Yan Shao's understated words possessed an immense power of persuasion, reigniting courage in the hesitant and fearful students.
Yes.
Whether divine;
Or bizarre;
As long as it could be killed, there was no need for fear.
By the crackling bonfire, the remaining 38 students, after Yan Shao finished his speech, no one else chose to withdraw. Although unease lingered in their eyes—fear of the unknown, of powerful deities, a residual trepidation in the face of an enemy of unknown strength—their inner courage, once ignited, could not be extinguished.
Lu Zhi observed the students gathered around Yan Shao, following his arrangements without objection. In this moment, Lu Zhi recognized Yan Shao's leadership and vision. He was destined to become an extraordinary figure in the future.
"Lu Zhi, Lu Zhi?" Jiang Yue reached out and tapped Lu Zhi's shoulder.
Lu Zhi snapped back to attention, "What is it?"
Jiang Yue looked puzzled, "What were you thinking about? You seemed lost in thought. The president wants to see you."
Lu Zhi blinked in surprise, "Oh, okay."
The other students around Yan Shao, following his instructions, went to plan their strategies. Only He Qun and Han Shuangyun remained by his side, occasionally nodding in agreement. Lu Zhi stood aside, not wanting to disturb them.
"Alright, He Qun, go set things up first." After Yan Shao spoke, He Qun leaped directly from the tilted skyscraper, his figure moving towards the orb of light. Lu Zhi vaguely saw the silk thread in He Qun's hand gleaming silver under the moonlight as he meticulously set up a net around the orb.
"Junior Lu." Yan Shao beckoned with a smile, "I asked you over specifically. It's nothing major."
Lu Zhi's brow twitched. Despite Yan Shao's gentle demeanor and lively conversation, Lu Zhi couldn't shake the feeling that he was like a smiling fox full of schemes.
"I heard you obtained a very special S-rank treasure from the Tree of Life." Yan Shao's gaze was calm as he looked at Lu Zhi's index finger, "Could you tell me its abilities?"
Han Shuangyun added, "We need to record everyone's abilities and simulate a few viable plans and emergency measures. You're the only one left." As if sensing Lu Zhi's potential hesitation, she projected a holographic display between the three of them.
Lu Zhi saw no reason to withhold the information. He raised his right hand, "Man Luo."
From the tiny, tender buds on the lush green vines, delicate leaves emerged, adorned with hair-thin, lustrous golden patterns like brilliant gold foil. In the darkness, the vines themselves emanated a soft, emerald glow, their gentle, crisp aura evoking the feeling of an instantaneous springtime revival.
"So beautiful!" Han Shuangyun's usually cold and elegant face bloomed with a look of stunning admiration.
Lu Zhi was also somewhat surprised. Man Luo seemed to have grown many small buds and leaves, and even the hair-thin golden threads appeared thicker, their color more pure and dazzling.
Was it due to the enhancement of his psychic power?
"Truly remarkable," Yan Shao marveled, "Is this the embodiment of the Tree of Life?"
Lu Zhi's heart rate quickened for a split second. Man Luo was indeed a branch of the Tree of Life, a fact he had learned from Shen Qi. After all, the Tree of Life in the school's clock tower was merely a small sprig. Without some understanding of the Tree of Life, it would be impossible for someone to discern its true nature from Man Luo's appearance alone.
Lu Zhi lowered his gaze, his fingertips lightly touching Man Luo's vines and leaf tips, as if playing with a child. His dark eyes softened like the gentle moonlight, "I never knew Man Luo was a manifestation of the Tree of Life."
Yan Shao stared at Lu Zhi's profile, "I was merely guessing. You didn't know?"
Lu Zhi appeared bewildered and shook his head, "I didn't. However, Man Luo's defensive capabilities are very strong, but its offensive power is somewhat weak. I believe Man Luo is likely a defensive treasure."
Yan Shao seemed to ponder this, then smiled wryly, "Is that so... If Man Luo is a manifestation of the Tree of Life, it should be classified as support-type. It's the most powerful treasure I know of so far."
Lu Zhi looked surprised, "Student Yan, you know a lot about the Tree of Life?"
