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[Tree] Chapter 407: New Beginnings (End of Book 6)
🕑 Added 2024-12-18 14:40:38 +0000 UTCAshlock felt a foreboding breeze rustle his leaves as Maple was awoken from his slumber and stared down at Vincent.
He hadn't wanted it to come to this, but he'd been left with no choice but to manipulate Maple into helping him. When he had summoned the Worldwalker confined to the body of a mere squirrel many moons ago, his cultivation had been far too pathetic to have control over such a being. But Maple had offered a pact, one of peaceful coexistence.
They wouldn't interfere in each other's business, and when the time came, they were supposed to protect one another.
While mutually beneficial on the surface, it actually heavily favored Ashlock because of a simple fact: Maple wasn't allowed to be here. It was only due to this pact that the Worldwalker could treat the realm as his personal buffet. However, if Ashlock or Stella were to die, the pact would be invalidated, and his system would banish Maple back into the void—and Maple knew this all too well.
The squirrel liked Stella and tolerated Ashlock, but at the end of the day, he was a Worldwalker with his own agenda. While Maple was considered a child by Worldwalker standards, he was an eldritch being who was far above Ashlock's prowess. So, unlike Larry and maybe Nyxalia in the future, Maple was not easily controlled or ordered around. He was incredibly lazy and preferred to conserve his cultivation rather than help them eliminate their foes. But Ashlock needed help from a heavy hitter to finally butcher Vincent Nightrose. He had already tried almost every trump card he had, and Vincent had highlighted a significant weakness in Ashlock's arsenal against stronger foes—the ability to fight against insane regeneration.
While his Abyssal Devourer skill had recently gained a corrosive aura that allowed him to sap Qi and life force from those wrapped up in his vines and void tendrils, it wasn't good enough if the person in question had as much regeneration as a blood cultivator like Vincent. Especially since that skill required the enemy to stay still near his trunk or offspring, which was unlikely to happen when the foe had a higher cultivation level than him. Also, Vincent's regeneration countered his desolation Qi, which was supposed to destroy matter at a high cost. Even Abyssal Whispers did little as Vincent had illusion Qi and had managed to split his soul, so his consciousness was far more resistant to any mind-altering effects.
Vincent had also flattened Ashlock's Bastions as if they had been toys. His Ents had no hope of fighting the 8th stage Nascent Soul cultivator except maybe Anubis, but he wanted to preserve them for the beast tide, especially after what had happened to Hades.
This led to the current situation. Ashlock had taken a risk and let Vincent inflict a large, painful cut in his trunk that was oozing cursed sap and Qi, which forced Maple to finally awaken from his long slumber and honor the pact they had made.
Vincent, in Valandor's body, was utterly frozen in fear, as if his soul was held in Maple's gaze. The mythical white squirrel let out a small snort before hopping off Stella's head, causing Vincent to step back slowly. The cultivator's eyes narrowed as he studied the small white squirrel. Clearing his throat, Vincent spoke cautiously, "Ancient being, I don't believe there is any malice between us."
"You're right, there isn't."
Maple's form shimmered, expanding upwards like a puff of smoke until it coalesced into an androgynous figure standing a head shorter than Stella and Vincent. Silken white hair cascaded down his shoulders, crowned by large, tufted ears. He looked up at Vincent, clutching a lush, snow-white squirrel's tail coiled around him like an expensive coat.
Despite the height difference and Maple's childlike appearance, he radiated the aura of a dangerous being. His golden eyes gleamed with a predatory glint, shrouded by a tranquil, timeless power.
Vincent didn't dare move a muscle, captivated by Maple's gaze, as if looking away would spell his death.
Maple's face was utterly emotionless as he reached forward with his slender hand and gently placed the tips of his fingers on Vincent's chest. "I didn't plan to deal with you personally, as I don't like to interfere with the threads of fate," Maple said, his voice smooth yet edged with irritation. "But you just won't give it up." He pushed forward, and his fingers sunk impossibly through Vincent's flesh as if he were made of nothing but blood.
"How are you doing that—AH! Stop!" Vincent gasped as he looked down. For the first time, Ashlock saw genuine fear in Vincent's eyes. An emotion he didn't know the cultivator could feel as Maple reached into his chest.
