Mortrexo

Chapter 1337. Astarea's Miscalculation: Arousing the Dragon’s Fury

Astarea felt as if her body was shutting down. ‘A single punch with her skill is this powerful?’ 

Being in the same realm as Yasenia, their strengths were just too far apart. Even if Astarea could fight Yasenia using her experience and exceptional defensive battle style, there was a difference in power.

Looking down at the ascending dragon woman, Astarea raised her hand and chanted solemnly. “[Divine Tides Of Renewal].” 

Yasenia’s pupils shrank as an ocean manifested in the air and fell like a blanket. ‘Does it make sense to be able to summon such a large body of water at once!?’ 

Looking to the sides, the dragoness knew that dodging the attack was impossible. ‘But, won’t it hit Astarea as well? What is she planning?’ 

While the titanic ocean descended, the Dragoness stopped and prepared to use her defensive techniques. Even if she stopped, her eyes were fixed on Astarea, eager to see the effect on Astarea’s body. 

An instant later, the enormous tide engulfed Astarea, but the Divine showed no signs of being damaged. On the contrary, the purple bruise on her stomach began to heal at a rapid rate. 

The dragoness was surprised. ‘Water and Light with healing capabilities? How does that even make sense? Is it a concept of water that I don’t understand?’ 

“[Orion’s Shield].” 

A large white shield made of starlight manifested above Yasenia, covering the area above her. When the tides impacted, Yasenia grunted, but she maintained her position. “Heavy… But I can block it. Although…” A hint of surprise appeared in Yasenia’s eyes. “Is the water corroding the shield? No… It is eating away at the energy.” 

Seeing the effects of Divine Tides Of Renewal baffled Yasenia. ‘A wide area healing and damaging ability with energy dismantling properties. Quite incredible.’  

Knowing that it was not the time to be awed, Yasenia looked at Astarea’s figure with a frown. After thinking, she sighed. ‘I wanted to save this skill to face Ao Jiuyao, but it seems that I have to reveal it if I want to defeat Astarea quickly. Otherwise, I will have to reveal Dramel and Soluna.’ 

She was thinking of using her life-saving treasures. Nevertheless, unless she saw no angle to defeat the Divine, she refused to do so.

“[Heavenly Firmament Sanctuary].”

Astarea, who was looking down at Yasenia, felt a strange pulse spread from Yasenia. The pulse of energy enveloped the entire battlefield, taking over the energies of her surroundings for a second. ‘What was that?’ 

Confusion flashed in her mind, but Yasenia was charging at her again, so she had no time to check in depth. Dodging, blocking, and counterattacking took a lot of effort for Astarea. 

Yasenia swung her sword, using her martial arts skills and normal techniques one after another. At first, Astarea and Yasenia fell into the previous stalemate situation.  

Even when Yasenia used [Firmament Shaking Arc], [Firmament Dividing Celestial Twilight], or [Soul Dividing Tyrannical Cleave], the result was Astarea’s defense being blown apart but recovering shortly after.  

Yasenia’s voice gained a tinge of annoyance. “Why have you learned so many defensive and healing techniques?”

Astarea, feeling slightly playful, answered the dragon’s grumble. “I want to live for a long time.” 

Astarea moved quickly, blasting Yasenia’s sword to the side and kicking at her stomach. This time, Astarea’s eyes were tremendously focused on Yasenia’s reaction. At first, she noticed Yasenia’s eyes gain a touch of flusteredness before turning ferocious.

Then, using a complicated move, Yasenia twisted her body and managed to place her tail in front of her own stomach. 

BANG!

Astarea’s kick hit the tail, pushing Yasenia back several hundred meters. Astarea was certain after this attack. ‘She really hates being hit on the stomach… No.’ Astarea’s eyes flashed with certainty. ‘It’s not the stomach she is protecting. Is Yasenia pregnant?’

The first time, she took it as a bad decision. The second time, she was confused, but she didn’t really think too deeply about it. Now, when she actively targeted that spot, she finally couldn’t ignore it. ‘If that’s the case…’ Astarea fell into a conundrum as Yasenia’s sword rained on her shield fiercer than before. ‘...Do I take advantage of this information?’

Honestly, if it were any other person, Astarea would’ve used it to her advantage right away. She was not someone who would give up on a fight because her opponent was pregnant. To begin with, it was the mother’s fault for placing the child at risk by participating in a match. 

‘Nevertheless… That child, Lataria, seems quite fond of Yasenia.’  

Over the course of the over five thousand years Lataria had lived, Astarea had seen Lataria look at the world as if she were someone looking at it from an outsider's point of view. It was a strange feeling, but Astarea couldn’t explain it in any other way. 

‘But… Strangely, she is quite fond of Yasenia. Why is that?’ 

As her shield blocked Yasenia’s barrage, she couldn’t help but grunt. ‘My arm bone is going to break again at this pace.’ 

Her shield arm was numb from blocking Yasenia’s constant attacks, but she didn’t mind. Only if her bones broke would her blocking ability weaken.

“Yasenia.”

The dragoness didn’t stop attacking, but she had the decency to answer. “What’s wrong, Astarea? Are you getting tired?” 

Astarea would’ve chuckled a bit, but this time, she had a complicated expression. “I can’t give up this treasure. Therefore, I will target your weak point. Sorry, child.” 

“Huh?” Yasenia was confused when Astarea suddenly dodged one of her attacks and lunged at her. “You want to exchange attacks? Bold…” The dragoness sneered, but as she prepared to exchange blows with Astarea, her pupils shrank.

While Yasenia’s sword was moving in a descending arc, Astarea’s spiky mace was swinging horizontally straight toward her stomach. 

Usually, Astarea’s actions would be ridiculous. A hit to the stomach in exchange for Yasenia decapitating her? Those spectating thought that Astarea had gone crazy. 

However, something strange happened. Yasenia’s movements shifted. Twisting her wrists and body, her tail and even sword moved back to block. 

CLANG!

Yasenia’s posture crumbled, and the badly positioned wrists cracked while she was thrown to the side. The dragoness quickly retreated, landing on the ground with a flap of her wings. 

Her gaze, looking up, burned with anger as Astarea slowly descended. “Child, give up. You can’t defeat me.” 

Astarea stepped forward, pillars of light and light lances flying together with her. In an instant, the attacker and defender had changed.

Moreover, Yasenia couldn’t maneuver Draheart accurately since her wrists had been damaged. Even if she swallowed her pain, her hands didn’t respond as quickly. 

‘She noticed? How?’ Yasenia frantically blocked Astarea’s barrage as she jumped back. ‘Did Lataria tell her?’

A trace of resentment bloomed in her heart. But, even if she was angry, she could only bite her lips. After all, if she were in the same position, she would’ve done the same as Astarea was doing.

‘I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.’ 

All the attacks were directed not at her vital points but at her stomach. As time passed, her agitation increased as her motherly instincts took over her calm reason.

Astarea continued her attacks, doing feints targeting her stomach to injure Yasenia’s arms, legs, and other body parts. Exploiting the weak point, she could target other locations and weaken the overwhelming dragon woman. ‘It’s like having her reverse scale wide open and easily targetable. The battle is decided.’ 

She noticed Yasenia’s temper darkening, but Astarea didn’t stop. Sadly, even when she took everything she knew into account, she miscalculated one thing: Yasenia’s limits. 

“ENOUGH!”

BOOM!

With Yasenia’s roar-like scream, a shockwave blasted Astarea backward. Astarea was confused as she looked at the Dragon woman standing on the ocean. Yasenia’s face was twisted with murder, a bloody mist surrounding her figure. 

“Since you are so eager to win, I will shatter you! Either way, your attacks are already a tenth weaker, so you are not a threat anymore.”

‘What?’ Astarea quickly analyzed her body, and she noticed something strange. ‘What is this energy? When did my energy erode to this point!?’

The effects of [Heavenly Firmament Sanctuary] were already affecting her deeply. 

“[Celestial Intent Domain]! [Tyrant Warlord Intent Domain]!” 

Astarea was confused when the sky suddenly rippled and targeted the ocean below them. ‘That’s futile. They are at the same level… Huh?’ Unlike the first confrontation, Astarea noticed something terrible. “She is pushing back my two Domains? How?” 

Her energy surged, feeding her domains to resist the pushback. Yet, the strain when manipulating her energy became clear. Astarea’s mouth opened with confusion and bewilderment. “What did you do? How did you erode my Intent Domain? That shouldn’t be possible!”

Yasenia took a step forward, a star appearing below her foot. “I wanted to fight with you as fairly as possible.” 

She took quick forward steps, each step summoning a star below her foot. “You are a great opponent to practice my skills and get stronger. I also didn’t plan to humiliate Lataria’s elder.”

Astarea wanted to stop whatever Yasenia was doing, but the sky suddenly became alive as countless Celestial Objects descended and targeted her. ‘Oh no! Her Intent Domain has gained enough advantage to be active!’

Astarea used her shield and skills to dodge the planets, suns, moons, and stars attacking her, her eyes moving towards Yasenia. ‘Is that constellation… An eastern dragon?’ 

She had noticed Yasenia’s peculiar movement technique, and she was impressed by it. Nevertheless, the constellations she formed were almost instantaneous and never really gave her a feeling of danger. This time, it was different.

‘I must stop her!’ She quickly tried to get rid of the barrage of attacks coming from the Celestial Intent Domain, but it was futile. 

“Astarea.” Yasenia’s voice was heavy and full of anger. “Surrender or die. [Heavenly Constellations Steps…”

Yasenia twirled, her dance manifesting the stars necessary to complete one of the constellation’s wings. 

“...Sixth Sky…”

While Astarea hastily dodged and moved closer, Yasenia successfully completed the last steps of her beautiful dance. 

“...Draco’s Descent].” 

BOOM!

The draconic constellation surrounding Yasenia moved and shot to the sky with a giant shockwave. Astarea was pushed back and quickly looked up. There, she saw that the stars in the firmament were rearranging themselves to form the contour of a creature.

Those in the spectator stands looked up at the sky with trembling hearts.

“W-What’s that?”

Lataria’s trembling question was answered by someone nearby, who was stepping back as if something that shouldn’t exist had manifested. 

“That’s impossible… That figure…”

From the void, a being that dwarfed Moons manifested. Using Yasenia’s Celestial Intent Domain as a source of strength, the dragon’s body was more complete. 

The winged eastern dragon formed from the cosmos’ stars looked down, its presence sweeping their surroundings with a feeling of omnipotence. The eyes of the dragon, black voids filled with two spiraling galaxies, seemed to contain part of the universe within them.

That person shouted. “...[Primordial Constellation Dragon…!” 

Yasenia pointed at Astarea, exhaustion filling her face, and called out his name. “...Draco], destroy her.”

ROARR!!

Draco opened his maw, his roar shaking the cosmos around them. 

Chapter 549. Lumina's Past. [AotSC]

Lumina Lightbranch was a member of an influential family within the Verdant Sanctity Covenant. Since she was very young, she had been nurtured by her elders due to the influence of her grandparents' heritage. 

These grandparents had an extraordinary origin, being from outside Ceperet. However, after a war outside, the Lightbranch family was destroyed in the outside world. So, Lumina, who was destined to become someone great simply due to her birth, became an orphan in terms of influence.  

Of course, her family in Ceperet was still alive. However, those who stayed behind in Ceperet were all talented people from a branch family. Lumina didn’t mind that much. She was someone with A Tier talent, so her life was bound to be easy once she accumulated enough levels. 

So, in a way, Lumina was like the center of a galaxy, surrounded by stars wherever she went. Her beauty, atmosphere, and talent made her the target of admiration of all children her age… Or that was meant to be the case, until she was suddenly moved to another continent to develop her studies. 

‘The formerly known Wild Continent. How much better can it be?’ 

Lumina didn’t want to look down on it, but having lived in luxury and as the center of the world, she was naturally confident. But all her arrogance was blasted away the second she was accepted and made the ritual to accept the Heavenly Willow’s blessings. 

‘...How is this possible?’ 

Just because the Heavenly Willow decided to grace her with her blessings, Lumina became a new person. Talent, comprehension, lifespan, strength, and even clarity of thought and luck. Everything was suddenly boosted beyond her normal limits, reaching heights that she didn’t even know existed. 

That day, Lumina’s awe and respect toward the Heavenly Willow solidified at the bottom of her soul. Moreover, to her luck, she was entering the same year as the Heavenly Willow’s eldest child, Tianlian Dewna.

When Lumina met Dewna, she was neither disappointed nor overly excited. ‘An Alraune with excellent genes… That’s all.’ 

She was a cute woman, but when Lumina approached, Dewna treated her exactly like the others did. The next year, two more children entered, and Lumina curiously approached them as well.

Eluan, the Farlune, was handsome and intelligent, but similar to Dewna, there was nothing special. The Sylphaith she met, Sylvia, was shy and somewhat reserved. ‘Hm… They are not extraordinary. Only peculiar.’ 

So, her interest waned a lot. It was only a year later, when the fourth child entered, that Lumina’s eyes lit up for the first time. She still remembered that interaction vividly. 

“Hello, junior. I am Lumina Lightbranch.” 

At that moment, the woman with flaming hair looked at Lumina with cold and indifferent eyes. Lumina was tall, but the Sanguine Blaze had the advantage of being lifted by her lower flower half. So, they were more or less at the same height when standing up. 

When Pyara’s cold and indifferent blood-red eyes reflected Lumina, the woman felt her heart pound for the first time. ‘Dangerous.’ 

She knew, by pure instinct, that the woman in front of her was a man-eating flower. A creature so dangerous that people recoiled just in its presence. Then, from the woman’s lips, a voice full of indifference but as beautiful as singing birds reached Lumina. “I am Tianlian Pyara.”

Then, the Sanguine Blaze looked away, her flaming hair gently spreading heat on Lumina’s cheeks. Even after the woman left, Lumina didn’t know if the heat in her cheeks was because of Pyara’s flames or something else. 

Sadly, it seems that, like any others, Pyara didn’t even register her as existing. So, curious, she went to the Endless Library with her student pass and thoroughly investigated the available information about Sanguine Blazes.  

‘Ho? They are romantically attached to their birth mothers? No wonder she ignored me. With Lady Heavenly Willow as her romantic interest, she won’t look at anyone else.’

However, that didn’t make her give up. The reason was simple, really. ‘Lady Heavenly Willow won’t accept her own children as partners. So, this feeling will eventually disappear.’

Lumina was sure because she had observed the way Cinderielle scolded Pyara. 

And so, years passed as Lumina kept a check on Pyara. She even interacted with Pyara a few times. However, each time, Pyara’s eyes didn’t even register her, and she was ignored.

After a few years, Lumina secured a prominent position in the government and quickly advanced through the ranks. Using her natural advantages and intelligence to climb the ladder, almost as if it were natural for her to advance.   

It was then that she noticed Cinderielle talking to people and creating dates for her children. When she noticed, her heart almost stopped from fright. ‘How can I let that girl go to a random nobody?’

So, she hovered around Cinderielle and showed her good points. It was impossible not to notice Lumina, so Cinderielle carefully approached her and asked her about it. 

That day, after so many years of yearning, Lumina received the offer. Her heart jumping with happiness, she accepted the offer. 

‘Finally, I will be able to properly approach Pyara.’ Her eyes were full of interest and expectation. And so, the day came when Lumina and Pyara met again.

The second she entered through the door, Lumina noticed the strangeness in Pyara’s eyes. She couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. ‘She doesn’t remember me at all…’ 

Still, her heart couldn’t calm down. ‘Gorgeous.’

Like a passionate flame, the Sanguine Blaze sat on her flower, wearing an enchanting red dress that highlighted her seductiveness and beauty. Moreover, the light makeup made Lumina feel as if Pyara’s eyes could pierce and burn her soul. 

So, hiding her nervousness, she approached and presented herself. When she planted a kiss on Pyara’s hand, she noticed the girl flinch, as her red eyes flashed with reluctance. Lumina’s heart was not hurt; on the contrary, there was a sense of competitiveness growing in her. ‘This girl… I want her to love me as much as I love her.’ 

While talking together, she noticed Pyara’s change over the years. She transformed from being a lonely yet proud flame to becoming a gentle yet passionate fire. Nevertheless, this fire was only gentle on the outside. Regardless of its nature, fire could only burn those who approached quickly. 

‘I must be patient and slowly change her view on me. Sanguine Blazes hate people who are weaker or soft in character.’ 

That was not a problem for Lumina. She could easily lead conversations, and since she was with someone she loved, Lumina could speak and be patient but always take the lead.

During their first date, Lumina focused not on approaching Pyara but on taking the lead and guiding her around. She was careful, but other than Pyara’s natural aloofness, there was no sense of rejection. 

“Lady Pyara. It is already a bit late, and they might close that shop I told you about. Let’s go over. There are things that you will certainly be interested in.” 

Pyara nodded, her vines slowly moving her body and following behind Lumina with a refreshed expression. ‘This person is nice… It’s so different from the others I’ve met until now.’ 

For Pyara, the dates were more like a chore because she always took the lead. Her presence, status, beauty, and species were so suffocating that those who approached her ended up acting meekly. Some initially approached with bravado, but as they interacted, Pyara naturally took the lead.

Looking at the tall and confident Sylvan’s back, Pyara’s blood-red eyes slowly gained a touch of curiosity. ‘Still… Why is she not approaching me? Everyone else would grab my hand, or at the very least brush against me.’

It was burdensome, but Pyara recognized it as a way of interaction, so she swallowed her discomfort and fulfilled her date’s wishes. ‘Still… The furthest I went was a kiss once… Although I ended up showing such a disgusted expression that the woman cried and went home, never to meet me again.’ 

It’s not that she wanted to show it, but when even the breakfast almost showed up at dinner hour, it was difficult to hold her expressionless face. 

“Pyara.” A low and attractive voice reached her, and Pyara snapped out of her thoughts. 

“H-Huh?” Looking at Lumina’s green eyes close up, Pyara was slightly flustered. ‘When did she get this close?’

Lumina smiled deeply. “You need to pay attention to me, Pyara. I am your date, after all.”

“Right.” Pyara laughed a bit awkwardly. “Sorry, I spaced out.”

Lumina raised her blonde eyebrow. “I don’t forgive you.”

“Huh?” 

“Come. You will now be forced to change into the clothes I want so that I can choose which one to buy.”

Seeing Lumina’s confident back, Pyara didn’t open her mouth and followed obediently. ‘... I wonder what clothes she will buy me?’ 

Pyara changed into around 10 different dresses. Each time she changed, Lumina nodded in appreciation, clearly showing that she found her beautiful. But there were no direct compliments. Instead, Lumina would give her another one and order her to change.  

‘This is… fun.’  

Pyara grabbed the dress and obediently went to change. When she changed to the last one, she was slightly surprised. “This…” A bit of shame came to her heart. “Isn’t it too revealing?”

The sleeveless, strapless silver dress tightly clung to her curves, revealing her gorgeous hourglass figure. There was a rhombus-shaped hole in the middle, where her breasts squished together, perfectly showing her cleavage. Moreover, the thigh-length skirt split at the side, highlighting her wide hips and gorgeous upper legs.

Even when Pyara was confident, her heart was strangely pounding as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.  

“Pyara? Is the size too tight?”

“N-No.” Pyara stuttered a bit. “Only… It’s a bit embarrassing.”

After saying that, Pyara thought that Lumina would accommodate her and told her not to feel pressured. All her dates changed their demeanor when they thought she was even a bit uncomfortable. 

But to her surprise, Lumina spoke firmly. “That’s even better. Come out and let me see. If you do, I will forgive you for spacing out.” 

Pyara’s eyes flashed, her cheeks gaining a faint blush as she hesitated. “Ugh… Should I? I am really embarrassed.”

Pyara waited for the answer with a strangely pounding and expectant heart. 

“If it is that embarrassing, I guess it is okay.” Pyara’s expression slightly fell, her pounding heart calming down. 

“Instead, I’ll go inside and look.”

The strange disappointment in Pyara’s heart disappeared as a strange shame surged. “W-Wait! Don’t!”

Even as she denied it, Lumina pushed the curtains open and walked inside confidently. Pyara’s face turned red as she used her hands to cover her breasts and waist. Strangely, though, she didn’t turn around and look at Lumina’s face.  

Even when she used her hand, it was impossible to hide her large bust. So, it only added to her charm. 

For the first time, Pyara saw Lumina’s face gain a blush as she stared dumbfounded at her body. The look she had received so many times today strangely felt fresh. Her lips twitched into an involuntary smile when Lumina was dazed by her beauty. 

Chapter 1336. Astarea's Domination.

A sky full of stars, galaxies, planets, and other celestial objects hovered above the two cultivators. This expansive terrain was reflected in the luminous water that expanded below them.

Looking from the outside, it felt like gazing into a giant mirror with white spots, reflecting an enchanting cosmos hovering above it.

Of course, the water was not still.

A Dragon woman was flying around a certain point, constantly trying to close the distance with a barrage of powerful attacks. From the middle of the domain, a feathered woman used a myriad of water and light skills to bar her from approaching, slowly damaging her over time.

‘...She is really tough. Her defense and regeneration are so high that some of my attacks have already healed.’ 

Even when Yasenia was kept at a distance, Astarea was not happy. ‘This is… frustrating. Why is she so durable?’ 

The white dress with inlaid pearls was the combination of [Celestial Cosmos Dress] and [Crystalline Moon Dress]. Together, they created a gorgeous piece of clothing with terrifying durability. Over that boost in defense, Yasenia’s body itself was more durable than standard shields in her realm. Therefore, to severely damage Yasenia, the power Astarea required was excessive. 

Astarea squinted when she noticed Yasenia dodge an attack directed at her stomach. ‘Hm? Wouldn’t it have been better to tank it with her body? She lost a lot of speed because of that.’

[Aqueous Lightlance] soared and aimed at Yasenia, combining perfectly with the pillars from [Eternal Reflection Sanctuary]. Astarea could see Yasenia’s giant sword slicing through everything, while even her tail participated in defending against the barrage. 

‘At this pace, I will need to retreat soon.’ 

Astarea had not moved since the battle started. [Mirrored Horizon Seal] deflected and returned long-range attacks, while her domain skill was too powerful to break through forcefully. But Astarea never expected to meet a monster like Yasenia, who could be hit squarely by her abilities and only show annoyance. 

While feeling frustrated, she noticed Yasenia retreat and maneuvered quickly, her steps leaving behind the illusory form of a star. ‘That’s the strange movement technique she uses for acceleration bursts… But this time it is different. What is she planning?’

“[Heavenly Constellation Steps, Second Sky: Ursa’s Grasp]!” 

A massive bear made out of starlight manifested in the sky, and then, it flowed into Yasenia’s body. Astarea’s heart jumped as Yasenia’s aura violently expanded, the shockwave powerful enough to destroy the pillars she summoned below Yasenia’s feet and sink the ocean for a second. 

‘She still has other strengthening skills? Hasn’t she used five of them already?’

Knowing that Yasenia’s strength had increased, Astarea didn’t dare lower her guard. She instantly summoned two weapons, a one-handed spiked mace and a large shield. “[Luminous Ocean Coat: Weapon Enhancement].” 

The aura around her body extended and merged with her two weapons. A blue, thick layer like water surrounded her shield, while light extended from the spikes, creating scorching white fangs for her mace. 

It was then that Yasenia planted her foot into the air, and her body bolted ahead with remarkable speed and momentum. Like the first time, Astarea summoned an [Aqueous Lightlance], timing it perfectly with Yasenia’s acceleration to make it unavoidable. 

‘She is smiling?’

Astarea’s heart sank, and she felt a bad premonition. Not trusting the lance of light she shot at Yasenia, she readied her weapons and prepared for a clash. 

“[Star Pierce], [Fairy Moon Steps], [Pegasus Gallop].”

The same skill Yasenia used for acceleration manifested once more, and then the footwork changed slightly as white light pierced everything and connected both sides. 

Outside, the spectators held their breath. They had seen this skill combination before, and they understood how destructive it was. 

Lataria noticed everyone’s tension and focused on the exchange. 

It was at that moment that the air below Yasenia cracked as if it were solid ground. Whitish fissures spread out from Yasenia’s stomping point before a giant explosion expanded outward.

BOOM!

Yasenia followed through the white line that connected Astarea, pointing Draheart before her, and charged straight at the Aqueous Lightlance.

Astarea was surprised, but all her muscles tensed as she maneuvered her shield to cover the white line’s path. It was then that Astarea felt as if everything had slowed down to the point of stopping.

Everything but Yasenia. 

With a speed that made everything else look still, Yasenia pierced through the lance and arrived in front of Astarea. Yasenia’s eyes, barely keeping up with her current acceleration, noticed that she couldn’t land a clean hit. So, instead, she carried all her weight in the strike and hit Astarea’s shield.

BOOM!!!

Astarea’s eyes widened. ‘Heavy!’ A grunt escaped her mouth as the weight of the attack rammed her shield. The water layer was instantly blown to pieces as the materials that formed the shield screeched when Dreaheart collided. 

Unable to absorb the impact, Astarea’s feet finally separated from the ground, and she was hurled without any control, her body bouncing on the water. ‘Ridiculous child! How has she even trained her body to be able to deliver so much brute strength!?’ 

Astarea quickly recovered her stance, but her body continued flying back from the sheer inertia. Her ocean-like eyes scanned the surroundings with her spiritual sense and noticed that Yasenia was chasing after her with a wide grin, clearly delighted. 

At that moment, she noticed that the Dragon woman’s golden eyes began changing, gaining a red tint. ‘Berserk?’ 

“[Pegasus Gallop], [Firmament Shaking Arc]!” 

With another acceleration burst, Yasenia lunged forward and swung her sword. Body energies enveloped Draheart like a storm as the energies condensed to the limit into the weapon.

Astarea raised her shield. “[Luminous Ocean’s Endless Reflection]!”

Before her shield, a large mirror-like shield appeared right before Yasenia completed her motion.

Then, the Firmament Shaking Arc impacted. 

DOONG!

The water shield shattered, with an impact spreading from the contact point, producing a low and humming sound. Backlash from the defense ran through Astarea once more, pushing her back. 

‘That attack…’ Astarea was confused. ‘It was a slashing attack that condensed all its energy to create an impact. If that hits someone’s body…’  

Yasenia’s voice reached her from right before her. “To think that you are not injured. Your defense is one of the sturdiest I’ve ever seen. [Grand Cosmos Martial Art, Second Form: Galaxy Flow].” 

Astarea’s heart lurched. ‘She shortened the distance!’

A barrage of attacks fell like rain on Astarea’s shield. The Divine’s eyes remained firm, even when each strike made her bones vibrate. Slow and steady, Astarea read Yasenia’s rhythm, and they fell into a stalemate. 

Sword and shield crashed, giving the Divine no chance to breathe. ‘She is incredibly proficient with her giant sword. Nevertheless, she lacks experience. Her attacks, feints, and even tail movements are good. However, I can see through her intentions rather easily.’ 

BANG!

“Ugh.”

Astarea felt her radius crack from the brutal strike. ‘She cracked a bone through the defense of my shield…’ She smiled wryly in her head. ‘I guess it doesn’t matter that much being sublime when you have the raw power to overwhelm others.’ 

Yasenia’s barrage of attacks was fast enough to cover her openings, so Astarea could only defend, defend, and continue defending. Still, the hand holding her mace was tightly clenched, and her blue eyes were fixed on each of Yasenia’s motions.

It was a tiny mistake, something so minimal that no one would’ve usually noticed. But Astarea did. 

‘Her sword path is deviated down by a degree.’ 

Not losing a single instant, Astarea tilted her shield forward, angling the bottom inward. Yasenia was surprised at the abrupt movement, but it was too late to stop herself. 

BANG!

Draheart struck, and instead of bouncing back, it bounced downward. This forced her body to lean down. In that fraction of a second, the sturdy shield finally moved aside, and the mace appeared right before Yasenia’s face.

Astarea twisted her torso, her mace ascending in a beautiful arc and aiming for Yasenia’s head. Searing light coated each of the terrifying spikes as they approached at an unavoidable speed. 

Seeing the mace closing in, Yasenia’s pupils shrank to lines, and she shifted one of her wings.   

In the spectator room, they saw Astarea suddenly swing the mace up and strike what seemed to be Yasenia’s face. 

BOOM!!

The dragoness hurled to the sky, spinning backward from the hit without any control whatsoever. Everyone put on a pained expression.

“Ouch… Straight to the face.”

“Lady Astarea can hit such a pretty visage without any remorse? Ruthless.” 

“Is she even alive? Perhaps her head was blown off.” 

“No, look! Yasenia actually managed to block!”

In the sky, Yasenia stopped her body. Her wing had barely made it in between the mace and her face. Still, the result was not pleasant to look at. 

Her nose was broken, and several spikes had pierced through her armored wing, leaving bloody holes. Yasenia frowned, feeling the burning pain. ‘Ugh… My face is deformed…’ 

Soluna spoke in her mind. ‘Yasenia, Astarea is coming!’ 

The Divine, who had been on the defensive, was flying towards her, her expression calm and collected. The only difference from the start to now was the light sheen of sweat and hints of tiredness between her eyebrows. 

Yasenia didn’t flinch, looking at the approaching Divine while holding Draheart. When Astarea reached in front of her, Yasenia swung her sword as well and clashed with Astarea. 

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Sword, shield, and mace exchanged blows together one after another, their bodies moving across the sky as they fought. ‘How do I win?’ 

Yasenia became thoughtful as she exchanged blows with Astarea. That hit to the face had woken her up from her excited state. ‘While I don’t lose my ability to think when I am excited, I do fight more recklessly. I was cornering her better back then, though.’

Now that she was exchanging blows in a calmer manner, Astarea’s chances to attack her were becoming increasingly frequent. Each time the mace shot at her, Yasenia couldn’t help but change into a defensive position. ‘That mace is dangerous.’

Right as she focused on the mace, Yasenia’s senses tingled with danger. Draheart parried the mace, both weapons bouncing back. Then, before Yasenia reacted, Astarea stepped close and swung her shield. 

“Huh?”

BANG!

The pointy lower edge of the shield crashed between her breasts, cracking her ribs. The force behind it pushed Yasenia back several steps. ‘How did she hide her movement so well? I didn’t even register the shield until it struck my chest.’ 

Astarea’s barrage of attacks pushed Yasenia back, cornering her step by step. Astarea looked at Yasenia’s bloody face with a solemn expression. ‘Her reflexes and instincts are ridiculous. First, the wing block, and now, she actually jumped back right before my shield made contact to cushion the impact. If not, it wouldn’t have ended with something as light as three cracked ribs.’

As she chased and gained an advantage, Astarea became increasingly tense. ‘Why?’ 

Her mace and shield worked in perfect coordination, blocking and attacking while leaving Yasenia helpless.

‘Why do I feel so threatened?’ 

Astarea blocked a tail strike with her shield, pushing Draheart back with her mace. Then, she raised her leg and kicked Yasenia’s stomach. Before her kick landed, Yasenia lowered her body, and the kick landed on her sternum instead. 

BANG!

“Gah!”

‘Huh?’ Astarea noticed the strangeness again. ‘Why did she do that? Her stomach is sturdier than her sternum. Is she reluctant to be hit in her stomach?’ 

The Divine rushed ahead again, using her skills while being countered by Yasenia. The strange feeling of threat appeared again. ‘Again? I am winning, so why am I so nervous?’ 

Looking at Yasenia’s eyes, Astarea’s spine chilled as her skin was filled with goosebumps. 

The pair of red-colored dragon eyes was locked onto her, widely opened as if to take in each micromovement greedily. ‘What is wrong?’

It was then that Astarea’s mace suddenly missed. ‘Huh?’ Her eyes quickly searched for the reason, and she noticed Yasenia had released her hold on Draheart. ‘Ha? I missed because she released her weapon!? Is she crazy?’ 

Yasenia’s bleeding lips arched as she stepped in and forcefully pushed the shield aside with her left hand. “[Stellar Burst].”

Her clenched fist, wrapped in celestial light, shot upward like a comet and punched Astarea’s stomach with the strength of a descending meteor.

BOOM!!

“OOMPH!” Astarea’s eyes bulged as her air was forcefully expelled from her body. The energy then detonated, and she flew to the sky.

Yasenia laughed. “Hahaha! Fighting with you is so fun, Astarea! [Pegasus Gallop]!” 

The dragon shot up, chasing after her while Draheart flew back into her grasp. 

Chapter 548. Pyara's Date. [AotSC]

Pyara woke up slowly, her eyelids lifting to gently reveal her moist and beautiful red eyes. Similar to an Alraune, she was resting in the middle of her flower, her body half-submerged in her reddish honey, while her upper body rested against the large petal.

An energetic voice reached her. “Little Pyara, wakey-wakey~. You are going to be late if you continue sleeping!” 

Pyara slowly rose her body and yawned once. “I understand, Big Sister Red.”

Red looked at Pyara and muttered, awed. “Little Pyara is truly the biggest one… Aren’t you even more curvy than little Dewna?” 

Pyara looked down at her large breasts and muttered. “It’s quite strange since Mother is quite slender. Well, it doesn’t matter much how I look.” 

“Aya! Little Pyara, you can’t be like this! I am sure you will find someone soon!” 

Pyara shook her head, her flaming hair waving with her motions. “I don’t think so. But I am satisfied if I can work for Mom.” 

“Tsk, tsk.” Red laughed. “You really love Mom, eh?”

“Yes,” Pyara spoke lightly, her eyes revealing nothing of her inner thoughts. “I do.” 

“Ah!” Red’s scream startled Pyara. “You are going to be lateee!”

