Chương 658: What Does It Mean To Be A Realm?

After beefing with the System a little more to relax, Liu Shu decided to stop bullying the poor thing and focus on her changes.

'The <System> said that I've become a <Realm>, but what does that mean exactly?' Liu Shu pondered, spreading her senses around herself. Once she did, she noticed a subtle difference compared to before.

"I exist… but I don't at the same time." It was such a weird thing to say that Liu Shu paused after completing the sentence. Still, after thinking for a while more, there was no simpler way of explaining her current change compared to before. She observed herself a bit more and then decided to try and spread her roots. Once she did, her face gained a subtle expression of confusion and, paradoxically, understanding.

As her roots moved through space, she could see they were now drilling right under the main spatial layer. Previously, Liu Shu used her spatial prowess to expand the sub-dimension, and her roots followed. Mixing those powers with the help of her subconscious allowed her to maintain her terrifying, constant spreading speed, even when her main body was not much larger than before. However, when she moved her roots now, both of those actions seemed to have fused and become rather effortless.

"This feeling…" A sense of nostalgia hit her, and she noticed that what she felt when she spread her roots now was not much different from what she felt when she spread her roots in soil before. Moreover, thanks to her passive skill that allowed her to absorb all types of energy, the void had become part of her energy sustenance. Liu Shu couldn't help but relish it, her mind sinking into the feeling. Outside, Flor's group waited for Liu Shu to contact them.

However, even two months after the "shadow" disappeared and something seemed to be completed, they heard nothing from Liu Shu. Flor asked, worried.

"Should we call her?" They were standing below Tree's shadow, all wondering if something had gone wrong. Tree was the one who answered, her soothing voice reaching them.

"I believe that she should have finished whatever she was trying to do. The flow of essence in her roots is much tamer compared to before. It is even calmer than before she began trying to open her <Realm>, as she explained." Elyne asked, curious.

"Lady Tree, your affinity with space is profound. Can you tell what has happened? The other day I tried it, and I can fly through Liu Shu's body. It's as if she has stopped existing." Tree pondered, her mind finding it difficult to put into words what she felt.

"Liu Shu is now… deeply connected… to her dimension." Tree spoke slowly, trying to find the correct words.

"No. More than connected… She has merged with it." The Life Tree's words made them ponder. Tree continued.

"If I am correct, Liu Shu should've managed to put the <Realm-Touched> title to use." Of those present, no one managed to unlock this particular <Title>. Therefore, they didn't pay it much attention at first. Now that Tree mentioned it, they reviewed the effects. Verdantia blinked and asked, confused.

"So… Liu Shu has opened a <Realm>?"

"No." Tempestria shook her head.

"Liu Shu has probably become one." Harmonixia chuckled.

"Knowing her, that's the most likely truth." Meldy, sitting on Harmonixia's legs, looked up with curious and intelligent eyes.

"What is a <Realm>, Mom?" Harmonixia kissed Meldy's hair and smiled.

"It's something like a room. It hides below the surface of our world, and it can affect us indirectly most of the time. Sometimes, even direct interference is possible." Meldy tilted her head, showing some faint understanding. At the side, Faye, one of the twins, spoke up, a flash of mischief appearing in her eyes.

"I know! It is like hiding Faye's toys below a blanket!" Faylin, the other twin, looked at her sister and understood. She pouted.

"Where did you hide my toys? You know that I don't like it when you do that!" Faye giggled.

"Who knows?" Faylin looked up.

"Mom! Faylin is being mean!" Verdantia showed a stern look.

"Don't bully Faye, Faylin." When she said that, both girls burst into giggles, and Faye revealed herself.

"Mom! You confused us again! I am Faye, and she is Faylin!" Faylin also giggled. Verdantia looked at her two daughters with a sense of helplessness and love.

"You two… I really don't know how Liu'er deals with both of you." Faye smiled proudly.

"Mommy doesn't get confused! She has not mistaken us ever!" Cinderielle shook her head with a smile and returned the subject to what was important.

"So, do we call her or not? Since Tree said that her essence is calm, we should not interrupt anything important even if we do, right?" The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Everyone got thoughtful, and they decided to try it. If she didn't answer after they called her, they would wait for Liu Shu to contact them from her side. Tempestria had an idea and looked down at her Sylvan daughter, Arlyn.

"Love, call for your mom. Tell her that someone is bullying you." Arlyn, who was nibbling on a delicious-looking red fruit, blinked. Then, without any shame, she shouted at the top of her lungs.

"MOM! BAD PEOPLE ARE BULLYING ME!" Her shrill shout left the adults present speechless. Almost immediately, everyone felt a boundless presence manifest around them as pressure like no other descended from the sky. Liu Shu's cold and murderous voice reverberated, imposing and threatening.

"Who dares bully my daughter?" Arlyn smiled widely, not feeling an ounce of fear within her mother's all-encompassing aura.

"Hehe. Mom, Mommy is bullying me! She doesn't let me eat <Delicious Berries>!" Tempestria's smiling face froze.

