frowning and trying to stay behind the others.


    Olivia narrowed her eyes, "Helen, where is Nichs?"


    A cold wind blew through, making today in ckwood feel particrly chilly.


    ...