Ascension of the Sylvan Cosmos.

Chapter 225. Liu Shu’s Battle Spoils!

Leaving Flor's situation aside for now, Liu Shu focused on cleaning up the place and taking the rewards they gained from this battle. Her roots slowly surfaced around the forest and the battlefield, dragging all the corpses into the ground. 

Everyone looked at what was happening with curious eyes. Liu Shu spoke, just in case. "I am going to clean this place and gather all the battle spoils in the <Lignified Vault>. Your respective leaders will receive part of the battle spoils to compensate all of you who risked your lives for the Town. There will also be a monetary reward worth one year of your usual salary." 

With that message, everyone who was dragging corpses around let them go and allowed the World Tree to eat everything.

Below the ground, Liu Shu's roots slowly took off the armor and other items from the corpses and carried them using the <Root Manipulation> skill. The items moved from one root to another, creating a small chain until they slowly arrived at the vault. It was not a fast process, but every single item would be stacked in the vault in two or three days.

Other than procuring a lot of military equipment, the biggest profit the World Tree made was Experience Points and Proficiency Points. 

Hundreds of messages, telling her about the defeat of each person she killed, all got summarized by the system into one message. 

[Congratulations on defeating a total of 612 people! You've received 60,588 Experience Points!]

[Your understanding of several skills has progressed to a breakthrough point. Experience Point discounts will be applied to those particular skills.]

Liu Shu hummed. 'Like I read and did in the past, I am able to progress on my skills without the need to spend Experience Points. Discounts are also possible depending on my advanced understanding beyond my current Skill Tier.'

"System, show me my skills and the Experience Points I need to upgrade them! Oh, and please also show the discounted values, pleeease."

[Understood.]

<Enchanted Growth (E+ Rank Level MAX)> [Experience Points Needed for upgrade: 40,500; Discounted Experience taking current knowledge and proficiency into account: 21,450]

<Runic Living Wood City (D- Rank Level MAX)> [Experience Points Needed for upgrade: 69,987; Discounted Experience taking current knowledge and proficiency into account: 60,950]

<World Tree Calling (E Rank Level MAX)> [Experience Points Needed for upgrade: 20,739; Discounted Experience taking current knowledge and proficiency into account: 18,500]

<Nature's Gift (E Rank Level MAX)> [Experience Points Needed for upgrade: 20,739; Discounted Experience taking current knowledge and proficiency into account: 5,400]

<Weeping Willow's Aether Barrage (E- Rank Level MAX)> [Experience Points Needed for upgrade: 8,750; Discounted Experience taking current knowledge and proficiency into account: 7,500]

<Land Modifying (E- Rank Level MAX)> [Experience Points Needed for upgrade: 8,750; Discounted Experience taking current knowledge and proficiency into account: 500]

Passive Skills:

<World Tree Heart (A Rank Level 1 [0/589900])>

<World Tree Eye (C Rank level 3 [118,000/3,888,000])>

<World Tree Wisdom (SSS Rank Level MAX)> 

<Charm of the Seedling (E Rank Level 5 [78,100/1,152,000]>

<Root Manipulation (E+ Rank Level MAX)> [Experience Points Needed for upgrade: 40,500; Discounted Experience taking current knowledge and proficiency into account: 11,450]

<Seedling World Builder Aura (E+ Rank Level MAX)> [Experience Points Needed for upgrade: 40,500; Discounted Experience taking current knowledge and proficiency into account: 36,800]

<Mind Echo (E- Rank Level MAX)> [Experience Points Needed for upgrade: 8,750; Discounted Experience taking current knowledge and proficiency into account: 1,500]

<Runic Coverage (D- Rank Level MAX)> [Experience Points Needed for upgrade: 69,987; Discounted Experience taking current knowledge and proficiency into account: 68,700]

"Oh, wow, there are skills that are so cheap! I am quite close to understanding how to upgrade them by myself. Let's see… How many Experience Points have I accumulated?" 

