While Liu Shu's roots stretched around the solar system and explored the structures formed in between the stars, Liu Shu discovered large groups of
These plants were also very low-level, surviving out of the passive energy emitted by the relatively large amounts of Sylvanium, Celestium, and similar materials.
"Hm…" Poking them with her roots, Liu Shu found that they didn't really have much use. Even their system pages only showed
"If anything… they would be good to make potions against cold and extreme environments?"
Just in case, she chose to pick a few samples and use her spatial control to move these few structures to the asteroid belt. From there, it was up to the Golden Sap Empire to find use from them. 'Plus, once in my domain, they will gain plenty of buffs. We might be able to develop space-attuned plant life easily.'
"Time to move on, though."
While she would probably be quite interested in moving around these structures and trying to unearth treasures, Liu Shu knew that she had to prioritize the Solar Systems around her.
"The number of close stars is… Nine? Yes. Nine of them."
Glancing at the star map near her position and using some astronomy maps her people created, she found the information matched. From what she saw, of the nine Solar Systems, seven of them had planets with advanced intelligent life. The others also had worlds, but the life there was wild and non-intelligent.
"Because it is the edge of the galaxy, it seems that nearby powers had not felt the need to colonize these Solar Systems… Or they did, but they just didn't have either time nor resources to colonize them?"
From what Liu Shu knew, of these nine Solar Systems, three of them were of the Covenant, another two of the Nexus, and the final four were of weak, unknown powers.
"Will there be a surprise from these Solar Systems?"
Touching either the Nexus or Covenant Solar Systems was still out of consideration. If she did, Liu Shu would be giving appropriate caucus belli and all her planning until now to be left alone would fail miserably.
Moreover, with the help of those bandit groups she was taking over, overreach could result in her position becoming some sort of malicious organization through appropriate slander.
"So, in short, I have two non-occupied Solar Systems and two Solar Systems belonging to small local powers."
The choice was clear, then. She would go to one of the two occupied ones and take over. How to take over was easy, and Nualis gave her enough practice. The thing she was worried about the most was the stubbornness of the local World Trees.
'Well… I could intimidate non-True World Trees in my early 100s, now that I am at Level 220, and with Experience to spare, I am sure a single glance might suppress them.'
"As for the intelligent species…"
It was a bit of a headache. Intelligence didn't mean wisdom. Some people, thinking they understood, turned a deaf ear to those they should listen to.
"Either way… It's in this direction."
As she moved her roots, her Avatar went on a date with Seraphina. Unlike with Obsidianis, though, Seraphina didn't move boundaries this time around. This left Liu Shu feeling both gratified and somewhat disappointed.
Liu Shu knew that Seraphina was going slow with her out of respect and love for her, but honestly, Liu Shu wanted Seraphina to be a bit more pushy. 'Am I being unreasonable?'
A wry laugh escaped her. That gratification of having those boundaries she set in the past respected, and that frustration of knowing that those past boundaries had now moved far back. The bittersweet fruit left Liu Shu wanting to be the one to pounce on the tall and heroic silver-haired Sylvan.
'Honestly, Seraphina's adoring, respectful, and gentle eyes and face are so… ugh.'
She was getting aroused all by herself… "Ahem. Focus… On what?"
There was nothing much for her to do actively. She was slowly constructing the supermassive Dungeon, her Golden Sap Empire was developing perfectly, and the takeover of the nearby wild groups was proceeding without any hitch.
"Hm…" Her eyes moved to the Golden Sap City, and she looked at her plant children. "Hello, Apothea~."
She decided to visit her youngest baby.
Apothea had been taking care of the people in her lakes when Liu Shu's voice reached her. A mushy and utterly soft and clingy voice answered Liu Shu's call. "Mommy~!"
Liu Shu's roots immediately coiled around Apothea, giving her a tight hug. "Uggh! My baby is so cute!"
"Hehehe."
Strangely, Liu Shu had thought that Apothea would develop into a more graceful and elegant personality. However, what developed was a little munchkin that, if she were a human, would probably be cute with round and soft cheeks.
"Speaking of humanoid… Baby, have you developed your Avatar?"
Having inherited many of Liu Shu's characteristics while being perfectly fused with her roots and sap, Apothea was a very special Lignified species. To call her unique was not an exaggeration, as Liu Shu didn't really think creating a second Apothea would be possible.
'When creating Apothea, there was that special trigger from the Ascension Berry and other sources that made her break through the initial potential I expected her to have. In a way, she is quite a unique existence.'
Apothea heard Liu Shu's question and giggled. "Yeah! Look here!"
Liu Shu followed Apothea's roots and reached a hidden room. Inside this hidden room, there was a small pool of her sap with a flowery lilypad in the middle. On that flower bed floating in her sap, a petite naked girl lay curled and sleeping.
Liu Shu immediately squealed. "How can my baby be so utterly adorable!?"
The girl on the lilypad was around Liu Shu's height, but not very similar, aside from her facial features. Her body was slim, with only the curve of her waist and hips showing she was a mature woman, not a child. Then her hair was snow-white, with silvery strands, giving it a reflective sheen.
