Ascension of the Sylvan Cosmos.

Chapter 39. Level 4!

Liu Shu was excited today. Why was she excited? Well, this is what her accumulated experience showed.

Accumulated Experience: 1098

Liu Shu giggled in her mind, feeling happy. 'Just a little bit more~. What would be the changes? Will I gain anything new? Perhaps a new fruit! Or, or, hm… What more can I learn? Oh! A new skill? But… I hope it isn't too high level, or I won't be able to use it…' Liu Shu realized. "Right! There is also the basic stat gain! Will I become much stronger? Perhaps I can fight that big bad guy!'

Liu Shu's branches happily swayed from side to side. Although the movement was not that noticeable, it was enough to hear a very gentle and soothing rustling of leaves.

Flor opened her eyes from her sleep, feeling the mood of the young World Tree, and yawned. "Are you happy, Liu Shu?"

Liu Shu answered in her mind even though Flor couldn't understand. 'Yes! Today is my Level Up day! Hehehehe. What do you think I will develop, Flor? I hope that I can become bigger! Also, also. I want to have my roots go deeper. I've found very yummy things under the earth, which is nice~. Hehehe.'

Flor felt waves of energy with a meaning close to calling her and saying that she was happy, making the Rose Fairy Queen feel like Liu Shu suddenly had a problem. 'Why is she calling me and telling me she is happy? I wonder what goes through a tree's head?' 

Then, Liu Shu realized something. 'Oh… But when I become bigger, the Rose Fairies will have a harder time cleaning me and taking care of me…' A difficult decision was presented, but it was almost instantly discarded. 'I want to grow big! How big? Bigggg.'

While Word Trees could be considered a blessing for creatures on land, air, and even water, they were very voracious in their own territory. As the World Tree's roots spread, the flora changed or subordinated to them, becoming their source of energy and strength. That's why, stats-wise, World Trees were usually in an entire dimension of their own. Of course, the tier was the thing that affected stats the most at the same level, the only detail that couldn't be seen through the system's interface.

However, more often than not, Tier was innate and unchanging. It changing was rare, and for large changes, you would need lucky chances and powerful treasures or the influence of an exceptional creature.

After taking a deep inhalation of the forest's breath, Flor looked at the sunrise and smiled and commented. "A new beautiful day." Then, she checked her injury and saw that it was mostly healed. Her Phoer Body Shards were also at more than 90%, making her feel healthy.

Her Aether Mana Shards were still lacking; after all, she used a good chunk to heal her wounds and kill the human. 'It will take around a week to recover to my peak. Liu Shu's berries can only help me recover an extra 50 per day, which is honestly not much. Still, it helps.'

Thinking of them, she flew to one of the branches and gently picked five of them. While there were special fairies in charge of this action, Flor was their Queen, and she could do as she pleased.

Flor sat back on Liu Shu's branch and smiled. "Liu Shu, your fruits are as delicious as ever."

Liu Shu looked at her with speechlessness written all over her aura. '…'

As Flor calmly ate her berries, she was suddenly bombarded by Liu Shu. 'Flor~ use that skill on me! Flor, Flor~. Use that red duuuust, Floooor. Why are you not using it? Use it, use it~. I'm about to Level up! I waaaant toooo Leveeeel Uuuuup!'

Thankfully, or not, Flor didn't understand a word other than that Liu Shu was calling her incessantly. Her eyebrow twitched constantly as waves of aura hit her brain one after another. 'What now? What's wrong? Aren't I literally sitting on her branches? Why is she calling me!'

Flor coughed and asked. "What do you want, Liu Shu? Can you stop bombarding me with messages?"

Liu Shu stopped, looking at the Rose Fairy with curiosity. 'Do their eyebrows twitch when they receive my messages? I need to be careful then.'

Flor thought about it and sighed. "Well, let me do the morning routine before we talk."

Liu Shu laughed. 'Hehe, she answered what I wanted without knowing~.'

