Reborn as a Demonic Tree-Chapter 432: Another Nascent Soul Realm

Stella squinted at the mystical fog and felt a sinking feeling in her chest. She could accept the Redclaw Grand Elder reaching the Nascent Soul Realm before her. He was a war hero who had been cultivating for as many, if not more, decades as the years she had been alive. The gap in their life experience and understanding was simply vast, and she respected the man a lot.

But someone or something else had reached the Nascent Soul Realm.

Is it perhaps Kaida? Stella silently hoped. She had long accepted that Ashlock's pets advanced in cultivation at an unfathomable speed and had stopped competing. But other cultivators? If she had fallen behind one of them, there was no excuse.

Stella knew she was spoiled. She was born with an ancient bloodline that let her learn and progress at insane rates, she had access to unlimited cultivation resources, and most importantly, she had the loving support of her demonic tree dad. She hadn't earned any of this. The bloodline came with birth, and the resources came from her relationship with Tree.

That's precisely why she cultivated so much and was so hard on herself—to not waste her life advantages and protect Ash. It's why she was so set on reaching the Nascent Soul Realm. It was the realm Ash was in, and until she surpassed him, she would always be under his protection.

Stella bit her lip as she stared at the mystical fog. Logically, she knew others reaching the Nascent Soul Realm didn't mean Ash would stop relying on her completely. But her weakness was also a burden on him. Just as she wanted to protect him, he was overprotective of her. An example was that one of the sect's strongest members, Maple, was her guard most of the time. Stella appreciated it, but at the same time, it made her feel like a problem.

She wanted to be not only stronger but the strongest. For her pride, not to be seen as a burden, and to protect the ones she loved.

"Get back. Something is not right." Grand Elder Redclaw stern and commanding voice was followed by the Nascent Soul Realm fire cultivator drawing his sword and putting himself between Stella and the mystical fog.

Stella took a few steps back as instructed. Everyone else followed suit, but the order had been clearly directed at her.

If I had reached the Nascent Soul Realm, would he still tell me to get back? Stella clenched her fists. She wanted to be the one standing up and protecting everyone. She paused and let out a breath. I'm too stuck in my own head. Relax, you were at peace with your progress before leaving the Mystic Realm, remember? Comparison is the enemy of joy. Her eyes darted to Jasmine, who was staring right at her. I need to be better for Jasmine. To stop tormenting her through our Master-Disciple link. Simply forcing my cultivation ahead isn't the solution. I need a new mindset.

Stella stepped through the aether and appeared beside Jasmine and Diana by the bench. Her Star Core hummed as she shrouded her Disiple and Jasmine's mother in a protective aura. If whatever was coming out of that portal offensively unleashed their Nascent Soul Realm soul pressure, it would crush Catherine into a bloody pulp and likely break many of Jasmine's bones.

Nascent Soul Realm existences were not to be messed with. Stella's eyes darted among the people present. Some Redclaw teenagers in the Soul Fire Realm were huddled behind the Redclaw Elders, and many Mudcloaks were wandering around.

I will first escape to Ash's Inner World with Jasmine and Catherine as they take priority. I will then return for the Redclaws and, finally, the Mudcloaks. Then, I will reassess the situation and look to save the weaker Star Core members of the sect—Stella's racing thoughts were silenced by laughter echoing from the mystical fog. Her eyes narrowed. I know this laugh...

"It's coming!" Grand Elder Redclaw's voice was sharp with alarm. His scarlet robes billowed with crimson flames as he instinctively stepped back.

"Hold on, don't attack yet," Stella said.

"Why?" The Grand Elder asked without taking his eyes off the fog.

"I feel..." Stella paused as she tried to put her finger on it. "A faint connection to whatever is coming, and that laugh is familiar."

The Grand Elder didn't weaken his posture, but he hummed in agreement. "While I don't feel this connection, I agree that the laugh does sound familiar. I will trust your words, Stella. Don't attack everyone, but be ready to fight or flee."

The gathered cultivators of Red Vine Peak in the Star Core Realm stepped forward, their hands hovering over weapons, ready to strike at whatever entity was emerging from the shifting veil of the Mystic Realm's fog.

Diana stepped up beside Stella. Her wings and claws were out. Stella couldn't help but take a moment to appraise her rival. While she looked similar to before, the presence she radiated was far more oppressive. Stella side-eyed Diana and raised a brow. The questions kept piling up, yet the demoness returned a smirk in response to her enquiring gaze.

Maybe I really will lose to her in a duel? Stella mused. But that could wait until later.

The mystical fog churned, swirling as if resisting the presence of whoever sought to step through. Then, a limb breached the barrier—a twisted arm of gnarled black wood that glowed with a faint violet hue. It reached outward with long, spindly fingers. Yet, it was unlike the towering Ents that Ashlock had conjured in the past. There was something... human about it. The delicate curvature of the arm, the way the fingers flexed with an almost instinctive grace—it bore an uncanny resemblance to a woman's arm rather than that of a lumbering, mindless servant weaved from the dead bodies of those Ash had defeated.

