Chapter 849

【 THE WORLD TREE APPEARS ONCE MORE 】

World of Seigües, Elven Forest.

In the former Holy City of Florence, which had grown increasingly prosperous and lively, Li Mu, who had officially become a Gold high-ranking priest, was busy working alongside the priests of the local denomination of the Church of Life.

Over the past two days, another war campaign in the underground region had been triggered across the entire server. It was said that the Goddess had personally summoned the participating players and started a war in the Netherworld.

Screenshots and videos of the event had even gone viral across the major websites, with countless players discussing the battle and speculating about what had happened in the Netherworld. For many players, a war personally initiated by the Goddess was naturally an event worth following closely.

However, Li Mu, who had long since achieved fame and success, had not answered the summons and refrained from serving as a commander this time.

Well, as for why, quite frankly, he was genuinely tired of commanding large-scale battles at this point.

Over the years, he had participated in far too many major campaigns. Whether it was coordinating players on the battlefield, formulating strategies, or dealing with the endless complications that arose during large-scale operations, commanding a war was far more exhausting than simply fighting on the front lines.

Moreover, he no longer had much pressure to level up either.

As a big shot who could obtain almost anything he wanted, as well as a life-oriented player who had already accumulated considerable wealth, strength, fame, and influence within the game, he no longer needed to constantly pursue every opportunity for growth.

At this point, what he wanted most was simply to enjoy the game leisurely at his own pace.

For Li Mu, this was perhaps the most comfortable way to play the game now..

In fact, what interested him the most recently was participating in the Church of Life’s work as a priest.

The level of his main Druid class was already very high, but his secondary Priest class still needed to be strengthened. Compared with his Druid level, his progress as a Priest was still somewhat lacking, so he figured that he might as well take advantage of this opportunity to gain more experience and gradually improve his rank.

Demacia’s cult-like style of preaching, which was practically comparable to that of a pyramid scheme, was not his cup of tea. As a player who enjoyed immersing himself in the game, he preferred to regard himself as a genuine Priest of the Church of Life, completing quests and continuously advancing through the ranks in a normal and sensible manner.

So rather than relying on some unconventional methods to rapidly increase his Priest level, Li Mu preferred to experience the duties and responsibilities that came with the class itself. To him, that was part of what made the game interesting.

Currently, he had been participating in the work of settling the elves who had recently returned with Queen Diana.

Speaking of which, according to what he had heard, the Moonlight Queen was currently recuperating in the Goddess’s Divine Kingdom. After the long journey and everything that had happened, it was only natural that she would need some time to recover.

The elves who had followed Diana back to the Elven Forest, meanwhile, had been assigned to various elven cities. Some had been sent to the traditional elven settlements, while others had chosen to settle in the newer cities established by the Chosen Ones.

Quite a few had even been assigned here in Florence. In addition, as the reputation of the Elven Forest and the Life Goddess spread, more and more wandering elves and half-elves from all over the continent were returning. As a result, Florence’s population continued to grow.

Li Mu’s task was to assist the Church in settling them properly.

He had become quite proficient at this kind of work. In particular, as the Guildmaster of Heart of Nature, he had access to a great variety of resources and was able to help resolve many of the difficulties faced by the newly returned elves and thus earned unanimous praise from the priests of the Church of Life.

From time to time, he could even see young elven priests looking at him with admiration, with some frequently approaching him respectfully to ask for advice:

“Lord Li Mu, this compatriot says that his ancestors once lived in Maple Leaf City. Should we keep him in Florence when assigning him a home and a job?”

“Lord Li Mu, this compatriot wishes to join our local Church and become a member of the clergy…”

“Lord Li Mu, how should we arrange for our people to preach to those who have yet to possess the Light of Faith?”

“Lord Li Mu…”

Li Mu had originally intended to live a leisurely life while also grinding his Fame and Reputation values to a level that others could only look up to. Yet he suddenly realized that he seemed to have become even busier lately…

Nevertheless, he rather enjoyed the feeling of being relied upon.

Although these people were merely NPCs, in his eyes, they had already become almost indistinguishable from his friends and companions in reality. After spending so much time with the elves, he had long since stopped viewing them as nothing more than characters in a game.

