Chapter 145: The Sarala Tree and the Magic Mirror

Chapter 145: The Sarala Tree and the Magic Mirror

"What is this?"

Karl stood on the magic carpet, gazing down at the island on the sea surface with a puzzled look.

"A perfect hexagon..."

"Can a natural island grow into this shape?"

The island below had a depressed center and towering surroundings, forming a standard hexagon with a distance of over ten li between its furthest points in the north and south.

The entire island was covered in trees, and in the center stood a giant tree that soared over three hundred meters high.

A faint mist shrouded the island.

"Corrupt aura and thriving vitality, perfectly fused together?"

Karl's gaze shifted to the giant tree in the center of the island:

"First Rank Late Stage!"

The overwhelming corrupt aura and the vast, endless life force all testified to its power.

Furthermore,

Karl suspected that if this world didn't have some kind of restriction, the giant tree's rank would have surpassed the First Rank long ago.

It would have become a Second Rank, or even a Third Rank existence!

If it were used to refine Blood Pills...

Karl's heart raced, and his eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Advance in a dart array formation!"

Aya's voice echoed through the sea via a specially designed amplification device, and several warships began to move.

The warships slowly approached the island, and the trees on the island seemed to sense the danger, causing their branches to start swaying.

The mist that enveloped the island also began to drift towards the ships.

According to Conn, this mist had the peculiarity of corrupting all living things, and it was essential to avoid contact with it.

If a person touched it,

they would die!

If a ship touched it,

it would rot!

"Change course!"

Aya, holding a telescope, observed the mist on the island with an unchanging expression, calmly giving orders:

"Thirty degrees north, sail against the wind, and accelerate!"

The fleet followed her command, sailing towards the direction from which the wind blew, leaving the island's mist behind.

The ship could sail against the wind and even faster, but the mist couldn't keep up, only managing to trail behind.

"On deck!"

Aya shouted:

"Prepare the crossbows and napalm, follow my orders!"

On the warship, numerous cannons emerged, and crossbows were carried onto the deck, causing the ship to tilt slightly.

"Ready!"

"Fire!"

"Boom!"

With each thunderous explosion, the gunpowder smoke filled the air, and barrels and cans filled with napalm rained down on the island.

"Turn!"

"Proceed one nautical mile forward, prepare the second wave!"

Aya took a deep breath, glanced at Karl above, and a layer of sweat had already formed on her forehead.

She wasn't afraid, but she felt the pain.

These things were all money.

A single wave of attacks cost at least several hundred thousand God's Providence coins, and only Karl could afford such an expense in the entire Rapid City.

"Fire!"

Thousands of barrels of napalm crashed into the dense forest, but it didn't create much of a stir, and the trees on the island became quiet.

It seemed they didn't understand the ship's actions.

Several hours later.

"Huff..."

Aya let out a sigh of relief, her expression turning serious:

"Prepare the giant crossbow arrows!"

The crew lifted the giant crossbow arrows, which had been sharpened with firestones, and placed them on the crossbows.

Cannons were also loaded with cannonballs.

Everything was ready.

"Fire!"

"Boom!"

Hundreds of crossbow arrows and cannonballs shot out from the fleet, tracing arcs in the sky before landing on the island.

Immediately after.

"Boom!"

The inferno erupted.

Upon contact with objects, the firestones transformed into blazing explosions, and the cannonballs resembled falling fireballs from the sky.

The napalm thrown into the forest earlier was also ignited, and in the blink of an eye, the flames engulfed the forest.

"Continue!"

Aya waved:

"Adjust the position..."

"Fire!"

"Boom!"

"Bang!"

Three waves of attacks set the coastal areas of the island ablaze, and the raging flames spread inward.

"Whoosh..."

Under the scorching flames, the trees on the island seemed like living beings trapped in a sea of fire, desperately struggling.

Countless branches flailed wildly, attempting to extinguish the raging fire.

Rich sap oozed from the trees' interiors, and the giant tree drew up copious amounts of steam from underground, directing it towards the flames.

But,

it was useless!

"Sizzle..."

The sound of burning rose and fell, and one by one, the trees fell in the inferno, emitting loud cracking sounds.

The giant tree's actions couldn't be faulted.