There's no way. Stella was speechless as the rest of the figure emerged. Striding forth with a human-like gait, a tree woman broke free from the fog's embrace. Black vines cascaded from her head, weaving and curling like living strands of hair and tipped with silver. The most notable feature was a single vertical eye in the center of her forehead that locked onto Stella.

The tree woman stepped forward, and where her bare wooden feet touched the earth, it cracked—not from weight, but from power. The mystic Qi that clung to her form like an ethereal cloak twisted and flickered as it turned into a sea of eyes.

Stella mobilized Qi to her eyes and confirmed her suspicions. "Everyone, lower your weapons." She said, "This isn't a monster."

The tree woman strode past a bewildered Grand Elder Redclaw and paused before Stella. The woman's lips curled into a knowing smile, and her violet eyes glowed brighter. "Head Priestess, I have returned!"

"Elysia," Stella pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, "What in the nine layers of hell have you done to yourself?"

Everyone present exchanged a knowing look and also relaxed. Diana rolled her eyes and recalled her wings. "All of that worry over this nutcase," she clicked her tongue, "Why can't she just leave the Mystic Realm like a normal person."

The crazed Mystshroud girl ignored Diana's comments as she was far too busy looking up at Ashlock's canopy and reaching up as if trying to grasp at his branches a hundred meters above them, "I have... I have come closer to our god's true form!"

"Yeah, I can see that," Stella said as she crossed her arms. She was not amused at all. "But how?"

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Elysia slowly looked at her. "Do you remember that divine gift you gave me?"

"Not really..."

"The SEED! OF OUR GOD!" She yelled.

Stella blinked, "The seed? Oh, do you mean one of Ashlock's demonic tree seeds?"

"Yes! Yes, that one! Do you remember?"

"I guess so?" Stella said, vaguely recalling such a thing.

"Mytherion—I raised a tree from that divine seed with the plan of using it as a focal point for the religion should the All-Seeing Eye ever leave this land and return to his higher plane. But after conversing with the All-Seeing Eye about it, I devised a better idea."

Stella raised a brow, "Right, go on..."

"Mytherion's progress was too slow, and being left in the Tainted Cloud Sect was risky. So my plan was to bring Mytherion into my soul and then grow an infant soul inside him. Since Mytherion came from the divine seed of our god, that would make my infant soul compatible with him like his descendants."

"Woah, stop right there. What... huh?" Stella's brain was getting fried by Elysia's nonsense that had somehow become reality. "You brought a tree into your soul?"

Elysia nodded.

"And how did you do that exactly?" Stella said dryly. She had felt inadequate about failing to ascend to the Nascent Soul Realm, yet Elysia had not only reached the Nascent Soul Realm but treated it as some nonsense experiment.

"I believed it was the best way to serve my god... so I did it?"

"That is not an answer, and you know it," Stella grumbled. Nothing about Elyisa, her family, or her affinity made any sense. Mystic Qi seemed to make her more delusional and nonsensical by the day. "Hold on, did you say you're growing your infant soul inside Mytherion?"

"Yep!" Elysia replied with a beaming smile, yet Stella felt her world was crashing down around her. If that was true, didn't that make Elysia's infant soul growing inside one of his offspring technically Tree's first human daughter? Not only was this woman progressing in cultivation at a faster rate, but she was now genetically related to Tree? Did Ash really agree to this? Her mind was spinning, and her vision darkened. Anger toward Elysia festered at the corners of her mind, and her Star Core began to hum.

Stella was falling into despair and didn't know what to do, but a small hand grasping her thumb brought her back to reality. Stella looked to her side and saw Jasmine giving her a reassuring smile.

"Does that make you Ashlock's offspring?" Jasmine said calmly as she continued to hold Stella's hand.

Stella froze at Jasmine's question and awaited Elysia's answer.

"No. The All-Seeing Eye's children are divine beings." Elysia adamantly replied, her tone suddenly deathly serious. "I am merely his vessel. My soul is for him to use as he deems fit. That is what my infant soul and Mytherion are being raised for."

Stella's hand fell to her side as the strength and tension left her body.

"Ah, our god has returned," Elysia said as she stood.

Stella felt it as well. The chill of ruin crept through the air like a phantom before gathering into one location and forming a tear through reality. Everyone came to gather around the portal. Stella nodded at Douglas and Elaine, who came to her side.

It seems they have both progressed in cultivation. I wonder if Elaine has learned any useful combat techniques?

"What's happening?" Elaine asked.

"I think Ash found Jasmine's little monster friend," Stella replied, and she squeezed her disciple's hand as the little girl was still clutching her thumb. They exchanged a glance, and Stella mouthed, 'Thank you.' Her disciple returned a smile.

Stella had lost control of herself a moment ago, but her disciple had brought her back. While she was still a little unnerved by what Elysia had done, as it had most likely been done without Ash's consent, it wasn't her place to get angry. Elysia was a valuable and fiercely loyal sect member, and Stella respected her for that. She was just very strange and had a 'unique' approach to things that were apparently working extremely well.

"Oh, it seems quite a few people have returned while I was gone," Ash said through Anubis, the Nascent Soul Realm shadow lich who had been silently standing off to the side until now. "Sorry about that. I had to find Jasmine's monster pet before the Mystic Realm closed. Anyway, I think this is him? It matched the description and was munching on my Mystic Realmwarp fruit."

