Chapter 780: Chapter 780. Complete Ascension Willow Lake Blueprint.

Liu Shu pondered deeply as she looked at her arsenal. Which skills would help beyond those she used with Xakira?

Now with time, she deeply pondered and tested the effectiveness of the <Ascension Willow Lake> by using different talents.

Liu Shu didn’t have many <Talents> and <Passive Skills>. She was someone who had learned what she needed and refined it to basic perfection.

Yet, it was due to this refinement that the flexibility with which Liu Shu used her skills was considered outrageous.

For example, what could a healing skill do with the <Ascension Willow Lake>? Looking at it simply, it was not something that should matter.

Yet, Liu Shu thought that while the healing per se was not useful, the aura of regeneration it granted could greatly help with mind sharpness, fatigue, and other similar ailments people were bound to fall prey to during the process.

Keeping a refreshed mind could be that push to increase one more completion rate percentage.

Therefore, Liu Shu was currently training the following skills and trying to raise them to S- Rank to help her create the <Ascension Willow Lake>.

Talents: <Curse Cleansing Aurora>, <Otherworldly Rune and Nature Empire>, and <Healing World Touch>,

Passive Skills: <Time Source (S- Rank)>, <Perfected Living Core (S- Rank)>, <World Embracing Dimensional Roots (S- Rank)>, <Soul Enthralling World Tree>, and <Cerulean Bloodsap>.

Some of them were already at the rank required, but the rest were yet to reach there. However, the lowest rank among them was A Tier, so it would not take too long. With the time Liu Shu currently had, she honestly felt that she had some leeway.

In the worst-case scenario of an army coming her way once more, the Level 199s could enter the incomplete <Ascension Willow Lake> and complete their breakthrough. It was not as if she couldn’t create a lesser version because she was trying to accomplish a better one.

So, these three <Talents> and five <Passive Skills>, how did Liu Shu see them as useful?

First, let’s get out of the way those who have a small but effective influence.

<Healing World Touch>, as previously mentioned, was there to maintain a healthy body and mind during the process.

<World Embracing Dimensional Roots> was there to create a perfect atmosphere. This passive skill allowed Liu Shu to resist most environmental hazards up to a certain degree. Therefore, when applied, the space within the <Ascension Willow Lake> could be considered near-perfectly acclimatized. Small optimization, but it might help with distractions.

<Soul Enthralling World Tree> would serve as a trance-inducing factor. Using soul resonance, Liu Shu was confident in placing those who entered the <Ascension Willow Lake> into a state of selflessness.

Finally, the <Time Source>. This skill was something personal to Liu Shu. However, this skill had this sentence in its description: "Roots generate <Temporal> Energy." While the System would not allow anyone to gain a time-related attribute, the <Temporal> energy was perfect to create an isolating feeling.

That feeling, when combined with all the small buffs mentioned above, was the final link in the chain that created a deep and comprehensive "Focus" field.

And yet, this was the foundation of the <Ascension Willow Lake>, not the core structure. For the core, Liu Shu would use the remaining four skills. <Curse Cleansing Aurora>, <Otherworldly Rune and Nature Empire>, <Perfected Living Core (S- Rank)>, and <Cerulean Bloodsap>.

<Cerulean Bloodsap>, <Curse Cleansing Aurora>, and <Perfected Living Core> would act as the main ingredients. Cerulean Bloodsap and Curse Cleansing Aurora was naturally those ingredients to purify those taking the bath to a soul level. Meanwhile, <Perfected Living Core> would be used for its secondary trait, <Adaptability>.

As the individuals would be submerged in her body, so to speak, she could, as with the <Temporal> energy, faintly imbue that quality into the <Ascension Willow Lake>, helping those inside, well, adapt to the environment quickly.

Finally, the concoction pot that would mix everything into a homogenous whole was, of course, the Otherworldly Rune and Nature Empire <Talent>. Using her own understanding and this talent, Liu Shu would create a runic field that could boost everything mentioned above, materialize it into tangible energy, and make it flow into the bodies of those inside the <Ascension Willow Lake>.

"...Looks good."

Seeing her blueprints, Liu Shu felt satisfied. While the explanation was rather simple, the application needed quite a bit of retouching. Moreover, she was still not aware of what changes it would bring when she pushed those A Rank skills to S- Rank.

Therefore, Liu Shu left some leeway in case any of those skills changed and became unusable. "Although I feel that the opposite should happen. Oh well, it’s better to prevent before rather than to fix afterwards."

Liu Shu wiggled her roots as if stretching, feeling satisfied. "Great! Now, to the boring part. I need to use, use, and use these skills until they reach S- Rank."

This process could be done subconsciously. Therefore, her active mind was liberated. She scanned her empire and realized that it would soon be the day of the Rootborn Soldiers once again.

"A year has passed already? Time truly flies... It’s been three years since the war." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Her gaze couldn’t help but drift to the now-empty Skill Merchant buildings. A touch of sadness crossed her heart, wondering if she would meet Leafara again.

