Chapter 170. Encounter.

Liu Shu kept observing her surroundings for three days straight. During that time, she had already summoned a Level 18 <Arboreal Winged Serpent> that was living in the <Temple Of Summoning>. Moreover, thanks to the town-wide effects of the temple, you could see the people who knew summoning walking around, followed by one of their summons.

The three Sylvans were sitting on Liu Shu's roots, relaxing and feeling the nature around them. Spending time like this was a joy for them.

Cinderielle and Tempestria looked at Verdantia's adorable leafy bird with blinking eyes. It was not larger than a common hawk. Cinderielle asked, still surprised. "That's your strongest summon? Really?"

Verdantia smiled. "Similar to Liu Shu's giant serpents, this little darling comes from another dimension. While its attributes are not that high, its power comes from its skills. It is an incredible healer and buffer."

Tempestria hummed. "A summon…"

Verdantia raised her eyebrow at her tone. "Do you want one?"

Tempestria crossed her arms. "While a combat summon would not be very powerful, something like that bird of yours might be nice."

Verdantia hummed. "However, you would only be able to use it while you are in the town, right? Although, I guess you want to take advantage of the <Summoning Blessing>."

Tempestria nodded. "That's right. The buff is just too strong not to care about it. Imagine that each Rose Fairy, Myconid, and Fire Ant could have a small summon. Even if the summon is just F Rank, that would effectively double our numbers for absolutely zero cost. After all, as long as <Summoning Blessing> affects you, the upkeep cost of one summon is zero."

Verdantia's eyebrows locked together. If everybody could learn how to summon, it would undoubtedly increase their military power to another completely new level. "But… Learning summoning is bound with talent, Tempestria. Not everyone can become a summoner."

Cinderielle interrupted. "Wrong."

Verdantia looked at Cinderielle, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Cinderielle squinted with a smirk. "Not everyone can become a "powerful" summoner. I remember that people don't learn how to summon because the number of people that can get summons to work in their favor more than practicing the sword is limited to very few." 

Seeing Verdantia's eyes lighting up in realization, Cinderielle leaned forward and commented with a smile. "However, basic summoning is something that's available to all. Especially the first kind of summoning. While <Dimensional Summoning> or <Living Being Summoning> is not something everybody can do… <Construct Summoning> is another thing altogether." 

Verdantia nodded. "Right… Right! How could I have missed that? I was so focused on wanting to take the most advantage of the temple by summoning a powerful creature that I completely glossed over <Construct Summoning>."

Tempestria asked. "So, is there like a super basic summon of each element that can be used as a buffer? Like, even if the thing only gives a ten percent buff, it can make a massive difference."

Verdantia crossed her arms. "There should be a few books…" Verdantia's eyebrows twitched, and she stomped the ground, sending her chest on a jiggling spree. "Books! Books again! The other time, when getting that <Ternary Core> book, I almost got stomped by Teacher Eila like a bug! What will I need to do next time!?" 

Cinderielle laughed. "Wisdom is fundamental, isn't it? Information is truly the soul of a society." Then, she looked up at the gorgeous World Tree and asked. "Speaking of which, Tiantian. Have you absorbed the <Ternary Core Compendium>? 

Liu Shu spoke to them, her gentle voice surrounding them. "Not yet. That book is small, but it feels like I might get stuck in another thing when I learn it. Like when I absorbed that Rune-related book." 

The Sylvans didn't deny her words. Tempestria commented. "Shu'er, you should try to do it before Wert returns. After all, a <Second Energy Cycle> person might notice the change from shards to cores."

Liu Shu answered. "But I can't do it before we get attacked, right? What if they attack while I am learning to create cores?" 

Tempestria wanted to say that they would be able to defend themselves with the strength of the buildings and the serpents. However, knowing what happened last time, she was not that confident.

Liu Shu saw the three of them doing a similar expression, which tickled something deep inside her. She laughed gently and said soothingly. "Don't worry about last time. It was different from this book. I stayed out for a few months. That shouldn't happen again until I reach either Level 20 or Level 25." 

The Sylvans felt a bit ashamed that Liu Shu had seen through them. Liu Shu giggled. "You are adorable~, hahaha." 

The sudden sneak attack was too effective. 

Verdantia quickly stood up and left. "I-I need to check on the garden! Or, the summons! Something! I need to check, yeah… See you now, I mean, later, Liu'er." 

Cinderielle stood up and left as well, caressing her heated cheeks. "I wanted to test a few skills, so, yeah. I am leaving. Goodbye, Tiantian."

Tempestria looked at the other two with a speechless expression. 'Okay, I understand how they are feeling. But they fled!? Huh!?'

Liu Shu looked at Tempestria mischievously and commented. "Will you also go, pretty Tempestria?"

Tempestria coughed, her heart beating too fast at the second sneak attack. "Um. Yes. I go. Bye, Shu'er."

Then, she flew away, making Liu Shu burst into gentle laughter. 'So, this is the teasing that was written in books~. Hmm~, fun. I might do it more often.' She looked at the enemy groups still roaming the forest and sighed. 'I wonder when… Huh?'

