Pillar of Yita

Before Fang Hong’s hand could touch the orb of light, a low voice echoed in his mind: ”Legendary Inspiration—Realm of Life and Death.” Then the light fell steadily into his hand, which greatly startled him, almost failing to hold it properly.

Legendary Inspiration? How could there be a Legendary Inspiration? He remembered that the last time he received a Legendary Inspiration was almost half a year ago, underground in the Blood Thistle Woods, when he touched those fragments, the Legendary Inspiration emerged just as naturally as it did now.

But those fragments were from the Holy Sword equivalent to the Foe Slayer held by the Big Cat People; they were used to forge one of the five Dragon Slaying Holy Swords, making them parts of a Divine Artifact’s remnants. In his hand now, however, was a seemingly ordinary piece of wood, which appeared to be nothing more than a regular deadwood judging from its withered, fine woody tissues along its edges. Could this also be material from a Divine Artifact?

Moenyalit seemed to notice his confusion: ”Talaka, World Tree, this was once part of a World Tree, the Heart of the Giant Tree.”

”Heart of the Giant Tree?” Even Alice exclaimed in surprise: ”Is this the Heart of the Giant Tree? The Holy White Tree Talaka, Giant Tree Hill? But I heard the Heart of the Giant Tree rests in the core of the Holy Tree Temple, how did it end up here?”

The eyes of the Big Cat People also flashed with astonishment, but he suddenly recalled something, and his silver-gray gaze returned to calmness. Fang Hong, having seen much in the community, suddenly realized: ”Wait, this is...”

There was a hint of certainty in Moenyalit’s voice: ”You guessed right, young human.”

”Wait,” Alice looked at them: ”What are you hinting at?”

”This is the Heart of the World Tree,” Gita answered softly at that moment: ”World Tree, Talaka, it’s not a name but a category of plants—we call them floating giant trees. In the past, there were many of its kind in this world, but now only one remains, the Holy White Tree, Giant Tree Hill, which is the name we have given it.”

Beside him, Mei held her oak shield, and upon hearing this, she understood, ”So what you’re saying is...”

”Yes,” Moenyalit replied: ”This heart comes from a Talaka that once existed in this world; it was destroyed in the ancient battles, and people only managed to rescue this Heart of Tree.”

”But it seems no different from ordinary wood to me?” Fang Hong examined the piece of deadwood closely. If it weren’t for that legendary inspiration, he almost suspected the Heart of Tree was fooling them.

Alice gently kicked him from the side, signaling him with her eyes not to make a fool of himself. This is, after all, the Heart of the Giant Tree; it may appear ordinary—but many stories describe objects like that, those seemingly plain things are the most astonishing.

However, Moenyalit laughed: ”Your sense was not wrong, because it has already withered. The Heart of Tree, Talaka, are all miracles of life, the great force of nature, but having lost its life, it is just like any piece of deadwood.”

Alice coughed lightly on hearing this. Fang Hong turned back to look at her, but Miss Nightingale quickly pretended not to know and turned her gaze elsewhere, feigning interest in the scenery.

This seems too unreliable, no matter how extraordinary its origins, after all, it is just a piece of deadwood. Alice thought the Ancient Treant was merely teasing the fool, causing her to feel embarrassed as well.

Yet, Fang Hong was not dissatisfied, perhaps due to his training; this piece of deadwood appeared to him more like a precious specimen, documenting the glorious past of an endangered plant species. Others might think the Heart of Tree was fooling them, but he truly obtained a Legendary Inspiration from this piece of deadwood, which was enough to explain everything.

Mei, on the side, was also somewhat transfixed, gazing at the piece of deadwood in Fang Hong’s hand. After all, she too hailed from Giant Tree Hill, which for Papalarians like her, was akin to a second homeland for the Invoker.

”Are you not dissatisfied, young human?” Moenyalit suddenly asked.

”No,” Fang Hong shook his head, looking at the deadwood in his hand with a bit of contemplation: ”Everything has life and death, the former glory reflects the present decay; even the supposedly eternal World Tree cannot escape the judgment of time, and is there truly a boundary between life and death?”

Alice turned back, looking at him with a hint of surprise.

Moenyalit chuckled deeply, somewhat satisfied: ”Everything has life and death, indeed there is no boundary between them; even from ashes new shoots can spring, today’s withering symbolizes tomorrow’s glory. Young human, it seems the Lord Goddess favors you for good reason.”

Fang Hong paused, wanting to say that he indeed counts as the Elect of the Goddess but not Ameya, rather Marlan, the Lady of the Forest left her mark upon him—a coincidence, really.

But, after thinking it over, he felt no need to explain anything, since it wasn’t a big deal. Moenyalit then added: ”Though this Heart of Tree is dead, it once nurtured Talaka; young human, you can truly feel what it contains.”

Fang Hong was taken aback, realizing the Heart of Tree referred to. Placing his hand on the piece of deadwood, he closed his eyes, immersing in the world of Starlight. This is the craftsman’s way to probe this world, although other professions also have methods to detect Magic Power, some like the Magic Guided Conductors being even simpler, yet none delve as deeply into the essence of the world as the Alchemist.