Accumulated Experience: 83333

"Hmm… I see. So, after I upgrade <World Tree Calling>, <Nature's Gift>, <Weeping Willow's Aether Barrage>, <Land Modifying>, and <Mind Echo>, I'll be left with… 39,933 Experience Points!" 

Liu Shu looked at that number and then looked at her level.

Level: 20 [0/38960]

"Hehehehe." Liu Shu hummed joyfully. "Just enough to Level Up~! Ophion!" 

The enormous snake flew downward, landing in front of Liu Shu, and he asked. "What might you need me for, Liu Shu?"

Liu Shu commented. "I am going to <Tier Up> the summoning skill, so I wanted to know if when I do so, I won't be able to see you again." Liu Shu commented softly. "I am quite glad for all you've done, so if that's the case, I wanted to say goodbye."

Ophion smiled and hissed back gently. "Don't worry, Liu Shu. Unless your skill reaches quite a high tier, you will be able to continue summoning me without a problem. I'll make sure to always keep my Level and Tier at the limit of what you can summon so that you have a strong being to guard you." 

Liu Shu gazed at the giant brown snake and giggled. "Thank you for your hard work, Ophion! You are quite nice to me."

Ophion hissed a few times, mimicking a laugh. "I am glad you feel that way. However, before you Tier Up the skill, make sure to send us back. The Tier Up can also help those who are connected to your skill if they are on the other side."

"Oh! I didn't know that… I'll make sure to write it down in the summoning book I am printing in the library!"

Ophion nodded, and then, Liu Shu's energy covered all seven Arboreal Winged Serpents, sending them back to their dimension with seven green pillars. 

With that sorted out, she communicated with Flor. "Flor! Tell the people who collect my berries to come over and take all the mature fruits. I'll be Tiering Up the skill and also leveling up soon~."

Flor answered. "Got it. It will take two hours at most. Can you wait that long?"

"That's very quick!" Said the World Tree with a skewed sense of time. 

Flor coughed. "Right."

Then, the World Tree looked at the rest of the skills and didn't feel that she needed to do anything else. So, she just waited, looking around dazedly while controlling her roots to move the bodies created in the forest by this war.

"Done!"

Liu Shu asked. "Hm? What's done?"

Flor commented, her tone confused. "Um, you wanted the mature fruits taken, right? It is done. Sorry for taking a bit longer. 

Liu Shu looked at her branches and realized that the Rose Fairies had indeed taken the fruits. "Oh! So quick!"

Flor blinked. "Quick? I see. If you say so, love."

With that taken care of, Liu Shu looked at her skills and poured into them the Experience Points necessary for each of them. 

[Do you want to use 500 Experience Points to Increase <Land Modifying (E- Rank Level MAX)> to <Land Modifying (E Rank Level 1)>?]

[Do you want to…]

"Yes! I want to upgrade all of them!" 

[500 Experience Points consumed successfully! <Land Modifying> has gone from E- rank to E rank.]

[1,500 Experience…]

"Nice~! <World Tree Calling>, <Nature's Gift>, <Weeping Willow's Aether Barrage>, <Land Modifying>, and <Mind Echo> have now Tiered up~." 

There were no major tier breakthroughs, therefore, the effects remained mostly unchanged, their numbers being larger than before. 

Overall, it was a qualitative increase in strength and productivity that she needed to keep up with the necessities of her growing allies.

In the Arboreal Winged Serpent Dimension, Ophion and the rest of the snakes felt a rush of energy inside of them, allowing them to finally break through. The reason their tier was E Rank was because <World Tree Calling> was an E Rank skill. It was clear from the skills, strength, and everything else that Ophion and the other serpents were too strong for their current Tier. 

The explanation of that? In truth, Ophion and the other Arboreal Winged Serpents were much higher tiered; Liu Shu's skill limited the level of strength they could show when they were summoned. 

