Chapter 119 - 99: The Mother Tree’s Request
"Heir of the ancient will?" Shire muttered the words the Tree-man had spoken.
’He probably came looking for me,’ he thought. ’After all, that Pyramid Tower in my mind looked ancient, and I do have a fragment of the Celestial Tower Key.’
"Tree-men are usually very kind," Shan Xi Ao whispered, leaning close to Shire’s ear. "I’ve heard the elders in my clan talk about them. They’re creatures that live in the Nightmare Forest. They’re usually communal, like to sleep while standing on the ground, and rarely venture out. The elders often describe them as quiet, venerable figures, but they can be terrifying when angered."
Shire glanced at the little goblin by his face and sighed softly. This kid had such a grandiose, teenage mindset; once he set his mind on something, he’d stop at nothing to achieve it.
"Are you looking for me?" He stepped out from behind a tree, stood before the Tree-man, and looked up at it.
’He really is huge up close,’ Shire thought. ’I’m like a little pipsqueak in front of him. One stomp and I’d be a pancake.’
The Tree-man bent slightly at the waist, making a CREAK-CREAK sound. It stared at Shire with its two big eyes. "The Mother Tree said you are the one she is looking for. Would you please come back with me?"
Shire studied the Tree-man’s face with curiosity. It was enormous, and if it wasn’t speaking or moving, it looked no different from ordinary tree bark.
"What an interesting Race," he said under his breath, then asked loudly, "Who is the Mother Tree?"
"The Mother Tree is the mother of us Tree-men. She is sick and needs someone to heal her. The Mother Tree told me that if I walked due east, I would meet the person who could heal her."
"But I’m not a gardener," Shire said, spreading his hands in a helpless gesture.
"The Mother Tree said only you can heal her. A gardener cannot," the Tree-man repeated, using the same words.
’So stubborn,’ Shire thought, rubbing his chin. He was at a bit of a loss. It seemed this creature would keep pestering him until he agreed. "But I really don’t know how to heal trees."
"Let’s go check it out," Shan Xi Ao urged, flying to Shire’s side. "The elders all say that Tree-men rarely ask other Races for help. When they do make a request, there’s bound to be a reward."
"What kind of reward?" Shire asked curiously.
"The friendship of the Tree-men!" Shan Xi Ao said with a brilliant smile. "That’s some serious bragging rights."
"Anything else?"
"Uhh, the Favor of the Tree People..."
"Anything more... tangible?"
Shan Xi Ao gave Shire a look of slight disdain. "You’ve clearly never experienced the feeling of being revered by all living things."
However, he grew a little embarrassed under Shire’s gaze and averted his eyes. "Tree-men also bloom and bear fruit. I’ve heard the elders say they’ve collected flowers from them before."
"What are the fruits like?" Shire immediately latched onto the detail he was looking for.
"No idea. The elders never said."
Shire frowned at the unreliable little goblin before him. He really wanted to tie him up and hang him from the Tree-man’s branches like a "sunshine doll."
"Alright," Shire said to the Tree-man after a moment’s thought. "We’ll go with you."
’He doesn’t seem to have any ill intent, anyway. I’ll go have a look. If I can’t heal it, I can just apologize and leave. If I can, I’ll get the "friendship of the Tree-men," which might come in handy someday.’
"Please, follow me." The Tree-man’s tone was utterly respectful as it took the lead with heavy steps.
After a long while, Shire finally saw the Tree-man stop up ahead.
"Are we there?" he asked, walking over and looking up at it.
"We are, but the Mother Tree has grown weaker."
"Where is the Mother Tree?" Shire looked around, only to find they were surrounded by large trees.
"Inheritor, come closer." A female voice echoed in his mind, making Shire pause for a moment.
He scanned his surroundings warily but saw no change.
"A little closer," the voice sounded again.
Shire hesitated for a moment, then took two steps forward.
Then, the leaves on the ground swirled up as if caught in a whirlwind, flying everywhere like a solid wall.
Shire raised a hand to shield his eyes from the scraping leaves. But when he lowered his hand, he was shocked to find that, aside from a single great tree, there was nothing before him but a field of green grass.
"Where is this place?" he asked, turning his head to look around in astonishment.
"Do not be afraid. Come closer," the voice sounded again. Shire realized it seemed to be coming from the great tree.
He slowly approached, carefully examining the massive tree. Its trunk was so thick that several people couldn’t have wrapped their arms around it. Leaves were constantly falling from its crown—yellowed leaves, some of which had even turned black.
CRACK! The trunk of the great tree split down the middle, and a long-haired woman stepped out from the hollow within.
Her face was ageless but haggard. Her long, green hair cascaded down, draping over her body to form a long gown. This gown, however, was blackened from the hem all the way up to her thighs, and a dark fluid was seeping from it.
"You have finally come, Inheritor of the ancient will." The woman placed a hand on her chest and bowed.
