Ascension of the Sylvan Cosmos.

Chapter 274. Liu Shu’s Resolution.

After speaking with Flor, Liu Shu continued her conversation with Lakeborn Forest. This time around, she made sure not to lose track of time and focused on how she communicated with it. “Lakeborn Forest! I have decided to tell you a bit about myself since you’ve revealed yourself to me.”

The Lakeborn Forest answered, curious. “Yourself? Aren’t you a Tree that has appeared in my forest?”

“Well…” Liu Shu muttered with a bit of trepidation. “In truth, I am not a Tree that grew in your domain. I am someone from outside this forest.” 

“Hm?” The Lakeborn Forest asked, confused. “How far did you extend your roots? Isn’t the closest forest a few dozen kilometers away?”

Our World Tree felt a bit strange. ‘Why am I so nervous revealing who I am to her? We just met!’

Perhaps the interaction with her and her knowledge of her past influenced her, or perhaps she was starting to look at other World Trees and strong flora as not enemies but someone who could actually be taken care of.

Inside Liu Shu, her indifference as a World Tree coexisted with her own self, which had a touch of gentleness since the beginning. The World Tree had been both ruthless but also incredibly generous during her lifetime—her willingness to share her fruits being one of the many sides of her gentle personality.

Liu Shu eventually said, her tone serious and sincere. “Lakeborn Forest, I am Tianlian Liu Shu, a World Tree that currently resides in the Golden Sap Forest. However, I don’t feel any hostility towards you.”

“...”

A strange silence followed her words. Not receiving an answer, Liu Shu spoke again, somewhat worried. “Lakeborn Forest, I really mean it! I am going to try to assimilate another World Tree named Fortuna not far away from me, and that World Tree has agreed…! Well, to be more precise, she was the one who told me to assimilate her.”

Liu Shu paused and tried to listen to Lakeborn Forest’s voice. Eventually, the multiple voices that created Lakeborn Forest’s cold and indifferent voice answered. Its tone was aloof and cutting. “That’s impossible. Since you are another World Tree, only one of us shall survive in the end.”

Lakeborn Forest’s answer made Liu Shu feel a sense of disappointment. Still, she didn’t give up easily. “Lakeborn! You say it is impossible, but why? I feel that I can actually do it!”

Lakeborn Forest answered coldly, “You can’t. A World Tree can’t be assimilated by any existence. We are at the peak of individuality and collectivity. We are a group acting as an individual; we are beings made out of many but connected by a single purpose. A World Tree is, regardless of its shape, form, or species, a creature too big to assimilate.”

Lakeborn’s denial was actually something that touched Liu Shu’s sense of pride. After hearing those words, the World Tree felt for the first time the urge to dominate Fortuna under her influence, not because it was the correct or logical thing to do, but just to prove this stubborn former World Tree wrong.

“Lakeborn Forest! If you let me attempt to assimilate you and we are successful, I’ll give you your former core!”

“Huh?”

Our World Tree saw that this actually made the stubborn being react and feel somewhat elated. She continued, her tone clearly happier. “I have your former core! An item named <Shattered Core>! I couldn’t tell what it was since it’s too high level, so I can guess that it is your former core.”

Lakeborn Forest didn’t answer for a long time, and eventually, she spoke flatly. “...Even if that’s the truth. It is still impossible. You are too weak to assimilate us.”

“I am not weak!” Liu Shu protested. “I might have a low level, but my Tier is very high!” 

Lakeborn Forest spoke again. This time, there was a touch of frustration in its voice. “Why do you want to assimilate us in the first place? Nothing good will come for you doing so. Other World Trees will instantly consider you their enemy, and you won’t be able to get your own domain in the future.”

Liu Shu asked, confused. “Domain? What do you mean by that?” 

The Lakeborn Forest sighed. “Our world is a place where World Trees are born relatively often. Therefore, many World Trees, after growing and reaching certain levels of strength, meet with creatures that can’t really be defeated. Therefore, they make amends with the fact that they’ve reached their limits and make deals with surrounding World Trees to have their own piece of land.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Ha!” 

Lakeborn Forest heard the loud, derisive scoff and was confused. “Why that reaction? Do you find something ridiculous about what I said?”

Liu Shu spoke to Lakeborn Forest with a stern tone. “I find it ridiculous that World Trees would ever decide to be conformed and stop expanding. Why would a World Tree ever stop trying to reach further? If there are enemies, stomp them!”

“Naive.” The Lakeborn Forest chided Liu Shu. “That kind of mentality won’t get you far. Eventually, you’ll find something or someone that’s too strong for you to even consider facing, and that will be your undoing.”

“So what if it is?” Liu Shu spoke, her tone now determined as she said her thoughts as they were. “I am a World Tree. What other confines stop me other than the one etched in the name of my race? The World is mine for the taking, as it is my birthright!” 

