Reborn as a Demonic Tree

Chapter 623: A Matter of Grave Importance

Ashlock left Morrigan to find her bearings and turned his attention beyond his Inner World, following the pull on his attention from the World Tree.

Much like himself, while her body was vast, her attention was only ever focused on one area at a time. However, her focus seemed far less precise than his, and when she shifted her attention, it was as subtle as a rolling storm.

There were other aspects of Sylva that Ashlock had learned over the last few days. The most notable of which was that for an ancient spirit tree, her emotions were surprisingly complex, and she seemed to shift between moods on a whim. He felt it all through their interwoven roots, and her mood swings were hard to ignore. Her anger was like a landslide that crushed his Soul Forestʼs feeble attempts at resistance, while her joy was so uplifting that Ashlock wondered if he would float away.

Unfortunately for Ashlock, Sylva didnʼt seem to be in a joyful mood. Quite the opposite, actually, if the worsening weather was anything to go by. Not wanting to keep her waiting any longer, Ashlock found her focus radiating from her canopy and pointed directly at Red Vine Peak.

”Iʼm here, Sylva. Is something wrong?”

It was a rhetorical question—there was clearly something wrong. Not that he had any idea what it could be.

”What did you just grow?” Sylvaʼs voice bloomed through his consciousness, smooth as honey and heavy as a falling mountain. ”I felt a great disturbance.”

”Are you perhaps talking about Morrigan? Itʼs no big deal, I just grew her a new body,” Ashlock explained, unsure why that would have caused a great disturbance.

”You grew the Origin of the Void a body?” Sylva repeated, her tone turning strange. ”Heavens, Ashlock, I didnʼt think you could get pregnant like the humans.”

”Pregnant? What the—?! No. No, thatʼs not what happened at all...” Ashlock trailed off as his mind froze at the sheer absurdity of what Sylva had just said. ”Listen, it wasnʼt exactly me who grew the fruit. It was a Fleshfruit tree infused with her soul that bore the fruit. I just supported the fruitʼs growth in my orchard. Understand?”

Sylva did the realm-spanning tree equivalent of a chuckle that might have caused a few earthquakes in a distant land. ”I understand—”

”No, I donʼt think you do,” Ashlock snapped, and then took a deep breath. This... wasnʼt a productive conversation. She was clearly messing with him, and he wasnʼt going to fall for it. ”Is this all you called me for?”

Sylva fell silent for a moment, and her tone became solemn.

”No, I require your counsel on a matter of grave importance.”

Ashlockʼs focus sharpened, his previous annoyance vanishing in the wind.

”What is it? Did the egos attack, or are you still struggling to reclaim control over the withered and rotten realms you oversee—”

”I grew a fruit.”

Silence stretched between them as Ashlock just stared at her.

”...A fruit?”

”Yes.”

”Thatʼs a matter of grave importance? A fruit?”

”Naturally,” Sylva replied with rising anticipation. ”I havenʼt grown a fruit by choice in over ten thousand years, and I never gave my all to the fruits the Celestial Empire forced me to grow. But this one is different.”

Ashlock realized how misguided his reaction had been. For him, growing fruit was a trivial matter thanks to the system and his own free will. Sylva didnʼt have a system that automatically grew miraculous fruits for her, or a Heaven-Defying Orchard filled with attentive wraiths to tend to and harvest anything she grew.

”Iʼm glad to hear youʼve managed to grow a fruit on your own after so long,” he said as calmly as possible. ”But I still donʼt understand why you called me regarding this.”

”Because Iʼm growing this fruit for Stella...”

Now that changed things. Ashlock had already been rather curious to inspect a fruit grown by the World Tree and to compare it to his own, but this fruit was specifically for Stella?

”...and youʼre the fruit expert,” Sylva continued cautiously. ”So I wanted your opinions on the matter.”

”Sorry, I didnʼt quite hear that. Did you just say Iʼm an expert?” Ashlock teased. He felt it was only fair after what she said earlier.

”I will not repeat myself,” Sylva said sternly, and a flash of lightning ensured Ashlock knew she wasnʼt messing around.

”Okay, got it,”Ashlock relented as he felt her mood shift for the worse. ”But Iʼm curious, why do you think Iʼm a fruit expert—besides growing Morrigan a new body, of course?”

”I may be a spirit tree, but Iʼm not stupid or blind, Ashlock,” Sylva berated him. ”I heard the mortals in your cities sing tales of your fruit and all their wondrous capabilities. After eating them, heart demons can be slain like monsters, the ugly become beautiful, and cultivation becomes a breeze. I even heard one merchant claim a pill made from the All-Seeing Eyeʼs fruit could cure baldness, marriages, and fears of heights—”

”Iʼll have the Ashbound Order investigate that lying merchant immediately,” Ashlock grumbled. ”But the rest of it is true.”

”So you understand why I called upon you for advice?”

”I suppose so. Where is this fruit youʼre growing for Stella?”

”Follow me...”

Her presence guided his focus down into her canopy, to a single branch that had curled itself protectively around the fruit. Ashlock couldnʼt believe what he was seeing.

