Chương 354: The Delegation's Conditions For Cooperation.

A group of leaders gathered around a circular table in the largest room at the top of the main <Lignified Town Hall>. These leaders consisted of powerful families, sects, and other allied organizations. When Galia's group entered the room, they were pretty surprised.

'Lady Liu Shu has already gathered so many forces? It seems that I have underestimated her influence.' During the last ten years, Verena and Lord Stormrider naturally didn't stay still. Before anyone realized it, Liu Shu's influence had spread to the point that there was barely any opposition, even in neighboring provinces. Only cities with World Trees or Life Trees were still uncontacted and unaware that Liu Shu's network had spread like a wild vine, entangling everything under her domain.

The reason she could spread her influence silently was Liu Shu's root net maximum distance! After all, a World Tree of her level would be considered talented if they could spread around half a province; an entire province was already considered an outlier. Sadly for Liu Shu's opponents, Liu Shu's current maximum root-net distance was… limitless! Not to mention a province, even reaching more than halfway through neighboring ones was no problem for her at the speed she was propagating.

The only things Liu Shu needed were time and energy. Currently, her roots have already spread 300 kilometers from her focal point, swallowing all neighboring provinces while circling all World Tree and Life Tree domains. She knew that if she provoked too many people at the same time, she would have a hard time. Therefore, Liu Shu had decided first to capture Prarya.

With someone as influential as her under her control, pressuring and devouring the northeast side of the continent isolated by the <Wall Forest> and <Dark Aether Swamp> was easy. As a reference for the continent's size, the shortest straight line toward the ocean was around 400 kilometers from her current location, while the entire Wild Continent was around 3000 kilometers in diameter (AN: Around the size of Australia).

Liu Shu would need a root-net radius of 1500 kilometers and be placed in the middle of the Wild Continent, and she would be able to swallow the entire Wild Continent. Naturally, her current location was far from the center of the Continent, but these problems were for the future. After Galia's group of ten sat down, Flor also went to her seat, which was purposely raised so that she didn't look awkward. Once she gave the over eighty people in the room a glance, she spoke up.

"This is the first <Golden Sap Alliance> meeting after we joined the <Celestial Lotus Empire>. We will allow the Delegation to speak first and give us the information they think is necessary. After that, we will also make some demands in return. If we reach a conclusion that's agreeable to both sides, we will officially become part of the <Celestial Lotus Empire>. Any objections?" Lord Stormrider spoke up, his deep voice spreading clearly.

"Lady Liu Shu's potential is great. Therefore, before we start this conversation, I would like to remind the delegation that if you try to suppress her growth, you will be indirectly harming everyone present in this room. We want fair and, going a step further, preferential treatment from your <Celestial Lotus Empire>. As long as you have this information in mind, I have no objections to proceeding with the conversation." The strong and firm statement came out of nowhere, surprising Galia's group.

Usually, when a power was joining the <Celestial Lotus Empire>, they would be eager to suck up to them and make several concessions. Yet, this group was looking at them firmly and even asking them to be the ones making concessions! This was definitively a first for them. Galia didn't take offense and became thoughtful. She was the delegation's leader. Therefore, she would be the one speaking for the ten of them. Unless the other nine had something to say that Galia forgot about, they would not interrupt.

After a while, Galia spoke up.

"Lord Stormrider, I've investigated this part of the continent before coming over. After all, if the deal is completed, I will be staying here to make sure that our cooperation progresses smoothly. Therefore, I can say that I understand your way of doing things and your current position." Lord Stormrider's eyes didn't even flicker as he continued looking at them indifferently. He might've been cordial and afraid of them if it was before.

However, after eating the batch of Liu Shu's fruits, he was extremely confident of his own strength against same-ranked people. Galia continued.

"I can't make promises about the conditions you just proposed. However, I can tell you for sure that my intention is to make Lady Liu Shu grow as fast, strong, and safe as it is possible within my limited capabilities. Once I am of no use, I will delegate Lady Liu Shu's care to superiors I have personal connections with so that all the agreements continue to be fulfilled even if something happens to me." The <Golden Sap Alliance> people nodded with grateful smiles.

While she didn't make any promises, her words were sincere, and her intentions were clear. Of course, they would need to see if her words matched her actions. However, for now, they were satisfied. Galia looked around calmly, her white hair glowing faintly with the light pouring from the windows at the side. Her presence was commanding by nature, and her sharp and gorgeous facial features made people not dare refute. After looking around, Galia spoke aloud.

"The <Celestial Lotus Empire> is very clear of what they want from Lady Liu Shu. They want Lady Liu Shu to unify the Wild Continent. The resources and materials that we will share with Lady Liu Shu are, among many others, financial resources, army equipment, talented subordinates, and talented teachers of different professions. Before we share our human resources with Lady Liu Shu, we want to ask her some direct questions." Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent.

Report any sightings. Liu Shu had been listening. So, after Galia spoke, her voice spread in the room together with a calming feeling.

"Ask away, Big Sister Galia." Galia nodded solemnly and asked.

"Lady Liu Shu, do you swear to be an ally and never betray the <Celestial Lotus Empire>?" Liu Shu chuckled and answered faintly.

