Chapter 271: The Ancient Tree Crisis and the Origin of the Life Tree Vine

Chapter 271: The Ancient Tree Crisis and the Origin of the Life Tree Vine

After Su Muyu entered the Knowledge Ancient Tree's space, Lu Heng and Serien accompanied each other to the treehouse where Serien resided.

Inside the treehouse, Serien poured two cups of dew into wooden cups and placed them before the duo.

"This is the dew collected early this morning. Feel free to have some if you need it."

"Thank you," Lu Heng expressed his gratitude and took a sip from the cup.

The dew was refreshing, and one could even smell the verdant scent of the tree leaves.

Although Lu Heng possessed knowledge about this world, the information was incomplete as it was provided by the Creator Organization. Therefore, he needed to verify certain details.

"Forest Elder, may I address you as such?" Lu Heng initiated a conversation.

"I am merely a forest guardian," Serien replied in a calm tone.

Due to their long lifespans, the elves exuded a sense of tranquility and steadiness in their actions and emotions.

"Who rules the Elven Kingdom now?" Lu Heng steered the conversation towards the main topic.

"It should be Queen Aureana, a very clever young lady," Serien offered his assessment.

However, Lu Heng detected a hint of history in his tone, suggesting that this evaluation might have been made a long time ago.

He seemed to imply that Queen Aureana was a clever young lady several hundred years ago.

In fact, Lu Heng had heard of Queen Aureana's name, and the reason he asked this question was to pinpoint the time period of the summoning in his memory.

Lu Heng pondered and continued, "Is there a Grand Arcanist in the Elven Capital now?"

Serien nodded, "Of course. Grand Arcanist Augustus is one of the greatest arcanists in Quel'Dore."

Upon hearing the name Grand Arcanist Augustus, Lu Heng confirmed that this time period was from the earlier part of his memory.

In his memory, he had heard of Grand Arcanist Augustus, who dedicated his life to protecting the elven race.

Lu Heng's thoughts turned to the third challenge task, which was to investigate the crisis facing the elves. He wondered if this crisis was related to the death of Grand Arcanist Augustus.

After all, Augustus was the only remaining Grand Arcanist in Quel'Dore, and his death would be a severe blow to the elven race.

Lu Heng continued his inquiry, "Are there liches on the continent?"

Serien nodded, "Yes, but these undead who hide in the underground of the Alarisi Mountains are of no concern."

Lu Heng pointed towards a large tree in the forest and asked, "I noticed a layer of black on that tree. Can this forest still hold back the Abyssal invasion?"

At this mention, Serien's expression turned grave, "It's becoming increasingly difficult."

Lu Heng sensed his concern and understood that the Quel'Dore elves were indeed facing a significant crisis.

This elven civilization had endured the Abyssal invasion for seven hundred years, but they had yet to find a way to defeat the Abyss.

The continent was slowly being devoured by the Abyss.

When the day comes that this forest falls, the world will collapse like a landslide into the Abyss.

Lu Heng asked further, "Forest Elder, do you know about the summoning?"

Serien closed his eyes lightly and replied, "Of course. The elven race has also been summoned before."

Like humans, the Quel'Dore elves had also been summoned to other worlds in an attempt to save other civilizations.

Due to their long lifespans, even after seven hundred years, there were still elven elders who had experienced the pre-Abyss era, ensuring that the elven civilization's heritage remained largely intact.

This was the reason the Quel'Dore elves could maintain their kingdom's structure, unlike the Black Iron Dwarves and the Ban Sair People, who had lost much of their cultural heritage after numerous migrations.

Lu Heng asked many questions and was about to continue when Serien, after answering the previous question, turned the tables and asked, "Your world has also been invaded by the Abyss, hasn't it?"

Lu Heng nodded, "Yes, the Abyss has been here for a year now."

Serien nodded and said, "As expected, I can't quite pinpoint the type of civilization you have. It seems to be a mix of various powers."

Lu Heng explained, "We are likely a technological civilization. Before the Abyssal invasion, there was no magic, mana, or any supernatural powers."

