While Liu Shu systematically conquered the Wild Continent, information about her finally spread everywhere around the Ceperet Planet.

In one city of the Verdant Sanctity Covenant, people were sitting around a place and praying toward their World Tree when someone entered the room, bursting from the doors as if ghosts were chasing him.

"We have information about the Wild Continent! We finally managed to get intel on what is happening!"

One of the praying people, a human man, slowly opened his eyes and looked over with a stern expression. "Is it so urgent that you needed to interrupt our daily prayers?"

His tone was calm, but the air around him made everyone in the room feel as if they were suffocating. Clearly, his strength was at the <Fourth Energy Cycle>.

The person who entered quickly fell to his knees and slammed his forehead onto the ground. "L-Lord, has something happened to delay today's prayers?"

The man's tone was fearful, but his words reminded everyone in the room that this was not usual prayer hours. The man squinted, but he didn't pursue the matter anymore. Instead, he asked about what happened. "Speak. What's so urgent?"

"Yes! We've found out what happened in the Wild Continent!

A woman at the side snorted. "Is it that important? The Abyssal Void Nexus probably conquered everything and defeated Warlya, right? That doesn't warrant you entering the room like you did! Someone, punish—"

The man interrupted. "The Abyssal Void Nexus was defeated!"

Everyone in the room suddenly stopped what they were doing, and even the powerful man showed signs of surprise in his seemingly stone-hardened expression. "How is that possible? Are you sure you have not received deceptive information coming from them? They might be trying to set up some kind of trap."

The man looked up and spoke firmly. "This information has spread everywhere, Lord. The fact is, I didn't receive it from informants in the Wild Continent. Only, there seem to have been some people coming from the Wild Continent and carrying such news. These people are part of a new coalition of forces that was born to defeat the Abyssal Void Nexus, named the Golden Sap Country."

"Golden Sap Country…" The powerful man frowned and suddenly remembered a very niche piece of information. "Wasn't there a relatively powerful World Tree in a city called Golden Sap City? Moreover, this city appeared not long ago, right?"

"It's the same, Lord." The man nodded and explained. "In the Wild Continent, a World Tree named Tianlian Liu Shu was born around three decades ago. This World Tree's growth has always been abnormally quick, and she gathered strength quickly. Now, having reached around Level 70, the World Tree was able to fight the Abyssal Void Nexus threat almost on her own. Lady World Tree's name seemed to have spread far and wide, becoming the Heavenly Willow."

"Heavenly Willow." The same woman as before frowned deeply. "How can a Level 70 World Tree gain such a name? She has yet to reach the <Fourth Energy Cycle>, and she is already so arrogant!"

"Silence!"

The man's voice exploded in the room, hitting everyone's chest strongly. The woman's face paled as she went down to her knees with a bang. "P-Please forgive this one; I know I overstepped my boundaries."

The man looked at the woman coldly for a second before looking away. "Lady Heavenly Willow has reached Level 70 in less than 30 years. Her potential is for all to see, and unless she is destroyed, she will reach the Fourth Energy Cycle and become the Fourth World Tree that reaches this stage. Her potential alone makes Lady Heavenly Willow more than qualified to carry such a nickname. Only…"

The man was slightly confused, and he asked. "I remember that Lady Heavenly Willow was part of the Celestial Lotus Empire. Am I wrong?"

"That's…" The messenger put on a confused expression as well. "Lord, you should be right. However, it doesn't seem like they are advertising themselves as such."

"Oh?" The man raised his handsome eyebrow, and then, his cold face gained a faint smile. "That's interesting."

Meanwhile, in the Celestial Lotus Empire, someone slapped the table harshly.

BANG!

The woman who did so spoke with an angered tone. "What is the meaning of Lady Tianlian Liu Shu!? Does she want to eat from our lands and then detach as if nothing happened!?"

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"Calm down."

"Calm down!? That World Tree is trying to betray her loyalties!"

The woman who spoke glared over, and her aura exploded with intense Aether Mana. The shouting woman's face turned slightly pale.

"I said… Calm. Down."

The woman's face was unreconciled, but she stopped raising her voice. "Yes, Lady Naeris."

Naeris was the person in charge of Liu Shu's matters, so her words and opinions in these matters carried the most weight. Moreover, since she was an A- Tier Sylvan at Level 82, she was respected everywhere within the Celestial Lotus Empire. Not many could match her strength, influence, and beauty.

A voice that came from everywhere and could press down onto the world descended from above them. "Naeris, explain."

The woman's aura turned from aggressive to formal as she elegantly bowed her waist once. "Yes, Lady Celestial Lotus."

After she straightened her back, Naeris spoke smoothly, her voice pleasant like a water stream flowing down the mountain. "Lady Heavenly Willow has never received resources on the level of the threats she has faced. While we've sent things over, the overall strength we've shared has been around 500 Third Energy Cycle people and enough resources to equip them for battle."

