Ascension of the Sylvan Cosmos.

Chapter 5. A New Visitor! Rose Fairies.

The next morning, Liu Shu felt much better. During the night, her Aether mana had recovered by more than half, while her Phoer Shards had already completely recovered. 

The wound on her bark had closed, and only the glistening sap remained on her trunk. That, too, had started to harden, and soon, it would crystalize and fall off her trunk. 

Tree sap was mostly made of water, with minerals and sugars mixed in it, so when interacting with air, the water would evaporate, leaving behind a concentrated matter of sugar and minerals. As a World Tree, her sap was incredibly precious, but there was no one who could collect it without being smacked in the head. 

Of course, there had been plenty of bugs that tried to eat it; the scent it emitted was extremely tempting, but Liu Shu felt strange each time a creature tried to eat it, and she smacked them away with her branches.

These bugs were nothing but Level 1 F- rank creatures, so they would all get killed by a single strike. As a level one being, she would gain about 1 Experience Point when killing F- Rank Level 1 beings. For level 0 beings, she didn't earn anything.

As a result, her accumulated experience had taken a significant leap, reaching 122 points. 

Tianlian Liu Shu didn't know if this was good or bad. After all, she was killing quite a few living beings. However, other than feeling a bit doubtful, there was no reluctance in her movements. 

'A good day! The Sun is nice, and the wind is moving my branches~.' 

She was actually quite in a good mood. 

[<Basic World Energy Gathering> has triggered! You have gained 1 Experience Point.]

Liu Shu's good mood got even better. 'Now, I have 123 points!' 

*Bzzz*

Smack!

'Now I have 124 points!' 

Somehow, the tone of this exclamation was not as cheery as previously. 

Of course, as a tree, she didn't really feel annoyed, just a bit exasperated. Seeing the splattered bug through her <World Tree Eye>, Liu Shu sighed in her mind. 'When will my sap lose its effectiveness?'

As she thought that, a Level 2 Jungle Fly approached, and her branch moved like a whip, smacking that fly into smithereens. 

[Congratulations on defeating <Jungle Fly Level 2>. You've gained 1 Experience Point.]

Another message popped into her mind as she pondered what to do with her sap. Even as a level two being, because of her high natural tier, the fly only gave her 1 Experience Point.

Liu Shu looked at her branches and saw that many of the flowers were about to grow into berries, so she willed it in her mind.

[You've reduced the ripening time by ten days on 30 flowers, -30 Aether Mana, -30 Anima Energy.]

Looking at her branches with anticipation, Liu Shu saw her energies rush from her core up her trunk and into her branches. The soft glow of energy surrounded those 30 flowers, and the seed in the middle of the dark blue flowers began swelling. 

At first, it was a greenish and unripe fruit that appeared, but visible to the naked eye, the fruit swelled and gained a beautiful dark blue color, similar to the flower it grew from. 

Satisfied with her new fruits, Liu Shu gleefully thought in her mind. 'I hope the little friends like them!' 

Suddenly, two messages popped in her mind. 

[<Charm of the Seedling> has triggered. Attracting a friendly creature.]

If she could blink in surprise, she would. 'A friend?' 

Then, she read the second message. 

[<Charm of the Seedling> has attracted a <Rose Fairy Level 8>. Proficiency increased by 8.

]

Liu Shu was a bit dazed, and then she became happy. 'Another little friend! Moreover, this one is level 8! The highest I've ever seen!' 

She expanded her <World Tree Eye> to the maximum, looking around in a 15-meter radius, and patiently waited for the new friend to appear. 

From the east, a little humanoid-like being with leaf-like wings buzzing behind her appeared. 

She had milky white skin, with her hair being a beautiful red, the same for her eyes. The eyes were not normal, as they were solid-colored eyes, completely red and shiny, like a pair of rubies. 

She was slender, and her height was not more than 20 centimeters. Still, her proportions were attractive, looking like a beautiful flying doll. 

Liu Shu looked at the little humanoid being with interest. It was the first time she saw something humanoid like her. 

Focusing on the hovering fairy that was sizing her up, Liu Shu spread her system interface.

***

Name: Clavel

Titles: 

<Rose Fairy>: Affinity with plant beings increased by 10%

Race: Rose Fairy

Energy Method: Simple pollination (gain experience equal to <Flora level*tier>/<Your level> per flower. Can be used once a day.)

Level: 8 [0/3245]

Aether Mana Shards: 763/920

Phoer Body Shards: 257/257

Anima Energy Shards: 411/440

Attributes: Aether (10), Physique (3), Anima (5), Willpower (4), Destiny (16)

Affinity Percentage: Aether Resonance (15), Physique Refinement (7), Anima Affinity (10)

Resistance Percentage: Aether Resistance (8), Physique Resistance (5), Spiritual Resistance (6), Mental Resistance (6)

Talents:

<Basic Pollination (F+ Rank Level 4)>: Pollinize a flower. The pollinated flower will gain a small buff of five percent extra growth rate, five percent production, and [Plant Level + Fairy Level] Experience. You can only use it once a week on the same plant. (System Note: Unless a higher-ranked Pollination is done, other creatures with this ability also can't use it on the same plant for a week. Higher-rank pollination effects will also be reduced.)

<Leaf Strike (F+ Rank Level 2)>: Use Aether Mana to move the leaves around you to your will and harden them, creating flying slashing attacks. Range 20 meters. 

