Chương 744: Comprehensive Upgrade In Skills!

Time flew by quickly, but as it did, Liu Shu received news from Elyne. This news surprised her quite a bit, but at the same time, not so much. Seeing Elyne's somewhat indignant face, Liu Shu was amused.

"Did you expect them to send an army to help me or something?" Elyne humphed.

"Isn't that obvious? You, Liu Shu, can become one of the Covenant's pillars of strength. Yet, that leader told me they won't give us any aid whatsoever against a Star Emperor! That's basically sending us to our deaths from their perspective!" Liu Shu, smiling and leaning on her little hand, asked with a chuckle.

"Then, tell me, Elyne. What have we revealed to the Covenant to make them value us?" Elyne opened her mouth, then, she paused. As she recalled her conversations with those people who wanted reports, her face turned a bit awkward.

"That… Um…" Liu Shu spoke softly, her usual adorable face gaining that touch of maturity and gentleness that represented her existence.

"For them, it is normal to come to this decision, Elyne. To begin with, my cooperation with the Covenant has always been shaky. The Covenant is a power with a True World Tree probably tens of thousands of years old. This True World Tree has believed and acted on the principle of 'There can only be one World Tree.' With this attitude, convincing her in the future is going to be a losing battle." Elyne muttered, a bit unconvinced.

"Even then…" Liu Shu smiled and added.

"Moreover, Elyne. What you've done is not wrong. If you revealed our information to the Covenant's higher-ups, that information would naturally fall into the ears of the True World Tree. This World Tree would most likely think I am some kind of Hive Mind-type World Tree, scaring it and making us the Covenant's enemy. So, your choices are not wrong as well." Elyne looked at Liu Shu and then felt a bit sad for her.

"Liu Shu… isn't that a bit too lonely? Anti-World Tree powers hate you for your potential, and World Tree powers hate you for your ability to gently assimilate World Trees." Liu Shu's gaze became peculiar as she chuckled.

"If you use the word 'assimilate,' then they are very right to be afraid." Elyne sighed.

"Then, what's the plan, Liu Shu? The enemy has a Star Emperor. That's a true Level 200+ powerhouse. Their strength is off-the-charts." Liu Shu leaned back onto the chair, stirring the warm tea in her hands with a wooden spoon.

"When I was a <First Energy Cycle>, <Second Energy Cycles> tried to invade me. When I was at the second, the third ones did so as well. When I was at the third, the fourth ones came knocking. I even fought peak Level 99 beings whose strength was close to that of a Level 100 being, and I've stomped Star Lords when I just reached Level 100." Hearing her say that made Elyne's heart surge. Liu Shu had, as she told her, been fighting an uphill battle her whole life, and ultimately being the final victorious party.

Liu Shu, looking at Elyne, smiled gently.

"This time, like always, we will fight tooth and nail for victory. If we fail, that's it. If we win, we will continue onward. It has always been like this, and it will continue to be as such." Her amethyst-colored eyes shone with incomparable battle intent that was rare within a World Tree.

"Regardless of who comes, I will fight until my last branch breaks, until my last root stops responding. For I am the Heavenly Willow Tree, leader of the Golden Sap Empire, and mother of my children. For those three reasons, I will fight… and I will win." At this moment, as if awakened by her boundless will, the system dinged a few times. [Congratulations! <Talent: Soulseed Projection> has completed its upgrade!] [Congratulations! <Talent: Temple Seed> has completed its upgrade!] [Congratulations! <Talent: Curse Cleansing Aurora> has completed its upgrade!] [Congratulations! <Talent: World Tree Calling> has completed its upgrade!] [Congratulations! <Talent: Accelerate> has completed its upgrade!] [Congratulations! <Talent: Slow> has completed its upgrade!] [Congratulations! <Talent: Stop> has completed its upgrade!] [Congratulations! <Passive Skill: Soul Enthralling World Tree> has completed its upgrade!] [Congratulations! <Passive Skill: World Tree Eye> has completed its upgrade!] [Congratulations! <Passive Skill: Cerulean Blood> has completed its upgrade!] Liu Shu smiled, her eyes moving to those messages.

