Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Gift. (30,000 nutrient solution plus more)...
Su Cheng looked up at those stunningly beautiful green eyes.
The slightly dilated pupils were like the dark green stamens of a sunflower, and within them seemed to be fern spores and algae dust from raindrops.
There is the purest essence of life, and every time the eyes move, it seems as if a miniature new world is born.
Like the tides of spring and autumn, and also like life itself.
She seemed to have fallen into this vortex, been cleansed and purified, infused with strength, and then began to grow.
Thousands of roots extended and drilled into the ground, and branches grew on the trunk, weaving a black shadow-like curtain, isolating the two of them from the outside world.
Su Cheng stretched out his hand in a daze.
She grasped the slender claw with ancient texture and new sprouts, and felt a comforting warm attraction.
There is also an exhilarating and comfortable power that continuously flows into the body as the two bodies come into contact.
All the hesitation, worry and confusion began to disappear.
Her consciousness seemed to be immersed in the vibrant green ocean, and the burning pain in her back gradually disappeared, turning into some more primitive and chaotic impulse.
That desire is not simply aroused by beautiful looks or seductive inhuman forms.
It’s more because of the surging breath of the origin of life.
Su Cheng stepped forward and hugged Him.
The creature didn't make any further movements, but just stood there quietly, like a giant tree standing in the wind and rain, enduring her approach.
She buried her head in the other's chest, feeling the semi-wooden skin, part of which was a chest as smooth and strong as ice jade, and part of which was oily dark brown bark.
The contrasting touches are like two overlapping rivers of hot and cold, meandering across the sensitive skin of the cheek.
She felt the dark brown hair brushing across her neck and then sliding down her shoulders, like a moist waterfall or a vine after the rain.
Dense, rich, and entangled with delicate branches, it looks like an ancient and mysterious forest.
Even though one cannot hear the beating heartbeat or feel the blood flowing under the skin, there is still a vigorous and ancient vitality brewing in that body.
Su Cheng looked up at the dark bark with strange patterns on it.
They delineate the dividing line between nature and divinity.
"What is your wish?"
He raised his hand and embraced the girl's slender back in an inclusive and non-intimate manner.
"Or rather—"
His voice was still gentle and calm. "What brings you here?"
"Ah," Su Cheng looked up at Him, "There are many things I want to do, learn magic, enjoy delicious food, and go on adventures with... the people I care about, but in the end, the most important thing is probably survival."
He nodded slightly, then reached out and stroked the top of her hair, guiding her to look into the distance.
"That's right. The roots of all dreams are in the soil of life..."
She saw the lush woodlands of the Holy Dome of Pharthaea, and in that forest that looked like a sea of trees, it surged like waves in the wind.
"I've witnessed this place transform from a wasteland into what it is today..."
At the tips of the branches, the leaves are clustered with deep red amber crystals.
The color of the crystals is rich and full, stained with the morning dew, as if condensed with the scorching sun of the entire summer.
In the hot breeze, the two crystal fruits were trembling slightly, emitting an indescribable rich and warm breath.
She touched the rough and warm wood texture and climbed up the hard wood with the courage of an explorer.
Then I tasted the fruit.
It's like holding a handful of crisp snow, or like sipping sweet rain and nectar. The crystals contain the fragrance of the earth that awakens primordial memories.
Su Cheng felt like a traveler in the desert, her parched lips and tongue tasting sweet spring water, and instinctively nibbling and crushing it. Her consciousness seemed to drift away, being guided into the forest.
She walked among the vines of the giant tree. The dark brown vines embraced her, twisting and entwining between her muscles and bones. The hairs on the vines were like tiny needles, scratching the skin of her limbs.
A tingling and sour feeling like a weak electric current also exploded in the blood.
The lingering sobs were cut into pieces by the crystal.
She looked at the beautiful green that was like a whirlpool in the abyss, and couldn't help reaching out to touch the swaying branches, watching them rustle and sway, separating the rocks covering the ground.
The branches drooped on the soft ground, probably because a heavy rain had just passed and the bark was still stained with raindrops that had not yet dried up.
The crystal liquid flowed down along the rough lines and wet the tips of the branches.
The woodland was still soaked with moisture. Branches penetrated deep crevices covered with moss, touching the wet soil. A slight squeeze caused rainwater to overflow.
The roots that wanted to take root in the new land began to stretch, moist soil particles climbed up the rhizome lines, and the moss and grass leaves between the rocks were rubbed with water marks.
After the roots were completely buried in the ground, they quietly spread and branched out, and countless tiny tendrils began to extend outward, wrapping around the dead leaves buried in the soil, or continuing to extend downward.
The temperature in the forest was rising, and the tree seemed to absorb the heat, and its tangled roots on the ground began to rise and fall rhythmically.
It penetrates deep into the soil, kneading it softer with vibrations.
The moist soil tightly wraps around the branches, lovingly embracing the branches full of life.
They intertwined and merged with each other, almost becoming one, and large glowing traces extended across the forest.
Su Cheng woke up in a daze.
Her gaze was captured by the exquisite face before her, the sculpted, perfect yet inhuman body, and the green eyes that held within them millions of springs and summers.
There was no restlessness or decadence in the creature's pupils, only kind warmth and a certain kind of approval.
In the reflection of those green eyes, she saw countless distant illusions, ancient tree roots piercing the humus deep soil to the center of the earth, and the sweet spring of the source of creation was boiling.
