Vol. 1 - Ch. 118 - Golden Body of Incense

With the acceleration of time and the growing number of worshippers, the amount of Incense Aura absorbed by Ji Yang increased daily.

Gradually, a faint golden hue appeared on Ji Yang's trunk, the result of the ever-accumulating Incense Aura coursing through him.

The surge of Incense Aura made him feel invigorated, as if he had gained new divine abilities. He discovered he could use these abilities to assist his worshippers in times of peril, such as when they encountered wild beasts beyond their strength.

As the worshippers multiplied, Ji Yang began absorbing countless streams of Incense Aura each day. Unlike before, these streams were no longer purely white but radiated with multicolored brilliance.

Although Ji Yang noticed this change, he didn’t dwell on it. The more Incense Aura he absorbed, the stronger he felt. This strength manifested not only in his divine abilities but also in his physical form.

At first, his tree form stood at a modest height of a hundred meters. But as time passed, he grew rapidly—first reaching a thousand meters, then ten thousand, and still climbing with no sign of stopping. From a distance, Ji Yang resembled a colossal golden pillar piercing the heavens.

As his trunk soared ever higher, Ji Yang’s vision expanded, revealing more of the endless Wild World. Yet, despite his height, the horizon still eluded him.

This didn’t trouble him. Ji Yang was no longer the same as before; he was growing at an extraordinary pace. The ferocious beasts that had once loomed large now appeared as insignificant as ants to him.

He didn’t need to intervene directly anymore. A single thought was all it took for his worshippers to act on his behalf.

At his current growth rate, Ji Yang felt that he was on the cusp of uncovering the true essence of this world. The thought stirred a rare flicker of excitement within his otherwise calm heart.

This simulation was shaping up to be his most successful one yet. Under his guidance, the worshippers living beneath his shade had expanded their territory, becoming a dominant force in the Wild World.

The spiritual energy radiating from Ji Yang gradually enlightened his worshippers. They began to think more deeply, developing new ideas. Even their once-simple martial arts evolved into more sophisticated techniques.

Meanwhile, the Incense Aura flowing into Ji Yang transformed into a colorful river, turning his trunk into a radiant golden monument.

He no longer needed to send out conscious thoughts to inspire prayers. His worshippers prayed regardless of his intent, and their fervent devotion allowed him to absorb Incense Aura continuously.

With the abundant Incense Aura at his disposal, Ji Yang felt he was mere meters away from reaching the end of this Wild World.

Just as he was about to unravel its mysteries and glimpse its true nature, a line of red text suddenly materialized before his eyes:

[You have absorbed too much Incense Aura. You are dead!]

Under Ji Yang’s shocked gaze, his once-lustrous golden trunk turned black, emanating a vile aura of decay.

The monumental tree he had so carefully nurtured collapsed in an instant.

Desperately, Ji Yang tried to rally his vast network of underground roots to stave off the disaster. But it was futile—his roots, once robust and unyielding, had rotted away.

As the great tree fell, the worshippers below screamed in terror and scattered like leaves in the wind.

Ji Yang struggled to control the Incense Aura to halt the decay, but to his horror, it no longer obeyed his commands.

Amid his struggle, Ji Yang discerned countless thoughts swirling within the Incense Aura:

"Why does he have more power than I do? This is unfair! Divine Tree, make me stronger!"

"Why does he have more food than I do? This is unfair! Divine Tree, grant me more!"

"Why is he the tribe leader? This is unfair! Divine Tree, open your eyes and see!"

What had once been pure prayers were now tainted with dissatisfaction and jealousy.

The Divine Tree, which had once symbolized their hopes and aspirations, had become the outlet for their grievances.

"Incense is poisonous!"

This was Ji Yang’s final thought as his mighty branches collapsed and the world around him dissolved into darkness.

…

In the Ancestral Hall, Ji Yang returned to reality, his consciousness breaking free from the simulation.

The vivid experience left him with a lingering sense of unease.

If he could bring the version of himself from the Wild World into his current reality, even the modest Chen family could rise to unimaginable heights. Yet, despite the temptation, Ji Yang chuckled softly.

A fleeting moment of power cannot compare to the endurance of the ages.

Though he was weak now, it didn’t mean he couldn’t grow into such strength in time.

[Simulation complete!]

[In this simulation, you have learned a new technique: Incense Gold Body.]

[Incense Gold Body: Absorb Incense Aura to forge an indestructible golden body.

Spirit Consumption: Absorb the free spiritual energy of heaven and earth and transform it into your own.

Enlightenment: Consume a portion of life force and spiritual energy to awaken a creature's intelligence and accelerate its growth. (Note: Only applies to creatures you have enlightened.)

Omnipresence: Amplifies all your abilities.

Boundary Breaking: Removes physical height limitations.]

…

The results of the simulation caused Ji Yang to sway his leaves with satisfaction. The experience had been highly rewarding.

However, when his gaze fell on the Incense Gold Body technique, he hesitated.

Despite its allure, Ji Yang’s memory of his collapse in the Wild World filled him with apprehension.

The abundant Incense Aura was tempting, but it carried too many hidden dangers.

He couldn’t forget the poisonous thoughts that had tainted the prayers in the simulation. Even unenlightened worshippers had shown such malice; what could he expect from others?

Ji Yang sighed softly. While Incense Aura could grant immense power, its impurity was inevitable. After all, prayers—no matter how sincere—were still reflections of human desires.

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