Lin Lei's mind instantly grasped the truth. No wonder that one Netherworld Tree that appeared in the grey mist region could so easily handle him and Bei Bei. And when Bei Bei used his innate ability, "God Devouring," he couldn't sense the Godspark of that tree at all. Now it seemed that the tree in the grey mist region was simply a branch of this main Netherworld Tree before him. A branch of a God possessed such power—it was hardly surprising.
The Netherworld Tree in the grey mist region and the one before him now were like the Green Serpent and the Snake Spirit. The Green Serpent had no soul, so the small Netherworld Tree naturally had no soul either.
"Lord God!"
Lin Lei cried out urgently and immediately dropped to his knees with a thud.
The Golden Serpent and the Silver Nine-Headed Serpent glared angrily at Lin Lei and Bei Bei. Then the Golden Serpent pleaded, "Lord God, these two killed my daughter. You saw clearly how it happened, Lord God... You must avenge her!" The Golden Serpent's massive head pressed against the ground.
Thud! Bei Bei also hurriedly knelt down, saying anxiously, "Lord God, you can't blame us. We didn't know at the time." Bei Bei was worried the God wouldn't help Lin Lei.
"Hmph." The nine green serpents, as well as the gold and silver serpents, all glared furiously at Bei Bei and Lin Lei.
Lin Lei didn't dare interject; he simply knelt, waiting for the God to speak.
"Enough." The colossal face on the trunk of the Netherworld Tree, with its eyes glowing a brilliant emerald green, swept its gaze over the group. Those caught in its gaze, whether anxious or furious, instantly fell silent. "Jin, they do bear some guilt in this matter. But it is not a crime punishable by death... after all, they did not know the truth."
The God had a branch present at the scene. He had seen everything clearly.
At the time, he had wanted to save the Snake Spirit, but the branch's power was insufficient to stop Bei Bei's innate ability.
The Silver Nine-Headed Serpent immediately glanced at the Golden Serpent. She knew her husband had a very good relationship with this Netherworld Tree God.
The Golden Serpent pleaded earnestly, "Lord God, you watched my daughter, Tina, grow up. Would you truly let her death go unavenged?" Others wouldn't dare speak to a God this way, but he could. He had grown up alongside the Netherworld Tree from the beginning.
"Jin!" The colossal face on the Netherworld Tree frowned. "Let this matter rest."
At these words, the nine green serpents, along with the Silver and Golden Serpents, dared not say another word. If the God himself had declared it so, pressing the issue would only end badly.
"Lin Lei, you two may leave." The colossal face spoke, expressionless.
"Lord God!"
Lin Lei knelt and bowed his head, pleading, "I came all the way from the Infernal Realm to the Netherworld specifically to seek an audience with you, Lord God. I have a request, and I hope—" He had only just begun to speak, but the Golden and Silver Serpents beside him flared with anger, snorting hotly through their nostrils.
"In your dreams!" the Golden Serpent roared. "That the Lord God does not kill you is already a mercy, and you still dream of asking for his help? Scram! Get out of here now!"
"Get out!" the nine green serpents also roared in succession.
The Silver Nine-Headed Serpent's scales flared with light in her fury as she stared fixedly at Lin Lei: "Leave immediately now, and my husband and I will spare you. If you stay here, hoping the God will help you in any way, I, Yenna Wei, will kill you here and now, even if it costs me my life!" They hadn't killed Lin Lei and Bei Bei immediately because of their strength and because of the God's command. Now that Lin Lei actually wanted to ask the God for help, they could no longer hold back their rage.
"The Lord God hasn't spoken yet. What right do you have to interrupt?" Bei Bei shouted angrily.
Interrupting in the presence of a God was terribly rude, but Bei Bei clearly didn't understand the relationship between the Snake Spirit and the Netherworld Tree. The colossal eyes on the Netherworld Tree's trunk swept over the crowd again. "Silence. Let's hear what Lin Lei has to say."
"Lord God." The Golden Serpent looked at the Netherworld Tree in surprise.
The Netherworld Tree's gaze fell upon him, and the Golden Serpent immediately fell silent.
Lin Lei spoke gratefully, "Lord God, I came to seek an audience with you because I hope you can help me... help me find the undead forms of my loved ones and brothers in the Netherworld. Help them recover their memories from their previous lives! I know you can do this, Lord God. I beg for your compassion." Lin Lei pressed his forehead to the ground.
Seeing this, Bei Bei's eyes grew moist. When had Lin Lei ever been like this?
"I beg for your compassion." Bei Bei also knelt, his head touching the ground.
Both Lin Lei and Bei Bei pleaded, while the Netherworld Tree remained silent for a moment. Lin Lei, still kneeling, felt his heart tighten with anxiety. He had traveled all this way, waiting for the God's answer. What he feared most now was the God's refusal. He kept hoping and hoping in his heart!
"You may leave." A deep, resonant voice spoke.
Lin Lei's body trembled.
Bei Bei lifted his head in disbelief to look at the Netherworld Tree. "Lord God, can't you help at all?" Bei Bei cried out urgently.
Lin Lei also looked up at the God, tears glistening in his eyes, pleading, "Lord God—"
"That is enough. I am powerless to help in this matter," the deep voice resonated.
"Powerless?" Lin Lei looked up at the Netherworld Tree. The colossal face showed no trace of emotion. He asked urgently, "How can that be? I know that any Lord God of the Netherworld can find the undead and restore their memories!"
"Hmph." The Silver Nine-Headed Serpent beside them let out a cold snort. The Golden Serpent and the nine green serpents also stared coldly at the two.
"You've asked the wrong God," the Golden Serpent sneered.
Lin Lei and Bei Bei froze.
From the Netherworld Tree came the deep voice: "I truly cannot help you with this matter. Because... I am not a God of the Netherworld, but the God of Life."
Lin Lei and Bei Bei stared in astonishment.
The God on Netherworld Mountain wasn't a God of the Netherworld?
"If you came to Netherworld Mountain seeking a God of the Netherworld, it's simple... Continue onward, leave the purple mist region, and wait patiently at the Divine Palace. However, let me warn you... The God of Death does not have a temperament as mild as mine. Because of Tina's death, the God of Death might kill you directly," the Netherworld Tree said.
Lin Lei and Bei Bei exchanged a glance.