The spatial rift snapped closed, and Ashlock watched Diana return from her meeting with a joyous smile as she removed the white wooden mask from her face and stored it away in her spatial ring.
He had naturally been listening in on the conversation between Diana and the Silverspires through his roots, so he left her and Stella to chat on the bench under his shade as he knew how the meeting had turned out. While awaiting the Silverspire's reply, he would keep pressing forward with his plans throughout the coming days.
As dusk descended upon the mountain peak, Ashlock felt his tree body slow down as the sun's warm embrace vanished. If anything, this reminded Ashlock even more of why he wanted that brat's spirit stones so he could request Stella or Douglas to create a heating array.
Concerning heating arrays, Ashlock had a few things to set into motion before falling asleep, as he wanted them done before the Silverspires started snooping around.
Stella had placed the Blaze Serpent Rose in a patch of dirt that had once been his mushroom garden that had been decimated by the Dao Storm. The solitary crimson rose, twisting upwards like a serpent and cloaked in spikes, stood proudly in isolation.
Through his spiritual sight, Ashlock observed a slow transition of the Qi around the rose's petals to fire Qi. It seemed to be the perfect flower to rejuvenate the Redclaws' cultivation.
Casting {Eye of the Tree God}, his gaze ascended to the skies, surveying the forest of scarlet-leaved trees blanketing the mountain range. It was, without doubt, the most awe-inspiring sight he had encountered in his two lives. The feeling was amplified by the fact that he shared a connection with every tree via their roots and received a faint echo of their emotions.
Interestingly, those trees birthed from the recent Dao Storm seemed to possess infant egos, enabling communication with him. Yet, they appeared to lack any affinity, just like the other demonic trees. Ashlock had presumed that the older trees he had nurtured would have developed spatial affinity cores or at least exhibited signs of doing so by now, but that had not occurred so far.
Could he possibly guide them towards a specific affinity by altering their environment?
Casting his vision to the forest at the base of the mountain range between him and Darklight City, he noted that there were still many typical green trees. The air was heavy with water Qi due to a mist originating from the Serene Mist Camellia, which were tiny pink flowers he had grown on his roots that coiled up their trunks and along their branches. It was adorable seeing his blood-red leaved children have small pink flowers growing on them.
"That area is already saturated with water Qi, so I doubt it's suitable for planting these Blaze Serpent Roses," Ashlock mused, continuing his survey. Though not a botanist, he understood plants thrived best in suitable environments. Unfortunately, there were no volcanoes nearby, but there were mountains that were kinda like volcanos—just without the magma and extreme heat.
The mountain had no green trees, only his demonic trees sustained by nutrients and Qi delivered by his roots. Otherwise, they had no business flourishing on the mountain. The thought of his offspring dying if he perished as they would be cut off from nutrients was grim, so he dismissed it and continued examining the scarlet tree-covered mountain beneath the White Stone Palace.
"Since this area is very Qi neutral with nothing but nature and air Qi, this should make a great place for the Blaze Serpent Roses," Ashlock concluded, so he brought up his B grade {Blooming Root Flower Production} skill.
So far, he had only used the skill to grow the abundant Serene Mist Camellia, as the Blaze Serpent Rose had been unavailable in the menu, having never seen it before. Now, he could select the fire Qi-generating flower, and the system menu asked him where to plant them.
Ashlock had the ability to bloom a single flower at a root's tip or select a large area for automatic growth. A feature he deeply appreciated, given the vast ground to cover in a limited time. He could already feel his body preparing for slumber.
"This is going to cost a shit ton of Qi." Ashlock cursed as he thought about how large of an area he wanted to select. The thought of draining the Qi he had amassed during his recovery for some flowers was far from thrilling, but this was something he had been putting off, and it needed to be done. The Redclaws deserved better than this.
With a single thought, he selected the vast sprawling forest on the Redclaw's mountain. He could almost swear the system lagged for a second, struggling to process his request.
His Star Core, now thousands of times larger, blazed like a furnace as Qi gushed out of it in streams down his roots and through the mountain.
In his spiritual sight, he could see a literal tidal wave of Qi rush down the mountainside through the roots as all the trees along the way rustled and glowed with Qi.
Then, something magical occurred. Since the sun had dipped below the horizon, the scarlet forest was bathed in darkness. This made the wave of crimson light cascading down the mountain all the more noticeable as Blaze Serpent Roses bloomed on the demonic tree trunks, each glowing like a firefly and producing a soft light that caused the scarlet leaves to shimmer.
