Chapter

Alex turned to face his palace once more, after solemn oaths were given, filled with a sense of joy and wonder just gazing at it.

In some ways it felt almost like an extension of himself. He could sense every chamber, every palatial suit of bedrooms, studies, and saunas within, the trio of dining halls waiting patiently for a flood of guests to imbibe the most luxurious foods imaginable, to say nothing of the absolutely magnificent library in the heart of his palace, now containing almost the entirety of Rising Phoenix Academy’s own prestigious library, including the entire collection of priceless treatises and Gold tier cultivation manuals that made Rising Phoenix the premier training academy in all of Cuijing Province.

When one considered that it also contained every other cultivation manual he had ever touched, including a handful of Golden tomes that had once been in Dragon Academy's backup repository of knowledge, his collection now held over a score of priceless Golden tomes.

Alex doubted that many academy libraries in the golden realms could match it.

The additional prizes it held, however, were items Alex suspected countless wars might be fought over.

Treasures that left him speechless with wonder and fiercest hope, copies of magnificent memory stones filled with cultivation techniques worthy of the highest reaches of Jade. For all that those treasures would bring nothing but peril to anyone lacking twelve meridians to make use of, for those with royal or imperial blood flowing through their veins, they were prizes like no other.

And for almost everyone else with seven meridian configurations, he had in his possession three tomes with divine potential. Eternal Fox Unified Cultivation Technique, which now had both 7 and 12 meridian configuration patterns, Dual Path Cultivation Technique, which he was still in the process of forging, and WiFu's own Cultivation manual, perfectly combining Shadow with Fire, Earth, and Metal, the original copy now in the hands of his first friend within this world. Which begged the question as to why SilverFox's alcove in the Hall of Rulers had been blank, for all that it now held the secrets of Eternal Fox.

Still, his collection was everything he could have hoped for.

It would serve as the means to glorious ascension, even to the heights of Gold, for any number of cultivators who might one day call this world their home. And for those with imperial blood flowing through their veins in need of only a single element cultivation manaul, it might even serve as the catalyst to Jade.

For all that he himself still needed so much more.

His heart swelled with pride as he gazed fondly at his sparkling palace and the beautiful woodland sanctuary filled with priceless spirit herbs and magnificent trees as far as the eye could see, fruit-laden limbs swaying in the gentle breeze, priceless treasures that would bring succor to any man’s parched throat, flooding the recipient with an incredible bounty of life-enriching nutrients and spiritual energy, so rich they were in woodland Qi.

"It truly is a wonder," said Cheng Lei, the others nodding their heartfelt agreement by his side.

Alex spent a quiet moment bowing his head in solemn thanks to his patron for this impossibly glorious gift, a perfect sanctuary from a realm consumed by constant strife and struggle. And though he had no way of knowing what thoughts were running through their heads, it was nice to see his friends bowing their heads in respect as well, for all that their brows, at least in three cases, might one day wear the crowns of territories measuring the size of the nation, or even the world, he had once called home.

But the realm before them now was his.

A world to forge as he saw fit, grown from the tiniest humble seed of a study room into a wonder that might one day stretch beyond all Earthly horizons. Of course, there was a cost to such an impossibly grand boon. A cost in spiritual treasures, soul cores, and his own stored potential, having to sacrifice massive amounts of his own metaphoric experience point pool to level up this world in his stead.

His smile only grew when he caught the sounds of a firm taskmistress somewhere in the distance giving sharp orders to what he hoped were enthusiastic students, souls he had just barely managed to free from the depredations of ruthless cultivators aligned to a red prince determined to enslave them all. He gave a nod of quiet satisfaction. As steep as the opportunity cost to his cultivation base had been, it was a price he was more than willing to pay.

Chapter

“It warms my heart to see the Child of the Heavens and his loyal counselors free of mortal peril!” said a beaming Dong Xiao as the five entered the foyer.

