At this moment, in the Central Dojo of Chaos City.
Boom~~
Chen Xi, the World Tree who sought to escape swiftly, was caught by Gu Chuan's enormous hand, pulling her back instantly.
Despite having mastered the 108 Dao and attaining the Realm of World-Creation Saint, Chen Xi was still no match for Gu Chuan in combat.
"Still trying to run? Where do you think you're going?" Gu Chuan asked, his hands clasped behind his back, regarding the World Tree with indifference.
At that moment, the World Tree had matured. No longer the image of a young girl, she had evolved into a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl with a flawless face, akin to a goddess. Every part of her being radiated perfection.
No, not like a goddess—she was a goddess in her own right.
Her body seemed to encapsulate the good fortune of heaven and earth, drawing in the essence of the Sun and Moon. Every inch of her being was astoundingly beautiful, as if the most stunning aspects of the world were concentrated within her. Her aura felt as though it was the very mother of all things, giving birth to infinite life.
In truth, it was.
After mastering the 108 laws of the Great Dao, the World Tree had transcended; each leaf on her body now formed a miniature world, teeming with countless lives.
It could be said that she herself was the unified embodiment of all living beings—the mother of the earth, the creator of all things, the mother of the world.
"I'm sorry, I… I was wrong," Chen Xi said, her expression filled with guilt as she gazed at Gu Chuan. She knew she had broken the rules by intruding into the Prehistoric World.
"Sorry won't help. But you must learn to follow the rules, so you must accept the punishment," Gu Chuan replied calmly, his gaze unyielding.
"Punishment?!" Chen Xi's face turned pale as she realized Gu Chuan was serious. She knew full well that his punishments were not to be taken lightly.
"This is a treasure of chaos, a tool of faith that I have refined," Gu Chuan said, holding up a small object. "It's called the Primordial Ancient Serpent Talisman. It carries the collective willpower of countless beings."
Gu Chuan continued, "I will place this talisman on you, and you will bear the weight of all those beings. Of course, with your current strength, if you truly carried the power of infinite beings, you would be crushed instantly. So I will control its power, ensuring that the weight it exudes is just one gram less than the strength you possess. Struggle all you want, but your sentence is set at one hundred million epochs."
Before Chen Xi could respond, Gu Chuan flicked his hand. The Primordial Ancient Serpent Talisman adhered to her forehead with a soft thud.
Boom!
In an instant, Chen Xi felt as though her body was burdened with an unimaginable weight. Her entire form was overwhelmed by the force, and she crashed to the ground with a mighty thud.
"This…!" Chen Xi, the World Tree, struggled as the talisman seemed to increase in weight no matter how much strength she exerted. The weight was always one gram less than her full power.
Although it seemed small, that single gram was enough to crush her completely. One gram more, and she would be unable to stand at all.
Yet even with one gram less, it was all Chen Xi could do to push herself up, using every ounce of her strength to move even a step.
"Gu Chuan, you bastard! This is too much! I didn't even have time to do anything to the Prehistoric World, so why punish me like this?" Chen Xi cried out, furious at the injustice of it all.
"You didn't get a chance because I stopped you. It's not that you didn't have time. Either way, your sentence is one hundred million epochs. No one can save you. Consider this a lesson," Gu Chuan said lazily, as if the matter was of no consequence.
He had decided to teach the World Tree a lesson and make sure she learned the importance of the rules.
But at the same time, this punishment would benefit her in the long run.
Her rapid growth had been fueled by the belief power of countless beings, making her foundation unstable compared to the other Chaos Demon Gods. The Primordial Ancient Serpent Talisman was the perfect tool to suppress her excessive power, forcing her to continuously refine and control the burgeoning strength within her.
By the time her punishment was over, Chen Xi would have mastered her own power and become far stronger than before, without wasting any of her potential.
"This is for your own good, World Tree. You'll see," Gu Chuan muttered under his breath.
"Gu Chuan, please forgive me. I was wrong, I was really wrong! I'll go online and fight the boss later, I promise, just—"
"Shut up!" Gu Chuan interrupted sharply. "If you keep talking, I'll cut off your internet."
At this, Chen Xi's face turned pale with shock.
"What?! Gu Chuan, you are truly despicable! You would threaten me with that?" she cried, her voice filled with disbelief.
She had no idea how low Gu Chuan would go, but this punishment struck at her most vulnerable point. Without access to the internet, her existence would be torturous.
"In any case, reflect on your actions here," Gu Chuan said coldly, his figure flickering as he vanished from the dojo, returning once again to the Prehistoric World.
He had sensed that the Prehistoric World's defenses were too simplistic. Perhaps some powerful Chaos Demon Gods could exploit this and find a way to enter, wreaking havoc in the Prehistoric World.
He couldn't afford to overlook this, especially considering his limited understanding of Forbidden Formations. Naturally, some vulnerabilities remained.
As Gu Chuan departed, more than a dozen figures appeared at the door. These figures were all plant-type demon gods—such as the Catfish Tree, Starlight Grass, and Star Tree.
But unlike before, they had evolved into youthful, fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girls, radiating liveliness and charm.
The Star Tree girl, in particular, shimmered with starlight. She was so beautiful that it seemed as if she was the goddess of all stars, exuding an aura of infinite allure. Her eyes were as brilliant as stars, capturing and enchanting anyone who gazed into them.
The Demon Tree girl had jet-black hair and eyes filled with overwhelming magical power. With a single glance, it seemed as though the souls of countless beings were drawn in and consumed by her gaze. Her form was strikingly beautiful.
The Starlight Grass girl was smaller, her green hair untamed and messy like a weed, but her large, bright eyes made her look playful and incredibly cute.
"Boss, are you alright?" the Starlight Grass girl asked, rushing forward with concern in her voice as she checked Chen Xi over.
"Do I look alright to you? You heartless ones! You just hid in the shadows and did nothing to help me!" Chen Xi snapped angrily.
She was furious to see her subordinates, all of whom had failed to act when she needed them most.