"I can't." Maple said emotionlessly, as if talking about the weather, "Stopping here would invalidate my pact with this spirit tree. You hurt the one being you shouldn't have, and you also have the desire to kill another that I cannot let you hurt. You were always doomed to die here by my hand."
"But the threads of fate. They told me if I killed Stella Crestfallen and bathed in her blood, I could live. I never saw your presence—"
"That's because the threads of fate don't include me."
Vincent's eyes widened in utter terror as Maple ripped his hand back.
There was a drawn-out silence as everyone was mesmerized by the soft pounding of the still-beating spiritual heart held tightly in his fingers. He then broke his gaze with Vincent and looked up into Ashlock's Evil Eye.
"You used me, Ashlock. But I forgive you. This is a worthwhile snack to wake up for." His jaw widened, showing off many rows of teeth, and he bit into Vincent's spiritual heart. It squished before popping in his mouth.
Vincent silently screamed as he collapsed to his knees in utter despair as life seemed to drain from his face, and he slowly took on an ethereal appearance.
Maple licked his bloody lips and yawned. "I'm going back to sleep. I assume you can handle the rest." Transforming back into a squirrel, Maple leaped up and found a thick branch to curl up and sleep on.
"Seriously. Thank you, Maple," Ashlock said, and the squirrel's ear twitched as if acknowledging his words.
While his gamble with getting Maple involved paid off, he paid the price of Maple devouring one of Vincent's spiritual hearts. However, if the pounding coming from the kneeling man was any indication, he still had one left to go. Vincent was not yet dead, just reduced to his infant soul. A state where Ashlock could finally deal with him personally. Until now, he had been unable to use Spatial Lock to secure Vincent in place as there had been two frequencies to match due to the two spiritual hearts and the fact that Vincent's cultivation far surpassed his own.
But that had now changed. With the removal of one heart and Vincent being reduced to his weaker infant soul state, it was time to finally put this enemy to rest.
Until now, he had been holding back to bait Vincent into attacking him to get Maple involved, but now there was no need to hide.
Ashlock’s Inner World, which was supposed to be a privilege of Monarch Realm cultivators, began radiating waves of power that he aimed at Vincent. The kneeling man who was fading into a spirit seemed to feel the sudden soul pressure bearing down on him as his head snapped backward, and he stared into Ashlock's Evil Eye in disbelief.
As the waves of power matched the frequency of Vincent's spiritual heartbeat, he was now locked in place. He couldn't use any techniques to escape Ashlock's clutches.
"You're in the Monarch Realm?" Vincent muttered, but then he seemed to realize something even more horrifying. "No, your Qi is weaker than mine. How do you possess such soul pressure?"
"I formed an Inner World early."
"How?!" Vincent rose to his feet despite the pressure bearing down on him in rage. "I have been stuck in the Nascent Soul Realm for as long as there have been some stars in the sky. I have searched every corner of the realm for answers. Only a few known beings have formed Inner Worlds on this layer of creation! The World Tree and its Council and the Frostbound Monarch of the Frozen Star Sect. None of them were willing to give their secrets to me. So how could some random tree like you do it? I demand to know!"
Ashlock had no plans of telling this fool about his system, so he decided to send the man to the afterlife with as much regret as possible. "The Crestfallen bloodline has all the answers." He activated his Abyssal Devourer skill. The void crept out of his trunk, and thorn-covered vines and void tendrils emerged from the darkness and impaled Vincent's enraged spirit as if anchoring him to the mortal world. "Unfortunately, your story ends here."
"I refuse." Vincent snarled as his soul body shuddered, and his presence rose tenfold as he stood despite the vines and tendrils impaling him. Twisting around, causing some of them to snap, he faced Stella. Lunging forward, he gripped her neck and grinned while throttling her. "The arrogance to stand so close to me thinking you could live while watching me die. I'm the one who let you live and prosper in my sect. I practically raised you, yet this is how you repay me? Die for me, you bitch—!"
"You didn't raise shit."
Vincent coughed up a mouthful of blood as the tip of a sword wreathed in aether Qi poked out of his chest. "What...?" he looked over his shoulder at Stella standing there, then back at the Stella he was throttling. "Did you trick me?"
"You have been playing into our hands since the beginning. It's almost too easy, as you're a slave to your own nature," Stella said as she placed a foot on his back and brutally withdrew her sword in a shower of blood.