Serien smiled and said, "To be precise, magic is also a part of nature."

Lu Heng understood his point, recognizing that it was merely a difference in context and perception.

In human thinking, any power beyond technology is considered supernatural.

However, in a magical world, magic is equivalent to human technology and is a part of nature.

Lu Heng didn't elaborate further and smiled, asking, "May I ask why you allowed my companion to meet the Knowledge Ancient Tree alone?"

Serien fell silent, clearly withholding something.

Lu Heng furrowed his brows, sensing something amiss, and pressed, "Nine of us were summoned, but why was only she chosen to meet the Knowledge Ancient Tree?"

In fact, Lu Heng had been pondering this question.

If it was a matter of gender, it didn't hold up, as there was a blonde female in Blake Feld's team.

Why was Su Muyu singled out?

Initially, Lu Heng was slightly concerned, but after careful consideration, he believed there shouldn't be any real danger.

Firstly, this was permitted by Serien.

In other words, if Su Muyu faced any danger, it would be due to Serien himself.

However, upon being summoned, they arrived directly in the Moonshadow Forest and appeared inside the treehouse.

If Serien had malicious intentions, he could have acted upon their arrival.

Moreover, the summoning wouldn't present an actual dead-end, even if they were sent to a prison, there would still be opportunities to escape.

Before him stood the Forest Elder, and according to Su Muyu's energy sensing, the elder's level surpassed 42, with no apparent limit.

The entire forest heeded his call, and if he were to take action, it would be a dead end.

Just now, Blake Feld had offended him to such an extent, yet he hadn't taken his life.

The three of them hadn't offended the elder, and they shouldn't have been subjected to his ill intentions.

As Lu Heng continued to question, Lu Heng's unease grew.

Lu Heng asked again, "Why did you choose only her?"

Serien sighed and replied, "Because she carries the Source Crystal of the Life Tree Vine. You humans took the Source Crystal from the Ancient Tree."

Lu Heng's heart skipped a beat at these words, and his fingers twitched, ready to draw his sword, but he forced himself to restrain his impulse.

In that instant, Lu Heng realized why the elder had chosen Su Muyu to enter the Ancient Tree Space—because she possessed the Life Tree Vine Source Crystal.

Initially, he hadn't considered this possibility.

Now, upon hearing Serien's words, he finally understood what was happening.

The Life Tree Vine Source Crystal had come from the Creator Organization, and he hadn't inquired about its origins at first. But now he knew the truth.

This Source Crystal had been taken from the Knowledge Ancient Tree by the Creator Organization, and it had ended up in Su Muyu's possession.

Su Muyu, having been summoned, had arrived in this forest and was sent into the Ancient Tree Space by Serien.

If this was the case, Su Muyu might be in danger.

Lu Heng quickly turned and called out to the Celestial Phoenix, "Muyu!"

There was no response; the Celestial Phoenix didn't react.

There could only be one explanation for this situation: the Ancient Tree Space had severed the connection between the summoned creature and its master.

The connection between a summoned creature and its master wasn't unlimited; there were rules that constrained it.

For instance, if the distance became too great, the master would lose control of the summoned creature.

Or, if they entered a special space, the connection might be cut off due to spatial interference.

The lack of response from the Celestial Phoenix indicated that the Ancient Tree Space had severed the connection between Su Muyu and her summoned creature.

Lu Heng tensed up and sprang into action, rushing into the forest passage in search of the Ancient Tree Door he had seen earlier.

However, upon entering the forest passage, Lu Heng couldn't find the Ancient Tree Door.

The forest seemed like a maze; no matter how frantically he searched, weaving through the giant trees, he couldn't find the path he had taken earlier.

Lin Zeyu followed behind, shouting, "Where are you going? Wait for me!"

Lu Heng's speed was too fast, and Lin Zeyu soon lost sight of him and became lost himself.

...

Moments later, Lu Heng emerged from the forest, sword in hand, and approached Serien. In a stern voice, he said, "If you're joking, it's not funny. If you intend to harm her, I'll have no choice but to take action."

