The Martial Unity

Chapter 3170: Masculine Impediments

This made him quite eager to exchange knowledge with the dark elves.

”What is the basis of the Nature Path?” Rui asked with a curious expression. ”Why do you have the power to manipulate and control nature?”

The elderly dark elf had expected the question. ”We evolved flora sensitivity and communication. Our ancestors from eons ago found refuge in the flora of nature. We cultivate the power to communicate with and control nature.”

Rui fell into thought as the dark elf took the opportunity to ask him a question.

”How do you gain the Authority of Alpha?”

Rui’s attention returned to her with a knowing glint.

He had agreed to a mutual exchange.

”By reverse-engineering it from an entity that possessed it,” Rui answered, inspiring an expression of shock from the elderly woman. ”Tell me more about the progression of the Nature Path.”

”...We begin at the Gate of Harmony, where we achieve an initial harmony with nature,” the dark elf elder replied. ”This allows us a basic degree of control over nature. After that we harmonize with nature in the Hymn of Mind and Soul in a process that takes centuries. Then and only then do we fuse our bodies with nature in the Singularity of Flora. We fuse with our respective Divine Trees.”

Rui’s eyes widened with shock.

”...Fuse your bodies with nature? Is that the endgame of the Nature Path?”

”It is the highest echelon of mastery,” she replied. ”One chooses to surrender the entirety of one’s mind and soul and merge with nature in the sum totality of one’s entire being, elevating her consciousness to a higher realm of power. It may not be the finality of all power that we have to offer, but it is certainly the highest echelon of nature harmony that we have reached. At this stage, dark elves become Mothers of Nature ourselves.”

Rui stared at her, stunned. ”...And you? Are you also a...?”

”Yes.”

Her tone was certain.

”I am a Mother of Nature.”

CRACKLE CRACKLE CRACKLE...

Rui’s eyes widened with shock as her entire body turned into wood and leaves as she almost spontaneously underwent a profound biological transition on a biochemical level, putting even the evolutionaries to shame.

”My true nature is that of flora. However...” her voice grew more brittle and inhuman. ”What you see before you is merely a vessel containing a drop of my consciousness. My true being is within Nature in West Genora. I am immortal and undying; as long as nature exists in this world, I am alive. I merely adopt this corporeal and material form to interact with material beings and to interact with my brothers and sisters and children.”

Rui’s expression grew amazed at her incredible words as he stopped being able to sense her emotions anymore, much to his astonishment.

To become one with nature.

That was the end of the Nature Path.

It bore a lot of resemblance to the therianthrope, so much so that he suspected that this path also had a similar end path. Flora and Fauna were two sides of the same coin of nature.

”...Incredible,” Rui admitted. ”To think that such a thing is possible. No wonder you dark elves are so powerful.”

His pitch-black eyes lit up with a deep desire for this power.

He wasn’t even sure how he could integrate into his Martial Path of Adaptive Evolution, but he desperately wanted to get his hands on this power nonetheless.

”Teach me your ways,” Rui insisted. ”In return, we will be generous with our offerings to you. I have some tree friends who you will be very interested in meeting, I can assure you.”

The offer clearly appealed to the dark elf elder, who returned to her elven form.

And yet, she shook her head.

”Only elves can become Druids, those who follow the Nature Path,” she replied. ”Not only are you human, but you are also male. You cannot follow our path.”

Rui frowned.

He had expected the obstacle of being of a different species, but he didn’t understand what his sex had to do with it.

Until he remembered that the only people allowed in the tent with him were women.

The leader of the dark elves was also a woman.

”Wait...” his eyes widened. ”Are dark elves matriarchal?”

”All elven tribes and societies are matriarchal,” she replied with a mundane, matter-of-fact tone. ”In elven society, power, prestige, and influence come from one’s affinity, bond, and harmonization with nature. The feminine bond with nature is greatly superior to the masculine bond with nature. That is why you will not be able to become a Druid who follows the Nature Path. Your bond with nature is already measly as a non-elf. Then there’s your masculinity, which will further impede your harmony with nature, and you specifically...”

A flicker of disgust appeared on her face.

”You reek of death, unlike anything I have encountered in my ten thousand years of life. Your very existence is antithetical to nature.”

That word made Rui irrationally happy and delighted.

He loved being told that he was antithetical to something.

Even if it was the thing that he was trying to harness, rather than destroy.

But the dark elf’s insistence that he couldn’t do it only further strengthened his determination.

”Try me,” Rui insisted. ”I intend to harness all six paths and use them to enhance my Martial Art.”

She sharpened her gaze.

”That is disturbing.”

Rui raised an eyebrow. ”And why so?”

”...It is a legend of old that one who gains the power of all six paths will gain the power of deity,” she replied. ”In elven folklore. The Six Paths of Power were created by the Goddess R’oetem, who came to Gaia in an epoch of rebirth, dividing the sum totality of her power into six pieces and distributing them to six groups of people across the six continents. And that...”

She gazed at him with a serious expression. ”Is the origin of the six paths of power. Anybody who is able to walk all six of them will regain the distributed power of a god.”