Chapter 774: Chapter 774. Thoughts of Past and New Petals.

After their discussion, Liu Shu began gathering the things left over in space while Flor and the rest gathered people for the retrieval. During this process, Seraphina and Obsidianis became quite free, so they decided to look around Golden Sap City.

The place was something they found very pleasant to the eye. Seraphina looked around and spoke with a weird tone. "This place is quite unique, isn’t it?"

Obsidianis noticed Seraphina’s gaze and smiled wryly. "Are you talking about the other World Trees? It is indeed unique."

This place had so many surprises that they didn’t know what to do about it. Were they shocked? Certainly. However, they had been surprised so many times in a row in the same day that they had become somewhat numb to it all.

"Oh. Look, a Teleportation Hub."

Seraphina looked where Obsidianis pointed, her face speechless. This kind of technology was something found only in powers as strong as the Covenant or higher. "Is it really?"

Obsidianis understood what Seraphina meant and couldn’t help but laugh. "Should we check?"

"...Sure, I guess? We have nothing else to do."

So, they entered, looking around with curiosity. Their figures were quite conspicuous, as their aura, beauty, and temperament were extraordinary. However, they didn’t receive any strange gazes.

This was a detail they observed while walking around. "The citizens are quite... behaved? I have not felt a single conflict happen during our walks."

Obsidianis agreed with Seraphina’s comment. "It really does feel like it. Perhaps we’ve been walking in the prosperous area."

Seraphina didn’t deny it. Soon, they arrived at one of the counters and waited in the queue for about 20 minutes. The teleportation hub, being the place where the most traffic flowed through, was quite busy at almost all times.

A man with a professional appearance and a pleasant smile welcomed them. "Welcome. What is your destination?"

Seraphina smiled back. "We are quite new, to be honest. We couldn’t really believe that this place had a teleportation hub, so we are here to inquire. May I ask if it is proper?"

The man smiled and explained. "This queue is not the appropriate one, Miss. If you may, could you move toward the third section? That’s where inquiries are attended. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Seraphina shook her head. "There is no problem. Thank you very much, and have a great day."

The man politely answered before they moved to the spot he had pointed to. Once there, they were attended to almost instantly.

This time, a middle-aged woman with a stern face but kind eyes attended to them. "Welcome. What can I help you with?"

Her voice was surprisingly soft for her sharp features. Seraphina repeated the same as she did with the man, and the middle-aged woman nodded with a faint smile. "There is no problem. What is that you want to inquire about specifically?"

Obsidianis spoke up. "This place... the technology to create teleportation portals is quite complex. It is not that we are underestimating the Golden Sap Empire’s capabilities. However, the power is somewhat young to have this technology. May we ask if you know anything about how it was done?"

The middle-aged woman answered generously. "If that’s the case, I sadly do not know the details. However, I am aware of a little. From what we’ve learned before taking this post, we know that the portals were created by Lady Heavenly Willow."

When she spoke of that name, Seraphina and Obsidianis could tell the respect and awe within. ’A believer.’

It was easy to distinguish. The middle-aged woman continued. "Still, while Lady Heavenly Willow does create them, she does not maintain them. That’s reserved for the Great Lady Tree."

Seraphina tilted her head. "Great Lady?"

"Lady Heavenly Willow’s mother." The middle-aged woman clarified.

Obsidianis was a bit puzzled. "Aren’t Liu... Lady Heavenly Willow’s mothers named Flor and Ignatia?"

The middle-aged woman blinked and smiled. "You two must have arrived not too long ago. Great Lady Tree is Lady Heavenly Willow’s biological mother. She is a Life Tree residing in the largest park within the Golden Sap City."

"Huh." Both Sylvans were faintly surprised. After that, they asked some other questions, satisfying their curiosity.

They both smiled at the middle-aged woman and bid their goodbyes. Obsidianis spoke after leaving. "What a pleasant woman. When I saw her at first, I thought she would be quite curt and blunt."

Seraphina added. "Almost all workers are exceptional in their work range. It’s quite wondrous to see. I wonder how Liu Shu developed the culture to reach this point?"

Obsidianis looked at the list of buffs and commented. "It’s most likely a side effect of both rules and this <Ingenuity Blessing>."

Reading the blessing once more, Seraphina sighed in awe. "This blessing is quite absurd, isn’t it?"

"All of them are, to be honest. Only this <Eternity Blessing> feels slightly lacking. Not too much, though. The buff duration it gives is ridiculous."

Seraphina nodded, agreeing with her. "Honestly, I was dubious as to how the Golden Sap Army was able to win against the Nexus Army when they were overwhelmed by army size and overall level. Now, I have my answer."

Obsidianis hummed in agreement. "Say, Seraphina."

"Hm?"

"Do you like Liu Shu?"

"H-Ha?"

Seraphina jumped like a cat whose tail was stepped on. This kind of feeling was quite new to her, so she felt embarrassed when Obsidianis talked about it openly.

"You... why are you asking about these things?"

