Heart of the World Tree

As they ventured deeper, the surrounding life energy grew even more potent. Starlight took a deep breath, drawing several strands of life force that had almost materialized into his chest. He carefully felt the nourishment of this power; it was as if the essence of the entire natural world was gathered here.

He didn't doubt for a moment that if a person could live in such a place long-term, even an ordinary human would possess at least double their normal lifespan.

Po Kong’s exclamation happened to voice his own thoughts at that moment.

“Whoa! The air here... I feel like my whole body has been revitalized. Little Crescent, is this where you Nature Priests usually cultivate? I’m so jealous!”

Moen gave a soft smile and explained gently.

“That’s one way to put it, but not just anyone can cultivate here for long. While the life energy here can greatly improve our efficiency, being immersed in this environment for too long can have irreversible effects on the body.”

Po Kong tilted his head, asking in confusion, “Effects? What kind of effects? Does becoming stronger count as an effect? If it were me, I’d want to stay in an environment like this every single day...”

Starlight, on the other hand, understood Moen’s meaning instantly. He patted Po Kong on the shoulder and said, “Though the life energy here is powerful and pure, our mortal bodies and souls need time to adapt and balance that power. Imagine if you truly grew accustomed to this concentration of energy; the outside air might very well become poison to you.”

Moen turned her gaze toward Starlight, clearly appreciative of his understanding, and continued.

“Starlight is right. Our cultivation requires moderation and rhythm. Even I cannot stay in this core area for extended periods, or my power would go out of control when I leave, causing irreversible damage to my body.”

“I see... but...” A look of realization dawned on Po Kong’s face, but it was quickly replaced by a trace of hesitation.

The perceptive Xia Duo saw through his thoughts instantly. Like a well-coordinated dance partner, she spoke up to voice his doubt.

“You want to ask why Aunt Angela can stay here all the time, right? We aren’t too sure about that either. We only know for certain that she is currently the only elf capable of doing so, which is why she has been able to live from thousands of years ago until now.”

“Well... still, a lifespan of several thousand years... that’s a length of time humans can hardly imagine,” Po Kong marveled.

“By the way, since she’s thousands of years old, why do you two call her ‘Aunt’? Even by elven standards, that must be a gap of countless generations, right?” Starlight asked curiously, blinking.

“Precisely because our lifespans are so long, the concept of seniority you humans use becomes somewhat useless here,” Moen replied with a gentle smile. “Aunt Angela once said that for those of us who have received the Blessing of the Mother Tree for a hundred years, using such a term is perfectly fine.”

The four chatted as they walked through the long tunnel. Here, even the concepts of time and space seemed to blur.

Finally, after an unknown amount of time, Starlight keenly sensed a change in the air.

He looked up to see the end of the tunnel being slowly unveiled as if by an invisible hand, and a soft, dazzling light instantly filled the entire space.

When they fully stepped out of the tunnel, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a massive space unlike anything they had ever seen before.

As his eyes gradually adjusted to the light pouring in from all directions, Starlight was deeply shaken by the sight.

The scene before him was strikingly similar to the fantasy land he had encountered in his dreams—massive tree hollows and branches arranged in an orderly fashion, surrounded by colorful flowers, plants, and winding vines.

Even the mysterious, moss-covered altar that bore the marks of time was recreated before his eyes with perfect accuracy, making him wonder if this was an intersection of dream and reality.

While Starlight was lost in thought, a clear and distant voice, like a melody from the heavens, drifted softly from the top of the far-off altar, interrupting his musings.

“You’ve arrived. Come up.”

Under Moen’s lead, the group slowly ascended the ancient altar.

Unlike the vision in Starlight’s dream, the mysterious girl did not appear at the top of the altar.

Instead, there was a massive chair meticulously woven from emerald-green vines. It floated quietly in the air as if it were alive, emitting a faint aura of nature.

In this chair, a slender figure reclined leisurely. Her presence seemed to merge with the surrounding world, harmonious and serene.

Around her, strands of emerald light flickered like sentient spirits, swaying gently with her every subtle movement, shimmering with the primal rhythm of life.

When the four finally reached the top of the altar, the figure on the vine chair sat up elegantly, like a beautiful scroll slowly unfurling. The High Priestess of the elves—Angela—revealed her world-shaking beauty to everyone.

Unlike the fresh and refined beauty of the two sisters, Moen and Xia Duo, Angela possessed a proud stature that exceeded the typical elven mold. Her beauty transcended mortal boundaries, appearing as nature’s most proud masterpiece.

On that face, which seemed too beautiful for the human world, long pale green hair swayed gently, shimmering with a soft and mysterious light, floating behind her without any wind.

Starlight and Po Kong couldn't help but be stunned by Angela’s beauty. Her appearance surpassed the scope of verbal description; perhaps only the gods who had vanished into the long river of history could compare to her.

However, what they found even more wonderful was that, facing such absolute beauty, they felt no sense of desecration or inappropriate thoughts. Instead, they were deeply drawn in by the warm and peaceful aura Angela radiated, as if she were the source of life and the starting point of all growth.

“Welcome to the Tree King Palace, or rather... the core of the World Tree. It has been several thousand years since the human race last set foot here.”

Angela’s voice flowed like a clear spring, gentle yet full of power. It brushed softly against the hearts of the four, waking Starlight and Po Kong from their brief trance.

Starlight’s thoughts quickly returned. He realized that this High Priestess was indeed someone he had never met before. Then who was the girl in the dream? This question lingered in his mind like a fog, causing him to frown slightly.

However, facing a top-tier powerhouse like Angela, Starlight and the others suddenly felt a surge of inexplicable tension. The questions they had been full of now felt impossible to voice.

They looked at each other, seeing the same hesitation and unease in one another's eyes.

In the end, it was Moen who broke the silence. She performed a salute with characteristic elven etiquette and spoke softly.

“Respected High Priestess, we have come as summoned. We were wondering...”

Before Moen could finish, Angela gently waved her arm. An invisible force, like a soft breeze, gently interrupted Moen’s formal speech, instantly easing the stiff atmosphere.

“Alright, little Moen. There are only a few of us here; there’s no need to be so formal. Just use your usual titles.”

Angela laughed crisply, her moving voice making one’s heart and mind feel refreshed.

Hearing this, Xia Duo couldn't help but sigh in relief. A bright smile bloomed on her face as she looked up at Angela, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“Okay, Aunt Angela. This really does feel much more comfortable. Did you summon us here specifically to tell us something important?”

However, Angela did not answer her directly. Instead, she let her gaze fall upon Starlight and Po Kong.

“Hmm... just as the World Tree informed me. A little fellow from the House of Mars and a Radiant Elemental Body... what a long-lost combination!”