Noak immediately understood what the whale wanted, without hesitation or finding it strange. He knew that in life, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. The God of the Forge had come to the sect and stayed there the whole time for a reason. He wanted something, and if a trade was possible, Noak would do everything he could to make it happen.
They were quickly led to a small continent on that planet, an extremely dense tropical forest where only the Starry Sky Tree race lived in isolation.
No other race could approach due to security reasons. The unique aspect of this race’s cultivation was their ability to, during a starry night, absorb the laws of distant stars and fuse them with their bodies. This significantly boosted their raw power and physical resistance, making them like titans, impossible to take down when focused on defense; though they could also use these laws to attack and annihilate everything around them.
The problem was, to cultivate this ability, the race needed to enter deep meditation, a moment of extreme vulnerability for any cultivator. That’s why a high-level detection formation protected the continent, preventing outsiders from putting the race’s members at risk.
The whale was taken to the heart of the forest, and even before arriving, Alm and Bruno could already feel an ancient and pure fluctuation observing and assessing them. Soon, they spotted a gigantic tree, as imposing as the Nine-Star Tree they had grown in their city.
Noak approached a root near the ground, and immediately, countless natural runes appeared, revealing an ethereal figure. It was a middle-aged woman, pleasant-looking, with long green hair and a warm smile.
"Ancestor, I’ve brought the God of the Forge," Noak announced.
Alm and Bruno noticed a hidden communication between them, transmitted through their bloodline, inaudible to others.
The figure nodded and looked at the whale. "It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Oami. My great-grandfather met you when you visited our sect in the past."
"I see, but my reincarnation wasn’t perfect. Many memories were lost, and some I can only restore under certain conditions. If he didn’t mark me in some way, I won’t remember," the whale replied naturally, avoiding any trap or test.
"My ancestor wasn’t anyone important, he just exchanged a few words with you and was proud of it until the end of his life," Oami said with a slight smile. "Now I have the luck to do the same and also offer help."
The whale snorted impatiently. "Let’s get to the point. I’m a very busy person."
Oami smiled even more, remembering how her great-grandfather had described the God of the Forge: a bit rough, direct, and with no patience for small talk. So much so that, back then, he barely paid attention to her ancestor.
"I’ve heard you came looking for ancient knowledge," she said, meeting his gaze seriously. "And that you have much to offer. The disciples connected to you have turned into dragons soaring to the heavens since your arrival. And now, this brat told me that you need something from him."
Alm and Bruno nodded. Even with her vast experience and having seen much evil in the world, Oami was observant and fair. She didn’t show any ill intent, but any deviation or dark feeling from the whale could make her turn into a merciless demon. She gave back what she received: if they were trustworthy, she would be too.
"Indeed, what I have to offer will completely change the life of your race and sect. And besides…" The whale looked at Noak and delivered the final blow. "My brother is a very talented alchemist. The pill I showed was one of his rare creations. Though it was made by luck, in ten thousand years, the chances of him making another one are high. What I can offer will forever change her life as well."
Oami sighed, noticing Noak’s expression. "If it’s possible, we’ll do whatever is necessary to satisfy you."
"I don’t need anything extraordinary. I know your race has a special connection with the Nine-Star Tree..."
At those words, the two of them held their breath, clearly tense. The whale continued, "Of course, I know it’s taboo. But you’ve lived long enough and surely heard stories from your ancestors. There must be something only your race knows. Tales or fantasies are more than enough. To this day, the heroes have let you live in peace. If it stays between us, there won’t be any issues."
Oami pondered for a few minutes, becoming serious. Then she turned to the whale. "I only know a few stories that I consider meaningless fantasies. I’m not sure they’re worth…"
The whale pulled out the Yin pill. "I’ll take it. For the pill, it should be fair."
Noak looked at the pill and then at Oami, apprehensive. She sighed and nodded. The whale delicately handed him the pill.
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"Go help her absorb this. I’ll handle business with the God of the Forge," Oami said calmly. Noak, excited, grabbed the pill, took Arien’s hand, and left as fast as he could.
Oami snorted. "Such impulsive youngsters... I told him so many times to forget her. She even gave herself to another, just to live a little longer."
"That shows he was raised well. He loves her, and the fact that she didn’t want to stay with him didn’t change that. Knowing she could live, even far from him, was enough for him," the whale replied softly.
"Yes... I’m very proud of him; it just made me unable to accept that she rejected him... that young man is too good for her…" Oami murmured. Then, she turned to the whale, surprised at how much she had relaxed. With a slight smile, she commented, "I feel like I can be myself around you. It’s nice to talk to someone who has also lived a long time. Well, let’s get to what I know…"
The stories Oami told did seem fantastical. But Alm and Bruno, with their vast experience, were able to read between the lines. Quickly, combining everything they already knew and had researched, the pieces began to fit together.
’Now it’s certain. The Nine Stars Tree is closely related to them. It’s like the difference between a dark elf and a regular elf, so close that people give them similar names,’ murmured Bruno.
Alm added: ’The legend says that the Nine Stars Tree once spent ten thousand years meditating, accumulating the energy of the stars. Maybe it’s even from this race, but it chose to change its name to avoid being associated and implicated with them.’
Alm and Bruno had the same thought at the same time. Ten thousand years accumulating star energy? The light from the stars carried only a very pure and natural Yang energy. However, the Yang present in the forests wasn’t inferior, just in a lower concentration.
The Starry Sky Trees absorbed the natural energy of life in a unique way that other races couldn’t. Knowing how natural life forms multiplied, something became even clearer to both of them.