Therefore, he answered the young priests’ questions one by one in great detail:

“Although Maple Leaf City has already fallen under the Church of Life’s jurisdiction, it still belongs to the Maple Moon Free State… So, for those compatriots who wish to return to Maple Moon City, we can provide them with work and accommodation there. However, we will need to negotiate with Demacia and communicate with Lady Sophia, the governor of the Maple Moon Free State…”

“You can tell him that I recommend staying in the Elven Forest. He can choose any city he likes. Whether it is one of the seven traditional elven capital cities or one of the new elven cities established by the Chosen Ones, all of them welcome our compatriots.”

“However, we should warmly welcome any compatriots who wish to go to the Maple Moon Free State to spread the faith, especially those among us who are particularly devout. The Maple Moon Free State is already safe, but the Goddess’s glory has yet to reach every corner of that region…”

“The Church welcomes anyone who wishes to join and become a priest. However, they must first undergo training and an assessment of their faith. Aside from that, the best way to qualify is through preaching.”

“For anyone who has yet to develop the Light of Faith, we should first provide them with the Codex of Life. Once they become believers, we can then reconsider where they should be assigned…”

“Don’t worry. We are all elves, and we naturally possess goodwill toward the Goddess. Once they learn Her Grace’s true identity, I’m sure they will quickly restore their faith…”

“Everyone has worked hard. There have been quite a lot of returning clansmen recently, and their backgrounds are quite complicated. Unlike the Frost Elves, who could be settled collectively, we must carefully consider the wishes of every individual.”

Li Mu spoke slowly and methodically, addressing each issue without the slightest hint of impatience.

Combined with his gentle tone and the Church uniform symbolizing his position as Chief Priest, he appeared both approachable and noble.

The young priests who had only recently joined the Church of Life were practically staring at him with stars in their eyes.

As expected of a Gold-rank expert…

Even in the current era of surging magical power, a Gold-rank expert was still a rare sight. For these young elves, someone of Li Mu’s strength was more than enough to become an idol.

On top of that, there was the mysterious aura surrounding the Chosen Ones.

So it was no surprise that his favorability rating was rising rapidly.

Just by standing there in the Church and directing the arrangements, Li Mu could hear a constant stream of notifications ringing in his ears. After checking some of them, he even discovered that several of the people whose Favorability toward him had increased were people he did not know at all and he had absolutely no idea who they were.

Ah, being too famous even had its drawbacks…

Within the entirety of Elven Kingdom, there were probably only two people who would suddenly receive Favorability increase notifications like this out of nowhere while having no idea why: Li Mu himself and Cypher, who had saved the Frost Elves.

Incidentally, although Demacia’s Priest level was also very high, not only had that fellow never received similar Favorability increases out of the blue, he would instead occasionally receive sudden notifications that his Favorability had decreased…

Sometimes, he would even see Demacia be completely baffled, muttering what he had done this time to lose Favorability again.

Li Mu, however, had more or less figured it out. It was probably the backlash from that rascal’s deceptive style of preaching…

Tsk, as expected, those who make their living through trickery will eventually have to pay the price.

No matter how efficient Demacia’s preaching method was, it could not change the fact that his approach was an unscrupulous shortcut. So while employing it might allow him to spread the faith rapidly in the short term, the consequences would inevitably surface sooner or later.

Well, if there was any consolation for Demacia, it was probably that he apparently, would received notifications from time to time notifying him that Sophia’s favorability of him had increased.

It was probably the only piece of good news his friend Demacia had been receiving lately.

Li Mu knew about this as well. After all, Demacia was one of his closest friends in the game, and he had once been an avid fan of Li Mu’s videos.

As for this matter, Li Mu could only sigh. He had never expected that Sophia would actually be won over by that rascal…

Well, as long as the two of them did not meet, Sophia’s Favorability toward Demacia would continue to increase. But if they did meet, then considering how his friend typically behaved, Li Mu suspected that it would probably drop again.

Thinking about it, Li Mu could not help but find their situation somewhat amusing.

Casting aside the random thoughts in his mind, Li Mu chuckled and shook his head before continuing to direct the elven priests in handling the settlement of their returning compatriots.

