As Yun Lintian was bewildered by the sudden crack on the tree, the serpent's voice echoed in Yun Lintian's mind, grim this time.
"The price of survival... is sacrifice."
The tree's protection came at a cost—its own life force.
Yun Lintian's eyes widened as he realized the truth.
This isn't just a trial... it's a memory of the World Tree's final moments.
The golden-armored general noticed the weakening barrier and laughed. "Even the First Tree cannot defy Heaven forever!"
He raised his halberd, gathering the combined might of the five divine generals. A beam of annihilation lanced toward the World Tree—
And Yun Lintian, still beneath its branches, could only watch as death approached.
BOOM!
"Hah!" Yun Lintian gasped as consciousness returned. The wooden box in front of him became warm, its runes pulsing with faint light.
The serpent studied him, its golden eyes no longer mocking. "Now you understand."
Yun Lintian exhaled slowly.
The trial wasn't about escaping or fighting.