However, the sap and moisture within the tree trunks had their limits. Once dried out by the flames, the dehydrated trees became the best kindling.

Moreover, Aya's choice of firing position was excellent, and with the wind's assistance, the flames on the island grew more intense.

"Boom!"

The island trembled.

The giant tree in the center seemed to be letting out a cry of resentment, and the trees began to charge towards the raging fire.

They moved slowly but with unwavering determination.

"It's useless,"

Karl, standing on the magic carpet, shook his head slightly:

"In the end, they are inanimate objects. Even at the First Rank Late Stage, their inability to move seals their fate."

"Hmm?"

"So it was trying to create a vacuum zone without any flammable materials. This thing is quite intelligent."

From the center of the island, the trees divided into two groups. Some rushed towards the flames, while others slowly retreated.

In this way,

They created a vacuum zone over a hundred meters long, preventing the flames from spreading further.

"What a pity!"

Karl shook his head:

"And there's me."

He tapped his foot, and the magic carpet carried him above the island. He then crushed a rune.

Chain Fireballs!

Three fireballs the size of a meter fell from the sky, landed in the forest, and exploded, igniting a section.

Sorcery flames were harder to extinguish than ordinary flames, like viscous liquids, burning continuously.

Moreover,

Karl had more than one rune.

Chain Fireballs!

Chain Fireballs!

...

Six runes directly disrupted the giant tree's plan, and Karl wasn't planning to stop there. With a solemn expression, he took out a different rune.

First Rank Mid-Stage - Chain Fireballs!

"Boom!"

"Boom, boom, boom..."

Six massive fireballs fell from the sky, like falling suns, plunging into the forest.

Instantly.

The raging fire became uncontrollable.

"Whoosh..."

The branches trembled, as if lamenting some sorrow.

The trees withered and died in the raging flames, and even the towering giant at the center of the island could only weakly sway its body.

The water vapor extracted frantically transformed into sparse raindrops that fell onto the island, but they were of little use in extinguishing the fire.

"Crackle!"

"Boom!"

The branches burned in the flames, emitting a crisp cracking sound.

The giant tree at the center of the island, under the scorching heat and raging flames, began to show signs of charring.

"Ready!"

Aya put down her telescope and raised her right hand, preparing to deliver the final blow to the trees on the island.

"Wait a moment."

Karl suddenly spoke, his eyes revealing a hint of surprise. He then controlled the magic carpet and descended towards the island.

By this time, the trees on the outskirts of the island had been reduced to ashes, with only a few deeply buried roots spared.

Sadness!

Desolation!

Resentment!

...

"Alive?"

Karl's face showed contemplation as he reached out and pulled out a few lifeless roots from the ruins. His five fingers turned into tentacles and pierced into the roots.

He had not yet mastered the First Rank Spell, but he had mastered the plant perception of the Zero Circle.

Instantly, a faint thought appeared in his mind.

"Don't kill me!"

"I..."

"I don't want to die!"

...

The once lush green island had now turned into a charred wasteland, with only a trace of greenery remaining in the center.

The three-hundred-meter-tall giant tree had already broken, its charred remains turning into charcoal and scattering nearby.

Only a dozen or so meters of the trunk remained, covered in burn marks. The few green sprouts that had regrown were its final struggle.

"I don't want to die!"

The green sprouts trembled, emitting a mournful plea: "Please, don't kill me. I am the last Sarala Tree in this world, spare my life."

"Why should I spare you?" Karl paced in the field, sensing the faint life force: "Don't talk about mercy or redemption. When you devoured those people, you probably didn't think about showing mercy either."

"No! I didn't!" The green sprouts shook: "I spend most of my time in a deep sleep, conserving energy. I don't remember much about devouring humans..."

"Is that so?" Karl stopped: "Do you think I believe you?"

The reason he was willing to stop was not out of pity, nor did he have any sympathy.

"I'm not lying to you." The green sprouts' voice was weak: "What do I need to do for you to spare me?"

"Don't act so pitiful." Karl looked down at the ashen ground, his voice indifferent: "Many of the roots underground are not dead. Your strength may have greatly diminished, but you still have a chance to fight back."

"You can try."

"Whoosh..."

The ground trembled as if countless worms were wriggling beneath it, and the green sprouts seemed to be struggling.

