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Chapter 494. Digesting Gains. Tackling the Fourth Energy Cycle! [AotSC]
🕑 Added 2025-08-02 19:04:31 +0000 UTC[Reward 7: Gain one chance at combining Skills below <C- Tier> to create a more powerful skill. The result will be decided according to the potential of the chosen skills… Completion Rate is improving the reward. You have 14 chances to combine your skills. Depending on the chances remaining at the end, the potential of those you combined will be further enhanced.]
Liu Shu wanted to smack someone with her roots after reading this. At first, she wanted to gather the skills that were very similar and combine them into several different skills. This way, she would keep the overall flexibility of each skill without losing much on creating powerful skills.
For example, Enchanted Land and Land Modifying could meld into one, but adding Runic Living Wood City would be a bit too much. Instead, she would mix that skill with another to create another individual skill. Now, though, the last sentence basically forced her to cram as many skills in one combination as she could.
“Let’s see, which ones are the <Talents> I have right now?” The World Tree asked the System to summarize them with just their names, and a message appeared in front of her gaze.
[Tianlian Liu Shu’s <Talents> below C- Tier are the following: <Enchanted Land>, <Runic Living Wood City>, <Land Modifying>, <Weeping Willow’s Aether Barrage>, <Explosive Root>, <Root Light Burst>, <Root Severing>, <Root Strike>, <World Tree Calling>, and <Nature's Gift>.]
Our World Tree looked at those and became thoughtful. “System, can I use this reward to combine <Talents> with <Passives>?”
[It is not possible to combine them even if their nature is similar or closely related. Please think of other combinations.]
A pout appeared on Liu Shu’s face for a moment. “That’s so bad… I could mix everything together and create a super skill or something.”
[Please think of other combinations.]
“Ugh! Don’t repeat it! I heard you the first time, silly System!”
[...]
A sigh escaped the World Tree as she observed her talents. “Let’s see… The two obvious groups are the attack talents and the aura talents. Then, we have three outliers, which are <Runic Living Wood City>, <Nature’s Gift>, and <World Tree Calling>. I don’t see a way of mixing these three…” Liu Shu suddenly paused and squinted. “Or, wait. The Rune City skill is related to all my trees. So, can’t I use that to procure a channel and perhaps link all my talents into one massive skill?”
Instead of thinking so deeply, she asked the system for confirmation. “System, can I combine all my talents except <World Tree Calling> into one?”
[Analyzing…]
[It is not possible to combine all <Talents> in that manner. Please think of other combinations.]
“Tsk. What good is this reward if it can’t do something as simple as that!?”
Liu Shu’s complaint was met with silence, and the World Tree couldn’t help but complain about the silence. “Now you are ignoring me? Great! Silly System has been downgraded to Stupid System!”
[...]
“Hehe.” Liu Shu laughed a bit and then refocused on the task ahead.
After thinking for a few minutes, Liu Shu finally formulated the best way to mix her <Talents>. Or, at least, the best she could think of. “Okay, we’ll leave <World Tree Calling> by itself. It is a strong skill that I don’t mind pouring my experience into to upgrade individually. Then, I will separate the other talents into two groups and combine them.”
The World Tree’s joking attitude was gone as she stated solemnly. “System. I want to combine <Weeping Willow’s Aether Barrage (E+ Rank)>, <Explosive Root (D- Rank)>, <Root Light Burst (E+ Rank)>, <Root Severing (E- Rank)>, and <Root Strike (D- Rank)>.”
[Analyzing…]
[...]
[Combination possible. Do you want to combine those talents and proceed to the fusion?]
The World Tree was about to nod when the System reminded Liu Shu.
[Remember that you have 14 chances. If you go ahead now, you will combine these talents and use all the energy left to enhance this combination of talents.]
“Wah!? I almost agreed with you, Stupid System! Thankfully, you were sensible enough, or I would’ve messed up badly.”
There was a trace of lingering fear in Liu Shu’s heart. If she wasted this reward just because of a wording problem, she would be angry enough to flip the entire continent upside down.
“Okay. Then, show me the <Passives> I can combine together.”
[Tianlian Liu Shu’s <Passive Skills> below C- Tier are the following: <Speed Root>, <Gentle Sap>, <Treefluence>, <Root Regeneration>, <Pain Tolerance>, <Charm Of The Seedling>, <Living Roots>, <Minor World Builder Aura>, <Mind Echo>, and <Runic Coverage>.]
The World Tree scanned them and then began formulating the combination skills. In the end, she came up with four total combinations for all her <Talents> and <Passives>. The only skill that would be left uncombined would be <World Tree Calling>.