"I do not." Everyone in the room got silent and glanced toward the giant World Tree through the expansive window at the side. Galia frowned as well, but she didn't jump to conclusions. Instead, she asked.

"What do you mean, Lady Liu Shu?" Liu Shu answered calmly.

"I will eventually outgrow the <Celestial Lotus Empire>. Hence, I can't swear never to betray you. One day in the future, your <Celestial Lotus Empire> might classify me not as an ally but as something else. The second I start noticing that your Empire is suppressing me one way or another, it is the day I will stop accommodating all of you under my canopy." Galia had gotten to know the terrifying growth rate from Liu Shu, so she didn't take her words as nonsense or naive.

She pondered silently for a minute and looked at Cestia.

"What do you think, Lady Cestia?" Cestia smiled elegantly.

"True ability is always recognized. If it reaches a day when the Celestial Lotus Empire is unable to see long-term benefits and instead starts trying to suppress one of our most talented World Trees, what's wrong with that World Tree leaving us? We, who had lost our way at that moment, are no longer worthy of maintaining a cooperative relationship with any World Tree." Galia nodded and smiled.

"Is this enough, Lady Liu Shu?" Liu Shu answered gently.

"It is. Thank you." Galia chuckled and nodded. Then, she said the second condition.

"Forming part of a power that will send help doesn't mean that you will only receive." She paused for a second so that Liu Shu digested the words before continuing.

"Once you join the <Celestial Lotus Empire>, we want a share of 10% of any unique materials your power produces. An example of such materials would be the <Golden Blue Sap> and Lady Liu Shu's fruits." She then added.

"If we discover trickery on your part, we will naturally be ruthless about it." Liu Shu hummed.

"What if there is trickery on your side? How do I prove it without my name being smeared?" Galia nodded.

"Your concern is valid and is proven to have happened before. Therefore, rest assured that there are systems developed to prevent any of it from happening." Liu Shu asked for the rest of the people gathered in the room.

"The ten percent tax… Does it influence only my products, or do you apply it to any good or service produced by anyone under my influence?" Galia clarified.

"We do not want benefits for the services your city produces. Whether you are successful or poor, that will be due to your own ability. What we ask for is rare materials and similar. The <Celestial Lotus Empire> doesn't lack money or resources. However, earning new items will push our technologies toward greater heights."

"What do you think?" Liu Shu threw the question to the rest of the leaders so that they could discuss it. Verena was the first one to speak up.

"I fear that we are unable to share all of our products. Some of them are too valuable and might cause jealousy or ill will from others." Galia frowned.

"That's… a bit of a problem. Toward this condition, I have no ability to maneuver. It is the basis on which the entire interconnected economy between the hundreds of large powers that form the <Celestial Lotus Empire> is based. Positions, resource allocations, and benefits are all tied to how much each power contributes. The higher the rank, the easier it is to influence other powers of the Empire to take part in your quests and conflicts." She said sincerely.

"For Liu Shu's sake, I would not hold back with this one point. For example, if she holds the <Radiant Blossom Empire Rank>, someone like Thalgryn, ranked lower as <Keeper of the Petals>, would readily offer assistance. This would be easier than if Lady Liu Shu's title were <Blossom Steward>, a rank below Thalgryn." Verena looked at Galia deeply and reached into her pouch, taking out a gorgeous blue fruit with golden streaks that emitted a strong and tempting fragrance.

Verdantia was surprised when her mother took out that fruit, and seeing her fling it casually toward Galia, her heart tightened. Galia caught the fruit and raised her eyebrow.

"Is this fruit the reason Lady Verena is reluctant toward this one condition?" Verena smirked slightly and spoke.

"Analyze it." Galia focused, and a text appeared in front of her. <Cerulean Bloodfruit (D+ Rank)>: Increases <Aether Resonance>, <Physique Refinement>, <Anima Affinity>, and <Mind Palace> by 5%. Gives those who eat it immunity to poisons below the rank of the fruit. You can only ingest one. If you consume higher-grade ones in the future, the effects will increase accordingly. Galia's serious face froze, her eyes widening and breaking her serious and calm nature.

While she got a fright after reading the effects, she quickly regained her cool and took a deep breath.

"How many can Lady Liu Shu produce each year? Five? Ten?" Verena's smirk widened into a cold smile.

"Forty per month, and this number can be increased depending on the needs. Moreover, this is only one of Liu Shu's fruits. There are a total of 11 different fruits, and there will probably be more in the future." Galia's mind almost collapsed. Even in the main continent, coming by a World Tree that had three or four different fruits was a rarity. Not to mention 11. Additionally, the effects of the four fruits would usually be worse than the single fruits other World Trees produced.

'However, this Cerulean Bloodfruit… It can probably be considered a top ten fruit worldwide, even at its current rank. If it continues increasing in quality in the future…' Galia didn't dare imagine. After thinking for a while, Galia looked at Verena and smiled wryly.

"It seems that I need to make some concessions…" Verena chuckled and said proudly.

"My daughter-in-law is so exceptional~. Making concessions for her is just a matter of course." Verdantia's face flushed.