Indeed, it still had the ability to fight for its life.

But...

Having boarded the island and exposed its hidden abilities, how much of a chance did it really have left?

Moreover, there were several warships on the sea. Even if it killed this person, how could it avoid the warships' onslaught?

"Human." The green sprouts drooped, its voice weak: "I beg for your forgiveness."

"I can forgive you." Karl's eyes flickered, and a soul stamp formed in mid-air out of psychic energy: "But you must place this inside your life core."

"This is..." The green sprouts trembled: "A Soul Stamp!"

"Hmm?" Karl raised an eyebrow: "You know?"

The Soul Stamp, like the Blood Pill, originated from the book 'Mother of All Souls'. Could someone in this world also be familiar with it?

Wait a moment! Karl narrowed his eyes.

Sarala Tree? That name seemed to be in the Book of Magical Plants that wizards used.

Could it be...

That the two worlds had some sort of connection?

"I don't know." The green sprouts swayed, its voice filled with bewilderment: "We, as a species, should inherit some memories from our ancestors, but most of my memories are blank due to this world. I only have fragments of memories that surface when I see certain things."

"In my memories, the Soul Stamp comes from a terrifying being. It enslaves many lives..."

By the end of its sentence, its voice carried a hint of fear.

"You can refuse."

Karl raised his left hand, and a First-Grade Charm quietly floated: "Choose one of these two."

Soul Stamp,

or death. The green sprouts froze, and at this moment, even the sea breeze seemed to carry a sense of desolation and resentment.

After a long while, its voice filled with sorrow:

"I choose the Soul Stamp."

"Excellent!"

Karl's face showed a smile.

He had been refining the Soul Stamp with his psychic energy for some time, but he had never successfully controlled a foreign life form.

This time, encountering a sentient life form, he finally had a chance.

As the green sprouts opened up its life core, a strange feeling arose in Karl's heart.

The Soul Stamp,

was complete! Everything went smoothly.

However, if opening up its life core hadn't worked, he would have given up.

'The Soul Stamp means control!'

'Under the suppression of the Soul Stamp, the stamped being cannot even think of resisting.'

'This control...'

'It's not so much control as enslavement.'

"Forced enslavement!"

"Master."

Upon receiving the Soul Stamp, the Sarala Tree, understanding its inability to resist, took the initiative to offer information, its branches swaying:

"Beneath this island, there are some treasures that humans can obtain, as well as some shattered ancient weapons."

"Weapons?" Karl looked down:

"Was this place once a battlefield?"

"No." The Sarala Tree conveyed its thoughts:

"It was an arena."

Hmm?

Karl raised an eyebrow, then suddenly realized.

The center of this island was sunken, surrounded by towering structures, and the sunken area was vast, with the towering structures forming a stepped shape.

Wasn't this the typical arena design?

"The deities of this world would have their guardians fight here to entertain themselves."

"The winner would receive rewards from the deities, while the loser would lose their life."

The Sarala Tree continued:

"Every guardian of a deity takes pride in representing their deity and achieving ultimate victory."

Karl remembered that he was also a guardian.

In ancient times, when the gods were still present, were guardians merely tools for their amusement? After some thought, he asked:

"The guardians you mentioned, are they from the mortal realm or the divine realm?"

There was a significant difference between the two. Guardians from the mortal realm were just Church Knights, while those from the divine realm resided with the deities.

"It's from the divine realm."

The Sarala Tree explained:

"The arena would use Memory Stones to preserve the exciting battles, and those who fought here were all second- and third-rank beings."

Third-rank!

It was definitely impossible for them to still be in the mortal realm.

The deities actually let third-rank beings fight to the death to entertain themselves; these 'gods' must be incredibly bored.

Karl stood amidst the ruins, gazing around him.

In a daze, he seemed to see the gods sitting in the arena's spectator stands, each with excited expressions, watching the guardians fiercely fighting below.

These guardians of the deities, from the moment of their birth, dedicated themselves to protecting their respective deities, tirelessly training and striving for strength.

They underwent rigorous selection processes in the mortal realm and entered the Sanctuary.

After defeating numerous opponents in the Sanctuary, they arrived at the divine realm.

