Chapter 147: The World Tree in Embryonic Form

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...

After returning the vampire Carl to the beast pen, Wu You spent one point of alchemical energy healing its injuries.

He then summoned it out again and told it to fly downriver on its own that night, then slowly make its way back to North America.

Yes, although Wu You could remotely recall his alchemical creatures, he still had no ability to transport them remotely.

Either Carl could stay quietly in the beast pen or go to the Eastern Realm—or fly back on its own, which would take two days.

Of course, as a vampire possessing American citizenship, it could perhaps try being deported back home.

Carl naturally had no intention of choosing such ridiculous deportation. It was also eager to return to North America and help Wu You seek out suitable scientific researchers.

Having witnessed the Source Armor and Source Cells, it understood them better than anyone besides Wu You himself.

It was going back to combine the influence of the vampires in North America and Europe, helping its master “snatch” enough people.

As for the number, well, the more the better.

The definition of a scientist was actually rather vague. There were plenty of watered-down frauds who merely wore the label while selling something entirely different.

Apart from certain national-level talents whom it would be unwise to disturb lightly, the number of other such personnel remained terrifyingly large.

They needed weapons experts, biologists, chemists, and all kinds of other scientific personnel. Wu You’s list even included astrophysics researchers.

In North America and parts of Europe, the vampires had already formed a hidden blood clan with considerable influence beneath the normal order of human society.

While the vampire Carl was flying across the ocean, Wu You had naturally contacted Daishan in the United States ahead of time. Through a consciousness wave in observation mode, he had briefly explained what they would be doing next.

For now, Wu You no longer needed to concern himself with the scientists. His immediate task was to cultivate the alchemical creatures he already possessed.

Since he had never created or encountered a creature of that level, Wu You had provisionally named such beings Gold-tier.

Originally, he had intended to cultivate one of his primary Silver-tier combatants and raise it to the Gold tier.

But he had overlooked one problem.

His authority to summon creatures in the Eastern Realm seemed to be damnably limited to the Silver tier.

If he created a Gold-tier creature, wouldn’t he be unable to summon it after all?

The Eastern Realm was an extremely important hunting ground and resource mine for him.

It was a place where he could advance or retreat as needed.

Besides, he could not be certain that other places, such as a Western Realm, would not appear in the future.

If his summoning authority was suppressed there as well, he could not possibly handle everything himself. Therefore, he still needed to maintain a certain number of alchemical creatures at every level.

Even now, directly creating a promising Silver-tier creature was still no easy undertaking for Wu You.

Of course, raising a high-level Bronze creature was another matter entirely.

...

These elite combatants could not all be recklessly pushed toward the Gold tier. At least most of them had to be preserved.

The rest should first be raised as close to the high Silver tier as possible.

There was also the question of how much Transcendence energy material was required to raise a Silver-tier creature to the Gold tier, and whether he currently had enough.

If he did not even have enough to break a single alchemical creature through the Gold threshold, all his effort would be wasted.

After considering the matter from every angle, Wu You decided that he should first consolidate his own foundation, lest he sacrifice the root for the branches.

And where was his true foundation?

Naturally, Earth.

On the one hand, Wu You felt an extremely strong sense of belonging to this place. On the other hand, one fact made the matter especially clear.

So far, Earth’s creature authorization had been completely unrestricted. Was the system perhaps hinting that Earth was his true foundation?

Wu You had already chosen the subject for advancement: the Mountain Tree, a creature that was often overlooked.

Among all the Silver-tier creatures, the Mountain Tree was the most low-key.

In terms of combat power, it appeared to be practically worthless. But was it truly weak?

Not at all. Its influence could unquestionably be called the greatest among all the alchemical creatures.

Its Natural Canopy already covered nearly half of Qiantang. It operated continuously around the clock, constantly transforming the surrounding environment.

Its mental abilities were not only powerful but possessed an absurdly vast range.

Among all the alchemical creatures, the Mountain Tree deserved to be called great.

Besides, in a manner of speaking, if one wanted to consolidate one’s foundation, who could have deeper roots than the Mountain Tree?

The World Tree—a creature that had once existed only in his dreams. He was determined to bring it into existence.

As for the climate changes and ground tremors that advancement might cause, he would handle them the same way he had last time. If all else failed, he would resort to large-scale mental interference.

...

Above his head stretched a sky full of stars.

Wu You leisurely made his way through the mountains toward the Mountain Tree.

Dense vegetation and lively little animals could be seen everywhere. From time to time, he even encountered more fantastical plants.

The luminous-wheel dandelions, for example.

The animals here had also completely adapted to this new ecosystem. Nocturnal creatures knew to use the dandelions for illumination, while carnivores knew to hunt nearby.

Though it looked as if he were simply walking, he moved with astonishing speed.

After strolling and taking in the surroundings for a little over ten minutes, Wu You reached the Mountain Tree.

Hundreds of meters above the ground, the branches were brightly lit, and several insect-like creatures and griffins flitted among them.

The luminous-wheel dandelions surrounding the tree resembled countless tiny fireflies, making the enormous Mountain Tree look as though it had stepped out of a fairy tale.

Above, the construction team from Beast Manor was carrying out renovation work.

Wu You was about to give them the rather embarrassing news that their work would have to be suspended.

And if the Mountain Tree successfully advanced to the Gold tier, their workload might immediately increase several times over.

Then again, perhaps they would be even happier. After all, what they might have to design and expand by then would no longer be a small manor, but a little town.

The “Star Harbor” he had envisioned would be right there.

A griffin flew down, and Wu You leapt onto its back in one motion.

He had created these mount creatures some time ago but had never ridden one himself. Usually, he found them too slow, but this was a good opportunity to experience one.

The instant Wu You rose into the sky, all the alchemical creatures stopped working.

“What’s going on? Why have you all stopped?”

Several men with dark circles beneath their eyes emerged from a large building. Hu Lei had just been directing the moss creatures to decorate the floors and ceilings when all the dandelions providing indoor illumination suddenly flew away, leaving him temporarily “blind.”

When they came outside and saw Wu You riding the griffin, they immediately greeted him respectfully.

“Boss, you’re here!”

“Good evening, Mr. Wu!”

...

Wu You jumped down from the griffin. He had been the one to order the alchemical creatures to stop.

“Well, your work needs to be suspended for now. Don’t worry—it’s because the Mountain Tree is about to undergo an upgrade... In other words, what you’ll be designing and building may no longer be a small manor. It could be a town, or even a city.”

When Wu You finished speaking, he was met by several mouths wide enough to swallow goose eggs.

Hu Lei and the others’ hearts began pounding faster, adrenaline flooded their bodies, and they became wildly excited.

The manor project was suspended? To hell with the manor! They were going to design a city around the World Tree!

Seeing that the four men looked as though they were on the verge of dropping dead, Wu You even considered asking Salaso to “bless” them.

“I’m telling you four, go home on the griffins and get some proper sleep. The guest rooms at my place are all empty.”

Hu Lei and the others immediately came to their senses.

“Right, right, right, right! Let’s go back—back on the griffins!”

When the four griffins carrying the four men disappeared from Wu You’s sight amid their screams, Wu You was still wondering whether they would really go home to sleep.