Alex chuckled softly at that. “It was closer than I’d like to admit,” he said, picking up his stride as they walked along corridors tiled in gold veined obsidian, passing numerous lacquered tables displaying what Alex could only assume by the gasp he heard from the companions by his side were countless works of art reminding him of private collection centerpieces he had once enjoyed looking at while exploring Europe with his family as a child, including exquisitely detailed statues of kings and emperors made out of precious stones and golden phoenix encrusted in jewels that he thought would be better served in a museum than haunting his spacious halls, soaring as they did a good twenty feet overhead.

He kept his eyes straight ahead, nodding in approval when an enthusiastic Dong Xiao filled him in on the particulars of all that had happened in his absence, most notably that one Elder Ru had offered to take responsibility for the disparate flood of cultivators, the esteemed Puren serving as his second, taking quick charge of countless scores of refugees, bringing a semblance of order to the camp that the grand central courtyard had become.

Caojin gave a relieved sigh. "Good to hear. For all that I've entertained the idea of taking on a disciple from time to time, I shudder at the thought of having to care for dozens of ill-mannered aspirants."

"It always pays to delegate to those who enjoy the prestige those jobs offer," Cheng Lei said, far more diplomatically, Alex thought.

Cui Chan just smiled thoughtfully and said nothing, simply taking in the grandeur of the hallways they strode through.

"That's good to hear, Dong Xiao," Alex said, paying absolutely no attention to the numerous grand tapestries and wood carvings depicting scenes of vast, magnificent landscapes portrayed with such vision and clarity that they seemed more snapshots in time than the brilliantly inspired masterworks that they were.

And his eyes most certainly didn’t stray to the exquisitely rendered figures traversing a forest of magnificent redwoods in the tapestry they were passing at that very moment, leaves blowing in an unseen breeze, the intent gaze of the blond-haired youth holding the hand of a kitsune girl with a sleeping baby in her arms, fleeing the incredibly realistic-looking soldiers in the distance, the mirror of his own.

But the way Xun Hu gasped as Alex’s seneschal went over the rapid transformation the palace was undergoing with the arrival of so many guests made it clear that a certain kitsune girl’s gaze was very much taking in every detail of the wonders before her.

Then Dong Xiao’s next words washed all other concerns away.

“Wait, hold on Dong Xiao. How many guests do we now have?”

“Three hundred and forty-six at last count, my lord,” said the suddenly anxious-looking seneschal, holding his head as if deeply ashamed. “And it is my deepest regret to inform you that our humble abode’s hospitality will only allow for a mere hundred of your closest friends and family to enjoy all that our home has to offer, with unlimited access to the most luxurious dining facilities, sleeping and hot tub arrangements, scholarly pursuits, and midnight companionship that is the hallmark of any lord’s generosity and grace.”

His eyes suddenly widened. “Make that three hundred and forty-seven… no, eight. Our most recent guest brought a newborn.”

The seneschal’s eyes seemed to sparkle in an odd trick of the light, before his gaze locked upon Alex's friends. “And may I extend official greetings to our latest guests. Your royal friends could do far worse than to court an alliance with the Child of the Heavens, and your young fox has caught a fine prize indeed. May the shadows always cloak you in comfort, honored kitsune.”

Cheng Lei exchanged a glance with Cui Chan. "Guardian spirit?"

She nodded. "Almost has to be."

Xun Hu gave Alex’s hand a tentative squeeze. “Alex?”

Alex smiled down at the girl gazing so intently up at him. “Yes, Xun Hu?”

She opened her mouth but nothing came out, seemingly at a complete loss for words. Before giving an abrupt shake of her head, brows furrowing intently. Then her belly growled. Growled so loudly even her companions heard it. Before lowering her head in shame. “Is there a chance I might, well… get something to eat?”

Alex grinned. “At least that’s one thing I can offer without any reservation that you’ll find the food here to be the most delectable, nourishing fare that you can imagine!”

His seneschal nodded enthusiastically. “Of course we reserved rooms and dining capacity for you and your esteemed guests! And I do believe you will find the Lobster Thermidor and your A5 Wagu steak to be everything you could hope for. Our stuffed pheasant, crispy fried duck, and roast pork and the dozen accompanying dishes etiquette demands also be made available to any royal guest are just some of the repasts we have available for your esteemed companions.

Alex grinned, almost savoring the sudden fierce gnawing in his belly. “And the Boston Cream Pies?”