Serien remained seated, calmly pressing his hands together, "Young man, why be so impulsive? Sit down and wait."

Lu Heng refused to sit, demanding, "Tell me, where is she now?"

Serien sighed and said, "She's in the Ancient Tree Space."

Lu Heng continued his interrogation, "What do you intend to do to her?"

Serien maintained his serene expression, replying, "At most, I'll retrieve the Life Tree Vine. I won't harm her life. Please wait."

Lu Heng took a deep breath, his mind racing.

So far, the elven elder hadn't shown any explicit malice.

If he merely took back the Life Tree Vine Source Crystal from Su Muyu, it would be a loss, but at least her life wouldn't be in danger.

The only concern now was whether the elder would take out his anger on them because the Creator Organization had taken the Life Tree Vine.

Should they take the risk and subdue him first? If they could subdue him, they would be in a better position.

Lu Heng's eyes flashed with determination, and his body vanished from its original spot, using Void Blink to appear behind Serien. He swung his sword, aiming for the elder's neck.

Serien remained still, sitting calmly.

Lu Heng's sword halted three millimeters away from the elder's neck, and he asked in a grave tone, "Why aren't you fighting back?"

Serien chuckled, "You're taking advantage of my slow reflexes. I know you don't truly wish to harm me. I'll wait here with you until your companion emerges, and then you can decide what to do."

Lu Heng paused for a moment, sheathed his Aurora Blade, and sat down in front of the elder. His mind raced as he considered what Su Muyu might be facing. This was the second time she had been summoned to clean up a mess for others.

The last time she was summoned to the world of the Black Iron Dwarves, the Lionheart Empire had taken their Tempering Furnace.

This time, in Quel'dore, the Creator Organization had taken the Source Crystal from the Knowledge Ancient Tree.

The difference was that this time, Su Muyu had brought back the Source Crystal that the Creator Organization had taken.

As Lu Heng pondered these events, a realization struck him, and he asked, "So our summoning here wasn't an accident; you guided us here."

Serien closed his eyes, replying, "Yes, the Knowledge Ancient Tree prophesied that someone would bring back the Life Tree Vine. I used magic to guide them here, but I didn't expect so many people to come."

Lu Heng gradually calmed down and asked, "You didn't take action at first; were you observing us?"

Serien smiled with interest, "You're quite clear-headed now. The entire forest is my eyes, and I was indeed observing you."

Lu Heng continued, "In other words, if you found a connection between us and the humans who took the Life Tree Vine, you would have taken action, right?"

Serien admitted, "Yes, if you were the ones who took the Life Tree Vine, I would have taken action."

The Quel'dorei are mostly friendly, but that doesn't mean we tolerate humiliation and bullying."

Lu Heng sighed and said, "The Life Tree Vine Source Crystal was exchanged with my Shadow Knight Source Crystal. If you insist on taking back the Life Tree Vine Source Crystal, I agree. But let me make one thing clear, we are also victims."

Serien's expression remained calm, and he replied, "There's no rush. The Knowledge Tree will make a decision."

...

Meanwhile.

Inside the Knowledge Tree's space.

Upon entering this space, Su Muyu discovered that her connection with the Celestial Phoenix had been severed.

She felt a bit worried, but since she was already there, she wanted to first understand the situation before figuring out how to leave.

She took a step towards the central ancient tree.

As she approached, she noticed numerous battle scars on the Knowledge Tree, marks from knives, axes, fire, and ice, all clearly visible.

Seeing these wounds, Su Muyu felt a physical pain as if these injuries were inflicted upon her own body.

She rubbed her arms, adjusting her body's perception, and attempted to communicate, "Hello, are you the Knowledge Tree? Can you speak?"

There was no response.

Su Muyu waited for a moment and took a step closer. Due to her body's peculiar sensation of the pain on the Knowledge Tree, she reached out and caressed the gash on the tree.

With just that touch, the Source Crystal within her seemed to come alive.

