[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-can-extract-divine-power":3,"chapter-i-can-extract-divine-power-i-can-extract-divine-power-chapter-22":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","I Can Extract Divine Power",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1209664,1570,"Chapter 22: The Bizarre Locust Tree","i-can-extract-divine-power-chapter-22",22,"\u003Cp>If, before, Shen Bai thought this bizarre aura was just his imagination, that was no longer the case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, seeing the Locust Tree begin to move and coil around the Scholar’s neck, he knew it was no illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This really is an Aberration!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A glint of excitement appeared in Shen Bai’s eyes, his hand already gripping the hilt of his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’For the past few nights, he’d been wracking his brain, wondering where to find Evil Qi. And now, one has delivered itself right to his doorstep!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Bai casually reached into his robes, pulled out a black cloth, and masked his face with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since the last time, he had developed the habit of carrying one with him at all times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the black cloth allowed him to hide his identity when necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the black cloth was on his face, the excitement in Shen Bai’s eyes intensified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Here I come, Aberration.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Shen Bai leaped from the wall. His Blood Sword Dance flowed like a shadow as the longsword in his hand struck a branch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The severed branch twisted and dissolved into black smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Scholar, who had been entangled by the branches, rolled his eyes back and fainted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Bai paid him no mind. As he brought his longsword back, he saw the Locust Tree shaking its branches, a dense thicket of them surging toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one were to be entangled by these branches, even a Cultivator would likely be helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calm and unhurried, Shen Bai executed his Blood Sword Dance, creating an impenetrable wall of sword-shadows around himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the sword-shadows appeared, all the approaching branches were severed, turning into black smoke and vanishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hand over the Evil Qi.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Bai balled his left hand into a fist. Shrouded in Buddha’s Light and echoing with a sacred sound, it carried a boundless, murderous Qi as it slammed into the Locust Tree’s trunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trunk of the Locust Tree began to tremble violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As it shook, its dense leaves fell like rain into the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bathed in the Buddha’s Light, Shen Bai was like a wrathful Buddha, resolutely punching his fist through the Locust Tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Puffs of black smoke rose continuously from the Locust Tree’s trunk and branches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trembling Locust Tree vanished, turning into a pile of ash on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before him, a wisp of Evil Qi appeared, which Shen Bai collected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Shen Bai withdraw his hand and turn to look at the unconscious Scholar on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Scholar looked feeble. Not only did he have dark circles under his eyes, but his forehead was also completely black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Bai stepped forward for a quick examination, then shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without any medical knowledge, he could tell the Scholar before him was in a wretched state. His Essence, Qi, and Spirit had been drained to a dangerous degree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few more days of this, and he would have been dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps disturbed by Shen Bai’s examination, the Scholar weakly opened his eyes. He glanced around, a look of confusion on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he saw Shen Bai, his face covered by the black cloth, his expression immediately turned to one of alarm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who are you? Why are you in my home? Are you a robber?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given Shen Bai’s current attire, it was only natural for the man to think so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Bai looked at the Scholar’s expression. It seemed the man had no idea what had just occurred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this in mind, Shen Bai voiced his suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t you remember kowtowing to the Locust Tree in your courtyard?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Locust Tree? Kowtowing? Me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There is no Locust Tree in the courtyard. I...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Scholar’s words trailed off, his face filled with astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly came to his senses. Scrambling to his feet with difficulty, he stared at the corner of the courtyard, his astonishment turning to bewilderment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I only remember that on my way back from the academy, I met a strange man. He told me my writing brush was cracked.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your brush was cracked...\" Shen Bai prompted. \"And then what?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Shen Bai didn’t actually want to get involved, but this story seemed to have a continuation. It might be related to the Aberration, and if there was a chance to get more Evil Qi, it would be a huge gain for him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Nothing in this world comes for free, but Shen Bai hoped to at least find a stable source of Evil Qi so he wouldn’t be stuck at a critical moment. That’s why he asked.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Scholar frowned, trying hard to recall. \"I didn’t believe him at the time, so I took out the brush I carry with me. To my surprise, the shaft of the brush really was cracked.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The strange man then took out a tree branch and told me that a brush handle made from it would be even better to use.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the Scholar scratched his head and paused for a moment, as if trying to remember.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Usually, brush handles are made from bamboo. After all, we don’t have much money for fine wood. But the wood he offered was just too good. I couldn’t resist, so I accepted it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After I got back, I planned to use the wood to make a new brush, but the next day, the wood was gone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I searched for it all over my room and the courtyard, and finally found it stuck in the ground in a corner of the yard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, much of the bewilderment in the Scholar’s eyes finally faded, replaced by a trace of fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Bai saw the connection in the Scholar’s fearful expression. \"After the Locust Tree was planted, did you start encountering phenomena that can’t be explained by common sense?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Scholar nodded quickly. \"That very night, I knew something was wrong. I had a very strange dream. I dreamt that a branch took root in the soil, sprouted, and grew into a tree. And in the tree was a beautiful woman in a red dress, swinging on a swing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She called me husband, so I went over to her. Every night, we would swing happily together. Later, we got married.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My wife loved meat and strong liquor the most, so I went out to buy them for her every day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he said this, a look of confusion appeared in the Scholar’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These memories are so vivid... Did I really get married?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, I’m not married. It was all a dream.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his state, Shen Bai understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Aberrations don’t kill in simple ways. Some special ones use unique methods.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’If this scholar had gone on for much longer, all the Qi and blood in his body would have been sucked dry by that Locust Tree.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’At that point, he would have become a corpse, and the Locust Tree would have moved on to find its next victim.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he understood what happened, Shen Bai got to his real reason for asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where exactly did you meet him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Since this business had a follow-up, Shen Bai was genuinely curious to see if he could score some extra Evil Qi.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Scholar thought carefully, then pointed in a direction. \"I think it was on the way from the academy to my home. About three streets over. I’m not sure what that street is called.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The county town was, in some ways, still a foreign place to these scholars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, in their pursuit of success in the imperial examinations, most scholars lived a life that shuttled between two points, not paying much attention to the outside world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’But that description is detailed enough.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Bai turned, preparing to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Scholar was stunned and subconsciously asked, \"Who are you, sir?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he received no answer, only seeing Shen Bai’s back as he vanished from sight.\u003C\u002Fp>",1313,"2026-06-03T14:13:26.865Z","2026-06-03T14:13:33.156Z",1,"novelbin.me","deb409b7d5e8f124ff7cd607a6ab58ebca178ccb3acdecaa4234b9eb737a25b1","i-can-extract-divine-power-chapter-139","i-can-extract-divine-power-chapter-138",322,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-can-extract-divine-power-cover.jpg"]