Ascension of the Sylvan Cosmos.

Chapter 350. Arrival Of The Empire’s Delegation.

Liu Shu was unsure about the Nexus people's next steps. They suddenly attacked Life Tree, but thankfully, they underestimated her and were forced to retreat. Moreover, now that they understood Life Tree’s attacking method, counteracting it was not much of a problem. 

Of course, even if you purposely damage the body to receive the overheals, there was a limit to how much a person could heal. Therefore, only unique beings with profound vitality would be able to bear her ridiculous healing. Not to mention, the healing was not just an offensive skill. One would need to overcome her ridiculous healing power to kill her.

Overall, it was not difficult to infer why the Life Tree could survive in the wild for so long and reach her current high level.

“Life Tree…”

“No!” 

Liu Shu sighed. Her current strength was too low to forcefully overcome the Life Tree’s defenses. Hence, after thinking about it, Liu Shu decided that she would attack the Dark Aether Swamp. ‘The Wall Forest seems to be much more dangerous than the Dark Aether Swamp. In the Wall Forest, you can encounter super high-level beings much more frequently, while the Dark Aether Swamp has fewer Third Energy Cycle creatures, and the average level is lower.’ 

She added in her mind. ‘Lyara and the others also came from that part of the continent, so I can deduce that what happened to that World Tree was due to them. She might’ve fallen to a scheme using their curses and other methods.’

“Liu Shu, can you hear me?”

A profound energy wave reached Liu Shu among the myriad of voices that constantly called out her name. As the main World Tree of a province, the normal population would constantly pray to her for better crops, health, luck, and many more things. She was a symbol of strength and prosperity that had pushed the entire province to new heights with her ridiculous buffs. 

To distinguish themselves from all those prayers and mutterings, Liu Shu’s closest people used energy undulations with their voices when they wanted to call her. The powerful undulations would be like a flashing star in the night sky, catching her attention quickly. After shifting her consciousness toward the person who called her, she noticed that it was Thalgryn. She was standing in the grassland where she had previously fought with Prarya. 

“Hello, Thalgryn! How are you doing?”

Thalgryn’s heroic face gained a faint and gentle smile. “I am doing great, Liu Shu. I wanted to warn you that things have been getting quite messy lately and that the Nexus is preparing to do something big. You must be careful, okay? And if you need help, tell me without holding back. I’ll send my people as fast as I can.”

Liu Shu giggled happily, feeling a current of warmth from her words. She answered half-spoiledly. “Okay~. You needed to see those Nexus people when they attacked me and the Life Tree! So arrogant!” Thalgryn’s face changed slightly, but unaware, Liu Shu continued. “Regardless, they ate a massive loss both times, losing a few Third Energy Cycle people! Hahaha.”

Thalgryn asked with a frown. “You’ve been attacked by the Nexus? What happened? Explain it in detail, Liu Shu.”

Liu Shu didn’t have any qualms telling her about it, so she explained Lyara’s and Marlius’s attacks. 

Thalgryn’s face turned serious as she listened and crossed her arms in thought, muttering. “Why would they send a few of their leader figures to attack the Golden Sap Province and the Wall Forest? These two locations have no strategic value unless they want to fortify their defenses and become turtles. However, once we know where they are gathering, they’d be blowing up their cover. We can surround them and squeeze them out of resources…” 

Thalgryn paced back and forth, her bear ears twitching slightly as she thought. “Wall Forest… The Wall Forest is ungovernable without a powerful World Tree that has reached the Fourth Energy Cycle. It is a continental-spanning forest with beast tides that can have several thousand Third Energy Cycle beasts. The only reasoning that they would want to clear the Life Tree and World Tree is…” Thalgryn rubbed her forehead, unable to connect the dots. 

She turned toward Liu Shu and spoke. “Liu Shu, I need to send back this intelligence and let the higher-ups look at it. I wanted to chat with you, but this information is too important.”

Liu Shu didn’t mind. “Don’t worry! Have a safe trip back!”

Thalgryn chuckled and nodded. “I will. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you the most important thing. The envoy to give you a rank in the Celestial Lotus Empire will arrive shortly after. I told them to come here and call you. So, if you feel someone strong appearing here, don’t get scared. Okay, Liu Shu?”

“You are such a worrywart~. Hahaha.”

Thalgryn smiled amusedly and left. After she left, Liu Shu focused on her Avatar and saw Harmonixia cradling her gently and humming a beautiful song. “Oh! Hello, Harmonixia. When did Verdantia leave?”

Harmonixia stopped humming and looked at the girl between her arms. She had a pair of innocent eyes and a face with a touch of maturity and gentleness that made anyone’s protective instinct surge without control. The alluring naked body below was also a treat for the eyes. Harmonixia pouted playfully. “I am now here. Do you need to talk about the others?”

Liu Shu giggled and snuggled in Harmonixia’s arms, rubbing her face in her neck. “Why are you pouting? I was just curious~.”

Her coquettish movements almost made Harmonixia go crazy. ‘Why is this girl becoming such a lethal trap!? My sanity won’t last!’ The Sound Sylvan took a deep breath and cleared her evil thoughts. She kissed the forehead of the bundle of softness in her arms and asked softly. “Have you healed, Liu Shu? Verdantia has been checking on you daily, so I am not that worried. However, you took a really harsh hit back then.”

Liu Shu nodded and slowly sniffed the natural floral scent of the woman cradling her. “I have healed long ago! Verdantia is overly worried.” Separating a bit, she looked up and asked. “Have you gathered the materials for me? I want to start building the mini-town as fast as I can!”