Looking at the hour, she slowly forced her roots to lift her from the comfortable dirt below her. “Don’t be that nervous, Little Red. If I am late, I can just use a bit of my strength. I am Level 27 already, so I can run quite fast.”  

“But if you run, then you won’t look pretty for your date! Come, come! I’ll help you with the make-up!”

Pyara chuckled and moved with her thick and thorny red vines towards the bathroom. Once there, she relieved herself by placing her human half on a seat made precisely for her. Then, after she stood up, Pyara cleaned and moved in front of a mirror. 

Then, she looked at the gorgeous woman reflected in the mirror. As a Sanguine Blaze, her exotic flaming hair was the most particular trait that differentiated her from any other Alraune species. Other than that, her beauty was not any lower than that of any Alraune.  

Pyara was tall, with sharp facial features that radiated maturity. A single smile from Pyara would make women swoon and men blush. Her body was comparable to Verdantia's, with curves that disrupted the heartbeat of those who looked. Moreover, her intelligence was exceptional. 

While other Alraune species were slightly lacking, Sanguine Blazes were not any less intelligent than humans or Sylvans. One of the reasons they never developed into intelligent races was their innate nature. Another equally important aspect was that the skills activated at birth would typically flood their minds with taboo impulses, making them forgo any attempt at creating societies or grouping together.

It was only this time around, thanks to Liu Shu being their mother, that the Sanguine Blazes were able to develop into society. If anything, they were quite uninterested in non-family members, interacting with them just as friends. 

While Pyara watched as Red’s deft roots applied make-up to her face, she began to think about today’s date. ‘I wonder who will be today’s date?’ 

Cinderielle usually paired her each month with one person, and Pyara accepted it. She interacted with them and tried to connect. Only, the second those people tried to take a single step in a romantic direction, her disgust flared to the point that her heart clenched. It was so bad that the first time it happened, Pyara struck the man so hard that she almost killed him.  

‘That was quite a mess…’ Pyara laughed wryly in her head. ‘Thankfully, Mom interfered and asked Aunty Aurelise to help.’

“Alright! Done!” 

Pyara blinked and looked at her figure in the mirror. She was wearing a gorgeous red dress that revealed generous cleavage. Her eyes had dark mascara, creating an impactful look that added to her naturally sharp eyes. 

Her flaming hair draped over her shoulders, while the fringe partially covered her face. Red squealed. “Pyara, you are so beautiful! Kyaaaa!” 

Pyara’s elegant expression gained a touch of a smile. “Thank you, Big Sister.” 

“AH! LITTLE PYARA’S SMILE IS SO PRETTY!”

Pyara laughed a bit and stood up. “Alright, I am going. See you later, Big Sister Red.”

“Alright! Alright! Oh, Willow Branches Above! Your date will be drooling at you!” 

After leaving through Red’s front door, Pyara’s gaze involuntarily moved up and to the left. There, the figure of her World Tree mother reflected in her ruby-like eyes. “Mom…” 

She didn’t move for almost five minutes, taking in her mother’s gorgeous figure. Then, she sighed softly and used her roots to move in the direction of the outer section. 

Golden Sap City, like the design Liu Shu always leaned towards, was divided into outer and inner sections. <Mother Of Thousand Flower Fields> acted as the divide, located as a concentric circle right in the middle distance between the <Living Wall> and Liu Shu. 

Red, Purple, Green, and Grey all lived quite deep within the inner section. To walk to the nearest block with citizens, they needed over an hour. 

Pyara looked at the rising Sun on the horizon as her thorny vines moved without stopping. Her flaming hair fluttered with the wind, and her enthralling red dress fluttered with her movements. ‘I wonder what type of person I will meet today?’

At 27 years of age, Pyara had gone on almost 40 different dates, twenty males and twenty women. None of them ended up being someone she connected with, but they all shared similar traits.

‘Mother seems to think that I would like someone caring and with elegance… Well, they were all good people. Only, I couldn’t feel any attraction for them.’

She never felt unwilling to take part in the dates. They were something her mother sorted out, even with her busy schedule, for her own good. So, she always met her dates with seriousness. 

‘Bar the first few ones, who I basically scared off with violence, the others left because they felt uncomfortable with me. I could easily sense how forced they were when interacting with me.’ 

Pyara sighed softly. ‘Ugh. I am already sighing endlessly even before meeting them. Cheer up, I need to look seriously at my partner.’ 

Gently patting her cheeks, Pyara accelerated and rushed toward one of the most famous restaurants nearby. Her dates always started here.  

Pyara arrived around seven in the morning. While she walked through the street, many eyes moved toward her. The emotions in the gaze of the citizens were so mixed that it was difficult to put into words.

Many felt lust, many were awed at her beauty, but as many were scared of her. It was not a Secret that Sanguine Blazes were Liu Shu’s children. So, seeing one in the street was like encountering a dangerous celebrity. 

Even with Liu Shu’s efforts, Pyara’s species was too well-known for people to ignore. 

Accustomed to the gazes, Pyara arrived before one of the Lignified Trees. The fourth floor of this Lignified Tree had been remodeled to become a large restaurant, while the lower floors were filled with shops and other similar spaces. 

When Pyara arrived, a person wearing formal attire greeted her. “Lady Pyara, it is a pleasure to receive your presence this month as well.”

Pyara looked at the relatively short man with a very light smile. “Butler, does that mean you are glad I was unable to be with my date?”

“Hahaha!” The man smiled. “Not at all. It is your presence that always lights up our humble business.”

Pyara walked forward, her vines slowly moving her large lower-flower body through the wide gates. “I’d rather ignore the pun and go to my table. Is everything prepared?” 

The man followed with a smile. “Yes, Lady Pyara. I am sure you and your partner will enjoy today’s menu.” 

Pyara nodded elegantly, moving up the floors silently. Her figure and presence were impossible to ignore, attracting countless gazes.

After she arrived at the restaurant, Pyara looked around. An expansive floor greeted her, with a wooden floor and gorgeous chandeliers hanging on the curved ceiling. The wooden decorations were top-notch, and the ambience was one of affluence. 

Without hesitating, Pyara looked ahead and moved towards one of the private rooms. Cinderielle always reserved this room because it had been modified to accommodate Alraune-type species.  

Once Pyara entered and sat in her position, her flower body sank into a hole, and her body ended perfectly at the height of a normal table. Even then, her human body was tall, so her presence was stifling. As she sat there, the aura of maturity and beauty made even the butler, who was mostly accustomed to Pyara, feel difficult to breathe. 

‘As years pass, Lady Pyara is blooming gorgeously. As expected of one of Lady Heavenly Willow’s children.’ 

After the butler filled her thin wooden cup with water, he retreated to tell the kitchen to start preparing breakfast. Only twenty minutes remained until her date arrived. 

Pyara sat silently, drinking the water with calm eyes. After so many meetings, there was not a hint of nervousness in Pyara’s body, only calmness.

Fifteen minutes later, someone knocked on the door. “Um… Hello? Is this where Lady Pyara is?” 

A mature and gentle female voice reached Pyara’s ears. The low and pleasant voice was very different from anyone Pyara had met before. Curious about the new arrival, Pyara looked at the door and spoke softly. “Please, come in. It is already open.”

The door gently opened, and Pyara’s red eyes flashed with brief surprise. ‘Wow… She is tall.’ 

The woman who entered was over two meters tall! Her figure was slender, but she had the right curves where it mattered. Adding to her long legs and healthy, white complexion, the woman gave an imposing feeling that was no less than Pyara’s. 

The woman’s blonde hair and green eyes easily distinguished her as a Sylvan, while her natural tangy scent gave Pyara an idea of what element this Sylvan specialized in. Pyara smiled and spoke. “Welcome. Thank you for coming. I am Tianlian Pyara. I hope we have a great morning together.” 

The woman’s eyes glanced at Pyara up and down, and she approached her with a smile. Pyara was slightly surprised at the boldness of this woman, but she tried not to reject her. 

The Sylvan took Pyara’s hand and gently kissed it. “I am Lumina Lightbranch. It is a pleasure to meet a soft beauty like you.” 

Pyara’s hand flinched at the touch, but she resisted the urge to pull back and accepted the gesture. Lumina’s green eyes flashed for a second, but she didn’t show any discomfort.

After the initial exchange, Lumina moved toward her seat. 

Pyara looked at the Sylvan with curious eyes. ‘Such a peculiar person… There is not a single thread of wariness towards me in her eyes.’ A hint of interest appeared in Pyara’s eyes. 

Chapter 1335. Luminous Ocean Divine vs Empyrean Cosmos Dragon!

When Yasenia stepped into the next arena, a terrifying presence enveloped her body. Yasenia’s facial expression shifted slightly as she looked across her to the woman standing in the distance. 

Astarea was a slender and elegant woman who carried herself with grace and dignity. Her age and experience were far beyond Yasenia’s, and her real strength naturally overwhelmed her as well. 

‘To begin with, Ralgar was slightly playful when fighting me at first. When I gain an advantage, I can capitalize on it until I have destroyed my opponents. However, Astarea is not like that. Lataria might’ve informed her about my skills as well.’ 

Astarea’s eyes shone like ocean jewels, while her golden hair and long, white, feathered wings glowed with a tranquil light. It felt as if Astarea was looking down on Yasenia, not out of disrespect, but natural superiority. 

This rubbed Yasenia the wrong way, so her cold face tightened as her bloodline exploded outward, swallowing the surrounding space.

Astarea’s eyebrow twitched once, a flash of surprise appearing in her eyes. Nevertheless, that surprise soon disappeared as she returned to her tranquil temperament.

“Yasenia Dravory, Lataria has told me a few things about you.”

Yasenia answered faintly, her eyes not revealing any surprise. “I guessed. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be tense when fighting a junior such as myself.”

Astarea’s lips arched faintly, her voice echoing calmly. “You are wrong there, child. You defeated that demon, Ralgar. Even I wouldn’t have an easy time defeating him, yet you show not a single trace of having been involved in a fight previous to me.”

The dragoness smiled faintly. “Isn’t that bad news for you? If I defeated someone at your level easily, then you are in a precarious situation, aren’t you?” 

Astarea shook her head, her long golden hair waving elegantly with her faint movements. “You are wrong. That demon probably underestimated you while trying to court you and reacted when it was already too late. I won’t make the same mistake of taking you lightly.” She smiled, a bit apologetic. “Sorry, child. I can’t afford to lose this treasure. So, I will use all my strength.”

After showing that expression, her aura pulsed outward, countering Yasenia’s and pushing it back. In an instant, Yasenia felt as if she had fallen in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by pressured water that bound her movements.

Astarea’s presence seemed to magnify, and her sapphire-like eyes emitted a white glow that radiated from the corners as her body was enveloped in brightness. 

Yasenia’s pupils shrank, but she didn’t give up in the coercion space. “[Empyrean Cosmos Dragon Sovereignty].”

BOOM!

The pressure around her was blasted outward, but Astarea’s presence was not undone. In the end, both sides clashed in the middle, unable to get a clear victor between them. Even then, Yasenia was not happy. ‘I am someone who is practicing four active paths, and my bloodline is at the immortal level! How can this Divine have a comparable aura to me!?’   

In the stands, Lataria looked at Yasenia with some surprise. ‘Yasenia is actually able to push Grandmother’s aura back!? That monster known as the number one genius of the Divines in the last 10,000 years!?’

There was a reason why Ao Jiuyao was so interested in Astarea. Her talent was so monstrous that few could even compare with her. While she was Lataria’s grandmother, she wasn’t that much older, having barely lived 20,000 years. 

Astarea was not flustered. “[Luminous Ocean Intent Domain Level 3], [Water Intent Domain Level 3].”

Yasenia’s face changed. ‘Double Intents?’ 

“[Celestial Intent Domain Level 1], [Tyrannical Warlord Intent Domain Level 2].” 

From Astarea, bluish water with a white glow surged out and covered the ground below them. Meanwhile, Yasenia’s intents pushed the ocean back, creating an area around her where space glittered with the figures of countless galaxies, stars, and planets. 

The result of both Intents mixing together was a cosmic sky with an ocean that seemed to stretch as far as the cosmos that it belonged to. 

Astarea’s calm face changed slightly, and she looked at Yasenia seriously. “So, Lataria was not lying. You actually understood the Celestial concept and even developed it into an Intent Domain. Your talent is truly enviable. It makes me feel like a frog in a well.”

While Astarea’s Intents were higher level, Yasenia’s were of much higher quality. Therefore, both sides had their Intents restrained. Yasenia was not so calm, though. ‘This is the first time… The first time that Celestial Intent Domain couldn’t drag someone into my dimension.’ 

While it seemed that they had moved to Yasenia’s Celestial domain, her Intent Domain was utterly suppressed, trying to control the Luminous Ocean Intent Domain. So, both of them were still outside, only having changed their surroundings. 

Astarea asked Yasenia, elegant and poised. “Won’t you come? You can’t win if you don’t get close, can you?”

Yasenia also knew that, but she was not impatient. As she looked at Astarea, she understood that she couldn’t win while holding back. ‘Sigh… If it was before I knew the function of the Bead, I might’ve fought while holding back and eventually lost on purpose… After all, I had no intention of revealing myself here. However, I can’t do that. If I want to shorten the distance between Mom and me, I need this bead.’

The tension around Yasenia somewhat relaxed as her breath changed and her emotions calmed down. 

Astarea noticed the change. ‘She is coming.’

The first move of the dragoness was not light at all. First, Yasenia’s aura skyrocketed. “[Celestial Cosmos Dress], [Celestial Dragon Body], [Immortal Breaker Body], [Celestial Tyrant Soul Unshackled]. 

BOOM! 

A pillar of energy pierced the sky, and the monstrous strength of the dragon multiplied to the point that her presence distorted the ocean below her feet. 

Astarea’s face tensed. “[Luminous Ocean Coat], [Thousand Light Feather Strength].” 

Her own strength surged, her wings glowing with matching radiance to Yasenia’s celestial blue pillar of energy. 

Those spectators were holding their breaths, wondering if they were looking at a match between first-level or mid-level Transcendents. 

When both sides integrated their skills within their bodies, Yasenia took a deep breath and began the fight with one of her strongest attacks. 

“[Celestial Dragon Breath]!”

ROAR!

A gargantuan blue beam burst forth, swallowing the space between Astarea and Yasenia in an instant. Astarea’s face changed slightly, and her aura pulsed outward. 

“[Mirrored Horizon Seal].” 

A giant dome, made of reflective water and light, manifested in the surroundings. Then, hundreds of those mirrors descended from the sky, lining up between Celestial Dragon Breath and Astarea. 

CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!

Many of those mirrors shattered, leaving only a few behind. With the breath completely blocked, Astarea waved her hand. “Return.” 

Yasenia’s face changed when her own Celestial Breath suddenly shot from the mirror, almost matching the intensity of her own. Knowing firsthand the strength of her own attacks thanks to her copies, she didn’t hold back in defensive measures. 

“[Crystalline Moon Dress], [Celestial Aegis]!” 

BOOM!!

Yasenia’s Celestial Aegis broke, and the remaining strength of the attack exploded against her body. 

Astarea observed from a distance with tranquil eyes. ‘She received no damage.’ 

She intended to reflect the attack with extra strength. Sadly, her mirrors were unable to bear the strain and many shattered. ‘She can block her own attacks… That’s a problem. It seems that she isn’t a super offensive fighter. Her defense is as sturdy as her offense.’

While she thought that, Yasenia’s figure burst forth from the explosion, surrounded by a pegasus made of starlight—the dragoness’s approaching speed was absurd.

Astarea stepped down lightly, and a wave of water surged out with her as the center. 

“[Eternal Reflection Sanctuary].” 

A vast lake of radiant water rushed over the luminous ocean, overlaying it to form a surface with thousands of radiant reflections. 

Yasenia’s face knew that the reflections were not decorative, and soon, she confirmed her guess. 

As she approached, Yasenia suddenly noticed the radiant reflections ripple in front of her. A fraction of a second later, the light pillars of damaging light soared skyward. 

‘Tsk. Annoying.’ 

A quick use of [Fairy Moon Steps] helped Yasenia maneuver around the pillars. Nevertheless, she lost her momentum and was barred from approaching Astarea. 

As she circled the area Astarea stood on, Yasenia’s dragon wings burst behind her back. ‘I will be able to maneuver easily with my actual wings rather than my energy.’ 

Astarea noticed Yasenia’s wings and saw that the dragon was about to flap them. With a wave of her hand, another skill was activated. “[Aqueous Lightlance].” 

Yasenia flapped her wings and activated Pegasus Gallop, intending to surprise her with burst acceleration. Right as Yasenia burst forward with ridiculous speed, a bright light consumed her sight. ‘She read me!’ 

With no other option, Yasenia folded her wings in front of her. 

BOOM!

The dragoness was thrown back, and thousands of pillars surged behind her. The dragoness was forced to crash against dozens of those pillars, her body suffering external injuries. ‘Tsk. I can’t continue like this.’ 

“[Star Dome]!”

A white light expanded from her body, creating a defensive area that blocked the pillars around her. Looking into the distance, she noticed that Astarea had yet to move from her initial position. Her flattened lips involuntarily arched. ‘Strong.’   

Seeing the dragoness smile, Astarea had a bad premonition. However, she didn’t bother with it and instead tapped the ground again while her large feathered wings gently flapped behind her. 

“[Moonlit Abyss Torrent].” 

In the lake, the Moon’s reflection appeared and enveloped the battlefield with a silver mist. Yasenia looked at the reflection and instantly recognized its nature. ‘Illusions.’ 

“The Moon is my domain, Astarea. Break!”

CRASH!

With her roar, the illusion-based technique instantly shattered, unable to affect Yasenia’s powerful mind or disrupt her body in any way. 

Astarea’s gaze deepened. “Such a powerful mind… It seems that I can only defeat you in by tiring you out. [Aqueous Lightlance].”

This time, hundreds of giant spears made of water and flowing with light manifested around the Divine. Then, the divine pointed at Yasenia. “Go.” 

Yasenia’s lips arched as a small laugh escaped her. “Haha! [Celestial Sunder]!” 

Her sword and tail glowed, and then, the dragoness began swinging them continuously, clashing with the lightlances and counteracting them. Naturally, she needed to move around to dodge the pillars of light while also being careful of any other tricks from the Divine. 

The spectators looked at the ongoing battle with surprise. Lataria muttered, baffled. Was Yasenia this strong before? It feels as if she had transformed into another person in the few days we haven’t met.’ 

Chapter 547. Mama World Tree’s Curiosity. [Soul Enthralled Mate]. [AotSC]

For a World Tree, time passed quickly and silently. If it weren’t for her interactions with her family members, Liu Shu would’ve been dazed for years. What made Liu Shu snap out of her calm retreat was surprising news.

“Huh? Say that again?” Liu Shu’s avatar glanced at Verdantia with wide eyes.

Verdantia laughed and hugged Liu Shu’s Avatar with a smile. “Dewna is pregnant.”

“Whoa…” Liu Shu blinked, confused. “Didn’t she have her coming of age not long ago?”

Verdantia tilted her head. “Love, it has been twelve years since then.”

“Twelve…” Liu Shu looked at Verdantia, baffled, and then realized that Dewna would be having her 30th birthday in a few months. When the scale of time registered in her head, Liu Shu spoke slowly. “It has been four years since the day I went berserk? Already?”

Liu Shu had a large number of children, approaching 80. The reason for the high number of children was the lack of Sylvan pregnancies. No matter how they tried, Liu Shu’s Avatar was unable to conceive Sylvan children.

Therefore, birthdays and other celebrations were relatively common and often celebrated with small gatherings. If not, they would need to spend time on birthday preparations throughout the year.

Moreover, since Liu Shu’s consciousness was spread out to communicate with her children in both normal and arboreal languages, time had become somewhat vague for our World Tree. Sometimes, before she knew it, a few months had gone by, and suddenly, the yearly time for the Flower Day Festival was around the corner.

Seeing the dazed look in Liu Shu’s usually gentle eyes, the Life Sylvan sighed softly and asked gently. “Did time fly by quickly?”

Unaccustomed to the feeling, Liu Shu nodded softly. “Yes… Usually, if four years passed by, there would be news of new enemies, organizations, etc. However, since I started caring less about them, such news became sparse and whenever I realize it, months or years have gone by.” She said. “Speaking of which, didn’t we have a similar conversation not long ago?”

Verdantia gently kissed Liu Shu’s eyebrow and sighed. “We had it almost two years ago.”

“Oh…” An awkward smile formed on Liu Shu’s lips. “That long ago, eh?”

Liu Shu wondered. “That… How is the development of the new cities going around the young World Trees?”

Verdantia explained slowly. “The most successful is the one we’ve built in the previous Dark Aether Swamp. Do you remember that little one?”

“Yeah. Of course.” Liu Shu laughed. “The Corrupted World Tree, who almost got me. It was a really close call back then.”

“You dare laugh?” Verdantia’s lips arched as she tightly grabbed Liu Shu’s softness. “Keep laughing, and I’ll punish you.”

Liu Shu giggled. “It’s ticklish~. Also, don’t squeeze so hard; it will leak.”

“Speaking of…” Verdantia took out a wooden bottle and smiled, her green eyes shining with deep feelings. “Time to milk you.”

The World Tree rolled her eyes, but she didn’t complain. Her body surrendered to the Sylvan, and Verdantia was only satisfied after filling ten bottles. “Great. With this, we should be able to feed the little ones who are too hungry and young for you to use your sap directly.”

Liu Shu looked at Verdantia, amused. “I was suspicious about your eagerness, so I followed you and discovered something interesting. Guess what I discovered~.”

The Sylvan froze, but Liu Shu ignored her and continued, light laughter in her voice. “Do you think I don’t know that four of those will be shared among the mothers? Why hide it, eh? If you ask, I can even let you drink directly from the source.”

Verdantia felt heat spread on her cheeks. “T-That… Ahem. It’s very nutritious and good for the body.” Even after many years, feelings between the wives remained fresh. Thanks to their long lifespan, strong emotions were much harder to dilute over time in them.

Liu Shu raised her eyebrows. “Oh. Drinking them secretly in your room while—”

Verdantia blurted. “ANYWAY, Liu’er, did you know that the number of <Fourth Energy Cycle> World Trees recently surpassed 10? Those big sisters down south finally stretched enough to start their breakthrough. I don’t know how long it will take, though.”

Liu Shu laughed and pardoned her lover by not pushing further. She rested her body on Verdantia’s embrace and closed her eyes with a peaceful smile. “Yes. I know. I can feel their turbulent energies.”

“Right, right…” Verdantia suddenly recalled something. “Speaking of which, the exploration of the new <Dungeon> has become quite an event. It’s so unique and interesting that there are not multiple <Dungeon Instances> like with the rest.”

“Is it? Well, the dungeon is large, so you might not have sent enough people to fill a single layer.”

“Oh…” Verdantia showed a thoughtful expression. “That’s actually quite valid. Should we investigate?”

“Leave investigating to the <Explorer Association>. They were there just for this kind of activity. If we do it for them, why do I even bother keeping that organization in my domain?”

“...Well, because they are an interstellar superpower? I think that’s quite a valid reason not to provoke them.”

Liu Shu glanced at Verdantia and smiled. “If I were afraid of interstellar powers, I would’ve never attacked the Nexus by myself.”

“Hm… I guess.” Verdantia sighed softly and tightened her hug, feeling the petite woman’s soft body.

“So, you spoke about Dewna’s pregnancy and left me in the air after we deviated from the subject.” Liu Shu asked, curious. “Who is the father? It can’t be Halthia, that girl, right?”

Verdantia chuckled. “Halthia is a pure woman. She doesn’t have the ability to impregnate Dewna. Halthia is currently acting as Dewna’s secretary… so to speak.”

“Huh? I don’t get it.”

Seeing Liu Shu’s confusion, Verdantia explained how her daughters and sons developed romantically. “As you know, our children’s intelligence is slightly lacking in comparison to Sylvans, Humans, and the rest. They are not stupid by any means. In fact, their intelligence is two or three levels higher than we initially thought—comparable to that of a 13- or 14-year-old human. Nevertheless, they lack our cunningness and ability to weigh complex benefits and drawbacks from their actions.”

Liu Shu nodded, and Verdantia commented. “Because they are not in the wild and can’t hunt without consequences, they’ve developed quite a good strategy.” Verdantia’s tone was full of interest and pride. “Since their intelligence is slightly lacking, why not use the intelligence of their prey?”

“Oh?” Our World Tree looked at Verdantia, curiosity piqued. “How do they do that?”

“Actually, they’ve developed a skill from you. It is called <Soul Enthralled Mate>, and it is B- Rank.”

This surprised Liu Shu to no end. “But… Dewna didn’t have anything like that when she was born. How did she develop it?”

“That’s the interesting part!” Verdantia was a huge fan of exotic plant species, so the Alraune’s development was something she was delighted to see. “Dewna and the others got this skill after their first mating and being fed by your sap. It seems to be a lesser version of your <Soul Enthralling World Tree> passive skill.”

Many thoughts flashed in Liu Shu’s mind, but she didn’t interrupt. Instead, she moved her gaze and went to Dewna’s side, analyzing her skill list and seeing the description by herself.

Verdantia noticed Liu Shu’s look of surprise and knew that she had read the skill in question. “The text is vague, but it can be explained easily. In Dewna’s case, Halthia became her mate. Psychologically, it only made Halthia’s feelings for Dewna sturdy and solid enough to be called unbreakable. Halthia, in turn, has become sensitive to those who had their essence sucked from Dewna. Naturally, Halthia, now enchanted by Dewna, pursues Dewna’s happiness as her priority.”

Liu Shu’s face was strange. “Isn’t that mind control?”

Verdantia generously admitted it. “Similar, but not quite. Halthia needed to be willing and then have some sort of ritual with Dewna. Once she made this deal, Dewna also became attached to Halthia, her feelings changing from seeing her as a friend to something more. If Halthia could have babies from Dewna, she would’ve been pregnant long ago.”

Liu Shu still felt uncertain about that skill, but she didn’t mind much. ‘If both sides are willing, it is similar to a marriage that the system views over so that it doesn’t break… Looking at it in that manner, it’s almost an advantage…’

“Still, I have a question.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Won’t the Soul Enthralled Mate become jealous of the Alraune’s other partners?”

Verdantia shook her head. “That’s why it is interesting! Halthia actually helps Dewna find good prey that won’t harm her! If anything, she is even more open than before. Previously, I could see her stare resentfully when Dewna ate others.”

Verdantia frowned a bit. “Honestly, there were a few times that I wanted to ask Dewna to separate from her, but I resisted the urge because she was Dewna’s first partner.”

Liu Shu looked at her wife and laughed wryly. ‘Sylvan mothers are quite extreme with their predatory children, aren’t they? I somehow doubt that Verdantia would even bat an eye if Dewna accidentally killed someone by sucking too much essence.’

“Anyway, after the contract, Halthia helped find some men and women, and now, she is leading them for Dewna’s benefit.”

“So, who is the father?”

Verdantia was a bit ashamed. “Well, we don’t know. She got pregnant after mingling with four men at the same time one night.”

“Oh.” Liu Shu blinked and grinned. “Like mother, like daughter, I guess.”

Verdantia looked away, bashful. While they didn’t do it simultaneously yet, they had lost the shame of doing it in turns, one after another. So, the times when Liu Shu ended up with a surprise baby bundle were much more frequent than in the past.

“Still, it’s strange. Did only Dewna get pregnant? There are more than a dozen of them in their twenties, right?”

The Life Sylvan commented. “Actually, Alraune and their subspecies are quite deft <Crafters>. So, most of them mate just to eat and for fun while focusing on becoming stronger quickly. Only Dewna felt an urge to have a child not long ago, which concluded in the heated girl dragging her four male partners into one room and squeezing them to the limits.”

Liu Shu knew many of these things since she spoke with her children often. However, hearing it from the active parent clarified a few interesting details. ‘I should ask Harmonixia and the others as well.’

For the next month, Liu Shu became active and investigated the daily lives of her children with great curiosity. She came to one conclusion. ‘As expected of Alraune and their subspecies, they are all like their Mommy: voracious.’

Seeing her daughters and sons entangle with an average of five people every night was an experience that left Liu Shu with subtle feelings. ‘I am the prude one among the family… Well, this is good. The future is guaranteed to have many babies.’

If anything, she was worried about the Sanguine Blazes. None of them had found a mate yet, as they struggled with their feelings for Liu Shu. ‘Hm… Cinderielle’s angle on finding mates is wrong. I know what to do, hehe.’

“Cinderielle, come to my <Core Room>. I have something to discuss.”

Chapter 546. Returning to Her Roots. [AotSC]

Liu Shu’s Avatar sat on her bed, holding her swollen stomach while resting dazedly and looking at the walls of her <Core Room>. On her other arm, Liu Shu held a few-month-old Sanguine Blaze and fed it. As her hand gently caressed her belly and patted the back of her baby, Liu Shu’s mind recreated what had happened a few days ago.

‘...’ 

Even while recalling, there was not a single thought in her mind. She was just running the basic processes in her head, but the rest was just dazed. While staring forward, a pair of arms gathered her in a firm yet soft embrace. Liu Shu looked up with her amethyst-colored eyes. “Oh… It’s Tempestria.”  

Tempestria sighed softly at the stiff tone. “Liu Shu. Hiding yourself won’t do anything. I know you are in a bit of a shock because you are angry, but—”

“Oh.” Liu Shu shook her head and leaned on Tempestria’s shoulder, careful to position her swollen belly and child so that they weren’t uncomfortable. “I am no longer angry. I was no longer angry the second I realized what I did.”

Tempestria sighed and placed her lips on Liu Shu’s forehead, hugging her pregnant lady and the Sanguine Blaze. After the lasting and gentle kiss, Tempestria spoke softly. “Are you really not suffering? You’ve been avoiding approaching the World Tree cities these days, right?” 

Liu Shu closed her eyes comfortably. “I am thinking, and taking my time to do so.” Liu Shu answered. “When have I ever… taken a step back and looked at things from a distance? Since I was attacked by Froorar all those decades ago, I have been in a state of constant development. If it wasn’t a Level Up, it was a war. If it wasn’t a war, it was a political conflict with the surrounding powers. If it wasn’t that, monsters were threatening us…” 

Tempestria nodded and continued caressing Liu Shu’s back. Nestled in Tempestria’s embrace, Liu Shu sighed comfortably. “I just… wanted to stop being active. You know, become a [Tree] once more. Go back to my origin and just behave like what I am at my core.” 

“I see.” Tempestria separated a bit and looked down at Liu Shu, smiling. “Even if you want to be a tree, we and the others don’t intend to stop bothering you. So, you'd better prepare to be a tree with wives.”

Liu Shu’s eyes shone with faint laughter. “Good luck exploring my cave. Now that I am over 6,000 meters tall, my real… lower entrance is a moist cave around 600 meters deep that leads into this <Core Room>.”

Tempestria’s lips twitched. “Honestly, at this pace, you will remain a virgin with your main body forever.”

Liu Shu’s eyes widened in shock. “T-That… Huh?”

Tempestria grinned. “Eternal Virgin Tianlian Liu Shu. Won’t that become a <Title>? Moreover, the larger you are, the more impossible it will be for us to explore your actual… pistil~.” 

Liu Shu was like a startled deer, eyes wide and frozen in place. Tempestria almost burst into loud laughter. She lowered her face, laughing as she kissed her lover’s little mouth. “Haha… You are so adorable, dear. I love you.” 

Tempestria laughed and kissed Liu Shu for a while. Liu Shu grumbled between kisses. “You are really… bad! W-Who calls their lover Eternal Virgin?” 

“Hahaha. I love you.” 

“Ma! Maaa!”

Liu Shu blinked and looked down, separating from Tempestria’s voracious lips. She saw the Sanguine Blaze look at her with teary eyes while she glared at Tempestria.

Tempestria sighed in amazement. “To think that Sanguine Blazes understand these types of interactions from so young and are capable of becoming jealous… They are really a dangerous species if the parents are not careful. No wonder they are considered a taboo species.”

Liu Shu smiled wryly. “They are really clingy babies. There were times when they actually tried to use their vines! On me.”

Tempestria was baffled. “Really? Why have I never heard about this?”

“They were too little.” Liu Shu rolled her eyes. “Also, it’s not like I can come and say. ‘Hey, my daughter almost… without consent!’ It’s just their basic instinct going out of control.” She clarified to the frowning Sylvan. “Nothing has ever happened, so don’t look so bothered.”

Tempestria grumbled, gently pinching the Sanguine Blaze’s cheeks. “You pervert little children. Coming with a hardwired mother-con problem is truly a problem.”   

Liu Shu slapped the Wind Sylvan’s hand. “Leave my baby alone. Can’t you hear her cries?” 

Tempestria muttered, a bit wronged. “I was gentle…”

“As if that matters.” Liu Shu placed her nipple on the baby’s mouth, and she quickly stopped crying and suckled happily. “At this age, it's not pain but psychological reactions. A loud clap will make them cry if it startles them, the same with a gentle cheek pull at a wrong time.” 

Tempestria looked at her lover and laughed softly, her grey eyes tender and loving. “It’s great to see that you are not too affected.”

Liu Shu sighed, resting her head on Tempestria’s shoulder again. “I am affected. Those I’ve killed went through my roots, becoming part of the life and death cycle circulating through me. I can empathize with their pain and unfairness to a certain extent. How wrong are they?”

Tempestria remembered the last sentence from Liu Shu’s <Soul Enthralling World Tree> passive skill. “Right… If I remember correctly, it says: All souls of those who die within your domain will be purified by you and reborn within your domain if possible.”

