The portal slowly opened.

The first person stepped into this world.

The overwhelming spiritual energy caused a hint of bewilderment to flicker across his face, but it quickly faded, replaced by sheer delight.

Before he could speak, the cultivators following closely behind him already spoke up—

“The spiritual energy is so dense.”

“This world is truly extraordinary.”

“We’ve traveled through so many worlds, but this is the first time—the very first time we’ve felt such pure spiritual energy.”

“It’s as if…” The group exchanged glances, and a single thought sprang to mind in unison.

A world where spiritual energy is just beginning to form.

“Find the World Tree!” someone suddenly shouted. “We’re the first ones here—first come, first served!”

With spiritual energy this pure, the World Tree must still be brimming with energy.

And while we’re at it, let’s figure out why this World Tree suddenly came back to life.

But when they stepped fully into this world and saw the small sapling, barely as tall as a person, on the hill behind them…

They were stunned.

“The… World Tree…”

“A new World Tree…”

“How is this possible! Am I seeing things? ”

The first wave of arrivals wasn’t large—only about a dozen or so—but they were all transfixed by that little sapling. After staring blankly for a couple of breaths, someone swallowed hard and noticed something else—

In front of the back mountain, following the winding path, lay a thriving village. Judging by the number of houses and residents, this village must have quite a few villagers.

This discovery made these people hesitate to act rashly.

The fact that they dared to come in the first wave didn’t mean they were completely brainless.

They were veterans of worldwide plundering and masters who had survived brutal global struggles.

Back when the Tongtian Rankings still existed, they were prominent figures on the list. But after the village chief vanished and the Tongtian Rankings could no longer provide guidance, they did not slacken their efforts; instead, they relied on plunder to develop and expand their world.

A world begins as a village. The more prosperous the village, the stronger the world becomes. This is a consensus among everyone.

Even after losing their Village Chief and with the World Tree gradually withering—leaving everyone on their last legs—there were still clear distinctions between the strong and the weak.

Take the Hongyun Realm, for instance, which still holds the top spot on the Tongtian Rankings. Not only does no one dare to plunder it, but they must also tread carefully to maintain good relations with it.

“How strange. A village with such vibrant vitality, yet its World Tree is merely… a sapling?”

“It is precisely because it is strange that we’ve come here.”

“Looks like we’ve struck gold first this time.”

“Proceed with caution; this place is no ordinary place.”

The World Tree has sprouted anew; they dare not even imagine what has happened to this world—or rather, what is happening right now.

Of course, some had different ideas—

“Who cares if it’s simple or not? We’re already in here—why overthink it? Let’s strike first while no one’s around.”

That’s right—the early bird catches the worm.

No matter how strange this place might be, they were the first wave to arrive. With the World Tree’s young sprout right before their eyes, seizing its energy was the priority.

If they didn’t act now, more people would arrive soon, and then they’d have to fight tooth and nail for it.

“Boss, what should we do?”

The leader frowned, but finally said, “Let’s move.”

If things really were strange, the worst that could happen was a fight. Whether this world was weak or strong, they had no way out now.

The group hesitated no longer and surged forward.

But what awaited them around the World Tree was an endless array of formations.

“Boss!! Where’s everyone?” As soon as someone stepped into the area, they were as if ensnared by an illusion, standing rooted to the spot, unable to move, looking around to find the area completely empty.

Others saw nothing but endless vengeful spirits, their gaping mouths lunging to bite them, and were immediately terrified into fleeing.

The dozen or so people seemed to be wandering their own separate paths.

Even though the World Tree was clearly right before their eyes, it was as if they had entered a labyrinth—they could not see the path ahead and were unable to find the exit. And on the labyrinthine path, what awaited them were their own inner demons.

“Seventh Brother’s illusory array—you won’t get out without some real skill.” Eighth Brother stood outside the barrier, watching the group stand frozen in place, babbling wildly.

“Among this group, there’s only one whose cultivation I can’t fathom,” Fourth Brother said to the lead cultivator. He had entered the illusory array but showed not a trace of madness.

Lu Er said coldly, “Not strong,” merely at the early Great Perfection stage.

“If they’re at the Great Perfection stage, the illusion won’t last long,” Lu Qi said, stroking his chin. “But I’ve also set up seven additional formations, plus Old Ten’s talismans. The illusion is fake—it merely plays with the mind—but Old Ten’s talismans are real, delivering genuine attacks. If they don’t want to die, their only option is to flee.”

Anyone who thought this was just an ordinary illusory formation was sorely mistaken.

“If you want to get near the World Tree, you’ll have to break all my formations. There are some among them who know formations, but unfortunately, their cultivation is a bit too low.”

Sure enough, one person had already noticed the illusory formation. He tried to break it, but it was as if he’d encountered a formidable opponent; before long, beads of sweat were forming on his forehead.