[A <Rose Fairy Queen Level 12> has used <Royal Pollination> on you. You've gained 9 Experience Points.]

[<Basic Pollination> has been used with <Royal Pollination>. Aether +12, Physique +12, Anima +12, Willpower +12. Duration: 23:59:59]

[You've gained a 5% increase in plant production rate and growth rate! Duration 23:59:59]

Reading the three messages that appeared every day, Liu Shu felt delighted. 'Hehe, finally I have enough~.'

[You've used <Basic World Energy gathering>. You've gained 3 Experience Points.]

'And so, my accumulated experience is…'

Accumulated experience: 1110

Liu Shu giggled and then looked at her level

Level: 3 [0/1110]

Liu Shu giggled again. 'Perfect Experience Points!'

Then, without thinking anymore, Liu Shu threw everything to her level. 'Level up!'

The Level Up was not instant.

The Rose Fairies that were flying around like usual first felt a profound energy pulse. Flor's face went from helpless to surprised to delighted. "So, the little one was calling me because she needed the experience to Level Up!"

Thinking about the ruckus Liu Shu caused when she leveled up the previous time, she felt like she had to do something. "Zinia, go and call ignatia. Tell her to bring a few Ant Warriors. I don't know how much time Liu Shu needs to Level Up, but just in case."

Meanwhile, Liu Shu lost connection with the outside as every sense in her body focused on herself. Feeling the energy that came from the Experience Points slowly nurturing her body and stretching it by feeding it pure energy, Liu Shu groaned in delight. 'So nice~.'

As her body gained sturdiness and vitality, her Physique stat also increased.

As her energy reserves evolved and deepened, her Aether stat also augmented.

As her soul gained extra energy and grew, her Anima stat also improved.

As her mind sharpened and became clearer, her Willpower stat also amplified.

And, as her aura spread through the fabric of the cosmos, her Destiny stat also improved.

Gently, slowly, that energy transformed her body and refined it.

In that manner, everything about Liu Shu grew and became stronger. Her branches creaked slowly as they lengthened, her trunk created low and rumbling noises as she grew, and her roots moved the earth around her.

Then, when every inch of her body was improved by the experience-energy, her aura ballooned and burst out.

BOOM!

The Rose Fairies saw a gentle aura spreading past them, making them feel relaxed and invigorated. Ignatia had arrived a while ago, looking at Liu Shu with a stunned expression. "Flor."

Flor smiled. "What's wrong?"

Ignatia looked at her with a clearly surprised facial expression, enough that even with her compound items, Flor could see her incredulity. "T-That, her. S-She is not a tree!"

Flor's eyebrow raised. "Oh? You know?"

Ignatia looked at the relaxed Rose Fairy Queen with a dumbfounded face. "No wonder you are so eager about her…"

Inside, she was thinking of many paths of action. 'What to do? This is insane! There is a World Tree right before my nose!'

Ignatia felt a deep urge to beg the World Tree to allow her nest to be built under it. 'Robust larvae free of illness will be born with the help of the natural aura passively emitted by all World Trees. If I beg her enough or beg her friends, it might be possible to nest below her.'

Meanwhile, Liu Shu grew and grew, finally reaching an imposing six-meter height. With the thickness of her trunk and the width of her gorgeous canopy, she could be considered a young and proper tree instead of a sapling.

Then, Liu Shu's mind was filled with messages.

[Level Up!]

[Aether +7, Physique +9, Anima +8, Willpower +10, Destiny +100.]

[You've gained a new fruit!]

[You've completed one Basic item before reaching Level 10! Rewarding <Level 5 Sylvanium Branch Accessory (Flawless Basic Rank)>]

[Level 4 Sylvanium Branch Accessory (Basic Rank Flawless Level)]

+48 Aether Mana

+48 Phoer

+48 Anima Energy

Aether (+12), Physique (+12), Anima (+12), Willpower (+12).

[Sylvanium Shard (active)]: Use to create one Sylvanium Shard. Cooldown 1 Day.