Under the guidance of the deities, they learned the guardian techniques, but was all this intense training merely for the day they would die in the arena to entertain some higher powers?

"Deities..."

Karl sighed lightly, "How ridiculous!"

"A long lifespan will make everything new and exciting become repetitive and dull. Naturally, the deities would seek all kinds of entertainment." The Sarala Tree rustled its leaves:

"Master."

"This arena originally belonged to the divine realm, but during the war of the gods, it fell from the divine realm. I, still a sapling at the time, fell onto the island, took root, and grew until now."

"Hmm..." Karl thought for a moment, then asked, "Since there are third-rank guardians in the divine realm, there should be a legendary knight's cultivation method, do you know of it?"

"This..." The Sarala Tree hesitated:

"Master, I cannot cultivate human cultivation methods, even if they are passed down by the deities."

"Moreover, this is an arena, not a training ground, and the contents within the Memory Stones are not complete. I remember..."

"There is a cultivation method called Holy Breath, which seems to be a reward given by the deities to the initial winners in the arena. Although it cannot help first-rank beings advance, it can enhance the strength of guardians."

Karl's eyes lit up.

"But there's a problem."

The Sarala Tree continued:

"Holy Breath is a cultivation method for guardians. One must cultivate the guardian techniques to be able to practice it."

To prove its reliability, it had already given up its 'tree essence' and did its utmost to gain Karl's trust.

Guardian techniques? The Colossal Breath Technique was one of them! A smile appeared on Karl's face.

Battle Aura originates from life force.

The stronger the life force, the more powerful the Battle Aura.

Once one advances to a legendary knight, the essence of life is enhanced, and so the Battle Aura undergoes a fundamental change.

And Holy Breath,

can further enhance this foundation.

"By fusing one's battle will with the physical body and Battle Aura, a qualitative change can be achieved."

"Powerful guardians possess Battle Auras that can break through magic and counter various mystical means. Their defense is terrifying; even when struck by deity-forged weapons, they may not be breached."

"The key lies in the battle will..."

Karl held a Memory Stone in his hand, his eyes flickering.

Within the Memory Stone, several second-rank guardians were engaged in intense combat.

The arena seemed to have some kind of barrier, limiting their destructive power, but it still made Karl's heart tremble.

One of the guardians wore golden armor and held a long spear, which seemed capable of piercing the void. Another guardian, bare-chested, had a coiled dragon of Battle Aura around him, roaring at his opponent.

The remaining few, though not as formidable as these two, each had their unique abilities.

Their battles lacked the splendor and intricacy of wizardry; instead, it was a bloody and brutal clash between knights.

Power!

Speed!

Technique! The terrifying burst of strength left Karl in no doubt that Addison, a second-rank guardian, would be effortlessly shredded by them.

And this was just a second-rank guardian...

"What a pity!"

"The Memory Stone has limited content, and the time gap is too long, so there's not much to see."

"Also..."

"What exactly is battle will?"

Karl frowned.

Without understanding battle will, he couldn't cultivate Holy Breath and thus couldn't advance his Battle Aura.

The fragment of the divine realm could grant him points and absolute rationality, but it couldn't help him comprehend this intangible battle will.

"Fight!"

"To comprehend your path as a knight through battle doesn't suit my character, but there are other ways."

"Once I master Holy Breath, I should be able to go to Pirate Island."

He hadn't forgotten that Pirate Island, Tortuga, was rumored to hold countless treasures collected by pirates.

There were also dozens of Great Providence on the island.

He couldn't miss this opportunity!

...

The discovery of the mineral vein and the possible existence of a demiplane had also stirred up the Leipzig Market.

(End of Chapter)

Even people from other markets came to witness the spectacle.

Karl strolled over to the 'Golden Broom Magic Shop' run by the Nelson family.

"Wizard Inida!"

In the corner of the shop, Enid, who was weaving a magic cloak, looked up with a smile.

"Karl, what brings you here today?"

"I had some questions about the Flight Spell that I couldn't figure out, and as I was walking, I ended up here," Karl explained with a smile. "Are you making an Invisibility Cloak?"

"Yes."

Enid put down her work.

"The buyer requested fireproof materials, you know, there's been a lot of traffic to that mineral vein recently."