Liu Shu hummed. “That’s right.” She sighed. “The feeling is really… unique. If I had to compare it with something you can relate to. It would be like actively feeling your blood flow through your veins, sometimes being able to hear your cells cry out what they feel.”

“That’s… not too helpful as a comparison.” Tempestria smiled wryly. Then, she kissed Liu Shu’s forehead and sighed. “Still, it creates a clear picture. It’s really… impressive how you could remain clear-headed when that happened.” 

Liu Shu blinked. “But I didn’t. I utterly spaced out and went into life-saving mode. I couldn’t even hear Mom’s voice until I finished. If it weren’t for her, I would’ve confused the voices of the dead with those of the living and continued searching an empty disaster location.” 

“...Creepy.”

Liu Shu slapped Tempestria’s shoulder and scolded her gently. “That’s so inappropriate as a comment! You dare call me creepy? I should push back today’s session!” 

Tempestria almost jumped. “Sorry, sorry. I was wrong! Don’t say such things!”

Seeing her genuine flusteredness, Liu Shu burst into laughter. “Do you want to do it with me that much?”

Tempestria rubbed her nose with Liu Shu and smiled. “Yes. When we do it, I feel like I am where I belong. While this will sound a bit perverted… Filling you fills my existence.” 

Liu Shu burst into laughter. “It really is perverted! Hahaha.” Then, she smiled softly. “But I love it.”

They shared another kiss, and then Liu Shu looked down. She noticed the Sanguine Blaze sleeping, so her gaze turned seductive. “She is asleep. I guess you’ll have what you wanted~.”

The moment a root coiled down to carry the child away, Tempestria jumped onto Liu Shu like a hungry beast. “Oh my~.”

A few hours later, Tempestria was lying on the leaf-bed with a tired but satisfied expression. She looked as if she had been enlightened. Around them, dozens of fruits could be seen rolling on the ground. These fruits were snacks Liu Shu’s Avatar ate when she wanted. 

Meanwhile, Liu Shu was lying on Tempestria’s side, held as the little spoon. The big spoon, Tempestria, gently held Liu Shu’s pregnant belly. Even when her World Tree’s face was flushed and full of energy, there was no dissatisfaction on her. 

Held so dearly, her heart felt full of sweet honey. 

Meanwhile, outside, Liu Shu’s eyes were opened as she looked at the horizon. By now, Liu Shu towered over most mountains in the entire continent. Therefore, she could look very far into the distance and observe the world through her gaze. 

“So peaceful…” 

A sigh full of relaxation escaped her, her gentle voice startling a few birds who lived near her mouth. In terms of size, a normal build like a sparrow was not larger than a dust mote. So, it didn’t bother her in the slightest. 

Her sharp gaze saw a few birds flying, and she laughed. “You silly birds, who chooses near my mouth as a nesting location? My bark is also really smooth for my size, so I bet it’s uncomfortable.” 

Her gaze moved up, and she noticed a few flying intelligent beings around her branches. They were the berry workers, who worked almost all around the clock. “Is gathering my berries so fun?”

She was thinking aloud, not caring if they heard her. Of course, her voice startled a few of them, throwing them off balance. Of course, it didn’t matter; at their current height, they had minutes to react before they collided with the ground. 

“So clumsy and cute, haha.” 

Liu Shu smiled, and the berry workers who tripped blushed furiously. The rest were not much better when they saw Liu Shu’s gorgeous smile. 

“Thank you for helping me pluck my berries. I know there are too many berries monthly… 120 million currently, right?” 

The leader of the berry collectors was able to maintain her composure better, so she flew down and bowed at Liu Shu. “Lady Heavenly Willow must not worry. It is delightful and an honor to collect the Lady’s berries.” 

Liu Shu smiled at the Rose Fairy flying in front of her. This Rose Fairy was relatively tall for her species, showing an elegant temperament. Moreover, she was impressively at the B Tier. 

“I am glad. Tell me a bit about your operations. I’ve always been curious. How do you all even manage to collect millions of berries?” 

The Flower Fairy explained slowly, her tone measured. “Lady Heavenly Willow, we have these specialized baskets. Each basket allows us to collect almost 50,000 berries. Thankfully, Heavenly Willow’s fruits have not grown to your size, so they are easy to carry as long as you are Level 50 or above.” 

Liu Shu joked with the fairy. “Oh? Are you calling me too big now?”

The Rose Fairy was close to Alba, the current Queen, so she was familiar with Liu Shu’s personality through Alba. Therefore, she laughed, not flustered. “Yes. Lady Heavenly Willow is the biggest.” 

Liu Shu chuckled and observed the rest of the flying creatures. “Speaking of which… How do you all keep the animals in my canopy from eating my berries?” 

“That…” The Rose Fairy was a bit careful when she answered. “We actually control which species live in Lady Heavenly Willow’s canopy.”

“Oh?” Liu Shu, who usually didn’t pay attention, was somewhat surprised. “How do you do that? Extermination?”

The Rose Fairy shook her head. “Extermination… We did that once in the past. After that, we’ve been careful not to allow animals that eat berries to live in Lady Willow’s branches. We did this using our strength. Even then, there are plenty of different critters living within Heavenly Willow’s canopy. Their diet is mainly formed from Lady Liu Shu’s leaves. There are also plenty of bee species and even ants that help pollinate and balance Lady Liu Shu’s beautiful ecosystem.”

“I see.” Liu Shu hummed. “It's quite interesting.”

The Rose Fairy sighed secretly and smiled. “I am glad you think so, Lady Heavenly Willow.” 

Liu Shu looked at the horizon, and the Rose Fairy silently retreated up, back into the canopy.

“Who knew…” Liu Shu sighed. “I’ve been looking outwards so intensely that I lost sight of my own surroundings. I didn’t even know how they managed my own canopy.”

She was not upset that they did so; the berries were a precious resource and couldn’t be lost to wild animals. “In a way…” Liu Shu chuckled. “What they’ve done is similar to what I’ve done. First, a cleanup, then control.”

The World Tree sighed, her verdant green eyes shining softly with the slowly setting sun. “I’ll just… live for a little while. Take care of my family, and beyond that, expand all around the world. Is there even a need to rush dealing with the World Trees?” 

She remembered what the Earth Dragon told her. “I’ll conquer everything else besides their territories. Then, I’ll give them an ultimatum as I did with Big Sis Warlya. Those who accept it, great. Those who don’t… I am sorry.” 

As the wind carried her words of forgiveness, the World Tree’s heavy heart relaxed as she truly connected with nature. 

Chapter 1334. Yasenia's Evolving Strength.

BOOM!

The blast from [Firmament Dividing Celestial Twilight] pierced the demon’s defenses, tearing wounds into his body. Each crash against the ground splashed bluish blood. His wings were unable to slow his hurtling body. ‘Since I can’t stop, I will use this speed to make distance and recover. She can’t catch up to me after hitting me so hard.’ 

Yasenia’s lips curled when she saw the demon transform into a black blur and widen the distance. “You want me to chase? Haha! Let’s see how fast you can fly!” 

Then, as her lips arched wide enough to reveal her pointy fangs, Yasenia raised her right foot and brought it down with almost all her strength, time slowing down during her motions.

CRRRACK!

A massive spiderweb-like crack spread from her stomping point, and the surroundings around Yasenia stretched out in her vision, preparing her for the acceleration burst. Her pupils thinned to lines as the landscape stretched and she locked onto the retreating demon. 

Following the stomping motion, Yasenia’s foot and toes gripped the ground below, and she pushed, leaning forward almost horizontally. Her bent calf and thigh muscles stretched explosively, the ground whining beneath the strain. 

The figure of Pegasus manifested around Yasenia. Its starlit wings stretched far beyond usual, framing her form. As Yasenia completed her motion, the horse galloped ahead.

“[Pegasus Gallop: Star Chasing].”

BOOM!!!

The floor sank beneath her and surged behind, rippling like liquid.

Ralgar had never lost sight of Yasenia, and his heart grew prickly when Yasenia raised her foot in an exaggerated motion. What happened next unnerved him.  

When the dragoness stomped down, a flash of white light surrounded her, and in the next instant, a giant white horse made out of starlight burst forth with Yasenia in the middle. Her speed was absurd—she crossed a tenth of the gap in a single step.

‘Is that dragon using pills to enhance her speed!? How can someone have so much burst acceleration!?’ 

When the second stomp followed, his heart lurched. This time, the distance she covered was a fifth! ‘She wasn’t going at full speed!?’ The demon lamented. ‘I shouldn’t have provoked a dragon! I thought she would be weak because she was young!’ 

Third stomp!

Fourth stomp!

Even as both sides flew and covered thousands of kilometers, Yasenia halved the gap in four steps. 

Ralgar’s mind was in chaos. ‘What is that technique? Each step she takes carries the previous momentum and multiplies it! Won’t her legs explode if she keeps this up!? How tough are her muscles!’ 

Fifth stomp!

Sixth stomp!

“Gotcha.” 

Ralgar heard Yasenia’s voice but was confused. ‘She still has a fifth of the distance between us! Is she saying that I am within her attack range!?’

Draheart burst with light, and Yasenia thrust the massive sword forward as she stomped for the seventh time. “[Fairy Moon Steps], [Star Pierce].” 

Using all the accumulated momentum of [Pegasus Gallop], Yasenia’s leg muscles screamed and tore as she pushed her body beyond her limits. Then, she incorporated [Star Pierce] with her movement technique, transforming her own body into a projectile guided by Draheart. 

White light swept the area, concentrating down to a line connecting the dragon and the demon. Yasenia’s golden slit eyes locked onto the line as she began her seventh step.

Energy enveloped her, shielding her from the material world and letting her reach speeds she’d only known in space.

Ralgar, feeling a threat to his life, turned around and screamed, his dark aura surging and enveloping all the space between Yasenia and himself. “You dare target my life!? [Devouring Shadow Mantle]!”

However, it wasn’t enough. The white line that linked him and Yasenia burst with bright light, and the dragoness traversed it. 

S—LASH!

Yasenia disappeared and reappeared right behind the demon, her piercing motion completed. Behind her, Ralgar’s shadowy, dark red eyes trembled as he muttered. “M-Monster.”

[Star Pierce]’s energy exploded, creating a massive hole in the Demon Monarch's body. Yasenia tore her thigh and waist muscles, using her tail as a pivot to turn behind the demon, swinging Draheart with a shout. “[Celestial…SUNDER]!” 

BOOM!

The demon’s body, swallowed by the blue light, flew into the distance, mangled beyond recognition. 

Yasenia’s heavy breathing and pain made her grunt, almost throwing her off balance. Still, her excited heart reflected her current state of mind. ‘That way of using skills… Hahahaha! It feels so good!’ 

She was by no means an expert, but Yasenia could finally see the path to improvement. She could see how her copies used her skills and why. 

Looking inside, a wry laugh escaped her. “I’ve received more injuries from my own recklessness than the demon’s attacks… Still.”

Her gaze focused on the mangled body in the distance, and she noticed it was twitching. “...He is alive even after receiving an unprotected Celestial Sunder? A demon’s resilience is truly ridiculous.”

She didn’t finish him off. Instead, she approached and spoke with a wry smile. “Thankfully, you didn’t die, Senior. I was consumed by excitement when fighting a strong person and couldn’t control my strength.”

If they were alone in the wild, Yasenia would’ve finished him off. But she remembered something quite important that escaped her during the fight. ‘There are spectators… Some from Ralgar’s faction. If I dare finish him off here, I will make irreconcilable enemies.’

Although it hurt her heart, she very reluctantly placed a healing pill in the mouth of the mangled demon. “A healing pill, Senior. It should alleviate the pain.” 

‘In truth, this pill is one Kali developed to alleviate the effects of my Celestial Energy. Celestial Energy is damaging to the point that common regeneration of immortals is useless. So, to stop it from gnawing into his soul and body, Kali made these pills out of powder from my shed scales. Now, how long will it take for him to recover? That’s something for Ralgar to discover.’

Meanwhile, in the spectator stands, everyone was silent. Their eyes were fixed on the tall and voluptuous dragon woman standing over the body of the powerful demon. After the battle was finished, Yasenia released her skills, so her dress transformed back into its revealing blue form. 

“...What was that last attack?” Someone finally asked, their hearts shivering when recalling Yasenia’s last attack. 

A man answered, his tone full of wariness. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen that kind of energy. I could tell that there were mixes of Moon and Star attributes. Nevertheless, I could also feel a hint of Sun Energy. It’s very strange and dangerous.”

A woman spoke, her cold voice tinged with respect. “I thought that young dragon got lucky… It seems that I was being conceited. The reason she didn’t reach further in the trials is probably because her copies are as absurdly strong as she is.”

A woman in the corner, wearing the robes of the Astral Death Sect, muttered with a faint smile. “It seems that the Leader’s worries were superfluous. There is no way that she is unqualified. Still… Doesn’t that girl know restraint? It will be quite difficult to deal with the aftermath.” 

If she knew that Yasenia didn’t use several of her buffing skills, even she might become scared. 

Meanwhile, Yasenia sat cross-legged by Ralgar’s side, waiting for the verdict. After a few minutes, she heard not the announcement but the demon’s voice.

“...Why didn’t you finish me off?”

Yasenia blinked and looked sideways. While her attacks had heavily deformed the demon’s body, his head was mostly intact. “Why should I kill you? You act like all demons, and those looking at us probably will as well. If I kill you, you lot will start bothering me like pests, multiplying faster than I can kill.”

Ralgar looked at Yasenia strangely for a moment before laughing. “You are really amusing.”

Yasenia didn’t react and just smiled faintly. Ralgar sighed and looked at the sky. “Outside, you are not this strong. Your cultivation level is too low. Have you thought about what you will do? You only have around seven to eight years before this Secret Realm closes.” 

“Hm… I have some plans. Honestly, I didn’t want to show off as much as I did when fighting you. I just had a moment of inspiration and couldn’t let it go.” 

“I see.” Ralgar hummed. “But you know that I can’t let you go after you showed me this, right?”

Yasenia snorted, annoyed. “I’ve already met your kind a few times. Do you think I don’t know? At least, while you look forceful, you won’t really kidnap and cage me. You only consider it a successful capture if I fall for you without you clipping my wings. You are the type of demon whom I dislike the least.”

“Dislike the least?” Ralgar laughed at those words. “Are there no demons whom you like?”

Yasenia shook her head. “Your values are too far from mine. I value my family, but you bunch would steal someone’s wife if you are attracted and are stronger than her mate. So, I will never get along with you, demons. Still, I can turn a blind eye as long as I am not bothered.”

“That’s…” Ralgar understood and chuckled. “Impossible. You are too attractive. I can bet you that some demons are leaking just looking at you and already imagining you giving birth to their little demonlings.” 

Yasenia looked at Ralgar with a deadpan. “I know that; no need to describe it in such detail.” She added. “Not only demons. However, the difference is that demons act on those impulses much more easily than the other races. That’s why you are annoying.”   

Ralgar snorted. “We aren’t hypocrites, at least.”

Yasenia clapped lightly. “Bravo, your kind honestly rapes and kills people out of impulse. Congratulations for not being a hypocrite.” 

Ralgar blinked, speechless, unable to answer that retort.

Those spectating could hear their conversation, and some started laughing, while others grumbled or sneered at each other. 

The other fights took a while, so Ralgar and Yasenia stayed in the arena for almost twenty hours before the others finished. The demon had recovered a bit, in terms of form, even if his strength remained crippled from Yasenia’s attacks. 

“It will take years to recover to my peak… You are really ruthless.”

Yasenia blinked and opened her eyes from her meditation. “...Is it okay to say those words aloud?”   

Ralgar snorted, clenching and unclenching his hands. “Even if I am not at my peak, those worms won’t dare touch me.” 

“Those who have advanced, please step forward into the next stage.”

The announcement came at just the right time, and Yasenia stood up slowly. “Well, time to go to the next fight.” 

Ralgar stood up, his towering three-meter-tall body looking down at Yasenia. “Hey, little dragon.”

Yasenia paused and looked back, curious. “What’s wrong?” 

Ralgar grinned, showing his sharp teeth, and threw a jade scroll at Yasenia. “If you change your mind, communicate with me through this.”

“...Huh? You used one of your chances to retrieve items for this thing?”

Ralgar shook his head. “I always have it out. After all, Secret Realms that like to restrict access to items are too common… Speaking of which, what items do you have?” 

“You wouldn’t want to know.” Yasenia took the jade scroll and placed it in her pocket. ‘Who knows if it will be useful or not in the future? Better to keep it… Wait.’

Yasenia, who was about to leave, looked back with a suspicious gaze. “Hey. This doesn’t have a tracking function or something similar, right?”

Ralgar waved his hand. “If you think it has one, throw it away.” 

Yasenia’s sharp teeth itched. “I really want to bite your head off, annoying demon.” 

Ralgar grinned. “My head is quite big. Your pretty little mouth will be too full with it. Still, I heard a dragon’s tongue is long; perhaps you can use that instead for the pleasure of both of us.”

Yasenia almost rolled her eyes toward the sky and left without answering. Her mind focused on the next opponent. ‘Astarea… Let’s hope I don’t have to use much more strength than I’ve used.’

Chapter 1333. Tournament Starts!

“Eighth place: Lataria, 17th layer.”

“Seventh place: Yasenia Dravory, 21st layer.”

“Sixth place: Shen Baihu, 46th layer.” 

“Fifth Place: Ralgar, 47th layer.”

“Fourth Place: Duan Yuelan, 48th layer.”

“Third Place: Astarea, 51st layer.”

“Second Place: Meng Lihua, 52nd layer.” 

“First place: Ao Jiuyao, 101st layer.” 

Yasenia looked at the positions and was stunned by the first place. ‘Lataria’s granduncle is ridiculous… Moreover, that place is the one he reached in ten days. Meaning… That’s not his limit.’ 

Yasenia was also defeating her opponent with rather high ease, going slightly slow to assimilate the experience of each layer. Nevertheless, she didn’t feel that she was slow. ‘If I knew what it was about since the beginning, I could see myself reaching the thirtieth or even thirty-fifth level, depending on the increase of difficulty. However, the fortieth… Much less fiftieth or above is not really possible.”

It just showed that the number of powerful cultivators participating was ridiculous. Yasenia’s lips arched wryly. ‘If I didn’t have the advantage of practicing several paths at once, I wouldn’t be confident in winning this small tournament.’

“Those mentioned, please gather on the pillars that have your number engraved.” 

As Yasenia moved forward, she was also thinking about how her name was mentioned. ‘Did the trial listen to people and name them according to what they heard before? If that’s the case… It would make sense why some of them don’t have surnames. Some of these names might be fake as well.’ 

When Yasenia stepped onto her pillar, she noticed many gazes gathering on her. That was not a problem or unusual. She was wearing her revealing blue dress without a veil. Her beauty was fully exposed and for all to see. 

However, the problem was that some of the remaining people were looking at her with scorching gazes. Not from passionate emotions, but as if they found what they were searching for. 

Yasenia frowned faintly, looking at the origin, and noticed the man named Shen Baihu was part of those looking at her. ‘Huh? Isn’t this person the one who involved all of us in this mess? Someone from the Astral Death Sect…’ 

The man looked at Yasenia for a few seconds more, scanning her, and then looking away calmly. The dragoness was a bit baffled at that attitude. ‘Why is he scrutinizing me so… critically? It feels as if he is trying to value my worth…’

“All participants are prepared. The rest of the participants can choose to leave the bead or spectate the final tournament.” 

Yasenia’s beautiful eyebrows came together for a second. The frown of a beauty made some people feel an itch in their hearts, wanting to approach and ask what was wrong. 

Nevertheless, no one ultimately did so. Everyone here was a senior with thousands of years of experience, so they could block Yasenia’s charm by steeling their own minds. 

“From now on, the numbers between the participants will be randomly mixed in pairs. Those groups will further be selected to participate in another draw to set up their positions.”

Yasenia noticed the eight balls with numbers one to eight appearing and dropping in the middle. When the balls touched the ground, they spread an attractive force and all the balls tangled together.  

When two balls touched, a reaction occurred that sent the rest of the balls flying. Those balls then bounced around and eventually collided into pairs. Yasenia’s eyebrow twitched. ‘How is this a proper way to match people for such an important tournament!?’

In the end, the four pairs that formed flew and bounced towards four holes. When one pair fell, the hole would close until all four pairs disappeared.  

Everyone had strange looks, while some even vocalized their thoughts. “Was the person who created this having fun or something?”

“This… It's not serious. Are you really sure you want to stake the ownership of your bead in this manner?” 

“Either way, it doesn’t matter. Lord Ao Jiuyao will win in the end. Look at the distance between him and the second place. It’s really impossible for him to lose.” 

Yasenia reserved her thoughts, but she heard someone whispering to her. “Hey, Yasenia, are you a bit nervous? You are against that Ralgar Demon. He looks quite strong.”

“I know.” Yasenia looked at the tournament and smiled. “You are against your grandmother. Aren’t you nervous?”

The final sorting was as such. 8-3, 7-5, 6-2, 4-1. So, Yasenia would have it quite difficult if she wanted to win. She first needed to defeat Ralgar, then Astarea, and finally Ao Jiuyao. “Well, those are the opponents as long as we follow the strength position-wise in the rankings. Who knows what can happen during actual combat?”

As Yasenia thought, her body disappeared and reappeared in a large arena. This arena was similar to the [Perfection Stairs]. A simple white, almost endless arena with a black sky and no extra details. 

Yasenia muttered as she looked around. “A battle of pure power. I guess that they didn’t want environmental advantages for anyone.” 

“Ho? I got the beautiful dragon woman. That’s quite lucky.”

The Demon on the other side spoke up, and Yasenia looked over. The demon was over three meters tall, with a body bulging with prominent muscles. His two black wings exuded an ominous aura, and his face was imposing. 

“You are the demon that gathered in the middle at the beginning,” Yasenia commented, curious. “How are you related to the mess we are all involuntarily involved in?”

Ralgar looked at Yasenia with a confused expression. “What is your purpose? Is that an attempt at gaining time? You know that there is no escape here, and there doesn’t seem to be rules as well.”

The dragoness looked at him plainly. “So? What’s your point? I was just curious.”

Ralgar snorted. “It seems that your survival instincts are lacking for someone at your level of strength. Well, your bloodline smells delicious, so I should make you my breeder.”

Yasenia said lightly. “Oh. It’s the first time I’ve heard something like this from a Demon. Such a conundrum. I am infertile.”

Ralgar laughed once. “That’s not true. I can smell your pheromones! You are a very fertile woman.”

Yasenia frowned. ‘Again with my pheromones. First, it was Ao Jiuyao, and now this Demon. Am I really spraying pheromones around as I walk?’ 

Ralgar stopped the talk. “Either way, it is commendable for someone like you to reach the twenty-first level of this trial. I’ll give you a chance. Surrender to me and I’ll be merciful.”

“Can’t I surrender to the bead?” Yasenia smiled faintly, her eyes mocking. “Not so bright, after all.” 

“Cheeky.” The demon smiled. Then, he stepped forward. “[Dark Breaching Step].”

His massive body lunged forward, appearing in front of Yasenia in almost an instant, and he punched with his physical body. The dragoness saw it coming and sneered. “Wanting to fight a dragon in a contest of brute strength? Arrogant!”

Yasenia’s fist flew forward, meeting with the demon’s giant fist. 

BOOM!

The dragoness was pushed back almost ten meters from the collision, her fist tingling. However, her counterpart fared much worse. 

The second both fists collided, the Demon was blown back hundreds of meters, his arm blasted backward as if the recoil wanted to rip his arm off. His relaxed expression tensed, showing a hint of shock.

Those spectating were also stunned at Yasenia’s raw strength. 

After seeing the Demon look at her with incomprehensible eyes, Yasenia took out Draheart and stated. “Ralgar, if you don’t want to die, surrender. I am not giving up my position easily.” 

Ralgar burst into laughter, his previous lukewarm gaze gaining intensity. “You are much more interesting than I thought. Beauty and strength, you will be a perfect mother for my children.”  

“[Pegasus Gallop], [Celestial Sunder].” 

“[Dark Breaching Step], [Emptiness Demon Fist].”

The black-skinned demon’s fist was surrounded by a void-like darkness, swallowing the light around. Meanwhile, Yasenia’s sword shone with celestial lights, fighting the encroaching darkness. 

BOOM!

Both sides collided, being pushed back from the reaction of their collision. Nevertheless, tensing their muscles, Yasenia and the Demon recovered their stance and rushed at each other again.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Both sides collided with incredible strength, their bodies streaking around the arena at speeds difficult to follow. Yasenia’s gaze was full of intensity and interest at first, but as time passed, she noticed that this demon was weaker than the full-powered bronze copy of herself. 

Ralgar, on the other side, was smiling widely. “Haha! You are really not bad! To think that you can match my strength. However, what if I do this? [Emptiness Demon Body Reinforcement]!” 

A deep black aura coated him, leaving only a pair of dark red eyes and a shadow defining his existence. Yasenia spoke calmly, her excitement for the fight having waned already. “[Celestial Dragon Body], [Empyrean Cosmos Dress], [Crystalline Moon Dress].” 

Yasenia’s blue dress changed, turning into a gorgeous white one with a floor-length skirt. Then, moon energies coated it and inlaid it with beautiful silver pearls. Yasenia’s presence, strength, and defense all skyrocketed, surpassing the empowerment from the Demon’s technique. 

“If that’s all you have, you are not my opponent, Ralgar.” 

After noticing that she was not going to have a fun fight, she was trying to provoke the other person and see if they would bring forth more strength. Either way, she had strength to spare for now. 

Ralgar frowned, his shadow demonic voice sounding unpleasant. “You are really strong. It seems that I’ve underestimated you. However, with that strength, how come you have not reached higher floors?”

Yasenia understood it after meeting Ralgar, and she didn’t mind explaining it. “The [Perfection Stairs] don’t have a fixed strength. It is relative to your own, Ralgar.”

Ralgar realized as Yasenia explained the meaning. “So to speak, my copy is much stronger than yours. If I were fighting your copy, I could’ve probably overwhelmed it until much higher levels.”

“Arrogant! You don’t even know my true strength, and you are already shooting such nonsense? I will not accept something like this! [Transcendent Emptiness Demon]!”  

A pillar of black light shot to the sky, further pushing his strength. Yasenia was not impressed, though. She swung Draheart without using extra buffs. 

“[Shattering The Heavens].”

Violent energy surged from Yasenia in a controlled manner, transforming as it moved through her meridians. Compared to the violent outburst from before, the sublime movement of her energy could be compared to a seasoned senior more than twenty times her age. 

SLASH!

The crescent burst forward, not with cutting power but with a destructive one. Yasenia noticed that when her copies used [Shattering The Heavens], the energy didn’t cut but destroyed the space before it.

The demon’s expression changed, and he quickly raised his hand to summon a black wall. “[Dark Demon Wall]!” 

BOOM!!

Yasenia’s [Shattering The Heavens] exploded the wall, disappearing with it. However, the demon didn’t have time to rest since Yasenia was standing in front of him. “You, how are you so fast?”

Yasenia smiled. “Turns out, [Pegasus Gallop]’s acceleration burst and [Fairy Moon Steps] go well together. [Firmament Dividing Celestial Twilight].”

The energy gathered in her sword forced the demon to raise all his defenses, but almost for nothing. 

BOOM!!!

Chapter 545. Emotional Burst and Accident. [AotSC]

“Begone. I won’t accept it.”

Liu Shu was stumped. She looked in the distance at the relatively weak World Tree with confused eyes. “You…”

“I don’t want to hear it. If you want my territory, destroy me.”

Liu Shu was speechless. She had been going from one World Tree city to another, and for now, she had failed to convince any of them. All of them denied her words stubbornly, while some even decided to attack her. 

This World Tree was the worst one yet, though. Before she even spoke, the World Tree had already attacked her. After there was no effect, she refused to accept her communication attempts until she forced her way inside. 

After finally managing to make contact, Liu Shu was relieved and explained the situation. 

The first thing she did was introduce herself and her objective. Yet, what she received was a refusal so blunt that Liu Shu didn’t even know where to start. 

‘Begone? What is this World Tree even thinking to speak like that!? She is just a Level 61 World Tree!’ 

While Liu Shu thought, she noticed the World Tree stretching out and daring to attack her again! Liu Shu looked at the relatively weak roots of the World Tree, which struck her underground, and felt her mood worsening. She was already frustrated from her previous failures, but this was touching her nerves in the worst manner.

Liu Shu stated, her tone as if she was trying not to lash out. “You can’t hurt me. Stop it.”

“I know. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t try. Go away already. I will continue attacking you regardless.”

Liu Shu’s gaze was complex as she looked into the distance. “Why are you so…” She didn’t even know what word to use to describe this World Tree. 

“Why am I so what?” The World Tree asked plainly. “If you are not going to say anything, why start speaking? Just destroy me and be done with it.”

Liu Shu spoke through gritted teeth. “...Infuriating.”

Azure Rose was listening to Liu Shu and the World Tree, and she couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly. “That… Sorry, Liu Shu. It seems that she doesn’t really understand the difference in strength.”

“I do.” The World Tree answered. “But will the gracious Heavenly Willow force others to accept her? If she dares force us, the people of the world won’t see her any differently than they did the Abyssal Void Nexus.” 

Liu Shu paused for a moment, waves rising in her heart. The Nexus has become a bit of a delicate spot, so touching it was not pleasant at all. 

Azure Rose, who was now fairly tangled with our girl’s roots, noticed the unpleasant feelings surging up. “Liu Shu, relax. You know perfectly well that’s not true.”

“... I know.” Liu Shu spoke after a pause. “It’s just… I’ve never killed a World Tree that was not corrupted. I hoped… I really did hope I’d never need to do something like that. Us, World Trees, are already so few that I feel uncomfortable each time one of us perishes.” 

The World Tree listened, confused. “What do you mean? Don’t your roots cover the entirety of the Wild Continent and Abyssal Void Nexus Continent?” 

Liu Shu didn’t bother correcting the new names. She instead answered the vital part of the question. “I don’t know if you are doing it on purpose. Nevertheless, as I explained in my world declaration, I am special. I have the ability to help all of you connect with each other and overcome your instinct to fight among yourselves. Under my domain, World Trees and Life Trees live together and help each other.”

“That’s a lie.” 

The World Tree didn’t believe it and refuted it. How was it so easy to do something that even the System didn’t allow? There were instances of World Trees attempting to merge their domains, yet the System consistently denied them. 

Based solely on that fact, Liu Shu’s words were easy to find unbelievable, even with all the evidence and living cases of such being the case. 

Liu Shu felt choked, so Azure Rose spoke this time around. “Isn’t Liu Shu inside my domain? Why are you refusing to believe it? You are not so close-minded as not to believe it when you are seeing it with your own eyes, right?” Azure Rose moved her roots, which were resting near Liu Shu’s. “Look, these are my roots, and these are Liu Shu’s.” 

“It’s too good to be true.” 

The World Tree answered simply. She had not once lost her calm, answering as if it were a matter of course. It was as if her brain was blocked by something, unable to change, stubborn like an unbending piece of wood.

This made it even more infuriating for Liu Shu. Our World Tree felt as if her root veins were getting clogged, like eating something and having it stuck in your throat, unable to spit or swallow. She wanted to refute it, but what could she do when the other side just refused to believe? 

“I… I don’t want to kill you, please. Stop resisting.” 

She could only beg at this point. Pushing back the feelings growing in her heart and the killing intent about to burst, Liu Shu begged. “D-Don’t make me do something I’ll regret.” 

“You won’t kill me. As I said, it would be bad publicity if you did so. My citizens might get assimilated, but eventually, some of them who want revenge will appear. You are tied down because of the nature of intelligent creatures, who favor the weak and criticize the strong. Even if it isn’t my people, it will be the people of another World Tree you killed. So, you are unable to do anything.”

“...” 

Azure Rose suddenly felt a change in Liu Shu’s mood. As if the warmth that surrounded the roots seeped out of them, a chilling coldness replaced the previous comfortable sensation. When helplessness and frustration transformed, the new emotion fed on them and fogged one’s rationality. 

“You…” Liu Shu’s voice was almost trembling. “How can you be so… so…!”

“Most of us know it, so give up.” The World Tree ignored Liu Shu’s tone, answering as if invisible chains bound the other side. “Naturally, there are some that Azure Rose and the others managed to convince, but they were never too bright to begin with. Those stupid World Trees are unable to see that if we resist together, we can maintain the status quo, as we’ve done for hundreds and thousands of years. So, go away, Heavenly Willow. There were three World Trees like you before you came, and none of them managed to achieve what you want to do.”

The World Tree sneered. “You are not any different from us, Heavenly Willow. Eventually, as time passes, you will be like the rest. Your lovers, children, and your ideas will die.”

Azure Rose suddenly felt her core jump. “You—!”

But it was too late. 

Liu Shu saw red at that comment, and the frustration that had built up exploded with the force of an erupting volcano. 

“YOU THOUGHTLESS BROKEN TREE!” 

BOOM!!

The land exploded as Liu Shu literally flipped the landscape with her giant roots. Massive chunks of rock, larger than hills, soared hundreds of meters into the air as columns of dust reached to the sky. 

Azure Rose and the other World Tree felt their minds short-circuit for a second when Liu Shu’s anger struck them like a steel wall. 