The fruit... it was the size of a carriage.

It also glowed like a heavenly artifact, with runic lines carved deeply into its skin. Which was fascinating, as Ashlock had never seen runes carved directly onto a fruit before.

He reached out with his spiritual sense to inspect it and immediately recoiled as the sheer density of compressed life essence within nearly gave his perception a spiritual nosebleed.

”Sylva! What the hell is this thing?”

”A fruit packed full of the life essence Iʼve been quietly accumulating for thousands of years. Do you think if Stella ate this fruit, she would feel better?”

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the authorʼs consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Ashlock appreciated the thought process, but this took overreacting parent to a whole new realm.

”I think she would explode,” he replied honestly.

”Explode?”

”In more ways than one,” Ashlock added. ”First of all, no matter her appetite, it would take her weeks to eat this fruit without her stomach bursting. Secondly, have you ever heard the phrase ʼtoo much medicine is poisonʼ? This much life essence is lethal.”

Ashlock felt a rumble of contemplation spread through the land. The branch slowly curled tighter around the enormous fruit, and the radiant glow dimmed.

”Then it is a failure.”

”I didnʼt say that,” Ashlock reassured her. ”At this size and pumped with so much life essence, itʼs problematic, but remember that merchant you were talking about? The one with the marriage-curing pill? He wasnʼt selling whole fruits because itʼs too potent. He was selling small doses of my fruits mixed with other ingredients to make them easier to digest for the weak humans. Honestly, this is perfect. Solʼs healing light hasnʼt been able to reach her, but pills could work.”

”So I should make pills for Stella?” Sylva asked as sunlight streaked through the depressing cloud cover looming over her canopy.

”Exactly. Let me call an expert to take a look at this.”

***

Kane Azurecrest had chosen Team Quicksilver because he was already directly involved in managing the Ashfallen Empireʼs commerce sector.

Though his station as one of the heads of the pill division technically made him outrank Ryker, who was Captain of Team Quicksilver, not that it mattered—Ryker was favored by the Princess, so that put him in a whole different social class.

Not that any of that bothered Kane. He was deeply grateful for the position and responsibilities he had been given, and thanks to his efforts, he had developed pills on the side that helped him sleep and deal with his Nocturne.

Finally, the insomnia that had plagued him ever since that dreaded night was gone. Now, the memories of when he was chained before a cage containing his half-brother, and his father used a demonic ritual to forcefully merge their souls, only haunted him during the day. While he understood the accursed ritual was done to meet the airship pilot quota placed upon the Azurecrest family by Vincent Nightrose, he knew his hateful father had taken glee in the act.

”My father is dead,” Kane muttered to himself as he pulled a fresh batch of pills from the cauldron. ”That otherworldly wraith that Stella commands wiped him out. The Princess confirmed it herself to me...”

”Kane, youʼre muttering weird things to yourself again.”

He glanced up from his work. ”Elder Margret?”

What is she doing here?

”I know the Ashfallen Trading Company is undersupplied, but I assure you Iʼm working as fast as I can,” Kane said while feeding the fresh pills into a porcelain bottle. ”With our production facilities being moved into the World Treeʼs vicinity, the purity of the ambient Qi makes production a breeze. We have far surpassed pre-war production capacity, though I know with the Ashfallen Empireʼs rapid expansion that isnʼt nearly enough—”

”Kane, I didnʼt come to discuss business with you.”

”You didnʼt?” Kane glanced up from his work and felt suspicious of Elder Margretʼs calming smile. ”Then why...”

”The All-Seeing Eye has requested to see you directly.”

Kane froze—the porcelain bottle leaving his fingers and loudly shattering at his feet. He didnʼt even flinch at the noise.

The All-Seeing Eye wanted to see him directly?

Why?

Had he done something to displease their overlord? Or worse, had the All-Seeing Eye finally decided to wipe out the Azurecrest bloodline, and it was his turn to be on the chopping block?

”Relax, Kane,” Elder Margret chuckled. ”Itʼs not like heʼs going to eat you.”

”The stories say otherwise,” Kane muttered and glanced down at the shattered bottle and pills decorating the floor.

”You can clean that up later.” Elder Margret turned to leave. ”The All-Seeing Eye isnʼt as merciless as you seem to imagine, but I certainly wouldnʼt keep him waiting.”

Kane sprang into action. Pill bottle and bubbling cauldron forgotten, he rushed around the table after Elder Margret. ”Do you have any idea why he called me?”

”Not really.”

Kane frowned. ”Where are we going?”

”A rift is waiting for us outside.”

”Us?”

Elder Margret nodded. ”Iʼm coming too.”

Kane sighed with relief. Whatever it was the All-Seeing Eye needed, he could hide in Elder Margretʼs shadow and let her handle it.

They continued in silence along the bridges spanning the cavern under the White Stone Palace. The heat in this place was sweltering even for him, who possessed the fire and wind affinity. The number of cultivators manning cauldrons and working on mass pill production had exploded in recent months.

”It looks like the incentive you came up with is working well,” Elder Margret idly commented to break the tense silence.