Yan Shao bent closer to Man Luo. The green vines interwoven with gold foil seemed to sense Yan Shao's gaze, and the vines slowly raised themselves, giving off a confident, almost haughty air.
"I have some research into ancient civilization ruins, particularly concerning the school's Tree of Life," Yan Shao said, extending his fingertip as if to touch Man Luo.
Man Luo reacted swiftly, retracting slightly, as if shyly shrinking away. It coiled around Lu Zhi's finger, its leaf tips swaying nervously from side to side.
"She's a bit timid," Lu Zhi said, sensing Man Luo's subtle emotional fluctuations.
Yan Shao's eyes lit up upon hearing this, "Telepathy?"
Lu Zhi: ???
Yan Shao's normally composed demeanor vanished, his eyes sparkling with a child-like curiosity. "You can sense the Tree of Life's emotions? Can you converse with the Tree of Life? Is the Tree of Life male or female? Is it..."
"Cough, cough, cough..." Han Shuangyun coughed violently, interrupting Yan Shao's barrage of questions. She calmly stated, "President, get to the point."
Yan Shao blinked, let out a soft "Ah," and covered his mouth to cough, "My apologies, my old habit acted up. Please don't take offense."
A faint smile tugged at Lu Zhi's lips, "I can sense some of Man Luo's subtle emotions. It's a peculiar feeling, difficult to describe or explain, but conversation... that doesn't seem possible yet. As for gender..."
Lu Zhi gently touched the vine coiled around his fingertip, his dark eyes soft, and he chuckled softly, "She's probably a girl."
Yan Shao gazed into Lu Zhi's warm dark eyes, then looked towards the orb of light in the distance. He said, "I've seen carvings on a wall in an ancient civilization ruin that recorded information about the Tree of Life. If the S-rank treasure in your hand, Man Luo, is truly a manifestation of the Tree of Life, then Man Luo's strongest ability is healing."
Lu Zhi was slightly taken aback. This was something he truly didn't know. Often, if he hadn't proactively asked Shen Qi, Shen Qi wouldn't have reminded him, preferring him to discover things himself, to explore and unearth them, claiming it would be filled with surprises.
Surprises, my foot. Lu Zhi suspected Shen Qi simply didn't want to tell him. As for why... he guessed he would only know once he regained his memories.
"Shuangyun," Yan Shao gestured for Han Shuangyun to roll up her sleeve.
Lu Zhi stared in astonishment at the jagged, saw-tooth shaped wound on Han Shuangyun's wrist. It was a full finger long and deep enough to reach bone, but it wasn't bleeding due to a thin layer of ice covering it.
"Shuangyun's ability is 'Containment,' a very practical and powerful ability," Yan Shao sighed. "However, the side effect is that physical injuries heal with difficulty. While confronting a Level 6 anomaly, she was injured protecting me... I want you to try healing her wound."
Lu Zhi looked at the expressionless Han Shuangyun and silently admired her resilience, truly worthy of being one of the top three elites in the school. If Yan Shao hadn't said anything, he wouldn't have realized she was injured.
"I'll try," Lu Zhi said, feeling a touch of nervousness. It was the first time he was attempting to have Man Luo use its healing ability. He softly instructed, "Man Luo, heal her."
Man Luo heard Lu Zhi's words. Its vines glowed green, and its tender buds and leaves lightly touched Han Shuangyun's wound. A faint, pure scent of grass and wood, reminiscent of nature's revival, filled the air. To Lu Zhi's astonished gaze, Han Shuangyun's wound began to heal rapidly, even the scar disappearing without a trace.
"It's really healed!" Lu Zhi exclaimed, instinctively grasping Han Shuangyun's arm and touching the wound's location.
It wasn't an illusion; it was completely healed. Such a deep wound, and it took less than a minute?
Suddenly, Lu Zhi felt a chill run down his spine, and he instinctively looked up at the night sky.
There, Shen Qi was silently suspended in the night sky, his expressionless gaze fixed upon his hand holding Han Shuangyun's arm.
Lu Zhi: ...
Let me explain, it's not what you think!