CHAPTER 161: TREE OF OATH

The fatigue and miasma that had clung to her since the last battle were gone, replaced by a strange serenity.

But she wasn’t done yet.

"Now comes the blessing," one of the older priestesses said, and before Ling Yu could ask, she was whisked away to another chamber, this time lined with crystal vines that emitted a soft blue glow.

There, the elves adorned her with ceremonial garments, flowing white and silver robes, with faint patterns of leaves and stars embroidered across the fabric. Her hair, now silky and shining from the purification, was braided with strands of light moss and dew pearls that shimmered under the torchlight.

She wasn’t fond of such attention, but the elves were meticulous. They moved around her in a synchronized rhythm, like a well-rehearsed ritual. Even when she muttered under her breath that it was "too much," they only smiled and continued.

By the time they were done, it was already midnight.

Ling Yu stepped out from the dressing chamber, the faint glow from her robes casting soft ripples across the ground. The forest itself seemed to hush for a moment, as if acknowledging her transformed presence. Her hair fell in loose waves down her back, her skin pale and luminous under the moonlight. Her usual fierce sharpness had softened into something almost ethereal, like a goddess who had stepped out of an ancient myth.

Nie Ziyu, who had been waiting outside with the others, nearly dropped the snack he was eating.

"...Holy—" he caught himself mid-curse. His ears burned red as he coughed awkwardly. "You... uh... look... different."

A little elf boy shot him a look. "Different? She looks like a walking moon spirit! Goddess!"

Ye Qingxue laughed, fanning herself dramatically. "I swear if the elves start bowing to her, I’m not even going to be surprised."

Ling Yu, however, ignored them. She walked past calmly, though a small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. "You all sound like idiots," she said lightly.

Nie Ziyu scratched his head, still flustered. "Yeah, well... maybe idiots, but not blind." He muttered under his breath, barely audible, "How can someone look that... unreal?"

His words were lost under Ye Qingxue’s teasing laughter and an elder’s amused scoff. But Xian Yu, ever observant, caught the faint pink creeping up Nie Ziyu’s neck and smiled knowingly.

.

.

.

Later that night, when everyone had retired to rest, Nie Ziyu lay awake on his bedroll, staring at the ceiling of the tent.

He could still see the way Ling Yu’s hair shimmered when the moonlight hit it. The cold indifference in her eyes hadn’t changed, yet there was something else there now, something quietly powerful and untouchable.

He had seen her covered in blood and dust, standing amidst the wreckage of fallen beasts. He had seen her sharp, ruthless side, the part of her that terrified even monsters.

But tonight, under the soft glow of elven light, she looked like something out of a dream.

He turned over, pressing his face into his blanket. "...Great. Just great," he muttered to himself. "Why do I have to fall for the one person who could kill me in two seconds?"

Outside, the forest whispered, the night breeze carrying faint laughter and the rustle of leaves.

Ling Yu, seated a little distance away from the tents, gazed silently at the glowing canopy above. She could feel the purity of the forest’s mana now, the tranquil flow of energy that healed and renewed life.

Tomorrow, she would have to face the Tree of Truth, a place where countless secrets were buried, and where her mission would take its next step.

For now, though, she allowed herself a rare moment of calm, the soft rustle of wind, the faint warmth of moonlight, and the quiet hum of life surrounding her.

And though she didn’t notice, a certain dark-eyed young man had stepped out of his tent once more, watching her from afar, torn between admiration and the faintest trace of something he couldn’t name.

*

*

*

The air around the World Tree felt different, thicker, heavier, and alive.

It wasn’t just the way the light fell here, nor the quiet reverence that wrapped the space in silence. The very atmosphere hummed. The closer Ling Yu walked, the more she could feel the vibration beneath her soles. It pulsed in a steady rhythm, slow and deep, like a heart beating beneath the earth.

When they reached the perimeter, the elves came to a stop. Even the ones who had been cheerfully chatting moments ago now stood solemn, their expressions softening into quiet reverence.

"The rest of the way," said the First Elder, his voice low, "you must walk alone."

Ling Yu paused. "Alone?"

The elder nodded. "The Tree of Oath recognizes no other. It calls for you. Only those whom it accepts may step into its circle. If we go further, the roots will reject us."

Behind her, Nie Ziyu frowned slightly. "She’s going in alone? What if something happens?"

"Nothing will," the elder replied gently, though his gaze lingered on Ling Yu. "If the Tree has summoned her, then it means that it has already accepted her existence. It will not harm her."

Ling Yu took a slow breath, her expression unreadable as she looked toward the massive structure ahead.

The World Tree stood like a titan among giants. Its trunk rose endlessly upward, vanishing into the heavens where branches stretched wide enough to cradle clouds. The bark shimmered faintly, an ancient bronze-gold tone under the filtered sunlight, veined with glowing blue lines that pulsed like veins of mana.

The ground surrounding it was bare of plants, but not barren. The soil itself seemed to breathe, small motes of light rising and falling like embers of life. Every step she took made the earth tremble, the rhythm of the pulse syncing faintly with her own heartbeat.

She could feel it.

The tree wasn’t just a being; it was consciousness. It was alive.

As she stepped past the invisible barrier, a faint hum filled the air, deep and resonant.