The whale looked at Oami, and their eyes met. Instantly, she felt something that shocked her: her karma froze. In the next few seconds, depending on her decision, her entire fate—and maybe that of her entire race—could change forever.
"I have a proposal," he began to say slowly. "Your race generates seeds and multiplies after absorbing a lot of star energy, right?"
She nodded. The Starry Sky Trees were genderless at birth and didn’t need partners to reproduce. The cost of having a descendant involved years of energy accumulation and the loss of a lot of vitality. However, if they wanted, they could bond with another race and create a hybrid, which was sometimes simpler and even desirable, depending on the other species.
Bruno quickly chimed in: "Great, you can still generate a seed if I…" He stopped, realizing her expression had completely changed, her face flushing slightly.
"I... I’ve never been with another species before…"
Alm immediately cursed Bruno with all his might, and only then did he realize he had, once again, said something ambiguous without thinking.
"I misspoke, sorry. That’s not what I meant," the whale quickly corrected, steering the conversation back. "I can provide you with a massive amount of natural energy through a secret technique. I need a seed, and you must pour all that energy into it. And a lot, a lot of energy; is that possible?"
Oami exhaled deeply, relieved. "Yes, I can accumulate as much as needed. There’s no harm in going beyond the minimum required amount of natural energy. It just makes the seed’s cultivation process flow a bit faster up to a point, but there’s no major benefit in overdoing it."
"Excellent. I want to trade that seed for another knowledge I’ve shared with my allies. You don’t mind, right?" Bruno asked calmly.
"Hmm? No, we are a completely different race from humanoids; a seed doesn’t represent a child for us. In fact, the chances of a seed developing and receiving a soul are less than 5%. I’ve had dozens before having my first descendant. I can help without any problem, and I won’t ask what you need it for."
Alm and Bruno nodded, satisfied. Now, they trusted this ancestor even more; their senses could not be deceived. They created a rune of knowledge and handed it to her.
"My allies gave me the complete technique, but this stays between us because it goes against the rules. I’ve also modified it a lot and called it the Near-Overgrowth Dao," the whale said calmly as she quickly read it.
It took only two seconds for Oami’s expression to petrify, as if she were reading something impossible to believe.
"How…"
"This is just the solid foundation for another race to use and transform into a specialized Dao. In the end, it turns an incomplete Dao into another incomplete one, but there’s a chance for someone to complete it and become a deity. Is that a fair trade?"
The whale spoke, and she immediately trembled, bowing deeply. "Yes, thank you so much, this is worth a thousand times more than the help I’ll give you. I feel guilty accepting it like this."
’Now’s your chance to seduce the Milf, you bastard. Make sure Ruri finds out about your flirting; you’ll deal with her later,’ Alm spat coldly.
Bruno felt a cold sweat but took a deep breath and tried to ignore it. "This needs to be secret. Can you use your metamorphosis and come with me in your true form just once?... to go to a safe place! With all my allies together! There’s nothing wrong with that!"
Oami nodded. Staying in one place in her true form was a way to absorb the maximum amount of natural energy; it only helped prolong her lifespan. Leaving briefly wasn’t a big deal.
Soon, the entire massive tree glowed and transformed into a physical human-like version, identical to the ethereal form.
The whale led her to where the rest of his group was. Oami didn’t tell anyone from her race where she was going; everything was done in secret, as the whale had requested.
He gathered all the soldiers, as a disturbance would occur there, and with everyone together, there would be an excuse, as if it were some kind of training or technique. With so many people present, it was easier to cover up.
They then activated a simple spatial formation, the same one they had received before the Convention, used to seal that barbarian. An area was closed and sealed off from the outside world.
[Available Celestial Points: 125]
[Natural Life Miracle] [90 Celestial Points]
[Use?] [Yes / No]
Alm and Bruno accepted, then looked at Oami. They activated their tattoos and swallowed several empty pills.
It was all to create a spectacle, pretending to use something strange and extremely secret, so secret that even they wouldn’t remember all the exaggerated gestures and words in a foreign language they shouted.
Soon, the entire area was flooded with intense and infinite natural energy. Oami’s eyes widened, utterly incredulous.
"Absorb it all, don’t let anything escape," the whale said seriously.
Oami nodded and returned to her true form. Her gigantic body began to tremble, sucking in all the natural energy around her. However, the energy didn’t stop flowing... It was an immeasurable amount. Oami quickly realized she was absorbing more natural energy in a few minutes than she had gathered in her entire life.
"Use everything!" the whale urged again, and she focused intently on forming a seed while continuing to absorb more and more energy.
After a few minutes, the natural energy finally ceased, but it took Oami nearly six hours to absorb and fuse that immense amount into the seed.
When she was done…
The leaves trembled, and something the size of a fist fell, floating toward the whale. The seed glowed with such an intense light that it seemed like a star, emanating an indescribably dense aura. As he received it, the green screen appeared before them:
[Congratulations, Side Quest Completed!]
[Receive Rewards?] [Yes / No]
’Yes! So he really was from the same species and created the divine seed this way,’ Bruno thought, thrilled.
But the excitement only lasted a second.
In the next moment, it felt as if the gravity around the whale multiplied by a million. They felt something terrifying trap them: a solid, inescapable presence... the presence of death.
’What…’
Alm and Bruno immediately channeled all their divine soul, searching for the source of that feeling, but…
’How… it’s coming from all sides... hundreds of auras… it’s the heroes scattered across the universe. They found us, DAMN IT!’ Bruno spat, feeling the pressure.
Meanwhile, Alm was already focused on something closer. ’There are six heroes inside the sect…’