“Exquisite and delectable as always, Child of the Heavens, as is your New York Cheesecake. And I do believe our guests will absolutely adore the lobster rolls in addition to more standard fare.”

Alex positively beamed, carefully no thinking too hard on the fact that his seneschal had been thoughtful enough to reserve rooms for them all, who knew how far in advance of the flood of guests that had already arrived.

And with an apologetic grimace that couldn't have been executed smoother if the man had read his mind, and Alex was now half-way sure that he could, an apologetic Dong Xiao spoke on. “Master, I regret to inform you that there has been just a bit of… competition, for rights to palatial accommodations not already spoken for by your counsel, though of course our guards sensed your blessing, and permitted everyone access to the courtyards.

Alex winced, immediately understanding the problem. His mystical palace could feed and shelter 100 people at the absolute heights of luxury, with sleep so wondrous it was like floating on clouds, and food so exquisite it was the equivalent of the most luxurious restaurants, all of it giving guaranteed buffs and the equivalent of multiple hours of free daily cultivation.

With an absolute hard limit that no more than 100 people could be maintained in the heights of luxury at any one time. So, coming from a school as fiercely competitive as Risen Phoenix Academy, of course the cultivators would fight for the rights to those miraculous accommodations when the alternative was making use of whatever supplies they had managed to smuggle past increasingly hostile guards.

Alex scowled, shaking his head. “I meant this to be a place of sanctuary, Dong Xiao, but it seems like I drastically underestimated how many people would actually risk their lives, jumping through a portal to a completely new world.”

“Not really. Not when you consider what’s waiting for us back at the school,” Xun Hu softly said, her fellow counselors nodding their complete agreement, and of course they were right. After Sudong's furious attempt to break through, and the sense he had that the Red Prince was now most definitely ruling the rest of the school with an iron fist, even if by proxy, Alex suspected that not even the most naive aspirant now saw that school as anything more than the trap it was. At least among those who hadn't already sworn themselves to that man.

The seneschal flashed a brilliant smile. “Do not despair, Master Alex. I do believe Elder Ru has taken steps to assure the most civil of challenges. Most importantly, all of those who do earn the rights to our most luxurious accommodations must also accept the responsibilities of teaching and guiding their charges. He was gracious enough to ask me if that was acceptable, and if his daughter and several others might serve as the de facto librarians. With your blessings shining so brightly upon both of them, of course I said yes.” Suddenly anxious eyes gazed into Alex’s own. “I do hope that meets with your approval, sir?”

Alex smiled and nodded. “That’s perfect, Dong Xiao. With Chun An at the helm, the massive collection of tomes I managed to claim might actually prove useful to our guests.” He chuckled softly. “Maybe she can give me some advice as well. To that end, let’s make sure she has absolutely all the help she needs.”

Alex turned to his friends. Cheng Lei smiled. "Though we do have a number of demands we must contend with and would best serve in an advisorial capacity, I am sure my cousin and I would be happy to assist for the meantime.

Caojin rolled his eyes. "Very well, cousin. I will do my part."

Alex grinned. "Thank you for that. Both of you. And I'm not such a fool as to not think you both are juggling a dozen other balls of one sort or another..."

"By which you mean up to their next in intrigue," Xun Hu murmured.

Alex laughed at that. "Probably. But regardless, I think there might be a tome or two in that library that might encourage your devotion to this enterprise unlike anything else."

This earned a curious brow. "Of course I was sincere in my offer to assist in..."

"It contains a cultivation manual that will teach those with imperial configurations the secrets of Flame Qi... all the way up to Jade."

This earned several breathless gasps, Cheng Lei's eyes twinkling. "Very good, Alex! Would I be correct in guessing the source of this prize?"

Alex just smiled as Caojin blinked with wonder. "... and I would love absolutely nothing more than to head to the library this very instant! And grant whatever aid I can, in between perusing the shelves myself. With your permission, Child of the Heavens?"

Alex chuckled softly, pointing down the hallway, the Yellow Prince suddenly moving as fast as a Bronze specced for speed.

His seneschal smiled. “I shall have a plate of your counselor's favorite food bought to him shortly, Master Alex.”