Vincent let out a startled grunt as he kneeled over.
"You're so arrogant you don't even bother to remember the faces of those you deem weaker. All you follow is your sense of smell despite already being tricked once in Tartarus. I've been in front of you many times, yet you overlooked me. Just like now."
It was strange. Ashlock knew Stella well. He could tell she seemed angry, but not so much about his comment about raising her. No, she seemed infuriated that the man who had caused such grief throughout her entire life didn't even acknowledge her existence. It was as if Vincent was looking past her.
"You lie." Vincent cursed her, "You're nothing but an illusion." He looked up and gestured with his chin to the one he still had his hands around, "I know this is the real you. I can smell it—"
Bob the slime, who had taken on the vague shape of Stella and absorbed some of her blood and Qi, collapsed into a puddle at Vincent's feet. The real Stella standing behind Vincent still had her Phantom Veil Pendant hanging from her neck, making her appear as nothing but a mortal without a bloodline.
"No, this isn't possible... I'm one of the strongest cultivators in all of the wilderness..." Vincent hissed as he clutched the hole in his chest that had gone cleanly through his soul. "I refuse to fall for such a cheap trick. There's no way I was slain by a weak girl like you. Swords can't even cut souls."
"Is that so? I'm going to have to disagree. A while ago, after failing to kill Nox, I vowed to be able to cut anything, whether that be savage monsters, scheming cultivators, lost souls, or reality itself." Stella slowly raised her sword overhead like an executioner. As the world darkened with the coming of night, her anger faded and was replaced with a genuine smile. "Vincent Nightrose, I hate you with all my heart. But in a twisted way, you pushed me to become stronger all for this moment—where I can finally kill you."
"To treat someone like me as a mere stepping stone?!" Vincent glared at Stella with an indescribable hatred that could transcend realms, "Does your unearned pride know no bounds?!"
"Fate is funny like that sometimes." Stella closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Letting it out in a relaxed manner, her eyes slowly opened, and she met Vincent's rage calmly. "This is goodbye, Vincent. Thank you for everything."
"You dare—" Before he could finish replying, Stella's sword, wreathed in ghostly white flames, descended upon him in a blinding arc like a reaper's scythe. The blade met Vincent's skull, and for a fleeting instant, Vincent seemed to finally face reality as he sensed the finality of death quickly approaching. But that realization was all too late.
The blade phased through his flesh as though the very fabric of his being was being sliced. White flames surged along the sword's path as it carved a merciless line down his body. Bone cracked, flesh parted, and reality was split. The cut was flawless, the two halves of Vincent separating like pages of a book. His split face contorted into a grotesque expression of hatred, his mouth frozen in an unfinished scream.
For a single heartbeat, Vincent stood in defiance as two halves. But then, as his spiritual heart let off one final beat, his sundered body fell apart. The left half toppled to the ground, followed by the right, a pool of steaming blood mixing with the void beneath him. The white flames of Stella's strike flickered briefly in the air before the cut through the aether faded, leaving only silence... and the finality of Vincent's death.
Stella fell to her knees as if all the strength had left her body. "It's... over."
"It's over," Ashlock mirrored, almost in disbelief himself. It had taken nearly everything he had to kill this bastard, but they had done it.
Vincent Nightrose, a threat that had loomed over them since the start, was dead.
As if having waited for this final moment, golden words crawled through the air, and his sign-in system notified him that a day had passed. But this time, it was special.
Idletree Daily Sign-In System
Day: 3653
Daily Credit: 10
Sacrifice Credit: 3970
[Sign in?]
[Congratulations, Ashlock. You have survived 10 years as a tree. Updating status screen.]
[Demonic Demi-Divine Tree (Age: 10)]
[Nascent Soul Realm: 5th Stage]
[Soul Type: Nine Moons(Desolation)]
"I've spent a whole decade as a tree." Ashlock couldn't believe it as he looked down at Stella, his adopted daughter. They had first met when she had been a terrified seven-year-old, abandoned by her parents and surrounded by servants who had wanted to kill her. He had tried his best to help, but at the time, he had been nothing but a two-year-old demonic spirit sapling with {Devour [C]}, {Basic Spirit Sight [F]} and {Basic Meditation [F]} as his only skills.