Obsidianis chuckled. "You are so obvious. Still, I like her as well, so I can’t really point fingers."

"..." Seraphina didn’t know what came over Obsidianis so suddenly. Why was she asking about these things?

"What are you planning?"

"Planning?" Obsidianis sighed. "Well, using that word to describe my intent is not wrong. Seraphina, you’ve seen it. Liu Shu is not a free World Tree. She already has four women who don’t lose in the slightest to us in both terms of beauty and talent."

Seraphina frowned. "We are at a much higher level."

"But they’ve lacked the resources we’ve had. Moreover, from what I’ve noticed, they should be on the verge of advancing to Level 200."

Seraphina’s mouth crooked, and finally, she admitted it against her will. "Alright, yes. They are quite exceptional. What’s the point in praising our opponents, though?"

Hearing her grumbles made Obsidianis laugh. She had not seen Seraphina at such a disadvantage other than when facing herself. Seeing the Darkness Sylvan laugh, Seraphina was annoyed. "Speak, what’s your plan?"

"I mean... You and I know that it is impossible to separate those four from Liu Shu. Even when we were discussing back there, Liu Shu was eyeing us with a touch of caution. If we were to truly come to a face-off, who she would side with is quite easy to guess."

"Therefore..." Seraphina mumbled and looked at her with curiosity. "Are you thinking of gaining the approval of those four?"

"That seems to be one of our options, and the one that will go without conflicts."

"That’s impossible."

Seraphina didn’t know how much those four allowed for others, but she had sensed they were very possessive. If she were placed in their shoes, Seraphina herself would be quite close-minded in adding more people to the existing harem.

Thinking of this, Seraphina spoke. "I think that getting Liu Shu to like us first would be much easier."

The eye Obsidianis was not hiding with her hair rolled. "Do you think getting close to that girl is easy? If she were a bit more naive, I admit that your way might be possible. However, this would create a rift in the relationship. Instead of Liu Shu and her wives, it would be Liu Shu, her first wives, and her second wives."

Seraphina couldn’t deny that. If they seduced Liu Shu and then were questioned by the other four, the result would be a rift. "...so we need to get close to those four."

"That’s our only option, to be honest. Of course, we can also get slowly acquainted with Liu Shu in the meantime. Do not push it, but make sure our presence is in her mind."

Obsidianis’s words were quite tempting, and eventually, Seraphina nodded. For the specifics, they would have to think about it.

***

Meanwhile, inside Liu Shu’s body, the four girls stood in front of the Petal Door with ugly expressions.

Tempestria spoke with certainty. "It’s those two."

Verdantia sighed, her eyes looking at the two petals that were very faintly illuminated. "It is indeed those two."

Harmonixia complained. "When did they advance so much? The petals have around a tenth lit up already."

Cinderielle snorted. "It was while we slept that they managed to stretch their dirty hands. Tsk. Annoying hags."

Tempestria’s lips twitched. "They are exactly our age, though."

"Whatever."

Harmonixia sighed and crossed her arms. "So... What do we do?"

Cinderielle, being the one with the most beef, spat with annoyance. "How about killing them? Perhaps that will eliminate one of the annoying petals."

Verdantia nodded. "I agree."

Tempestria rolled her eyes. "Or, if we kill them, this Petal Door might collapse and bring a terrible backlash to Liu Shu."

"..."

The two more aggressive Sylvans were instantly silenced with those words. Verdantia complained. "Why does this door exist?"

Cinderielle grumbled at her. "Without this door, do you think any of you would’ve had a chance? It was me who discovered her first."

Verdantia humphed. "Sorry, but it was me who mixed with Liu Shu first and had the first child. If any of us are suited for being the first wife, it is me."

Harmonixia mumbled. "You three were just lucky that you were born on the same continent and in the same area. If it were me, I would’ve conquered her long before."

Tempestria rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright. Did you three suddenly regress 100 years in age? Why are you discussing this when we’ve cooked the rice over and over by now?"

Hearing that, Harmonixia laughed and looked at Cinderielle. "Right, we all know who has premature... shooting."

Cinderielle bristled at that comment. "At least I have tits. Yours don’t even bounce when you jump!"

The Harmony Sylvan glared at Cinderielle. "My tits might not bounce, but can any of you compare to my ass? Where do you think Liu Shu’s gaze goes when she uses her roots, eh?"

Verdantia snorted. "Naturally, it is my body. I am the curviest of us all."

This time, even Tempestria didn’t want to be left behind. "At least, there is no discussion as to whose dick makes her cry the most in delight."

"Do you want to fight!?"

The four of them almost came to blows. Thankfully, with two new threats on the horizon, they managed to hold back and stop right before that. In the end, Cinderielle sighed and crossed her arms. "Alright, enough. So, we agree that they should eventually join. However, we should not make it easy for them. At least, Liu Shu must feel comfortable first before we even come around, right?"

Tempestria nodded. "That’s for the best. If they behave, do not stop them from flirting and such. Still, they’d better put in effort. Until this petal door is not filled to over 50%, we will not become agreeable."

"Agreed."