Alex smiled. “Excellent. And I’m totally on board with Master Wu’s idea of using choice accommodations to motivate the best and brightest to mentor everyone else, not just kick sand in their faces. If we do it right, they might actually benefit from mentorship and training far exceeding what they received at Royal Phoenix academy. But we have to do our utmost to assure clean, sanitary, and safe living conditions for everyone.”

I believe your servant Puren has taken significant steps in that direction. Apparently he is an experienced hand at setting up camps and festivals of various sorts, and the grand palanquins he has set up are certainly… colorful. But the layout is both orderly and sanitary.”

Alex flashed a satisfied smile. “Actually, that’s exactly what I had hoped would happen. I wanted to prepare for a worst-case scenario, in case we actually ended up with more than one hundred guests…but to find that the number’s reached 348—”

“Ah. Forgive me. The new count is 352. Four more have arrived from your first gate. They do have the feel of powerful Silvers about them. Wonderful! Perhaps there will be an opportunity to enjoy fresh matches over brunch, should the new competitors wish to spar for the choicest accommodations. But give the word, and I will personally make the arrangements.”

Alex winced. “That won’t be necessary, Dong Xiao. Have our guests had any problems with foraging?

“Excellent question, Sir. One of the first considerations Elder Ru and Puren had for me was to what extent they were to be given access to your resources. As your thoughts were crystal clear in that regard, it gave me great pleasure to allow them full reign of the garden. And I do believe several of our Silver guests are supplementing your alchemy laboratory with their own alembics and crucibles. Though I must say they sounded shockingly ecstatic to find Silverbell Blossoms to be an almost common sight under our more mature conifers.”

Xun Hu blanched. “Wait… you can sense the arrival of cultivators and how powerful they are, without even seeing them?"

Cheng Lei and Cui Chan exchanged intent stars. "Silverbells are common here?” Asked an awed sounding Cui Chan.

“You can read Alex's mind?” asked Cheng Lei.

Dong Xiao seemed faintly surprised by the question. “Well, of course. I am the seneschal, and these lands are under my care. How could it be otherwise?”

This earned several furrowed brows. "Whose question did he answer?"

"All of them," said a smiling Alex.

Xan Hu chuckled softly, shaking her head. “I feel like I’m lost in a faerie tale. If only my mother could see me now.”

Alex grinned. "Come on. Foods ready! Let's eat." With those words, he waved them to his personal suite, all of their eyes widening at the massive table all but groaning under the weight of every delectable treat Alex had ever fancied or imagined. No matter that they had feasted at his table just a day ago, they all made a beeline for the silver plates, looking absolutely ecstatic as they ate their fill.

Xun Hu’s expressive eyes widened with delight, letting loose a little groans of happiness as mayo dribbled from her chin, tail swishing with happiness as she hummed a soft melody, the roll disappearing into her mouth as if by magic.

Alex handed her a cola, passing several to Cheng Lei and Cui Chan as well. “Total nutritional garbage if you drank these back on Earth. But here? Nothing but sweet stat boosts.”

“Your words make absolutely no sense," Xun Hu assured, "but I’ll happily listen for as long as you like, if it means I can fill my belly at your incredible table!”

He grinned at her snarky smile as she delighted in the fizzy drink until soda spurted out of her nostrils and Alex couldn’t hold back a chuckle, quickly handing the suddenly miffed looking kitsune a napkin. Before chomping down on a slice of Chicago’s finest, delighting in the explosion of flavors in his mouth as mozzarella and just a hint of cheddar blended perfectly with rich tomato sauce and juicy, perfectly seasoned sausage, near groaning with the sheer delight of being able to savor deep dish pizza once more.

Alex turned and winked at his seneschal. “I take it this counts as the daily foodbuff allotment for our rooms. We can eat to our heart’s content, but share with no one save the hundred guests of my palace proper?”

Dong Xiao bowed solemnly and low. “My beloved master is wise in all things.”

