章 52: Heart Wood Tree
Listening to her explanation Ram approached the Heartwood Tree, a sense of awe washing over him. He extended his hand to touch the tree's trunk, feeling a surge of energy passing through his body, a buzz filled his mind, and he suddenly felt like he could vaguely feel the thoughts of thousands of wood spirits around him, it was like his mind was connected with all of them at the same moments, Ling Xi on the side observed him with a knowing smile. "The Heart Wood Tree has recognized you, Ram. You are now part of our village. In time, you will understand the shared consciousness that binds us all."
As they made their way back to the village, Ram was preoccupied with thoughts of the Heart Wood Tree's quality, attributes, and skills. It seemed that, in contrast to the Titan Wood Tree which prioritizes physical enhancement, the Heart Wood Tree's spiritual attributes far surpassed its physical ones.
Considering the skills it had manifested, Ram surmised that the Heart Wood Trees might have been intentionally designed by someone, rather than grown naturally to function as servers, linking with wood spirits or other Heart Wood Trees to exchange information, whereas Titan Wood Trees serve as solitary nodes that extend their influence.
It quickly became clear to him, that because he transformed 'Groot' from Titan Wood tree seed, he had created a new node and was consequently summoned to the Wood Spirit World. For reasons unknown, he found himself summoned alongside Groot, and although it was his spiritual body rather than his physical one, he was certain of one thing: if he died in the Wood Spirit World, he would truly die, leaving his body in the outside world lifeless, unless saved by attribute panel again.
"Here, you are free to roam and bond with the other wood spirits at your own pace. However, according to my calculations, we still have a few more hours before the next attack, but currently, you are welcome to consider this village as your own," Ling Xi spoke again, as she provided further details about the village and sporadic monster attacks.
"Cursed monsters?... It explains why the Heart Wood tree calls upon wood spirits for protection. They're essentially guardians, defending the village from these threats," Ram whispered softly, listening intently to her words, acknowledging the vital role of the wood spirits in protecting their home.
As if reading his thoughts, Ling Xi's voice appeared once again in his mind, "The cursed monsters are creatures born from the corrupted energies that seep into our realm from various broken Void Spaces. They possess the power to corrupt everything they touch, and ultimately, they have the potential to devour the entire realm of the Wood Spirits. In order to stop the spread of cursed monsters, Heartwood Tree expends its own life essence to summon wood spirits for defense.
"During the attacks, the cursed monsters emerge from the depths of the spirit world," Ling Xi explained, her voice resonating with a mix of sorrow and determination. "The wood spirits summoned by the Heartwood Tree are our first line of defense, but the village can always use more allies." She then pointed toward one of the treehouses nestled among the Heartwood Trees. "This will be your home. Make yourself comfortable, Ram."
Ram nodded, feeling a strange sense of belonging despite the unfamiliarity of his surroundings. "Thank you, Ling Xi. I'll do my best to help protect the village."
Ling Xi smiled warmly. "I know you will. Rest now and explore the village at your own pace. The Heart Wood Tree will guide you as you learn more about your abilities and our shared consciousness."
With those words, Lingxi vanished, leaving Ram alone. He made his way to the treehouse, marveling at the complex designs woven from the branches of the Heart Wood tree. As he stepped inside, he was enveloped by the serene luminescence of the environment, which cast a tranquil atmosphere. The interior of the treehouse was simple yet elegant, with delicate patterns etched into the wooden walls, and Ram couldn't help but appreciate the unique charm.
He sat cross-legged and started to practice the Greenwood Heart Technique. As he was enveloped by the abundant Life energy and Spiritual power of the Wood Spirit World, and with Groot's enhancement of his affinity, he perceived his proficiency advancing at more than double the rate than when outside this realm.
However, it didn't last long, he soon got bored of practice and stepped out to explore the outskirts of the village. There, he met various wood spirits, each exhibiting unique appearances and personalities. Some bore a resemblance to humanoid figures with elf-like fair skin, wearing garments crafted from leaves and small vines. Others assumed more fanciful shapes such as deer, bears, spiders and large birds showcasing the limitless imagination inherent in the Spirit world.
Observing the numerous wood spirits, Ram noticed that they all seemed to instinctively hold him in high regard. Even those with low levels seemed overawed and reluctant to come near him. After using the Spiritual Eye on wood spirits that shied away, he discovered that their Spirit attribute was below one point; they had not awakened any talents, almost as if their evolution into wood spirits was incomplete, they became wood spirits somehow but failed to evolve perfectly.
Watching them he couldn't help but entertain the thought, "Isn't this the perfect place for me to increase my experience?" However, a realization struck him – despite the enticing prospect, he was still short on Life Energy or Spiritual Power. With a thoughtful expression, Ram acknowledged the limitations of his current Life energy reserves.
In order to accelerate the restoration of his Life energy, he also drank the Qi Recovery potion provided by the shadow society. However, after drinking he found that nothing happened, there was no effect. He even ate Vitality Mushrooms and Spirit Mushrooms, but there was no increase in recovery speed nor any improvement in his attributes after eating them for the first time. It was as though his body was rejecting the potions and any other external elements that could influence his recovery. Only his innate talent seemed to have any effect.
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MountainDuskwalker
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