“IGNORANT AND UNDERDEVELOPED ASININE CREATURE! YOU ARE A SHAME TO THE NAME OF YOUR RACE! HOW DARE YOU CURSE MY FAMILY WHEN I AM TRYING MY BEST TO GATHER ALL OF YOU WITHOUT SHEDDING BLOOD!”

Azure Rose recovered from the shock and quickly tried to hold Liu Shu’s roots from altering the continent's geography further. “L-Liu Shu! Stop! There will be people who might die from your fit! You must stop!” 

Liu Shu’s mind, seeing red for the first time in a long time, lost part of her reason. “DIE!? SO WHAT IF THEY DIE! IF I DON’T DEAL WITH THESE SAPLESS PIECES OF WOOD, THEY WILL LEAD EVERYONE INTO A PATH OF DESTRUCTION AND DEATH!”

The other World Tree, unable to understand where the sudden burst of emotions came from, felt as if the world itself was becoming her enemy. As Liu Shu’s bloodlust enveloped everything, it felt as if the air she was breathing had turned into blood mist, with earthquakes rumbling through the earth. ‘W-What is this strength!? Even Azure Rose’s roots are being destroyed!’  

“Tianlian Liu Shu! Stop at this instant!”

A scream boomed in her head, carrying a very ancient, gentle, but now stern aura. Liu Shu’s roots froze in place. Sadly, the damage from the burst of emotions was already done. 

As she stopped, some mountains on the side collapsed, unable to resist the damage Liu Shu had done, and the clouds of dust darkened the sky. Looking around, Liu Shu noticed that the terrain had been utterly destroyed. 

[You’ve defeated many creatures far below your strength unfairly. You will lose 5,345,000 Experience Points.] 

Liu Shu read that message, and her real eyes widened. “W-What have I done…?” Her mind reacted, and she shouted. “Life Trees! Lend me your healing powers!” 

Healing energies surged through her roots, enveloping the place and trying to save the lives of the creatures on the land. 

[You’ve defeated… You lost…]

[You’ve defeated… You lost…]

[You’ve defeated… You lost…]

…

Liu Shu’s mood crumbled as some bled out and died over time. Regardless, as her mind rang, she anxiously tried to heal and move those who survived from the collapsed landmass. “Don’t die… Don’t die… I can use my strength to heal all of you, so don’t die, please.” 

“…Shu.”

Time passed quickly as Liu Shu’s roots moved tirelessly and single-mindedly. 

“More healing, more healing, please.”

“...u Shu!”

Minutes turned into hours.

“I got you. You are safe… Is there anyone else? Where are the—”

“Little Sapling!”

“A-Ah!?” The World Tree finally reacted to Tree’s voice, and she noticed that all large flora was tightly embracing her roots around her domain. 

Tree spoke slowly. “Relax. Take a deep breath, love.” Liu Shu followed Tree’s soothing voice, her tangled mind reacting. “You’ve already saved as much as you can; there are no more creatures in the rubble. Check on everyone slowly, and don’t lose your mind. We are here to help.”  

Azure Rose noticed Liu Shu’s mood calming down, so she intervened. “I’ve sent the army to recover the people and monsters you’ve saved. You’ve done well, Liu Shu.”

“...” 

Liu Shu didn’t speak and observed the flipped landscape. ‘W-Why did I?’ Her mind hurt. ‘Why did I get provoked to such an extent?’ 

Liu Shu stared blankly at the sky as a message flashed in her eyes. “...”

[You’ve lost a total of 6,504,000 Experience Points.]

Tree spoke to Azure Rose and the others. “Let’s delay taking over for a bit…” The Life Tree spoke lowly, her tone holding a hint of anger. “We’ll talk about this later.” 

***

Author Note: A reader asked me about the ages and saw a few inconsistencies, so I went through the chapters with them, and I noticed that Liu Shu’s age was wrong. Currently, Liu Shu is 50 years old on the dot, with a few months up or down, but well. The Sylvans are 16 years older than Liu Shu, while Dewna is 24 years younger than Liu Shu. This would align with Dewna’s 18th birthday as well, so yeah, Liu Shu is already half a century old! 

I’ve written it down on the Excel now instead of tracking it mentally, so I should never misremember her age again from now on! Sorry for the inconsistencies~ OwO. 

Chapter 1332. Ten Days Of Challenge.

After defeating the first copy, Yasenia and Soluna challenged the second one right away. There was a difference between each copy as the bronze aura became stronger. The brighter the aura, the easier it is for them to use Yasenia’s skills. 

The dragoness was stunned when she realized it. ‘To think that they don’t actually become stronger, but only more proficient.’ 

During the first run, Yasenia thought that the copies were becoming stronger physically. But it was her misunderstanding. What was happening was that the buffs each copy used were more efficient than the previous ones, so Yasenia felt like the enemy was becoming stronger. 

The time she took with each copy was similar, not less than four hours, but not longer than six. So, a day later, Yasenia finally encountered the copy with a clear bronze aura around it and fought it.  

Soluna, having received the explanation about the trial from Yasenia, also improved at a ridiculous pace. While it was not easy to tell, Soluna’s genius was similar to Yasenia’s. You could tell that, while she was over 3,000 years old, Soluna had never cultivated before meeting Yasenia.

At that time, the perfect balance that she needed to maintain kept her stuck at the first level of the fifth realm—the realm she was born in. So, cultivation-wise, she had been actively advancing for less time than Yasenia had been cultivating!

With that in mind, her current advancement speed was comparable to our monstrous dragoness. 

“Hm…” Soluna dodged a laser that could erase a moon and squinted. “How are you creating the attacks so quickly? By the time I summon one attack, you’ve completed almost three of them! It’s really unfair!” 

Soluna focused on dodging, closely looking at how her copy manipulated the energy in its body. “It has not been long since I transformed into a Nascent Celestial Spirit… But is the difference between you and me that large?”

BOOM!

Soluna and the copy looked down, where Yasenia and the copy were fighting. The copy frowned for a second and tried to go down to help. “Where are you going? [Star Destroying Lunar Flame: Sky Flame].” 

Soluna waved her hand, and a powerful, deep blue fire that burned with starlight swept the area. Soluna’s copy was unable to block it, so the copy waved her hand back. “[Star Destroying Lunar Flame: Sky Divide].” 

Soluna’s eyes flashed, and she quickly dodged to the right. Then, the flames that covered hundreds of kilometers were sliced in half, passing right where Soluna was previously standing. “Whoa… How did you do that? Did you concentrate the flames so thinly that they became as sharp as a blade?” 

The copy knew that she couldn’t help Yasenia’s copy, so she focused on dealing with Soluna. Both spirits exchanged a barrage of energy attacks, filling the area with countless explosions. 

“Let me try… [Star Destroying Lunar Flame: Sky Divide]!” 

Soluna slashed horizontally with her hand, but the only thing she achieved was a stream of flames that swept the area. There was no cutting power, only raw strength behind the attack. 

“Ugh…” The spirit of the Sun and Moon blushed, her eyes shifting slightly. “H-Hey, don’t tell Yasenia. So embarrassing…” 

The copy giggled a bit, but her hands didn’t stop. “[Myriad Worlds Celestial Twilight: Dragon Bow].” 

Soluna’s three skills all acted differently. First, [One With The Cosmos] was similar to her Intent Domain. Then, [Star Destroying Lunar Flames] was what she was made of, and she could control it at will, creating a myriad of attacks. Finally, [Myriad Worlds Celestial Twilight] was the innate skill that allowed her to manipulate energy and create different phenomena or even solid structures.

“A bow!?” Soluna exclaimed, somewhat nervous. “I can only create melee weapons! How do you even create the drag force needed for knocking the arrow—WOAH! HOW BIG ARE YOU MAKING THE ARROW!”

When the copy pulled her bow, Soluna saw a gargantuan arrow manifesting above the copy, together with a larger bow that simulated the one in her hand. It was a mix of applications using [Myriad Worlds Celestial Twilight] for the bow structure and [Star Destroying Lunar Flames] as the arrow.

“Y-You! Don’t fire that!”

The copy fired it.

“AH! UNFAIR! [Myriad Worlds Celestial Twilight: Lotus Aegis]!”  

BOOM!!!

The explosion resulting from the collision was so violent that Yasenia and the copy looked up for a second. Yasenia blinked. ‘Did Soluna get defeated again?... No, I can feel her aura in the middle. It seems that fighting the copy is making her stronger much faster.’ 

Soluna appeared almost unscathed from the attack and smiled proudly. “How is this? I saw one of my copies do it previously! It’s a layered shield that destroys attacks using the violent nature of the Celestial Energy! Even as a Baby Celestial Spirit, I can do something like… this… WHY CAN YOU PULL THE STRING OF THAT BOW AGAIN!? ISN’T THAT TOO STRONG!?”

The fight above and below went on, Yasenia finishing her opponent around four and a half hours into the fight. The dragoness was surprised by something that the copy did during this time. ‘It actually used [Star Pierce] a few times.’ 

That was the skill she learned during the previous trial, which Yasenia basically placed on the back of her mind, thinking that they were too stiff to use. ‘Perhaps, I am underestimating them. In the end, they are skills that were created by powerhouses of the past.’ 

“[Scorching Sword], [Moon Ice Torment], [Star Pierce], [Star Dome], [Crystalline Moon Dress], and [Fairy Moon Steps]... Should I try using them more often?”

As she pondered, she observed the battle above her. Soluna was fighting her copy to a standstill, much better than the previous time. Nevertheless, it didn’t feel like there would be a breakthrough that would help her win soon. “Well, Soluna needs to defeat this copy if she wants to even have a chance moving forward. So, I will wait here. There are… Six and a half days left. Hm… It’s not as long as I thought.” 

After tasting the bead, Yasenia wanted to take possession of this treasure. She knew she would have problems if she took possession of it, but it was just too powerful and tempting not to give it her best try. ‘I can’t not be greedy with such a treasure trove in front of me. If I combine this treasure with my [Primordial Palace], it would be like giving wings to my cultivation speed.’ 

Compared to the [Star River Rose], the benefit was in another dimension altogether. 

After waiting for another two hours for Soluna to defeat her copy, they moved on. The sixth level is the first level with double opponents, forcing them to focus and be careful while training. 

It took them 15 hours to beat it because they had been defeated the first time. Yasenia and Soluna stayed there particularly long on purpose. So, using this as an advantage, one of Soluna’s copies managed to sneak attack Yasenia and flip the battlefield situation. From then on, they tried to resist using all their strength, but the copies didn’t let go of the small advantage, widening it until they forced them both to their knees. 

Thankfully, after being blasted back by the multicolored copy, they could challenge them shortly after and beat them while learning all they wanted to know. 

“That was dangerous.” Yasenia laughed, looking at Soluna’s frowning, pretty face. “What’s wrong, love?”

“Nothing…” Soluna muttered, confused. “It’s just… I still don’t know how that copy made her presence disappear like that to sneak attack you. How can you even use Celestial Energy to conceal yourself?” 

Yasenia pondered and commented. “Perhaps… Can your [One With The Cosmos] act like the [Celestial Intent Domain] and create a separate dimension? The copy might’ve used that if it were possible. After all, they are doing some crazy things with our skills.” 

Soluna’s eyes widened a bit. “Ah… You might be right.” 

Yasenia looked at the remaining time. “Five days and eight hours… We can meditate for two hours to calm down our minds and internalize our gains.” 

Two hours later, Yasenia and Soluna slowly made their way into the sixth, seventh, and finally the eighth level. To begin with, Yasenia lost on this floor the first time because Soluna was defeated too quickly. So, they had no problem beating it now that Soluna had grown. 

They continued their streak, reaching the tenth floor and facing their two copies surrounded by the bright bronze aura. 

The fight against them lasted for eight hours, but they managed to beat them. In total, from the sixth to the tenth level, they used 22 hours; this left them with four days and eight hours left for the trial.” 

Taking a deep breath, Yasenia stepped onto the 11th floor. “I wonder… What are you going to show me this time?”

However, Yasenia was bound to be slightly disappointed. Not because the challenge was not more difficult, but because of the way the challenge was scaled. “This… Three auraless copies this time around?”   

Soluna groaned. “Three of them? Two of them were already a pain… Can we even defeat three of them?”

Yasenia nodded, confident. “I can. How about you, love?” 

Soluna grumbled and sighed. “I’ll… do my best.” Looking at the excited dragoness, Soluna couldn’t help but chuckle. “To be honest, this is the one thing I don’t understand from you. Why are you so happy when you fight?” 

Thinking about it, Yasenia chuckled. “I just… like the feeling of challenging myself against worthy opponents and beating them. It feels like my efforts have been answered and makes me even more motivated to continue becoming stronger.”

“Sadistic. Tsk.”

Hearing the clicking tongue of her dear spirit girl, the dragoness didn’t deny it. Instead, she grinned and asked back. “Who is the one who begs me to squash her with my body weight, eh? More, you shout, as I…”

“Aaaahhh! STOP!” Soluna raised her hands, placing them against Yasenia’s mouth. The dragoness’s eyes flickered as she licked Soluna’s hand with her long and flexible tongue. The agility of the tongue as it entangled between her fingers made Soluna’s face explode in red. ‘When that’s inside… AH! FOCUS, SOLUNA!’ 

For the last 104 hours, Yasenia and Soluna managed to fight until they reached the 21st level. After going from two to three, going from three to four was not that big a difference. The only problem was time. 

Yasenia saw the five copies she was fighting with disappear and sighed. “Twenty-one floors… Let’s hope it is enough.” 

Her body disappeared and appeared in another location with the 99 people who entered the challenge. Looking around, she could see people showing despairing expressions, making her curious. 

The voice spread around. “Now, I will disqualify everyone who has not defeated the first copy. Thirty-seven participants will be thrown out and crippled for a month. If you managed to beat at least one copy, you will not receive penalties. Now, for the top eight…” 

Chapter 544. Liu Shu's Diplomacy Efforts. [AotSC]

From that day on, the talk of the people has all been surrounding Liu Shu. Some people started worshiping her. Others were indifferent as long as their daily lives remained untouched, while there were groups who didn’t like it and tried to resist by complaining to the leaders of their cities.

Liu Shu didn’t care, though. To create a worldwide power, there was a need to do something that went against people’s fundamental values: the erasure of national and local identity.

It doesn’t matter if you sold something as being ten times better; even if you’ve proved your methods correct, there will always be a large part of the population that refuses to see and stubbornly latches onto their identities. This wasn’t because those people were evil or because they wanted to go against the power. It was, simply, because of fear. 

“What will happen when I lose my identity?”

“What will happen with the traditions my family has kept for generations?”

“Will there be new rules that ban what I previously did daily?” 

Overall, those who refused were those who were fearful of change. There was a saying among humans that said, “Better a flower that wilts in your hand than a seed that may never bloom.” 

When Liu Shu’s roots arrived at the first and nearest town from the coast of the Azure Rose continent, she noticed a large group of people standing on the edge. ‘Hm? What are they doing there?’

Liu Shu ignored them and continued moving forward, some of her roots surfacing and letting them know of her arrival. 

“There she is!”

“Go away!”

“We don’t want you!”

Liu Shu paused for a moment and decided to ask them some questions. This was the first resistance she met, and while the people in front of her were less than 5% of the total population of the town, they were not an ignorable minority.

“Why?”

A single word, with a voice that seemed to spread throughout the sky and earth, silenced everyone as tensions rose. 

“Why do you not want to benefit from being under my domain? Each city must’ve received the blessings I can give, so I don’t understand. Why resist the inevitable? If Azure Rose couldn’t stop me, what makes you think you can?”

The leader of the group was nervous, but as he hesitated over whether to speak or not, someone pushed him forward. Looking back, he saw a woman with a nervous expression. “Y-You were the one who organized this, saying that you were sure you could convince her! Now don’t you dare escape your responsibilities!” 

The others, like sheep following the flock, parroted her. “T-That’s right!”

“It was your idea, so go speak!” 

Liu Shu patiently waited, ignoring the bustling nature of these people. ‘They probably got entangled without knowing, pushed by peer pressure. Most people who participate in these types of large gatherings are unaware of the reasons why they do it… They just have the mentality of “everyone else does it, so it must be correct,” which is plainly naive.’ 

After a few protests had happened in her city, Liu Shu went to the Endless Library and absorbed a few books about group psychology. Something that once ensured survival now came back to bite them. ‘It’s quite interesting… Well, let’s hear what he says once and try to appease them. I will have a model for future interactions. I feel that I will have to repeat the same conversation quite often…’

“You…” Noticing that the representative was about to speak, his face flushed red, and he was dripping with sweat. “You are not our ruler! We live in the Halba province of the Azure Rose Confederation! International laws protect us, and no one can conquer us!”

‘I could try intimidation straight away, but that can backfire. Let’s try answering with words without any kind of pressure first.’ 

“I understand your words.”

‘Using sympathy, I can loosen their mental barriers.’ 

“What you said is something that most people I’ve encountered before have felt, and it is something valuable and precious to have.”

‘Agree with them on the surface, and compare them with others.’ 

“However, those people who thought like you are now part of my territory. Do you want to know why?”

‘Do not say that they are wrong or right. You need to avoid getting stuck in any mental frame so that there are no blockades.’ 

The man frowned for a second, but he quickly tried to close Liu Shu’s approach. Not purposely, but out of pure stubbornness. “Others are others! We are different! What you are doing is forcefully invading our homeland and trying to change it!”

Liu Shu answered patiently, her words sounding pleasant and gentle. “But you need to understand something, citizen. What am I? What is my purpose as a living being?” 

The man and many others suddenly registered a very simple fact that they had almost forgotten because of their talks. ‘Our opponent is a World Tree.’

The being with incredible power and influence, able to shift mountains, part seas, and create rivers. They were the representation of nature, an unstoppable force that could envelop the entire world. 

Some people paled, their hearts accelerating as they understood what was speaking to them. It wasn’t an individual, but a being so vast that it covered oceans and continents. Those who could register this started trembling, wanting to go back. However, their feet were stuck, unable to move.

No one dared to leave because of the pressure to be the first to do so. Naturally, those who followed others into these types of group gatherings usually didn’t have that kind of drive in them. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have gathered in the first place.

The representative was the one who got crushed the most. In his position, he couldn’t just say, “Oh, sorry. I was in the wrong. I will leave now.” 

Those who rallied others managed to do so because of their firm convictions, which hardly changed despite opposing views being presented to them. 

“T-That… It doesn’t matter!” The man shouted, a faint tremble behind his tone and flusteredness clear on his facial features. “Even a World Tree can’t do as it pleases! You are another living being, and your life is no more valuable than that of a human!” 

Liu Shu disagreed with that statement in her head. Could someone who could shape the world be less valuable than a human who couldn’t even change the ideas of their neighbors? Still, she didn’t say that. In her current situation, her discussion opponent was without options and would start relying on one of two things: Violence or fallacies.

Violence was clearly impossible; Liu Shu was a Level 99, A+ Tier World Tree, while the man was a Level 35, C Tier human. The distance between their strength was as vast as that between the height of a human and a World Tree.

Therefore…

“Moreover, I’ve heard that you’ve slaughtered millions of innocents! You, who have exterminated the entirety of the Abyssal Void Nexus territory, are ruthless and unfit to rein us in!”

Words, when cleverly used, could twist the meaning of things as easily as flipping one’s hand. Even the same sentence, spoken in two different tones, could have diametrically opposite meanings.  

Liu Shu could now finish the conversation in her victory easily. She just needed to act threatening and say the following: “If you know that, what makes you think I will hesitate to destroy a small city with a few thousand people?”

That sentence would shut up the man and everyone else, and they would be forced to retreat under her pressure. But Liu Shu chose not to do so. 

Instead, she acted… Or, more precisely, was honest with the man. “I… wanted to protect those whom I care about. Instead of a war, I stepped forward myself and killed all those who could cause problems in the future. So… you are right. I am someone whose roots have been stained in the blood of hundreds of millions. Sorry.”

Her tone carried a touch of melancholy. The man, thinking that he was gaining an advantage, decided to push here. “A World Tree that murders everyone is not fit to be our ruler! Chant with me! Go! Back! Go! Back! Go! …Back? Go…”

But it didn’t develop as he expected. Currently, the man was single-mindedly focused on ensuring those behind him thought he was right, and he completely overlooked the fact that a World Tree had apologized.  

A World Tree, that sacred creature, was apologizing to a nobody when accused of something that had to be done. 

Liu Shu was doing it both honestly and knowing the repercussions of her words. She was essentially using what she truly felt to challenge the beliefs of others and help them understand.

‘Sorry, I don’t want to make you an evil person, but I can’t let you stop me from advancing my roots. So, I will have to cast you as the heartless one.’ 

And, with Liu Shu’s apology and the violent reaction of her opponent, a reaction occurred. One person felt how wrong it was what they were doing, and turned around. “I am leaving… It doesn’t make sense to stop a World Tree.”

His voice was not loud in the slightest; he was just informing his friends. Yet, when a single domino fell, and the others were perfectly aligned, an unstoppable chain reaction was bound to start. 

First, his friends.

“Right… I’ll leave with you.”

Then, there were those who were old and had experience and could see things clearly.

“That young boy is right. We were muddled.”

Next, those with silent thoughts who previously followed the crowd due to peer pressure.

“Sigh…”

Right after, parents felt the shift and thought that it would be dangerous for their children. 

“Let’s go, daughter.” 

And finally, those without much courage who noticed the shift in the crowd’s feelings.

“I-I should also go.”

“Right, I have something to do either way. I can’t be here all the time.” 

Noticing how the crowd he had gathered crumbled exponentially quicker, the man was confused and looked around him. “Where are you going! We must stop the evil World Tree from invading our hometown!” 

But his rallying didn’t work. Liu Shu’s verbal strike was too powerful. 

Liu Shu observed everything calmly, her gaze showing neither joy nor sadness. ‘Further words are redundant. The number of people left behind is so small that I can just ignore them and advance underground into the city. Once my blessings appear, the people will side with me actively, and the small opposition will be crushed over time.’

A breath that she didn’t know she was holding escaped Liu Shu as she cheered in her heart. ‘Great! I can avoid hurting more innocent people! I can use my words to convince most people!’

And realistically, “most people” is what she needed. Once the benefits of being part of her domain spread to an unprepared population, it would be like allowing them to taste heaven. Who would want to go back after living in a place where the same effort yielded more simply by being under my domain?

Imagine studying in a normal library, or a library where you could learn four times faster with no drawbacks whatsoever—like choosing between ambrosia and filth. 

And so, using this method, Liu Shu could easily deal with all cities that didn’t have large flora. Life Tree Cities were not a problem as well. The extraordinarily gentle nature of Life Trees allowed Liu Shu to speak with them about the benefits and how she could help them increase their influence and help even more people. 

“With this… I’ve addressed nearly every problem that can arise in almost 95% of the cities, towns, and settlements. My roots will be unstoppable in those areas. Now, the big problem is…” Liu Shu sighed and looked at the edges of her domain. “I need to deal with those stubborn big sisters.” 

There were a total of 46 World Trees scattered throughout the five continents that Azure Rose, Skyflower, and Celestial Lotus controlled. Most of them were in Skyflower’s territory, numbering 22, while Celestial Lotus hosted the least, hosting only 7 of them. 

Strengthening her resolve, Liu Shu took a deep breath and approached the first World Tree City outside the Golden Sap and Origin Water Continent. 

Illustrations I chose based on your suggestions!

After looking at both public and private messages I've received these are the illustrations that are in the works:

Taka: Valeria x Yasenia (R-18) (HEM)

Jazmenia: Undead Monarchs Hui Zhong and Jian Ying Yue (HEM) (Mah Wallet)

Thorkell: Dewna, Eluan, Sylvia, and Pyara (Both child and adult versions) (AotSC) (Mah wallet) x2

You can continue to ask for different illustrations if you have any ideas.

P.S. By the way, I've read about the illustrations that shows Golden Sap City. I also would like to have something like that. However, I don't know any "landscape" illustrators. so, if you know any can you share with me their pages etc to see if they are suitable?

Dewna, Sylvia, Eluan, and Pyara Playing In The House. (Sketch)

This is a illustration in process of all the children. Natuarlly, the legs are for reference and then to chage into their "alraune" forms. I am quite excited for this one! <3

Chapter 543. Ceperet, I am Tianlian Liu Shu. [AotSC]

Ignatia was preparing to comfortably give birth to the daily batch of babies when her precious baby’s voice reached her. “Mommy! I learned so many new things! You need to listen to me before you start laying more little sisters!” 

Ignatia’s antennae twitched twice, and she smiled. She was naked on her bed, surrounded by nursing ants that would take her babies as she laid them. Of course, she didn’t care and proudly showed her gorgeous curves. “What’s wrong, love?”  

Liu Shu proceeded to explain what she learned from the Earth Dragon, and Ignatia listened quietly, comfortably lying on her padded leaf-bed.

“So… To summarize. You need to start giving birth to intelligent little sisters, Mommy!”

Ignatia hummed, rubbing her smooth and wide hips. “Alright. Since my baby said it, I guess I can start with them before I reach my previous objective of 1 billion ants. Perhaps it will also give me better rewards for my <Sylvan Quest>.” 

“Right!” Liu Shu asked, full of curiosity. “Mommy, what is your next <Sylvan Quest> about?”

“Taking over the world,” Ignatia answered with laughter in her voice. 

“WAH! Mommy! I love you lots, but the world is mine! You can’t steal it from me! QAQ!” 

Ignatia burst into laughter. “Don’t worry, taking over means spreading my ants throughout all continents. Once you take over Skyflower and the others, I can send a few princesses so they populate the other continents.”

“Oh! But…” Liu Shu asked. “How are you going to take over <Origin Water Continent>? The middle of the continent is a <Dungeon>!” 

“Huh?” Ignatia tilted her head, confused. “Since when did it change to a <Dungeon>? Did I miss important information while laying eggs?”  

Liu Shu realized that the opening of the <Dungeon> was still not known to people. ‘Right. I am barring people from entering… And those who entered the <Dungeon> without permission… Well, they are all dead already. So, it is not a big problem.” 

Because the methods to escape the <Dungeon> without fighting the final boss were not known, those who had entered <Origin Water Continent> without permission and fell into the <Dungeon> went to fight the Earth Dragon. The result was as you would imagine. They were squashed like Level 0 bugs. 

“Ahem. Mommy didn’t miss anything. I discovered and entered it myself, so I came back to you after entering… Well, it’s a bit complicated; don’t mind it. I will announce it later.” 

Ignatia chuckled, but then, she paused. “Wait… YOU entered the Dungeon? How?” 

Liu Shu didn’t hide it and showed her skill to Ignatia. “I had this: <World Embracing Dimensional Roots (S- Rank Level 1)>.” 

“Hic!” Ignatia hiccuped, an egg almost escaping her from the shock. “T-That… Um… Since when…? Never mind, I don’t want to hear it. Congratulations for getting such a powerful still, love.”

“Hehe. Thank you, Mommy! I love youuu!”

Ignatia’s lips arched softly. “You are already a mother, and you still act so spoiled.” 

“Of course! I will always be your baby!” 

If Ignatia’s insectoid eyes could show emotions, right then, they would be giving a motherly and loving feeling impossible to confuse. “I love you too, baby.” 

“Hehehe. Anyway, since the <Dungeon> is open, I will go inform the others and also communicate with Big Sister Skyflower and the others. It is time to start spreading into their domains!” 

“Good luck, love. If you need an army, tell Mommy, and I will go and flatten them~.”  

After Liu Shu retreated, Ignatia focused on her egg-laying skill. It was an A Rank skill, so it gave her a lot of ease when manipulating what kind of progeny and the numbers that she wanted.

“Let’s see… If I want to lay an egg with intelligence… Ugh!” Ignatia groaned. “Why is it so expensive? The nutrient and Ternary Essence cost of a princess with basic intelligence is the same as one thousand without intelligence…”  

As she sighed endlessly, Ignatia decided to spend the next month giving birth to intelligent ant babies. “I will use one month every half a year to give birth to intelligent ants, while the rest I use them to fill numbers.” 

With that in mind, the Ant Queen began to lay eggs seriously, her gentle moaning due to effort echoing in the royal chambers of the underground Ant Empire. 

Meanwhile, Liu Shu went and communicated with Pelagia, Skyflower, Azure Rose, and Celestial Lotus.

“Big Sisteeerssss, I have come to extend my roots into you and make you all feel super good~. Hehehehe.”

Azure Rose answered with a laugh. “You really like innuendos when it comes to it, don’t you?”  

Liu Shu answered shyly. “What are you talking about, Big Sister Azure? We are going to tangle roots tightly, making it difficult to distinguish them from each other, rubbing our barks together and exposing our cores to each other~.”

Celestial Lotus was amused and answered. “Will we coil each other so deeply that little saplings might be born from the coiling? Little Liu Shu, I am ready if you want to. I don’t know about other things, but I am extremely confident in my fertility; I will make a good mom.”

“Wah!” Liu Shu’s roots squirmed, and she whispered. “Pervert. Sister Lotus is a pervert! She is trying to seduce a married tree!”

Pelagia spoke, her tone somewhat helpless. “All of you… When are you going to be serious? This is a very important moment.” 

Skyflower joined the conversation with a calm and gentle tone. “What is so serious? Liu Shu has proven that she is trustworthy… Only, Liu Shu, I have a few things that I want to say to you before you start.”

Liu Shu noticed the slightly serious tone and asked, intrigued. “What’s wrong? Did people from above tell you something?” 

“Well, they did, but they don’t mind that you will take over. They wanted clarification of the exact situation, and I just explained it in simple terms. In the first place, our power came here because we didn’t want the Abyssal Void Nexus to gain another World freely.” 

“Oh! I see. Then, what’s wrong? We dealt with those who wanted to revolt a few years ago, didn’t we? There should be no more voices of dissent.”

Azure Rose sighed. “Well, as you know, we are not the only World Trees in our continent. We lent land to some World Trees and shared territory. Some of those World Trees have become somewhat stubborn during the years and… Well, to put it bluntly, they are a bit difficult to convince. We’ve tried our best, but just a bit more than a decade is not enough to convince them.” 

Liu Shu was confused. “But… Have you told them about my strength?”

Celestial Lotus spoke lightly. “Of course. Azure, Skyflower, and I were discussing if we should eliminate them before you started to take over. Nevertheless, we eventually decided to ask you first. What do you think, Little Liu Shu?”

To be honest, Liu Shu was confused. Hasn’t she shown that no World Trees other than the corrupt ones have actually fallen in her Domain? Her reputation must’ve reached those World Trees as well. ‘Even knowing… They remain stubborn? Moreover, these World Trees are Level 74 at most. After all, they have been suppressed by Skyflower and the others. Have they become entitled to their terrain because Skyflower and the others were kind enough not to uproot them?’

“Well…” Liu Shu commented. “It doesn’t matter what we plan now. For now, let me enter your domains. When I encounter them personally, I will deal with them. I have a few titles that help me when dealing with stubborn trees.”  

Skyflower commented. “Oh? You do? Were we affected by it as well?”

Liu Shu harrumphed. “Big Sister Skyflower, you know that I am not someone who would try to rootwash you. Don’t joke around with such a serious matter.” 

Skyflower chuckled. “Sorry, sorry. I couldn’t resist.”

“Tsk, tsk. Big Sister Skyflower is so bad! Hmph!” After a bit of banter, Liu Shu’s tone shifted. All playfulness disappeared, and a solemn presence enveloped her. 

When her aura shifted, Liu Shu manifested herself where her roots reached and beyond. Skyflower and the others helped carry Liu Shu’s voice and presence, effectively covering over 90% of the World’s surface.

Wherever people were, Liu Shu’s voice could be heard. The sound was evenly distributed, making sure it wasn’t too loud for people. 

“Ceperet, I am Tianlian Liu Shu.”

Everyone heard her words and looked up, surprised. The voice carried gentleness, yet commanded such respect that the hearts of all beings in the world couldn’t help but tense up.  

“I am the World Tree that will take over from now on. I will become your <True World Tree>.” 

The declaration exploded like a bomb in the minds of those unaware. Many became worried for their local giant flora, while others looked at their World Trees or Life Trees with confused expressions. After all, the Continents were filled with people holding different beliefs and values. 

“I understand… No, I can feel your nervousness. You are worried that I will start a rampage and destroy everything that is not part of me. I promise, as long as your World Trees comply and come under my rule, nothing like that will happen. Your local World Trees and Life Trees are not in danger.”

People didn’t trust Liu Shu’s words; it was “common knowledge” that World Trees couldn’t even share an inch of space. The second that was breached, the World Trees would start attacking each other until one of them remained. 

“You doubt me. It is normal since your knowledge is limited. But, as I said, you don’t have to worry. My existence is special, and I can coexist with your local plant life and help them coexist with one another, including World Trees and Life Trees. Today, I speak to you in this manner to warn you. Please, don’t resist.”

Liu Shu’s gentle voice, carried by the wind all around the world, penetrated the souls of every single being. Of course, not everyone was convinced. But Liu Shu didn’t care. 

“I will enter Lady Verdant Skyflower’s, Lady Azure Rose’s, and Lady Celestial Lotus’s domains today and expand inwards. Please, World Trees and Life Trees of the World. Don’t resist. I’ve already spilled too much blood destroying the Abyssal Void Nexus, I don’t want to spill more blood and sap in Ceperet. I want to rule the place and benefit you with my buffs quietly.” 

She didn’t mention Pelagia because Pelagia was unknown to the general public. Moreover, there were no intelligent species in her domain, making her assimilation the easiest of the four <Fourth Energy Cycle> World Trees. 

That day was the day the Golden Sap Arborarchy declared sovereignty over the world, and the sacred Heavenly Willow moved to fulfill such a declaration.