Ashlock paused for a moment, captivated by the breathtaking spectacle, momentarily forgetting the massive Qi drain from his body that made it possible. His mind struggled to comprehend the scale of what he just did, as only gods should wield this type of power.
Stella and Diana had also risen from the bench, drawn by the sudden change in the ambient Qi. Diana parted the haunted mist that had obscured them from the outside world, and together like immortals lording over creation, they watched the spectacle unfold in silent awe.
A flurry of activity erupted from the White Stone Palace. The doors swung open, and the Grand Elder, along with the other Elders, rushed out. They watched, awestruck, as Fire Qi swirled around and illuminated the mountain.
Once they regained their composure, they turned towards Red Vine Peak, clasped their hands, and bowed deeply in gratitude. Ashlock couldn't deny the satisfaction he felt from their appreciation.
They needed each other. Ashlock could cultivate an ideal environment for his followers by manipulating local flora, using his Mystic Realm to train them, and producing mushrooms with life-altering effects for cultivation pills.
In return, they could gather resources like spirit stones to construct formations that could enhance his cultivation speed, help him stay awake during winter and dark nights, and perhaps even create defensive formations to shield him from another Dao Storm.
Setting aside his sentimentality, Ashlock knew his time tonight was limited. With the sun set, his body was slowing down, preparing for sleep. He needed to act fast if he wanted to bless Darklight City with mushrooms and flowers overnight. He would also have provided fruit, but the system only permitted him to grow fruit from his branches.
Ashlock first summoned his {Magic Mushroom Production} skill and selected the entirety of Darklight City. "Alright, I need to be careful here." Ashlock mentally frowned as he scrolled through the options. His mushroom production ability was A grade for a reason, as it let him add some seriously overpowered psychedelic effects.
He could, if feeling generous and suicidal, gift the city with spirit root-improving truffles, but he couldn't fathom a worse idea. His goal was a low-cost, aesthetically pleasing, and potentially edible mushroom.
He also had to be careful regarding the mushroom's smell because giving the mushrooms a sweet scent might sound nice in theory, but if the entire city smelled like an American candy store, then people would start feeling sick pretty quickly.
Finally, as exhaustion threatened to pull him into slumber, he chose the Oyster mushroom that resembled a stack of grey pancakes that grew on the side of trees and were known for being edible.
As for added effects? He made it so they glowed in the dark with a soft green glow. He also made them absorb the city stench, as even without a nose, he could tell Darklight City was a shithole. It didn't take a genius to understand that since all cities out here in the wilderness were ultimately temporary due to the beast tides, investing a lot of money and time into building a proper sewage system wasn't at the top of anyone's list.
In addition, he made the mushrooms fast-growing but terribly bland tasting. He considered enhancing their flavor, but it would have added to the Qi cost for the production and maintenance of the mushrooms. He also didn't want the mushrooms to be over-harvested.
They also contained a minuscule amount of his Qi, which meant that anyone who consumed them could utilize them as a weak cultivation resource.
Satisfied with his creation, Ashlock allowed the mushrooms to proliferate in clusters on all the demonic trees in the city.
[Warning: Nearing Star Core Output Limit]
If the Qi demand for the Blaze Serpent Roses spread across the entire mountain range wasn't enough, transforming Darklight City into a mushroom haven seemed to push the limit.
Fortunately, his production skills required a high initial Qi investment, but subsequent maintenance was minimal, assuming the mushrooms weren't all consumed, or the flowers all plucked.
"Just one more addition..." Ashlock thought lethargically, summoning the {Blooming Flower Production} menu. With his remaining Qi dwindling and sleep's call intensifying, he quickly selected a flower that held a special place in his previous life's heart—the Cherry Blossom, one of the most beautiful flowers in the world.
He deliberately chose a flower that didn't emit any ambient Qi or possess any special effects. It was a simple Cherry Blossom, but that was all he needed to transform Darklight City from a dreary, mining-focused metropolis into a lively and beautiful city.
With his vision darkening, he confirmed his selection, feeling another drain of Qi from his body towards the demonic trees in Darklight City.
"At last, I can sleep," Ashlock murmured, succumbing to slumber.
***
Sebastian's eyes shot open as he felt the morning sun's rays streaming through the window. He calmed his meditation technique, causing the swirling metal Qi around him to dissipate. A glance to the side revealed Ryker peacefully cultivating atop a small mound of iron ingots.
Using his spiritual sense, he could tell that the mound was almost depleted of Qi, rendering the Qi-dense ingots into mere mortal metal, which was of little use to them.
"Young lord," Sebastian called out softly, careful not to startle the boy from his deep meditation, which could have negative consequences.
