Ascension of the Sylvan Cosmos.

Chapter 120. Level 9 and Energy Cycles.

Tianlian Liu Shu, a young tree who became a World Tree less than two years ago, had lived quite a tumultuous life. Before she became a World Tree, her thoughts were slow and sporadic. However, other than the occasional insect gnawing at her roots, her life was peaceful and uneventful. 

Together with becoming a World Tree, Liu Shu quickly became entangled in a constant struggle for survival. Yet, until recently, she didn't really change much of herself. She wanted to continue being carefree and go slowly and calmly in life, trying to enjoy peace. 

Eventually, she realized that it was impossible. It only took a bit more than a year for her to realize that being a World Tree meant much more than growing in peace. 

For World Trees, this was not the usual path or mentality. World Trees would more often than not be hard to discover because they would grow in deep forests with powerful beasts.

By the time someone became aware of them, they would already be high-level enough to defend themselves. 

Among all the fates World Trees could get, Liu Shu didn't get the worst, but hers was close to being one of the worst. She had just been lucky.

If Clavel hadn't discovered her, if the human caravan wouldn't have kept part of their promises, if Cinderielle and the others hadn't appeared…

There were many factors that, while carrying some misfortune to her side, also benefited her tremendously.

Her life had been calm, but that had changed. Because of the rude awakening of seeing the Sylvans almost die outside of her walls, Liu Shu went on a tree-killing spree and harvested Experience points like crazy. In the end, she killed 112 Level 7 Trees, 378 Level 8 Trees, and 211 Level 9 Trees with 2 Level 10 ones. The average tier of those trees was E- Rank, which harvested her a few thousand Experience Points. 

Accumulated Experience: 21743

That large number didn't make Liu Shu as excited as before. Somehow, it felt different from the Experience Points she gained from naturally gathering abilities and Flor's help. 

Without rejoicing too much, the World Tree began the Level Up process. 'Let's start Leveling up to Level 9.'

Level: 8 [6980/6980]

[Level Up!]

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

Accumulated Experience: 14763

Unlike other times, there were no other effects in her Level Up other than the change in stats from her Sylvanium, Celestium, and Cognium branches and such.

Liu Shu took around a day or so to Level Up this time around. Her height reached 20 meters as well, and her roots could now extend to around 300 meters. 

Other than that, her stats now hit the 150 point mark, while her ternary essences were as such. 

Aether Mana Shards: 15,627/15,627

Phoer Body Shards: 22,929/22,929

Anima Energy Shards: 15,849/15,849

Looking at her stats, Liu Shu somewhat didn't feel satisfied. 'What about my skills? Do I have any at Level Max?'

Liu Shu opened her system page and said. 'List the MAX Level Skills.'

[Max Level Skills List:

<Willow Strike (F+ Rank level MAX)>

<Willow Strike Barrage (F+ Rank level MAX)>

<World Tree Wisdom (SSS Rank Level MAX)>

<Mind Call (F+ Rank Level MAX)>]

'Hm. How much experience do I need for an F+ Rank to evolve?'

[Do you want to use 2595 Experience Points to Increase <Willow Strike (F+ Rank level MAX)> to <Willow Strike (E- Rank level 1)>?]

Seeing that message, Liu Shu muttered a "no" and looked at her accumulated experience points again. 

Then, she went and looked at her Level.

Level: 9 [0/8710]

'Oh? Eight thousand? I have enough…' Liu Shu pondered. 'I have three F+ Rank skills that I can Level up; if I add everything, including the experience needed to Level Up, I would need a total of 16495 Experience Points. I don't have enough. However, I have enough to Level up two of them and reach Level 10. Between the option of Leveling up all my skills and Leveling Up myself, it is clear that my own Level Up will bring the most strength.'

Then, Liu Shu thought about Amapola and the others who reached Level 10. 'Their stats made an enormous jump because of the <Energy Cycles>. Hm… <Energy Cycles>…'

Liu Shu reviewed the information that she had absorbed and repeated it in her head. 'Energy Cycles are metaphysical circuits that go around and inside a creature's body, allowing them to connect with the natural energy around them. These <Energy Cycles> are usually different from race to race, giving different bonuses. However, while stats bonuses are aplenty, that's not the most important.'

Liu Shu commented. 'Moreover, the <Energy Cycles> are what later will allow a creature to modify their <Shards>...' Liu Shu was confused about this part; after all, she didn't have the information. 'Modify my shards? What shards? My ternary essence shards and such? Or is it speaking about the Sylvanium Shards?'

She didn't know for now, but she knew that books about it were on the way. Lately, since she didn't have the materials she really needed, Liu Shu had been focusing on gathering knowledge via the human caravan. Ariel managed to get quite a few excellent books. However, books weren't as abundant as one would like them to be, so it was pretty complicated to get them in this area.

Liu Shu focused on how to create an <Energy Cycle>. 'To create an <Energy Cycle>, or at least, the Level 10 <Energy Cycle>, I need to transform my inner essence into something similar to circuits… Circuits… paths? Like… circular paths? Closed paths?' 

The images in the book were like layered circles with many symbols spinning around a creature, like rings around a planet, looking quite complex and beautiful. 