Despite all the enemies and tribulations they had faced in the last decade, they had stuck through it together and made it to this point. So much had changed since they were a half-blind sapling and a terrified little girl fighting for survival on a half-forgotten mountain peak.
Ashlock had transformed Red Vine Peak into the land of a Divine Level sect, overseen by a god that was worshiped by millions. He had exploded in power, reaching the mid-stages of the Nascent Soul Realm, forming an Inner World, and comprehending many daos while expanding his reach across the realm.
Meanwhile, Stella was nearing the Nascent Soul Realm herself, and she'd gained a new affinity and understood her bloodline on a deeper level.
But more importantly than any of that—under his ever-expanding canopy, he had worked hard to create a place for the both of them. Now, Stella finally had people she could depend on and a safe place she could call home.
"Tree, are you still there."
"Yes, Stella. I'm here."
"Thank you for letting me have the final blow." She looked at him, her bright smile stained by a tear rolling down her cheek. "You hurt yourself to force Maple to take out one of Vincent's hearts, right? And then you restrained him and drained him so he would be weak enough for me to kill."
Ashlock sighed, "Figured me out, huh."
In truth, it would have been a struggle and a massive waste of the Qi he was using to try and hold back the beast tide right now to kill Vincent all by himself. But if it had come down to it, he could have killed Vincent without the help of Maple.
But Vincent wasn't his demon to be slain.
It was Stella's.
"Thank you, Tree." She wiped the tears of relief flowing down her face, "For raising me, feeding me, protecting me... everything." Stella reached into the pool of blood at her feet and pulled out the Bloodiron sword. Holding it up with both hands, she presented it to him, "And happy birthday."
Ashlock reached forward with an ethereal root and gently wrapped it around her hands and the sword's handle.
"A more gruesome birthday celebration than I was expecting," Ashlock chuckled, "But I wouldn't trade it for the world."
To his surprise, his system chimed in when he held the sword.
[This Bloodiron sword has absorbed the lingering vengeful spirit of Vincent Nightrose. If fostered, the sword will gain an ego and be able to grow in power alongside its owner. Do you wish to name this soul sword?]
Ashlock found it rather amusing that Vincent had felt so enraged during his death, he had refused to move on. Repeating what his system had told him to Stella, she thought for a second before suggesting, "The sword of new beginnings?"
"I like that," Ashlock said. It sure fit the occasion, as while the beast tide was bearing down on them, the slaying of Vincent felt like the end of an era.
[Name recorded. A new section has been added to your status screen]
[Soul Weapons…]
{The Sword of New Beginnings [?]}
[Since the sword's ego is yet to manifest, its current grade and potential are unknown]
Ashlock acknowledged the system messages before dismissing them. There was something he needed to say.
"I'm sorry this is our first time doing this, but happy 17th birthday, Stella." Ashlock paused, "I would give you your present, but Elder Mo is still making it."
Stella smirked as she withdrew her hand from his sword handle. With a flash of silver, she brought out the sword she had just used to kill Vincent from her spatial ring. That was when Ashlock realized he had shattered her sword a week ago, so she could not still possess it. Unless this was a new one.
"The sword you used to kill Vincent..."
"Yep," Stella beamed. "It was your birthday gift. I couldn't wait, so I paid Elder Mo a visit and got it early." She balanced it on her shoulder and did a twirl, her short hair lifting briefly and showing off the maple leaf earrings he had gifted her all those years ago. "How do I look?"
"Like a daughter I can be proud of."
Stella groaned, "That's such a lame dad answer."
Ashlock chuckled as she dismissed the sword and wandered over to the bench under his canopy. She looked at the rather unremarkable bench for a few seconds before slothfully lying on it and stretching out like a satisfied cat. She let off one of the longest yawns he had ever heard.
"I'm going to take a victory nap." She murmured.
"Sleep well," Ashlock replied as she drifted off to sleep with a blissful smile. As much as he wanted to sleep as well under the nine moons, there was much cleanup to be done.
His void tendrils and vines wrapped around what was left of Vincent's body, devouring it for credits and Qi, which he both desperately needed. As the credits and Qi flooded in, he looked to the distant horizon. While it was seemingly safe and peaceful now with Vincent dead, the raging storm all around was a constant reminder of the impending doom.