Her gaze expanded toward the lake, and she saw a few of those groups approaching it. Liu Shu's energy surged, and she called the Level 18 Arboreal Winged Serpent while sending a pulse of energy toward there. 'Fly there as fast as possible and protect this tree.'

Then, she communicated with the large and beautiful willow tree near the lake. 'Bad people are approaching. Can you protect yourself?'

'Hmm? Bad people?'

The familiar and tender female voice reached Liu Shu, giving her a mix of peace and anxiousness. 'Yes, yes. They might attack you, so you need to defend yourself!'

The Willow Tree spoke, her tone as gentle as ever but with a touch of worry. 'Protect yourself first, Liu Shu. Don't waste efforts on me.''

Liu Shu couldn't help but pause and look deeply at the Willow Tree. She felt a strange stuffiness and affection growing in her. Still, with how perceptive Liu Shu was, she knew that her affection toward this Willow Tree was different from the affection she had toward the Sylvans. It was more similar to the one she had for Flor. 

She answered soothingly. 'Don't worry. If you have no way to protect yourself, I'll protect you.'

Then, she expanded <World Tree Eye> to the surroundings and locked on every single creature that was within 300 meters of the Willow Tree with incredible precision. 

Besides the Willow Tree, there was a large flower field that was similar to the <Basic-Rank Mother Of Thousand Flower Field>. When her energy pulse arrived, she took control of them and injected energy into them from the surroundings. 

The flower field received all of Liu Shu's buffs, sharply increasing in strength. 

Meanwhile, nearby, a group of five <Void Witherwood Exarch> people arrived. They were a group of nine Level 9s and three Level 10s, accompanied by one Level 15.

One of them looked around and commented. "This place is around one kilometer away from our objective. We can rest around here. What do you think, leader?"

The tiger beastkin nodded. "Sure. Let's rest here. We have to receive news of what to do next. So, let's gather a few resources in this area."

A Level 9 woman approached and asked. "Leader, do we get some wood back? The trees in this area have quite good vitality. How about we take one of the highest-leveled ones down?"

The man rubbed his forehead and said. "That would alert people, no?"

The Level 9 woman blinked. "Well, there is no one here. If we take down one of the Level 10+ trees and carry it back, we will also get quite a few contribution points."

The man looked around and crossed his arms. After a while, he shook his head. "We can't. Let's focus on the mission." 

The woman sighed, disappointed. The Level 15 leader looked at the sky and saw that the sun was approaching the horizon. "Let's camp here. Remember not to use lights." 

Everyone moved quickly and started setting up the camp, not noticing that not further than 100 meters away, a massive serpent was camouflaged in the foliage, looking at them with its cold, reptilian eyes. 

Liu Shu heard the man's words, so she held back from attacking. 'Hm…' 

The flower field that surrounded the Willow Tree was locked on their position, and with just a thought, she would be able to rain death on them. 'They are too close… I also saw that Level 9 was looking at the Willow Tree with a somewhat covetous gaze.' 

Flor's voice reached her. "Liu Shu, is everything all right? I felt you sending quite a large energy pulse out."

Liu Shu answered. "There is a group at the Willow Tree near the lake."

Flor's face went from surprise to coldness. "Have they attacked her?"

Flor looked in that direction with a gaze filled with killing intent. 'That's Liu Shu's actual mother. If you even dare to place a single finger on her…'

"Not yet. The leader of their group doesn't seem interested. However, one woman in that group is seemingly interested."

Flor hummed and said. "Let me go. I'll deal with them. I'll make it look like an accident." 

The World Tree asked, surprised. "Hm? Didn't you say that we needed to keep a low profile?"

Flor laughed. "We should, but that's if they are not targeting something important." Flor smiled gently at Liu Shu. "Don't worry, love. Leave it to me, okay?"

The World Tree thought for a bit and eventually nodded. "Okay… But I already have the Arboreal Flying Serpent over there, and the top level is Level 15. Plus… They are sleeping, and the ones on guard are a Level 10 and two Level 9s."

Flor's lips twitched. 'A World Tree that can see so far is terrifying. They think they are hidden, but a giant eye is looking at them from the sky.'

The Rose Fairy Queen commented. "I'll go there. Use the Serpent to kill anyone who escapes."

The World Tree agreed. "Okay~."

Then, Flor flew through the night together with a group of Level 10 Rose Fairies and arrived at the outskirts of the hidden camp. While waiting, they heard a very faint rustling of leaves and looked sideways. The heart of a few Rose Fairies jumped as a massive serpent approached with bewildering stealth.

Flor smiled. "Thank you for covering for us."

The snake nodded and left into the depths of the forest, ready to take flight a bit further away to not alert them.

Then, Flor rushed forward and acted as if she didn't know they were there. All of the Rose Fairies were carrying water buckets, and once they were close enough that they could discern them from sight, Flor shouted. "Hm!? What is a human group doing here!? Kill them!"

One of the guarding people tried to scream, but a wind blade whistled by his neck, opening a horizontal wound that burst into blood, killing him almost instantly.