Note: A perfectly crafted Sylvanium branch explicitly made for World Trees. It can transform one of the tree's branches into a <Sylvanium Branch>, allowing the World Tree to produce one Shard a day.

(Author Note: Equipment and Buffs will appear merged in the sum to the basic stats.)

***

Name: Tianlian Liu Shu

Titles: 

<Awakened>: A title that's gained when a tree gains sapience and evolves, gaining human-like intelligence. 

<World Tree>: A tree that can grow to be an overlord, admired by many, hated by some.

Hidden titles: [9]

Race: World Tree.

Energy Method: Basic World Energy Gathering (Gathers experience points*Level per day.)

Level: 4 [0/1900]

Aether Mana Shards: 2962/2962 (+106.7/Hour)

Phoer Body Shards: 3959/3959 (+142.6/Hour)

Anima Energy Shards: 3034/3034 (+109.3/Hour)

Attributes: Aether 59 (28+31), Physique 73 (36+37), Anima 63 (32+31), Willpower 64 (40+24), Destiny 400 (400)

Affinity Percentage: Aether Resonance (25), Physique Refinement (35), Anima Affinity (20)

Resistance Percentage: Aether Resistance (37), Physique Resistance (42), Spiritual Resistance (38), Mental Resistance (41)

Talents:

<Enchanted Growth (E+ Rank level 1 [750/18000])>: Stimulates the rapid growth of nearby flora, creating vibrant and mesmerizing plant life. Use consumes Aether Mana and Anima Energy.

<Woodcrafter (E Rank Level MAX)>: The World Tree can create tools and similar items with basic effects. It costs Aether Mana and Anima Energy if there are materials. If the World Tree wants to use itself as material, it will also cost Phoer.

<Nature's Gift (F Rank level MAX)>: Produces small, magical fruits with unique and beneficial properties. It uses Anima Energy and Aether Mana to produce. Depending on the strength of the fruits, there is a chance that they will also need Phoer.

Current Fruits Available: <Delicious Berry (F- Rank)>: +1 exp to Level 9 and lower. Max: 3; <Basic Phoer Berry (F- Rank)>: +10 Phoer Body Shards. Max: 5; <Basic Mana Berry (F- Rank)>: +10 Aether Mana Shards. Max: 5; <Basic Energy Berry (F- Rank)>: +10 Anima Energy Shards. Max: 5; *<Basic Breakthrough Berry>: Can help the creature break through a small level in the F Tier (unable to help break through into the E Tier). You can ingest one every 10 years.

 <Willow Strike (F Rank level 4 [510/9300])>: The World Tree is from a willow family, with characteristic long but thin branches. She can use Aether Mana to move them and strike a target. Range 25 meters.

<Willow Strike Barrage (F Rank level 4 [10/9300])>: The World Tree uses all her branches to strike at her enemy. She can use Aether Mana to trigger this skill, allowing her to attack for three seconds uninterrupted. Range 18 meters.

Passive Skills:

<World Tree Heart (A Rank Level 1 [0/589900])>: A core has formed in the middle of the Tree. As long as the core doesn't receive heavy damage, the tree can recover from any external injury. Depending on the damage, it will take longer. Innate Regeneration Increased, Innate Resistances increased, and Innate Affinities increased.

<World Tree Eye (C Rank level 1 [2100/144000])>: You can see as far as your roots extend.

<World Tree Wisdom (SSS Rank Level Max.)>: You can understand all languages as long as they are complex enough to be considered a language by the system.

<Charm of the Seedling (F Rank Level MAX)>: Attracts small animals and insects to the area, fostering a harmonious ecosystem. There is a very small chance of attracting a friendly, bigger animal or insect that will help protect you. Creatures below the F Rank will be affected with much ease.

Accumulated Experience: 0

Currency: Sylvanium Shards [140], Etherium Shards [140], Ascendium Shards [140], Celestium Shards [140], Cognium Shards [140].

***

Liu Shu became astounded. 'Wow~! Big numbers!'