So, now that World Tree Calling had become E+ Rank, Ophion and the rest had similarly Tiered Up to E+ Rank creatures. 

Ophion smiled, feeling the limits around him slightly loosening. "She is growing quite nicely and fast. I hope she doesn't forget to summon one of us back to defend her."

"Big Brother Ophion! When do you think Liu Shu will name the rest of us? I want to get a name as well~." 

Ophion looked at his little sister and patted her head with his tail. "Don't worry, I am sure that if we ask her, she can give you a name. Of course, you need to keep up and be at the edge of the skill's level and tier constantly! If not, you would be shaming Liu Shu's grace of giving you a name!"

The smaller female Arboreal Winged Serpent flapped her beautiful crimson wings motivatedly. "I understand, Big Brother! I won't fail Liu Shu!"

As soon as that female serpent stopped speaking, a pulse of energy descended from the sky, landing on a Level 25 Arboreal Winged Serpent, and they were summoned back down. Ophion nodded. "Brother is a good choice to defend her, he is very versatile with all those spells he knows." 

After seeing the serpent descent, Liu Shu checked it as usual and was stunned. "Huh? What are these numbers? You are very strong!"

The male serpent smiled faintly. "Thank you, Liu Shu. Don't worry about anything, I'll cover you since I am here." 

Liu Shu nodded and said. "Now, come cover me! I've been naked for a while already…" 

The male serpent laughed and flapped his wings, flying upward and coiling around Liu Shu while opening his wings and hugging the World Tree to cover Liu Shu's breasts. "Ho~? No wonder Little Sister was sad when she came back, this is quite comfortable."

"I am glad!" Liu Shu giggled. "I wouldn't want to force you to do something like this if I had a choice, but there are no clothes my size yet."

The male serpent hissed languidly. "Don't be hasty~, I could become accustomed to acting as your clothes. It is very… relaxing." 

Seeing the serpent squinting, Liu Shu laughed. "Cute~. Now…" Liu Shu looked at her surroundings and pondered. "Do I Level Up now? We are fighting with Fortuna, so my Level Up would be very useful. However… What if someone attacks during the Level Up?" 

Hearing Liu Shu's worries, the male serpent asked. "Do you want advice, Liu Shu?"

Liu Shu hummed in affirmation, and the male serpent commented. "Leveling Up is difficult to detect in World Trees, even for other World Trees. Therefore, you shouldn't worry. Your increase in energy absorption can be anything, from you preparing to launch a skill, creating buildings, or moving the forest." He added. "Even if they attack, I am here and I promise to hold them back until you wake up. My specialty is defensive warfare, as you might've seen from my talents and passives." 

Liu Shu remembered the serpent's system page and nodded. "Okay! I will trust you then~. Thanks! Now… Level Up!" 

[Level Up!]

[Aether +7, Physique +9, Anima +8, Willpower +10, Destiny +100]

[Accessory Level Up!]

[Aether +36, Physique +40, Anima +40, Willpower +40, Aether Mana Shards +1512, Phoer Body Shards +1692, Anima Energy Shards +1692]

***

Name: Tianlian Liu Shu

Level: 21 [0/42690]

Aether Mana Cores: 5.13/5.13 (513,273) (+18,500/Hour)

Phoer Body Cores: 7.35/7.35 (735,983) (+26,500/Hour)

Anima Energy Cores: 5.22/5.22 (522,278) (+18,900/Hour)

Attributes: Aether 1630 (597+1033), Physique 2115 (789+1326), Anima 1713 (618+1095), Willpower 1670 (810+860), Destiny 2100 (2100)

Affinity Percentage: Aether Resonance (43), Physique Refinement (59), Anima Affinity (38)

Resistance Percentage: Aether Resistance (57), Physique Resistance (62), Spiritual Resistance (57), Mental Resistance (61)

Summoning Affinity: Summon Cost (-61%), Summon Enhancement (+20%), Summoning Invoking Time (-61%), Summon Upkeep (-61%).

***