Ryker's eyes sleepily opened, and he yawned. Then, after rubbing his eyes, he looked at Sebastian and smiled. "Morning, Sebastian!"
Sebastian's eyes narrowed. "Were you cultivating or sleeping?"
Ryker whistled nonchalantly, looking away.
"You fell asleep while cultivating, didn't you?" Sebastian chuckled and shook his head as he walked past the boy towards the grand room's door. "We should head to the city for breakfast. Would you like to join me, young lord?"
Still half asleep, Ryker rose and stumbled after Sebastian, which was adorable.
Sebastian reached to pat the boy on the head, but his hand was swatted away. "Sebastian, I'm a grown boy now! Stop treating me like a child."
Sebastian just blinked as he watched Ryker, who barely reached his waist, march down the hallway and past a legion of maids that bowed as he passed.
"They grow up so fast, huh," Sebastian muttered. "Replace the metal piles in the room and prepare for a city visit," Sebastian instructed the maids as he quickly followed his young lord, a smile gracing his face at Ryker's nonsense. However, his smile faded into confusion as they moved further from their living quarters down winding hallways.
The White Stone Palace seemed nearly deserted, with only a few Redclaw family maids loitering around. He extended his spiritual sense to survey the entire palace, detecting a large gathering outside in the courtyard.
"I wonder what everyone's doing outside," Sebastian wondered, his voice echoing down the empty corridors.
"Maybe to meet big sister?" Ryker suggested with a smile, quickening his pace.
Sebastian doubted it, unable to sense any spatial rifts or the presence of those women. As they neared the reception area leading to the courtyard, the silence was eerie, yet he could sense an immense amount of Qi just beyond the door.
Before he could utter a warning, Ryker had already dashed ahead, pushing open the door that should have been too heavy for a five-year-old. His iron core realm cultivation, however, enabled him to perform feats beyond his years.
Sebastian caught up quickly, baffled to see all the Redclaws seated silently in the courtyard in lotus positions, absorbing the abnormal amount of fire Qi in the air. Was there a gathering formation nearby?
He wanted to ask one of them, but there was nothing more discourteous than interrupting another cultivator's meditation, so he decided to keep Ryker close by and walk past them all to the palace gate.
"Wow..." Ryker whispered as he gawked at the spectacular sight. The demonic trees around them on the mountains radiated an orange glow, with fire Qi swirling around that hadn't been there last night.
Sebastian shared Ryker's astonishment. Having traveled the world during his three hundred years of life—one of the few benefits of the sect's constant relocation due to the beast tides—he had never witnessed such a magical sight.
As they descended the mountain and strolled through the forest, they reveled in the cooling mist swirling through the foliage. If only the acidic smell of the demonic trees could be eradicated, it would make for a relaxing place to contemplate life.
"What an odd place," Sebastian remarked as he saw mist-emitting flowers growing from thick black roots that coiled up the demonic trees. Most curious was how the regular green trees had nothing unusual about them.
Exiting the forest, they were welcomed by the vast wall of Darklight City adorned with scarlet trees. Most striking, however, were the thousands of pink petals carried by the breeze, dancing in the air before settling at their feet.
Getting past the gate by flashing his cultivation, he marveled at how the demonic trees within the city walls didn't seem to have any acidic smell or grow any poisonous berries. Instead, mushrooms were growing on their trunks.
He even spotted some children in rags, happily plucking the mushrooms from the trees and munching on them.
While few things brought a genuine smile to his face, Sebastian found himself in an unusually good mood in this city. However, Ryker's stomach rumbling quickly reminded him of their original purpose. Despite Ryker's high cultivation, his young body still required sustenance for growth.
Walking a bit further down the street, he saw a man in a black robe crouching before a demonic tree obstructing the road. Dark brown earth Qi swirled around his hands as he pressed them into the ground, forcing the tree upwards.
Suddenly, Sebastian felt an overwhelming amount of spatial Qi flood the area. He watched in awe as the tree broke free from the ground, floating in the air above the street.
Many bystanders had halted their activities to watch this spectacle, and they all gasped in shock as the air shuddered, tearing open to form a rift. The uprooted tree then slowly drifted through the rift, and then after the tree had vanished with a massive gust of air that rustled his robes, the rift snapped shut.
"Excuse me," Sebastian addressed the back of the black-cloaked earth cultivator. The large man turned around, and Sebastian was surprised to see that the man wore a black mask very similar to the one he had seen Stella wear.
Could this man also belong to that mysterious group?
"Yes?" The man's voice was gruff, distorted by the mask.
Sebastian smiled, "Fellow Daoist, I have a question for you..."