However, just as they were busy with their work, everyone suddenly felt a strange stirring deep within their hearts, an inexplicable tremor that was difficult to describe in words…

A subtle energy fluctuation came from afar, stirring up a gentle breeze that swept gently through the streets of Florence.

It was not an ordinary breeze. Rather, it was an elemental wind created when the surrounding elements were shaken by some immense force and subsequently rippled outward. Even the most ordinary elf could sense that something was different.

Moreover, the fluctuation seemed to carry a trace of mysterious power. When the “breeze” swept over him, Li Mu felt his body tremble slightly. The fatigue accumulated from an entire day’s work suddenly vanished, replaced by a strange sense of vitality that seemed to permeate every part of his body.

For a moment, Li Mu even felt as though he could continue working for several more days without feeling tired.

This miraculous sensation was not the first time he had experienced it.

And on the previous occasions, it had always accompanied the Goddess’s descent.

It was a fluctuation of life force…

Li Mu’s expression gradually became solemn. He had already begun to understand what this strange sensation represented.

At that moment, he suddenly heard excited voices coming from all around him:

“Quick… Look! Look at the sky!”

“By the grace of the Goddess! This… This is…!”

“The World Tree! This is the real World Tree!”

The World Tree?

Li Mu was slightly stunned.

For a moment, he almost thought he had misheard them.

As though sensing something in the depths of his consciousness, he instinctively looked toward the core area of the Elven Forest. His eyes then widened in shock.

In the direction of the Chosen City, a towering giant tree suddenly rose from the earth, its colossal trunk stretching straight into the heavens…

It was the Goddess’s true form, the World Tree!

The majestic figure that could previously only be seen within the Chosen City could now be seen clearly even here in Florence. Its enormous silhouette dominated the distant horizon, so immense that it seemed to connect the earth and the sky.

But that was only the beginning.

No, that was not all. The giant tree was even more majestic and magnificent than when it had been seen from the Chosen City.

It continued to grow, rising higher and higher…

The enormous trunk pushed relentlessly upward, while countless branches stretched toward the clouds. From Florence, Li Mu could clearly see the magnificent spectacle unfolding before his eyes, yet the higher the World Tree grew, the more insignificant everything around it seemed to become.

The entire Elven Forest appeared to fall silent for a brief moment.

At this moment, Li Mu could even feel the earth trembling beneath his feet.

“The World Tree! It really is the World Tree! The Goddess… No, Her Majesty the Divine Matriarch!”

The elves revealed excited and fanatical expressions one after another. Some stared at the colossal tree in disbelief, while others were already trembling with emotion.

Then, as though they had simultaneously received some divine revelation, they all fell to their knees, continuously praying toward the World Tree and prostrating themselves in worship.

The devout voices of prayer, mixed with excited cries and quiet sobs, echoed through the skies above Florence. The atmosphere was filled with an overwhelming sense of reverence and joy, as though the entire city were witnessing the return of a deity from an ancient legend.

And it was not limited to Florence alone.

Throughout the entire Elven Forest, wherever the World Tree could be seen, the elves were overcome with fervor and emotion upon witnessing such a majestic sight.

The World Tree had appeared…

Although the elves and half-elves who had returned to the Elven Forest had already learned the true identity of the Goddess of Life, knowing it was one thing. But actually witnessing Her majestic and lofty figure appear before them was another thing altogether.

The World Tree was not merely a legendary symbol to the elves. It was the origin of their civilization, the sacred existence that had watched over their race since ancient times. Seeing its true form rise once again before their eyes naturally stirred emotions that words could hardly describe.

Thus, they still could not help but be shaken.

There was only one reason for this.

The World Tree’s appearance represented one thing: Her Majesty the Divine Matriarch’s strength had returned to its peak, and She no longer needed to conceal Her true identity.

The long period during which the Goddess had been forced to remain hidden was finally over.

From this moment onward, the elves could proudly beat their chests and declare that they were devout believers of the Goddess of Life and followers of the great World Tree!

One prayer and hymn after another echoed throughout the Elven Forest. Streams of the Light of Faith slowly rose into the sky and converged toward the World Tree.

