Chương 370: Life Tree's First Month. Peaceful Time.

Peaceful Time.

It has been more than a month since the Life Tree arrived at the Golden Sap City. The first moment she arrived, she didn't even have time to look around because Liu Shu's condition was much worse than she had expected. So, that very same day, the Life Tree enveloped everything she could with her healing and purifying energies, pouring out Aether Mana and Anima Energy like crazy until she was exhausted. Thanks to her tremendous efforts, the corruption was wiped out clean in less than a month!

Usually, it would've taken a long time. However, her earnestness and the help of Liu Shu's auras allowed her to cleanse the land in record time. Speaking of auras, Life Tree couldn't help but be shocked. The messages that kept appearing in front of her as several auras enveloped her body and enhanced her strength were honestly too much.

'Wow… Little Sister World Tree wasn't lying! There are so many auras. I wonder how Little Sister World Tree can maintain all of that without being exhausted.' Strangely, after she healed Liu Shu, the Life Tree didn't hear about her.

"Lady Life Tree, Lady Liu Shu has started to Level Up to Level 50. Therefore, she can't speak with you. However, don't worry. Everyone in the city is extremely thankful for your contributions. If you don't mind, we plan to open a hospital area around your esteemed self. Of course, if you don't want to be surrounded by sick people, we won't do it." The Life Tree listened attentively to the person speaking. From what she heard, this person was called Thalia Emberheart, a person from a sect named <Sacred Water Lily>.

This sect was located in the Golden Sap Province, but after her Little Sister took over, all relatively major powers bowed down to her. Important people like previous Sect Masters, elders, and other leaders became part of the government and were tasked with new responsibilities. There was no clash of conflicts since, while they were supposedly under Liu Shu's governance, the land where their sects were was not confiscated or changed at all.

The only change was that above the Sect Master, there was a more powerful Golden Sap City. Not all sects were agreeable, but they had no chance of resisting Liu Shu's power. Hence, those who resisted were kicked out forcefully. Life Tree thought with a snort.

'Heh, as expected of a World Tree! Even when my Little Sister is gentle, she can't help but assimilate everything to expand! Tsk, tsk. So bad! …Ah, I need to answer this person. I almost forgot.'

"I don't mind. Healing people brings me joy, so building a hospital is not bad. Make it a bit wider, though. I might grow a lot in the future!" Life Trees didn't grow as much as World Trees; they were not even close. However, they were not small beings. Level 50 to 70 Life Trees could measure up to 300 meters in height. Thalia, who fought in the Golden Sap City's initial wars, was delighted to hear the Life Tree's positive answer.

"That's great! Speaking of which, Lady Life Tree, since there is more than one Life Tree, calling you as such is somewhat inappropriate. Do you have an esteemed name?"

"Name?" The Life Tree thought back and realized that she was never given a name. She had always been either a tool for the Nexus or a wild Life Tree. Hence, she never got a name in her relatively long life.

"I don't have a name…" Thalia was slightly surprised. A Life Tree that had reached Level 64 not having a name meant that she had grown very separated from civilization her entire life. Still, from the information she had been given, Thalia understood that during her early years the Life Tree was under the Nexus' influence.

'I guess they never named her… Or, Lady Life Tree doesn't want to remember that painful past.' She gazed at the soothing tree that was full of vitality with a compassionate gaze.

"Then… How about I give Lady Life Tree a name?"

"You… You want to give me a name?" Thalia could heal the surprise in the Life Tree's gentle voice, and she smiled softly.

"Why not? Do you want that?" The Life Tree suddenly became nervous.

"O-Okay. But it must be pretty and gentle!" Thalia chuckled and smiled.

"Sure, sure. To be honest, I've always wanted to name someone like Lady Life Tree, and I have a name in mind. I don't know if Lady Life Tree will like it." The Life Tree was not disappointed.

"Let's hear it." Thalia glanced at the beautiful tree, and she spoke softly, her voice clear and melodious.

"Aurelise." The Life Tree paused when she heard that name. The sound of pronouncing it was soothing and gave her a feeling of softness and peace. The Life Tree answered somewhat shyly.

"I like it…" She muttered softly.

"Life Tree Aurelise… Hehehe. Good." Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Seeing the squirming branches, Thalia wished she could giantify to give the Life Tree a big and tight hug.

'Lady Aurelise is so cute!'

"Hello, Aurelise…" Both Thalia and Aurelise heard a mature and relaxing voice, making them look toward the origin. There, they could see a large fifty-meter-tall Willow Tree with an extraordinary aura. Thalia was quite close to the higher-ups, so she knew that this tree was Liu Shu's biological mother. She bowed with respect and reverence.