"Here it is. Let's see… System, show me the changes to my skills. [Compiling…] [The following is a comprehensive list of Tianlian Liu Shu's upgraded skills.] TALENTS: <Soulseed Projection (A+ Rank Level 1 [0/707, 500])>: Produce 1 <Soulseed> every 10 → 5 years, via <Sylvan Quest>, or by assimilating <World Trees>. Plant Soulseeds as waypoints to project body (70 → 75% stats). NEW: Can manipulate size to reduce up to 1/10th of the original's size.

<Temple Seed (A+ Rank Level 1 [0/707, 500])>: Create <Temple Seeds> (3 → 6 per Temple / 5 years). Can plant outside the domain to spread Temple buffs. Grows into <Temple Tree> equal to Temple Level & Tier.

NEW: All <Temple Seeds> gain offensive and defensive skills equal to their main <Temple>. <Curse Cleansing Aurora (A+ Rank Level 1 [0/707, 500])>: Aura purges corruption/curses ≤ Tier. Chance to reverse curse into blessing. Deal damage related to your <Anima> and <Willpower>. Area = Height x 6. 5 → 30. <World Tree Calling (A+ Rank Level 1 [0/707, 500])>: Summons Arboreal Winged Serpents. Max Tier: A → A+. (Overwritten by <Sprouts Of Chaos> to S- Tier) Max Level: Your Level.

Maximum Summons: 200 → 300 You can use extra energy to summon a special summon. It takes 25 → 20 slots. (Your Level +30, Your Tier +1) <Acceleration Domain (S- Rank Level 1 [0/839, 900])> You can hasten the flow of time around a target → chosen area. NEW: It only affects those you want. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Increases growth, recovery, and action speed up to 15% → 50%. Time acceleration reduces skill cooldowns proportionally.

Overuse can destabilize → lightly destabilize the target's time balance, creating permanent, damaging effects. Duration: Up to 15 → 60 Seconds. NEW: Max Area = Height x 50 <Slow Domain (S- Rank Level 1 [0/839, 900])>: You can slow the flow of time around a target → chosen area. NEW: It only affects those you want. Reduces target speed, recovery, and regeneration up to 15% → 50%. Skills, tick rates, and cooldowns can stretch under its effect.

NEW: Overuse can lightly destabilize the target's time balance, creating permanent, damaging effects. Duration: Up to 15 → 60 Seconds. NEW: Max Area = Height x 50 <Stop Domain (S- Rank Level 1 [0/839, 900])> You can stop the flow of time around a chosen area, affecting only those you want. You can freeze time in an area up to Height x2 → x10. Cannot be resisted by beings of a lower Tier. During <Stop>, accumulate 15% → 25% of damage/healing.

After effect, all halted targets suffer <Temporal Fracture>, exploding all accumulated damage/healing while reducing all resistances by 15% → 50% for 1 → 10 minutes. Duration: Up to 1. 5 → 6 Seconds. NEW: Opponents affected by <Temporal Fracture> will have 90% resistance to this skill. PASSIVE SKILLS <Soul Enthralling World Tree (A+ Rank Level 1 [0/707, 500])>: Aura inspires awe across all beings. Natural Charm increases → considerably increases. Voice can affect/damage → considerably affect/damage souls.

Souls dying in the domain are purified and reborn through you. NEW: This now includes corrupted souls. <World Tree Eye (A+ Rank Level 1 [0/707, 500])>: Vision extended through roots; clarity comparable → superior to natural sight. Can perceive ternary essences of opponents. NEW: Can guess their overall strength more accurately. <Cerulean Bloodsap (A+ Rank Level 1 [0/707, 500])>: Sap completely cures poisons/ailments ≤ Tier. Acts as a panacea and alchemy catalyst (+20% → +40% success).

Nearby flora receives growth → great growth boosts and natural → innate purifying qualities.

Liu Shu became speechless for a second. Had she expected a big boost? Of course. After all, her three "racial" skills had been upgraded from A+ to S- Rank. That was a qualitative leap. However, did she expect that her very range-limited skills would allow her to basically control the battlefield to the point that she would cripple her opponents and allow her allies to ascend to the sky? She had not!