Harmonixia smiled and gently pecked her lips. “We have everything. Check the <Lignified Vault> and start building whenever you want. Wert has decided to call that town <Opportunity Town>. What do you think? Taking into account that a Dungeon will spawn, that name will become memorable and easy to understand. Moreover, it will probably attract many people.”

Liu Shu smiled. “It sounds good. I have no objection!”

Harmonixia chuckled and traced Liu Shu’s facial features. ‘Sigh… She is so pretty.’

Liu Shu blinked gently and smiled. She really liked how much the Sylvans adored her. Each and every gesture they made was like a trickling and pleasant love letter, constantly unfurling different ways for them to express how much they adored her. 

Within their arms, Liu Shu felt fulfilled. There was a feeling deep inside her that told her to cherish this. A feeling that told her this was one of the most important things in her life. It was strange. ‘Why do they love me so much?’

She raised her small and beautiful hand and caressed Harmonixia’s face. ‘Do they love me because of my potential?’ She could clearly feel that was not the case. During the last few years, there have been quite a few opportunistic Sylvans who have tried courting Liu Shu. After all, as a World Tree, she was extremely attractive in both shape and strength. However, each time those people showed their love for her, Liu Shu felt absolutely nothing.

‘And yet, since the first time I saw Harmonixia and the rest, I felt a strange connection. It’s so strange. I could clearly feel that their love for me was unconditional. That, even if she were a little seed that had no strength or potential, these four Sylvans would take care of me and water me with love.’

Liu Shu knew how ridiculous this kind of love was. How many couples could be like this? Romantic relationships that were based on what each party had to offer were not only the most common but also the type of relationship that should be had. After all, the world was too messy, more often than not, to have fantasies of a perfect love. 

‘In a world where strength meant right, and where might meant reason, you are one step away from losing or gaining everything.’

Liu Shu couldn’t help but sigh. ‘So complicated… But.’ Looking at Harmonixia’s shimmering purple and blue colored eyes, she could clearly feel the purity of her love. ‘I can trust them with my everything.’

As she thought that, her cheeks started blushing slightly. ‘...Speaking of trusting everything. I heard a few people in the streets say that mating is the way to express one’s love most clearly. Should I mate with them?’

Harmonixia was curious. ‘I wonder what this little girl is thinking? Her face is constantly changing expression, and it is honestly driving me mad with how cute she is.’

Thankfully, Liu Shu just thought of these words but didn’t say them aloud, or she would’ve been devoured by the big bad wolf hugging and observing her expressions. 

When Liu Shu was thinking about these… profound matters, she suddenly felt a terrifying pressure appear at the edge of her territory, making her face change to a serious one. Harmonixia was startled. “What’s wrong?”

Liu Shu looked over and then relaxed slightly. “Nothing~. I’ll focus on my main body, but don’t worry, I don’t need all my attention, so we can continue chatting!”

Harmonixia chuckled. “Sure, sure~. What song do you want to listen to now?”

Liu Shu leaned upward to kiss her chin and smiled sweetly. “The one you like the most.”

Harmonixia almost had a nosebleed. ‘Too cute.’

Meanwhile, Liu Shu heard a woman's indifferent and elegant voice reaching her. “World Tree Tianlian Liu Shu, manifest before me.”

Liu Shu looked over and saw a group of ten women. Their dresses were lotus pink and ethereally waved with the gentle breeze of the grassland. Liu Shu could feel that five out of ten of these women were Sylvans, while the rest were humans. Moreover, all of them were Third Energy Cycle powerhouses. This was a terrifying lineup. Still, the Celestial Lotus Empire could afford to send them as a delegation party since it was the power with the most Sylvans.

Liu Shu saw their indifferent faces, but she didn’t pay heed to them and answered like usual. “Hello, big sisters! Are you the people from the Celestial Lotus Empire?”

The woman leading the group frowned slightly and spoke, her tone rather cold. “Who is your big sister? Be respectful toward your superiors, Lady World Tree.”

Liu Shu’s good mood soured, and she answered snappily. “Who is my superior? I already told Thalgryn my conditions for joining your power. If you won’t respect them, scram back where you came from!”

Thalgryn, who had just arrived, heard Liu Shu’s words, and she almost slipped. ‘Oh, my big miss, can you be a little less outspoken!?’

The face of the woman leading the group fell, and she squinted her eyes. “Lady World Tree, I will take your words as nonsense coming from a young and uneducated person. However, I won’t always be this understanding, so control your words.”

Liu Shu saw Thalgryn arrive with twitching lips, and she spoke aloud. “Thalgryn, did you not tell the Empire about my condition? Why are these people acting this way?”

Feeling the piercing cold eyes from the ten women, Thalgryn’s eyelids trembled, and she answered simply. “I have told them.”

The woman at the lead glanced at Thalgryn for a few seconds and then snorted. “Ignorant.” Then, she turned toward the grassland and spoke to Liu Shu. “Whatever. I will enter your domain and go to your capital now to assess everything and give you a rank. Any objections, Lady World Tree?”

Liu Shu grumbled, but remembering Thalgryn’s words that there would be some annoying people, she decided to swallow her complaints for now. “Come over. However, don’t think that you are untouchable. If I see any suspicious activity, I will attack you!”

One of the woman’s followers smiled coldly. “You have too much confidence for a little Second Energy Cycle World Tree from the Wild Continent.”

Liu Shu ignored them.