Yet, even when using her energy vision, she couldn't see anything similar around Flor and the others. After thinking about it for a while, Liu Shu decided to slowly increase her Experience Points in the Level instead of pouring everything at once like before. 

1 Point… 10 points… 100 points… 1000 points… 3000 points…

As Liu Shu approached the limits of the Level 9 Experience Point requirement, which was 8710 points, she felt a strange bloating feeling around her body. It was as if that energy was being stored in a bowl, and she was reaching the limits of the container. 

'Hmm… at 8,000 Experience Points, I feel like each additional point is quite hard to add…' She was curious about this sensation. Usually, because she just poured everything inside at once, the feeling was more similar to something inside her, bursting as a flood of energy poured in. Instead of a bowl being slowly filled, it was like a balloon with water being popped. 

Still, Liu Shu continued until she had added 8709 Experience Points and stopped. She was 1 Experience Point away from Level 10. 

Even then, she didn't rush. 'Hm? There is someone attacking my roots?'

Transferring her vision over, Liu Shu saw a tree attacking her. The thing was, this tree was a bit stronger than usual. 'Hm? A Level 13 Tree!' 

With her roots reaching 300 meters, she met a new being that could be considered quite strong. 'Well, it's not much of a problem; I'll deal with it later.' Then, she refocused on herself. 'Now, onto the Level 10 promotion. Adding the last Experience Point!'

[Do you want to Level up to Level 10?]

Liu Shu looked at that message with a puzzled expression. 'This is new… Yes!'

[Level 10 is the first milestone for any living being. Do you want to do a manual <Energy Cycle> or an automatic <Energy Cycle>?]

Liu asked. 'Can you tell me the difference?'

[Depending on your race, the automatic <Energy Cycle> will be created to be of a slightly below-average quality. It will make sure that you don't make any mistakes in exchange for being unable to complete a powerful <Energy Cycle>.]

Liu Shu was baffled. 'Is doing it manually much more difficult?'

[Manual <Energy Cycle> can make an ordinary person become exceptional or an exceptional person average. Once done, <Energy Cycles> are unchangeable, except using very rare resources or treasures.]

'Oh…' Curious, she asked. 'Does everyone receive these warnings?

[Yes, everyone does.]

She continued asking. 'Do you have any recommendations?'

[Checking race… <World Tree>. The system heavily recommends doing a manual <Energy Cycle>. <World Trees> will instinctively know what to do and do better than any other creature.]

Liu Shu hummed and said. 'Can you explain to me what I need to do?'

[Not a proper inquiry.]

Liu Shu pouted. 'Miser.' Then, she commented. 'Well, let's go manual then.'

[Understood. Starting <Energy Cycle (manual)> creation page. Good Luck!]

Right after, Liu Shu's vision felt as it shifted out of herself, looking at her own body and root system from a third-person perspective. 

Her entire body and root system was floating in the middle of nowhere, and with just her thoughts, Liu Shu could rotate it and manipulate her vision. 'Wow… This is how I look?' Liu Shu observed herself and then laughed arrogantly. 'I am so pretty! The prettiest tree! Hehehehe. Hmph~ look at those roots~ they go so far and deep! Then, then, look at my trunk… Hm? Why is my trunk changing without me saying anything.'

Liu Shu zoomed in and saw that the female body that felt childish in proportions was becoming more mature. The hips were widening, the waist thinning, the torso shortening slightly, while the thighs that went into the ground thickened and lengthened. 'Oh! I now look more like Ignatia!' 

Before, Liu Shu's trunk had a female shape resembling a 14~15-year-old body with gentle curves. This silhouette was very faint, almost unnoticeable to the naked eye unless you came close. 

Now, it was different. Her silhouette had transformed to become somewhat similar to an 18~19-year-old body with beautiful curves. Moreover, while the thickness of her trunk had increased slightly in proportion, her female body shape had become much more noticeable. Now, even from a distance, one would know at first glance that she was not a standard tree.

After looking at her trunk and canopy for a while, she looked around her. In her vision, the town's buildings were also here. Since they were part of herself and interlocked with her roots, they would naturally appear in this space. 

However, Liu Shu was puzzled about one detail. 'Why are the buildings so small?'

The tallest buildings Liu Shu owned were the offensive trees on the defensive wall. They were around 20 meters tall, which was similar to her own height. Still, even when they were similar to her outside, in this simulation, they were half her height. 'Did they get smaller? Why are the trees that were as tall as me now half my height?'

The rest of the buildings inside the walls also looked smaller than before, which puzzled her. 'Won't they also become Level 10 like me? Why did they become smaller?' 

Not focusing so much on that, Liu Shu began trying to think about the <Energy Cycle> creation tool. Around her own body and root system, even the buildings connected to her, Liu Shu could see "empty" spots. When she focused on an empty spot and thought of the Circuits explained in that book, a line made of pure light appeared. 

These lines were clearly visible even through the solid body of the buildings, roots, or her own body. 'Hm. So, these are those circuits that I need to fill my body with? They needed to be closed paths, right?' 

Out of curiosity, she created a very small closed path, and Liu Shu felt a very faint change in her energy flow. 'Oh? So it is like that. I need to fill my own body with these circuits so that the energy flow becomes better. Hm~. Interesting.'