“Okay, listen well, System. These are the four combination skills that I want.”
“The first <Talent> will be a combination of <Enchanted Land>, <Runic Living Wood City>, <Land Modifying>, and <Nature’s Gift>.”
Nature’s Gift had been a very powerful skill for her early days. However, now that she had almost reached the <Fourth Energy Cycle>, it was of little to no use to her. Therefore, it needed a major overhaul, and combining it with those skills might create something incredibly powerful.
“The second <Talent> will be a combination of <Weeping Willow’s Aether Barrage>, <Explosive Root>, <Root Light Burst>, <Root Severing>, and <Root Strike>.”
Her attacking skills were mediocre at best. Therefore, a combination of all of them would probably create something worthy of her current level.
“For the first <Passive Skill> we will combine <Speed Root>, <Gentle Sap>, <Root Regeneration>, <Pain Tolerance>, and <Living Roots>.”
All of these skills were enhancements for herself, which made Liu Shu think of combining them. She was pretty sure that it would work since they shared that exact self-enhancing nature.
“And finally, for my second <Passive Skill>, we will combine <Treefluence>, <Charm Of The Seedling>, <Minor World Builder Aura>, <Mind Echo>, and <Runic Coverage>.”
Charm Of The Seedling was the skill that helped Clavel find her and change her fate. Sadly, it was far too low of a rank to be of any effect now. Runic Coverage suffered the same fate. While it helped mask her at first, her current strength and size had long surpassed the limits of what the skill could do. Overall, this combination was all passive skills that affected the people around her.
[Analyzing…]
[...]
[Combination possible. Do you want to combine those <Talents> and <Passive Skills> and proceed to the fusion? You still have 10 combination chances.]
After giving them one last overview, Liu Shu nodded firmly. “I am sure. Go ahead.”
[Confirmation Received.]
[All rewards have been explained. Now, the System will begin the reward delivery. Please wait for a moment…]
Liu Shu’s mind suddenly shook as the Quest’s essence exploded within her and dug deeply into her soul. There, it started pouring endless rivers of ternary essences to upgrade, modify, or add all the rewards.
System messages appeared in her eyes one after another with all the rewards rolling in.
[Congratulations! You’ve earned 1150 Sylvanium <Alloy>, 1150 Etherium <Alloy>, 1150 Ascendium <Alloy>, 1150 Celestium <Alloy>, and 1150 Cognium <Alloy>!]
[Congratulations! You’ve earned 11,500,000 Experience Points!]
[There have been changes to your <Titles>.]
[You’ve lost <World Tree Province>.]
[You’ve lost <Forest Ruler>.]
[You’ve lost <Minor World Builder>.]
[You’ve lost <World Tree Building>.]
[Congratulations! You’ve earned <Continental World Tree>!]
[Congratulations! You’ve earned <Apprentice World Builder>!]
[Congratulations! You’ve earned <Miracle Tree Architect>!]
[Congratulations! You’ve earned <World Ruling World Tree>!]
[There have been changes to your <Talents>.]
[You’ve lost <Enchanted Land (D- Rank Level MAX).]
[You’ve lost <Runic Living…
[You’ve lost <Weeping Willow’s…
[You’ve lost…
[,,,]
[Congratulations! You’ve learned <Otherworldly Rune and Nature Empire (A Tier Level 1 [0/589,900])>!]
[Congratulations! You’ve learned <Elemental Lord Willow Catastrophe (A Tier Level 1 [0/589,900])>!]
[There have been changes to your <Passive Skills>.]
[You’ve lost <Charm Of The Seedling (E+ Rank Level MAX).]
[You’ve lost <Mind Echo…
[You’ve lost…
…
[Congratulations! You’ve learned <World Embracing Endless Roots (A Tier Level 1 [0/589,900])>!]
[Congratulations! You’ve learned <Soul Enthralling World Tree (A Tier Level 1 [0/589,900])>!]
Liu Shu looked at these messages with her heart surging. She wanted to check the four skills. However, she felt that she needed to take the current wave of energy pouring into her and push through. Her gaze locked onto her Accumulated Experience Points, and Liu Shu spoke solemnly to her family members.
“Come get the children!”
Her roots moved the children outside of her body, while those who could fly rushed up to receive them without asking a single question. They could see the turbulent ternary essences about to burst from her body. Liu Shu held everything down with incredible tenacity until Tempestria, Flor, and the others received the babies.
Once they were safe, she let go, and her ternary essences burst upward and pierced the sky.
“Level Up!”