Chapter 1331. Starting Over.

Yasenia sat up abruptly, pushing her body up with the help of her tail. Then, she called out Draheart, and her spiritual sense exploded outward as her eyes shook with wariness.

Draheart noticed the nervousness and faint trembling in Yasenia’s hands, so she spoke slowly and calmly. “Relax, Yasenia. You are safe. You only lost consciousness for two minutes.” 

Those words didn’t relax her, but made her eyes quiver even more. “Two minutes…? I passed out for two whole minutes? Me?” 

The dragoness could feel a terrifying pain in her chest and internal organs. She knew that she was heavily injured from the palm of the copy enveloped with iridescent lights. Looking down, she noticed the purplish palm in the middle of her chest, while most of the blood vessels on her breasts had burst, creating inflammation. 

After taking a slow breath to avoid aggravating the broken ribs, Yasenia exhaled and activated the [Celestial Dragon Body]. This skill increased her regeneration several times over, helping her heal quickly. 

“Are you okay, Yasenia?”

Draheart asked, her tone slightly worried. After all, it has been a long time since Yasenia was defeated by someone at her level. 

The dragoness felt her ribs and bones slowly realigning as her blood vessels and organs repaired before answering. “I am surprised… Somewhat shocked. But don’t worry, my heart is not wavering. Only, I am just noticing how complacent I’ve been, even when I never stopped working hard.” 

Draheart didn’t answer. She, as Yasenia’s weapon, naturally understands that Yasenia puts in a lot of daily effort to become stronger. Around 16 of 24 daily hours were spent in cultivation or related activities. The rest, Yasenia used for her baths, comprehension of intents, and interactions with sect members. 

Lately, inside the Secret Realm, most of the time was spent exploring, but that didn’t mean that Yasenia never cultivated or practiced. Draheart spoke, her tone caring. “Yasenia… You are young. Yet, you’ve built a family, conquered an entire world, and even managed to reach immortality. Lifespan-wise, you are basically immortal. After all, even with passive strengthening, it is impossible for you to waste your entire lifespan before you reach the Seventh Realm. You’ve achieved what many people try hard for tens or even hundreds of thousands of years in just a century.”

Yasenia shook her head and sighed. “It doesn’t matter. Will someone with ten thousand years behind them not kill me if I shout that I am young? There might be some exceptions, but most cultivators are selfish. So, it would be just the opposite: because I am young, I will be targeted even more harshly.” 

Draheart didn’t answer. Yasenia’s words were the truth, after all. If Yasenia wanted to have the protection those super-geniuses have, she needed to tie herself to a power. That was too difficult for Yasenia because she still needed to leave the Heavenly Layer for the Sky Continent and help her mother deal with the problems over there. “...To begin with, I started cultivating because I wanted to catch up to Mom and help her. I’ve never forgotten my initial resolution. I want to become as strong as Mom, or even stronger than her.” 

Yasenia sighed, her eyes full of complex emotions. “That multicolored copy… She only used Heavenly Constellation Steps, the basic stance… but I couldn’t even follow her figure.” 

Yasenia’s brain seemed to have burned the figure of that copy, basically walking towards her at a speed that made the rest feel as if it were moving in slow motion.

Dramel asked, confused. “Wasn’t that copy much stronger than you? It is normal for you to be unable to fight it, right?” 

“Wrong.” Yasenia plopped her butt down, creating a bouncing motion. Then, she placed Draheart down on the ground and rested her forehead against the palm of her hand. “She was equally strong to me in cultivation realm and level. The only difference was the way she used energy and the skill.” 

Dramel was confused. “Who? How? That should be impossible, right? She was so much stronger than you.” 

Yasenia laughed wryly. “I know… But what if I’ve been looking at this trial wrongly? What parameters do the copies change from level to level? Is it only proficiency in skills? Or is it something more?” 

Soluna crawled onto her lap, snuggling in her arms before closing her eyes comfortably. The dragoness didn’t move after she asked herself that question.

She sat on her spot for hours, her mind going through the previous battles one by one to the smallest detail. ‘I didn’t analyze them too deeply, so I can’t come to a solid conclusion. Tsk. Can I even fight them from the beginning again?’ 

It was currently the second day of the 10 days that she had, so she wouldn’t mind starting over as long as she could go further. 

“Trial, I want to start over.”

When she said that, the copy surrounded by an iridescent glow appeared again and looked down at the sitting Yasenia. The dragoness’s eyes twitched incessantly as she looked up at the curvy woman with dark, smooth skin, sapphire-blue slit eyes, and flowing white hair. 

Yasenia spoke cautiously. “Please… Be gentle.”

The copy’s lips arched further, as if amused by Yasenia’s words. Then, her hand moved as she manipulated her energy. The energy around the copy fell entirely under her control, and her meridians and dantian transformed and evolved constantly in how they carried power through her motions. 

For a second, it felt as if the copy was not attacking, but moving the world with her gestures. 

The dragoness’s pupils thinned, trying to remember and take in as much as she could of what the copy was doing. Nevertheless, what she saw was too complex for her to understand. 

“What are you even doing…?”

“[Grand Cosmos Martial Art, First Form: Stellar Burst].”

Together with the answer, Yasenia’s eyes were filled with a bluish light that glowed with white, golden, and silver particles. Then, a strike so heavy that Yasenia felt as if her body was going to explode landed on her upper chest. 

BOOM!

With momentum that was impossible to cushion, her body was blasted down through the seven floors and landed on the lowest floor, creating a giant crater. 

Before Yasenia’s consciousness faded, she couldn’t help but lament. ‘Is this the strength of that move? Are you sure you aren’t buffing yourself with the Celestial Pearl before attacking!? What a ridiculous monster.’ 

Then, due to injuries and soul-shock, Yasenia lost consciousness for ten minutes, her body working overtime to heal the injuries. 

After waking up, Yasenia didn’t move and looked at the black ceiling with dazed eyes. ‘That was… Something. I thought I would die from that strike… Well, if I had mortal resilience, I would’ve died. I mean, even my heart has ruptured.’ 

In her mind, she ignored the pain and constantly repeated the way the copy manipulated her energy and moved her muscles. ‘It was… so beautiful. So natural. As if her actions were not an attack, but just a simple, natural consequence.’ 

After almost an hour of repeating what she saw in her mind again and again, Yasenia sighed. “... I don’t understand. There was some strangeness in her palm strike, but the movement was so profound that the energy usage felt like gibberish to me. Am I really that brutish with the way I handle my energy?” 

Yasenia sighed again. “If that iridescent copy fought the enemies I encountered until now… Wouldn’t she be able to slap them to death as if they were mortals?” 

After saying that, Yasenia tried to stand up, but her body immediately screamed in pain, so she lay back down with a frown. “This level of injury… I will need almost five hours to heal completely. Let’s meditate and internalize what I saw so that I don’t forget.”

Using her powerful mind, Yasenia began to recall, without a single exaggeration or change, the copy’s movements. 

Soluna and the other two didn’t bother the dragoness and waited.

Only after a while did they hear Yasenia exhale and speak. “I wonder what Stair Level that copy is from. Is it the copy standing in the 1000th step?”  

Dramel commented. “I don’t think so… According to the pattern we’ve seen, there might be more than one copy in the 1000th step.”

The dragoness’s lips twitched. “Let’s hope you are incorrect.”

After standing up and stretching, Yasenia grabbed Draheart’s hilt tightly and stepped forward. The copy appeared on the other side, with no aura of any sort around her.

Yasenia’s lips arched as her eyes showed incredible battle intent. “Alright, [Perfection Stairs], I am ready this time.” 

Both Yasenias moved forward, but the Dragoness didn’t try to defeat the copy. Instead, she checked the differences between herself and the other. Why was the copy so weak compared to her? Why could it not overcome her own strength when all their skills were used equally?

As Yasenia exchanged blows with the copy, she didn’t use her buff skills beyond the ones she needed to be at the same strength level as the copy.

Two giant swords collided against each other, creating a cacophony of metallic sounds. In the sky, Soluna and her copy also exchanged blows.

“Slowly learn the difference, overcome it, understand it.” 

The dragoness and the copy moved all around the terrain, their skills flying one after another. “I am fighting with all buffs except [Ursa’s Grasp], [Firmament Soul Sword], and [Heavenly Firmament Sanctuary]. Yet, I can match my copy.”

Her copy never became flustered, always trying to get the advantage and using all kinds of tricks. Naturally, Yasenia fell for some of them; after all, the copy was as cunning as Yasenia. Using herself to train had its risks, and she was paying for it.

The copy managed to sneak into Yasenia’s close range and made Draheart flow around her body to cover her fist. Then, she punched using Stellar Burst right into Yasenia’s stomach. 

BOOM!

Yasenia flew back, her stomach bruised as she gritted her teeth not to grunt in pain. However, her eyes were flashing with intense emotions as her lips arched like a delighted maniac. “I can see through you.”

The copy rushed forward, Pegasus Gallop deploying black-feathered wings behind the copy and boosting her acceleration from nothing to her peak speed in a fraction of a second. 

Yasenia didn’t lose sight of the copy. On the contrary, she moved a step forward confidently and raised her sword diagonally to her right. 

CLANG!

The copy’s sword struck Draheart squarely. Yasenia’s tail moved to her lower left, just in time to block the copy’s tail.

BANG!

Then, when the copy took a step back to strike again, Yasenia planted her right foot forward and pushed with her left toes, her leg moving up like a whip. 

BOOM!

The copy was struck on the side, and Yasenia could feel her leg sinking deep into the body of the copy. As the copy flew, Yasenia accelerated after it. “You, as the first copy, are much weaker than I in almost everything except skill usage. You understand my skills better than I do and use them incredibly efficiently. Regardless, your weak body, soul, meridian energy conductivity, dantian efficiency, and weaker beast core limit you.”

Yasenia released [Celestial Dragon Body], making herself even weaker. But it didn’t matter; as she fought with the copy, the advantage didn’t disappear. Instead, it became even wider. “From you, I can learn how to use my skills better. How to respond to threats. Haha!”

A small laugh escaped her as joy filled her, and her eyes shone with a euphoric glow. “How long has it been?” 

Yasenia barraged her copy with attacks, suppressing it even when the copy was stronger than herself. “How long has it been since I’ve felt this rate of improvement!? HAHAHA!”  

Her sword began to attack more violently, but never without intent. There was finesse in her violence, and there was rationale in her seemingly beast-like barrage of attacks.

“DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE AND FEED ME! HAHAHA!”

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOOM!!!!

After almost five hours, the copy’s body crumbled under the absurd pressure to which she was subjected, dying by having her leg, waist, and then head sliced off.  

Yasenia stopped, breathing roughly, not from tiredness, but from the excitement her heart felt. “Ah~. It feels so good!” 

Chapter 542. Endless Surprises: Meeting The Boss Monster. [AotSC]

When Liu Shu approached the middle area, she felt a shift in the flow of ternary essences around her. ‘Strange…’ 

Usually, when Liu Shu moved her roots, she could command and deform the rocks and earth around them, allowing her to advance unimpeded. Nevertheless, as her roots approached the center, she noticed that she was losing influence. 

‘This… It must be because of it. Right?’ 

There was only one being whom Liu Shu was cautious about inside the Dungeon, and it resided right in the center. Liu Shu mumbled. “But… Does that even make sense? I am over 100 kilometers away from the center. Are you saying that the dragon can influence the land this far away?” 

Not many creatures had a natural dominion over nature, and World Trees were the species with the most powerful influence abilities. Yet, that didn’t mean that they had exclusive power over it.

Her roots continued to advance, but after thirty kilometers, Liu Shu’s roots came to a stop. “...The dirt is so tough here.”

While she was complaining aloud, a voice reached her. “Well, it’s natural. You are strong and have good control, but you can’t enter another person’s domain so freely.”

“Huh?” 

A giant tremor silenced Liu Shu’s baffled exclamation. While the land trembled, a small mountain began rising nearby. Liu Shu observed the large mound crumble as it grew, and from it, sleek yellowish scales were revealed as the sun reflected on them. 

The creature that rose from the ground didn’t have wings, but the streamlined quadrupedal form, long neck and tail, and the aura of raw strength it carried made Liu Shu feel extremely threatened. 

At the top of the previous mound, two eyes opened up, revealing a pair of deep red dragon eyes. Liu Shu looked at the 300-meter-tall creature with an awestruck heart. “Wow…”

The creature, now fully revealed to the world, was clearly the <Juvenile Earth Dragon>. The head’s shape was ferocious, with spiky scales at the sides, while its back had spiky protrusions. The large claws that covered the entire digits were perfect for moving on land and ripping through almost any material. The muscles of the creature pushed against its scales, boasting incredible presence, and there was something like a bulging, hard head at the end of the dragon’s tail.  

The dragon spoke, his voice sounding deep and pleasant. “Hello, World Tree. I would like it if you didn’t invade my personal terrain; otherwise, I’ll have to go and steal yours in retaliation.”

Liu Shu looked at the hill of muscles and power and didn’t know how to react. “Um… Hello to you too… That, I wasn’t intending to make trouble, I just wanted to spread my roots in this place…”

When Liu Shu entered the Dungeon, she was sure that, while the Dragon was mighty, she should at least be able to match its strength. After all, Liu Shu had a myriad of buffs to boost her stats. 

And yet, now that she was face-to-face with the dragon, only one word came to mind. 

‘Nope.’

If she were using her main body, Liu Shu wouldn’t be that intimidated, but with just roots? Liu Shu felt that she would be unable to break the scaly surface of this being.  

The dragon lay back down onto the ground, creating a small earthquake. After getting comfortable and looking down, the dragon poked the ground once.

Liu Shu felt a strange, repulsive force, and soon, many of her roots were forcefully expelled from the underground. “W-What did you do?”

The Dragon’s reptilian mouth was arched. “As I said, this is my domain. So, I am taking it over again. The energy you are releasing is making me lose control.” 

Liu Shu answered awkwardly. “O-Oh. I see.”

“So,” The Dragon looked around once and smiled. “I am inside a <Dungeon>. Quite interesting.”

“H-Huh?” Liu Shu had felt surprised until now, but this time, her core almost jumped in fright. “W-What are you talking about?”

The Earth Dragon looked down with calm, red eyes and a smile. “Don’t worry. Nothing bad will happen if I know. Honestly, when I woke up, I was a bit angry. So, I tried to destroy the dimensional barrier and escape. Who would’ve known that it was so sturdy?”  

Liu Shu laughed awkwardly. “That… Sorry.”

“You should be.” The dragon poked Liu Shu’s roots with his claws. “It’s quite unpleasant to be used like this, you know? Especially as the creator of this Dungeon, you should’ve at least asked me first, don’t you think?” 

Liu Shu asked, confused. “But… Um. I thought you would be a non-intelligent monster.”

The Earth Dragon blinked and hummed, his pleasantly rumbling hum transmitting vibrations through Liu Shu’s roots. Then, he asked, curious. “Is this your first Dungeon?”

“No…” Liu Shu coughed. “It’s my third <Dungeon>...”

“Oh? Then you must’ve created quite low-level Dungeons before this one, right?” 

Liu Shu felt a bit bad for the Dragon, so her roots fiddled together as she spoke with a guilty tone. “T-That. I don’t know. This is the first <Dungeon> I’ve entered on my own. But! I have used humans and other species as monsters. Only… They didn’t know that they were inside a dungeon. So, this time, I thought it would be the same.”

“I see.” The Dragon thought for a while, and then he smiled. “You should be a young World Tree that has yet to take over even one planet, right?” 

“How did you know!?” Liu Shu was honestly surprised. This Dragon knew too much! 

The Earth Dragon sighed softly. “Well, since I am stuck with you, I can tell you a few things. First of all, Dragons have ancestral knowledge since birth. We learn not from teachings like most intelligent creatures, but from the genetic experiences of our parents. That way, knowledge doesn’t get lost between generations. Of course, we don’t know everything straight away. It gets triggered when the conditions are met.”

“WOW!” Liu Shu exclaimed, surprised. “That’s very similar to Mommy Ignatia’s skill!”

The Earth Dragon asked, curious. “Mother? Another World Tree? Or perhaps, a Sylvan or a Life Tree?” 

“Neither!” Liu Shu giggled. “She is my Ant Mother! She is a Humanoid Ant Queen!”

The Dragon’s pupils thinned for a second, his facial expression freezing as information flooded his head. Then, he sighed. “You have quite a dangerous mother, young World Tree.” 

“Liu Shu!” Our World Tree spoke proudly. “My name is Tianlian Liu Shu.”

“Oh?” The Dragon smiled. “That’s quite a good name. In the ancient tongue, it means [Heavenly Lotus Willow Tree]. Tian, with the meaning of sky; Lian, with the meaning of purity; and Liu Shu for the flexibility and softness of a Willow Tree. Whoever named you loved you quite a lot and wanted you to remain true to yourself, but never forget to be flexible as you spread your branches throughout the cosmos.” 

Liu Shu burst into exclamations. “WOW! WOW! I LOVE THAT! HEHEHE!”

The Dragon chuckled, his amused laughter making the earth around him sing in joy. “So, Tianlian Liu Shu, here is something that you should always keep in mind about your mother Ignatia.”

“Hm?” Liu Shu asked, confused. “Is there something wrong with Mommy?”

The Dragon shook his head. “Nothing like that. If she loves you from the bottom of her heart, there won’t be any problems. One question before I continue. Has your mother started developing ants with qualities of a <Crafter>?” 

“Yeah! You know so much stuff!” 

The Dragon smiled. “I was just guessing. You are only Level 99, yet you seem about to conquer a World from the ease of exploring the Dungeon. Therefore, you must be from a hidden corner of the universe, and your world must’ve never had True World Trees, right?”

“Yeah!” Liu Shu answered, her roots wiggling in amazement.

“Here is the advice: listen well.” 

Liu Shu listened attentively. The Dragon looked down at the roots and spoke slowly and clearly. “You are about to step onto a stage so large that you’ll feel like a sapling once again. So, take it slow. No one can touch you before you take that last step. If you have loved ones, use this time to spend it with them as much as you can and build a family with your lineage. A World Tree’s lineage will create talented and powerful progeny.”

The Dragon paused as Liu Shu internalized his advice. After waiting for a few seconds, he opened his maw once more. “If you want to spread your branches and avoid getting stuck, you need to give up some things for future gains. Never choose the option with immediate returns if you can choose one that will benefit you more down the line more. Beyond that, you should tell Ignatia to start focusing on developing ants with basic intelligence. Otherwise, she will never be able to become a true overlord and help you.” 

Liu Shu internalized the advice and nodded solemnly. “Alright, I will do that.” 

The dragon nodded and commented. “So… Tell me more about the Dungeon. What did you have planned when you created it?” 

Liu Shu explained her intentions and how she got to summon him. The Earth Dragon laughed while listening. “So, it was based on chance. If you look at it like that, it seems that you and I were destined. Alright, I’ll help you. While I don’t like being hunted down and killed, I won’t lose my memories since the Dungeon will keep my mind safe.”

Hearing his words, Liu Shu was somewhat relieved. Then, she spoke. “U-Um, do you have a name?” 

The Dragon shook his head. “Don’t give me one. If you do so, I will become a Named Boss Monster and my strength will increase. Once you feel that people can defeat the current me, you can come back and give me a name.”

“Alright… I’ll refer to you as just ‘Earth Dragon’ then.”

“That’s good enough.” The Dragon smiled. 

“Earth Dragon, I heard that you can evolve together with the Dungeon. Is it true?”

The Earth Dragon looked at Liu Shu and chuckled. “I am quite lucky that you are the owner of this Dungeon.” Then, he poked the roots and spoke a bit playfully. “Don’t worry about those things yet. I will speak to you when it matters. I’ll allow one of your roots to move into my nest. That way, we can communicate at will. Still, can you move the rest of your roots out? You are weakening me by taking away part of my <Earth Domain>.” 

Liu Shu complied easily with the Dragon. “Alright! I will do that!” So, her roots receded. 

“Oh? That’s a good movement speed. Do you have an S Rank skill related to your roots?” 

Liu Shu was once again impressed by the Dragon’s knowledge. “Yeah! To think that you are just a juvenile Dragon… I can’t even imagine how strong and knowledgeable a Mature Dragon can be…”

The Earth Dragon chuckled. “Actually, our intelligence develops quite quickly. Juvenile is more of a mark for the strength and stage of a Dragon’s life. The major difference between me and an elder of my race is their personal experiences.”  

“Ohh!” Liu Shu nodded a few times. “Well, Earth Dragon, I will go for now! Have fun being a Boss Monster! And… Well, please have a bit of mercy if the people have some potential and they were here for the first time.”

The Dragon asked, his eyes somewhat knowing. “Only the first time?”

Liu Shu commented lightly. “If they see you, are defeated by you, and they stupidly decide to return after being spared, that’s their problem. Second chances are not bad, but beyond that, you are just testing the level of stupidity of the other side.” 

The Dragon laughed again and nodded. “Alright, if there are people with potential, I’ll make sure to send them out with heavy injuries. They must learn from failure, after all.” 

“Thanks! Hehehe.” 

Chapter 1330. Reaching The Limit.

Yasenia continued climbing the stairs for eight more days, each level becoming increasingly difficult. The first time she battled, she took around 25 minutes, while the second one took 50 minutes. For the third challenge, Yasenia took almost two hours.  Then, for the fourth level, Yasenia took an astounding three hours of straight-up fighting against herself.

After the fourth challenge, Yasenia had to stop for a long while to recover her strength. Soluna was lying beside Yasenia; one of her sides was open, and blood was flowing down her side. Looking at Soluna’s state, the dragoness couldn’t help but sigh. “Are you okay, love?”

“It hurts…” Soluna pouted, her face full of tiredness. 

Yasenia caressed the spirit’s hair and leaned down to plant a soft kiss on her lips. “Let’s rest until we recover our peak. I don’t think we can defeat the next level if we are not at our best.” 

“It has been only five levels…” Soluna sighed and looked at the white staircase. “I wonder how strong the copy in the 1000th stair is?”

Yasenia looked up, her eyes shining with curiosity as well. “I also wonder… It’s honestly baffling. Are we that weak?”

She couldn’t see the scores of other people. Therefore, she was unsure if defeating five stairs during the first ten hours of fighting was good or bad. “I wonder how far other people are going?” 

Soluna looked at Yasenia and spoke with a guilty expression. “You will be limited by me… I am sorry.”

“Hm?” Yasenia blinked and looked at Soluna with a confused look. “What do you mean, love?”

“That…” Soluna’s fingers twisted with each other. “If my copy defeats me, then she and your copy will be able to overwhelm you. This time, I barely held up. Another two hours, and I would’ve probably lost to my copy.” 

Yasenia smiled and carefully picked up the heavily wound spirit girl. Using her long and thick tail for support, together with her arms, Yasenia nestled Soluna in her arms. “Love, you and I are one. So, if you are lacking strength, that means that I am lacking strength. You can see it in the way this trial allows you and me to participate together. If we weren’t considered one big entity, would that be possible?” 

Soluna’s Sun and Moon pupils glittered as she shook her head softly. “No… We would’ve been separated.”

“That’s right.” Yasenia smiled gently, her lips softly pressing against Soluna’s forehead. “Therefore, if you are weak, I will help you become stronger. You and I will live together for eternity, right, love? So don’t blame yourself.”

Soluna’s face flushed, almost forgetting the pain of her wounds. Instead, she pushed her face into the crook of the dragoness’s neck and inhaled her scent greedily. ‘Ah… I love Yasenia so much.’ 

Yasenia’s right hand gently caressed Soluna’s back, moving back and forth, while her left hand tapped the spirit’s soft butt rhythmically. The little taps almost put Soluna to sleep in Yasenia’s comfortable embrace. 

After two hours of sharing energy through their connection, Soluna’s wounds recovered. Yasenia and Soluna then meditated in each other’s arms, absorbing the world’s energy to recover to their peak. 

It didn’t take longer than thirty minutes for both to reach their peak. Soluna opened her eyes slowly and separated, looking up at the face of the most beautiful dragon woman. She closed her eyes, and soon, her lips were tenderly enveloped in a kiss. 

After exchanging a loving kiss, Soluna smiled happily. “Let’s go. I’ll make sure to keep my copy at bay!” 

The dragoness kissed the spirit’s nose. “I am sure you will. I trust you, love.”

“Hehe.”

So, both of them went up to the fifth staircase. 

Looking at their copies, Yasenia noticed that the bronze aura around them was now visible without the need to focus. ‘Is that bronze aura an indication of something? The strength of the copy, perhaps?’

Shaking her head from distractions, the fifth battle started. 

Yasenia and Soluna suffered quite a lot, but after five hours, their copies were defeated. Yasenia breathed heavily, a large gash running across her chest and dripping with blood, while her tail was mangled and her face pale. 

Soluna lay in the distance, unable to move a single finger. During this exchange, the enemy Soluna had defeated Soluna and joined hands with Yasenia’s copy. Thankfully, it was during the later stages of the battle, so Yasenia managed to beat them both by taking one of the copy’s sword slashes to the chest. 

She breathed roughly, her heart pounding and sweat running down her body. “If… I didn’t use… [Heavenly Firmament Sanctuary]... I would’ve been done for.” 

Dramel transformed into her spiritual form and supported Yasenia’s tall body with her petite one. The dragoness laughed and gently stroked Dramel’s hair. “Let’s go see Soluna’s current state.” 

Dramel nodded, and they all arrived in front of Soluna. The poor spirit was sprawled on the ground, her body full of large and small wounds. Half her face was burnt, and one of her legs was completely frozen by Moon Ice.

Soluna whines, her eyes slowly moving towards Yasenia. “...So strong.”  

The dragoness smiled. “Indeed. Too strong. Let’s rest, love.” 

Yasenia lay down and unfurled her wings, using them to hug Soluna. They worked as both a mattress and a blanket. Comfortable, Soluna closed her eyes and focused on recovering. Yasenia did the same. 

‘The next one… It will be too difficult to defeat. What happens when you lose? Do the copies continue until you die? Looking at Soluna, it doesn’t seem so. When Soluna was defeated, I kept an eye and prepared to use the defensive formation to save her life. Nevertheless, Soluna’s copy ignored the defenseless Soluna and rushed towards me.’

This meant that the copies were attacking to kill, but without the intention to do so. ‘If I die straightaway, that’s that. Nevertheless, if I surrender, the chances of the copy stopping are high. Should I try on the next floor? Or should I give it up?’

It took around 4 hours for both of them to recover to their peak. The Celestial Black Hole Energy Star worked tirelessly to heal and replenish wounds, as well as restore energy reserves.    

After they stood up, Yasenia and Soluna looked at the stairs. Soluna spoke, her tone somewhat heavy. “Yasenia… The next floor might be too difficult.” 

The dragoness nodded. “I know. But it’s not impossible. We still have the life-saving treasures. So, if we are in an impossible situation, I will use them. I want to try something, so let’s go. Also…”

Yasenia saw Soluna’s somber expression and grinned. “If you continue being so pouty, I will make you real putty. So you better steel your resolve to beat yourself.” 

Soluna’s face became flustered, showing embarrassment. “Y-You! Now is not the time!”

“Is it really not?” Yasenia’s voice lowered a pitch, making Soluna’s insides tremble at the raw seductiveness it dripped with. 

“I-If you continue teasing me, I will get turned on!”

Yasenia laughed and jumped on her. Soluna’s moans echoed in the place for hours. 

‘With this, I hope she doesn’t feel the guilt. Let’s relax her now; she is too tense and will end up making mistakes if we go up straight away.’ 

After Soluna became Yasenia’s victim for almost five hours, the spirit lost strength in her limbs and became a starfish. “I can’t move…” 

Yasenia laughed, hugging the spirit tightly. “Cute~.”  

After an hour to recover their bearings, Soluna showed a much better attitude. After going up to the sixth step, both Yasenia and Soluna froze. 

On the other side, there were four individuals and four weapons. Soluna’s eyes widened. “T-Two of us!? Two copies!?” 

Yasenia’s mind became messy. ‘How is this possible? This is an impossible trial!’ 

As her mind became confused, the two Yasenia and Solunas were looking at them as if mocking. “What? Are you afraid?” 

Yasenia’s eyes hardened a bit, and she looked at the surroundings. ‘Is there an allied copy? No. However… There is something different. What is it?’

After looking closely, her eyes flashed. “The aura around them. It is gone.”

Soluna stopped panicking and focused. “Oh. You are right… So, these four copies have the same strength as the copies on the zero floor?” 

“That seems to be the case if we base it on the aura that surrounds the copies.”

Soluna crossed her arms. “If that’s the case… It is not impossible. Still, it is more difficult than the copy with the bronze aura.” 

Yasenia agreed. “The sixth floor became different. Does it change every five floors? If that’s the case… What happens when we reach the eleventh floor?” 

While she pondered, she also knew that there was no time to lose. They took a deep breath and rushed forward, starting a complicated battle. 

The fight this time took much longer, but thankfully, they avoided heavy injuries. Still, the number of light injuries was staggering, and blood stained most of the central floor where they clashed.

Plunging her sword out of the second copy’s chest, Yasenia’s legs almost lost strength. “E-Eight hours. Why are they so resilient! So annoying to kill with all the little tricks!” 

Soluna smiled wryly. “Have you forgotten that they are us, Yasenia?”

The dragoness complained. “No. But they actually took a supporter and attacker stance! The one at the back was using Aquarius Rain and using Dramel actively to support the other. It was so… Ugh. I pity those fighting me.” 

Soluna laughed at the comment. Still, she was refreshed and happy. “I managed to defeat the two copies before you! Hehe.”

Yasenia smiled and ruffled Soluna’s hair. “Great job, love.” 

Dramel spoke, curious. “Draheart, I didn’t know that you could fight on the real plane without Yasenia. I still remember how you fought that Sun God, but it happened when you were inside Yasenia’s Soulscape.”

Draheart spoke with her emotionless but adorable tone. “My strength without Yasenia is too low. It’s better if Yasenia holds me, and you act as a support.”

Dramel grumbled. “I also want to fight while Yasenia uses me…”

Yasenia gently caressed the Pipa’s chords and smiled. “If I ever develop a musical technique, I’ll use you more often. Draheart can turn into all kinds of weapons, but she can’t become an instrument. So, you are not useless, Dramel.”

Dramel cheered. “Hehehe. Yasenia’s hands are so soft and nice~. I love it when you touch me…”

Soluna coughed. “Phrasing.” 

“What?” Dramel raised her tone. “Is the Spirit that was filled with cream until it spilled talking now? Speak! I dare you!” 

Soluna coughed and looked sideways, unable to refute it.

Like that, Yasenia and company managed to fight their way until the eighth floor, where they encountered their first truly dangerous situation.

Soluna shouted, her body being pummeled by the energy attacks of the two copies. “Y-Yasenia! I can’t hold on longer! They are too strong for me!” 

Yasenia was not much better, her sword and tail moving fast enough to block the barrage of the two copies. “I am also at my limit.”

The second she spoke, one copy hit Draheart strongly and the other snuck inside, punching her gut. “GAH!”

Her body flew back like a shooting star. Yasenia bit her lips and shouted. “We surrender!” 

The second she did so, a new copy appeared.

A profound multicolored light enveloped this copy. Then, using Heavenly Constellation Steps to a level that Yasenia couldn’t even follow, the copy appeared in front of her and palmed her chest lightly. 

‘What?’

BOOM!!!

Yasenia streaked through the white ground, returning to the seventh floor, and then fainted, her ribs sunk and her soul damaged. Soluna descended not long after with Dramel, both smashing against the ground like meteors and losing consciousness. 

Chapter 1329. True Value of the [Star Breaker Realm Bead].

After she defeated her first copy, Yasenia didn’t move and looked up. ‘Soluna has finished a while ago. I was wondering why she didn’t come down to help, but it seems that she had attained some kind of enlightenment.’ 

Looking around, Yasenia couldn’t help but sigh. “This place is too good to train.” Previously, she wanted to get the Bead so that she wouldn’t get crippled by it. Now, though, her heart gained greedy desires for it. “I need to get it….” Looking between her breasts where the talismans were, her sight darkened. “Even if I need to use them, I must get this treasure.” 

While she thought about it, Yasenia suddenly heard a light rumbling sound and looked toward the origin. “That’s… a staircase?”  

A white staircase that went up and disappeared into the darkness had appeared from nowhere. It was wide enough for her normal dragon form to climb it, and each step was around 1 meter tall. ‘Do each of those steps count as one? If so… That’s 1,000 steps.’

A staircase that elevated for almost a kilometer into the sky. It was that long. 

While Yasenia wanted to approach it, she didn’t do so. Instead, she waited for Soluna to end her enlightenment. ‘Let’s think about the battle in the meantime. What did my opponent do that I didn’t?’

As Yasenia reviewed the battle, she didn’t recall anything particularly different. ‘If anything… The copy was the first to use the body as a resource in the battle.’ 

Yasenia understood that her physique was terrifying for her level. It could be called an armor in itself. Then, when she protected and boosted it with her skills and her strengthened innate dress, that resistance went up a few notches.

“Do I fight… Too cleanly?” Yasenia tilted her head at the thought. “It is true that I avoid getting injured. However, isn’t that normal? You don’t know if the opponent has something that can aggravate existing wounds, so it's better to avoid getting damaged at all…” 

She was a firm believer in not underestimating her enemy. Her copy’s fighting method, compared to her own, was more beastly. The copy also used the inheritance defensive skill. “While it doesn’t do that much… It was becoming increasingly hard to match the copy’s attacks by the end. Are the erosive properties of [Heavenly Firmament Sanctuary] that powerful?”