"I will need to upgrade a few skills to ensure this beast tide is an opportunity rather than the end of the Ashfallen Sect." Ashlock mused but then paused as he heard a rustling in his leaves.
[Harbinger of the Eternal Ash: Larry [SS] has completed his evolution]
"Master! You're hurt," the voice of his guardian beast roared out like an angered god. "Who did it? Where is Vincent? This servant shall reduce that vermin to ash!"
"Hush, Larry. You'll wake up Stella." Ashlock sighed, "The battle... it's already over. You missed it."
"It's over?" His faithful guardian said in disbelief.
"Yeah," Ashlock replied with a hint of pride, "We won the battle..." He looked to the heavens, "But not the war. There's still much to be done until we can relax in true peace. Larry, I hope you're hungry because there's an all-you-can-eat buffet on the way. The only question is whether we are the devourers or the helpless prey."
Larry fully emerged from Ashlock's canopy in all his radiant glory and hung his head low. "I failed you today, Master. But on my life, I swear," his voice was low and foreboding as he spoke in the ancient tongue and raised his head to look at him. His eyes glowed with a divine power, and his halo of ash spun with certainty. "Even if the heavens were to fall upon us, I would defend you and Stella until my last ash."
Ashlock swiveled his eye to look at Stella. Her chest rose and fell, and her light breath played with a strand of hair as she blissfully slept, unaware of Larry's conviction. Raising an ethereal root, he moved the strand away from her mouth.
"Thanks, Larry. Your loyalty has been boundless since the day the system united us," Ashlock said as he looked at his most loyal guardian, "It's not easy, but it's for brief moments of peace like this that are worth fighting for."
-
-
=End of Book 6=
Whew, this chapter was a tough one to write. It's been a scene that's been floating in my mind basically since Vincent was introduced as a foe nearly 2 years ago in the early chapters of Tree. I know some people were upset at the slow pacing regarding the recent chapters with Vincent, but for me, he has been such an integral threat and story thread that to simply kill him off in a single chapter, no matter how epic, felt like it would be a letdown.
I also wanted to involve Stella and her growth as a character as much as possible in this arc—to show how Vincent's presence not only caused her to strive for greater power but also to grow as a person (e.g, find new hobbies to distract her from his presence). As Ashlock said in this chapter, Vincent was never a foe for him to defeat. Vincent was Stella's demon, and she would never be able to progress freely, with him looming as a threat.
Now, after over 2 years, over a million words, and six books, we can move on to the Beast Tide arc. In my original notes, this was supposed to happen in book 3, but it seems we got a little sidetracked. Oops.
That aside, thank you all so much for reading. I will be taking a break, as previously mentioned, until around the new year. I haven't set a fixed date, but there should be a new chapter by early January. RoyalRoad will also be paused from Friday.
I will be spending some of this time off to plot for the next major arcs, so if there are any loose plot threads I have lying around or characters you want to see or learn more about, let me know! Either here in the comments or on Discord. I read it all.
Other than that, Merry Christmas, and have a good new year, everyone.
See you soon with the start of book 7!
-Xk
Comments
Cursemaster
LOL!
Mark Schiel
I think Vincents death was kind of mid. He deserved so much worse. Some slow torture or something. I wish there was more of a direct battle with Vincent and the main members of the Ashfallen sect. You built this tight knit family with the characters but only tree and Stella really did anything to fight Vincent. The ending should have been much more grand and involved more people from the sect.
Sarah Herrmann
Hello, I read book 1 and 2 when they first came out and then the last 2 weeks I read books 1-5 (had to remember what happened from before lol). I realized you were on patreon and so decided to support you and read book 6 ahead of everyone. While there were a few issues with the book it's main shining point was Stella. In less than a week she matured a lot which I think has been slowly building since the battle with the Lunarshade family. So thank you for that. One major note (not sure if you read these) is I don't remember you ever actually making Erebus into a bastion. In book 5 he was just made into a tree. And just now reading in book 6 it was never mentioned. What with 50% of it being in less than 24 hrs and then a 3 day skip some minor things and then I think another day or two passed. So I don't know if you want to fix that before the battle. But yeah good book just some minor spelling and grammar issues here and there.
Tsunami
Is Larry somehow related to Crinsis?