He was well-versed in formations—in fact, he specialized in them.

Yet he was utterly baffled. He was the one who usually trapped others; today, he had finally met his match.

The array’s core—I must find the array’s core!

The man sat down where he stood and pulled out a pile of items all at once. He tried to calm himself, but the trembling of his hands betrayed his inner panic.

Lu Qi, however, remained unhurried.

When it came to outwitting and defeating enemies, he and Lu Yi had certainly done their fair share of that over the years.

At that very moment, five or six people had already fallen within the illusory formation—some trapped in the heart-demon’s illusory realm, unable to escape; others severely wounded by creatures conjured from talismans.

Duyan, by Shisi’s side, cautiously cringed.

Shisi ruffled the demon wolf’s head. “What’s wrong, little demon wolf?”

Duyan put on an innocent act and barked twice.

“It’s okay, Master! He’s fine!”

“Don’t let Seventh Brother’s low cultivation level fool you—he kills without batting an eye.” Shisi narrowed his eyes. “Come to think of it, Duyan, aren’t you pretty good at luring heart demons too? Why don’t you go help out?”

Duyan:?

Duyin was still thinking, “How is late Fusion Realm cultivation low?!” A late Fusion Realm master of formations—he’d never even seen one in the Spirit Mountain Realm!

But before he could finish his thought, he felt a tight grip around his neck and was immediately tossed into the formation by Shisi.

Duyan: ??

Lu Qi saw this and glanced over. “Is this the demon beast the village chief mentioned—the one born with the ability to summon people’s inner demons?”

Shisi nodded. “It eats and drinks my food for free every day, so naturally it has to do some work.”

When Duyan first arrived in the Zhutian Realm, he had considered how to escape.

But later, when it realized it couldn’t beat a single person in the village—yes, not a single one—it lost the will to cause trouble. In its previous form, as a Great Perfection-stage demon beast, Duyan could still pull off some minor mischief in the village.

But now it was just a little demon wolf at the Nascent Soul stage!

Besides, it only realized after arriving that, aside from itself, its master also kept a whole pack of spirit beasts at the Union and Great Perfection stages!!

If it couldn’t beat them… it might as well just be a good little demon beast for its master!

It, Duyan, knew when to play it safe!

“Little demon wolf, take them out, and I’ll give you a special treat!”

Shisi’s voice came through the formation, and the little demon wolf twitched its ears.

Don’t worry, Master!

Although this wolf is only at the Nascent Soul stage, tempting people with inner demons is my specialty!

No one knew what Duyan had done once inside, but soon, several more people from another world collapsed one after another. They seemed to have suffered a massive shock, coughing up several mouthfuls of blood and turning pale.

Even that Great Perfection Realm cultivator, who had looked on the verge of breaking free, suddenly halted in his tracks.

Lu Qi narrowed his eyes. “This demon wolf is quite an interesting creature.”

“Brother Qi, if you want to borrow it, feel free anytime,” said Shisi with a laugh.

Lu Qi paused for a moment, then waved his hand. “Never mind.”

The Demon Sect had disbanded; he was no longer some great demon lord. This battle was a battle of revenge. Lu Yi, Lu Er, and the Village Chief didn’t want him to bear too much karmic debt. He’d better not even think about those killing arrays that would severely deplete his virtue.

In about half an hour, of the dozen or so people who had entered the formation’s range, only five remained alive.

Those capable of being plunderers were all top-tier experts in the world.

Yet now, of the dozen or so experts, only four at the Fusion Realm and one at the Great Perfection Realm were struggling to hold their ground.

The World Tree was right before their eyes, yet they could not reach it no matter what.

Even the Great Perfection Realm expert felt a sense of disorientation—

Could it be that, having killed too many people and plundered too many worlds over the years, retribution had finally caught up with them?

“Boss, the array’s core… I—I’ve found it.” Snatching a bead from the void in midair, the array-specialist cultivator suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

“I never imagined I’d see such an illusory formation in my lifetime. I suppose… I have no regrets now.”

The formation cultivator gave a bitter laugh and crushed the bead in his hand.

And as the bead was plucked away, the illusory world before everyone’s eyes vanished completely.

The crowd watched him collapse, all of them stunned for a moment.

Someone cried out in grief and anger, shouting their dear friend’s name hoarsely.

But it was already too late.

“You shouldn’t have crushed that bead—it would explode,” Lu Shi said quietly.

Then, with a thunderous boom, it burst apart.

Above the World Tree, a massive mushroom cloud rose slowly into the sky.

As the explosion echoed, only three figures remained alive amidst the smoke.

“Why not step out and face us in battle? Such tactics are truly despicable,” the Great Perfection Realm expert couldn’t help but speak up.

