The bead released a burst of azure light amid a faint thump, and an object began to take shape within the light.

As the light faded, the object was revealed to be a massive black pine tree.

The tree was extremely huge, yet its appearance was quite peculiar. There seemed to be an invisible line running directly down the center of the tree; on one side of the line, the tree was extremely lush and exuberant, yet the other half was completely shriveled up and devoid of leaves, as if it were a dead tree.

This was Mu Qing's wood spirit body.

She appraised the tree with a complex expression before flicking her 10 fingers in quick succession, casting one incantation seal after another, which all disappeared into the black tree.

The tree abruptly shuddered before lowering a small section of itself further into the ground, then falling completely still.

However, Mu Qing didn't stop there. She opened her mouth again to expel a ball of green blood essence, sending it flying toward the black tree before disappearing into a slight bulge on the tree trunk. 

After that, Mu Qing began to chant something, and she raised both hands in unison to blast forth another two pillars of green light, both of which...