"Even Bern went."

"Really?" Karl paused, surprised. "I thought he was just talking big. I didn't expect him to actually go."

"He left yesterday," Enid sighed. "I advised him not to be impulsive, but he wanted to take a chance, at least to accumulate some foundation for his grandson."

Bern's grandson had the natural talent of a wizard but was only a mid-level apprentice wizard, with little chance of becoming a full-fledged wizard.

Perhaps it was because of this that Bern, despite his age, decided to venture out.

"Never mind," Enid waved her hand. "Forget about him. You said you had some questions about the Flight Spell. What are they? I have some free time, so I can help you figure them out."

"Yes," Karl focused and asked his questions about the Flight Spell.

His Thunder Wings, which he had cultivated, also fell under the category of Flight Spells, and these questions were interconnected.

"So that's the case."

Not long after, Karl had an epiphany.

"Speaking of mineral veins, it's said that a demiplane has been confirmed, and that's a place for third-rank existences and above."

"Yes," Enid nodded. "But the better the item, the greater the danger."

"I see," Karl acknowledged, then asked, "Wizard Enid, I've just advanced to the rank of a wizard, and I'm not familiar with dueling between wizards. Is there a way to improve my dueling experience?"

Enid hesitated, "There is, but it's dangerous."

"Oh!" Karl's spirit lifted. "Tell me more."

...

Nelson, a wizard from the Andrew Clan, was in charge of managing the family business, selling various sorcery tools.

One day, a robust man in a black robe entered the shop.

"I want a Neff Magic Mirror."

The man's voice was deep and low. "The highest-grade one!"

Before the shopkeeper could respond, Nelson hurriedly approached the man, "The Neff Magic Mirror is a unique illusionary tool of our Andrew Clan. Are you sure you want the highest grade?"

The man tilted his head, his eyes beneath the black robe were deep and mysterious. "Do you doubt my ability to afford it?"

"No!" Nelson's face paled. As a mid-stage first-rank wizard, he felt a sense of dread facing this man. "Since the mirror captures one's spiritual power, any harm in the illusion can affect the physical body. Some have even perished within the illusion."

"Especially the highest-grade one. It can create powerful magic or opponents for first-rank mid-stage wizards to practice their spells, requiring only magic stones. This is the only one we have in stock."

"Five thousand magic stones!"

The price of a heritage tool!

The man tossed over a bag, causing Nelson's expression to change.

"Take a look at what's inside."

Nelson's eyes flickered as he stepped forward. "Yes."

Analysis Spell!

The bag was enveloped in sorcery light, revealing the components of its contents, causing Nelson's face to change slightly.

"This can make people hallucinate, but what kind of magical creature is this..."

The powder resembled white moth dust but was slightly different. However, its hallucinogenic properties made it a genuine sorcery material.

"Will you buy it?"

"Yes!" Nelson nodded immediately. "Of course, but this is worth no more than two thousand magic stones."

Another bag filled with unknown bone powder was thrown onto the table, causing Nelson's expression to change again.

"This should be enough for the Neff Magic Mirror, right?"

"Yes!" Nelson's eyes flickered. "No problem!"

Two bags of bone powder, still short of five thousand magic stones, but Nelson had made up his mind about this deal.

Soon, after seeing the man off, a young wizard apprentice approached Nelson.

"Uncle, this person brought out bone powder we've never seen before, and in such large quantities. They must have discovered an unknown location, maybe even an unknown species. Should we..."

"What are you thinking?" Nelson glared at the apprentice. "To use a Neff Magic Mirror of this quality, one must be at least a wizard, possibly even a high-ranking wizard."

"A second-circle wizard! We shouldn't provoke them!"

"Yes," the apprentice lowered his head, embarrassed.

Nelson scoffed. There was something he didn't say.

When facing the man in the black robe, he felt a sense of dread, as if the pressure of a second-circle terror aura.

Second-Circle Wizardry!

Even if he went himself, it would likely be a fatal mistake.

The shop occasionally engaged in black market deals, but it was crucial to be cautious. One wrong move could lead to an unknown demise.

"Just focus on the business. Thinking about those things might only bring harm."

"Yes," the apprentice agreed. "I understand."

End of Chapter.

Chapter end