The world of the Golden Tree.
Isaac gazed at the large hole at the base of the tree roots, the Golden Tree oozing black and red liquid, the space filled with wailing. Isaac’s soul laughed wildly; he had succeeded. Those who belittled and insulted him back then? Those fools who deaned him as worthless? Who said a small person couldn’t change the world!
However, this place wasn’t safe to stay long, so Isaac left the world of the Golden Tree. Porcelain Doll at the entrance had also reaped her bounty, going back and forth several tis, laden with too many beloved items, but her space was limited, leading to a dilemma of choice. This treasury was truly vast; if only she could move it all at once.
"Mission accomplished?" Porcelain Doll asked sweetly, her eyes still sizing up two necklaces, one sapphire, one ruby, but she could only fit one.
"Mission accomplished!" Isaac waved his arms, his eyes full of satisfaction.
"Congratulations, Isaac Apostle, you’ve earned the right to et the Commander, and the Commander will grant you a wish," Porcelain Doll said, reluctantly putting down the sapphire necklace. "The Commander will certainly be pleased with this news."
"It is my honor, milady. Let’s leave; with such a commotion, the Church Court will be here soon." A calm Isaac said worriedly, knowing the thods of the Church Court, especially those dealing with souls.
Porcelain Doll smiled, "They won’t co so quickly. This King has deeper rifts with the Church Court than we thought; otherwise, we wouldn’t have such a good opportunity."
After Ola the Eighteenth ascended the throne, most Church Court personnel within the Royal Palace were sent away. Of course, only a few knew about this; Prince Oliver was among them, as for the Celestial Principle School, they were still too immature.
Porcelain Doll twirled in her puffy skirt, revealing a hidden array underfoot, and together with Isaac, vanished into thin air, leaving the palace amidst chaos. By the ti the King sealed off the palace, they were long gone, not to ntion the Mother of Dragons overseeing their retreat and the hidden creator in an unknown corner ensured nothing could go wrong.
The Commander’s order was to complete the mission, then retreat from Hedan via the port by the Mother of Dragons. The Song of Hell only deployed experts; once at sea, not even the Lord Pope of the Church Court would reach them. The remaining concerns were beyond the Song of Hell’s scope; their mission was accomplished, and indeed, nothing is impossible for the Commander.
All hidden powers in Hedan were probing the Royal Palace; sothing major had occurred in Moncalleta. Leaders of the Earth Temple entered the palace, as did the Celestial Principle School’s Grand Scholars, yet none saw the King.
Soon, the Church Court’s Tribunal, the Knight Order, the City Guard, and Funeral Attendants were all mobilized, enforcing martial law city-wide. Soldiers and Law Enforcers were everywhere; never had Hedan seed so tense and chaotic.
Simmons and Holman also realized sothing significant happened. After a bit of sparring, they couldn’t continue. The Crown Prince announced a pause in the competition, with everyone standing by for the King’s further orders, soldiers guarding all exits.
Hokele’s expression was also grave. The only thing that could cause Father to lose composure like this was the Golden Tree, but how could anything happen to the Golden Tree?
What does heaven bless Moncalleta an, if not that outsiders couldn’t even enter the world of the Golden Tree, and inside, couldn’t wield hidden powers? Any Moncalleta person harboring ill-intentions would be repelled, unable to approach the Golden Tree. Malice couldn’t be hidden before the Golden Tree, and it was incredibly sturdy, as tough as steel, making it nearly impossible to inflict serious damage in a short ti. This was the sacred tree of the Third Era; for years, many hidden forces have tried to pry but failed completely. If hidden forces could harm it, Hedan would not have lasted till today.
Despite all his knowledge, Hokele couldn’t fathom how it could be damaged.
His intense anxiety and worry caused the usually composed Prince to waver, but all he could do was await further orders from his father.
