Book 4, Chapter 96: Invitation

Ling Jianxing motioned at the glass cups on the table beside him. The liquid inside shone with a rainbow color that seemed to be moving slowly.

“This is a new drink from the merged space known as Rainbow Clouds that nourishes the mind. I quite like it, personally. Why don’t you try it and tell me how you feel about it?”

Chen Chuan went over and set the Frost King Saber by the side before taking a sip. Since he had his second self, he didn’t have to worry about whether the drink had been tampered with. The drink was normal, and it gave him the same feeling as sitting on the lotus flower seat in Mistlight Island. It felt like his mind had been nourished and all his energy replenished. It was a satisfying and pleasing experience.

“The drink is good,” he said after setting the glass cup down.

Ling Jianxing lamented, “As technology improves, we can taste and enjoy better and better things, but those at the bottom rung of society will never be able to experience these things.

“Though I have to say, how could we possibly know what sort of things those higher up on the social ladder get to enjoy? When they look at us, they might regard us as no different than those at the very bottom of the ladder.”

He turned to the right and motioned for Chen Chuan to head further in. “This way, please.”

Chen Chuan looked over and saw a spiraling wooden corridor, which led to the upper section of the shaded walkway. However, the scenery was part illusion, part reality. If Chen Chuan didn’t remove the domain, he would have a hard time telling what was real. He nodded, grabbed the Frost King Saber, and headed inside.

Ling Jianxing walked into the hanging garden with him. “You’ve been busy over the past few days and didn’t come to the university, which is a pity. We’ve had some friendly matches with Universal Sword University, and our students lost far too many matches. Even though our lecturers managed to win some and salvaged our dignity, they had to fight at full strength. So, even if things ended in a tie, we actually lost.”

“Based on the information I got, their student representatives were registered as part of Universal Sword University, but were elites picked from universities all over the Linacrox Union. Losing to them isn’t unfortunate,” Chen Chuan countered.

“You’re right. But I believe that if you had been there, regardless of whether you were a student or a lecturer, no one from Universal Sword University could have won against you,” Ling Jianxing argued back.

“Different roles come with different responsibilities. I do what is most important at any time,” Chen Chuan replied.

Ling Jianxing nodded in understanding. “But of course. What you need to do right now is more important than winning a friendly match, but I believe that with your strength, you can do much more.”

They reached the top of the spiraling corridor. This place appeared to be more than twenty meters above ground and led them to a spacious platform that could accommodate a dozen people.

Of particular note was that there were metal wires hanging off the platform like hanging lights. There were also around a dozen similar platforms nearby, though they were hidden behind dense branches, so they couldn’t be seen clearly.

Chen Chuan looked around but didn’t find anything special. He turned around and asked, “What is it that you want me to see, Mr. Ling? I still have a lot of things to do, so let’s keep this short.”

“I’ll cut to the chase, then. I’ve been hoping to tell you about this ever since our conversation last time, but the timing was never right. Now, though, I think it’s the perfect time to talk about it.” Ling Jianxing smiled.

“Now? What makes now so special?” Chen Chuan asked.

Ling Jianxing smiled wider and didn’t answer him directly. Instead, he said, “Last time, you asked me what I had that allowed me to extend my hand to you. Now, I’m going to show it to you. Once you see it, perhaps you will understand.”

He snapped his fingers, and the scenery changed. All the beautiful flowers and lush plants along with the flowing river and flying birds faded away. Instead, they were replaced by a boundless, green plain.

There was a long, white river that came from a faint mountain range that seemed to have become one with the sky. The brilliant colors stacking over each other made Chen Chuan unable to find words to describe the majesty of the vision.

However, none of these could compare to one, single thing. The moment Chen Chuan cast his eyes on the plain, his attention was immediately attracted to it. Standing at the center of the plain was a tree that was about thirty meters tall.

Its roots rose up from the ground and spread out like a spider’s net over the earth. Its trunk was thick and long, which made it look on the plains like a giant that was keeping the sky aloft.

Its crown was like a huge, green cloud, while its branches were twisted together in a complicated web. There were multiple balls of light resembling stars among them.

Milk-white fog spread onto the plain from the tree and hid most of it.

