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Chapter 482: The Fascinating Life Tree
The growth requirements of the Life Tree sapling are quite fascinating.
It simultaneously requires a large amount of nourishment while also needing to be heavily consumed.
In overly comfortable environments, it may overconsume and suffer indigestion, ultimately leading to its demise.
As many players put it, the Life Tree sapling is like an energy transporter.
It painstakingly absorbs energy and nutrients, only to generously release them, gifting vitality to the surrounding life forms.
Because of this trait, the Life Tree is highly sought after.
Who wouldn't love it?
However, this peculiar characteristic, defying common sense, is the main reason for the low survival rate of Life Tree saplings.
When nurturing such a precious transcendent plant, people instinctively want to provide it with the best of everything.
Yet, the sapling becomes too comfortable and gradually withers. The more it declines, the more the cultivator provides.
In this vicious cycle, the young sapling can't endure the excess and ends up dying.
It gets "overfed" to death...
In fact, as a transcendent-level plant, the Life Tree has incredibly resilient vitality.
If planted in a barren area, the sapling might grow slowly at first but would eventually develop sturdily.
Once it survives its initial years as a sapling, it can autonomously absorb elemental energy and produce an endless supply of life force, which turns into the famed Life Spring Water.
Unfortunately, cultivators can't bear to "mistreat" them this way.
This intriguing characteristic was discovered by players unintentionally.
One player completed a rare task for the Elves of Aer and unexpectedly obtained a Life Tree seed.
He found the seed extremely hard and tried countless methods to open it but failed.
He even listed it on the auction house, but no one recognized its value, missing the chance to snatch it.
One day, after gaining more strength, the player carelessly tossed the seed into a desert as if discarding trash.
The tenacious Life Tree sapling not only survived in the harsh conditions but also grew successfully.
By sheer coincidence, the player later returned to the spot and was ecstatic to find the grown Life Tree.
With the Life Spring Water and Life Fruits provided by the tree, he experienced a massive power surge, breaking through the constraints of the transcendent realm and stepping into legend.
How did other players learn of this discovery?
It's a tale of trust and betrayal.
This is why Matthew focuses so much on developing his territory.
A large workforce and extensive territory ensure authority.
Wealth and talent make everything easier.
Matthew easily placed the Life Tree sapling into a sandy pot he had prepared beforehand.
It lacked water and sunlight but had plenty of elemental crystal fragments.
Surrounding it were lush, green saplings.
These saplings were planted tightly around the Life Tree, shading it entirely.
These little saplings were not "easy to deal with"; despite their poor condition, they were all fighting to survive.
They relentlessly competed for surrounding resources.
Matthew observed as the Life Tree sapling, barely the size of a finger, quickly stabilized and began absorbing the nearby nutrients.
Interestingly, sensing the "hungry" saplings around it, the Life Tree sapling released a faint vitality after absorbing some resources.
This vitality was absorbed by the surrounding saplings, which swiftly recovered from their wilted state, visibly growing taller.
To Matthew, it seemed as if they had secretly fast-forwarded their growth.
Matthew's actions immediately drew the attention of the Ail Elves.
Just as they were about to rush over, they were stopped by Beelzebub and others standing beside Matthew.
"No one is allowed near the experiment zone without permission!"
The elves froze under Beelzebub's imposing presence, sharp gaze, and massive frame, along with the blatant vigilance on display.
Especially intimidating were the four six-armed golems that surrounded them, each wielding exaggerated mithril weapons in their twenty-plus arms.
Fearing conflict, Annie rushed over, shouting loudly:
"Step back! Don't disturb Lord Matthew!"
Annie understood that although the Ail Elves had a harmonious collaboration with Bay Territory...
It didn't mean that the Bay Territory would tolerate the elves' temperamental behavior.
She regretted bringing these reckless researchers, knowing better now.
Though they continued to gaze longingly at the Life Tree sapling, they obediently retreated, still visibly excited.
Their expressions made it clear they were not willing to give up.
Annie felt a headache coming on, resolving to screen and train any Ail Elves involved in future collaborations with Bay Territory.
If possible, she would prioritize members of her own family.
Having seen the captured Famir in Bay Territory's dungeon and learning of Matthew's "grudge" against the Cole Elf Kingdom, she sensed...
This might not be a bad fallback option.
After all, many decisions from the higher-ups had deeply disappointed Annie.
Glancing at the researchers, Matthew showed little reaction to their excitement.
Once he confirmed the Life Tree sapling was in good condition and its surrounding red mulberry saplings were thriving, he stopped monitoring it and signaled Beelzebub to "escort" the elves out.
The Aer Elf researchers looked pleadingly at Annie, but she didn't advocate for them, allowing them to be removed from the Druid greenhouse.
"Will Matthew be angry?"
"He shouldn't be. He never cares about these minor things..."
"Still, the Life Tree is too important. We must ask about it no matter what."
"This time, Matthew might not show mercy."
"Those fools deserved it. They sent researchers instead of a proper combat team as promised..."
Suppressing her thoughts, Annie cautiously approached, glancing at the Life Tree sapling glowing faintly green.
The poor little sapling was completely overshadowed by the overgrown saplings around it, looking isolated and helpless.
No wonder the researchers had been so agitated.
Nevertheless, Annie chose to trust Matthew and bravely asked:
"Did it succeed?"
"It succeeded. In about three hours, 200 red mulberry saplings will fully grow, generating over 1,000 gold coins in value."
Nodding in satisfaction, Matthew was very pleased with the Life Tree sapling's "accelerated growth" ability.
Annie calmed down immediately, suppressing her excitement and understanding the situation.
True to form, Matthew cared only about its utility and its contribution to the territory's development.
As for other matters, he genuinely couldn't be bothered.