Reverse flow of the Yellow Springs

Tao Yuanming's "Peach Blossom Spring" describes a beautiful environment in the deep mountains and forests, isolated from the world, self-sufficient, and where everyone is content.

Now, Li Yelai has also seen a peaceful and harmonious human village in the dangerous, frigid mountains.

This made him unable to understand how any living creature could survive in such a deadly environment as the Great Snow Mountain.

Li Yelai did not approach rashly, but carefully observed the villagers in the fields from the jungle.

Clearly, they are all pure human beings, without any physical abnormalities, and are not beings from the forbidden zones corrupted by the forbidden zone's order.

As for their clothing, some were wearing linen clothes, and occasionally there were garments that clearly showed signs of industrial processing. But those clothes seemed to have been worn for a long time, and were quite worn.

This shocked Li Yelai even more; the purebred human villages within the Great Snow Mountain once possessed an industrial level.
"Could these people be descendants of the strongest humans of the past?" Li Yelai thought with a jolt of emotion, considering this possibility.

The Great Snow Mountain was the final battlefield for humanity's strongest forces.

They were swallowed by the calamity fog, where they awakened their spiritual power. Through long battles, they grew stronger, giving birth to humans with extremely high combat power, who then launched a powerful attack on the calamity fog's overlord.

If we win, we can conquer the calamity fog and lead our compatriots back to the physical world.

But in the end, they were defeated, the Forbidden Zone was formed, and all the surviving humans were corrupted by the Forbidden Zone's order and became Forbidden Zone humans.

Perhaps some of humanity survived the great war and lived in this special valley. At present, this seems to be the only possibility.

If that's really the case, then Giant City might have to find a way to get them out of here.

Oh, descendants of our ancestors! Even though their forefathers were defeated, their bravery could not be concealed.

However, what Li Yelai was always concerned about was the dead pregnant woman.

Is she also from this village?
Why were her Achilles tendons severed? Why were there inhuman features in her abdomen? Finally, why did she commit suicide?
"Is the life substance I'm seeking related to this village?" Li Yelai pondered, unsure whether to make contact with them.

Although they were speculated to be descendants of ancient sages, the pregnant woman's corpse and the severed backpack served as a warning to Li Yelai that this village was definitely not simple.

Fortunately, Li Yelai was physically strong enough that he could easily observe the villagers even from a great distance.

So Li Yelai continued to hide in the jungle, observing the villagers' actions from afar.

The village is not large, but it has about a hundred people.

Their faces were rosy, and both men and women seemed very content and satisfied, with smiles always on their faces.

They seem to have no worries at all. Well, in this environment, civilization cannot develop; as long as they can eat and drink their fill, they are content.

A life of abundance, free from work, danger, and stress. It truly is a paradise.
But strangely, Li Yelai didn't see the old man. Was he inside the house? Or was it because of this special environment that humans age particularly slowly?
As time passed and the sun set, the villagers all headed towards the center of the village.

After a brief hesitation, Li Yelai followed them under the cover of darkness.

In the center of the village stands a large tree, so large that it would take more than a dozen people to encircle it.

The tree was generally reddish, and its intricate branches were devoid of leaves.

In the middle section of the tree trunk, there is a rather large hole.

At this moment, the villagers gathered under the ancient tree, worshipping it as if they regarded it as a religion.

Li Yelai looked at the ancient tree and pondered, "Is the normal temperature in this valley due to this big red tree?"

It was at this moment that Li Yelai spotted an older man in the distance, who appeared to be in his early fifties. His attire was noticeably more refined, featuring a black cloak with black feathers cascading down his back. He was wielding a red wooden staff under an ancient tree, seemingly performing some kind of ritual.

The villagers knelt on the ground, looking at the man with fanaticism and anticipation.

As the wooden staff in the man's hand fell and was aimed at a middle-aged man with graying temples in the crowd, all the villagers burst into joyful shouts.

The middle-aged man also stood up excitedly and knelt down in front of the man in black.

The man in black tapped the middle-aged man on the head with his red cane and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Immediately, the middle-aged man stood up and climbed the ancient red tree with a sincere expression.

Seeing this, Li Yelai frowned slightly, unsure of what was going on.

But then they saw the middle-aged man laboriously climb the ancient tree, slowly approaching the tree hole at the middle. Finally, he actually squeezed his entire body into the tree hole.

Whether it was due to the angle or some other structure within the ancient tree, Li Yelai could not see the middle-aged man's figure.

All the villagers held their breath and stared intently at the ancient tree.

A few minutes later, a muscular arm emerged from the tree hole, followed by a human figure crawling out of it.

It was none other than the middle-aged man who had crawled into the tree hole earlier. No, he couldn't be called middle-aged anymore; he should be called a young man!

Previously, his temples were somewhat gray, but now his hair was jet black, all the wrinkles on his face had disappeared, his somewhat hunched body was now incredibly upright, and his mature face had become somewhat youthful.