A verdant Life Tree Vine sprouted from her palm and climbed onto the Knowledge Tree, as if licking the tree's wounds.

Su Muyu was stunned, feeling the rapid depletion of the Source Crystal energy within her. Instinctively, she wanted to retract the Source Crystal energy but ultimately refrained.

A moment later, the Source Crystal energy within her was almost depleted.

At this moment, a distant and prolonged voice echoed within the ancient tree's space.

"Human, you have taken away my Life Tree Vine."

"Huh?" Su Muyu's eyes widened, finally realizing the severity of the situation.

In that instant, she also understood why she could feel the pain of the tree's wounds.

She quickly explained, "My Life Tree Vine Source Crystal was exchanged for another Source Crystal."

"I know, and the Life Tree Vine on you is incomplete," the distant voice continued to echo within the ancient tree's space.

Su Muyu thought of many things in an instant, feeling a bit reluctant, but she still asked, "Do you want me to return the Life Tree Vine to you?"

"Are you willing?"

"But... I can. I'll find another Source Crystal. I was summoned here to face powerful enemies, and without the Source Crystal, I might hold back my teammates." Su Muyu knew that the Source Crystal within her was taken from the ancient tree, and although she didn't take it herself, she still felt very guilty.

The ancient tree's space fell silent.

After a while, Su Muyu took the initiative to ask, "Can you retrieve the Life Tree Vine Source Crystal? It's difficult for me to extract the Source Crystal."

Normally, an unintegrated Source Crystal within a metahuman would be extracted upon death.

Apart from that, special methods are required to extract the Source Crystal.

After another long silence, the distant voice spoke again, "Go to battle with the Life Tree Vine. The fact that the Life Tree Vine is willing to accept you indicates that you are qualified."

Su Muyu was taken aback and asked, "Do you mean the Life Tree Vine is for me to keep?"

The distant voice echoed once more, "Let's make a deal. Before you return, come back here and return the Life Tree Vine. Can you do that?"

Su Muyu considered for a moment and nodded in agreement, "Yes, as long as I can come back."

"Go."

A gust of wind blew within the ancient tree's space, lifting Su Muyu and carrying her through a layer of light membrane before disappearing from sight.

The next moment, Su Muyu found herself in the Forest Passage.

Before her stood the Tree Gate, but this gate was slowly closing.

The tree's vines grew into the passage, enveloping the entire circular passage, and the Tree Gate also disappeared.

Su Muyu watched the Tree Gate vanish, her heart filled with shock.

What she had just experienced exceeded her imagination.

Moreover, she now felt a powerful force surging within her, an incredibly powerful force.

She quickly glanced at her attribute panel and noticed that her level had increased to 33, with all attributes raised by 4 points.

Additionally, she gained a new buff, the Ancient Tree Blessing.

[Ancient Tree Blessing: Receive the blessing of the Knowledge Tree, gaining +10 Mental, +30% Life Recovery Speed, and +30% Source Energy Recovery Speed. Obtain the protection of the ancient tree, enhancing Life Tree Vine Source Crystal, increasing healing ability by 30%, and Life Tree Vine growth speed by 30%. Duration: 30 days.]



Su Muyu was even more astonished after reading the effects of the Ancient Tree Blessing.

The blessing's effects were quite powerful, almost enhancing the capabilities of the Life Tree Vine Source Crystal by a tier.

Furthermore, the +10 Mental was more than what the Dragon Eye Gem Bracelet provided.

It's worth noting that the Dragon Eye Gem Bracelet is an A-class accessory, only providing a +9 Mental bonus.

The only regret is that the Ancient Tree Blessing only lasts for 30 days.

Upon seeing the duration, Su Muyu understood why the Knowledge Tree bestowed this blessing—to empower her in the Abyssal Battlefield.

In other words, the Knowledge Tree was aware of her identity and that she was summoned to aid the Quel'dorei elves.

This blessing is a form of gratitude, intended to strengthen the summoned warriors and better assist the Quel'dorei in their fight against the Abyss.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end