Night.
Alan, dressed in a complex and luxurious outfit, walked into the castle's banquet hall.
A gigantic chandelier hung in midair, with dozens of candles lit on it. Wax layers covered the base and even dripped down.
The lavishly decorated dining table was piled high with various delicacies.
Roasted chick, suckling pig, steaks, lamb chops, goose liver in oil, seafood platter, shrimp salad, vegetable salad, caviar, raspberry sauce, beef soup, caramel pudding, and accompanying wines...
Colin sat at the main seat, with Lady Sonia and Sean beside him.
Ginny was nowhere to be seen.
Throughout the banquet, lords raised their glasses, and a band played nearby.
"What a pity…"
Alan held a wine glass and sighed: "If only there was a 'Rainy Season' serenade or something, it would be even more perfect and classy…"
Seeing Alan enter, Colin nodded, and immediately a servant stepped forward to secretly close the banquet hall's doors.
"Everyone!"
Colin stood up, raising his wine glass: "Welcome, everyone. Thank you for your well-wishes for my father's health. As the acting Count of Green Forest, I toast to Theodore, wishing him a speedy recovery!"
"To Theodore!"
Alan also raised his wine glass and drank the fine wine in it.
"Now for the second announcement. I will inherit the title of Count, becoming the Count of Green Forest."
Colin looked playfully at the various lords below, his gaze pausing on Alan: "Who approves? Who opposes?"
The music halted abruptly, and everyone stared at Colin in astonishment.
"No way, the Count isn't dead yet, Colin, why the rush?"
Alan saw that the speaker was Baron Dennis, known for his fiery temper.
"Then…"
Colin pressed his palm down.
Shhh!
Troops emerged from all directions, sealing off the entire venue.
The band was driven into the corner, and a row of crossbowmen appeared, their sharp arrows pointed at the guests.
"Colin... you?"
Baron Dennis immediately reached for the Long Sword at his waist.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several crossbowmen instantly aimed at him and pulled their triggers.
In the blink of an eye, Dennis turned into a pincushion, falling to the ground in a pool of blood.
"Once again, who approves, who opposes?"
Colin's gaze fell on Alan: "My dear brother…"
"Sigh…"
Alan sighed: "Colin, you have finally reached this point… I still remember when I first rode a horse, it was you who helped me into the saddle… I have always given you chances; I won't compete with you for anything…"
"Keep your 'chance' to yourself!"
Colin suddenly cursed: "Drop your high and mighty act; it disgusts me! Let me tell you, all the dissenting lords will die this time, and you, whether you oppose or not, will also die!"
Alan's expression changed slightly. He reflected on whether he had been too aloof before, perhaps making others feel humiliated?
Unfortunately, no matter what happened, things had reached this point; there was no turning back for anyone.
"Morkdo, smash his head for me!"
Colin pointed at Alan: "Aren't you a good fighter? Play with my champion!"
His face was flushed, filled with the joy of a victor, wanting to toy with Alan and make him die in despair and pain.
Thud, thud!
The tall and strong Morkdo, wearing heavy armor, each step made the ground tremble slightly, holding a massive iron hammer as he walked towards the banquet.
"Colin, I've told you countless times, I have my own pursuits. That Count of Green Forest, I don't even care..."
Alan looked at the approaching Morkdo, and the many lords who were either fearful, despairing, or worried, and sighed deeply.
At this point, the only option is... battle!
"You all..."
Alan glanced at the many rebellious soldiers, the arrogant Colin, the grinning Morkdo, and calmly asked: "Have you ever heard of 'Wood Release'?"
"What is that?"
Colin was confused, and saw Alan clasp his hands together.
Boom!
The castle floor undulated continuously, like ocean waves.
Bang!
Finally, a seed firmly took root, sprouted, and broke through the ground, growing at a terrifying speed!
It was a banyan tree!
Its massive roots surged, overturning tables and surrounding guards, and with a roar, its canopy broke through the banquet hall's dome, spreading under the night moon!
It turned into a forest of one tree, even the stone castle twisted and shattered under its roots...
"Wow..."
"Damn..."
"Oh my gosh!"
Ava and Bill stared blankly at the banquet hall, seeing a green banyan tree growing directly on the stone castle!
The castle trembled, countless servants, guards, and attendants looked at the sacred totem of their myths, and knelt down.
In the chaotic banquet hall.
Dust slowly settled, revealing Morkdo's figure.
At this moment, he was already wrapped in numerous roots of the green banyan tree. The wooden roots, sharper than any famous sword, pierced through his armor and into his flesh, the massive branches constricting like a python.
This champion of the martial arts tournament was crushed into a bloody pulp without even uttering a sound.
"Thousands of roots surged from underground, the earth turned over by a giant plow, people's flesh and bones turned to mud, becoming offerings to the Ancestor Banyan Tree..."
On the main seat, Colin watched the scene blankly, suddenly recalling an ancient poem his father had praised the Ancestor Banyan Tree with.
As for Lady Sonia beside him, her face turned deathly pale in fright, she tightly held Sean and ducked under the cabinet, like a frightened quail.
"Oh Ancestor!"
"What exactly are we fighting against?"
The faith in the Ancestor Banyan Tree was deeply rooted in the Green Forest.
Some soldiers and even lords knelt down directly upon seeing this scene, babbling nonsensically, not even knowing what they were shouting.
This is also why Alan chose to 'animate' a 'banyan tree'.
The green banyan tree holds a strong religious significance, making it easy to resolve many issues in the Green Forest.
"This is the power I pursue... Colin... if you surrender now, I won't kill you."
Alan did not care for those guys, looking at Colin, he said softly.
"Son of the Ancestor Banyan Tree? Favorite grandson of the Ancestor? Hahaha... Alan, you truly are the chosen one, but what about me? What am I? A clown?"
Colin's eyes were bloodshot, he drew the sword at his waist: "Kill... kill him, kill that monster!"
He was not seeking survival but death!
Alan closed his eyes.
Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!
From the giant green banyan tree's branches, a large number of aerial roots suddenly drooped down.
They seemed to have life, precisely locating the enemies.
These were the soldiers and lords Alan had previously identified as Colin's loyalists.
Amidst screams, they were one by one pierced by the aerial roots, hung up, and swayed in mid-air.
Colin was among them, his body instantly withered, his purple eyes completely lost their luster...