If it weren't for the fact that his face still retained his original features, Li Yelai would have thought it was a completely different person.

He's become young again!

The villagers celebrated joyfully, while the young man jumped down from the ancient tree, scooped up a young woman, and spun her around.

His body was younger and more agile, as if he had inexhaustible strength!

Li Yelai was utterly shocked by what he saw.

Regardless of the absence of elderly people in the village, this ancient tree possessed a rejuvenating effect, genuinely making the middle-aged man appear younger. And it wasn't just a superficial effect; before, he would be breathless climbing the tree, but now he could move with ease.

The ancient tree gave him unimaginable vitality!

"Could this be the life substance I've been searching for?" Li Yelai thought quickly. If it were true, then the Old Mad King would truly be invincible!

Give him a complete rejuvenation, keep him in peak condition. With a mad king in peak condition, which king of the restricted area would dare to act recklessly?

The Old Mad King's combat power is terrifying; he seems to rank among the top kings, even stronger than the Amber King.

Of course, considering that these were said by his colleagues in Border City No. 3, they might be bragging, but Li Yelai was willing to believe it because he was also from Border City No. 3.

But Li Yelai also knew that this was impossible.

Everything comes at a price, so what is the price they paid for their rejuvenation?
Looking at the enthusiastic villagers, Li Yelai felt a growing unease. He became even more wary of the ancient tree.

To confirm whether what he was looking for was indeed this ancient tree, Li Yelai looked again at the navigation compass hanging on his chest.

The compass was still pointing forward; it really was that ancient tree?

Is this what life-giving matter is?
Li Yelai frowned, gently stroking the compass to check it, but his expression changed drastically.

The compass needle was pointing in the direction Li Yelai was facing, but when Li Yelai reached out to touch it, he couldn't reach the needle. Instead, he could only touch it about five degrees to the side.

The compass needle was still there and pointing in the correct direction, but Li Yelai couldn't see it; he could only see a false needle and direction.

His vision was deceived! No, not just his sight, but his entire senses were deceived!
He fell victim to the virus without even realizing it!
Without any hesitation, Li Yelai grabbed the Black Gold Dragon Pattern Spear, his spiritual energy surging and bursting forth, and his spiritual energy barrier was activated to its maximum!
He didn't know when he was hit, but he was certain that he was in danger!
As psionic energy erupted, the scene before Li Yelai shattered. A gigantic red ancient tree stood not far away, and within its hollow, a massive eyeball stared at Li Yelai. The instant Li Yelai's psionic energy surged, another surge of psionic energy neutralized his psionic energy barrier.

There were no farmlands or fruit trees around Li Yelai.

Instead, a group of withered-looking humans surrounded him, wielding sharp weapons and approaching Li Yelai. Just a step in front of him were several enormous animal traps. If Li Yelai, deceived by the illusion, took even one step, he would be caught in one of these traps. Two figures even took out a huge pair of scissors and placed them unnoticed on either side of Li Yelai's legs.

At the same time, Li Yelai also heard a cruel whisper.

"He found it!"

"Quickly, sever his hands and feet!"

A ferocious slash came down instantly, viciously aimed at Li Yelai's right hand holding the gun.

At the same time, the giant scissors on the ground closed instantly.

Clearly, they wanted to sever Li Yelai's legs and arms as quickly as possible!

For Li Yelai, they were too close.

Before he could react any further, Li Yelai instantly activated Mimicry: Abyss Dragon Scale!

A phantom image of jet-black dragon scales appeared, and an axe and giant scissors fell and closed. They struck directly at the dragon scales.

Li Yelai quickly pushed off, twisting his body in mid-air with all his might, and swept his black and gold dragon-patterned spear like a whirlwind!
One-Handed Eighteen Throws - Elephant Stomp!
The black and gold dragon-patterned spear tore through the air with a deafening roar, unleashing a terrifying dragon's cry. It slammed directly into the three attackers.

'Bang' 'Bang' 'Bang'

Three loud crashes rang out almost simultaneously, and the three people were instantly sent flying. The two who were crouching on the ground controlling the giant scissors were struck on the shoulders, their arms snapped off. The person who attacked from behind with an axe was smashed in the waist and sent flying.

Li Yelai dared not linger and used aerial stepping to increase the distance, only to find that the spiritual energy of aerial stepping was being neutralized. The efficiency was greatly reduced.

Aerial stepping is a technique of using psionic barriers to achieve aerial relay.

But at this moment, the psionic barrier was weak, and stepping on it felt like stepping on a sponge. This greatly reduced Li Yelai's speed.

The ancient tree is still neutralizing Li Yelai's spiritual energy. Is this also part of their plan?

By using perception deception, Li Yelai was led to the ancient tree before the attack was carried out.

"What are you doing? Look closely, I am human!" Li Yelai roared.