In the Golden Tree world, Ola the Eighteenth looked exceptionally grim. Entering it for the first ti, Chief Red-robed Archbishop Edro, Four-star Grand Scholar Jas, and Four-star Grandmaster Kundra were also solemn and couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
Looking at the enormous gash and the Golden Tree’s wails, all this made Ola the Eighteenth’s heart sink. He didn’t even have ti to consider how the enemy achieved this; faced with the dying Golden Tree, he wondered what could be done.
The inner turmoil of Archbishop Edro was even greater, far more chaotic than he appeared. The situation before him shattered everything he thought possible. How could Moncalleta people invade the Golden Tree world? Even if they did, they couldn’t harm the Golden Tree. The laws here weren’t breakable by demigods or sub-deities, especially with malice-driven hidden powers forbidden.
Suddenly Edro’s mind buzzed; this concerned Moncalleta Kingdom’s lifeline. If the lifeline snapped, the Kingdom would be dood, and if the Kingdom fell, wouldn’t the Earth Mother Goddess Court’s foundation be shaken? The Kingdom’s succession wasn’t fatal for the Court, but foreign invasion was a different matter.
Ola the Eighteenth considered many possibilities and crises, but never this. Yet it had happened. The priority now wasn’t to catch the culprit but to save the Golden Tree imdiately. This gaping wound and the constant fall of golden leaves made everyone present deeply anxious.
Seeing the King silently pondering, Grandmaster Kundra cleared his throat, "Your Majesty, ti is critical; the Golden Tree’s wounds cannot heal themselves. The enemy tid it perfectly—absorbing Wish Power is when the Golden Tree is weakest. The air reeks of Hex-Tech, so it isn’t affected by the laws. We’ll investigate the culprit, but we must treat the Golden Tree imdiately."
Edro’s face darkened, "Hex-Tech? Lilong?"
"Lord Edro, power is rely power. It’s those who wield it and enter the Golden Tree realm who are enemies. We all know the suspect. Right now, saving the Golden Tree cos first!" Jas replied solemnly. Besides Oliver, who else knew the thod of entry, and who else would be so reckless? His suspicion was greatest.
"We need to unite at this mont; Your Excellency Archbishop, do you have a solution?" Kundra asked, subtly easing the tension. Hex-Tech was introduced mainly by the Celestial Principle School; even if soone wanted to incite trouble, now wasn’t the ti.
The Earth Mother Goddess Court, protecting for millennia, surely knew a thod.
Edro ignored Kundra, only quietly observing the King. "Your Majesty, the Golden Tree’s situation is dire. You know the thod; the sooner you decide, the better."
Ola the Eighteenth was silent for a mont, then sighed, "Can we ask for help from His Holiness, the Pope?"
Edro smiled bitterly, "Your Majesty, there’s a reason the Royal Family guards the Golden Tree, stemming from an ancient covenant. Such a fatal wound requires a sacrifice by the Royal bloodline’s Divine Favored; there’s no alternative for this ancient divine object, not even His Holiness can do anything."
Seeing the King hesitate even at this point, Edro directly clarified the thod. Facing national survival, Jas and Kundra would surely help the King decide.
Jas and Kundra felt their hearts sink, exchanging a glance. The Royal bloodline’s Divine Favored? Didn’t this an the Princess?
"Edro, don’t talk nonsense; there’s no logic in that. The Princess’s power isn’t enough," Jas said sternly.
Edro cast a slight glance at Kundra, "The Celestial Principle School is just an infant in the path of hidden powers, and there’s much you still don’t know. Your Majesty, decide soon. I estimate the Golden Tree can’t last the night. Delayed further, everything will be in vain. You’re the King; the Kingdom’s destiny is in your hands," Edro said word by word, paused, "I can’t help with anything here; I’m going back to the Church Court to arrange people to track the enemy. They must not escape Hedan!"
Ola the Eighteenth silently nodded, as Edro quickly left without glancing at the two Celestial Principle School Grand Scholars.
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