"Lady Tree, I hope we didn't disturb your rest." The Lake was quite large, around 250 meters wide. Wisdom had placed Aurelise on the opposite side of Tree, giving both of them a big enough separation to grow peacefully. Even if each of them reached several hundred meters in height, they would touch the canopies at most.

"Nothing like that… I just wanted to say hello to my new neighbor, haha." Aurelise couldn't help but feel comfortable while listening to Tree. Of course, since she didn't know that Tree was her actual name, she asked.

"Little Thalia, why not give this Big Sister a name as well?" Thalia's eyebrow raised.

"Oh? Big Sister?" Aurelise asked, puzzled.

"What's wrong calling an older tree Big Sister?" Thalia was shocked.

'Huh?' Her gaze looking at Tree became much more profound and respectful.

'From what I know, Lady Tree was just a Level 14 or so being before Lady Liu Shu's influence spread in the forest. If she is even older than a Level 64 Life Tree, her age might have reached over a millennium!' Tree answered Aurelise's question with a soft chuckle.

"No need to, Aurelise.

'Tree' is the name my dear daughter gave me. I am satisfied with it. It has a lot of emotion behind its simple nature."

"Daughter?" Aurelise asked again.

"Who is your daughter, Big Sister?"

"Liu Shu." Aurelise's mind froze for a second, and her 'gaze' looked toward the gargantuan World Tree.

"L-Little Liu Shu is your daughter!?' Thalia confirmed it with a laugh.

"Indeed. This place is usually out of bounds because we didn't want something to happen to Lady Tree. However, now that Lady Tree's strength has become exceptional and her intelligence has also developed, Lady Flor isn't against opening this place as a natural park."

"A park… But if you build a hospital, won't it become too noisy?" Thalia shook her head.

"This hospital is not for emergencies. It would be a calming and healing land for people who are recovering. With Lady Tree and Lady Aurelia's auras belonging to a Life Tree, it will help both spiritually and physically." Thalia commented with a sigh.

"Because war is so normal, soldiers are strained to the limits. Hence, a resting place to unwind before returning to the brutal outside world is something that we want to build." Both Life Trees glanced at Thalia for a second before agreeing. Tree spoke with her mature and relaxing voice.

"Then, when little Liu Shu wakes up, tell her to build it. Of course, if little Aurelise doesn't mind.

""I don't!" Thalia couldn't help but feel her heart swell with gratitude.

'Life Trees are indeed gentle beings… I am sure that this place will become a little paradise on earth.' Thalia turned toward Tree and asked.

"I have been tasked to lead this place with my <Sacred Water Lily Sect>. In truth, Sect Master Selene should've been the one who came today. She sent me to come here instead because she is currently in an important meeting with the Lords and Ladies. It seems that war is spreading on the other side of the <Wall Forest>." Both Life Trees didn't react much. For them, this kind of thing was too far away and too complex. Tree spoke softly.

"War is constant. I've seen it often and have been affected by it. The changes in powers, rulers, and civilizations come and go almost as fast as the four seasons. Death will bring way to new life; such is the cycle." Aurelise followed her words.

"Right or wrong is just perspective. For a child who's stealing bread, the shopkeeper who doesn't share a bit of his goods is a villain. For the shopkeeper who is hard-working and trying to keep his family fed, the child is insensitive and needs a punishment." Tree sighed softly.

"Sadly, there are not always two different rights. There are actions that are evil by nature." Aurelise hummed.

"Indeed. Even then, there will be people who have the courage to stand against such evilness, creating a greater future with their victory or plunging those who followed them into further desperation when they fail." Thalia couldn't help but listen to both Life Trees. Beyond their adorableness and somewhat naivety, they had a deep well of wisdom. They understood how life worked at a much larger scale and weren't easily moved by personal tragedies or achievements. For them, whatever happened, happened.

They were beings that, while fighting to persevere in their life, wouldn't hold grudges too profoundly." Aurelise was the best example. Having been hurt by intelligent races for most of her life, she didn't resent them but sought to help them. Aurelise suddenly changed the subject.

"Big Sister Tree, why are your roots so… short? You've barely stretched beyond the lake area!" Tree answered with a laugh.

"I have become a Life Tree not long ago. Before, I was a common tree that had awakened intelligence."

"Well, that's normal! With how old Big Sister Tree is, awakening wisdom is just normal."

"I guess… Observing the world for so long can have wonderful effects." Aurelise was happy. She thought that when she arrived here, she would be flooded by people who were curious, or perhaps all the injured people would come in waves for her to heal. However, nothing like that happened. She was left alone to assimilate with the nature around her, taken care of by a group of people, and now they were starting to ask her about ways that she might like to be incorporated.

She was honestly a bit regretful that she didn't accept Liu Shu's invitation earlier.