One of the few men in the room spoke with a confused expression. "How is that small? The Wild Continent shouldn't have too many people at that level."

Naeris didn't answer him directly. Instead, she spoke about what she knew. "This time around, Lady Heavenly Willow was attacked by a force of nearly 1,500,000 people, with a ratio of around 3 to 7 percent of them being Third Energy Cycles. There were also a few Peak Third Energy Cycle generals among the enemies, with the lowest-level troops being Level 40."

When everyone heard that, they couldn't help but widen their eyes. The woman who was complaining at first couldn't accept it and naturally went against it. "That's impossible! That kind of force is used to attack OUR main cities! Not some forgotten lands in the Wild Continent!"

Naturally, with a <Fourth Energy Cycle>, the Celestial Lotus Empire would have no problem facing that kind of power. Even then, if that level of powerhouses were not participating, it would be a force difficult to defend against, even if the terrain attacked was defended by a powerful Third Energy Cycle World Tree.

Other people mirrored the words of the complaining person, filling the room with voices of dissent. Naeris didn't go in circles and looked at everyone present with a cold expression. "My words are the truth, and I don't care if you want to believe them or not. Under the attacks of such an overwhelming force, Lady Heavenly Willow not only defeated her enemies, but she also annihilated them."

Everyone suddenly froze, and Naeris repeated her words with emphasis. "She didn't defeat them. She didn't push them back. Instead, Lady Heavenly Willow annihilated every single one of the enemy troops. There are no known survivors."

Silence filled the room after Naeris stopped speaking, and taking advantage of it, Naeris continued speaking. "Lady Celestial Lotus. While we've given them cover and resources to overcome some of their challenges in the past, we've also failed them during their most difficult moments. It is normal for them not to have loyalty towards the Celestial Lotus Empire. We weren't the ones who helped them defeat an army that would otherwise raze down the entirety of the Wild Continent."

After Naeris stopped speaking, the ethereal voice of the Celestial Lotus spread around. "You seem to have some thoughts. Speak up."

"Yes." Naeris opened her mouth, fearless. "Lady Heavenly Willow has shown incredible potential, strength, and growth during the last few years. I doubt this will be the end of her growth. So, I recommend not pushing them to worship your Ladyship."

"Oh?" The Celestial Lotus answered with a faintly inquisitive tone. "Are you saying that the child on the other side of the shore is equal to me?"

Terrifying pressure descended on the room, making everyone feel short of breath with terror chipping their courage away each passing second. Naeris kept a serious face, her body tensing to resist the terrifying coercion of the Celestial Lotus. Even being in the same Fourth Energy Cycle, Naeris never felt even close to being able to challenge the Celestial Lotus strength-wise.

Still, gritting her teeth, Naeris spoke solemnly. "Lady Celestial Lotus' roots have yet to expand beyond the sea due to your Ladyship being entangled with Lady Azure Rose and Lady Verdant Skyflower. Nevertheless, Lady Heavenly Willow is a young World Tree whose potential is unknown."

"Unrealized potential is the same as dreams, a fleeting cloud that the wind can blow away." The Celestial Lotus spoke majestically. "Regardless of talent, if they die, they will be nothing but a dead genius. Never a powerhouse."

Naeris's face remained as stoic as possible as she spoke. "Then, Lady Celestial Lotus needs to make a choice. We either join hands with the Abyssal Void Nexus to deal with Lady Heavenly Willow and clip her roots before they become too sturdy, or we don't do anything and become allies in the future as equals when Lady Heavenly Willow gains strength to become the Fifth Power of the Continent."

"Naeris!" A woman at the side spoke sternly. "You are challenging Lady Celestial Lotus with your words!"

Naeris didn't answer and waited for the Celestial Lotus to speak. After a while, the pressure in the room finally eased up, and the tone of the powerful World Tree regained the touch of tranquility it had before. "Good. I have not raised you for nothing, Naeris. I understand your concerns."

Everyone in the room was somewhat confused, and then they heard the Celestial Lotus speak. "If that child ever reaches such heights, we will naturally be amicable with her. She has fought hard battles since birth, and her Destiny is certainly one beyond ordinary bounds." Celestial Lotus spoke softly. "Sadly, that child doesn't know that what she might think of as the Sky is nothing but a mirage. Once she understands, I hope she doesn't despair."

Naeris' nerves finally relaxed, making her heave a sigh of relief. 'Thankfully, Lady Celestial Lotus understood my intentions. Moreover, I've heard that Lady Heavenly Willow has other World Trees within her domain and is living with them. If that's true, then her existence might become the final puzzle piece that we need to push the Abyssal Void Nexus off the planet.'

Naeris looked out of the window and smiled faintly. 'Get stronger quickly, Tianlian Liu Shu. I've done everything I can for you here.'

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