From the bottom of her soul, the energy she had accumulated through killings and normal accumulation surged and enveloped her entire existence. Liu Shu didn’t know until what Level she could go, but she could notice when she would lack enough Experience Points to break through to the next <Sub Energy Cycle>.
Her gaze seemed to pierce through reality as her mind separated from her body and began to observe it. She poured, poured, and poured Experience Points without rest.
Finally, after pouring millions of Experience Points into herself, the energy flowed like an ocean through her entire being and upgraded her existence level.
[You’ve used 39,116,550 Accumulated Experience Points!]
[Level Ups will be postponed until Tianlian Liu Shu completes the <Fourth Energy Cycle> breakthrough.]
In the <First Energy Cycle>, Liu Shu had created an orderly way of instinctively spreading her roots out.
For the <Second Energy Cycle>, Liu Shu connected her deepest core with the entirety of her existence, connecting her body with the <Shadow> of her own being. This synchronization allowed Liu Shu to wield strong power and be much more efficient in spreading energy throughout her root net.
Then, during the <Third Energy Cycle>, Liu Shu opened all her closed pathways and allowed her entire body to interact and absorb the surrounding Ternary Essences. During this change, Liu Shu’s spells and strength made a qualitative jump.
Now, to reach the <Fourth Energy Cycle>, Liu Shu needed to cross another hurdle that would further define her existence. Energy cycles were limits that prevented creatures from developing further, depending on their potential. If someone’s existence level was too low or the <Completion Rate> for previous cycles was mediocre, continuous breakthroughs would become increasingly complex.
After Liu Shu’s mind separated from her body, she could see her entire being from a third-party perspective. All her roots, all the details of her net, and each and every nook and cranny appeared in front of her in the form of an illusory white projection.
Liu Shu in this space was not in the form of a human. After all, her nature was a World Tree. Hence, when she extended her limb, a branch moved forward and slowly divided into finer strands. When manipulating things in this space, these tendrils were a hundred times better than human hands.
[Congratulations on reaching the <Fourth Energy Cycle> space. To break through into the <Fourth Energy Cycle>, you need to transform your root and ternary essence net. Once you do it, you will be able to digest all kinds of energy and convert it into your own.]
[Once you complete the transformation, you will become prepared to interact with the environment beyond the World. Only beyond <Fourth Energy Cycles> have the ability to fly without the aid of any tool. If you manage to advance perfectly, your strength will not only leap <Attribute> wise, but also elemental affinity-wise.]
Liu Shu asked, her gaze profound and otherworldly. “Summarize the major difference between a Third and Fourth Energy Cycle..
[The most significant difference between the <Fourth Energy Cycle> and the <Third Energy Cycle> is their ability to manipulate the ternary essences around them, allowing them to do feats similar to those with telekinesis. Effects on others are minimal, but it is enough to fly at high speeds and move inanimate objects without deep ternary essence influence.]
‘I see. No wonder one <Fourth Energy Cycle> is so fearsome. The Terragore King and Queen were monsters, so they didn’t really think of subtle ways to use this strength. However, an intelligent race at the <Fourth Energy Cycle> is a fearsome being. Thankfully, none came to attack me, or I’d be in much more trouble than I imagined.’
While Liu Shu pondered, she suddenly felt energy come from the depths of her soul. “Hm? Is this the energy leftover from the <Tier Up> that happened not long ago?”
[Energy boost detected.]
[<Title: Perfect Cycle> detected.]
[<Fourth Energy Cycle> will be accelerated. Tianlian Liu Shu will receive an enlightenment boost. Chances of a <Perfect Fourth Energy Cycle>... 99.9999%]
Her mind suddenly cleared up as countless ideas surged in her mind about how to perfect everything. Following this impulse, Liu Shu’s tendrils multiplied and began transforming her own body at an incredible speed.
The transformation that was going to last for almost two decades was suddenly reduced to two years.
Meanwhile, outside dear Liu Shu’s mind, Flor and the others were slurping heavily from their emotional support tea cups. Melody seemed to have joined the club, as she was sitting in the room with the others. She sipped tea as if doing so was the only way to save her from having a breakdown. ‘Why is my daughter-in-law so abnormal? She is slicing decades of lifespan from me!’
Comments
Mortrexo
Noted for the next time! :3
Andrew Miles
Haha yeah that would be quite the amusing illustration.
Vozaac
You definitely included the skill merges so you didn't have to keep writing them all...didn't you? (≖_≖) lol
Rizeres
Mort if you ever do merch. Please let it be the emotional support teacup. Also, we still need art of all the mothers gathered around a table drinking tea while Lui Shu goes super Saiyan in the background