JestersScript
woooh honestly so goos and cant wait till the beast tides and also on how cool fucking larry will be bruh i hope you have an amazing break
-Sanguine-
Forget all my bitchy comments on the last couple chapters about Vincent getting a little drawn out!! This conclusion was awesome!!!! What a great finish to that plot point. Soo cool!!! Can’t wait to see a monarch level Larry fuck up the beast tide. I love how you’ve set up room to grow from here and villains on the horizon! Beast tide, then celestial empire, then the first layer of the next realm. Psyched for it! Just gotta wait lol
Nickolas Shoemaker
That was my thoughts, but I'm sure the pavilion has a way to divine if someone is alive or dead. This can't be a new problem with nascent souls not being able to have a body or soul as proof.
John Doe
Thanks for the chapter and thanks for the books! I feel like the shadow and death cultivators from the Tainted Cloud Sect haven't gotten as much screen time lately...
daniel singleton
Loved it can't wait for more
daniel singleton
I binged it right now and it was the best thangs I have read I 4 years of reading novels of all kinds
daniel singleton
Fact
daniel singleton
Fact will he's roots become the new laylines or will he make the divine tree his offspring and be in a symbiotic relationship
André Souza de Oliveira Lima
Merry Christmas, I hope to see more of how the other big families of the blood lotus sect like the silverspires, terraforge, etc, are reacting to recent events since they didin't appear much in this book.
Sargon Yami
He was living there not running from them.
Iva Reis
Merry Christmas a d looking forward to next year and book
Revitika
Whatever happened to the tournament also it was mentioned that a massive meteor was gonna hit the city and ash dealt with it but I’m curious about the mortals point of view for that
Austin T Delpier
TFTC! I hope you enjoy your break and I was so glad to see Bob. I hope when the story returns we get to find out more about what Nicxcalia has been up to since she disappeared
Alexey Gladkich
He might complete learning the Dao of blood.
Bernat Saenz
The Celestial Empire is not the only one who should be aware of them, there's also the Frozen Star Sect, last time we heard from them, Stella's "dad" was running away from them and towards the Ashfallen sect.
Qasim Jafri
Did Ash get anything decent for eating Vincent? Perhaps dao of regeneration or something, etc.?
Alexey Gladkich
New divine sect would normally appear from the upper realms. This pretty much explains why it is sudden, powerful, and everyone being wary of it.
HiBye
While it's true that cultivators usually move slowly, a divine-level sect suddenly appeared without warning. Given that a divine-level threat is the only thing that can truly challenge the CE, you'd think they'd prioritize that investigation. Also, since traditional cultivation is so slow, it would normally be impossible to miss the birth of a divine-level sect. You'd have thousands of years of warning, so the fact that they suddenly appeared would signal that something is seriously wrong, boosting the investigation's priority yet again.
Alexey Gladkich
Given how cultivators behave, they surely scheduled for spies to be sent once their schedule permits... which would be in 300 years.
TreeReader
Yeah he should get a fuckton. But imagine turning vincent into an ent as i am sure he will that will give him an extremely powerful ally but no credits lol
Berserk Muffin
Thanks for all the chapters! Been a wild ride so far and Vincent, the once insurmountable enemy is finally dead. Onto the next source of credits.
HiBye
First up, I love this series; I can't wait for book 7 to start! I wouldn't exactly call it a loose thread, but I do find it weird how inactive the Celestial Empire(CE) has been. Aside from that one chapter during the tournament arc and another at the end of the Lunarshade arc, they have been dead silent. I find this really odd. Sure, it can be explained away as the CE having to focus on the impending beast tide, or even political strife, as the main leader of the CE seems at odds with the rest of the council, but still. Stella was clearly a very important experiment to the CE's main leader, and, even ignoring that, a dozen of their "elite" agents were killed instantly by Ashlock. You'd think that'd cause them to investigate Ashfallen at the very least, but we haven't heard a peep. I suppose they could be sending spies, and they are just skilled enough that Ashfallen hasn't noticed, but with how hard they were looking for Vincent, you'd think they would see something if they were there. EDIT: I suppose I should note that I expect the main antagonist of the 9th realm of creation will be the CE. So I understand that from a story perspective, it would get rather complicated to try to balance power so that the CE is weak enough to poke around now, but still powerful enough that they're a credible threat to Ashfallen in the future when they get their arc, given Ash's seemingly exponential growth rate. I think it's doable, but it's quite a headache to get right without making characters act irrationally for the sake of the plot.