The desolation rift pulsed, and a chest-height mantis fell through. It seemed disoriented for a moment as it got its footing, though once it gathered its senses, it looked terrified. Its chitinous exoskeleton changed color like a chameleon to match the purple grass it was standing on—which only made it stand out more. The poor thing quivered as it was stared down by a ring of curious cultivators, including many Star Core Realms and a handful of Nascent Soul Realms.

Anubis placed his skeletal-like hand on the monster's head, "Was this the one, Jasmine?"

"Yes! Thank you, Ashlock, for finding him!" Jasmine let go of Stella's thumb and ran forward. The monster instantly recognized her, letting out a happy-sounding clicking noise at her approach.

"Jasmine!? You said this was a baby monster!" Catherine shouted, and she didn't seem to give a damn about the glances shot her way. "When you said a baby mantis, I thought about something that could fit in the palm of your hand—it's as big as you."

"So? It's still a baby," Jasmine had to reach up to pat the monster on the head. "See, it's harmless mother."

"Just because it didn't bite your head off when a dozen cultivators were watching it doesn't mean it won't do so in the future!" Catherine pointed out.

While Stella knew they were likely unnecessary worries, it was true that cultivators were quite vulnerable while cultivating, especially during ascensions. Even for a baby monster like this, it has enough intelligence to know trying to bite Jasmine's head off here would result in death. But there were no guarantees in the future.

"Hmmm," Stella crouched before the mantis and looked into its round bug eyes. She could almost smell its fear. "Little mantis, my dear disciple here has taken a liking to you. What do you think? Do you accept her as your master?"

It shuddered and lowered its head to the floor.

"Master, stop bullying him." Jasmine protested.

"Oh, I'm only getting started." Stella brought a few truffles and fruits from her spatial ring and set them down before the mantis. "These truffles will improve your spirit roots, and these fruits assist in cultivation, but more importantly, this fruit gives you language comprehension. I know you don't understand most of what I'm saying, but—" she unleashed a hint of her soul pressure, making the insect squeak, "—you are terribly weak. Too weak for my disciple to trust her life to."

Stella snapped her fingers, and Guppy slithered out of the aether.

"Monsters advance in cultivation from killing and devouring others. Go with Guppy to the front lines and fight as many Soul Fire Realm monsters as possible. If you reach the Star Core Realm, I will allow you to return and be Jasmine's guard." Stella turned to Jasmine, "Is this acceptable?"

Jasmine nodded. "I understand that a weak monster is only a risk to me, Master."

"Good!" Stella grinned, "And Jasmine, you may have had one of the most historic jumps in cultivation the sect has seen so far, but you should still train hard! Nature Qi is all around us, and I expect great things from you."

Jasmine looked excited, but Catherine rested a hand on her daughter's head. "She can train later, but first, I wanted to inform you all about the funeral being held."

"Funeral?" Stella's eyes widened, "For who? Did Julian die?"

"No. Thankfully, Julian is fine," Catherine said calmly, "It's for the millions of people who died during the Ashfallen Sect's battle with Vincent Nightrose. The overall mood in Darklight and Ashfallen City has been quite dire since the incident. Ashlock saw this as an opportunity to bring the mortals closer and reaffirm their belief in the All-Seeing Eye, which has been faltering. While Julian and I survived that night, some of our close friends from Slymere did not. I wanted to take Jasmine to the funeral as I think it's important for her to see what the actions of the powerful can cause on the mortals."

"That's a fantastic idea!" Douglas said, "Though this sounds more than a simple funeral."

Catherine nodded, "We are going to plant Ashlock's seeds along the road between the cities and were hoping Elysia and the rest of the Mystshroud family could use their mystic Qi to bless the seeds in the name of the All-Seeing Eye. We want people to feel like they are burying the souls to rest and that they may start a new life as a spirit tree."

Elysia stepped forward and bowed deeply. The gnarled black wood that had seemed so real faded away from her face, revealing a girl with violet eyes and silver-tinted black hair. "It would be my honor to carry out such a service in the name of the All-Seeing Eye."

Catherine clasped Elysia's still wood-covered hands, "No, it's us who are honored."

"Sorry to interrupt." The cultivators parted to the side, and a gloomy man with long black hair like rotting wood, which hid half his face, stepped forward. Stella knew this man—he was the Grand Elder of the Blightbane family and possessed death affinity. "It hasn't been that long since the battle, and due to the confusion and resentment of the deceased, many souls should still linger." He held up a ghostly blue flower between his withered fingers. "We found these flowers in our pocket realm. We believe these ghostly flowers can help capture and nurture wandering souls."

Elysia's eyes widened, "If that's true, I can definitely save them! I even learned how to infuse souls into trees during my ascension."

The Blightbane Grand Elder nodded, "I believe if we work together, we can make this a truly special event for the mortals who put their trust in us." He chuckled raspily, "It will also be a rare opportunity to show our skills."

Elysia grinned wildly, "When is the funeral?"

"Tonight," Catherine said, "Millions will be in attendance."