Chapter 270: Cycle

Chapter 270: Cycle

Little Dragon’s sentience also began to awaken with that glimmer of light. It struggled against its bonds, trying to gain freedom, but it was futile. Lily casually swung it a few more times in a circle before letting go, sending Little Dragon flying towards her sister, who wore a pained expression.

After catching Little Dragon, Xirui began to examine it and asked, “What happened to it?”

“Soul. Bran must have made a new discovery. He also injected a strange and inexplicable soul into this.”

“Inexplicable? What do you mean?”

“It’s not a complete soul. It can’t even be called a soul. Perhaps ‘husk of a soul’ is a more fitting description. He used such materials to piece together the shape of a dragon, wrapped it around his own flesh and blood, and injected it into your mana dragon’s body. He guessed that I would definitely inject my own mana into it as well, letting you get a huge advantage.”

“It’s just a bit of mana,” Xirui stubbornly retorted, though she was still thrilled.

“Hah! Although Bran’s body and mine have been completely mana-tized and are becoming purer and purer, flesh and blood remain the foundation of our existence. It’s still a different matter from mana. When we take flesh and blood from our bodies, we still feel pain. What’s more, both Bran and I are at a critical moment of renewal, where our own flesh and blood is slowly changing from the inside out. This shred of flesh and blood isn’t much, but taking it from one’s own body is no easy task.” At this point, Lily sighed. “You will reach this step soon enough, and then you’ll understand naturally.”

Xirui blinked and hesitated before asking, “Why isn’t it easy?”

“My body’s toughness—do you think ordinary swords could harm me?” Seeing Xirui shake her head, she continued. “Your Fourth Brother Bran, even when turned to ash and smoke, isn’t as loose as he appears. His resilience isn’t much worse than this body of mine. You might not believe it. That cloud of smoke seems to sway with the wind, but that’s just an illusion. Even with your current strength, it would be very hard for you to tear off even a tiny piece.”

Lily raised her hand and patted her sister’s head. “Most importantly, as a Wizard, don’t be fooled by illusions. In the future, if you want to spar with him, remember not to let the ash smoke he turns into entangle you.”

Hearing her sister’s words, Xirui nodded seriously.

…

While Lily was revealing Bran’s secrets, Bran was captivated by another phenomenon—his own Ancient Tree was undergoing changes.

After Bran entered the Sea of Magic, the Ancient Tree spent most of its time with him. Most of the mana that spilled out from Bran’s body through the Sea of Magic was also absorbed by the Ancient Tree. Compared to the Ancient Tree’s massive frame, this mana wasn’t much, and some changes were very well hidden.

This change wasn’t noticed not only by Bran, but even by the Ancient Tree itself. The events that followed one after another also caused Bran and the Ancient Tree to lose their usual meticulousness and patience amidst the noise.

Now that the noise had faded, Bran gradually began to regain his calm. Some small changes he hadn’t paid attention to before slowly caught the attention of both Bran and the Ancient Tree.

The Ancient Tree was actively absorbing mana. It wasn’t absorbing it plunderously, but more like a symbiosis, a kind of help. It was speeding up Bran’s metabolic rate, and it was also gaining huge benefits from this.

The Ancient Tree absorbing the mana flowing out from the Sea of Magic reminded Bran of photosynthesis. It wasn’t that, but it was very similar. It stored this mana in a new way and, like Bran, began its own process of renewal.

A very tiny, brand-new core had formed in the center of the Ancient Tree’s main trunk. This core was pulsating like a heart. With each pulse, it seemed to grow a tiny bit.

This also attracted the attention of the other Ancient Tree, Tansuo. After communicating with Bran for a long time, they couldn’t reach any useful conclusion. So, Bran consulted the Fairy Mikkel. As a result, this old fellow also knew nothing about it. With no hope left, Bran had no choice but to observe patiently.

As the Ancient Tree’s core pulsed, its speed of absorbing mana also increased. The Tributary flowing through Bran also quickened its flow. Seeing this, Bran jumped up and sat cross-legged atop the Ancient Tree’s canopy.

The Tributary gradually materialized, cascading out from the Void like a waterfall, enveloping Bran and the Ancient Tree in its torrent. Huahua had already retreated to a distance, while Tansuo, driven by instinct, cautiously stood at the edge of the waterfall.

Fairy Mikkel watched from afar, lost in thought. At the same time, a warning came from his mouth, forbidding anyone else from approaching this area.

Danger! That was the only content of Mikkel’s warning. As for what kind of danger, he didn’t say.

Under the scouring of the waterfall, Bran felt the bones, muscles, internal organs, and bowels within his body being washed apart and dissolved completely. Only a skin-bag remained, straining to hold back the endless torrent of water. At this moment, even the Key within his body seemed to lose its function, teetering on the edge of disintegration.

And yet, he felt no fear. The impact of the water, the vibrations of the skin-bag, actually made Bran feel comfortable. He only wished the impact, the vibrations, would become even more violent.

Perhaps sensing his thoughts, the mana Tributary suddenly accelerated, and Bran’s skin-bag subsequently shattered into pieces. Then, like tattered cloth, like broken wadding, like smoke, it dissipated.

But he was still there. He still sat atop the canopy, still able to perceive himself. Huahua still swayed her tail unhurriedly; Mikkel still wore a look of worry, tension, and also excitement, expectation, and many other things Bran couldn’t understand, forming the Old Fairy’s exceptionally complex expression; the Ancient Tree’s core still pulsed, strong and powerful.