Alexey Gladkich
@David the size of the soul is what determines how much Qi it can store. Dual cultivators can store either Qi in it. Heavens incorporated a bunch of rules to prevent Void cultivators from advancing, but they can be sidestepped.
MJ Tangira
Thank you for the chapters this year X! Have a good break merry Christmas and a happy new year looking forward to book 7
Etricflame
probably everything she can to not go insane
Revitika
I’m Really curious where Nyxalia is and what she’s been up to
GreatCabbage
Thank you for years of wonderful reading! I hope your well deserved break is everything you wish it to be! Happy holidays, and see you next year😎
Amosz
Amazing chapter
Gustav Fischer
its been a wild ride, def one of my fav series! Love the growth, and the thought you have put into world building
Demian Buckle
Thank you for the Chapter and Congratulations on the Completion of Book 6
Ivorywinter
Tyftc!!! That was such a satisfying end! I love how much everyone has grown in this book! Happy holidays!
Lioncog
Thank you for this chapter! I randomly found your series and when I started reading it I became enthralled by it very quickly. Pretty much the only thing I did for 2 weeks was read your story. I greatly enjoyed reading and can’t wait for more! Take that well deserved break and see ya next year!🍋🧅
Normalname
I wish we got to see how many SC ash got for devouring Vincent, but otherwise, it was a very good ending. BOB FOR THE WIN!
Kennyevilmonkey
The cockroach is dead! Woooooooh!!
Phoenixdrop
Can’t wait for book 7 but I also can’t wait for them to try and save the world tree because that could be fun and we might get a interesting interaction between ash and the world tree when he moves to open up the second layer I mean they already have their roots tangled together after all but yeah if a monarch realm tree is big enough for its roots to become the lay lines of the world unless the world tree is just inanely really big can’t wait to see how much ash grows at monarch
TreeReader
I enjoyed the end. You know they are a good villian if you genuinely hate the fucker lol
Phoenixdrop
No it’s when he surpasses monarch that’s when the age of accession begins he basically has to reach the limit of the layer he is on and then break through it to get to the next layer
Sargon Yami
maple does not have a starcore. they use the "voidling" cultivation methode that allowes them to grow evermore powerful but makes them slaves to the heavens.
Sargon Yami
no they need the second affinity to create a second soul. that is all that is needed as soon as they have that they can advance both into the nascant realm. how one creates an inner world with the viod is another question.
Nuurik
You know there is an anime "practicing qi for 3000 years", there is exactly the same situation as with the cultivators of the void, yes they cannot create a nascent soul, yes they cannot become Monarchs.. but Maple and other Worldwalkers are living proof that they can infinitely accumulate "qi" of the void, that is, the fact that they are at the stage of the star core does not mean anything. Remember the star core of ordinary cultivators and the core of Ashlock when it was formed, it was like the sun, while the rest of the "normal" had, say, a light bulb. And besides, Maple is now on par with the Monarch in strength, but he is not a monarch.. and another important fact - Maple is only a child by the standards of the Worldwalkers. In addition, there are nine layers of creation in which unimaginably powerful creatures live, but they do not attack the lower layers (there is less qi and they have nothing to do there) and one of the reasons is the Worldwalkers, who are dangerous even for such creatures from the higher layers, and the absence of a second (nansent soul), third, tenth soul does not make them weaker
Jonathan
I really appreciate the other perspectives. It does a great job of maintaining perspective on the scale the power levels that the ashfallen sect is moving on now.
Nuurik
Now, after over 2 years, over a million words, and six books, we can move on to the Beast Tide arc. In my original notes, this was supposed to happen in book 3, but it seems we got a little sidetracked. Oops. Ahaha, I like it, I adore you and I hope such funny little things will be in the future, thank you for this. And my wish is more details, interlude, descriptions of the world through the eyes of different characters, because so much has happened, and I don't want the tide of beasts to end in one or two books, dilute it, savor it so that the final battle of the manarchs is even more epic, dramatic, and simply more thrilling. I absolutely agree with Wanderer's comment that quality is more important than quantity, let it be better to have one or two epic chapters of battles than each chapter of the main character defeating everyone. Because although I really like the theme of cultivators, their features associated with an indecently long life, but 90% of works in this genre simply ignore this aspect and write a thousand chapters simply about the fact that the main character is stronger than everyone else, imba and he defeats everyone, with each chapter he has a larger and larger harem ... aaand that's all..... Don't become one of the hundreds, thousands of Chinese mangakas who start out so well but at some point get caught in an endless cycle of battles, cultivations, battles and cultivations, forgetting about everything else in the world. There are already tooo many such (unbalanced) works Thank you for such a wonderful piece of work and a Happy New Year.
