Chapter 581: Chapter 414: The Metamorphosis of the State of Mind
Zachary stood idly in the sky, reminiscing about the past. From his first transmigration when he chose to lie low, only to encounter a natural disaster and struggle to survive, finally dying inexplicably.
Now during his second rebirth, having foreseen the disaster, he made preparations in advance and then gained the System, embarking on his cultivation journey.
The past events quickly flashed before his eyes. Though he had lived them once more, there was pride as well as regret. This rebirth may not have been entirely smooth sailing, but at least he had not encountered any insurmountable hurdles.
As his mind returned to the present, Zachary suddenly felt a sense of mental clarity, like a dusty gemstone that had gone unpolished for a long time, now cleaned and gleaming with dazzling brilliance.
Zachary checked the System’s Data Layout. Although there was no indication of improved Cultivation Level, he felt as though he had undergone a transformation.
It was as if he were an enlightened monk letting go of worldly attachments. At this moment, he had no more ties to this place. Originally, Zachary had intended to destroy this place once more, to completely erase his past traces, but now he let go. He left without altering a single blade of grass, as if he had never been here.
Having let go, Zachary no longer lingered in the area but directly flew towards Pengcheng on his sword.
When Zachary arrived at the third ring road area, he found the shade of the trees had already spread here. He scanned the area with his Divine Sense, but the feedback didn’t exceed his expectations from the time he set out.
Zachary muttered to himself, "Another fruitless search? It’s indeed the most taxing for Divine Sense."
Zachary, while floating in the air, had a sudden idea. Seeing as he could not approach the giant tree from within the shadow, perhaps he could from the air.
Thinking this, he did not test it personally but used his customary method of tying a sheep to his sword and then using his Flying Swords to approach for testing.
While Zachary stood gracefully on his Flying Sword, he tied it firmly to the sheep’s back. When carried aloft by the Flying Sword, the sheep, with hooves treading air and panic-stricken, bleated ceaselessly.
The giant tree was already immense. As the Flying Sword, carrying the big sheep, flew to the top of the tree, at first, all seemed well.
But as Zachary lowered the height of the Flying Sword, intending to touch the leaves at the top of the tree, suddenly, thick vines burst out of the lush foliage, instantly forming an enclosure around the Flying Sword and the sheep.
Seeing this, Zachary used his Spirit Power to propel the Flying Sword, making its blade extraordinarily sharp. The rope binding the Flying Sword and the sheep was instantly severed by the keen edge, and they parted ways.
The Flying Sword then accelerated violently, piercing through the surrounding vines and re-emerging in the open sky.
Perhaps the giant tree was only interested in living creatures and found the sentient, yet inanimate, Flying Sword uninteresting. Even when the Flying Sword hovered near the tree top, it was not attacked again.
The sheep, enveloped by the vines, was rapidly pulled into the dense foliage. Afterward, tranquillity returned to the tree top as if nothing had happened.
Zachary was not surprised by the tree’s reaction. He knew that even compared to the Imperial Court or a regular city’s Officials, his resource mobilization capability was far inferior.
So, since the giant tree had been surviving here for so long, and Pengcheng’s Officials could not deal with it, unless Zachary could discover a method that naturally restrained it, he too was quite self-aware.
His visit was merely a routine probe. Finding no viable solution was acceptable; had he discovered one, it would have been a bonus.
Despite the routine outcome, Zachary was neither saddened nor discouraged. He had long accepted this reality.
After finishing here, before returning, Zachary specifically went to the camp where his uncle and grandfather lived. He did not visit directly, only observing with his Divine Sense. The old man appeared hale and hearty, showing no signs of worry. With sufficient food reserves at home, Zachary turned to head to the next location.
Upon reaching Saxon County Camp, Zachary didn’t land but continued southward. This time, he suddenly remembered the camp to the south of Saxon County, the nearest one.
Information about the Awakener had been clearly gathered at that camp. It was only now that Zachary remembered he had made a trading agreement with Zyaire at the camp’s Officials office. However, he had forgotten about it due to being preoccupied.
At that thought, Zachary felt a twinge of guilt, though it was fleeting in his heart. Since he hadn’t taken any advance payment, he hadn’t really shortchanged the other party.
Reviewing his Storage Space, Zachary found he had both regular and potent nutritional supplements. Relieved, he moved on.
Upon arriving near the target camp, he noticed there were no signs of development compared to the increasingly prosperous Saxon County Camp. It remained exactly as it had been during his previous visit, with not a single change.