<Plant Heal (F Rank Level 4)>: Use Aether Mana to heal a plant-based creature. The higher the level and tier of the plant, the smaller the healing you can give them. Range 5 meters. 

Passive Skills:

<Friend of Plants (F+ Rank Level Max)>: Plants innately like you. However, if you purposely harm them, they will quickly feel betrayed and hate you. 

<Life Sense (F- Rank Level Max)>: As a creature born from the forest, your senses toward living beings are very sharp.

***

Liu Shu looked at the numbers and exclaimed. 'This little friend is so strong!' Moreover, although Liu Shu couldn't do math normally, she innately understood that the attacks of this little friend could reach her from outside her detection range, making her practically unable to defend herself. 'Thankfully, this is a little friend and not a little bad friend.' 

Meanwhile, a few moments earlier, Clavel was flying toward her nest when her <Life Sense> suddenly triggered quite strongly. This made her stop and look westwards. 'Such a strong life aura. Thankfully, it feels gentle, or I might have had to call the chief.' 

Curious, she flew toward it with a smile. 'What kind of little darling has triggered my senses?' 

Her leaf-like wings flapped with a humming sound as she approached the place she detected, and soon, she discovered a relatively small but exceptionally beautiful Willow Tree. Even when she was just a seedling, one could feel that she would grow to be an imposing and magnificent being.

'Wow, this little darling is so pretty!' 

Then, her gaze moved down, attracted by the stiff and mangled body on the tree's base, and her eyebrows shot up. 'Huh? Isn't that Fraar? What is he doing…' After a few moments, she realized that he was dead, making her face change. 'What killed him?' 

Clavel became cautious, stopping her approach and trying to analyze the small tree. 'Can it be you, little darling?' 

There were plenty of flora that looked small and weak to attract prey, but instead, they were strong, so she focused on analyzing the being. 

***

Level: 1

Aether Mana Shards: 52/113 

Phoer Body Shards: 176/176 

Anima Energy Shards: 91/120 

***

Unlike World Trees, the extent to which other creatures could peer into the system was minimal. Still, it was enough to give a general idea of a creature's strength. 

Clavel was shocked. 'Isn't she just a level one cutie? What are those stats?' 

Still, with such low numbers, Clavel was quite sure that this little darling was not responsible for Fraar's death. 'Did another creature kill Fraar and leave it by the seedling's side?'

Clavel pondered for a second. Nevertheless, now that she was reassured that Liu Shu was not aggressive, she flew toward her side while gently asking. "Little friend, do you know anything about how this big fellow appeared here?" 

Of course, her question was rhetoric, as she couldn't communicate with plants. Moreover, plants also couldn't understand speech. 

Therefore, she didn't expect any reaction.

To her surprise, the tree began lightly swaying as if trying to communicate with her. Clavel's eyes shone as she laughed gently. "Oh my, you understand me? You are so clever, little one."

Clavel saw the tree moving again, and her eyes softened as she approached and caressed the Tree's trunk. However, before Clavel's hand touched her trunk, she spotted a place with a mark and some sap around it. 

Her eyes instantly cooled down as Aether Mana gathered around her. Then, she snarled while looking around. "Who did this!?"

She used about 100 Aether Mana into <Life Sense>, and her detection range multiplied, sensing all creatures that might have the sap on them in an extensive radius.

To her surprise, the feeling came from right below her. Her eyes followed her senses and landed on the Fraar's claw. "Hm?"

Clavel blinked several times, looking between the healing scar on the tree's trunk and Fraar's claw. 'No way, right? A Level 1 defeating a Level 7?'

Looking closer, the injuries around Fraar appeared to be created by something hard and heavy hitting him several times.

She scanned the branches of the little darling she just found and Fraar's wounds and realized they matched. 'Ha?' 

With surprise in her eyes, she looked at the tiny tree. "You did this?"

Her tone was incredulous. How could her little cutie create such horrible wounds? The feeling around Liu Shu was extraordinarily gentle and welcoming.

Clavel couldn't imagine this little tree to be so fierce to beat someone at Fraar's level to death.

However, as if to confirm her thoughts, she suddenly saw a small beetle flying toward the sap. 

'Tsk, little bug. Begone-'

She frowned, about to stop the thing, but suddenly, she heard the sound of air whistling, and one of the branches of the little tree flashed, hitting the flying beetle with extreme accuracy and instantly killing it. 

Moreover, the strength behind the strike bade the bug pop like a balloon, sending wings and chunks of it flying around in all directions. 

Clavel's mouth and eyes became wide open. Then, she thought of placing herself in the beetle's place, and her spine chilled. 'That attack is too strong! Is she really level one? It feels like a level nine creature just attacked!' 

After realizing that the little tree before her was not simple, Clavel laughed and hugged Liu Shu's trunk, making the tree gently but strangely sway. "You are full of surprises, aren't you, little darling? Now that I think about it, how could a normal being have more than 100 shards on your Ternary Essences at Level 1? I only had 23 Aether Mana, 11 Phoer, and 11 Anima Energy at level 1! Yet you almost have 200 Phoer! You are really wonderful, little darling." 

Her eyes then moved toward Fraar, and they radiated chilling, killing intent. "He probably realized that you weren't normal and tried to eat you. Tree eater scum, you finally got what you deserved." 

Then, she looked at Liu Shu again with gentleness in her eyes. "Thankfully, you were strong enough to defend yourself. Nice to meet you, little one. My name is Clavel. I'm a Rose Fairy."