At this moment, Evé, who stood at the center of the entire phenomenon, felt the elves’ already-devout faith undergo another sublimation after her true body reappeared in the Elven Forest.

One shallow believer after another advanced into a devout believer, while one devout believer after another transformed into a fanatical believer…

Her divine power was once again increasing at an almost visible rate.

Of course, Evé knew very well that this was merely the benefit gained from officially appearing in the form of the World Tree.

As she felt the dense power of faith and listened to the devout prayers of her believers, Evé’s “gaze” also softened.

She no longer concealed herself and instead completely unfolded her true form.

In an instant, the giant tree that already reached into the clouds grew once more!

Mythical beings possessed the ability to control the size of their true forms.

After ascending to the rank of Higher Divine Power, Evé had continuously suppressed the changes to her true body.

But now, she had completely released that restraint.

And since she had chosen to appear in her true form, she decided that she would descend at this moment in the most magnificent manner possible, proclaiming the revival of the World Tree!

The majestic trunk continued to grow. Its branches stretched upward as new shoots emerged and leaves unfolded…

The Chosen City, which had already developed into a magnificent metropolis on the ground, suddenly appeared tiny at this moment.

The colossal tree spread over it, casting the entire city into shadow. However, because the World Tree grew so high, light soon began pouring in from the surroundings once again, and the entire city was bathed in radiance.

Within the city, players and elves looked up in shock, only to discover that they could no longer see the crown of the World Tree while standing beneath it.

All they could see was an endless expanse of clouds…

From farther away, the World Tree had already become a breathtaking wonder rising from the earth, standing majestically upon the land.

Gradually, Evé stopped growing.

Brilliant, multicolored radiance spread outward from her true body. It was her divine power of life, which she was bestowing upon the Elven Forest.

Golden motes of light danced through the forest, and countless plants began growing rapidly once again. The already lush and verdant forest became even more luxuriant in the blink of an eye.

At this moment, every plant throughout the entire World of Seigües turned toward the World Tree and slightly bowed, as though paying homage to their returning sovereign.

At the same time, one Mythical being after another focused their attention on the World of Seigües, concentrating on that majestic giant tree.

༺⟐༻

Dream Island, Temple of the Ancient Gods.

The Ancient Fire God Surtr looked toward the Elven Forest, his eyes filled with shock.

Behind him, the ancient oil lamp flickered slightly and released a long sigh…

༺⟐༻

Dragon Island, deep within the Dragon Valley.

Urinos, who was playing a duel card game against the Red Dragon King, paused slightly before playing the final card in her hand.

“Heh, your turn.”

༺⟐༻

The Abyss, Seventh Layer of Hell.

The First Demon Lord Helel raised his head and looked toward a certain direction then let out a cold laugh before slowly withdrawing his gaze.

༺⟐༻

Heavenly Realm, Kingdom of Doom.

The God of War and Destruction, seated high upon the divine throne, suddenly narrowed his pupils. His gaze toward the World of Seigües was filled with complicated emotions.

“The World Tree… so ‘She’ really is the World Tree…”

He murmured, his voice filled with apprehension and dread.

༺⟐༻

Meanwhile, at the center of Heavenly Realm, within a mountain.

The Eternal Lord stood atop the mountain peak with his hands behind his back, gazing toward the direction of Seigües.

Currently, his eyes were deep and unfathomable, and there even seemed to be a smile at the corners of his lips.

Yet beneath that smile was an icy coldness.

With a “crack” the enormous rock beside him suddenly shattered, as though it had been subjected to some irresistible force.

༺⟐༻

In the depths of the boundless cosmic sky, the Starry Sky Guardian Rigdal, who was recording the development of civilization on a certain world, also stopped writing.

His gaze lingered on the tip of his pen for a moment, before gently shaking his head and released a long sigh.

At this moment, all the Mythical beings in the Seigües Universe collectively turned their gazes toward Evé.

༺⟐༻

At this moment, the World Tree had become the focus of the entire universe…

However, Evé paid little attention to the attention of the gods.

After completely unfolding her true form, she simply returned her consciousness to her Divine Kingdom and smiled at the Oak Guardians, who were likewise bowing before her within the Garden of Eden.

“It’s time for you all to return back to Seigües.”

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