"That won't be the case for long!" a figure sneered.

The attacker whose waist had been broken earlier straightened up instantly, and his fractured vertebrae seemed to be repairing themselves rapidly.

At the same time, the withered humanoid figures surrounding them also launched an attack instantly.

This instantly jolted Li Yelai awake. What human village? What rejuvenation? These were all illusions created by perception!

These withered appearances were their true forms. Li Yelai even saw several winged figures among them.

Even creatures from restricted areas have become part of this?

They seem to be a composite of flesh and tree fibers, with branches or buds growing on their bodies, withered yet possessing a tenacious vitality!

Damn it! How did I end up running into something like this?

Li Yelai cursed inwardly, forcibly using his aerial stepping technique to quickly move away from the ancient tree.

Those who withered away pursued quickly; their spiritual energy was generally strong, with some possessing the third or fourth level of awakening.

Normally, Li Yelai could easily have killed them. But under the influence of the ancient tree, his spiritual energy was affected, making it difficult for him to unleash his full power. Moreover, their injuries were healing extremely quickly. They couldn't linger in battle; it was too strange!

Li Yelai tried to create some distance, but saw a withered figure wearing a black cloak and holding a red wooden staff coming towards him.

It's that middle-aged man from the illusion!

"Stay, human. You too will be blessed with immortality." He indifferently raised his hand, the wooden staff in his hand slamming down with the force of a thousand pounds. A gale surged, and countless wind blades appeared, slashing towards Li Yelai. He was actually a five-sense psychic!
But Li Yelai neither dodged nor evaded, instead charging head-on into the wind blades, using his Abyss Dragon Scales to withstand the attack. At the same time, his black-gold dragon-patterned spear thrust out instantly.

One-Handed Eighteen Throws - Rhinoceros Strike!
A cold glint pierced through the gale, hurtling straight towards them!

The middle-aged man's expression changed, probably because he didn't expect the fourth-sense psychic to dare to withstand his attack, and was directly pierced through the chest by Li Yelai.

Li Yelai, though not seriously injured despite his scattered dragon scales, had his backpack cut open, scattering some items.

Li Yelai twisted his spear in the process, performing the Eighteen Thrusting Spears with One Hand - Alligator Spin!
It tore open the middle-aged man's chest and shoulder; this time, Li Yelai went for the kill.

But then, vines sprouted from the middle-aged man's chest, rapidly stitching up the flesh and blood.

The drooping head continued to speak: "You are strong, human. But it's useless. We are immortal. Stay here, the divine tree will let you experience all that is beautiful. We haven't had a new member for over six years."

"Good, human, do not resist. Continue to slumber in this beautiful dream." A withered being pursued, its mouth uttering words of advice: "Have you ever tasted the flavor of an angel? It's truly wonderful."

"No need, everyone, please don't see me off!"

Li Yelai could only pick up the blazing oil lamp from the scattered props and quickly leave the battlefield.

But the other withered ones relentlessly pursued them.

As Li Yelai increased the distance between himself and the ancient tree, his spiritual energy was gradually no longer suppressed, but the withered ones paid no attention to it.

Li Yelai brandished his dragon spear, slaying several withered beings, only to see them quickly recover and get up to give chase in the next second.

A dozen or so unkillable psychic power users relentlessly pursued Li Yelai.

Even after Li Yelai had rushed up the snow-capped mountain and had to turn on the blazing oil lamps, they still refused to give up. Their bodies were frozen, yet they forced themselves to move, constantly cracking and healing. They clung to Li Yelai relentlessly.

Li Yelai understood why he had seen the severed backpack back then: it was because a psionicist who had entered the snow mountain had been hunted down by them!

Because of the proximity to the snow-capped mountains, Li Yelai dared not activate his facial mask, fearing that it might trigger another avalanche.

The middle-aged man who had chased them here coldly said, "Forget it, we can't take him down. But we can't let outsiders know our information."

"Understood." The withered ones sneered, and immediately their spiritual energy surged as they attacked Li Yelai recklessly.

The middle-aged man waved his red cane, and a sudden gust of wind surged forth.

"I gave you a chance, human. Now you shall be buried here."

In the next instant, a storm surged up on the snow-capped mountain, and a terrifyingly low temperature swept across the area.

Li Yelai could clearly feel that the temperature around him was getting lower and lower, and the oil lamps seemed to have reached their limit.

The maximum height of an oil lamp is 500 meters, and Li Yelai is now close to that limit.

This made Li Yelai's gaze turn cold. In this life-or-death moment, he no longer held back and prepared to fight with all his might.

A blizzard, huh? How about we see an avalanche?

So, facial makeup, blood river.
But at that very moment, Li Yelai felt a surge of heat in his chest, and a warm feeling emanated from the box he had been hiding in his arms.

That was the hand bone of the Vast Supreme Being! (End of Chapter)