Ascension of the Sylvan Cosmos-Chapter 367. Life Tree’s Final Decision.

Harmonixia glanced at the Life Tree and sighed. "That's a shame. If you had joined us, we would've been able to grant you so many positive things. Your skills would become stronger, and you might even gain Tiers and be able to protect yourself from attacks."

The Life Tree harrumphed. "I don't care. I am happy now!"

"Are you?" Harmonixia asked sharply. "Didn't you get attacked not long ago?"

The Life Tree became somewhat uncomfortable and muttered. "I made them retreat, didn't I?"

"So what? You don't really believe that what you faced was a significant force, right?" Harmonixia crossed her arms. "You were attacked by so few people, and of those, only one of them was active. Even then, you were hurt somewhat, right? What if fifty people with that being's strength attack you together? Are you confident in healing their damage before your healing makes them faint?"

The Life Tree couldn't help but feel upset; she was not too bright, but she wasn't stupid. It's just that she had trouble reasoning deep plans and thoughts. However, something as simple as Harmonixia's question was not hard to imagine nor deduce the outcome.

Harmonixia didn't stop and continued her speech. "You are a strong Life Tree. However, do you believe that if Liu Shu wanted to fight you, she would be unable to?"

The Life Tree didn't speak, feeling somewhat weak at her words. Before she felt completely disrespected, Harmonixia softened her words. "Life Tree, we are not your enemy. The reason we want your help to cleanse Liu Shu's corruption is because Liu Shu became weak after purifying the core of that Corruption after absorbing it."

"Huh?" The Life Tree was confused. "Um. What happened?"

Harmonixia's eyes flashed. 'Good, interest breeds empathy, and empathy will eventually seep through because of your gentle nature.'

Harmonixia sighed and explained. "The , do you know it?"

Life Tree exclaimed. "Of course! It is another big forest like the Wall Forest, right? I've heard tales from travelers." The Life Tree spoke somewhat fearfully. "That place hasn't given birth to a Life Tree for centuries already, and I heard that it was trying to expand recently..."

Harmonixia was expecting the Life Tree to make a connection between the events, but the Life Tree's next words left her speechless for a few seconds. "What of it? It is very far, right?"

"..."

The Sylvans glanced at Harmonixia and began feeling doubt. They communicated with their looks.

Cinderielle raised an eyebrow in doubt. 'Do you really have the confidence to trick her?'

Harmonixia lifted her chin slightly. 'I am confident. However, more than tricking, I am trying to make her understand her feelings toward Liu Shu!'

Tempestria crossed arms. 'I have not been in contact with this Life Tree much. Why would you speak about feelings between them?'

Verdantia was the person answering, smiling faintly. 'Liu Shu has never crossed the Life Tree's boundaries, but she has also never shown any weakness. The Life Tree is subconsciously aware that if Liu Shu had wanted to invade her, it wouldn't have been much of a problem. Therefore, there is gratitude and trust in her heart.'

Harmonixia agreed. 'The thing is that because of whatever happened to the Life Tree in the past, her confidence in other people is terrifyingly low, and she also naturally rejects becoming anyone's subordinate. I need to crack this barrier and make her understand.'

Tempestria glanced at Harmonixia and squinted. 'What's the Plan B? She might deny helping even after knowing that, right?'

Harmonixia's eyes flashed coldly. 'I'll just play a few songs that will muddle her mind and cast soft control on her. Once she becomes one with Liu Shu's domain, cleansing her corruption will be a matter of course. Whether she likes it or not, her own survival will be on the line, after all.'

Verdantia sighed. 'Let's hope we don't need to resort to that. She is a very gentle Life Tree, after all.'

The Life Tree saw the Sylvans looking at each other and gesturing, confusing her. 'What are they thinking about?'

Harmonixia finally stared at the Life Tree again and grabbed the zither slung on her back, placing it horizontally in front of her as she held on it with a few strings. The strings held it in place in a perfect position for her to play. The Life Tree glanced at the thing that looked like an instrument, and then she started hearing pleasant music when Harmonixia's fingers moved like flying swallows between the clouds.

The music did not have any essence yet.

"Life Tree. Liu Shu has fought the ."

Shock spread throughout the Life Tree's body. "Huh?"

Harmonixia continued playing a gentle and melancholic sound and spoke only truths, trying to convince her with honesty and not trickery. If it worked, it would be the best case scenario. If not, she could only apologize. Harmonixia would go to any extent in order to heal Liu Shu.

"The was governed by a Level 66 World Tree. The World Tree was corrupted several centuries ago, and the forest it governed became a dark swamp. The animals and flowers were violent and bloodthirsty, preying on everything that dared cross the boundary. However, the would not stop at its current boundaries. Liu Shu, being the closest World Tree and unwilling to see something happen to those she was protecting in her domain, decided to face it alone."

"... Alone?"

Harmonixia sighed and smiled complicatedly. "Alone. The enemy was an entire forest, so what can individuals do in such a large-scale battle? Of course, things didn't go smoothly, and Liu Shu's defenses fell halfway through, Corruption seeping deeply into her."

The Life Tree's body felt uncomfortable when she imagined the owner of the gentle and soothing voice becoming Corrupted. It felt as if her leaves couldn't breathe properly, and her roots were clogged. Harmonixia's sad music, even if it had no energy behind it, also affected her mood slightly.

