Chapter 369

After applying this set of rules, Earth's population would no longer be counted in hundreds of millions, but in tens of thousands.

Among all beings in the world, who has no desires?

The seven emotions and six desires are human nature.

If having the seven emotions and six desires makes one deserving of death, and only the aloof sages deserve to live, then who in this world does not deserve to die?

The tree spirit's set of rules merely imposes strict standards on others while being lenient with herself.

In real society, there are many such people—each one a great sage online, yet doing not a single good deed in reality.

Borrowing a famous internet saying: Good people are plentiful online, but scarce on the streets—do passersby not use the internet, or do netizens never step outside?

In fact, this set of rules still works perfectly when applied to the tree spirit!

Enslaving groups of ghosts—restricting their freedom of movement—deserves death!

Enticement enforcement—deserves death!

Killing countless beings for the sake of cultivation—excessive greed for fame and profit—deserves death!

Giving Xiaoqian to Heishan—human trafficking—deserves death!

If the tree spirit's so-called "morally corrupt" people merely have minor moral flaws, or are simply foolish enough to believe ghostly lies,

then the tree spirit's countless evil deeds are challenging the very boundaries of law and morality.

Although the law cannot reach demons and monsters, Zhang Taixuan has come—and he will not let her suffer lightly.

"The Immortal speaks truly; I nearly fell for this demon's deception—truly, false words deceive the masses!" Yan Chixia snapped back to his senses, slightly embarrassed—he had almost believed the tree spirit's lies.

Nie Xiaoqian murmured to herself: "How could any human in this world be a sage without desires?"

"No, you cannot kill me!"

"I am Heishan's servant!"

Zhang Taixuan's expression remained unchanged; suddenly, countless flames erupted from empty space, turning the sky into a pool of blazing fire.

Among them were Nanming Li Fire, Phoenix Fire, Qilin Fire…

Controlling the heat, he gave the tree spirit a sauna, slowly burning her body to ash, before ending it.

"Ahh…"

"No!"

A shrill, tinny scream echoed through the void, causing humans within hundreds of li to turn pale and flee indoors, while demons and monsters broke into cold sweats, gripped by terror.

Some powerful demons, with sharper eyesight, gazed toward the Lanruo Temple direction, their expressions changing instantly as they fled in the opposite direction.

This place is too dangerous!

"Huh, there's still something good left!"

Zhang Taixuan's expression shifted; he reached out through empty space, and in his hand appeared a green crystal the size of a fist.

This was the accumulated cultivation essence of the tree spirit—the essence of Yi Wood—purified to absolute purity by Zhang Taixuan's flames, containing not a trace of impurity.

For ordinary people, possessing this item—even without any cultivation knowledge—simply carrying it on one's person could extend one's lifespan.

For a cultivator, acquiring it would surely grant a hundred years of increased cultivation base; it is a rare treasure.

For Zhang Taixuan, this item held little value—useful only for pill refining.

"So the tree spirit is dead?"

Nie Xiaoqian stared blankly, only snapping back to awareness as ash drifted down from the sky, then exhaling a sigh of relief.

Yan Chixia was also stunned.

The flames that appeared in empty space were astonishing.

He recognized only one—Nanming Li Fire—thanks only to his sect's teachings.

As for the other terrifying flames, he had never even heard their names, yet their power made their extraordinary nature obvious.

"Just who is this Immortal?" Yan Chixia muttered inwardly. "Could he be a celestial sovereign descended from the upper realms?"

Zhang Taixuan smiled: "Of course the tree spirit is dead. Such a minor demon—if I hadn't wanted to teach her a lesson, I could have killed her with a single casual strike."

"But there are still some who slipped through."

He reached out and seized dozens of female ghosts.

Each of these ghosts carried heavy malevolent energy, their aura dark and terrifying.

"Spare us! We were forced by the tree spirit to harm others—it's not our fault!"

Seeing themselves captured, the ghosts offered no resistance, pleading desperately for mercy.

"That's true—you had no power to resist, so those evil deeds cannot be blamed on you!" Zhang Taixuan smiled. "Then I shall send you into reincarnation, letting Heaven and Earth judge your karmic debts!"

As he spoke, six paths appeared behind him; the female ghosts in his hand each fell into one of the six paths.

Some with light karmic debt entered the human path, yet must endure three lifetimes of poverty; some with heavy karmic debt entered the animal path, to be slaughtered for a hundred lifetimes; others with extreme karmic debt were instantly transformed into stones, their true spirits in chaos, never to rise again.

"The Six Paths of Reincarnation—fair indeed!" Zhang Taixuan watched intently, completing the reincarnation of all ghosts before withdrawing his divine power.

Yan Chixia was stunned: "Was that the Six Paths of Reincarnation? Could this Immortal be the Great Emperor of Dongyue?!"

"How could the Dao Jun even wield the Six Paths of Reincarnation?" Nie Xiaoqian was dumbfounded.

Zhang Taixuan smiled: "It's merely one divine technique. I never expected it could still invoke reincarnation power in this world—it's truly astonishing."

As he spoke, he led the two to the spot where the tree spirit had grown—a pitch-black pit, from which thin streams of black yin energy rose.

Even under the blazing sun, Yan Chixia felt a chill run through his entire body.

"This connects to the Underworld!"