Basically God
If Larry gets a humanoid form like most beasts in cultivation... No way he won't be an old samuri XD Thanks for the chapter~♥
David W. Baijense
Yes, but wouldn't the void part just make it lopsided? Since it shouldn't go higher?like maybe make her sick later on or something? Like how there is qi imbalance they have to force out the other like Diana? Since there would be "less" void the higher up the layers she goes?
Draxas
No problem as they say good things come to those who wait, and for the continuation of a novel this good I can wait a long time
Alexey Gladkich
It's not how it works. Heavens prevent Void Cultivators from increasing size of their souls - advancing their cultivation stage. It's not the case for dual cultivators as the other affinity can be used to pass the bottlenecks.
Billy Nguyen
What a great end to Book 6. Thank you for the chapter and look forward to the new book. Merry Christmas!
Derek Boyce
Yassss
Derek Boyce
Thanks for the Chapter, and the Book! Can't wait for Book 7!
Philipp Battenberg
Well, for one, they have other powerful Ents now and the Mudcloaks showed their prowess. And on the other side, after Maple ate one of the spiritual hearts the power of an Ent would be quite diminished. Aaand, Ashlock just now declared that he needs to upgrade his skills, so eating what remained of Vincent was preferable. Edits: Damn Patreon, not showing comments.
Joker Nijima
Thanks for the chapter!
David W. Baijense
I would like to learn more about how void cultivators can continue to progress through the layers, cuz we have a dual cultivator with Douglas, but wouldn't she become really unbalanced because of the void/illusion qi interaction since void can't go further? Or will it somehow? Would ashlock be able to? I also want to learn more about the mudcloaks for sure. And when ashlock makes it to the monarch realm, doesn't he open the next layer up?
Borbino the great
Larry has grown on me so much overtime I’m really happy seeing him grow and become someone that can protect everyone love how this book ended and I can’t wait for the next one!
Borbino the great
Yeah but loot! They can’t miss out on that
David W. Baijense
Nice work. Keep it up👍
Liam
I thank you for this amazing story and hope you have a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. I hope Ash Lock didn’t devour Vincent head because he has a bounty in the Tunnel pursuit pavilion.
Christian Sullivan
I can't wait to hear from Nyx again. How she is adapting to her new form and urges.
Immortalloon
Fair enough
Manlor
The end of Vincent was slow, but only because we were eager to see it coming. I'm sure it is even more awesome when you can binge it!
XKARNATION
Ah, well, an entire city watched them take over Nightrose City. And I feel like the Ashfallen Sect is a bit above the Eternal Pursuit Pavilion now.
Immortalloon
I thought it was that they were going to be turning in the bounty for the eternal pursuit pavilion and they needed to keep some physical evidence that he is dead.
Wanderer
That ended better than I feared. Nice ending! And I would like to say that you can take your time with book 7. Quality before quantity, as the saying goes.
XKARNATION
Could you remind me what the plan involving Vincet's head was? It's slipped my mind.
Kurpophobic
Makes sense, thanks for the answer
XKARNATION
He was just left with a half-dead infant soul, so it was better to devour for credits and Qi than make an Ent.
Ethan Barrow
TFTC!! Love this series!
Immortalloon
I think I missed it, but did they forget to keep Vincent's head for the pavilion?
Immortalloon
Thanks for the chapter, I hope you enjoy your well earned break. I will miss this.
Kurpophobic
TFTC, quick question: wasnt the plan to turn Vincent into a Ent to help fight the beasttide? Or did that plan change once Ashlock changed to desolation Qi?
Ether's Blessed One
See you soon. Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year.
Quentin Cozzi
Thanks for the chapter!
Quinn
Thanks for the chappy
