Chương 361: Anguished Hearts.

On Thalgryn's side, a woman wearing white knight armor spoke to her.

"Thalgryn, we've come to reinforce the <Celestial Lotus Empire> Territory. Not to baby the World Tree." Thalgryn looked at the human woman with a cold expression and asked.

"The territory that Lady Celestial Lotus reaches with her roots is our territory?" The woman frowned.

"What are you asking? Isn't that a matter of course?"

"Then, shut up and protect the territory that Liu Shu conquers! The territory Liu Shu conquered is also our territory! Moreover, those bastards are from the Nexus; that reason alone is enough to fight!" The armored woman glanced at the approaching army and frowned.

"There will be deaths on our side. It's impossible to avoid it."

"So be it." Thalgryn snorted and pointed forward with her war glaive.

"Now, charge!" The 300 beast riders obeyed Thalgryn and ignored the armored woman's expression. They were appointed as Thalgryn's particular cavalry unit to reward her for the information that she had brought back. Her warning about being left out on purpose, which Liu Shu suggested, caused quite a few ripples. Thalgryn was rewarded with a few things, like an increase in rank, and was appointed as Liu Shu's guardian.

To help the new World Tree, they sent 300 people, who the woman in white armor had previously commanded. Now, she had been relegated to a second-in-command, with Thalgryn's orders being absolute. This caused some resentment in her, which caused the previous argument. Meanwhile, Liu Shu's mind, which was starting to become muddled, saw Thalgryn's figure, and a hint of clarity returned.

She noticed that she had actually disregarded her roots in the <Dark Aether Swamp> for a little while, losing almost 100 meters of progress and causing a few deaths on her side. Guilt flooded into Liu Shu's heart like water that poured down a broken dam. Thalgryn's voice reached her very clearly.

"Little Liu Shu, leave this side of me. Don't worry. We'll clear this place and rush to help you with the <Dark Aether Swamp>. All 300 of us have accepted your quest!" A chocked emotion spread in Liu Shu's heart, making her feel teary.

"Liu'er!" Hearing the other person calling her, Liu Shu looked over and saw Verdantia and the others being dropped at the entrance of her Core Room by Ruby. The four Sylvans had serious looks as they spoke to her.

"Let us enter, love. Don't worry, okay? Everything will be okay." The tears gathering from Thalgryn accumulated further, threatening to spill. The word from the third person finally made her tears flow freely. It was Ignatia.

"Love, I am here. Your sisters have gathered. Don't worry. We will burn down your enemies." Far from where the army was fighting against the <Dark Aether Swamp>, a tunnel opened, and ants started pouring out like a river. Ignatia was standing on the head of the ant leading the army, and her aura was terrifying while her expression was full of anger.

The second the mission occurred, Ignatia's entire nest had stopped doing their things, reducing the people standing in each post to the minimum, and they started digging in the <Dark Aether Swamp>'s direction like crazy maniacs. Their advancing speed was not as fast, but they could create a massive tunnel leading straight into the Corrupted Land. Now, they finally created the entrance and were able to come out like a swarm.

All the ants who usually didn't show many emotions were furious, and it showed as the march was not as orderly as other times. The faster ones were actually pulling ahead of the others, wanting to reach the Swamp and burn down everything in their way. Once they arrived, Ignatia spoke coldly as her aura swelled.

"Those who threaten my child will become her fertilizer!" Once it reached the limits, Ignatia jumped from the head of the ant, far above the trees' canopies, and she released a terrifying scream.

"<Ant Queen's Ire>!" SCREEEECHH! The piercing screech full of anger echoed for kilometers, giving chills to everyone who heard.

'What kind of monster has been angered!?' Galia's face dropped, showing a hint of warning.

"Prepare for battle!" However, Flor shook her head and smiled coldly.

"Don't be so tense. That's not an enemy."

"What do you mean?" Flor snorted.

"That's the sound marking the beginning of the end for this Corrupted World Tree." Galia was slightly confused until the image of the ants flashed in her mind.

"That's…" Flor smiled coldly.

"Our resident Ant Queen. Her love for Liu Shu doesn't lose to my own, and now she is really angry." Her energy gathered in her throat, and she shouted coldly.

"PUSH FORWARD! The ants will relieve our pressure!" Three battlefronts collided into a brutal conflict. On Orin's side, once they realized the Level of the people charging at them, their faces transformed from confident into fearful. The 300 people mounting 300 Level 50+ beast mounts collided against the army of thousands without a single shred of mercy. Even the white-armored woman didn't hold back, wanting to release her pent-up frustrations on the people in front of her.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. To call it a battle would be an overstatement; it was much more similar to a massacre. When the ants arrived, the Corrupted World Tree felt a hint of threat for the first time. It could hold back everything, but this added pressure was like the last final gust that cracked the dry ancient branch.

'No! I refuse! I refuse to lose!' Her emotions were filled with ruthlessness, feeling that the enemy World Tree was becoming more and more corrupted.

'Since you are so hasty to defeat me, I'll at least make your World Tree fall!' Her aura skyrocketed, a pillar of corrupted light soaring skyward. When the pillar appeared, all the beasts in what was left of the swamp rushed back, leaving Flor and the others confused.

"What is happening?" Galia squinted her eyes and spoke.

"She is probably gathering the remaining forces in the center of the forest to make a last stand. She has just understood that resisting is the best way to make Liu Shu fall. If Liu Shu falls, it will be our loss even if we manage to defeat her." Flor's face was solemn, and she spoke aloud.

