Reincarnation Paradise Park

Chapter 971: Chapter 59: Tree Sage

As they delved deeper into the Lost Fire Forest, the surrounding trees became denser. Wherever Su Xiao passed, faces appeared on the fiery red trees, and being stared at by these faces was far from a pleasant experience.

A tree house appeared ahead, entirely constructed from the branches of these fiery red trees, covering a vast area.

Lilymu quickly walked to the front of the tree house, and the two wooden doors woven from branches swung open.

”Long time no see, Lilymu Mia...”

An old voice came from within the tree house, slightly hoarse.

”Just call me Lilymu. I don’t know what grudge my grandfather had against me to give me such a long name.”

Lilymu bowed towards the inside of the tree house and simultaneously nudged Su Xiao with her toe.

”There’s no need for such formality. I’m just an old man hiding in a remote star system. Your visit is already a great comfort, come on in.”

The old voice carried a hint of laughter. Lilymu turned and silently mouthed to Su Xiao: ’He has a bad temper, be polite, and don’t grab anything!’

Su Xiao said nothing but followed Lilymu into the tree house.

As soon as he stepped inside, Su Xiao smelled a very strange scent, an indescribable mixture likely created from various alchemy materials.

Inside the tree house, a frail, emaciated old man sat in front of an experiment table. He looked like an ancient tree about to die.

”How is your father? The last time I saw him was over a hundred years ago.”

The old man put down the test tube in his hand, his arm draped over the armrest like a withered branch.

Click, click~

The seat rotated, and only then did Su Xiao notice that the old man had no legs, his body connected to something akin to an alchemy wheelchair.

”My father’s health is robust. Thank you for your concern, Tree Sage.”

The old man was referred to as the Tree Sage. One must know, not just anyone in the Void has the right to be called a Sage. To be called so by others, one must have achieved profound mastery in a certain domain, earning others’ respectful title of Sage.

”Is that old Demon God, your grandfather, still as hot-tempered?”

The wrinkles on the Tree Sage’s old face deepened, his smile very gentle.

”Uh~”

Lilymu seemed a bit embarrassed.

”He’ll die of anger one day.”

The Tree Sage apparently held some personal grudge with Lilymu’s grandfather.

”Er~”

Lilymu grew even more awkward.

”Tree Sage, my grandfather passed away seventeen years ago.”

”...”

The gentle smile on the Tree Sage’s face vanished.

”Another one gone. By the times, he didn’t die naturally, was he killed by someone else?”

”This...”

Lilymu appeared to have some unspeakable secret.

”If it’s inconvenient to say, forget it. Let’s talk business. Your visit this time isn’t purely to see me, and you brought an Annihilator.”

The Tree Sage looked at Su Xiao, his cloudy eyes seemingly able to see through many things.

”It’s like this. He wants to hone his alchemy here with you. Among the alchemists I know, you are the top, so I brought him to see you.”

Lilymu flattered without a hint of discordance.

”An Annihilator interested in alchemy? That’s quite rare. Aren’t Annihilators’ hobbies just traveling the Void and chopping down everyone they don’t like?”

The Tree Sage examined Su Xiao. He seemed to have met an Annihilator before and might have even fought one.

”Whose disciple are you? Such pure Blue Steel can’t come from mere mediocrities.”

The Tree Sage did have some understanding of Shadow of Annihilation Law and actively inquired of Su Xiao, whose mind raced. Spinning a lie now was unwise.

”Marvin Hwaltz.”

This was the only Annihilator Su Xiao had met, although the other was in soul form.

”Marvin Hwaltz!”

The Tree Sage straightened, while Lilymu looked at Su Xiao in shock. Sensing the scene, Su Xiao silently thought ”not good.”

”So you’re Marvin Hwaltz’s disciple. Then such pure Blue Steel isn’t surprising.”

The Tree Sage’s expression returned to calm while Lilymu was utterly shaken.

”Your master is Marvin Hwaltz?!”

”Literally.”

In reality, Marvin Hwaltz wasn’t exactly Su Xiao’s master. Su Xiao simply didn’t know the names of other Shadows of Annihilation, so he had to use Marvin Hwaltz’s as a placeholder.

”Still alive as his disciple, I must admire you. Your survival skills must be strong, especially in pain resistance.”

Hearing this from Lilymu, Su Xiao deeply concurred. His pain tolerance now was astonishing, thanks to Marvin Hwaltz. He had nearly died three times from sheer pain, once mastering Spirit Shadow Physique, once mastering the Core of Devour, and the last on awakening the Soul Eater Talent.

Those three bouts of severe pain were unforgettable, two involving Marvin Hwaltz, who always conveniently forgot at critical moments, or perhaps pretended to forget.

”Annihilator, you’ve already mastered some alchemy. What do you wish to learn from me? Speak freely, as I owe a favor to Lilymu’s father.”

”Alchemy Biology Production.”

”Creature Creation, let me see.”

The alchemy wheelchair under the Tree Sage moved, heading towards a long row of bookshelves in the tree house. Moments later, a thick book appeared in the Tree Sage’s hand, with text on the cover that Su Xiao didn’t recognize.

As if this was expected, the Tree Sage casually picked up a leaf from the table and pasted it onto the ancient book’s cover.

”Can you read this language?”

Su Xiao shook his head.

”How about this one?”

The text on the book cover changed. Due to carrying out tasks in multiple worlds, Su Xiao knew quite a few languages.

”I recognize it.”

”Very well then. Take this book there; you’ll find the materials you need for practice there. If there’s anything you don’t understand, come ask me.”

The Tree Sage handed the ancient book to Su Xiao and pointed towards a small wooden door deep within the tree house.

”Thank you.”

Su Xiao accepted the ancient book. The ancient book and materials provided by the Tree Sage were significant favors, though Su Xiao had no personal ties with the Tree Sage. The Tree Sage was repaying a favor to the Demon Clan, who used this opportunity to test Su Xiao, gauging if he was a valuable ally.

Su Xiao didn’t demand treasures from the Demon Clan but instead asked them to create an opportunity to enhance his alchemy skills.

The alliance between the Demon Clan and Shadow of Annihilation had Su Xiao as its beneficiary. If, in the future, he wished to venture into the Void, having allies like the Demon Clan could reduce many obstacles, at least assuring some intelligence.

Therefore, Su Xiao directly ignored Demon Clan’s probing, not asking for treasures but instead proposing a transaction, asking Lilymu to help him find a chance to improve his alchemy. He provided the Demon Clan corresponding returns. Whether they accepted the returns wasn’t important; what mattered was his attitude.

As the saying goes, there’s no free lunch in the world. However, if someone is treating you, that’s a different story. The current situation was precisely the Demon Clan’s treat.

Su Xiao didn’t have much time left; he needed to swiftly improve his Alchemical Biology Manufacturing, and afterwards, he still needed to fight a few matches in the arena.