For a time Alex and his advisors did nothing but stuff themselves and laugh at the memory of all they had endured and overcome, savoring Sudong's comeuppance and leading their enemies to a trap worthy of the bloodiest of tales, before emerging with prizes Alex still didn't know what to make of. Admittedly, most of them had endured had been horrific. So distant was the agony they had endured that it now felt no more real than a dream, whether it was thanks to the sweet relief of now being impossibly far from his enemies or a blessing of his World Seed, being literally a world away from his foes, he really had no idea.

Cui Chan flashed a relieved smile, putting down her chocolate eclair. "I will never be able to tell you how grateful I am for this sanctuary, Alex. To no longer feel my chest tight with horror and fear, to not feel crushed by the bitter weight of sins forced onto me by another, that nonetheless I feel such horrid guilt over. Most of all, to know that my most hated foe died just as horribly as he deserved, and will pay a bitter price over countless lives for his unforgivable sins, just as he is forcing me to pay."

Alex flashed her a heartfelt smile. "Cui Chan, do you still feel that same burden here?"

She blinked and frowned, tilting her head thoughtfully. "No. No, I don't." She gave a surprised chuckle. "Now I don't feel that bitter weight at all!" Her gaze turned sorrowful. "I still feel the horror of everything they did to me, but to know that my spirit, my foundation, my body can heal..." she wiped away her tear before bowing solemnly and low.

"Thank you, Alex. I will always be in your debt."

Alex smiled. "Careful. You'll drop your eclair."

This earned a chuckle and Cheng Lei skillfully took their conversation along the most lighthearted of directions, all of them knowing on some level they needed to relax and unwind after the horrid ordeals they had endured, all of them happy to embrace lightest distraction.

And much as Alex had known they would, wandering eyes took in the plush leather backed chairs, the elegant knickknacks and exquisite jade game boards for chess and go, Alex then giving them a quick tour of the room as they absolutely delighted in the look and feel of a modern bathroom hottub and shower, which Alex assured they all had access to, before explaining the bells that could be rung for room-service or whatever books within the library that they could possibly desire.

Cheng Lei chuckled softly. "Poor Caojin. After offering to assist in the library, when all he needed to do was ring this bell."

Alex smirked. "I'm just glad he's willing to do his part."

“Alex?”

He turned around to catch the gaze of a much refreshed looking girl, towels effortlessly secured as if it were a kimono, hair twisted about cottony white softness such that she could have passed for a college freshman at any campus in his own world at that moment, were it not for her too thin frame, and the red scars all over her exposed flesh. Scars so similar to Princess Cui Chan's own.

Alex blinked in surprise, sharing a look with Cheng Lei. "Very impressive," his friend said.

And it was. To have used Shadow so well that they didn't even notice her slipping free of their group and cleaning up was both impressive and chilling, reminding him all too well of his former Nemesis's abilities to slip both out of sight and out of mind. Definitely something he needed to practice spotting and learning how to counter, lest in a different time and place, it be the last lesson he ever learn.

Alex was just grateful she didn’t flinch in shame from their gentle gazes, and that she seemed to be pain-free and in genuinely good spirits. “Yes, Xun Hu?”

And before she could say a word, a protective Cui Chan had suddenly sprung between the kitsune and the boys in the room, throwing them both glares before escorting her back to the spa-like bathroom, the pair not emerging until the princess had the kitsune dressed in a full bodied qipao worthy of any princess, if a tad bit big on her.

“How are you feeling?” Alex asked.

Xun Hu chuckled softly, her bemused gaze full of fondness for the princess by her side. "I feel like I just inherited a sister." And the way her head suddenly leaned against a surprised Cui Chan whose arms just naturally flowed around her, warmed Alex's heart to see. "And for the first time in over a year, I think might actually be... well, happy?"

Cheng Lei's melodious laughter rang through the room, as he raised his glass in toast. "To happiness! May we all enjoy lots of it. We've certainly earned it!"

A beaming Xun Hu nodded at that, even Cui Chan flashing a warm smile. Then her eyes caught sight of what his positioning at the table had conveniently blocked earlier.

She paled and trembled, haunted eyes now locking upon Alex’s own.

“Alex?”

“Yes?”

“Is that... well, what I think it is?”