"No, no, please rise," Shire said, waving his hands hastily.
"I am the Mother Tree, mother to these Tree-men," the woman said elegantly as she raised her head.
"Uh, hello," Shire said, giving a polite bow. He then asked, "I heard from the Tree-man that I’m needed for a healing."
"Yes. I ask that you treat my ailment and eliminate this crisis," the Mother Tree said with a nod.
"But I don’t know anything about healing trees. I’m just a goblin," Shire said with a helpless shrug.
"Please, hear my tale," the Mother Tree said, raising a hand and giving a slight curtsy.
"Alright." Shire looked up at the Mother Tree, gesturing for her to begin.
"I have lived in this forest for a very long time, always nurturing my Race. But one day, I felt a twinge of pain and discovered that I was connected to some white threads. Since then, my power has been gradually draining away, and the entire Tree-man Race has been weakening."
"I tried to use my consciousness to find the source of these threads and discovered they came from a great tree. This tree is different from the others; its trunk is white, and its crown is vast. Around this tree, no other forest life remains."
"This great tree is siphoning my strength. If this continues, it won’t be long before I die from power exhaustion, and the Tree-man Race will perish along with me."
"So I beg you, great Inheritor, please help me. Save my Race."
After speaking, the Mother Tree crossed her hands over her chest and bowed once more.
"Is it that tree that looks like a giant Mushroom?" Shire asked.
"Yes," said the Mother Tree.
Shire thought for a moment, then changed the subject. "How did you know to look for me?"
"The whispers of the forest advised me that I could seek your aid," the Mother Tree said calmly.
"The whispers of the forest?" Shire found that strange; he’d never heard of such a thing.
"Yes. He told me that only you can resolve this matter."
"He?" Shire caught the important information in her words. "Is it one of the Gods?"
"He is more powerful and divine than the Gods."
’If what she’s saying is true, then I’ve been noticed by a being even more powerful than the Four Gods. And this being said that only I can solve this problem.’
"What do you need me to do?" he asked.
"You only need to burn down that white tree," the Mother Tree said with an elegant, slight nod.
"Is that all? If it’s already turned into a Mushroom, there must be a vast network of mycelium underground, right?"
"That is not a concern. As long as you deal with the tree and the villain hiding behind it, I can use my own power to interfere with the mycelium."
"Alright." After a few seconds of thought, Shire finally nodded in agreement.
’Besides, a powerful god has taken an interest in me. This task probably won’t be too difficult.’
"I will prepare my own leaves for you. Please wrap them around your and your companions’ feet. That way, you will not be affected by the white tree’s mycelium."
Shire nodded to show he understood.
Again, leaves swirled up from the ground. When Shire came to his senses, he found himself standing next to the Tree-man once more. In front of him was a stack of leaves, each over twenty centimeters long.
"Where did you just go? You suddenly disappeared," Shan Xi Ao asked, flying over.
"Oh, just went to meet the Tree-man’s parent," Shire said nonchalantly.
"Parent?" Shan Xi Ao yelped. "You met the Mother Tree? Which one is she? Can you point her out to me?"
Shire scanned the forest before them, holding back for a long moment before finally saying, "She’s very shy. Doesn’t like meeting strangers."
Shan Xi Ao gave him a look that said, *I was wrong about you,* and flew off dejectedly.
"I’ve already promised the Mother Tree that I would help you," Shire said, looking up at the Tree-man.
The Tree-man bent down slightly, staring at the goblin before it with its two large eyes. "Thank you."
Shire waved his hand dismissively, as if to say it was nothing. Then he bent down and picked up the long leaves from the ground. They were thick and seemed to have a certain resilience.
"The Mother Tree’s leaves." He held one up to his foot and found that the size was just about right.
"Nine-finger." Shire called over his subordinate and told him to figure out a way to fashion them into shoes to wear on their feet.
THUD, THUD, THUD. A series of footsteps caught Shire’s attention. He turned his head and saw several three-meter-tall monsters that looked like dried, twisted trees shambling toward them.
"What are those?" Shire asked, turning to the Tree-man.
"Withered Monsters. They are my brothers, but they are no longer members of our Race. They were affected... they’ve gone mad." A trace of sorrow tinged the Tree-man’s ancient voice.
"Mad? You mean they attack other Tree-men?" Shire asked.
"Yes. After the Mother Tree was affected, some of the Tree-men mutated." The Tree-man lowered its head to gaze at the goblin, a tear-like sap trickling from its eyes. It pleaded, "Please... kill them."
Shire looked at the Tree-man in silence. He could feel the helplessness in its words. They were all supposed to be children of the Mother Tree, yet now one of them had to beg an outsider to kill its own brothers.
"Alright," Shire agreed with a solemn nod.
"ROAR—" The Withered Monsters noticed the commotion and charged over, howling.