"No, is this normal? Aren't these skills a bit too strong?" Liu Shu read them a few more times, internalizing them, and then she became silent. Her eyes even held a hint of pity toward the Star Emperor coming her way. She would absolutely not underestimate that individual, as their accumulations and strength would be something she had never faced before. However, if she used <Temporal Fracture>, followed by <Slow>, the poor powerhouse would have half of his defenses stripped and half of his…

Well, everything slowed down by 50%! That was not the most terrifying part. After all, with the current area range, Liu Shu had become able to cast <Acceleration Domain> on herself! If she used one domain in the battlefield and another over her main body, Liu Shu would basically achieve the same effect as if she were to cast it on her entire being. Then, as she scanned the rest of the skills, her eyes lingered on <World Tree Calling>.

"300… 20 per slot… that's 15 S- Rank Arboreal Winged Serpents 30 levels above me…" The 30 Levels wereere a bit relative, though. For example, if she were Level 170, she would not be able to call Level 200 Arboreal Winged Serpents. The reason was that those beings would be at another <Ascension Rank>. For that barrier to break, Liu Shu guessed that she needed to upgrade <World Tree Calling> to S- Rank. Once she did that, she would truly be able to summon a small army of Star Emperors to fight for her!

"Branches in the sky. This is a bit too much, isn't it?" Seeing Liu Shu dazed, Elyne asked, curious.

"What's wrong?" Liu Shu blinked, refocusing on her Avatar.

"Ah, no. Nothing. My skills have completed their upgrade, and I am checking on them." Elyne's eyes lit up.

"How is it? Did you get stronger?"

"Stronger…?" Liu Shu gave another look at the terrifying list, and her lips twitched.

"Yes, I got stronger." Elyne smiled.

"That's great!" As she was about to continue speaking, she heard Verdantia not too far away choke on her tea. Elyne blinked, confused, and looked over.

"What's wrong, Verdantia? Is everything okay?" Verdantia, who had checked Liu Shu's System Page just out of curiosity, wore a face full of incredulity as she checked the changes.

"... My wife is too abnormal." She thought that she was catching up, but the evolution of the three time-related skills was too fierce!

'How can someone fight under these negative effects!? Moreover, they are time-related effects, so you can't just dispel them!' Elyne felt curiosity gnaw at her heart. So, she spoke righteously.

"You two, stop teasing me! I want to know what happened! I am Liu Shu's <Eternal Avatar>, so I have the right to know!" Liu Shu blinked and asked, curious.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Elyne humphed.

"Yes!" Then, she lifted the cup to drink as if to protest. Bad idea. At that moment, she saw the message of one of Liu Shu's new time skills appearing in front of her.

"PFFTT! Cough! Cough!" Elyne's eye twitched, and then she slammed the table with a loud sound, but not too much force.

"Tianlian Liu Shu! I demand that you upgrade your <Eternal Tea> formula! The calming effect is becoming obsolete!" Liu Shu burst into laughter.

"Alright, alright. You know that the Eternal Tea uses me as its main ingredient, so until I can upgrade my <Tier>, I won't be able to do much about it." Elyne sighed, knowing very well that what Liu Shu said was the truth. However, joking aside, the skill Liu Shu showed her gave Elyne an incomparable sense of tranquility. Leaning back, she squinted and savored the delicious tea once more.

"The Star Emperor doesn't seem too threatening anymore." Liu Shu warned.

"Do not underestimate him. Prepare as if, even with my new skills, we would be on the losing end. The last thing I want is for my people to commit the mistake all my enemies have been constantly committing when facing me." Elyne sobered up a little, and then she nodded firmly. Verdantia approached and asked.

"So, are you two done?" Elyne looked at the things she had received from the Covenant, and then, she nodded.

"Yes, nothing of importance left to report." Verdantia nodded.

"Perfect." Then, she picked Liu Shu, who had, at some point, become more charming, and tapped her bottom.

"Let's go make another baby. I don't know why you've become even prettier, but I just can't resist anymore!" And so, under Elyne's stupefied gaze, Verdantia and a bewildered Liu Shu disappeared from the <Eternal Cathedral>'s main room. Liu Shu checked her skills one last time, and she realized that her <Soul Enthralling World Tree> had changed an effect. Natural Charm increases → considerably increases.

'Oh.' Liu Shu smiled wryly.

'Well, it seems I'll have to squeeze them dry of their fruits a few times until they relax.'