Moreover, unlike the Sylvans, the Life Tree's external roots were surrounded by Liu Shu's roots. When checking closely, she could feel the nasty sensation inside of the previous pure and soothing World Tree roots.

Harmonixia looked at the Life Tree and continued. "In the end, with our help, she was victorious." Harmonixia sighed and bit her lip, full of regret. "We should've helped her from the beginning. How could defeating a Corrupted World Tree be easy?"

The Life Tree looked at the four Sylvans and stayed silent. She could feel Harmonxia's honesty. Still, there was a psychological trauma buried deep within that kept the Life Tree from uttering the words that the Sylvans wanted to hear.

Harmonixia understood and explained the battle process, emphasizing how Liu Shu's body slowly and gradually changed. When the Life Tree heard that the Corruption had almost reached the 75% threshold, she was so anxious that if she had legs, she might've run to Liu Shu's side.

Harmonixia looked at the antsy branches of the towering tree and asked with honesty. "Please, become one with Liu Shu's domain and cleanse the Corruption. You are the only one that I can think of that can do that. I promise that you will never be mistreated. On the contrary, you will become a revered figure, and no one will dare bully you."

The Life Tree wanted to agree with Harmonixia's words. But the second she was about to say yes, a strong fear came from the depths of her heart. When she was a young Life Tree, she had fallen in the hands of a Nexus Sect, and everyday, she was forced to kill creatures to Level Up quickly while developing her healing skills.

Every hour it was either healing or killing. During those days, her mind almost broke several times. Moreover, when the place became unsuitable, the Nexus people would cut off her roots and transport her. Eventually, they placed her here and mounted a small area to send their injured people.

During all this time, if she dared refuse, the Nexus would torture her by pouring damaging substances to the earth around her. Just the touch made her roots burn with pain that made her mind dizzy.

Thankfully, after a few years, someone appeared and slaughtered the sect. That person said to her a single sentence before leaving. "Life Tree, trust no one. While you've been tortured, the proficiency of your skills has reached incredible levels. You'll live for a long time as long as you live here and don't get involved with anyone. World Trees are also very dangerous, so be careful, or they will eat you whole.'

The words of her savior resonated with her experiences. She got captured in a terrifying contract because a group of people approached with gentle and warm smiles while holding a knife behind her back to backstab her.

Now, the situation was similar to what had happened back then. A group of people approached with a sob-worthy story about a being that the Life Tree has learned to like. They were asking her to tie herself to a being that's known for killing all major plant life as they expanded, a World Tree.

'Little Sister is different...!'

Her own thoughts asked back, the tone somewhat mocking. 'Is she really different? How long have you known her? As a World Tree, she can wait for a century for you to lower your guard, and it won't hurt her in the slightest!'

'B-But look at all the Corruption around her Root net. No World Tree will remain unscathed after receiving so much of it!'

'Won't that be solved the second you join? It doesn't matter how much they get tainted if, in the end, you get entangled in her root net. Moreover, the Sylvans might be lying.'

'Lying?'

'Why wouldn't they lie? Defeating the entirety of the is ridiculous. The swamp has been there even before most of the powers roaming the land had formed!'

'...'

The Life Tree's body felt uncomfortable all over as her thoughts went back and forth. Eventually, she looked at the Sylvans painfully. 'I... I can't bet on someone again. I need to deny-'

"Lady Life Tree!"

A new voice came from the outside, and looking over, she saw a few familiar life signals accompanying new ones. Lord Stormrider spoke with a nod. "Lady Life Tree, we need your help. Please help our World Tree. She has become extremely ill after fighting the Corruption in the . Only you can save her."

The Life Tree was silent. Galia spoke at this time. "Lady Life Tree, I am from the Celestial Lotus Empire, one of the global powers. I know that you don't trust Lady Liu Shu due to her nature as a World Tree being in conflict with yours as a Life Tree. However, I can guarantee that Lady Liu Shu is not like other World Trees! There are already two separate World Trees in her domain and a third about to join."

The Life Tree heard Harmonixia speak deep in the forest while these people spoke to her from the outside. "Life Tree, please save Liu Shu."

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The Life Tree sighed in her mind.

The voice of doubt sounded again. 'You will get betrayed.'

'Perhaps.' The Life Tree answered with a faint smile.

'Then, why are you extending your roots toward the World Tree?'

'Because... I am a Life Tree. My purpose is to protect those around me. To give life to a sterile world. We are born in barren lands, corrupted terrains, and lifeless territories. We exist to bring life and care for all creatures around us.'

Life Tree felt the shadow in her heart retreating and slowly disintegrating. 'Now, Liu Shu needs my help.' A gentle and soothing aura seeped from the Life Tree, enveloping everything within her domain.

"Little Sister World Tree, please take care of me."

[Do you want to be assimilated inside Tianlian Liu Shu's domain?]

"I do."

[You will be relocated. Do you accept?]

"...As long as it isn't painful, I do."

[Wisdom: Imparting skill.]

[You've learned !]

"...Eh?"

[Wisdom: Activating .]

"HUH?"

BOOM!

A gargantuan spatial ripple shook reality itself, covering the entire area the Life Tree's root net took. Everyone within several kilometers of it looked over to the horrifying spatial ripple, their faces looking incomparably solemn.