"Sigh... So, what are my babies doing?"

She first checked her Sylvan babies, not because of anything in particular, but because they were the minority. Her elder Sylvan Children were currently relaxing after entering a <Dungeon>. ’Their levels are... Oho. Level 99. But... They should have enough Experience Points to Level Up, right?"

Checking what happened through the lingering subconsciousness, she soon understood. "Aha. They are waiting for the <Ascension Willow Lake> to be completed... Right. This is something that helps people ascend, so it can also be used on people crossing the <First Ascension>."

Many new policies flashed in her mind to keep those above in control. ’Using a quota for children of high-ranking individuals... Using quotas for talented people with scholarships...’

Her eyes sparkled. ’While I will control the acceptance myself for a while, since this is a bit too personal, in the future, it can become a ritual for those with talent. The only problem will be people trying to steal quotas. However, as long as harsh punishments are given to those who steal or sabotage them, then there won’t be much to worry about.’

For a moment, she pondered whether she should make these quotas tradable. However, she felt that doing so might reduce their uniqueness and... sacredness. ’Yes. If these quotas are given by the <Eternal Church>, the faith will spread faster. I can even create separate lakes in the future when I reach out to more Solar Systems.’

She laughed. "So much potential. With this and the new berries I will develop when my Nature Empire talent reaches S- Rank... Oh my, my economic strength will reach new heights."

While they were still not open to other powers fully, the merchants that previously settled and were now naturalized had given the higher-ups advice on how to enter, what resources are rare in the Golden Sap Empire, and many more details. Virelya, as an information collector, had very generously shared most of her knowledge with the higher-ups of the Empire.

This information was not free, but it was sold quite cheaply to make up for past mistakes. By now, Liu Shu had completely let go of Virelya’s past attempt to kidnap her daughter-in-law.

"Speaking of daughters-in-law, how is she doing?"

Her gaze moved, and then she moved away. ’Oh my~, my precious Sylvia has a truly blissful marriage. To still be so coveted even after so long. No wonder that, even when they are in a monogamous relationship, they are one of the families with the most children.’

It was not that much of Luniere being too thirsty for her wife, which she totally was, but that a Sylphaith’s ability to please their partners turned out to be surprisingly high. Well, they were an Alraune variant at the end of the day, so it was not too surprising.

Liu Shu didn’t linger. ’Since they are making babies so vigorously, then I don’t need to worry~.’

Then Liu Shu went to check all her children one by one, taking her a full two weeks to look at the daily lives of her over 200 children. It was not that she couldn’t look at them simultaneously but that she wanted to enjoy it.

And finally... My pretty Aionthra~.

"How are you doing, love?"

Aionthra, sitting with a languid and comfortable expression as Liu Shu’s roots tangled around her body, smiled beautifully when she heard her mother’s voice. "Mother. I am doing great. Our Empire is growing smoothly."

"It is~. Also, how are you feeling? There should be new challengers appearing soon, right? After all, the Level 199s are abundant."

Aionthra hummed, her finger curling around one root lazily. "I am doing fine. If I die, it is also good, as the empire will get stronger. Don’t worry, Mother. I am fully prepared to fulfill my duty as a BOSS Monster."

Liu Shu frowned slightly at that. "...I might not be able to resist splattering those who defeated you."

Aionthra laughed, her voice elegant and charming. "Don’t be like that, Mother. Isn’t that Earth Dragon quite happy? I heard that he has been defeated quite a few times lately, right?"

"Yeah. Even Daffodil has died two or three times. There are quite a few talents emerging one by one."

While these <Dungeons> remain as one of the few with the highest mortality rate, they were also considered elite <Dungeons>. Moreover, clearing them once didn’t mean that you could clear them repeatedly.

Unlike what others might believe, BOSS Monsters kept their memories after death. So, if you attack with the same party that barely managed to win the last time, you might be counterkilled before you can even register what happens.

Of course, if the win is overwhelming, farming BOSS Monsters is not too hard. However, when explorers repeat <Dungeons> for Experience, they usually skip BOSS Monsters so that there are no complications.

Clear some secondary and primary chain quests, earn materials and rewards, and then use a <Dungeon Escape> item to keep the materials.

That was the usual strategy when you wanted to repeat <Dungeons>.

Liu Shu ruffled Aionthra’s hair, making the other party almost purr like a cat. Seeing that face, Liu Shu felt even more reluctant. ’Should I boost the <Eternal Trial Domain> already?’

Even if she wanted to, it would be difficult without increasing her own strength first.

’I am Leveling Up slowly, approaching Level 199. However, it seems that until I reach the <Second Ascension> myself, creating that <Dungeon> with my <Feat> against the Nexus and upgrading the <Eternal Trial Domain> is out of the question.

Her gaze moved outside, looking at the Sun and the gently gleaming nodes she had taken control of during the struggle with Nysera.

"Alright, next is you two."