Alex sighed, forcing himself to gaze once more at the striking portrait of a pair of figures fighting back to back against nightmare abominations it sickened him even to look at. And yet he somehow knew exactly what that brilliant golden fangtian ji would feel like, wielded in his hands, and the kitsune male dressed like an ancient Yidushian inspector wore a face Alex recognized all too well.

And were those dao in the kitsune's hands of a bronze alloy, the serrated blade comprised of the teeth of a Greater spiritshark?

Alex frowned, pulling out his own sharktoothed blade, ignoring the chills racing up and down his spine as he went up to the portrait and compared the blades.

They were a perfect match.

He turned back to his friends, ignoring the odd expressions on their faces. “It certainly looks that way, doesn’t it?”

Yengpei blinked. "You truly do look the spitting image of the youth in that portrait. And why is it only catching my gaze now?"

Cui Chan just gazed breathlessly at Alex. "That's WiFu's sword. You have his sword!"

The kitsune girl grinned. “Just like in my mother’s favorite stories.” She sighed, gazing down at the plush, quilted bed covers. “I’ve never seen sleeping accommodations like this.”

Alex resheathed his blade. “Then by all means, try it out.”

He tried not to wince at the flinch she couldn’t quite suppress. “I’ll be accompanying Dong Xiao for what I get the feeling might be a lengthy inspection with lots of people wanting to talk to me. Please, make yourselves at home. I think our quarters are adjoining, so feast or sleep for as long as you like. You can always ring the gold bell if you’re hungry for something else.” He then turned to a still stunned princess. "But before I leave, there's something I would like to show you."

And with a single ring of the bellpull in the adjoining study, and a tome of absolute darkness that sparkled and shimmered with all the stars in the midnight sky was placed in her trembling hands.

"I think, if you were to dare embrace the secrets within, you would find its lessons very useful."

Cui Chan swallowed, her wide eyes locking with his own. "Alex! This tome. I... I'm not blind. I can sense its power." She trembled with something very close to awe. "This is no ordinary cultivation manual."

Alex grinned. "Maybe not. But if you're curious about what's inside, there's only one way to find out."

He then turned to Cheng Lei. "Care for a walk?"

And within moments they were accompanying his seneschal down spacious corridors before finally slowing down as they came to the end of the hall he had never completely finished exploring before, grand golden gate opened by an imposing pair of Silver Giant cultivators dressed in perfect replicas of an elite soldiers armaments from the Warring States era, before pounding a pair of massive Guandao upon the marble tiles with a second fist to heart salute as Alex passed.

Alex squinted before the golden light now washing over them. Right before sensing just how infused with spiritual energy it was. "Dong Xiao?"

His seneschal, for the first time that Alex could recall, forbore to answer his unspoken question. Perhaps the only type he dared refuse.

“If you'll forgive my saying so, I think it's best if you see for yourself.”

He felt a sudden flush of curiosity, even excitement, as he caught sight of the incredible wonder in the heart of the courtyard before him. His eyes went up and up, barely skimming over the riotous collection of tents and palanquins that had been set up by the hundreds of refugees now milling about a courtyard far bigger than it had been when Alex had last trained there with his friends Princess Xian Hong and Yan Song, sparing only a second to wonder how the princess was, as his eyes continued to rise to the point he cricked his neck to see the tops of a pair of absolutely massive trees easily the size of redwoods with crowns of intertwined branches that seemed to shelter the entire courtyard, easily half a mile wide now, under the shade of its branches.

Branches hanging heavy with an incredible profusion of blossoms.

His breath hitched, struck by the sheer wonder of the natural marvel before him, feeling on the cusp of a transcendent breakthrough.

One that had nothing to do with his own personal growth, and everything to do with the locked potential of an entire world.

And with a frisson of insight as profound as any revelation cultivation had ever granted him, Alex understood the choice before him.

One that could never be revoked.

Breath turning ragged, he stumbled forward, the excited greetings of Zhu Bi and Yingpei seeming a thousand miles away. Alex approached the pair of absolutely massive tree trunks, so lost in his daze that he barely registered the excited cries of friends, former classmates, and hundreds of awe-filled stares as he gently placed his hands upon the nearest trunk, the whispers of rustling leaves and the thrum of the massive trunk seeming to commune with his very soul.