It was honestly a skill that Yasenia barely ever touched. She felt that the effects were lacking in a one-on-one situation. While the ability to erode the enemy’s energy and skills over time was powerful, Yasenia’s battles were so quick that it often didn’t matter whether she used the skill or not.  

“If I thought in that way… I am being hurt by my ability to overwhelm my opponents. Honestly… How long has it been since I took so long to defeat someone before the copy?”

Yasenia tried to recall, and when she did so, she was surprised. “It was during my Tribulation. Since I entered the Sixth Realm, I’ve had no lengthy fights. Even that Abyssal Human was defeated relatively quickly.” 

The dragoness suddenly understood that the thing she might gain during the [Perfection Stairs] was not proficiency, but battle experience. In terms of body control, Yasenia trusted that she was quite advanced. She was someone who could move exactly as she thought to move. 

It was part of her innate gift, which made her an absolute monstrous genius, battle-wise. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have created the complex Grand Cosmos Martial Arts so casually back then.

“Hm… I wonder how much stronger the next level of the stairs will be?” 

“I am also very excited!”

An echoey double voice reached Yasenia, making the dragoness smile. Turning to look at the origin, she noticed the beautiful Nascent Celestial Spirit looking at her with a beautiful grin. “Are you done, love?”

“Yeah!” Soluna jumped into Yasenia’s arms, rubbing her face on her soft and deep valley. “Hehe… Hm? What do you have in here?”

Soluna lifted her face with a puzzled expression and reached inside, taking out the two talismans. “...Why do you have them here, Yasenia? Don’t you have pockets on your skirt?” 

Yasenia chuckled and took the talismans from Soluna. “I do have them there. However, to reach and activate them, I would need quite a lot of time. Imagine that a Seventh Realm cultivator attacks me for some reason. My reaction speed is fast, but I don’t believe I will be able to reach out fast enough and activate it. So, I place it in a location where I can crush them with just a thought.”

Soluna blurted, baffled. “You can crush talismans with your tits?”

Yasenia blinked twice. “What’s wrong with that? With precise energy and muscle control, it is possible.”

“Huh? Aren’t breasts just fat and nerves?” Soluna looked down at her recently acquired physical body and fondled her soft bundles. “I… I don’t know how to move them. No, is it even possible?”

Yasenia burst into laughter. “You silly spirit. Of course, I can’t move them by myself; that’s why I told you I use energy for it. Either way, I can easily squish things inside by moving my arms inwards as well.”

Soluna compared her own breasts and Yasenia’s and lamented. “Two mountains and two sunny-side ups.” 

Yasenia laughed again and hugged the spirit, using her hands to fondle the spirit at will. “Yours fit in my hands perfectly. It’s very comfortable to fondle. I like it very much~.”

Soluna harrumphed, trying to hide the pleasant sensation of the expert masseur. “That makes me mildly joyful, not a lot!” 

The dragoness bit the spirit’s ear and whispered in a seductive voice. “You are lucky we don’t have a lot of time, or I would’ve forced you to lose your form with just my hands.” 

Soluna’s face blushed. “T-That… Are we really in that big of a hurry? I don’t think we—”

PANG!

Draheart flew and slapped the back of the spirit’s head accurately, almost causing her to tumble forward. 

“W-What was that for!?” Soluna looked at Draheart with eyes full of bewilderment.

Draheart spoke with no emotion. “Sorry, I slipped.”

“S-Slipped on what, you stupid flying sword!?” 

Dramel laughed at the side. “Soluna almost rolled like a boulder. Sadly, her mountain slope is too flat for the roll to occur. It would be more like a drop in your case.”

Yasenia covered her mouth, trying not to laugh while Soluna received a critical hit. Soluna glared at Dramel. “And you two who have those inflated balloons and measure as tall as a chair!? You look so disproportionate that one would think someone missed a zero when setting up your heights!” 

Dramel and Draheart, who looked like twins, both glared at Soluna.

Yasenia coughed, swallowing her laughter. “Alright, alright. Let’s go to the next level. We can’t waste so much time here.” As she stood up, Yasenia asked Soluna. “Love, what did you realize during your enlightenment?”

Soluna stopped exchanging glares with the two weapons and turned to look at Yasenia. A smile appeared as she hugged the dragoness’ arm. “I realized that my way of using my three skills was too stiff. Moreover, [One With The Cosmos] has become stronger. Now, strength-wise, it is about the same as a peak Level 2 Intent Domain. 

Yasenia hummed. “Quite good progress. I remember that you only managed to increase it to the beginning of the second level around half a year ago, right?” 

“Yeah!” Soluna smiled, satisfied. “My strength is now much higher!” 

The dragoness smirked. “Which means that your copy is also stronger.”

“Ah.” Soluna blinked twice and smiled awkwardly. “Well… We’ll deal with it later.”

The dragoness gave her a faint smile. Then, they arrived in front of the stairs. “More than walking up the stairs, I need to jump. One-meter-tall stairs… they reach around my thigh area.” 

Even then, they didn’t care much. All four of them floated up lightly and landed on the first stair. But, the second Yasenia did so, the stairs disappeared. 

“Huh?”

The dragoness looked around and saw another copy of herself in the distance. Soluna, Draheart, and Dramel also surrounded the copy.

Yasena’s face changed when she realized the implications. ‘There are 1,000 levels of difficulty for the copies? Will there be copies that do not only mimic, but also surpass my strength?’ 

As she pondered, her hand actions didn’t stop. Yasenia took Draheart and spoke aloud. “Let’s deal with them.” 

Soluna committed, her eyes squinting. “Yasenia… Can you see a very faint colored aura around the copies? Or is it just me?”

The dragoness paused and squinted with Soluna. “... you are right. They have a brownish aura around them. Closer to a bronze color with a greyish tint?”  

Dramel spoke while floating behind Yasenia. Her melodious voice was full of intrigue. “These [Perfection Stairs] are so mysterious. I can only imagine the resources, time, and expertise needed to create them.”

“Indeed.” Yasenia took a step forward, and the copy did the same. “Let’s fight. We’ll follow the same tactic we used on the previous floor.”

With that, the battle started. Soluna and the copy flew to the sky, and they both started exchanging blows. Yasenia frowned slightly when she saw Soluna being pushed back by the copy. Soluna shouted. “Yasenia, my copy’s control over [One With The Cosmos] is far ahead of me! I will be unable to finish before you, so be careful!”

The dragoness’s expression turned serious, and she used [Pegasus Gallop] right at the same time as the copy to approach and clash in the middle. Both Drahearts collided, creating a powerful shockwave. Yasenia’s pupils thinned. ‘This copy is stronger than the other one by quite a bit. I am unable to push it back in equal conditions.’ 

Yasenia’s face turned serious, and she activated [Heavenly Firmament Sanctuary] and [Celestial Dress]. The copy did the same.

After that, Yasenia attacked quickly without using skills. Draheart and the copy flew around repeatedly, Dramel’s melody accompanying the cacophony of sword strikes that both Yasenias exchanged.  

As they fought with raw technique, Yasenia couldn’t help but feel excited. ‘This copy’s control is clearly a level above the other, and almost three levels above me.’ 

If Yasenia were a 130-year-old who had both combat and normal experiences until her current age, the copy was a version of Yasenia who spent those 130 years perfecting her battle style but was slightly weaker cultivation-wise. 

“I can only be on the defensive if I don’t get an advantage soon. With Soluna having some trouble, I can’t afford to play fair. Let’s get serious, shall we?” 

Yasenia began buffing herself, starting with the [Immortal Breaker Body] and [Celestial Dragon Body]. The copy did exactly the same. 

However, since these buffs were multiplicative, the minimal distance in strength between them stretched slightly wider. Exchanging blows one after another, Yasenia took around 50 minutes to defeat the copy. 

By the end of the exchange, Yasenia was full of cuts and with injuries all around her body. Thankfully, she had no major injuries. ‘That difference in strength was so noticeable…’ 

Looking up, she noticed that Soluna actually lost one of her arms while fighting the copy. ‘I should help her soon.’ 

With a jump, Yasenia flew up and subdued the copy of Soluna, opening the now 999 stairs.

Chapter 541. Dungeon Exploration! [AotSC]

Liu Shu was baffled; she had not expected to gain such a powerful <Title> and have her <Passive Skill> evolve. 

‘Ten percent stats for free. Wow.’ 

After checking the skill and title once more, Liu Shu decided to go and try to use the new skills. “Let’s see… It says that I can interact with dimensions now through my roots? How true is that? Because that wording is too vague to say for sure…” 

As her first test, Liu Shu looked inside the <Rumbling Earth Domain>, not with the <Dungeon System> but with <World Tree Eye>. 

From the outside, the edge that separated the <Dungeon> and the rest of the continent looked like an invisible wall. It was a clear division between outside and inside that you could cross while walking. So, Liu Shu followed one of the roots that went into the <Dungeon>.

“This is the edge. If it were any of the other two <Dungeons>, then my gaze would be unable to pierce through this layer. Now, though… I can see how to peel it.”

The layer between her dimension and the <Dungeon> was like a waterfall. So, for Liu Shu to enter, she needed to use her energy to create a blockade and open the waterfall. Once she placed the blockade, Liu Shu’s expression changed. It felt as if her mind was suddenly pressed down by a mountain, and her ternary essences began draining extremely quickly. ‘Wow! I am even losing Phoer when forcefully opening the layer between the <Dungeon> and the outside world.’ 

After a few moments, Liu Shu dove inside with her consciousness and then stopped supporting the blockade. The second she did so, the dimensional wall recovered its previous state. Nevertheless, Liu Shu could now move back and forth without much effort. 

“I am… Inside! Yay!” 

Her surroundings had changed a lot. The relatively barren terrain was now filled with trees, mountains, and many other environments. When creating the <Dungeon>, Liu Shu made sure to divide it into clear environments and areas. That way, those with different affinities could move to places where they could kill monsters the easiest.

“I created three ways to escape the <Dungeon>. The first is a <Scroll> that can drop twice per Dungeon Dive. The chance for the scroll to drop is abysmal, though. Even then, it does change with monster <Level> and <Tier>. So, if a Level 50 killed a Level 60 monster of a high Tier, the drop chances would be much higher than when defeating Level 40 monsters.”

The chance calculation was complicated, but the <Dungeon System> approved of it, so there were no problems. “The second way is defeating a mini-boss.” 

Liu Shu had spread mini-bosses with the <Super Rare> drops from the pulls. These mini-bosses dropped good items and also opened a portal to the outside. “The interesting part is that the mini-bosses scale depending on enemy numbers. The boss would be much tougher if a group of five Level 50 attacks it than if a single Level 40 attacks it. What the mini-boss used was a proximity metamorphosis managed by the <Dungeon System>.”

Her roots moved forward through the jungle with tall and dense trees trying their best to stop her advance. Sadly, the environment on the outskirts of the Dungeon was at around Level 25 to Level 30. So, Liu Shu moved without feeling their struggles. When the jungle tree’s roots latched onto her, they just shattered like dry wood.

Liu Shu’s root finally connected with the roots stuck on the other side, and the second she did so, everything fell under her control. Information about the layout, earth, and even the reach of her roots flooded her mind. She could see the different environments, creatures, and flora. 

After ten minutes of full-capacity processing, Liu Shu’s mind became normal again, her gaze now covering a large part of the <Dungeon> area. 

“I thought that my roots would reach the center of this place. After all, I controlled the entirety of the <Origin Water Continent>. Nevertheless…”

As Liu Shu’s <World Tree Eye> and her own gaze looked beyond the edge of her domain, she noticed the oddity. 

“...there is a lot of terrain I have yet to explore. Has there been spatial dilation during the building of the <Dungeon>?”

She was quite curious, but she knew that she just needed to ask the <Dungeon System> to get the answers to these questions. Instead, she continued exploring the <Dungeon> by herself. 

“This is my first <Dungeon> exploration! I am so excited!” 

Instead of controlling the entirety of her root network, she decided to enjoy it like an individual. So, she chose one of her thickest roots and moved it alone. Liu Shu spoke to herself, somewhat playfully.

“I have arrived at a strange location! How could there be such a large realm in the middle of a continent? I feel that, although the spatial disturbance outside occupied around 40% of the continent, the space inside is almost three times larger than the <Origin Water Continent>.” 

Liu Shu changed her tone to a deeper one, which only sounded like a cute girl trying to make her voice deeper. “Headquarters has received your report, Explorer Liu Shu. Please keep us informed of your surroundings.”

Changing the voice back to normal, Liu Shu looked around and answered. “Headquarters, I can see tall trees of an unknown variant. They look like common <Dipterocarps> species but with more expansive and lush canopies. There are still gaps between them, so sunlight easily falls through them, illuminating the grassy land below. Perhaps it is because of the season, but there are plenty of leaves on the floor.”

Her voice deepened again. “That’s great to hear. You are doing excellent work, Explorer Liu Shu.”

“Hehehe. Thank you, thank you. I am doing my best!” Liu Shu looked to the side and exclaimed. “Oh! Headquarters! I just saw one of the natal monsters! From its body structure, I can tell that it is a carnivorous species. The body is covered in scales, yet the form is that of a mammal beast. The head of the beast is sharp, with protruding fangs at the side of the snout. The claws are long and slightly serrated, perfect to create wounds on the flesh of its prey.”  

“We hear—” Liu Shu paused. “Oh, I forgot to change the voice. Ahem. We hear you, Explorer Liu Shu. If the beast is high-level enough, you are allowed to engage in battle.”

Liu Shu then analyzed the beast.

***

Name: -

Titles:

<Forest Predator>: +10% stats when hunting prey in a forest. Your dynamic vision is sharpened by 100%.

<Dungeon Monster>: Your attributes can lightly scale up depending on the number and strength of <Outsiders> targeting you.  

…

Race: Scalaptera Ferox Tigris

Level: 69

***

Liu Shu didn’t need to look at the rest of the stats. “Headquarters, Explorer Liu Shu is engaging in battle!”

The poor beast suddenly felt something amiss, and in the next second, a root flashed before him. The speed was so fast that the beast only saw a brown-blue blur before his sight turned completely black. 

[Congratulations on defeating <Level 69 Scalaptera Ferox Tigris>. You’ve earned 1 Experience Point!] 

Liu Shu looked at the monster that her root pierced right into the brain of with a curious expression. “Now… The monster might disappear after being hunted, right?” 

Liu Shu let the body of the beast drop and waited. After a minute of waiting, nothing happened. “Hm… This shouldn’t be this way!... Do I ask the <Dungeon System>? No! I need to fulfill my duties as an Explorer!”

As Liu Shu looked at the beast, she noticed that its body was not disappearing. However, after thirty minutes, Liu Shu noticed that it had started to decay. “Huh? It is decaying already? It has only been 30 minutes!” 

As the corpse decayed, the flesh slowly melted away, and the scales fell down one by one. It took four hours for the corpse of the monster to be absorbed by the land below it. 

“...I understand.” Liu Shu looked quite interested in that phenomenon. “If you don’t collect the loot, the <Dungeon> recycles the monster carcass. Does this happen in the other <Dungeons> as well? Perhaps they say that the monsters disappear because the decay is relatively fast, but sufficiently slow for normal people not to notice. I mean, who would wait by the corpse of a beast for hours in the middle of a <Dungeon>?” 

After coming to a conclusion, Liu Shu felt accomplished. “See? I didn’t need the System to tell me! Tsk, tsk. With this brain of mine, the System is useless!”

[...]

“What? Wanna fight? I’ll smack you around! Hmph! Hmph!” 

After poking fun at the System and feeling better, Liu Shu continued with her exploration. The deeper she went, the higher-level monsters she encountered. Sometimes, they were alone; other times, they were in groups. 

She was lucky to find one of those <Monster Nest> locations and got a taste of what it meant to face endless monsters. “This is quite… profitable. I’ve already gained 2,000 Experience Points, and I’ve been in the dungeon for just a few hours.”

Currently, Liu Shu was earning 1,554 Experience Points daily passively. The <Delicious Berry> gave her 748 points, and her own Energy Gathering Method added 495. Then, Flor’s <Royal Pollination> gave her 162, and <Sprouts Of Chaos> added an extra 149, for a total of 1554. 

Now, while the experience she needed to Level Up was an astounding 3,737,460 Experience Points, she would be able to collect that amount in 2,406 days, or six and a half years. 

The Leveling Up speed was extremely fast for a World Tree. After all, if there were no barriers, imagine Liu Shu’s Level at the age of Warlya or any other World Tree. 

‘Hm… If I go deeper, I guess I can hunt in my own <Dungeon> as well, right?’

It was at this moment that the <Dungeon System> spoke without prompts.

[If Tianlian Liu Shu hunts in the <Dungeons> she creates, there is a chance of <Dungeon Collapse>. Tianlian Liu Shu would be stealing source energy from her own <Dungeon> without returning anything. It is not recommended for Tianlian Liu Shu to earn over 200 Experience Points daily from the <Dungeon>.]

“Only 200?” Liu Shu was honestly surprised. If she took into account the number of people that would be participating, 200 felt like a microscopic amount. Nevertheless, there must be a reason why that limit was imposed.

“To begin with… It is already strange that I can earn Experience from something I’ve created. The <Delicious Berry> works because my children and other World Trees can produce it and give it to me… On the other side, the <Dungeon> is both created and harvested by me. It’s like creating energy from nothing.” 

With that in mind, Liu Shu decided to be cautious. It was a bit tempting to take those 200 Experience Points, but she chose not to touch them until she gained extra knowledge in the future. “Hm… Let’s continue the exploration without killing. To begin with, only the trees are hostile to me. No creature has attacked me even after seeing me first.” 

And so, Liu Shu’s roots began moving all around, moving towards the center of the expansive dungeon.  

Chapter 1328. [Perfection Stairs]. Final Trial.

When all the rewards were divided amongst the top 100 people, their bodies were moved to another space forcefully. Yasenia blinked and looked around. The change of space was so quick that she didn’t even have time to blink. ‘Seeing the surroundings change so suddenly is a strange experience.’  

Her brain quickly processed what had happened and took in her surroundings. ‘A dark space… no, an arena. I can see the white floor stretching quite far. Above me… There is nothing. Just black space. Yet, it’s not dark. It feels as if I am illuminated by daylight even when there is no source of light anywhere.’ 

She was confused. Such a simple space for the third trial was quite… unique. ‘This is also the last one, right?’

As she was pondering to herself, she heard the voice of the trial maker once again.

“Welcome to the third and last trial. This trial is separated into two. You will now climb the [Perfection Stairs] for 10 days. Only the eight people who climb the farthest will be eligible to fight among each other in a final tournament. The winner of that tournament will become the owner of the [Star Breaker Realm Bead].” 

Yasenia crossed her arms under her abundant bosom. The weight on her arms calmed her mind and helped her think. ‘I need to climb some stairs… But I can’t see the steps. The white arena around me is perfectly flat.’ 

She looked down and stomped four times, each one stronger than the last. 

Bam! Bang! BANG! BOOM!

Yasenia’s hair fluttered with the shockwave of her stomps, but the floor remained unscathed. ‘Not even a single scratch. That’s dangerous. Colliding against the floor will be dangerous if it doesn’t destroy. I should avoid flying as much as I can and fight on the ground.’ 

After waiting for a few seconds, Yasenia didn’t wait anymore. ‘If it is something that I need to climb, I must find it quickly. Waiting this time around won’t work.’ 

The second she took one step, Yasenia stopped, her eyes fixed in front of her with incredible wariness. All her muscles were tense, while her skin was filled with goosebumps.

‘That’s…’ 

Opposite to Yasenia, there was another Yasenia. 

‘...me?’ 

The copy was basically opposite to Yasenia. She had clear white hair, sapphire-like slit eyes, and dark yet smooth skin. The woman’s lips arched faintly as she extended her hand and summoned a copy of Draheart. Behind the copy, another Dramel appeared, while Soluna also manifested by the copy’s side. 

The only difference between them was that Yasenia and the copy had opposite colors. What was black would be white, what was gold would be deep blue, and what was silver would be metallic black.   

‘The trial is named [Perfection Stairs]... With the image in front of me, the objective is clear. It is designed to face your own self and climb the stairs of perfection.’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘However, perfection is not achievable… That’s a pipe dream for people who set limits for themselves. There will always be something to improve as long as you search hard and long enough.’ 

As she pondered, she knew that she didn’t have time. ‘Thankfully, the copy is not attacking right away. She is just looking at me with… quite a seductive smirk. Do I smile like that when I fight enemies?’  

Yasenia became a bit self-conscious. ‘More than asking for a fight, it feels as if I am asking to get seduced…’ 

She coughed once, getting rid of unnecessary thoughts. Then, she also summoned Draheart, Dramel, and Soluna. Soluna looked at the other side and exclaimed. “Wow! Another me! Another Yasenia!” Her cheeks blushed slightly as she shyly squirmed. “Are we going to do some kind of strange play today?”

The dragoness almost choked. “Love, please get a bit serious. Our opponent seems to be a copy of ourselves. While I am not aware of what point they can copy us, we must be careful. If that’s us, but with thousands of years of experience, we might be done.”

Soluna’s eyes changed as she turned serious. Yasenia smiled. “Relax. Thankfully, they don’t seem to have the items I’ve taken from my spatial ring. I can detect Mom’s [Death Law] or anything opposite to that energy.” 

Hearing her words, Soluna clenched her fists. “Leave that Soluna to me! I’ll make sure it doesn’t get involved in your battle!”

Soluna flew to the sky, and as if knowing her intentions, the other Soluna also flew up. The dragoness didn’t look up, her eyes constantly fixed on herself. ‘If I show even a monetary opening, she will take advantage of it.’

“Dramel, sing to your heart’s content.”

“Alright~.” The Pipa flew above Yasenia, and the copy did the same. Then, both sides began playing opposite tunes. If Dramel’s melody was fast-paced and vigorous, with a gorgeous cadence that would motivate someone, the clone used her chords to spread a lullaby-like melody. 

Nevertheless, regardless of the sound, the effects on Yasenia and the copy were identical. They strengthened the allies and weakened the opponents. 

When the effects fell upon her, Yasenia’s eyes shifted. ‘I still feel stronger. That means that the opposite Dramel is weaker than mine.’ 

Tightly holding Draheart, Yasenia stepped forward with her right foot and slashed forward. 

The Copy mimicked Yasenia.

Energy surged around both dragons, perfectly moving through their meridians and pouring into Draheart. 

“[Celestial Sunder].”

“[Celestial Sunder].” 

A blue sword light and a golden sword light burst forth, colliding in the middle.

BOOM!

Yasenia’s tensed heart relaxed a bit when she noticed her [Celestial Sunder] being stronger than the other side’s. The copy raised her hand, summoning a quick barrier to block the remaining energy.

Yasenia didn’t lose that opportunity and used [Pegasus Gallop] to shoot forward.

After the copy blocked [Celestial Sunder], she noticed Yasenia appearing right in front of her, energies billowing around her body.

“[Shattering The Heavens].”

“[Celestial Aegis], [Celestial Cosmos Dress].” 

Brutal offense and sturdy defense met. 

BOOM!!!

The shockwave was beyond what Yasenia expected because [Celestial Aegis] was too sturdy. This cut her follow-up opportunity, so she took the chance to increase her own strength. 

“[Celestial Cosmos Dress], [Celestial Dragon Body].”

“[Heavenly Firmament Sanctuary], [Celestial Dragon Body].”

Whoosh!

The surroundings were engulfed in both Yasenia’s auras, enveloping everything with ridiculous pressure. However, [Heavenly Firmament Sanctuary] slowly stripped away Yasenia’s strength. 

That skill was the defensive skill from the inheritance, which created a “sanctuary” where enemy energies would deteriorate and cease to exist over time. Even spirits would dissolve under its influence. ‘I can’t let the copy get the advantage. I need to push.’

“[Pegasus Gallop], [Grand Cosmos Martial Art, Third Form: Comet Descent].” 

“[Immortal Breaker Body], [Grand Cosmos Martial Art, Fifth Form: Nebula Ripple].” 

The copy’s bodily strength skyrocketed as she prepared to defend, while Yasenia flew up and then fell from the heavens with incredible speed and momentum. 

When Comet Descent struck, the copy easily blocked Draheart with her own. Then, taking advantage of her physical strength advantage, the copy moved forward and slashed upward.

“[Firmament Shaking Arc].”

Yasenia’s pupils thinned. “[Celestial Aegis], [Celestial Tyrant Soul Unshackled].”

The copy’s vertical slash carried incredibly powerful bodily strength, while Yasenia focused on strengthening her spiritual and soul areas. 

BANG!

Celestial Aegis blocked the copy’s strike, and Yasenia answered instantly. 

“[Soul Dividing Tyrannical Cleave].”

“[Heavenly Constellation Steps, Third Sky: Orion’s Shield], [Celestial Sunder].”

Our dragoness’s face changed, becoming slightly ugly. 

Starlight gathered in front of the copy, creating a shield after the footwork technique, and stars aligned. Simultaneously, Celestial Sunder manifested and rushed at Yasenia. ‘I need to defend against [Celestial Sunder]!’ 

Her mind turned, and her tail moved instead of her arms. “[Celestial Sunder]!”

The copy’s faintly smiling face didn’t disappear; instead, it widened. “[Ursa’s Grasp], [Shattering The Heavens]!”

The copy reached Yasenia’s peak physical strengthening and rushed forward, ignoring the Celestial Sunder while the copy of Draheart swung down. Yasenia’s golden eyes widened. ‘She wants to tank Sunder in order to gain the advantage because she is weaker than me?’ 

Her own lips unconsciously arched. ‘This is… So fun!’

“[Celestial Aegis], [Orion’s Shield]!” 

BOOM!!!

Both sides exploded, and the copy’s aura continued to skyrocket. “[Celestial Tyrant Soul Unshackled], Firmament Soul Sword]!” 

Yasenia, in the distance, grinned. “[Immortal Breaker Body], [Firmament Soul Sword].” 

With that, the only difference in buffs between the two was the Ursa’s Grasp the copy had used. Even then, that small difference was not significant because Yasenia was originally stronger. Their current strengths were equal.

That allowed Yasenia to ignore Ursa’s Grasp and rush at her copy. 

“[Pegasus Gallop], [Soul Dividing Tyrannical Cleave]!”

“[Pegasus Gallop], [Firmament Shaking Arc]!” 

Yasenia, with her soul side boosted, used her soul sword skill. Meanwhile, the copy used the marginally stronger body-cultivation skill due to Ursa’s Grasp influence. 

The attacks collided in the middle, but a damaging shockwave of soul and body energies exploded outward. Nevertheless, both dragons ignored the damage they received and rushed at each other with mimicked grins.

Draheart and Draheart tore arcs through the air, colliding right in the middle.

CLANG!

Yasenia’s muscles strained, being pushed back marginally by the copy. However, her soul aura exploded outward, disturbing the copy’s concentration for a fraction of a second. That gave Yasenia maneuvering time to shift her weight and sneak Draheart into the side of the copy.

The copy didn’t panic; her tail flashed, [Celestial Sunder] coated around it. Yet, Yasenia’s gaze didn’t falter. Like a predator who had her prey do what she wanted, Yasenia’s attack suddenly changed.

Forcefully, spinning to the side, her tail struck the copy’s Draheart and she kicked the copy’s stomach. 

BOOM!

The copy flew back, her smirking expression showing hints of pain. Yasenia took a deep breath.

“[Celestial Dragon Breath].”

The copy’s sapphire eyes shifted. “[Empyrean Cosmos Dragon Transformation]!” 

ROAR!

ROAR!

Both dragon roars shattered the sky, while Yasenia’s attack exploded in the place the copy changed. 

From the explosion, the copy’s heavily injured expression rushed at Yasenia at ridiculous speed. She was using Pegasus Gallop. 

Yasenia’s face changed slightly. ‘My resistance in Dragon form is somewhat ridiculous. However, the match is done.’ 

When the copy appeared in front of Yasenia, slashing her claw, Yasenia stepped forward and appeared below her own body, slashing upward. 

“[Soul Dividing Tyrannical Cleave].”

The copy’s ethereal dragon voice echoed. “[Orion Shield].”

Yasenia’s sword struck the [Orion Shield] that appeared below her belly. Yet, she was not flustered. While Draheart pushed against Orion Shield, her tail was piercing upward with incomparable momentum. “[Grand Cosmos Martial Art, Seventh Form: Astral Convergence].”

The final skill of her martial art exploded, piercing through [Orion Shield] and hitting right in the middle of her dragon body.

BOOM!

The copy streaked to the sky while looking down. “[Celestial Dragon Breath].”

The dragon opened its maw, but Yasenia responded even faster. “[Celestial Dragon Roar]!”

ROAR!

The shockwave of the roar opened all the soul injuries, disrupting the copy’s Celestial Dragon Breath. As blood exploded from the copy, Yasenia took advantage to deploy [Celestial Aegis] and block the Celestial Dragon Breath partially.

From then on, Yasenia slowly stretched her advantage, eventually killing her copy. 

Chapter 540. Accidental Touch With Another Realm. [AotSC]

After that day, there were no new opposing movements. Even those dedicated to spreading news and information about the Arborarchy moves didn’t blindly criticize the actions of the Arborarchy leadership.

Liu Shu didn’t care. As long as the law she wrote was maintained, whatever happened was not much of her concern. She wouldn’t micromanage her population, just set the direction and borders. 

On matters that were much more important for Liu Shu, enough time had passed for the <Rumbling Earth Domain> to open. ‘To think that it coincided with my 50th birthday after I gained the World Tree title… Quite a coincidence.’ 

Over a decade has passed since she took over, and her roots have already covered around 17% of the entire world. Not the surface area, but Ceperet itself. In comparison, for a world the size of Ceperet, the surface volume was comparable to 0.05%. 

So, while surface-area-wise, Liu Shu covered around 45%, her roots had dug deeply into the world and were becoming part of it. ‘The world gets so hot the deeper you go…’

After she crossed the hundreds of kilometers in depth, the molten metals of the underground bore extreme temperatures that would have been difficult to resist even for her current strength. 

“Thankfully, I have <World Embracing Endless Roots> to help with that. My roots seem to be immune to environmental extremes… At least, to a certain degree. In the end, the skill is A Rank, so it has a long way to go.” 

Among her skills, there have not been many changes. Only <Cerulean Bloodsap>, <World Tree Eye>, and <World Tree Calling>, the three skills that were not at A Tier, had been improved through the use of Experience Points.

“<World Tree Calling> was currently at B- Tier. Nothing much has changed from when it was D- Tier. If I have to say something, it feels much more comfortable to summon higher-tiered summons.” 

Liu Shu was honestly taken aback by the extent of her summoning capabilities.

In the past, she could sustain about 150 A- Tier Arboreal Winged Serpents indefinitely, though only by sacrificing every other ability. For a decisive clash lasting three to four hours, she could raise that number to around 1,000—already enough to rival the entire <Fourth Energy Cycle> population of Ceperet on her own.

Yet as her mastery deepened, the efficiency of her summoning grew to staggering levels. “I haven’t even pushed my absolute limit, but I should be able to double that… perhaps even more. It feels unreal. Summoning might very well be my greatest strength. How would others react if I told them that I can call forth enough <Fourth Energy Cycles> to overwhelm every superpower in Ceperet combined with just numbers?”

It showed how outrageous her accumulation and innate talent for summoning had become. The <Temple Of Summoning> was part of her achievements, though. 

Her gaze moved toward the <Dungeon> and noticed that it was still in the process of opening. So, she continued checking on the other two skills. 

“Similar to <World Tree Calling>, <Cerulean Bloodsap>’s changes have focused on efficiency and quality—nothing too outrageous. With the new purification strength and nutritional value, all flora and fauna have benefited from the side effects of my sap’s quality increasing.”

The effects were not exceptional. 

Meanwhile, <Cerulean Bloodsap> was at Level 5 of the B+ tier. ‘At this rate, I’ll only need around two more months for <Cerulean Bloodsap> to reach Level MAX. 

The amount of proficiency she needed to collect had been arduous. Just to increase from Level 5 to Level Max of the B+ Tier, Liu Shu needed 49,392,100 proficiency points! Thankfully, her size and ability to multitask and interact with millions of creatures daily helped when collecting proficiency points. Even if she just got a point per ten interactions, she would fill the fifty million needed in a short time.

“Finally, <World Tree Eye>.” The skill that helped her observe the world through vision similar to that of a human. “When it was in the C Tier, I could barely look beyond my root net. The limits felt like a black wall that you couldn’t peer through. Then, when it reached B Tier, those walls became blurry. Now, I can distinguish the time of the day, whether it is cloudy or not… It’s like having water in your eyes and trying to look into the distance.” 

As she muttered to herself, Liu Shu paused. “Will I finally be able to look into the distance like a normal human when my eye skill reaches A- Tier? It’s currently at Level 4 of the B+ Tier.” Remembering the amount of Experience she used to boost all the skills to the B Tier, Liu Shu’s heart ached. ‘In total, I’ve spent 4,313,108 Experience Points. And, if I want to push all my skills to A- Tier, the experience I will need is 3,938,881… Ugh. Over 8 million experience points to push a D- Tier, a C Tier, and a B- Tier skill to A- Tier…”

Thinking on the Experience, she will need to push things in the S Tier and beyond. Liu Shu almost started crying. ‘So much Experience needed… No wonder some higher-level people prefer to give up on old skills and relearn higher-tiered ones. It takes time, but not compared to the Experience Points they would need otherwise; it is a worthy sacrifice.’ 