”Of course. What aspiring alchemist wouldnʼt agree to work for the Ashfallen Trading Company when they get to keep ten percent of all the pills they make for themselves? Even without the monthly pay that matches nobles of the past, that many pills is bound to make them rich.”

Elder Margret nodded in agreement. ”With the Celestial Empire becoming a new market and the possibility of trade to the higher layers of creation soon, we will need to rapidly expand capacity. I only hope that the All-Seeing Eyeʼs fruit production can keep up.”

”Iʼve seen the orchard he controls. Even to this day, I canʼt believe what I saw.”

”Well, whatever you saw, keep it to yourself,” Elder Margret said sternly as they reached the runic door that led to the White Stone Palace. Five cultivators from Quicksilver stood guard and waved them through. The massive door glowed with power and slowly slid aside, revealing another group of cultivators from Team Phoenix.

”Elder Margret Redclaw and Kane Azurecrest, your rift to see the All-Seeing Eye is ready,” a stern-looking woman from Team Phoenix said, gesturing to a swirling abyss of desolation imprinted on a far wall.

Kane gulped.

Elder Margret simply nodded and strode forward with confidence. Kane hesitantly followed, feeling weak in the knees as they approached the desolation rift. He had gone through one of these before, to reach the entrance to the Eternal Realm. But this time felt different. Almost like he was stepping into hell itself.

He felt the eyes of the guarding cultivators boring into his back as he followed Elder Margret through. The chilling cold of the desolation rift washed over him as he stepped onto... a branch? It was light beige and wide enough to support a town, but the groundʼs texture was undoubtedly bark.

Kane looked up from the bark and felt his breath hitch in his throat as he gazed upon the largest and most awe-inspiring fruit he had ever seen. It literally glowed, and there was runic script he could barely understand carved—no, grown—onto the skin of the fruit. Was such a thing even possible?

Elder Margret suddenly bowed, alerting Kane to a being rising out of the shadows below the fruit. He followed Elder Margretʼs example and bowed before the scythe-wielding angel of death that was radiating a cultivation level far beyond his own.

”Margret Redclaw and Kane Azurecrest,” the creature spoke in a hundred overlapping voices. ”I appreciate your time. I know how busy you both are.”

”Itʼs our honor,” Elder Margret said calmly. ”As requested, Iʼve brought Kane along.” She straightened up, and Kane hesitantly followed. ”Now may I know how we can be of assistance?”

The shadow creature gestured to the fruit above it. ”The World Tree grew this magnificent fruit for her daughter to assist in her recovery.”

Kane blinked in confusion. The World Tree had a daughter, and she needed to recover?

”I need you two to convert this fruit into pills as quickly as possible. That is all.”

”We will get to work right away.” Elder Margret glanced over her shoulder at Kane.

Kane coughed to clear his throat. ”Ahem, I will work tirelessly to see this is done as soon as possible.”

The shadow angelʼs gaze settled on him.

”Good. Iʼve heard great things about you, Kane Azurecrest. I will check back in soon on your progress.”

The shadow creature then vanished into the shadows, freeing Kane of its suffocating pressure.

Kane barely managed to stop himself from collapsing to his knees and silently cursed whoever had said these ʼgood thingsʼ about him to the All-Seeing Eye.

Elder Margret put a hand on his shoulder to steady him. ”You did well,” she whispered. ”Sometimes people faint even when the All-Seeing Eye speaks through a mouthpiece.”

”Mouthpiece?” Kane asked, confused about what she meant.

Elder Margret smiled. ”The first time the All-Seeing Eye spoke directly in my mind, I barely managed to hold my consciousness together.”

Kane slowly put the pieces together. ”Then that...”

”Was the All-Seeing Eye speaking through his General, yes. He had me collect you instead of speaking to you directly, as Iʼm sure his telepathy would liquefy the brain of an unprepared Star Core cultivator at this point.”

”Really...”

”Probably,” Elder Margret chuckled and patted him on the shoulder. ”I need you to pull yourself together, okay? No pressure, but our client isnʼt only the All-Seeing Eye here. Itʼs also the World Tree.”

Kane felt numb. His mind refused to comprehend the gravity of the situation.

Elder Margret took the lead toward the fruit. Kane wordlessly followed, his gaze consumed by the incomprehensible fruit they were tasked to work on.

They arrived below the fruit, and Kane could feel the life essence radiating out of it.

”I wonder how badly the Princess got injured to need this much life essence,” Elder Margret mused.

”Huh?” Kane said, glancing at Elder Margret as her words finally registered. ”The Princess got injured?”

”Thatʼs what the All-Seeing Eye said.”

”Really? I thought they said the World Treeʼs daughter was injured...”

Elder Margret met his gaze. ”Yeah. Stella is the daughter of the All-Seeing Eye and the World Tree.”

Kane held Elder Margretʼs gaze for a long moment, wondering if she was joking. But she seemed dead serious. He slowly looked up at the fruit, then back at Elder Margret.

”These pills are for the Princess, commissioned by the All-Seeing Eye and the World Tree?”

Elder Margret nodded.

Kane felt his vision darken as he fainted on the spot.