Ling Jianxing turned to Chen Chuan and spoke in a voice filled with suppressed fervor. “Allow me to introduce to you the Tree of True Forms. It’s from the merged space, but you’ll find it hard to find it even there. I’m not saying that it’s hard to find it because it’s rare. Instead, it’s because it can only survive by forming a symbiotic relationship with another living organism. Usually, it chooses to self-destruct if it can’t reach full maturity due to its partner dying.

“If it does reach full maturity, it can merge with or absorb other living organisms to make them part of itself. This is a unique domain entity. It can be a lowly existence but also a grand, majestic being.

“It is our ladder up!”

Chen Chuan suddenly remembered Wu Ruo’s original house while staring at the tree. Chang Dong had told him that there had been a plant growing there once, but was removed later on.

“We need to wait for it to reach maturity? How old is this tree?” he asked.

“Old. This tree is more than thirty years old.”

Chen Chuan nodded. Thirty years ago, Ling Jianxing hadn’t been in Jibei Road’s Central City yet, so someone else should have planted it. Ling Jianxing didn’t hide the fact that he belonged to a group, though, and if they could do something like this, their strength was not to be underestimated.

“This tree is what gives you your confidence? Perhaps it’s strong and unique, but how can it help you achieve what you want?” Chen Chuan asked.

“You haven’t seen its true nature yet, so you don’t understand. Let me show it to you,” Ling Jianxing made a sign, and the scenery changed again.

Ling Jianxing and Chen Chuan shifted to stand on one of the tree’s branches. The fog was now behind them, so they could see more details.

Chen Chuan looked up, and his gaze sharpened.

When he had been looking at the tree from the distance, he had seen balls of light sparkling among the branches like stars, but upon closer inspection, he found that they weren’t balls of light at all, but human brains. There were hundreds of them, and they were all surrounded by a white, crystalline fiber-like substance that sparkled when light shone on them.

What was even more horrifying was that the brains were squirming, as if they were still alive.

“You don’t have to wonder, Lead Investigator Chen. You’re right. Some of them aren’t dead, or rather, their owners are still conscious. They have cast aside their bodies and placed their consciousness here.”

Chen Chuan’s gaze turned profound. “I’m not going to ask why they did this, but rather how did you manage to get this many brains?”

Ling Jianxing watched him, as if surprised why Chen Chuan was concerned about this. Still, he explained it patiently. “We bought some of them. Martial artists’ brains have always been an important research resource.

“Some signed an agreement while they were alive to donate their brains after they died. Some are from students who weren’t too talented. We couldn’t bear watching them walk down a path with no end in sight, so we gave them a second life here.”

Chen Chuan remembered the tournament. Its organizers did not care about whether the participants survived their matches. As he continued staring upward, he said, “I’m sure that a lot of them were Martial Valor University students.”

Ling Jianxing didn’t hide it. “Indeed, but as I’ve said, we didn’t abandon them. We placed them here so that they can become one of us and continue chasing their dreams.”

“Dreams?”

“Yes.” Ling Jianxing became more spirited. “Once the Tree of True Forms grows to full maturity, it forms a domain of consciousness. It can simulate a world within it, and it’s the same as the outside world. The consciousness that enter its world can live and grow in there.

“What’s limiting our growth in the real world is the lack of resources, but think. In this simulated world, we can get an endless supply of resources. Those who lack talent can make up for this weakness through other means. Theoretically, everyone can reach the Third Limit in the domain of consciousness, perhaps even beyond. While there, all martial artists can fulfill their dreams and reach their goals.”

“But it’s just a simulation,” Chen Chuan countered.

“Now it is, but that doesn’t mean that the tree doesn’t have the ability to turn a simulation into reality. There are certain conditions, though, and people like us need to help.” Ling Jianxing gave Chen Chuan a mysterious smile before saying sincerely, “You won’t have to feel guilty on a moral level if you choose to join us. Our actions are born of noble ideals. Think about it. Once we reach the end of this path and everyone benefits from it, all the sacrifices along the way will mean nothing.”

He extended his hand in an invitation. “If you join us, we can bring this dream to fruition and change this world.”

Chen Chuan stood still. His gaze calmed, and he ignored Ling Jianxing’s hand. “Sorry, but no.”

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