Thinking of that, Liu Shu became curious. “Speaking of relearning skills… Wasn’t there a Skill Trading group I heard about roaming the world? Or are they also otherworlders that come from time to time?” 

She had wished that those people had arrived during her previous Sylvan Quest. That way, she would’ve been able to create even stronger combinations. “Well. You can’t cry over a matured fruit that hit the ground.” 

“The rest of my skills have increased one level or two during the last few years. In the A Tier, as levels increase, I can see their numbers growing very marginally. For example, the 250% comprehension rate for learning in <Otherworldly Rune and Nature Empire> is now 260%... It has increased by 10 points when the total was 250 points. It’s basically nothing worth mentioning.” 

After confirming the changes to her skills during the last few years, Liu Shu focused on the <Dungeon System>.

[Time until <Rumbling Earth Domain> opens: 00:00:23:54…]

“23 minutes left…” 

She was a bit nervous. After all, in the center of this <Dungeon>, there was a genuine Dragon. A species comparable to World Trees in terms of strength and growth potential. Moreover, this beast was S Tiered. “If we fought… who would win?” 

She was honestly curious. Even if she could summon a legitimate army of powerful creatures, the defense of an Earth Dragon was ridiculous. Skyflower had lent her a few books on bestiaries of monsters beyond Ceperet, and she knew that normal Earth Dragons were true monsters that could grow to the point that they fed on worlds.

‘Ugh… Outer space is a bit scary. There are so many monsters that can chomp me and Ceperet if they feel like it. QAQ!’

During the last 20 minutes, the spatial fluctuations of the area had become visible to the naked eye. ‘There are a few people over there… But who told them not to listen to me? I’ve already told everyone not to be in the <Origin Water Continent> until I allow it, but they don’t listen.’ 

She was indifferent to people like this. They believed that she was hiding something special, and that if they got their hands on even a part of it, they might reverse their fortune and destiny and leap to the sky in a single jump. ‘If there was such a convenient treasure, I would be attacking them so that they don’t approach, no? I mean, I would be stupid to not deal with those trying to steal such a precious treasure.’ 

“Spirit Of The Lake, have you moved your consciousness away from where I told you?” 

The lake spoke with a relaxed tone. “I have. Moreover, with my new skill, as long as my <Origin Water> remains, I will not die. You can just drop ten drops on the ocean, and I will eventually take over and wake up again.” 

“Eventually…” Liu Shu muttered. “For someone like you, ‘eventually’ means a few centuries or millennia, so I'd rather you didn’t go to sleep for so long.” 

The spirit spoke, confused. “Isn’t that a short time? Just a century won’t even change the paths of a river, nor will new mountains be born. A lake takes much longer to appear, so you need to understand that time is on your side, Liu Shu. You, as a being of everlasting lifespan, can’t always rush forward like intelligent beings.” 

Liu Shu smiled when she heard that. The lake was not the first person who told her that. And, if she were a normal World Tree, she would stick to that philosophy. Nevertheless, time was far from being on her side. Not when her opponents were overwhelmingly stronger than her.

“Thank you for the advice.”

The spirit didn’t answer; it flowed her waters around Liu Shu’s roots, as if caressing her.  

After the twenty minutes had passed, the center of the <Origin Water Continent> wobbled. Not metaphorically, but the space itself began fluctuating on a tremendous scale. Liu Shu thought that the roots inside the Dungeon forming area would be destroyed. Nevertheless, the opposite happened. 

As the spatial fluctuations rippled through her complex root network, Liu Shu’s mind entered into a trance. In her powerful mind, she could process many things about what was happening. ‘What is this… film in space?’

[Temple Of Destiny Triggers!]

A flash of inspiration appeared in her mind. ‘Is it… a <Dimension>?’

[<Title: Touched By Dimension> is resonating with your current feat.]

Liu Shu’s roots, instead of breaking, mixed with the space, interlocking not with the earth, but with the dimension itself. 

[<Passive Skill: World Embracing Endless Roots> allows for the World Tree’s roots to survive within the extra-dimensional environment.] 

Liu Shu felt her body draining, and when she looked at her reserves, she noticed over 20,000 Aether Mana and Anima Energy cores evaporating. Her mind sharpened, and her heart thumped as she stopped pouring all her ternary essence into the skills. ‘W-What is happening? Why can I feel the <Dungeon>’s dimensional structure? That almost drained my soul in just a few seconds of contact! If I didn’t stop… I could’ve died.’ 

Everyone sensed the sudden weakening of the World Tree, and then, a spatial ripple swept not only <Ceperet> but the entire solar system. 

[<Dungeon System> has completed <Rumbling Earth Domain>.]

[You’ve become part of the <Dungeon>!]

[Your <Title: Touched By Dimensions> has evolved into <Title: Fledgling Dimensional World Tree>.]

<Fledgling Dimensional World Tree>: You have been influenced by sub-dimensions and have even become interwoven with them. From now on, your existence can interact with other dimensions both physically and spiritually. You can also swallow other dimensions into your domain. Space efficiency and affinity +1000%. Stats +10%.

[<World Embracing Endless Roots Level 2 (A Rank)> has evolved into <World Embracing Dimensional Roots Level 1 (S- Rank)>.] 

<World Embracing Dimensional Roots (S- Rank Level 1 [0/839,900])>: Your roots now entangle not only the world but also the dimensions around you with superficial influence. You can traverse both the material and immaterial. They’ve gained immunity to natural extreme locations and can feed on all essence. The feeding will never disrupt the balance as long as the World Tree doesn’t intend to. Your roots can extend as long as your root net can maintain its integrity, making your reach potentially endless.

Liu Shu read the messages, and her mind short-circuited. “Huh? What happened!? QAQ!”

Chapter 1327. Reward of The Second Trial.

After getting to know Ao Jiuyao, Yasenia was pleasantly surprised. With Lataria’s descriptions, she had feared that this wild dragon would start flirting with her without holding back. Therefore, she had been careful when communicating, trying to ignore him as much as she could. However, it seems that she was overthinking, since Ao Jiuyao didn’t make a single move on her. 

Lataria was even more surprised than Yasenia, and eventually, she couldn’t hold back her curiosity. “Um… Granduncle, why are you so quiet around Yasenia? This is completely unlike you.”

The handsome dragon man raised his sharp eyebrow and glanced at Lataria with his wine-red eyes. “You really don’t know?” His lips arched faintly. “If you don’t know, it seems that you and her were not that close after all.”

Lataria’s eyes widened in anger. “You stupid uncle! [Water Ball]!” 

A water ball shot from Lataria’s hand at a speed difficult to follow with the eyes and struck the man’s head accurately. 

BANG!

The man flipped sideways and complained. “Aya, grandniece. If you don’t do something with that temper, you’ll remain a virgin for another five thousand years.”

“AH!” Lataria’s wings unfurled in embarrassment and anger. “SHUT UP!”

Yasenia saw a torrent of water, large enough to hide mountains, surge up and almost cover the sky. ‘Wow. Any desert can turn into an ocean if Lataria becomes angry.’ 

The man broke through Lataria’s attack rather effortlessly and chuckled. “If you continue acting like this, I won’t tell you the reason. What will you do, little girl?”

Lataria snorted and looked between Yasenia and her annoying granduncle. “That… Ugh. I am too curious! You hit on everything that moves as long as they are beautiful enough, so I can’t really tell this time around.”

The man punched an Endless Mud Beast, exploding it and breaking its core with the same punch. Then, he looked at Yasenia. “Can I tell her? You have a few things that you don’t want to know, right?”

Yasenia smiled faintly, her eyes showing a bit of coldness. “You already know them and will have to tell them about those ancestors, am I wrong? What’s the point of prohibiting you from saying it when you are going to move those useless mouthflaps either way?”

“M-Mouthflaps…” Ao Jiuyao was speechless. “That’s the most insulting way to describe lips I’ve ever heard.” 

Lataria nodded and sighed. “Right? It just sounds so… wrong.” 

Yasenia observed the time left while the two family members mused about her wording. ‘There are two hours left, and I am in first place with a comfortable lead of 50 points. Second place is Ao Jiuyao, while third place is… Someone I don’t know. Lataria is actually sixth, below Astarea and another unknown person.’

Ao Jiuyao knew Astarea’s aura, so he could tell which blue flame represented her and told Lataria about it. 

While Yasenia pondered, Ao Jiuyao spoke about his reasons for not approaching Yasenia. “First of all, Yasenia is a brat. While I can sense that she has forced her body to mature with some kind of unknown method, I can bet my left wing that she is not even one thousand years old yet… And I don’t say anything lower because I am looking at her cultivation level. Otherwise, I would not say that she was a brat, but a child.”

The dragoness deadpanned at being called a child. However, she couldn’t really deny it. In dragon terms, she was truly a child. ‘130 years of age is not that little… Tsk.’ 

Lataria, on the other side, looked at Yasenia with tearful eyes. “Y-You lied about your age! You told me you were over 1,000 years old!”

Yasenia smiled awkwardly. “Lataria, please think about how people would react if they knew that piece of information. You’ve already seen my strength, haven’t you?” 

Lataria became silent, unable to refute Yasenia’s words. It was true that it was a ridiculous thing for Yasenia to be under 1,000 years old. 

Ao Jiuyao continued speaking. “Second, and even more importantly. This brat is already marked. The second I got close, it felt like a punch of fresh scent striking my nose. If I dare mess with her, that person will probably come to dismember me limb by limb.”

“Wah!?” Lataria was surprised again and looked at Yasenia with wide eyes. “You have a soulmate!?” 

The dragoness nodded faintly, and Lataria threw herself to her knees, crying to the heavens as her blue wings spread open, following her arms. “Noooo! My dreams of getting close to you, little by little, and developing our feelings are now shattered! I also wanted to be a part-owner of the beautiful, motherly big sister dragon woman! Whhaaaa!!!”

‘P-Part-owner?’ Yasenia’s eyebrows twitched, but she decided to ignore it. 

Ao Jiuyao looked at Yasenia’s stomach next, but when he did so, a terrifyingly cold killing intent chilled his limbs. Looking up, he saw Yasenia staring at him with thinned pupils. “If you speak about that, the oath won’t have to explode your heart, because I will do so myself.” 

The threatening growl made Ao Jiuyao smile wryly. ‘I hope I can convince those old fogies to let me keep the last secret… Although her body is basically emitting pheromones that females only secrete during pregnancy. So, it will be hard to hide from other ancient dragons.’ 

Lataria looked between the two people and wisely decided not to ask about the third secret. She coughed, trying to break the tense atmosphere. “Ahem… Should we continue hunting? Yasenia’s lead has reduced to forty-six while we were delaying things here.”

The two dragons stopped their glaring contest and returned to normal. “Let’s go.”

After two hours, the final scores were finally locked in. The aura flames representing Yasenia were firmly placed in the first position, while Ao Jiuyao ended up third. Another person actually surpassed him because he was forced to help Yasenia remain in first place. 

Yasenia couldn’t help but reevaluate the people she competed against. ‘Without Ao Jiuyao’s help, it would’ve been difficult to be first. Ao Jiuyao is stronger than I anticipated, and there are monsters who are not much weaker than him all around. At least, the Endless Mud Beast hunting speed is ridiculous for some people.’ 

She did not fear Ao Jiuyao’s strength, but she was wary of it. Even if she used all her strength, it would be a bit difficult to overpower someone with over 70,000 years of experience behind his back and a similar cultivation base to hers. Only because of her multiple cultivation paths was Yasenia sure of winning. ‘If I only had my beast path… I would struggle a lot against him. Perhaps, I wouldn’t be his match.’

She was unsure about this assessment, though. After all, singling out her strength for just the beast path was too difficult. 

“Congratulations. The top 100 will pass to the next test. The rest will be thrown out and crippled for 30 days. Those at the top ten will have a few advantages that only the people themselves will know.” 

Yasenia’s body was filled with cold sweat. ‘Thankfully, I chose not to give up. Otherwise, I would be in a terrifying position right now. After all, fifty days have passed, so those who were crippled from the first round have already recovered their strength. Without any backing, I would be thrown into a group of predators with no means of defending myself.’ 

Lataria frowned a bit. “This is a bit harsh of a punishment, isn't it?”

Ao Jiuyao shook his head. “This item is not supposed to be challenged in a wild environment. This is an item that is usually challenged in a controlled place like a sect. Those who go out crippled will be in no danger, and the punishment can be used as something to motivate others. After all, even a month of having no strength can be a way to temper the mind. Overall, the punishment is only harsh because it has become a wild treasure.”

Lataria grumbled. “Shouldn’t the creator have thought about it?”

Yasenia commented lightly. “Actually, the creator probably thought about it. If this item falls into the hands of someone who’s not his sect, why would he need to care about what happens to the people who fail? On the contrary, the creator will be happy that those challenging his treasure without his permission die at the otherwise harmless mechanism behind the failure.” 

Lataria glanced between Yasenia and Ao Jiuyao and frowned. “Hey, are all dragons so clever like you two? I don’t like it; it makes me feel inferior. Tsk, tsk. No wonder there are Dragon Hunters but not Human Hunters.” 

The two dragons felt their lips twitch at the blatant disrespect. While they spoke, a message arrived at Yasenia.

“You’ve placed first on the Second Trial. You will receive the option to take out items from the ring. Choose five of them.” 

Yasenia’s eyebrows raised lightly, and then she frowned. ‘Five items… I have Dramel, Draheart, and Soluna already out. Most of my strength is already out. What can I even choose?’ 

The dragoness’s eyes sank into her spatial ring. ‘... Hm. Is it too much to take out those talismans?’ 

As she thought, her eyes couldn’t help but land on something that had been placed on the corner of her ring for a long time. ‘This [Black Doll] Mom gave me the first time I went into the secret realm… I still don’t know what it is for. Should I take it out as well, just in case? What if it has some trigger option and it can’t trigger because I don’t have it out?’ 

Her dragon tail tapped the ground repeatedly as she pondered it. “Ugh… I guess I can’t really hold back when I might die in the next test. Let’s choose these five items.”

Ao Jiuyao and Lataria suddenly felt the space around Yasenia shift as five items appeared before her. Their hearts thumped, and a feeling of danger unlike any other surged from the depths of their souls. It felt as if pure death was surrounding three of those items.   

“W-What are those?”

Lataria’s voice trembled as she looked at the two talismans and one black doll. Each of these items had the feeling of [Law] engraved in it, unavoidable and with immeasurable power.

Yasenia placed the two black and green talismans between her breasts without answering, while she stored the [Black Doll] in the pocket of her skirt. The last two items were two disks with golden and red formations engraved on them. They were items she received from Tatyana and Angel to protect herself: the [Defensive Death Crystal Array] and the [Slaughter Fate Bending Array].

Each of them had the power to deal with cultivators up to the sixth level of the Transcendence Realm and could be used five times. ‘Others will probably have strong items as well, so I can’t be greedy and save them from now on. As long as I feel a shred of threat towards my life, I must use them.’ 

Chapter 539. The Day When Stages Were Stained In Red. Will of the Willow. [AotSC]

Across the country, people gathered in their city plazas, where they saw a group bound with special ropes and displayed on a wooden stage. There were people wearing government and army clothes at their sides, holding sharp wooden swords. Their expressions were cold and aloof, ignoring the calls from those bound by ropes. 

The people below spoke to each other, confused as to what was happening. 

“I could hear anger in the voice of Lady Heavenly Willow. I guess these people messed up badly.”

“Yeah. Didn’t you listen properly? They somehow dared to mess with Lady Heavenly Willow’s children.” 

“They messed up enough to be called for execution. I guess we will hear about it now.” 

“Public execution… Isn’t that a bit barbaric?”

“What do you know? If people didn’t mess up, why would they be executed?”

“What if the crime is not as bad as they made it seem? They might abuse this and kill us all!”

“Are you all lacking in brain development? Why would a World Tree even bother with us? She will be alive long after your great-grandchildren die. For Lady Heavenly Willow, we are nothing. Please stop judging Lady Heavenly Willow’s actions by our standards.” 

Some clashing opinions collided in the crowd, but it didn’t escalate to the point of creating significant conflicts. When the sun was high in the sky, the representative on each plaza spoke while holding a paper with a prepared speech.

“Today, we’ve gathered everyone to reveal many things. With these revelations, we also ask everyone not to panic and to think about the implications of their future actions slowly.”

Everyone stopped speaking and listened quietly. 

“For the last thousands of years, Ceperet has been part of a global, lasting war. That changed after Lady Heavenly Willow bloomed and her canopy reached for the sky. With her unmatched strength, Lady Heavenly Willow spread her roots with unstoppable momentum and stopped the war that had taken innumerable lives across millennia of history.”    

Those listening remembered their family members who were lost during the conflicts. The number of affected was so high that almost everyone had a story. It wasn’t a rare thing for a child to be parentless, for a woman or man to be widowed, or for people to have mental scars from participating in the conflicts.

“With the fall of the Abyssal Void Nexus, the world has welcomed Tianlian Liu Shu, the Heavenly Willow, as the True World Tree. Some of you might think that the Azure Rose Confederation, the Celestial Lotus Empire, and the Verdant Sanctity Covenant might oppose this statement and declare war on us.” 

Many frowned, agreeing with that statement. Declaring such a thing so openly was bound to make enemies. But the speakers didn’t meet those expectations.

“Now I tell you, without a single shred of exaggeration or doubt, that those ideas are wrong. Lady Azure Rose, Lady Celestial Lotus, and Lady Verdant Skyflower regard Lady Heavenly Willow as the true ruler of the world.”

A commotion spread through the crowds gathered throughout the country. Some didn’t believe it, some exclaimed with joy, and others felt confusion as to why they would give up easily. For those confused, the following words cleared many of their doubts. 

“Sadly, while this is a matter of celebration, it is not a statement that should bring us relief. Instead, it is the beginning of the true struggle ahead of us.” The speakers spoke with a firm expression, their tones frank and direct. “After unifying the World, that will expose us to a broader stage. Today is the day that all of you, who have been blinded by the width of the pond we live in, truly look up and see the vastness of the sky. Beyond our Ceperet World, there are many other worlds with intelligent life in them.”  

When the statement spread out from the speaker, almost everyone’s eyes opened wide. Even those bound by the ropes on the stage looked at the speakers with surprise. Not because they didn’t know, but because they were surprised that even while knowing, they dared to act against them! 

The speakers didn’t care about the gazes and continued. “We, as people from Ceperet, should be united from now on. Anyone trying to cause inner struggle will be considered a traitor and judged accordingly. Of course, anyone we dare point our fingers at and call a traitor won’t be executed without evidence. From now on, we swear to openly tell the public the reasons for punishments related to treason, so that we never abuse this loose yet powerful term. You will all know exactly what each person condemned as a traitor has done and how they will be punished.” 

This was not something that a country with an absolute ruler should do. Usually, this gave the public an idea that they could challenge said absolute authority. However, Liu Shu didn’t care. As a World Tree, she was not a passing rule, but a permanent one. Her lifespan was nearly endless in comparison with other beings, so there was no chance to lose certain values as generations passed.

The limitation with honest rulers was that, as time passed and generations took over different positions, corrupt ideas would bloom without fail. Nevertheless, with the very top remaining uncorruptible, those at the bottom who became crooked would be struck down and pruned from the system. 

This was a calculated risk, taken because the nature of a World Tree could make it possible, even if idealized. Of course, Liu Shu didn’t doubt that some problems might arise from it, but she also knew that most of the Arborarchy would work with determination and loyalty with the single goal of making the Golden Sap Arborarchy grow.

After the declaration, the speakers began explaining the crimes of each person bound, using the evidence Liu Shu had gathered over the last week to substantiate their charges. 

“First Traitor’s Personal Information is...”

“Charges are the following: Using deception, he colluded with traitors who wanted to take over the Golden Sap City’s government. For that, he helped create an array that blocked the <Lignified Tree>’s ability to communicate with Lady Heavenly Willow, her mother. Sentence: Death.”

SLASH!

Thud.

A head flew off, and the body fell forward, blood splashing on the ground. The soldier behind the bound person didn’t even flinch while he swung his sword horizontally, moving two steps to the right behind the next bound person. 

The speaker ignored the blood that splashed on his pants and stepped to the side as well, reading out the charges against the next person.

“Second Traitor’s…”

“Charges are the following: He knowingly provided materials to construct the muting array formation that bound the <Lignified Tree>. Additionally, he swore allegiance to the Explorer Association before the Golden Sap Arborarchy. Sentence: Death.”

SLASH!

Thud.

“Third traitor… She helped in designing part of the secret paths inside the <Lignified Tree>, ignoring the proper protocols. Even after knowing that the modifications were being done unlawfully, she never reported it. Sentence: Death.”

SLASH!

Thud.

“Fourth traitor…”

SLASH!

Thud.

“Fifth traitor…”

SLASH!

Thud.

SLASH!

Thud.

SLASH!

Thud.

SLASH!

Thud.

…

As heads flew one after another, the people spectating became numb. Their hearts were full of fear, because some of the charges were not that heavy. There were some people who were decapitated for just knowing about the secret passages and never reporting them.

“Thirty-seventh and last traitor of our current branch. His personal information is…”

“Charges are the following: He, in a fit, injured the <Lignified Tree>. Sentence: Death.”

The bound man shouted. “You lunatics! How can you kill someone just because I injured a tree!? Are you all crazy!? This is abuse of power, you insane monsters!”

The speaker looked at the person speaking and spoke coldly. “Every single <Lignified Tree> is a child of Lady Heavenly Willow. They are, by birthright, creatures with potential without equal and importance incomparable to any other creature.” He added. “Moreover, all <Lignified Trees> serve our civilization as our cottage, as our home, as the house we return to and take care of us. There has not been a single person complaining of being abused by their house in the several decades of the existence of the Golden Sap City.”

His cold tone gained a touch of anger as his tone was coated with fierceness. “Such gentle creatures, who even understand that some people are just venting when pounding their walls and furniture, complained. A being whose first instinct is not to be resentful but to take care of the people living within them…. Complained about abuse! You filth!” 

The last few sentences were almost yelled at the top of the speaker’s lungs, as his face was wrapped in anger. Who in Liu Shu’s empire has not been comforted by their house? Preparing tea, using their inner branches to gently tuck them to sleep, hearing their complaints, and much more. 

Each <Lignified Tree> had hardcoded in its genetic behavior its existence as a place of rest and calm for its inhabitants. When a creature like that complained, the chances that it was making up things because it didn’t like an individual were virtually zero. 

The speaker didn’t give that person the chance to speak, as he repeated loudly. “Sentence: DEATH!”

SLASH!

The guard behind that man didn’t decapitate him this time around, but bisected him from bottom up. The two halves fell in different directions, splashing the place with the man’s entrails. Regardless, there was not a single shred of pity on the people standing on the platform. 

Those observing from below felt a strange feeling of fear. There were quite a few people who had started treating their houses a bit roughly to vent stress. Only now did they realize that they had been lucky and ignorant. It was true that the <Lignified> houses they lived in were understanding. 

So, you could mistakenly confuse them with pushovers when, in truth, they were just gentle and understanding. Many people made sure to remember this and go back and apologize.  

“Ant Workers, you can come up.”

Everyone lost in thought frowned and looked over, seeing several ants moving from the sides and picking up the corpses. Then, those ants left in the direction of the nest entrance. Everyone understood what would happen to those who died after being sentenced to death. ‘Ant food. Traitors become ant food.’  

After the ants cleaned up the stage, the speaker smiled. “Thank you for your work.” 

Then, he turned around to look at the public and spoke with a composed tone and cold eyes. “This concludes the executions in our district… except one. For this last execution, I will relegate the responsibility to the one and only, Song Muse Harmonixia Songtree.” 

Everyone felt a surge of surprise. Then, they looked to the sky and noticed a single woman floating down with ethereal grace. Her blue-purple shifting hair and eyes shimmered like amethysts and sapphires, while her tall stature and beauty eclipsed almost everyone present. 

Once her feet touched the ground, the light purple dress gently fell down and covered her shapely legs while emphasizing her wide and mouthwatering hips. 

The woman smiled and spoke to everyone, her voice as pleasant as a slow melody. “Thank you for coming. For our last execution, I will be the host. This person is a bit special.”

Looking to the side, Harmonixia lifted her arm and with the gesture, a red curtain flew to the sky. In the middle, they saw someone who was easily recognizable. 

“Is that… Lord Adam? How is that possible!?”

Adam was tied to a pole, ropes binding all his limbs and mouth. So, the only muffled sound that escaped him was his attempts at shouting. What he was trying to shout, Harmonixia didn’t know nor did she care. 

“Personal Information: Adam Maier, 182 centimeters tall, male, human. He grew under the tutelage of the previous Golden Sap City Explorer Association Leader, Lord Wert. Following his steps and showing incredible promise, he rose to prominence and ruled over the Association with both intelligence and efficiency. Sadly…” 

Harmonixia ignored the man’s increasingly loud, muffled screams and smiled. “His crimes are even more severe than his accomplishments. He communicated with people from outside Ceperet and was the mastermind trying to take over all <Lignified Trees> that the Explorer Association controlled. He planned to create a separate influence that he could then use to suppress and control Lady Heavenly Willow.”

Harmonixia spoke ruefully. “His intentions were not to betray Lady Heavenly Willow, so he was able to keep his titles, and nobody noticed. After all, what he wanted was not Heavenly Willow’s demise, but ruling above her.” Harmonixia smiled. “That’s the highest treason and the most blasphemous thing you can do. Hence… Sentence: Fertilizer.”

Everyone’s hearts dropped to their stomachs, while Adam looked at Harmonixia with widened eyes. Then, after registering his sentence, he began thrashing without care for getting hurt by the ropes. “MMPH!! MMMPHHH!!”

A root appeared from the middle of the stage, a very familiar root for everyone in the city. Its sleek appearance and glowing blue veins were those of the Heavenly Willow. Looking up, everyone suddenly realized that the gargantuan World Tree was looking in their direction. This caused a chain reaction of almost everyone hitting their knees against the ground. 

Liu Shu spoke, her voice spreading throughout her domain thanks to her utilization of ternary essence and her root net. “What I ask of you, as my citizens, is not much. Just follow the rules and don’t betray me or the Arborarchy. I haven’t worked on the systems in place to make them convenient for the citizens, so you can ignore them and do as you please. This public execution was a warning… and a threat. Behave.” 

Then, Liu Shu dragged Adam underground and closed her eyes, returning to her peaceful self. 

Everyone couldn’t stand up right after, feeling the actual weight of consequence when living under a relatively active World Tree. 

Chapter 538. Day Of Reckoning. Liu Shu's Anger. [AotSC]

The leader of the Explorer Association, Adam, sat at his desk with a frown on his face. The place he lived was Wert’s previous office, which evolved, expanded, and changed through his orders. On top of his desk, he had a strange artifact with a screen that transmitted images. The person on the other side of the screen was a middle-aged man with brown hair and clothes too unique to be part of Ceperet’s culture. 

“Lord Quince, why are you still ignoring my achievements? The Association of this world is already part of the main power; they can’t ignore our words.” 

The man on the other side looked at Adam silently for a few seconds before speaking. “You are too naive.” The man looked at a sphere in his hand and sighed softly. The sphere was almost black, with spots of light here and there. However, as time passed, those spots of light were slowly being swallowed by the darkness. 

Adam felt a sense of unease when looking at that sphere, as if it were something he shouldn’t be seeing. The man named Quince spoke lightly. “Do you know what this is, Adam?”

“No, Lord Quince. I am unaware of what that artifact does.”

Quince smiled faintly. “It is an artifact that can only be used on those with weak strength and potential. Someone like you, who is from a faraway corner of the galaxy, is perfect to fall under its influence.”

Adam didn’t dare talk back, even if inside he felt indignant. “...What’s the effect of such an artifact, Lord Quince?”

“Well…” The man looked at the sphere and spoke. “It is a sphere that shows the future luck of a person. A very rare artifact that reacts to the <Destiny> of a target. Still, as I said, it only works on mediocre people. It’s a failure of an artifact. For example, we tried to use this on your resident World Tree or any other people in the list you showed us, and they all exploded. Only when used on you or those close to you did the sphere react.” 

Adam’s expression couldn’t help but worsen, even if he didn’t want to. He didn’t feel any less than those people from this backwater planet. “That’s… Hard to believe, Lord Quince.” 

Quince smiled. “I know. You, who are affiliated with us, should have at least enough life left to fill your natural lifespan. Like that boy Wert did before you. However…” Looking at the sphere again, Quince chuckled. Adam still didn’t understand the meaning of the darkness and light, so he didn’t speak. 

“These white spots are the paths left that guarantee your survival. A normal person would have at least over 60% of the sphere filled with white spots. But you… You only have seven… Excuse me. Six left.” 

Adam finally couldn’t hold it back and slammed his palms on the table. “Lord Quince, you are a powerful elder, so I respect you. However, you’ve been indirectly wishing for my death since a few moments ago, and I can’t overlook something like that!”

Quince looked at the sphere and smiled. “Three spots left.” 

Adam’s expression crumbled, an ominous sensation creeping up his spine. “... I am part of the association. Lady Heavenly Willow wouldn’t dare mess with me, as she didn’t with Lord Wert! I already know that Lord Wert went against some of Heavenly Willow’s ideas, and they never touched the association.”

Quince looked at the sphere again, his eyes filled with interest. It felt as if he were observing a fascinating experiment. “One light spot left. Think well of what you say next; there are no recorded cases of someone whose sphere turned completely black surviving.”

Adam’s heart strangely started to pound. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t know what to say. He looked at the single white spot among the darkness of the melon-sized sphere with nervous eyes. While in his head, he thought that the man’s words were a lie, inside his heart, he somewhat started believing in them. 

“T-That…” Before he realized it, his mouth was dry. His eyes darted around his desk, his mind racing to find a connection. “I, I don’t understand, Lord Quince. What do you want from me?” 

Quince glanced at the young man, whose expression was twisting, and smiled. “Nothing. You are a little branch that, even if pruned, we won’t even feel it. Whether you exist or not matters not to me or the association. But, since the <Destiny Sphere> worked, I placed that value on you. You are… an experiment. How could a person placed as the Explorer Association Branch Manager have such a bleak fate? I am honestly… impressed. You are probably the branch manager with the most bleak <Destiny> I’ve ever seen.” Quince smiled. “That’s your value, Adam. Now, will you grab this last white spot… Or be swallowed by darkness?” 

Adam was terrified. He really felt as if he was being looked down on from above, as if a godlike being was toying with his existence for being unique in a way that interested him. “W-What must I do to grab the white spot?”

“Who knows?” Quince shrugged calmly. “We are as clueless about this failed item as you. We only know what it reflects and how to build it. The inner workings are a mystery not even our best experts can explain.”  

Adam pondered deeply, his hands rummaging through the important documents on the table. ‘Should I put stricter protocol when handling matters regarding the Golden Sap Arborarchy? Are the four vice-chairmen angry with me for something and want to usurp my position? But that’s impossible. I have Heavenly Willow’s backing because I am Wert’s chosen successor. I worked so hard for that valuable spot so that no one looked down upon me.’ 

“Adam.” 

“Y-Yes?” 

The amused voice of the powerful person on the other side of the screen brought him back from his thoughts. “Look.”

Adam looked over and saw that the white spot had disappeared. “W-Why? I didn’t do anything!”

Quince shrugged again and mused. “Perhaps you needed to do something. Who knows? Now, will you be like the rest? Or will you be able to survive your predestined dark fate?” 

Adam wanted to answer when a presence descended on his office. The presence that felt like the vastness of the sky was unmistakable—only one being carried this aura wherever she manifested. Even then, Adam’s eyes showed bewilderment. ‘Heavenly Willow shouldn’t be able to look into my office without the alarms I’ve placed activating!’ 

“Adam.” The gentle voice of a female engulfed the space as if it had taken over the surroundings. “A week has passed since I discovered something unpleasant. I’ve investigated everything deeply, trying to find a reason or a cause. I didn’t want to punish you hurriedly, even when I was angered. After all, Wert personally recommended you, and I trusted his eye for people.” 

Quince’s eyes shone with interest, looking at everything as a mere spectator. 

Adam spoke, trying to keep his quivering tone under control. “W-What do you mean, Lady Liu Shu? I do not understand what you are referring to.”

“Do not call me by name, Adam. For you, I am the Heavenly Willow.”

Liu Shu’s cold voice when saying those things was like a hammer striking the heart. Adam naturally was somewhat knowledgeable of Liu Shu’s dislike for formal titles. Yet, this time, she was prohibiting him from speaking her name. That kind of attitude was reserved towards those whom the World Tree abhorred.

“L-Lady Heavenly Willow. Please calm down and think again. I am unaware of how I offended you and would want to listen to it slowly.”

The World Tree fell silent, yet the aura in the room became suffocating, to the point where breathing became difficult. “...You still refuse to confess when I am giving you so many chances!? Asinine creature! How dare you play dumb after making my children go through the experience of being unable to communicate with their mother!?” 

Adam was Level 72. Nevertheless, right now, he felt like a Level 1 facing a Level 100 creature. The sheer pressure on his internal organs and body was constantly depleting his <Phoer> reserves. Trying to hold back from coughing blood, Adam refused to admit any wrongs. The black sphere flashed in his mind, so he refused to accept his fate. “I-I don’t know… what you are talking about! L-Lady Heavenly Willow, please listen to… me!”

Liu Shu’s real body moved this time, her eyes snapping open as she glared at the Explorer Association tree building. Then, her voice exploded outward from her real body, spreading around for hundreds of kilometers like a thunderous command from the heavens. 

