Chapter 227-4: Virtual Seed, Real Root (4) |
“How beautiful.” Ashen Sigil said softly, his voice tinged with a slight choke.
He raised his head and looked toward the stars in the night sky as starlight fell upon his face.
Here he had recovered the strength of the Green Wood race and even more recovered the pride and faith that belonged to the Green Wood race.
Here he was able to prove that the legends of the Green Wood race truly existed.
Cradling the Wood-Spirit Flower, he stood. Under the primordial night, the outlines of trees loomed in the dim light, as if beckoning to him.
In Ashen Sigil’s eyes, this land was no longer just a game world. It was more like a bridge that connected to the past of the Green Wood race.
His dissatisfaction with the Lunar Eclipse race vanished at this moment, leaving only gratitude in his heart.
“Thank you for letting me witness such a miracle.”
Holding the Wood-Spirit Flower, Ashen Sigil walked slowly over the earth where greenery was in full bloom.
The plants around him swayed gently in the night wind, as if playing a silent hymn for him.
Every plant on this land seemed to be communicating with him. Their energy fluctuations intertwined with his spiritual power, forming a wondrous resonance.
Ashen Sigil passed through a patch of thorny vines. Plants that were usually fierce slowly retreated and opened a small path for him.
The flowers that released poisonous mists closed their petals, as if offering goodwill.
Even the carnivorous plants retracted their sharp leaves and became docile and quiet.
They seemed to have sensed the natural power on him. This harmony of all things in symbiosis filled Ashen Sigil’s heart with an indescribable emotion.
It was as if he truly belonged here, and the land underfoot had once been the homeland of the Green Wood race.
In the distance, a few players were carefully exploring this area.
They watched the surrounding plants with wary expressions. The plants here were very fierce, and one careless moment could get you caught.
However, when they saw Ashen Sigil’s figure, they froze.
“Hey, look over there.” One player widened his eyes and pointed toward Ashen Sigil.
The others followed his finger and were likewise stunned by the scene before them.
Ashen Sigil walked slowly among the plants, holding a softly glowing flower in his hands.
Those plants that were usually fierce were at this moment like docile pets, all making way for him.
This sight completely exceeded their understanding.
Among the existing Inherited souls there was no trait that could make a player avoid being attacked by monsters.
There was, however, one Inherited soul called Taunt that could intensify a monster’s desire to attack.
Just as the members of this player squad were struggling to make sense of it, Ashen Sigil went farther and farther away, his figure seeming to merge into nature.
At that moment he crouched down, planted the Wood-Spirit Flower in his hands into the soil, and then pressed his palm to the ground.
The soil felt warm and moist, as if he could sense the life within it.
His spiritual power seeped down along the cracks of the soil, interweaving with the energy of underground roots, microorganisms, and even rocks.
He immediately felt a flowing force, the flow of life and the cycle of energy.
He saw how the seed awakened in the soil, how it absorbed nutrients, and how it broke through the earth.
He also saw how the roots extended underground, how they connected with other plants, and how they merged with the earth.
This flow of life left Ashen Sigil incomparably shocked.
It also made him understand that nature was not static, but an ever-flowing, ever-changing whole.
Every life contributed its own strength to this whole, and at this moment he too became a part of it.
His spiritual power spread out with the land under his feet as the starting point.
In this process his consciousness gradually merged with the surrounding environment. He could feel the breath of every plant, the flow of every drop of water, and even the trajectory of every wisp of wind.
His consciousness was like an invisible great net, connecting all of this together.
The free life particles in the air quickly converged toward him. After seeping into his body, they were converted into special life energy and released.
His spiritual power was rapidly consumed in this process, like a spring being quickly drawn down.
Just then, a miracle occurred.
Centered on Ashen Sigil, the surrounding plants grew rapidly.
Lush green spread. Wildflowers on the grassland bloomed one after another. Tree trunks became thicker, and branches and leaves unfurled in the night wind.
Nearby plants sprouted and budded at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Vines coiled around trunks and climbed rapidly upward. The fruits in the shrubbery ripened quickly and gave off an enticing fragrance. Even the green grass and moss on the ground became denser, as if a soft, thick carpet had been laid over the earth.
The abilities branded in his bloodline were displayed naturally without Ashen Sigil even studying them.
His spiritual power was like a catalyst that awakened the sleeping land. Under his guidance all things displayed an unprecedented vigor and vitality.
The players secretly observing from the side were dumbfounded.
For this was not an ability that existed within the player system, and they suspected he was using a cheat.
At this moment, however, Ashen Sigil was thinking about a question.
Could natural abilities performed in a virtual environment be used to promote the development of natural technology in reality.
Conditions in reality were limited. Conducting an experiment required a huge price. Many powerful natural abilities required consuming decades of a racial member’s lifespan to perform even once.
The peak techniques in the inheritance could not be released even if the Green Wood race saved up for a lifetime.
If the experimental field were set in Monster World, this problem would be easily solved.
After all, the virtual world was a highly controllable environment that could provide ideal conditions for practicing natural technology.
And the accumulation of proficiency is a gradual process that requires a great deal of practical feedback. This virtual scene of Monster World could provide the Green Wood race with instant practice feedback and help them rapidly optimize their techniques.
There would be no pursuit of mastering ancient peak techniques, since Earth’s environment did not support them.
But many basic techniques, once mastered proficiently in Monster World, could be fully applied in reality.
With the idea formed, Ashen Sigil immediately decided to report his discovery to the governors.
As his hands left the earth, a strong wave of dizziness swept over him.
He summoned the attribute panel and found that the brief control of natural growth just now had drained his spiritual power to the bottom.
Without further thought, he decisively chose to log off.
—
One hour later.
While browsing the Monster World forum, the No. 3 governor once again received a call connection from the governors of the Green Wood race.
This gave him a guess.
The Green Wood race had made another new discovery in Monster World.
It was likely that a segment of real history had once again violated a taboo in the Green Wood race’s false history, making them feel insulted.
He still connected the call.
A light-screen image popped up before his eyes. The Green Wood race governor in the image looked excited.
Even before the Green Wood race governor spoke, the No. 3 governor felt relieved.
From the other party’s expression he could tell that this time he had not come to cause a scene and cry.
“No. 3 governor, I again apologize for my earlier impulsiveness.”
“That matter has passed. What is it you need from me now?” the No. 3 governor asked directly.
“We do not want the additional Level D resource aid, but I have a request.”
“Please speak.” the No. 3 governor asked, puzzled.
“In view of the centuries of friendship between the Green Wood race and the Lunar Eclipse race, I hope to obtain 100 player qualifications for Monster World…”
Before the Green Wood governor could finish, the No. 3 governor interrupted.
“Sorry, I am powerless.”
“Fifty player qualifications.”
“I am sorry…”
“Ten. You can agree to that this time, right?”
The No. 3 governor shook his head again, leaving no room for negotiation.
“Enough. Our conversation ends here. It is not that I will not help, but that I am powerless. I have other matters to attend to.”
“You are a governor of the Lunar Eclipse race. You can at least put in a word with Starnet. I will not ask for many, I just want five player qualifications…”
Ignoring the Green Wood governor’s persistent pestering, the No. 3 governor decisively hung up the video connection.
Looking at the Monster World forum on the light-screen, the No. 3 governor switched the page to the not-yet-open player-qualification lottery page and sighed inwardly.
It could be confirmed that the Green Wood race had made a pleasantly surprising discovery in Monster World.
This discovery would clearly bring a new opportunity to the development of the Green Wood race, which was why the Green Wood governor was so excited.
But player qualifications, who would not want them.