Liu Shu’s voice carried a powerful conviction and aura that made Lakeborn Forest feel a sense of pressure. She could feel that Liu Shu’s words weren’t boastful words; they were her actual thoughts. Thinking of the other World Tree that had submitted to Liu Shu, Lakeborn Forest thought, ‘Is this the reason the other World Tree felt compelled to surrender? She is betting on the very small chance that this being soars to a legendary status…’

After a few moments of tense silence, Lakeborn Forest broke it. “Then what?”

Liu Shu made a confused sound. “Hm?”

Lakeborn asked again. “After that, what happens?”

“After what?” Liu Shu asked again, confused.

“What happens after you envelop the entire world with your roots, Tinalian Liu Shu?”

Liu Shu answered freely as if that situation didn’t matter much. “Whatever happens, I’ll become the only World Tree and then become one with the World! And after that… Who knows? Perhaps…” Liu Shu’s mind couldn’t help but wander as a strange vision flashed in her mind. The vision was that of a Tree so big that even worlds felt small by its side. “... Perhaps I can go beyond.”

The Lakeborn Forest asked, confused. “Beyond?”

Our World Tree spoke with a dreamy tone. “Indeed. Beyond the World!

Lakeborn Forest heard those words and couldn’t help but feel a sense of shock travel through her root net. ‘Beyond…’ Hearing those words, Lakeborn couldn’t help but think for a little bit. Then, it spoke. “... If you manage to assimilate that other World Tree named Fortuna, then we will talk. If you fail… Well, our fate will follow the same as most. Now, go.”

Liu Shu felt the communication link being cut, and she returned to the real world. This time around, the conversation lasted not that long, around a week. This didn’t mean that a week was not much time. After all, for the rest of the world, time didn’t slow down.

During the time that Liu Shu was speaking with Lakeborn Forest, Baron Lorbase had already made a small tour around the provinces. Eventually, he managed to find some people that clicked with his intentions.

After Kaedric returned and told him about what happened, Lorbase was disappointed in the Army Captain. He was so close-minded in taking revenge about her daughter that when something appeared that made it “impossible,” he took it as lies or exaggerations.

“Kaedric, you are being ridiculous.”

Kaedric looked at Lorbase with a baffled expression. “My lord, I am one of your most loyal vassals. I would never dare to lie to you!”

Lorbase looked at the kneeling man and shook his head. “Who knows if that’s the truth? Your current actions tell a very different story. Perhaps you’ve been brainwashed by the World Tree to see or feel things that are not real.”

“I would agree with that, Lord Baron~.”

Kaedric looked sideways at a tall and elegant woman wearing black, and his eyebrows furrowed. Looking back at Lorbase, Kaedric spoke sincerely and with a heavy expression. “My Lord. Please listen to me this one time. I don’t even care if you would kick me out after we return. However, do not face that World Tree. Its strength goes far beyond whatever expectations we had.”

The woman shook her head. “How strong can a Level 25 World Tree be?” She looked at Lorbase and smiled. “Trust in us, and we will make this happen.”

Lorbase looked at Kaedric disappointedly and shook his head. “I will leave it to you, Lady Evangeline.” 

In Fortuna City, Fortuna has been feeling somewhat restless lately. ‘Why is Liu Shu avoiding me so much…? Did that little seedling suddenly hate me or something?’

Eila’s voice reached her. “Hey, Fortuna… what are you worried about lately?”

‘Huh?’ Fortuna looked into Eila’s office room and saw the Sylvan looking toward her with a faint smile. “Were you always this restless? I didn’t feel you that nervous even when we were fighting Liu Shu.”

Fortuna grumbled in her room, her tone somewhat worried. “Liu Shu has not been answering me for a long time… I am worried.”

“Oho~?” Eila smiled faintly, her cold and elegant facial features showing a touch of softness. “Do you know why? Perhaps she is Leveling Up again, right?”

“She is not.” Fortuna answered with certainty. “Her energy is too stable…” Fortuna followed it with a depressed tone. “... She is just ignoring me.”

Eila almost burst into laughter. ‘She is showing quite a few more emotions since she started interacting with Liu Shu. She feels more like that World Tree I saw so many decades ago…’

Eila remembered back then, when her world was basically grey, and her heart had died, the people who rescued her had told her to go train. So, she trained and got stronger at an accelerated pace.

Focused on getting stronger, her past self could momentarily forget about the tragedy that occurred, and she started ranking up very quickly. Soon, she reached the <Second Energy Cycle>, and those same people sent her here once she did. They told her to slow down her Leveling Speed as much as she could without affecting her Ternary Essence gathering. 

She met a scared, confused, and weak World Tree when she arrived here. That World Tree, having suffered from heavy wounds, trusted no one. Her attitude reminded her about that being and a small light lit up behind her eyes. From then on, she promised herself that she would not commit the same mistakes she did in the past.

Thinking of how long had passed, Eila teased Fortuna with a question. “Perhaps Liu Shu is looking at another World Tree~. Who knows?”

Fortuna would’ve rolled her eyes if she had them. “... Sure.”