'Daughter! You dare sell out your mother!? Look how I make red flowers bloom on your lower cheeks when we go back home!' Liu Shu, who was suddenly awakened due to her daughter's call of distress, couldn't help but pause. Her senses swept the area, and she connected with Wisdom to know what had happened during the last few hours. After she absorbed all the information, her threatening aura dissipated like smoke, and a chuckle escaped her. A small root rose from the ground, gently poking at Arlyn's cheek.

"Silly girl. If your mother doesn't let you, then there is a reason for it." Arlyn pouted, and when she looked up and saw Tempestria's expression, her pout froze.

'Uh oh… I'm going to get spanked.' Tempestria, understanding her daughter's gaze all too well, smiled menacingly.

'Yes. Yes, you are.' Not a word was exchanged, yet mother and daughter exchanged a conversation full of ups and downs. Tree chuckled and asked softly.

"Little sapling, how did it go? Did you manage to complete what you wanted?" Hearing her mom's voice, Liu Shu's motherly gaze changed to a childish one. Her roots were quick to climb up Tree's trunk and also around Ignatia's and Flor's bodies.

"Yeah! The feeling is magical. While the <Realm> I've created is a bit too… inhospitable other than for myself, in the future, things might change." Veyra asked, somewhat curious.

"By the way, Liu Shu. You told us before that you can evolve your temples further, right? Although this is something for the future, I have a doubt that has been nagging at me. What will happen with the <Title> you've gained from it?" Liu Shu paused, and almost instantly, she asked the same question in her mind.

"Wisdom, System, what will happen?" [System Hint: Once a <Title> is earned, only very special and few methods can get rid of them.] [Wisdom: The System is telling you that you don't have to worry. If anything, it might evolve further. However, the original effect will only be enhanced, not transformed or outright eliminated.] Liu Shu blinked and nodded.

"I still don't understand why the System is not as forward as you, Wisdom. Always speaking in riddles, it's going to make my mind spin!" The System very much wanted to say that if its speaking manner could make the mind of a World Tree of her caliber spin, it would prefer to get rid of such a useless World Tree so that it didn't waste oxygen! Of course, the only thing it could answer was… [...] Liu Shu humphed at those three dots.

Then, she answered Veyra's doubts, solving the worries she sowed in everyone who listened to her question. Flor, still unsure of what actually happened, and worried about her dear big baby's situation, asked for the details. To calm her mothers, lovers, and everyone else, Liu Shu explained what she managed to guess and what she achieved slowly. She talked for a little while, going into the nuances in detail so that Tree would have an easier time later. After all, Tree was <Realm-Touched> as well.

By the time she had finished. The only sound around was the slurping of tea, while the Sylvan children giggled at their mothers' silly appearances. Liu Shu asked, curious.

"Is my tea delicious?" They all smiled with difficulty. Veyra asked slowly, measuring her words.

"So, to summarize, you've transformed your existence into a new dimension?"

"That's… an accurate summary."

"Oh." Veyra answered, drinking another quarter of her teacup's contents right after. Ignatia chuckled and asked, curious.

"What's next, then? Liu Shu hummed.

"Finding a way to move my fruits over. After that, I should Level Up." Harmonixia tilted her head.

"Liu Shu, what about the new <Temple>? From what I understand, you should have enough space to build another one, right?"

"Yes." Liu Shu answered with a depressed tone.

"I just don't know where to get the materials. Have any of you ever heard of <Eternal> attributed materials?" No one answered for a moment. This time, the usually quiet Lysara suggested.

"What about using yourself as a material? It should count, right? If you were a fire-attributed World Tree, you wouldn't hesitate to use your fire-related wood to craft the <Temple>, right?" Liu Shu paused.

"That… Huh." The World Tree suddenly became puzzled, not understanding why she had not thought of this before.

"Was I too busy with other things to realize?" Sensing the utter bafflement from the World Tree, no one dared to speak first. The sense of awkwardness prevailed for a few moments before Liu Shu sighed.

"I'll… go check if they can be used later." Everyone smiled, holding back their laughter. Sometimes, their super World Tree was quite clumsy. Wanting to change subjects, Liu Shu commented.

"Either way, the last thing is the fruits. I have a few ideas for that." Flor was interested in this, so she listened attentively.

"The first idea is treating my canopy as a <Dungeon>, allowing creatures to enter my <Realm> to gather fruits. Perhaps I can simulate a <Dungeon> environment in my canopy, helping the Berry Gatherers gain Experience Points." This idea was so surprising that a few of them exclaimed.

"The second idea I have is creating a portal-like area around my canopy. This will allow them to check for fruits on the outside, and whenever needed, they will be able to step into the "portal" and reach my real body. It is similar to the first, but less immersive. Ask the Berry Gatherers which one they prefer, or if they have better ideas." Flor nodded firmly, quite satisfied.

"You've thought quite deeply about it." Liu Shu giggled.

"It feels nice to have them comb through my branches."