"Demolish the trees in our way! We'll rest before the final confrontation and do a few attacks to probe the Corrupted World Tree's core defenses. Tomorrow, we will attack the Corrupted World Tree's main body!" Meanwhile, Thalgryn's group was demolishing the enemy group, sweeping through the army of several tens of thousands effortlessly. Orin's face turned ugly when his people began to die, and he immediately shouted.

"Retreat! Thalgryn, stop the attack! We are retreating!" Thalgryn glanced at him coldly, her aura bursting outward and making waves.

"You are lucky that I can't pay attention to you now, or else, your pitiful life would've ended here! Now, scram!" Orin glared at Thalgryn, but he still retreated. His direction was the Wall Forest. While Thalgryn's charge somewhat damaged his army, he still had enough strength left to conquer the place that he was ordered to. Thalgryn looked at them coldly and pondered.

'Why did they leave in that direction? Is the Nexus planning something?' She wanted to investigate, but the unsightly message at the lower corner of her vision made her change her mind. [Corruption Level: 58%] That number made her heart feel heavy, and she quickly shouted.

"To the <Dark Aether Swamp>! That Corrupted World Tree has lived long enough!" The 300 beast riders quickly changed directions and left. Back in the Golden Sap City, the four Sylvans had arrived in front of the Petal Door. However, once here, their faces were ugly and solemn. The previous clear and beautiful Petal door was now filled with black cracks. Moreover, the light in the petals was slowly receding. Looking at each other and the ominous atmosphere around them, they couldn't help but have a heavy heart.

Verdantia stepped forward and pushed the Petal Door open. The large and empty Core Room had black pulsing veins going around it, and the light was faint, creating shadows at the sides. Their eyes swept the place, trying to spot their lover's Avatar. The Core Room was large, but the lack of items made it easy for them to spot her. Looking at the curled-up naked figure in the distance, their hearts squeezed with pain. Even when they couldn't see her properly, the change was too large not to notice.

The group of four approached, but unlike the previous times when Liu Shu would run toward them with a big smile, the petite girl in the distance didn't move.

"Liu'er?" Verdantia's careful and gentle tone reached Liu Shu, but the girl didn't move.

"Shu'er, we are here to be with you, so don't be afraid anymore, okay?" Tempestria's calm and careful tone reached the curled-up girl, but she didn't move.

"Lian'er, how about I sing your favorite song? Will that make you feel better?" Harmonixia asked after the other two when there was no reaction. She didn't succeed, though. Only a stifling silence filled the Core Room. Cinderielle sighed and spoke gently.

"Tiantian. We are here to take care of you until the big bad tree is defeated. Come and hug us like you always do." The four Sylvans finally arrived near Liu Shu, and their eyes couldn't help but sting with tears. Liu Shu's usually fair and spotless skin had strange black veins going around. Her ethereally beautiful jade-green hair had lost a lot of its original luster, and the previous pretty and pink rounded nails were now sharper and black. Once they arrived in front of Liu Shu, they didn't know what to do.

Tempestria stepped forward and tried to touch Liu Shu, but a thorny vine slapped her hand away. At this moment, Liu Shu spoke for the first time.

"Go away." Her hoarse and trembling voice made the four Sylvans feel as if a knife was stabbing them in the heart. Tempestria's grey eyes became determined as she spoke softly.

"I won't go, Liu Shu. Come and let me hug you. I promise that I'll pamper you until you feel better." Liu Shu raised her head and raised her voice.

"I said leave!" Once Liu Shu raised her head, the hearts of the four Sylvans almost stopped. Her soft, cute, and beautiful face was marred with black lines, giving her a scary look. Of her two enchanting amethyst eyes, one of them was entirely black, and the pink petal-like lips were whitish in color, showing a sickly complexion. Seeing such a terrifying effect on Liu Shu's human body, they finally understood how deeply advanced the corruption was.

Having gone over 50%, Liu Shu was closer to a Corrupt World Tree than a normal one. Right then, she was using her entire willpower not to snap at them and attack. However, there was a strange thing. Each time she almost lost control to attack, her heart would hurt so much that she was unable to do so. It was as if her very essence didn't want to attack these four people. So, feeling as if there was something strangling her throat and grabbing her heart, Liu Shu could only tell them to leave.

When Liu Shu raised her face, she had already expected them to show a terrified face. Yet, the next moment, four bodies gently but firmly surrounded and hugged her tightly.

'H-Huh?' Liu Shu was flustered and confused, not knowing what to do. Still, her heart felt a strange surge of security and relief, as if the four people around her could shield her from rain and thunder. Tears started spilling from Liu Shu's eyes, creating a clear stream from her normal eye and a black one from her other eye. Feeling wronged and scared, her built-up defenses finally crumbled, and she started sobbing.

"I-I am scared… I don't, sob, like what I am becoming." Cinderielle's eyes were threatening to spill tears, but she held back.

"Liu Shu, you will be okay. I promise." Her face turned ferocious, her killing intent toward the Nexus almost spilling out like a hurricane.

"Even if I have to flatten the entire <Abyssal Void Nexus>, I'll make sure that you are fine." The other three Sylvans also showed ferocious expressions very similar to Cinderielle. If they could, they would behead everyone from that power right there and then! How dare they make their Liu Shu go through this!? The four whispered ominously.

"Nexus, this offense, I've remembered it."