Then came the torrents of early spring snowmelt, drenching the cursed earth.
Brings a sense of overflowing soul.
In a trance, someone held her hand and steady her swaying body.
Su Cheng saw a flash of golden and silver curls.
“It’s a moment to celebrate…”
Someone's voice seemed to ring in my mind.
The voice was ethereal and pleasant, with a happy smile and endless joy.
“…It should also be remembered.”
The next second, the illusory and beautiful figure shattered.
Su Cheng saw those rich green eyes again. There was no anger in them, just some helplessness.
She leaned back slightly, as if she was in a storm, or as if she had merged into the forest and become part of the branches and leaves of the giant tree.
Then--
He bowed His head and kissed her.
The soft lines on her lips were like delicate leaf veins, permeated with a sweet and clear source of life, like the spring rain that washed away the dust, and like the essence of billions of plants and trees.
She swallowed the power and felt it spread in her throat and flow into her internal organs.
Su Cheng felt as if his body was being torn apart and then quickly reassembled at the same time, as if he was broken into countless pieces.
"Your wish."
He said calmly, "It is to prevent existence itself from being extinguished, to protect the source of all possibilities. This is the purest desire for life—"
Su Cheng was stunned for a moment.
"It is promised that as a reward for having come this far, you will receive a gift that costs nothing."
He said, "From this moment on, the sharp blade of time will not leave a mark on your skin, and the shadow of death will no longer shroud your soul—"
It was as if He were speaking to her as He was stating this fact to someone else.
"...Even if my flesh is shattered and my bones and blood turn to ash, my new body will be reshaped by your will."
The half-human, half-tree creature smiled at her. "This is not a gift. It is my recognition of your 'desire'. It is the power I share out of respect."
Su Cheng could already feel that his body was being reshaped and renovated by some force.
——Maybe there is no difference from before, but like clothes that have been washed, all the dirt has disappeared.
The curse mark that she had been able to vaguely feel was no longer the same as before.
The supporting vines around it gradually shrank, and the roots spreading everywhere broke one after another and then melted into the soil.
The creature transformed into a handsome elf with brown hair and green eyes.
Su Cheng: "...The real Qing Ling died more than ten years ago, right?"
Qing Ling sighed softly, "Humans love to use words like death to draw boundaries, but in reality, they are just returning their bodies to the land beneath their feet."
He turned his head again and looked at the forest in the distance. "Look at those trees. They are all rooted in the soil where bones and blood have dissolved. This also exists—"
Qing Ling said gently, "He's not just trapped in a body. He just found a freer way to stay in this place he loves."
"Wait," Su Cheng was almost annoyed by him, "You don't agree with the human definition of death, but you appreciate my desire to live?"
"That's different." He smiled. "I don't believe that death is the end of existence, because humans always think that the disappearance of the body is equal to complete annihilation. I like your desire to hold on to life."
Qing Ling casually handed her a fallen leaf. "Look, from sprouting to falling, it follows a predetermined trajectory. When you faced a threat, you didn't pin your hopes on the other party. When you lacked strength, you didn't do nothing and just hope that the world would treat you kindly. You always strive, trying to change for those possibilities that have not yet been realized. I am accustomed to the cycle of nature, but I am in awe of those lives that burn on their own initiative. The former is a rule, the latter is a struggle. Moreover, if I was willing to accept my fate, perhaps I would not be standing here—"
Su Cheng nodded slowly, "...Does the captain know who you are?"
Qing Ling raised her eyebrows slightly. "Actually, I wanted to ask you the same question, but it seems the answer is already obvious, otherwise you wouldn't ask me this."
Su Cheng: “…”
This sentence sounded like it was asking whether the team leader knew who she was, but she didn't think that was what he meant.
Otherwise it would be too outrageous.
If he was talking about the identity of the leader, then she did have some guesses.
But if it is——
Su Cheng was suddenly stunned. "Wait, do you know who I am? Are you that voice?! You said I was more suitable than Lin Yun, so you chose me?"
"That voice?" Qing Ling tilted her head. "I've never had any form of communication with you."
Su Cheng: “…”
Her excitement immediately subsided.
Qing Ling groaned, "Actually, they all know who I am. According to your usual statement, the real Qing Ling is indeed gone—"
As he spoke, he turned his head and looked a little further away.
The Elf King stood there, along with several elders who also looked exhausted. They all looked at him with expressions of incredible shock.
Su Cheng suddenly realized that he had just had a wild fight with him.
Although it is blocked by those branches.
And theoretically, the elves probably didn't have time to think about what they were doing.
"Your Majesty!"
The Elf King took a few steps forward and spoke tremblingly, "Is it really you? You're back—"
The elders followed her, their expressions also full of anticipation, but also seemed a little afraid.
Qing Ling remained noncommittal. "I never left. The sacred tree is a part of me."
While they were talking, Su Cheng silently took out a piece of clothing from his bracelet, and when he looked down, he found a mark on his lower abdomen.
It was a pattern of a tree with lush branches and leaves, with a drooping and blooming crown extending upwards, and a trunk pointing straight down. Every golden-green light pattern was extremely shining.
…
Divine realm.
The blond young man was leaning against the pillar, with a beautiful and fertile tree depicted in the open book on his knees.
It was obviously an ancient book, bound with thread, and the pages were marked with the marks of time.
Beneath the tree mark, there was a line of flowing cursive characters.
——I pay my highest respects to the great ancient god, the ancestor of abundance, the master of life, the giver of breath.
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