Suddenly, a voice from afar answered him—

“Despicable? Is it despicable just because you can’t win?” The speaker was Lu Qi.

How much had they sacrificed to protect this world? Some had died; others remained alive. The souls of the dead had lingered for thousands of years; the living were plagued by inner demons, struggling to survive.

And yet the invaders had the nerve to call them despicable?

They were merely mimicking the “might makes right” mentality of their own kind.

“If we were the weak ones today, what would you do? Rejoice and take your spoils home?”

That single sentence silenced the powerful being from another world.

“You all deserve to die!”

Lu Qi waved his hand, and several formations activated simultaneously.

The formations spun rapidly, one, two, three… layer upon layer descending, trapping the three men within.

What followed were several agonized screams.

Wen Jue stood behind the crowd, watching intently. Suddenly, he turned to Qin Zhou beside him.

“Village Chief, this is not a good world.”

Once the truth was known, it became all the more tragic.

In this world abandoned by the “Village Chiefs,” everyone was striving—living and dying for it. Sacrificing themselves for it, killing others for it.

He watched these people die, his heart unmoved. For it was these people from another world who had once killed everyone.

Yet he felt pain as well.

His junior brothers and sisters had also perished in such struggles. But fortunately, they had been granted a chance at resurrection.

It seemed there was no real distinction between good and evil.

The only reason they were standing here, watching, was that they were stronger.

If they were the weaker side, would the tragedy of thousands of years be repeated?

Perhaps that is the tragic aspect of this world.

He was addressing the village chief—speaking as Lu Yi. Qin Zhou was actually far more cold-blooded than others imagined. He did not like killing, nor did he care whether these people lived or died. The game universe was vast; this tiny corner was the only part he had poured his heart and soul into.

But upon hearing Lu Yi’s words, he knew that Lu Yi was lost.

After all, he was the sole survivor of that deadly battle.

He understood the pain of losing a younger brother and sister, and he understood the agony of feeling powerless. So he couldn’t help but think more deeply.

Or perhaps, he had begun to gain some new insights. Not as Lu Yi, nor as Wen Jue, but simply as a stronger being—standing higher, he began to see further.

At the Tribulation Stage, one should have this kind of insight.

Qin Zhou didn’t directly say whether this was right or wrong.

He simply said—

“Military might allows us to protect ourselves for now, but changing the status quo is something we’ll have to think about later,” Qin Zhou said.

That single sentence made Lu Yi blink. He didn’t answer, but looked pensive.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Qin Zhou’s mouth.

Surprisingly, even he began to feel a twinge of compassion because of Lu Yi’s single remark.

If he were the village chief of another world, perhaps he too would be unable to bear this sight.

“Shisi, do as we agreed.” Qin Zhou gazed impassively at the scene of the dying struggle still unfolding within the formation, his eyes unruffled as he spoke.

“Yes, Village Chief.”

Instantly, as if receiving an order, the World Tree began absorbing the souls of those from other worlds floating in the air.

The World Tree hurled them into the sky.

Then they dissipated in the wind.

This was not the complete annihilation of their souls, but rather sending them to be reincarnated.

In the Zhutian Realm, in this world where the World Tree has just sprouted new buds, they would be reborn and grow anew.

Wen Jue stared blankly at the scene; clearly, he had no idea such a thing existed.

Qin Zhou: “Our feud with the strangers from another world should end with this generation; it ceases upon death. If we were to be entangled for lifetimes on end, that would be too exhausting.”

Wen Jue lowered his gaze.

So, he had already decided what to do long ago.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a golden light flared within the portal.

Another group of people had arrived.

“Kill to your heart’s content. Kill until all the demons in your hearts have vanished,” Qin Zhou said with a faint smile. “Once you’re done, forget these past memories—forget what needs to be forgotten.”

And as for those who have died…

After the cycle of cause and effect, they too should have the chance to start anew.

Meanwhile, within Qin Zhou’s *Book of Civilization Evolution*, a new chapter had quietly been added.

【Qingqing Realm】

【Formerly known as ‘Qingqing’s Little Vegetable Garden’】

【Main Character: Qing Xiaotian】

【World’s Highest Combat Power: Early Great Perfection】

【World’s Average Combat Power: Early Spirit Transformation】

【World Tree Status: Withered】

【World Spiritual Energy Level: Level 0】

【World Civilization Level: Level 1】

【Detected that a ‘New World’ has been registered in the ‘Book of Civilization Evolution.’ You may manage this world as the appointed village chief. Do you accept?】

Qin Zhou clicked ‘Decline’ without hesitation.

He wasn’t in a hurry to manage a new world.

First, he had to find that guy capable of establishing portals across various worlds.

That person was the only threat—and the root cause of this game of cosmic plunder that had raged for thousands of years.