Sovereign of the Ashes

"If possible, I hope we won't have to hurt that Greenbeak Tree when the war breaks out," Sein said.

One could almost hear his silent sigh; it was probably the first time he had ever made such a remark.

It was hard to imagine that a mage, who originated from Mystralora City and had experienced several interplanar wars, would express concern for foreign creatures.

This was what it truly meant to be "human"!

Sein was not merely a killing machine; the more he experienced, the more he understood and emphasized.

Many demigod-level knights and mages in the Magus World would begin to travel within the Magus Alliance after reaching their breakthrough bottlenecks.

The entire Magus Alliance, with its hundreds of thousands of planes or worlds, became places for them to explore.

Some referred to this exploration as the "Ascension of Long Stairway to Godhood", distinguishing those of Rank Four and above from those below.

The more sentimental people called it the "Heart Search," a journey to find one's true self.

Overall, the transition from Rank Three to Rank Four was a very mysterious and special process, not only for the Magus Civilization but also for the other civilizations out there.

Rank Four creatures were born from an entire plane's laws, fortunes, resources, and benefits.

Even the Rank Five creature from the Viridian Venom Flame World, Anridar the Venom Flame Demon King, a self-serving and extremely twisted evil being, had a past that was anything but simple.

Upon hearing her apprentice's remark, Lorianne, who was inhabiting Sein's body, fell silent and offered no comment.

Lorianne had also traveled through many planes of the vast Magus Alliance during her ascension to Rank Four from Rank Three and had made a similar remark as Sein.

Everyone's enlightenment was different. Sein should be walking his own path, so there was no need for Lorianne to impose her experiences.

Nevertheless, Lorianne was pleased to hear such an empathetic remark from Sein, who had long been engrossed in magic research in his laboratory.

After some time, she asked, "Sein, what do you think the meaning of magic is?"

"It's a tool, a means to help us explore the mysteries of truth in the Astral Realm," Sein replied after a moment's thought.

Lorianne let out what seemed like a soft hum of approval but did not say much else.

She only commented, "You might want to revisit this thought when you advance to Rank Four or higher. Perhaps, you will have a different view then."

Sein could not help but ask, "Then what do you think the meaning of magic is, Master Lorianne?"

"I believe the true essence of magic lies in understanding life energy. In the boundless Astral Realm, across billions of planes, the power of life weaves through all beginnings and ends. As a scholar who walks on the path of dendrology and lifeology, I see magic as the culmination of my quest to unravel the true meaning of life," Lorianne replied thoughtfully.

Lorianne's answer was more specific yet somewhat enigmatic.

Sein frowned slightly and was silent for a long time.

The mentor and her apprentice continued their flight toward the east of the Verdant Wilderness World; they still had a long journey on this low-level plane ahead of them.

***

Two years later, Sein arrived at a medium-sized city in the Verdant Wilderness World known as Blackrock City.

The Verdant Wilderness World boasted a rich diversity of species, surpassing the Verdant Leaf World and other low-level planes like the Viridian Venom Flame World and Thunderfall World, where Sein had previously engaged in warfare.

However, the Viridian Venom Flame World and Thunderfall World were stronger than the Verdant Wilderness World, home to only one Rank Four creature.

Despite all three being low-level planes, the exceptional biodiversity of the Verdant Wilderness World could likely be attributed to its nature as a dendro elemental plane.

Blackrock City was constructed from pitch-black obsidian rock, a common material found in the south-central region of the main continent.

Obsidian itself was not particularly hard and was quite malleable. However, when mixed with a certain plant juice as a binder, it became exceedingly durable, making it a preferred material for city construction.

The city was constructed by the native "Black Ladybugs" of the Verdant Wilderness World.

In addition to the more than three hundred thousand Black Ladybugs residing there, the city was also home to other various species.

Sein, adopting an elf appearance, had lived a good life in the Verdant Wilderness World over the past two years.

Whether it was the natural affinity of elves for plant creatures or a strategy deployed by Lorianne, Sein had not only avoided conflict but had also forged significant friendships similar to that with the Greenbeak Tree.

Blackrock City was a peaceful haven.

Here, Sein managed to cure many Black Ladybugs of a condition known locally as "Encrustation Disease", thereby earning their friendship.

This condition often led to the formation of stones on the bodies of the ladybugs.

Due to their traditional custom of consuming soil at certain times, many Black Ladybugs would inexplicably develop small gray stones on their body armor.

In Sein's view, these stones were the result of weak internal organ function, which could be mitigated by ingesting specific plants and flowers to neutralize the effects.

This issue had troubled the Black Ladybug clan for centuries, ever since they had migrated and founded Blackrock City a few hundred years ago.

"The place you are talking about lies within the territory of Lord Murong. With the token from our Black Ladybug clan, you should be able to enter the Blaze Forest," the chief of the Black Ladybug Tribe respectfully informed Sein.

The chief before Sein possessed a Rank Two life level but had aged considerably and looked like it had only a few years left to live.

In addition to resolving the Black Ladybug Tribe's issues, Sein had also treated the chief's minor ailments and gave it a potion made from the native plants of the Verdant Wilderness World.

In gratitude, the Black Ladybug Tribe not only bestowed upon Sein numerous special resources from the vicinity of Blackrock City, but they also gave him a token to enter the Blaze Forest.

It was a piece of Black Ladybug's shell carapace imbued with a hint of demigod-level aura.

With this token, Sein could easily access the Blaze Forest.

Holding the black shell piece, he inspected it quietly, showing little emotion.

Over the past two years, Sein had discreetly placed three Node Weakeners in the Verdant Wilderness World.

He actually came across five nodes but had to give up on the other two as they were abandoned because they were perilously close to this territory of native demigod-level creatures.

After much deliberation, Sein and Lorianne ultimately decided against taking the risk.

The same cautious approach was also applied to the Blaze Forest—they had ample time to proceed carefully.

As he walked through Blackrock City, Sein did not rush to leave.

The local black ladybugs greeted him respectfully as he passed.

Travelers from other parts of the Verdant Wilderness World, some coming from regions far beyond, brought intriguing news.

"Have you heard? A full-scale war erupted between Core Birch Forest and Plain Forest to the north."

Sein overheard the conversation between two avian creatures adorned with yellowish plumage, carrying tree seeds and plant fruits as they hurried past him.