Chapter 436: Combined Level 77 | New · Totem
Lower Fire Moon
September 1st.
Half a month had passed since the end of the Magic Tree incident, and the human nations had fallen into a strange atmosphere of calm.
The Empire's rare defeat, The Bloody Emperor ransomed all captured soldiers after paying the ransom.
This victory should have been an unprecedented morale boost for the Kingdom, yet there were two different atmospheres among the ruling nobles and the common people below.
The common people were cheering!
The nobles were terrified!
This great victory came too suddenly.
So sudden… that the nobles were completely unprepared, fearing retaliation from the Empire and thus sparking a national-level war that would disrupt their decadent lives.
As for the Slane Theocracy.
After witnessing the tragic state of the complete annihilation of the Darkness Scripture, they reacted like startled beasts, mobilizing the nation's power for defense.
The information about the Platinum Armor, secretly guided by Tang Zheng towards the Council State, further agitated the Theocracy.
As for the Council State, it remained silent throughout!
—Abelion Hills.
In the deep and lush jungle, strange rustling sounds could be heard, like some peculiar beast moving through the forest.
A large number of birds flew out of the forest, likely sensing danger and heading for more distant locations.
The sounds grew closer.
A huge dark silhouette became clearer. It was a strange tree, about twenty meters tall, with a thick trunk, lush green leaves on top, and blooming red flowers.
In the lower-middle section of the thick trunk, there was a giant mouth occupying the entire face. Twisted root-like teeth filled its gaping maw.
It looked incredibly fierce and terrifying!
The beasts and monsters in the forest dared not approach, fleeing desperately and disappearing completely.
This was a Terror Treant!
The Tree Spirit Pinesis was maneuvering six root-like tentacles, similar to octopus tentacles, through the forest. Her speed varied, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, and her body would occasionally tilt uncontrollably.
It was somewhat like a newborn infant learning to walk.
"I've become so ugly… I didn't intend to eat you," the Tree Spirit Pinesis said somewhat aggrievedly, seeing the animals flee as she approached.
However, this feeling of grievance.
In a blink of an eye, it was replaced by complex happiness.
"I can walk now."
The Tree Spirit Pinesis carefully controlled her root-like tentacles, stepping forward with both curiosity and excitement.
As a Heteromorphic Race Tree Spirit, her true form was like an ordinary tree, incapable of free movement. She could only transform into a fairy to leave her physical body, but even then, she couldn't stray too far!
"I've become ugly, but I can move freely."
The Tree Spirit Pinesis muttered to herself, a habit formed from her long, solitary life in the Tove Great Forest:
"This is probably what humans often refer to as the 'price of loss'."
"Yes, thanks to that gentle human, otherwise I would have died."
She didn't know exactly what had happened.
She only knew that she was on the verge of death, and then that powerful human used an item called an "Integration Potion."
He fused her dying physical body with the seed within her. Although she became a Terror Treant, she survived.
"You're too slow, Pinesis!"
A somewhat sharp and piercing voice came from deep within the forest.
The Tree Spirit Pinesis shifted her gaze forward and immediately noticed a mist-like figure moving rapidly through the forest.
The figure was a demi-human named White Mist, whom she had never seen or even heard of before.
The White Mist Witch was carrying a pile of herbs.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A large quantity of herbs was thrown over.
The Tree Spirit Pinesis hurriedly raised her six tentacles, catching all the herbs, and then carefully placed them on her lush crown.
A faint pale green light flashed.
"You're the one who's too fast, White Mist,"
The Tree Spirit Pinesis responded softly, simultaneously controlling the crown of her head, which contained a certain amount of magic to protect the harvested herbs.
It was similar to the magic of "Preservation," but only effective on plants.
This ability didn't come from the Terror Treant; it was her own, because she possessed a production-class job like [Farmer].
Perhaps it was a racial talent.
The Tree Spirit, Pinesis, felt very confident in her ability to cultivate plants.
In the past, when she was bored in the Tove Great Forest, she enjoyed planting trees or seeds that birds had somehow brought from elsewhere.
Nurturing seeds into fully grown trees was a joyful experience, and it even earned her the [Crop Expert] profession.
"Heh."
The White Mist Witch let out a light scoff. "You're just too slow."
"Honestly, why does Master need to pick so many medicinal herbs?"
In response to this grumbling.
"It seems a human named Nfirea has been researching potions lately and has been consuming a lot of medicinal materials."
The Tree Spirit Pinesis quickly responded, adding her own complaint: "Master's previous supply of herbs for him has all been used up."
The White Mist Witch called the black-haired human who saved her "Master," and she felt she could call him that too.
After all, she was a Tree Spirit who knew how to be grateful.
At this moment!
On the other side, in a valley deep within the hills.
The [Two Worlds Mandala] floated before Tang Zheng, unfurling to reveal a Buddhist golden luster flowing across its surface.