Offspring of Sacred Tree wishes to form a PACT with realm architect Alex Hammer.

Alex gasped as his mind was flooded by a vast arboreal awareness that sent him stumbling to his knees.

He recalled catching subtle glimpses of the most powerful and significant truths in the brief flashes of communion experienced when exploring the forest depths, when he once sought to lose himself in the arboreal wonders all around, before the wheels of destiny catapulted him forth once more.

Yet those flashes of insight were nothing compared to the grand flood of revelations now washing over and through him, revealing the true nature of the Great Primeval Woodlands that made up so much of his adopted world, its sentience, is fragile symbiosis with the billions upon billions of inhabitants living within and beside it, a rich communion of Dark and woodland Qi forever enriching and nurturing both parties for countless thousands of years.

The founding of a forest and a realm from the quantum fluxes of probability, the final dying notes of an ancient race a blink away from fading away to nothing, as did their entire realm.

Before forging a pact of life, rebirth, and eternal possibility, as desperate arborealists, scientists, and cultivators forged one of countless sets of universal constants into one harmonious to the symphony of life and endless possibility. Beyond what even their own dying realm had been, the forest itself the lynchpin to their creation. That which allowed their newly forged realm to transcend the inescapable fragility of that which had come before.

With those profound revelations came added insight into the nature of his own incredibly fragile world, Alex horrified to sense the weakness of the tiny realm he had already begun pouring his heart into forging. The awful vulnerability revealed by a single word whose significance he had completely overlooked.

Sacred Tree wishes World Seed Communion with Sacred Forest.

Cost of Sacred Forest Communion

70% of World Surface Landmass. (Forest is free to grow beyond 70%. Sentient symbiotes may access resources within remainder. Sentient symbiotes will not be permitted to harvest anything beyond given remainder necessary for world structural integrity. Population centers will be constrained by needs of the forest. Repeated violations will result in Parasite designation on an individual community basis only.

Major Cities, as designated by World Seed Founder (Alex Hammer) may supersede these limitations. Major Cities may not exceed a population of 10 million + variable depending upon surrounding Spiritual Energy levels. No more than 1 Major city may be placed per 1000 mile radius.)

Benefits of Sacred Forest Communion

World Seed structural integrity will be elevated from Rank 1 Basic to Rank 1 Jade.

World Seed will be encapsulated within Stable Multiversal Matrix. Matrix will prevent potential rupturing of adjoining World Seeds. Adjoining World Seeds include - Golden Realms / Divine Realms / Homeworld (destroyed.) / Terran Cosmos / Jordian Cosmos / Unknown 10_667 additional realms.

Self-Actualizing intelligences will resonate with compatible forms on all adjoining worlds. (People and objects may now gate freely between worlds without fear of illness or bio-incompatibilities resulting in horrific deaths! You may generate and trade potions, livestock, manufactured items, and heirs between all compatible worlds! (Access limited to Golden Realms at this time.))

The eternal cycle of life and death is now a part of your reality, assuring a stability never to be found in ephemeral realms of dream. The River of Souls now flows through your realm!

Additional bonus! All cultivating denizens of your World Seed are free to harvest and consume Sacred Tree fruit! All recipients will enjoy added longevity with bonuses to Qi Pool with every Rank achieved. All closed meridian channels will be cleared of impurities without harm within a single season. All recipients will be blessed with rapid growth and the capacity to ascend 1 full tier beyond their normal maximum, up to Jade, as the roots of their soul commune with the rich spiritual energies of this reality for all time! Even those with imperfect meridian configurations will still blossom and mature as a Rank 1 Bronze within a single year. Note. All those who consume Sacred Tree fruit will be unable to translocate to any other plane of existence, their fates will be forever tied to the eternal cycle of life within this realm alone.

“Alex? What’s going on? Alex! You’re bleeding!”

Alex pushed Zhu Bi’s words away, knowing that, here and now, like never before, he dare not let distraction rule him, lest he destroy his most precious creation, and everyone who had dared to flee to what he only now realized was an impossibly fragile realm.