While Liu Shu could not tell the color of the adorable girl's eyes, she was sure that they would be similar to her own, a deep and beautiful purple. Apothea giggled and spoke. "My Avatar has yet to wake up, but she is already born! I can't wait until the day I can hug Mommy's Avatar with mine!"
Liu Shu caressed her baby with her roots, her eyes melting with love as she glanced at the small girl in the flowery lilypad. "I also can't wait, love. You are really beautiful."
Apothea hummed proudly. "Of course! I am Mommy's baby!"
At that answer, Liu Shu wanted nothing but to smother her baby in her breasts and rain kisses on her face. "...Right, speaking of that. Baby, remember to give your Avatar my breast milk when it opens its eyes."
"No!"
Liu Shu was startled when Apothea spoke in a sulky tone. "Huh?"
Apothea muttered. "Can't… Mommy feed me?"
Realizing what had happened, Liu Shu understood and instantly smiled. "You scared me, love. I thought you hated Mommy. If you want me to feed you, of course I will."
Apothea giggled happily. "Hehehe. Thank you, Mommy!"
Liu Shu ruffled Apothea's leaves with her roots lovingly. "I love you, baby."
"I love Mommy too!"
After speaking with her for a while, Liu Shu felt a little baby fever and immediately divided her consciousness to go and speak with all her babies more actively.
The Eternal Church was both respectful and loving.
Endless Library was elegant and soft.
And even her normal Lignified Babies, who had started crossing the
For example, those in the entertainment industry, since the people working there were quite stressed, developed soothing, gentle, and mature personalities.
On the other hand, the Lignified babies in industrial zones were more active and strict, making sure that automated production and workers didn't slack off during their work hours.
The residential Lignified Houses had an easygoing, caring personality, like that of a gentle neighbor. Meanwhile, most government Lignified Trees were patient and orderly.
Of course, there were outliers in all places, since they were intelligent beings. It was just that their personalities were better suited to their environment, without taking in much, if any, bad influence.
Liu Shu couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and delight at her daughter's development. Those
"Speaking of babies… how is my little Violue doing lately?"
Violue, one of her first plant-type children, not counting Lignified structures. It was a flower baby placed in Harmonixia's desk that Liu Shu had been born to accompany her lover.
"Here you are, baby." Liu Shu's small root, which was always planted in Violue's pot just in case, communicated with her.
Violue had not developed much, as her potential was that of just a flower. In terms of level, the flower had reached Level 30 even after so long. As a flower, it was unable to digest Liu Shu's berries at all, so the
The flower coiled its roots and leaves happily around Liu Shu, telling her that she was very happy. Liu Shu checked her life force and, seeing that it was about a quarter consumed, couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart. "I am glad you are happy, love. Did anything fun happen?"
Violue, using plant speech, very slowly told her how Harmonixia gave her delicious water the other day, or how another person in the office gently caressed her gorgeous flower petals.
It was a very, very simple speech, similar to that of Liu Shu's before she became a World Tree. Regardless, Liu Shu listened attentively, using her small root to lovingly caress her pretty little flower and exclaiming with surprise and praise whenever Violue spoke.
"Mother."
An elegant voice reached her, and some of Liu Shu's focus moved toward her gorgeous little Empress. "Aionthra, baby. What's wrong?"
Aionthra commented, her eyes looking at the Explorer Association with interest. "It seems that there is a group that's trying to enter my instance."
Liu Shu's face hardened for a second, and her mind scanned the Explorer Association main building. She was quick to notice the group gathering. When she looked, Liu Shu noticed two
Her heart tightened. 'While Aionthra is strong…' Liu Shu felt that this group had what it took to take down Aionthra. Level 200 was, after all, a big jump in strength.
The only thing that could stop this group was the challenge itself. Liu Shu had designed Aionthra's trial to be ridiculously difficult on purpose. It was a test for the ultra-geniuses of her empire, not something to be taken lightly. So, brute strength could not really beat Aionthra's instance.
Aionthra, as if reading Liu Shu's mood, spoke softly. "Allow it."
"..." Liu Shu asked, her voice clearly displeased. "Why?"
Aionthra's voice was confident and tinged with a smile. "Only by knowing defeat will I ever understand victory perfectly."
"...Alright."
In the end, Liu Shu compromised. She understood Aionthra perfectly, so she also knew that a simple defeat would not be something to worry about. On the contrary, it might be beneficial.
A sigh escaped her, and Aionthra gently caressed the roots around her body with a soft look in her eyes. How could Aionthra not know how much her mother loved her? If Aionthra were to see Liu Shu's defeated self, she knew that she would never forgive whoever did it, even if she had to blast open the Dungeon around him and perish in order to avenge her.
However, as a daughter, she wanted to become Liu Shu's strength. For that, tasting defeat was essential in order to never allow her dearest Mother to feel it as well. 'Moreover, eventually, I know Mother will be able to take me out of the
A resolute light flashed in Aionthra's deep purple eyes. 'All for Mother.'