A tiny branch.
Emerged from the surface of the [Two Worlds Mandala]. This part resembled ripples splashing on water, about an arm's length in size.
Tang Zheng reached out and grasped the slender branch, closed his eyes, and sensed it lightly.
Instantly!
The location of the Tree Spirit Pinesis appeared in Tang Zheng's mind.
"Interesting."
Tang Zheng sensed for a moment, then released his grip. The branch burrowed back into the [Two Worlds Mandala] and disappeared.
This branch originated from the Magic Tree, which was confined within the World-Class Item.
His research on the Magic Tree had concluded recently. The monsters formed from the Magic Tree's seeds were Terror Treants.
The monsters formed from the Terror Treant's seeds were ordinary Treants.
This "command tower" structure allowed the higher level to have absolute control over the lower-level monsters.
Just now.
Tang Zheng, using this ability, could instantly seize control of the Tree Spirit Pinesis's body by controlling the Magic Tree at any time.
"It really took quite some effort."
Tang Zheng shook his head. Subduing the Magic Tree had been a troublesome task.
The Magic Tree lacked normal reason, which meant that to make it submit, only methods akin to breaking a falcon's spirit could be used.
"The Tree Spirit Pinesis, however, came as a pleasant surprise," Tang Zheng chuckled softly.
This Tree Spirit's combat strength wasn't high, but what surprised him was the production-class job build she possessed.
And it was a production job related to planting!
In Tang Zheng's estimation, the value of the Tree Spirit Pinesis was comparable to Nfirea's.
"Attribute Panel."
...
[Ability Table]
Innate Ability: [Player]
Overall Level: 77Lv
[Experience Bar: 1061/1403w]
Skill Points: 135
...
— "Totem Avatar"
Head (Empty)
Chest (Sun Angler · HP+50) BUF · Fire Resistance
Arms (Forest Sage King · Physical Defense+50) BUF · Flesh Armament
Back (Magic Tree · Magic Defense+50) BUF · Pulse of Annual Rings
Legs (Empty)
...
Starting from August 2nd, when his level was last increased, until today, September 1st, Tang Zheng had accumulated a total of 45 million experience points, with a few million perhaps coming from killing the Magic Tree.
Over a full month, having nearly 50 million experience points had only allowed Tang Zheng to level up 3 times.
Currently, each level-up required tens of millions of experience points, and the pressure to advance only grew.
In addition to leveling up.
Tang Zheng had also completed a new "Totem Avatar," acquiring a skill called "Pulse of Annual Rings."
This was a special skill that could resist time-based magic, an innate ability possessed by the Magic Tree.
After killing the Magic Tree, Tang Zheng had used the 9th-tier Resurrection Magic to revive it, so the Magic Tree had only lost two levels and its current level remained above 80.
"Totem Avatar" worked by acquiring the soul's power and then obtaining the abilities of the devoured entity.
Tang Zheng had conducted an experiment the first time he killed Forest Sage Hamsuke, discovering that the soul energy obtained from killing the target was not the entirety of it.
It was only a portion of the soul.
Therefore, it did not affect its revival, though it would still cause some damage to its soul. Perhaps it was for this very reason!
After reviving the Magic Tree.
The Magic Tree's confused consciousness seemed to have been affected, which allowed Tang Zheng to completely subdue it.
Shuuu!
The [Two Worlds Mandala] was rolled up again and fell into Tang Zheng's hands. He tucked it into his waist and put it away.
Tang Zheng stood up and activated teleportation magic, disappearing from his original location.
As his vision shifted.
He arrived in front of a wooden house in a hilly area.
A strong scent of medicinal herbs permeated the air, forming a slightly pungent odor.
Knock! Knock!
Tang Zheng walked to the door and gently knocked.
After waiting for a moment with no response, he could only hear various strange noises coming from inside the room.
Tang Zheng chuckled, then lightly pushed the door open with a bit of strength. The overwhelmingly strong scent of medicinal herbs rushed towards him.
Inside the room.
Nfirea's golden bowl cut covered his half-closed eyes as he intently and excitedly observed various herbs and the alchemy potions in his hands.
Seeing this, Tang Zheng did not disturb him. Instead, he walked to a nearby shelf and examined some of the semi-finished products.
After the Magic Tree incident, Nfirea had come to the hills at Anri's invitation, and it had been much easier than Tang Zheng had anticipated.
After all, his grandmother, Lizzie, was not someone easy to deal with. It was thanks to the reputation of "Free Will" and Tang Zheng's own title as a Genius Alchemist that things went so smoothly.
Nfirea's value to Tang Zheng was not merely as a pharmacist; his Innate Ability also made him a suitable user of [Nation and City Incinerating].
"That's right, just like this."
"No... it's missing one ingredient," Nfirea's excited voice called out.
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