“All who protect the people who are being named from now on will be treated as traitors and put down with them! Gather in your respective city plazas to receive the announcement and be witnesses to the public executions of those who thought they could defy me in my domain by manipulating my children!”  

Almost everyone who heard her voice felt their knees wobbling in fear. The usual gentle voice carried coldness and ruthlessness in it. It was a bloodthirstiness that was so foreign to a World Tree’s usually gentle voice that it caused many to feel genuine terror from deep within their souls. 

Inside the <Core Room>, Cinderielle extended her arms and hugged the Avatar tightly. “Shh… I know you are angry, love. But don’t take it out on others.” 

The Avatar’s expression and Liu Shu’s real body quickly calmed down. The Avatar looked up with an apologetic expression in her gorgeous amethyst eyes. “I… Sorry. I lost my temper. That man didn’t admit it even when I clearly hinted that I knew everything… I was so angry…”

Cinderielle rubbed her nose with Liu Shu’s and gently caressed the Avatar’s swollen stomach. “I know, love. I know. Just hug me tightly and breathe in my scent, okay? We’ll take care of the executions and the rest. You just oversee everything, alright?”

Liu Shu frowned a bit, looking at Cinderielle with worry. “No… I’ll do the killing. You don’t need to do those—”

Cinderielle bit her lower lip, her passionate eyes filled with warning. “Why is my beautiful pregnant wife speaking about killing, eh? I said to leave the rest to us, so you should be good and listen to us.”

Liu Shu’s flaring temper completely calmed down after Cinderielle’s words, and she obediently nestled inside her arms. Cinderielle hugged Liu Shu like a precious gem while her eyes flashed coldly. ‘To think that all the main Association buildings were disconnected from Liu Shu… No wonder she is so angry. Thankfully, they had a minimum amount of conscience and didn’t abuse any of them beyond forcing them to open secret rooms. If they did something more grave than that…’

Cinderielle shook her head and focused on her job: taking care of Liu Shu and pampering her until she filled her Dear’s heart with tender and warm love. 

In her mind, she felt somewhat guilty towards her adorable wife. ‘It seems that her temper is slightly more volatile after dealing with the Nexus. Is this some kind of lingering influence from her actions back then? Sigh… My beautiful and lovely girl. You’ve gone through so much alone because we were weak.’

Determination burned in Cinderielle’s heart. ‘Never again. I’ll become strong enough to share your burdens.’

[Your determination fuels your <Passive Skill: Heart Of Fire>. Your Experience Earning Rate is boosted by 200% until you achieve your objective.] 

Chapter 1326. Meeting Lataria's Granduncle, Ao Jiuyao.

It had been 40 days since the trial started. Yasenia and Lataria flew around, killing Endless Mud Beasts whenever they encountered them. It was a rather monotonous time, but for someone of their cultivation level, it didn’t pass too slowly. Moreover, thanks to the resilience of these beasts, Yasenia and Lataria could practice their combat skills and martial prowess.

After defeating three of them, Lataria looked up and chuckled. “Oh! We are slowly catching up. We were around one hundred behind around five days ago, and now we are only seventy behind.” 

Yasenia grumbled, her fingers passing through her long black hair. “If it weren’t because of the ambush, we wouldn’t need to rush.” 

Lataria snickered. “You’ve been quite upset since we were unable to find the mortals, eh?”

Yasenia sighed. “Yes. I won’t deny it. This place is too big to find them. Moreover, whenever you find someone else, you can’t even approach them. Why are people so volatile? I just wanted to ask for directions.”

Lataria laughed even louder. “It was quite the spectacle to see them attack us as if we were about to launch a fatal strike on them. Moreover, as if provoked, they kept chasing us when we left!”

Yasenia resignedly looked at her. “Why are you enjoying it so much?”

Lataria shrugged. “Life is boring. After living a few thousand years, you just get a kick out of these mundane experiences.”

The dragoness looked at Lataria with a strange expression. ‘This is the first time I hear something like this.’ It’s not that she has not encountered people who tried to find motivation and joy throughout their long lives. However, they didn’t define their lives as boring. Such a way of classifying it was very unique. 

After thinking a bit, she asked, curious. “Isn’t cultivation fun? The way you move energy in complex patterns to upgrade your strength, the sensation of gaining power, and slowly reaching heights you previously could only imagine… Learning new truths of the world and understanding deep concepts for you to manipulate later. That’s quite fun, isn’t it?”

Lataria hummed in thought, her arms crossing under her modest breasts. “I don’t really like it. I prefer… consuming entertainment?” Lataria looked at Yasenia with a small smile. “It might be a bit of a foreign concept for you, though. You are from far away, right?” 

“Well… I am.” Yasenia didn’t deny it. Then, she shook her head. “Either way, we must focus. We only have ten days to reduce the remaining distance between us, and people are starting to use their real strength to hunt.” 

Lataria didn’t deny it, so they moved right away and continued hunting. While fighting and hunting as fast as they could, their point-earning speed was exceptional. Their ranking went up little by little, catching up to the person who kept first place during the entire competition. Looking at his stable first place, Yasenia was genuinely impressed. “He is really strong.” 

“Yeah.” Lataria sighed, grumbling. “I don’t want to admit it, but that old bastard is really strong. He will probably reach the Seventh Realm in just five to ten thousand years.” 

“Oh.” Yasenia blinked, her mind not really grasping the concept of so many years. She was currently approaching 130 years, so it was a very faraway thing to conceptualize. 

Lataria grasped the strangeness in Yasenia's tone and chuckled. Nevertheless, she didn’t continue the conversation. 

Ten days later, Yasenia and Lataria were fighting using their power as if they were fighting for their lives. The point list in the sky was constantly changing, with the top 10 people fighting within 30 points of each other. 

Yasenia's sword flashed, slicing through two Endless Mud Beasts, and then she roared. The soul damage exploded before they could recover completely, crumbling their forms for a fraction of a second. 

Not losing the chance, Lataria created a powerful water arrow that exploded in a sphere. The water dragged the mud out, singling out the two orbs in the middle of the water. As the mud that had been blown out rushed back, Yasenia stepped forward and slashed twice in quick succession, dividing the cores. 

Nevertheless, once they did that, they didn’t even stop and flew out in different directions. A few seconds later, Yasenia found three Endless Mud Beasts and raised her sword, creating three pillars of light. Lataria’s side created five pillars of light in the distance. ‘Five of them at once? Great!’ 

With a quick flap of her wings, she rushed over and arrived. However, Lataria was not fighting with the Endless Mud Beasts but a handsome man. Her eyes widened slightly. ‘What are the chances?’ 

Meanwhile, in the distance, Lataria was using her skills in bulk, creating and modifying oceans to slam against the man’s figure. “You stupid granduncle! I’ll kill you today! Wait until Yasenia arrives, and you are dead meat!”

The man waved his hand with a smile, giant golden claws cleaving through the ocean without much effort. “Oh~. I am so scared. By the way, Astarea asked me to check on you. How have you been doing?”

Lataria’s face contorted. “Don’t speak about my Nainai so carelessly, lecherous lizard! [Sky Collapsing Ocean]!”

The man’s lips twitched as his wine-colored eyes flashed with helplessness. “Hey, little girl. Why are you using your strongest technique against family?” 

“What family!? Just die already!”

Then, Yasenia’s mouth opened a bit as the sky transformed into water and rushed down like a blanket of pure water. This blanket didn’t just drop, though. It locked the space around, making it impossible to dodge by strange means. Only direct confrontation would work.

The man’s face turned serious for a moment as his energy gathered. His wine-colored slit eyes burst with red light, as his fist was covered with golden-red scales. Then, he punched the sky. “[Golden Wine Dragon Fist].”

The phantom image of a giant dragon claw rushed upward and clenched into a fist, bursting with enough strength to burst open the blanket of water falling from the sky. Yasenia blinked twice, her heart becoming much more wary than before. ‘He is not a pushover… Also, what’s with that skill name? Wine? As in… the alcoholic beverage?’ 

Lataria looked up with a stupefied face. “H-How? Aren’t we both in the same realm with the same strength?” She glared at the handsome, wild man and gritted her teeth. “Why are you still so strong!? It’s unfair!”

The man laughed and approached, raising his large hand to pat her blue hair. “There, there. Your attack was quite strong. Didn’t you see that I had to dragonify my fist to block it? It’s really impressive how much you’ve grown over the years, Lataria.”

Before Lataria spoke, he looked sideways and squinted, his easygoing aura disappearing as wariness appeared around him. “So… Who is the spectator looking at us from a distance?” 

Lataria looked over, resigned, and noticed Yasenia. Her eyes lit up, and she rudely pointed at the man’s nose. “Yasenia, this is your strongest competitor! Beat him up!” 

Yasenia laughed hollowly and flew over. When the male dragon saw Yasenia, his eyes widened. 

Our dragoness was wearing her typical blue dress because it was her strongest combat dress. Therefore, her curves and beauty were perfectly enhanced and shown to the world. The large cleavage, ridiculously sensual softness, and alluring face combined with her tail into a beauty that would move even the hearts of monks. 

Yasenia sighed softly. “Lataria, you two are clearly close. How can I attack him with the intention to kill?”

Lataria's cheeks puffed out like a pufferfish, and she poked the man’s cheeks with her index finger, as if saying. “Attack him! Attack him! Hit him here!” 

Yasenia nodded at the man who had been staring at her since before. “Hello, I am Yasenia Dravory, Lataria’s companion for this test.” 

“Hey!” Lataria complained. “At least say friend! Haven’t we fought with our lives on the line! A passionate story of companionship has already been born between us!” 

The man ignored his grandniece and tilted his head, his wine-colored eyes scanning Yasenia with confusion. “You… Who are you? I have no memory of your bloodline.”

Yasenia smiled calmly. “Well, there is no way that you would know all bloodlines, am I right?”

“You are wrong.” The man spoke with a squint. “If it is bloodlines of your level, I know them all. However, you feel different. Stop suppressing your presence and reveal your true bloodline.”

Yasenia’s smile turned a notch colder. “Elder, I am being somewhat polite because Lataria seems to like you quite a lot.”

“Wah!? Where are you looking, Yasenia!? Are you being deceived by his handsomeness!? Don’t! He is an old man with over 70,000 years behind his back!” 

Yasenia and the man ignored Lataria’s rambles. The man naturally didn’t back down and unfurled his bloodline pressure. “As one of the ancestors of our [Golden Wine Dragon] bloodline, I can’t overlook someone like you who seems to have appeared from nowhere. Young dragon, reveal your bloodline!”

Yasenia’s smile disappeared as she stirred her blood. “As you wish.”

BOOM!!

The air around them stifled as the [Empyrean Cosmos Dragon] bloodline swallowed the surroundings. The sheer level of Yasenia’s Immortal-ranked bloodline was like a giant hand pressing down on them. 

Moreover, being a Progenitor Queen, the effects of her bloodline were almost tenfold. The second she unfurled her presence, the man’s face paled and his knees almost buckled. If he weren’t someone with a high-level Ancient Ranked bloodline, his head would’ve been pressed against the ground at this instant.

Even Lataria was feeling the ridiculous pressure from Yasenia’s body and having difficulty breathing. ‘W-What is this!? I didn’t know Yasenia’s bloodline was so monstrous. No wonder her strength is so high…’ 

Meanwhile, the dragon spoke with gritted teeth, trying with all his soul not to feel defeated by Yasenia’s presence. “L-Lady Yasenia. I apologize for my rudeness. However, could you stop pressuring us? This Ao Jiuyao asks you to have mercy, please.”

Yasenia snorted once and hid her bloodline pressure. 

The presence that felt as vast as the outer space disappeared like a mirage, leaving nothing but Yasenia’s calm and seductive figure for them to look at. Yasenia looked at the man and spoke. “I do not wish for any conflict with the dragon clans of the Blue Pearl World.”

“That…” The man smiled wryly. “It’s a bit difficult. Your presence is enough to cause ripples throughout our society.”

“I know,” Yasenia spoke lightly. “So, I am asking you to hide my presence.” 

Ao Jiuyao scratched his head. “Sorry. I can’t do that. I made an oath to protect any potential leaders of our race and inform the Seventh Realm ancestors. If I don’t do that, my heart will explode.” 

Yasenia and Lataria looked at him, speechless. After rubbing her forehead, Yasenia sighed to herself. ‘I guess… I can use this. Let’s think about how to click all the puzzle pieces together later. For now…’

“Let’s continue hunting. And you, since you consider me your superior, give me first place.”

Ao Jiuyao’s lips twitched. “A-All right.” 

Chapter 537. A Condemned Traitor's Only Option. [AotSC].

After she woke up, the woman didn’t want to go out. However, she was forced out of bed by the Lignified Tree she lived in. Her pale face, sunken cheeks, and dark eye circles could easily tell her current mental condition. “W-What do you want? Why are you forcing me to wake up?”

The voice that answered her was not the tree’s but Liu Shu’s. “You are quite involved, so I decided to use you to bring them out in the open. Now, go to work like normal and then deliver a set of documents to them.”

The woman was trembling as she listened, stammering while answering. “B-But I don’t know which documents.”

“Just do as you are told.” 

Liu Shu’s presence disappeared from the room. The woman sat in the living room, alone, and looked at the already prepared breakfast. A root poked out and slapped her shoulder lightly, as if telling her to speed up her actions.

So, holding back the nausea, the woman ate the otherwise delicious breakfast. Even then, she couldn’t taste a single thing, her mind spinning and trying to find methods to keep her life. ‘Even if I confess now, it is too late. Should I ask her to forgive me and use me as a spy? I can become a useful double agent.’

While walking down the stairs, she met with a few of her neighbors. He was a middle-aged man with a family and an approachable vibe. “Hey, Emlen. It is nice to see you this morning. You usually wake up much earlier.”

Emlen nodded once and continued walking down, her mind preoccupied. The neighbor was somewhat suspicious, but he didn’t call out again. 

When she reached the lowest floor and walked outside, Emlen took a look at her surroundings once more. ‘...Why did I even do what I did?’ 

Around her, Lignified Trees could be seen as far as her sight stretched. The city had long, perfectly designed streets, with enough space between them to avoid feeling crammed, so that living didn’t feel suffocating. Just stepping outside would usually make you feel refreshed and full of vitality. 

The people walking around were not too numerous. With the capacity of the city, everyone was spread out nicely, creating a welcoming environment. People welcomed each other, speaking together and letting their children play around without worries.

Large ants slowly walked down the streets, their black compound eyes taking in the surroundings with barely any head movements. Emlen looked up, looking beyond the canopy of the tall trees, and could easily see parts of the World Tree’s canopy. Above her, a grayish sky filled with rain clouds blocked out the Sun; it was the rainy season.

“Lady Heavenly Willow… Please forgive me. I know my wrongs.” 

Her mutter went unanswered, so, with a heavy heart, she moved to a nearby stable and rented a transportation beast and carriage. These stables were spread out throughout the city. The animals used for pulling the carriages came from a batch Liu Shu had been growing in her farms for decades. Their numbers were significant, making it rather affordable for anyone with a decent income. 

When Emlen traversed the center of the paved streets, her soulless gaze took in the happy residents of the city. The more she looked, the more she felt she was blind before. She spoke, her mutter full of bitter regret. “At least… I will follow Lady Heavenly Willow’s words during my last hours. This will be good as repentance for my actions.”

It took around ten minutes to arrive at the Town Hall, where she usually worked. The Town Hall, one of the tallest Landmarks of the city, exuded both presence and power. The sleek exterior, interlocking branches at the top, beautiful windows, and the multitude of people entering and exiting constantly told volumes about how busy it was inside.

As she walked inside, Emlen received the greeting of a few guards. “Good morning, Lady Emlen.”

“Hope you had a great night, Lady Emlen.” 

Emlen smiled weakly. “Good morning to you too.”

Stepping inside, a massive reception room welcomed her. In the reception room of the Town Hall, the citizens could speak to government officials directly and have their worries listened to. There were protocols for how to answer each basic inquiry, taking care of most people. For those whose inquiries were outside of the protocols, they were given a permit to go to higher floors. 

To work here, one had to have a profound education and extra studies given by the government after joining. This way, the efficiency of work was nothing but exceptional. 

As she walked toward the stairs on the second floor, she was approached by a Sylvan. A melodious voice pleasantly rang in her ear. “Lady Emlen, wait.” 

Emlen looked over and frowned. ‘This woman…’ She looked at the purplish-blue hair, pear-shaped slim figure, and short stature. Then, she recalled. ‘Right, she is a Sylvan from the Songtree family.’ 

“Yes, Miss Songtree. What’s the matter?”

The girl smiled and spoke. “My aunt, Lady Harmonixia, is calling you. Please follow me.” 

Emlen’s entire body burst into goosebumps as her muscles and expression tensed. The girl, seeing Emlen’s reaction, noticed that something was wrong. Nevertheless, she didn’t pry into it. ‘Aunt has personally called, so it is normal for her to be so scared.’ 

Her aunt seemed pleasant on the surface, but everyone who has worked with her knew how strict she truly was. Moreover, whenever her aunt-in-law, the World Tree, was involved… ‘Ugh. Just thinking about it makes my stomach churn from nervousness. Any mistake is utterly prohibited from occurring.’ 

While walking to the top floor, their steps rang silently on the wooden stairs. Since everyone walked everywhere, the overall health of the population was great. Moreover, with the help of levels and extra strength, going to the top floor of a 200-meter tree only made them sweat a bit.

Once there, the girl took out a handkerchief and cleaned her sweaty forehead. “We’ve arrived. Please go on, Lady Emlen.”

Emlen’s breath was also slightly ragged, with her face covered in a gentle flush from the exercise. Copying the girl, she took out a pocket wipe and cleaned her forehead. Only Emlen herself knew if the sweat was because of tiredness or nervousness. 

The woman walked forward down a hallway and came in front of a pair of robust doors. While she hesitated, a pleasant and almost musical voice reached her. 

“Please, come in.”

The harmony in the voice was delightful, but Emlen only felt her insides twist. After taking a deep breath, she pushed open the doors and walked inside with somewhat trembling legs. 

The room she entered was nothing short of breathtaking. The wooden walls curved slightly, while the furniture imitated different trees, with spaces and cabinets to place documents and other objects. The floor was covered by a soft carpet of natural grass, cleanly taken care of.

Then, in the middle of the room, a large desk connected to the floor like a tree sprouting roots could be spotted. The desk, made out of the Town Hall’s wood, had carvings of nature and intricate instruments. On top of the detailed piece of art, stacks of orderly papers were gathered in one corner. On the other corner, a gorgeous flower exuded a pleasant fragrance and opened its petals under the faint light coming from the window.

Finally, in the middle of the desk, a woman similar to the girl she encountered earlier was sitting elegantly. The shifting hues of her blue-purplish eyes and hair added to her unmatched charm, and her tall stature and presence made others want to worship the elegant being. With a face that even Sylvans felt envious of, she was unmistakable. The Song Muse, lover of the Heavenly Willow: Harmonixia.  

“Emlen, right? Come and sit.” Harmonixia smiled. “If you stay by the door, it will be uncomfortable when we speak, right?” 

Emlen gulped. ‘Being so close to a <Fourth Energy Cycle> is suffocating. The passive influence on her surroundings is bending the Aether Mana to her will.’ 

With difficulty, Emlen reached the front of the desk. Then, behind her, the floor deformed, and a chair appeared for her to sit. Clearly, the Town Hall created the wooden chair. Harmonixia spoke softly. “Thank you, baby.”

Emlen knew that she was speaking to the Town Hall, so she didn’t say anything. Since they were the Heavenly Willow’s children, Harmonixia would naturally treat them as her own.  

“Now…” Harmonixia fiddled with the gorgeous flower by her side and smiled. “Let’s speak about what you can do for us, shall we?”

Emlen wanted to speak, but her throat was dry. Only then did she realize that her body was trembling as sweat soaked her clothes. She felt so parched that she couldn’t speak even if she wanted to. 

Harmonixia’s lips arched slightly. “Oh my, you are so nervous that even speaking is difficult. Here, drink this tea. You will probably calm down.”

Emlen was so thirsty that she didn’t give it much thought and reached out with her trembling hands. 

After downing the tea, her body felt a sense of relaxation, and a comfortable sigh escaped her.

[You’ve drunk <Soul Soothing Tea (A Rank)>. Your <Anima> is temporarily increased by 5%.] 

Looking at the effects, Emlen was stunned. Then, she spoke with a stutter. “T-Thank you, Lady Harmonixia.”

Harmonixia’s finger continued playing with the flower, and the flower answered adorably. It would sometimes coil its petals around her fingers, and at other times, it would shake as if laughing when Harmonixia tickled it. Emlen remembered. ‘That must be Violue, one of Harmonixia’s biological daughters.’ 

This flower was almost as famous as Harmonixia herself because some people nearly lost their lives by exchanging it for new flowers to earn “favor” from Harmonixia. ‘The fact that those people were spared is beyond me…’ 

“Emlen. I know everything about you. After Lian’er… excuse me, Liu Shu told me what you and those people of the Explorer Association were planning, I was in disbelief.” 

Emlen still stumbled with her words, even when her mind and body were calmer. “Lady Harmonixia, I know what wrongs I committed. Honestly, I was unaware that they were manipulating Lady Heavenly Willow’s children. If I knew, I wouldn’t have cooperated like I did! I was greedy, but I never wanted to make enemies out of Lady Heavenly Willow.”

Harmonixia didn’t interrupt and allowed her to speak, her gaze always on Violue. “Anything else?”

“Um… Excuse me? I don’t understand…”

Harmonixia still didn’t look at Emlen, her finger gently tickling the Violue’s stalk. “I asked if there was any other confession you wanted to make.” 

Emlen’s eyes darted around, trying to think what Harmonixia was searching for. “That… I am willing to become your hunting dog or soldier ant. I will work honestly, so please, spare my life. I don’t want to die.”

Her choking voice and teary eyes were heartbreaking, but not for Harmonixia. The Sylvan raised her eyes for the first time, and Emlen let out a silent scream. 

Harmonixia’s blue and purple shifting eyes were cold like the ice on the moon, as if she were looking not at a living creature but at a dead person. 

“Spare you?”

Harmonixia’s lips arched while the colors in her eyes swirled with deep obsession.

“Spare someone who made my Lian’er upset? Huhu…” 

Emlen wanted to leave; she wanted to flee. Her very soul was screaming for her to run, and if not possible, to kill herself. This person was not normal at all; those profound eyes carried a particular hint of madness that terrified her to her core.

“L-L-Lady Harmonixia! P-Please, please! I swear I will do anything! Please!”

Harmonixia’s expression didn’t even twitch. “You have two options. Listen to us and die cleanly… Or don’t listen to us and fall into a place where death is a mercy. Choose.” 

Emlen knew that she had no choice. “I, I will listen.”

Harmonixia’s smile arched slightly higher. “Good.”

Chapter 1325. Devastating Combo. Breaking Through.

Yasenia swung her sword violently, creating a storm of energy around her as she barraged the Blood Moon Hall’s leader. Each sword strike created ripples, while the energy it carried made blood fly each time they collided.

“Y-You! Do you know who we are!?” 

Yasenia stepped forward, appearing right before the woman as Draheart changed to gauntlets. “I don’t care. [Seven Cosmos Martial Smite].”

Her punch shot forward like a shooting star, striking against the woman’s sword like a meteor.  

BANG!

The woman’s arms trembled, her muscles and bones shrieking in pain due to how heavy the first punch was. However, this attack was a combo attack, so Yasenia was far from done.  

After the first attack, the Blood Moon woman noticed that Yasenia’s leg was already raised and descending toward her. A twisted expression appeared in her eyes. “You dare attack me with your bare body!? Arrogant! [Blood Moon Slash]!” 

Yasenia’s expression didn’t change as her powerful leg descended diagonally with enough strength to make Transcendence Realm cultivators feel suffocated. 

The woman’s red sword aura shattered when it collided with the blue aura coated around Yasenia's leg. Her stance crumbled, her eyes widening. “How weren’t you cut!?”

BANG!

Yasenia’s long leg collided with her shoulder, shattering the bone and creating a bloody mess. The strength shot her down like a meteor, and Yasenia followed it up. 

The third strike arrived in the form of a straightforward punch. However, the Blood Moon Elder couldn’t feel reassured. The sheer density of energy the punch carried constricted her chest. “[Absolute Blood Moon Defense]!” 

A reddish moon surrounded her, only to be easily shattered by Yasenia’s punch. The clenched hand struck the center of her chest, breaking her ribcage and caving her chest in. The Blood Moon Elder’s eyes widened in pain. ‘H-How is her body so strong?’

Sadly, she didn’t have much time to think. Yasenia’s fourth strike was arriving in the form of a tail strike. Badly injured, the Blood Moon Elder barely deployed a defensive skill. 

When Yasenia’s tail, coated by even stronger energies, collided with it, the effect was immediate. Under the stunned eyes of Lataria and the five entrapped people, Yasenia’s tail shattered everything and struck the side of the woman.

The power behind it broke her defending arm and shattered her side, further damaging her internal organs. “GAH!”

Blood flowed out of her mouth. If she were a mortal, she would already be dead from her current injuries. 

As her body flew, blood splattering in her wake, her consciousness barely remained with her. ‘What kind of monster did our young masters provoke?’

Her eyes noticed that Yasenia had already caught up with her, and she was throwing a low punch at her. ‘If I don’t block that, I will die!’

Her twisted meridians exploded with energy, and her body started breaking down, but her face was full of maliciousness as her Intent Domain raged around her. “A simple junior wants to force me down!? You are ten thousand years early!”

Yasenia’s face didn’t change as her lips slowly parted. “[Tyrant Warlord Intent Domain Level 2].”

The bursting aura around the Blood Moon elder was instantly suppressed, and Yasenia’s punch landed on her stomach. 

BOOM!

A shockwave rippled out, while the back of the Blood Moon Elder exploded as her entrails burst outward. The elder’s eyes were shaking, her face full of disbelief. “Y-You had two Intent Domains…?”

“Sixth strike. There is another one after this one.”

A kick shot up like an ascending meteor, striking her left side and folding her sideways like a boneless human. The woman ragdolled, spinning into the air while her lower and upper halves almost divided, held by some flesh and her spine. 

As she flew, the woman’s eyes became vacant. She couldn’t believe that she would die here. 

Yasenia arrived. Ruthless in her ways, she had not a single moment of hesitation as her gauntleted hand flew from below, accurately striking the woman’s chin. “Explode.”

BOOM!!!

The woman’s head exploded, a shockwave rippling into the sky. 

Lataria looked from a distance and felt her entire body explode with goosebumps. ‘I knew she was strong but… That’s one of the most famous Blood Moon elders, with the strength of a Level 9 Transcendence outside the Secret Realm. Yet, she was defeated without any resistance. Yasenia doesn’t even look tired.’

While she was distracted, the five people she was holding back with her barrier suddenly struck simultaneously. Lataria’s face changed. “Y-Yasenia! I messed up!” 

She really wanted to slap herself. How could she be distracted to this degree with all her experience?  

Yasenia’s voice reached everyone, calm and indifferent. “There is no need to worry. I am warmed up.” 

The five people who escaped looked up and saw Yasenia raising her sword sideways and slashing at them. “[Soul Dividing Tyrannical Cleave].” 

A line stretched into the distance, covering thousands of kilometers. The line accurately hit all five Blood Moon elders. 

“AHH!”

Screams echoed inside the [Celestial Intent Domain] as Yasenia’s sword divided their souls. Without their usual protective charms, Yasenia’s soul attacks were ridiculously effective. Moreover, she was not done. 

“[Celestial Dragon Roar].”

After taking a deep breath, a powerful and rumbling dragon roar ripped through the cosmos, bringing the soul injuries out to the physical body. 

All five of them exploded with blood, their bodies dividing where the Tyranical Cleave struck them. Then, not losing a single moment, Yasenia pointed at them with Draheart. “[Empyrean Galaxy Domain: Falling Sky].”

The Celestial Intent Domain and her Empyrean Galaxy Domain moved, ordering and enhancing all the Celestial Bodies in the surroundings to collapse towards the five elders. 

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Lataria’s heart trembled with each explosion, which carried the same strength as Yasenia’s strikes. The explosions lasted for almost a minute straight, eventually coming to a stop and revealing an empty space. The only hint of their existence was the remnant energy they used to defend themselves. 

[Celestial Intent Domain] disappeared, and the dragoness slowly descended from the sky, landing by Lataria’s side. 

With a single hand movement, the six spatial rings of the cultivators floated and landed on her hand. Looking at them, Yasenia smiled a bit. “Great loot. It’s a shame we can’t use our rings during this trial.” 

‘I must never make this dragon my enemy!’ Lataria swore in her heart. Clearing her throat, she asked. “What now? Do we search for the other two groups? They will notice their traces are a lie, right?”

“Right. I used my Intent Domain to spatially move to the beginning of where the paths divided and traveled for a little while in each direction. I guess that was the correct move, since it truly confused whatever they were using to follow us.” 

Lataria nodded and sighed. “To think that you’ve understood the [Celestial] concept… I am honestly speechless. Who knew I’d find someone handling false Celestial Energy here?” 

Yasenia chuckled. “I understand you are surprised. After all, this path has its limits. Only by acquiring the true Celestial Energy will I be able to soar higher.” She smirked at Lataria. “It’s not hopeless, though. I just need to find whoever has the real Celestial Energy and steal it.”   

Lataria rolled her eyes. “Oh, right. Let’s steal the Primordial Energy from the person who can use it. I am sure they won’t be ridiculously strong and ancient, right? They will, for sure, not be someone at the legendary Eighth Realm, right!?”

Yasenia shrugged and chuckled. While speaking with Lataria, Yasenia noticed that the woman knew quite a lot. Therefore, she took advantage of her impure Celestial Energy in her dantian to deceive her. Even if she used the real deal, Lataria wouldn’t know because she just didn’t know what the real deal felt like. 

As the only person throughout existence who manipulates true Celestial Energy as her affinity, Yasenia was sure that she could deceive others with the lies she fabricated. 

Some people tried to manipulate “fake” or “diluted” forms of primordial energies. Hence, it was not rare for someone of her own talent level to be so ambitious. ‘This way, those knowledgeable will look down on me. After all, practicing a fake form of energy has its limitations.’  

“Anyway. Let’s go find the others. We need to be quick. Like before, make sure to trap all but the strongest one. If there is more than one person with high strength, tell me so that we can go with the second plan.” 

Lataria nodded. “Got it. Let’s go.”

“Let’s go. [Celestial Intent Domain].” 

Meanwhile, in a far place, the Young Master and the other two were leisurely hunting Endless Mud Beasts with the help of one Transcendence Cultivator who stayed behind. The man slashed the core of the Endless Beast and asked, confused. “Why are they taking so long? It has been almost four days already.”

The woman nodded, her usually indifferent face coated with some worry. “It’s rare for Elder Yue to take so long. I wonder if they are having trouble catching up to her?”

The other man of the three mortals looked at the person guarding them. “Do you know anything?”

“No, Young Master.” The man spoke flatly. “Because of the restriction on ring use, we have no good communication devices. We can, at most, wait until they return safely.” His gaze moved up, and he commented. “Should we continue hunting? Currently, the three masters are only in the top 40. I think we should make sure that none of you… Hm?”

The three mortals noticed the frown appear on the man’s face and asked, confused. “What’s wrong?” 

“No.” The man spoke, unsure. “The lords are now in the top thirty. However, we have not really gained many points…”  

“Isn’t that lucky?” The Young Master chuckled. “We are advancing without extra effort. Probably some useless people at the top died.” 

The woman crossed her eyes while looking up. Then, she asked, confused. “Which one was Elder Yue’s flame? I can’t feel it…”

The person guarding them became increasingly solemn as he looked at the flames in the sky. Then, as he was looking, three flames in front of them suddenly vanished almost at the same time. “Three people died so easily? Something’s wrong…”

The three mortals didn’t speak much. While they had their egos, this person was their protector. They weren’t in the sect, where they could walk sideways and no one would dare say a peep.

“Come with me. We’ll move and hide for a while.” 

“What?” The Young Master couldn’t help but protest. “We’ve been working so hard, and there are only a little over 20 days for the trials to end.” 

“Young Master. Look at the top five.” The man spoke and explained. “The first two positions were neck and neck. However, since our people started pursuing that dragon woman, the second position and the fifth position got stuck. Now, they are seventh and ninth.”   

The woman spoke, her tone serious. “Are you saying that either of those is our objective?” 

“From the reports, the dragon woman was with a Divine. So, I guess that both flames are our objectives. Now, though. Look.” 

They observed and suddenly saw one of those two flames gain a point. “They are… killing again?”

The man spoke somewhat urgently, feeling a bad premonition. “We need to hide. Let’s give up on this test. Either way, it was impossible for the young masters to achieve victory with the monsters that were participating.”  

While the three didn’t want to do as told, they had no other option. They valued their lives more. So, thanks to their guard, they went into hiding. 

What do you want to see illustrated?

As I was asking, what do you want to see illustrated? For both novels, HEM and AOTSC. The three main artists are:

Jazmenia: The artist of Fylia's, Liu Shu (Alone), and similar artworks.
Taka: The artist of Liu Shu (With the girls), and similar artworks.
Thorkell: Evangeline's artist and similar.

Tell me what idea you have for each artist, and I'll think about contracting them for it! If you know some good artist that you want to see art from, you can share their @ in the comments with what you want illustrated.

Blooming Four Sylvans and Liu Shu. (R-18) (Completed)

Completed! Looks quite nice, doesn't it?