Chapter 259: Creation

“Sigh, here we go again…”

In front of the blood-red giant tree deep within the jungle, Miss White Fox couldn’t help but express her slight exasperation.

“By the way, it’s impressive how it managed to grow this big without divine power to aid it.”

“After all, it was a seed nurtured by the Earth Mother Goddess with her divine power. It’s been polluted into its current state. It must be suffering quite a bit…”

Shifting her gaze to the blue-haired girl gently caressing the surface of the blood tree, Vilyric nodded and then confirmed, “Tilysha, do you really want to do this by yourself? Although Xi Fu Lin has acknowledged your ability, it’s difficult for mortals to control a power driven by divine will. You should understand the risks involved.”

“Yeah, Miss Xī, I want to give it a try.”

The blue-haired girl glanced sideways, revealing a somewhat lonely smile.

“Look, Leila and Renée, and even Miss Edwina are all fighting in the battlefield. Even Xiao Guang and Eudora can offer help to you, but I seem to be the only one who can’t do anything. I often still need your and Princess Xi Fu Lin’s protection.”

A momentary sense of loss flashed by, but quickly, Tilysha’s familiar charm and silly grin returned as she clenched her fists, seemingly motivating herself.

“Hehe… Even I have things I can do on my own! I’m not just a messenger for Princess Xi Fu Lin!”

“Well…”

That’s true. From the moment the first divine tree was planted in the Mountains of Ten Thousand Demons, or perhaps even earlier, this little girl has always been striving to show her worth. Vilyric had seen it, but aside from verbal encouragement, there wasn’t much she could do.

After all, what Tilysha cared about was indeed a fact.

“Since you want to try, then go for it. Don’t worry and hesitate; I’ll be here with you.”

“Um! Miss Xī, I will definitely succeed!”

Nodding, the white fox girl stepped back to join the others watching from a distance.

“Are we starting now?”

The one asking was Aland Light, the missionary of the Church of the Light, clad in a light golden robe, with shoulder-length hair shining like brilliance.

Alongside him were Sasha, Xavier, and a few other trustworthy higher-ups from the Church of the Light, all here to witness the event, as well as Vilyric and a few other companions.

By the way, the Soul was there too; although it had earlier exhausted its SP trying to forcibly activate the Void Principles, it seemed to have bounced back in just a week, much like an indestructible cockroach.

“Yes, just like we promised before. Next, we will reshape this blood tree’s form, letting it shed its excess and become the Life Divine Tree that nurtures life and nourishes all things. Mr. Aland, don’t forget our agreement.”

“Of course, Miss Xī, I look forward to that moment.”

During the conversation, the blue-haired girl, standing beneath the blood tree’s shade, placed her palm on the trunk, which was thick enough for a dozen people to embrace.

Breath of life! Pulsating waves surged forth, as a greenish aura blossomed in the girl’s palm, accompanied by her clear singing.

“Endless and cyclical, my name is Tilysha! By the will of Life Goddess Xi Fu Lin, oh child of life, return to the origin!”

“Woosh!!!”

The emerald brilliance spread upward from Tilysha’s palm, gradually enveloping the branches and leaves of the blood tree. The blood tree buzzed violently, shaking as if it were a patient undergoing some intense surgery instinctively struggling and resisting.

A terrifying divine power, far beyond what mere mortals could harness, radiated from the blue-haired girl, wrapping her within a dense emerald hue.

“Ugh…”

Clearly, Tilysha couldn’t smoothly control such vast power. As the blue light wobbled unstably, it occasionally spilled over, falling onto the surrounding grass.

Any grass that got touched, which was originally only a few centimeters tall—less than half an adult’s finger—would explode in size, reaching heights that surpassed Tilysha’s legs, up to her waist.

But after a brief surge, like a side effect of excessive catalysis, those rampant plants would quickly shrink, becoming even shorter and more juvenile than they were initially, until they vanished completely.

Such absurd, magical, and unbelievable phenomena. Even those present who had seen much in life couldn’t help but gasp in astonishment.

They might think those plants had died, but Miss White Fox, with keen eyesight and some prior knowledge, noticed that in the soil where the grass had disappeared, there remained an almost imperceptible seed.

That was the true essence of what Tilysha was performing, which could no longer simply be called magic but rather the miracle akin to “Divine Technique.”

The green glow continued to spread along the branches of the blood tree, and the rustling sound of its trembling grew stronger. Those sharp, pointed branches twisted and retracted, as if the blood tree was struggling to suppress an instinctual urge to attack.

Such human-like behavior naturally left Aland and the others observing in renewed surprise.

“Miss Xī, does this tree truly possess complete self-awareness? Is this the blessing from the Life Goddess?”

Miss White Fox turned her head to glance at him.

“To be honest, I would love to agree, but in reality, while divine power is mysterious and unfathomable, not all miracles stem from divine gifts.”

“As a high-ranking member of the Church of the Light, Mr. Aland, you should be able to understand this point, right? You worship the all-knowing and omnipotent ‘Source of Light,’ but how many real miracles does it actually provide?”

Seeing the missionary suddenly fall silent, Vilyric continued lightly, seemingly indifferent.

“In my opinion, only what does not exist can be truly all-knowing and omnipotent.”

“Gods and mortals are merely expressions of life. As long as they are limited by form, there will undoubtedly be things that cannot be accomplished, information that cannot be comprehended. In fact, the Life Goddess has never interfered with the growth of this tree prior to this.”

“So, Mr. Aland, to put it bluntly, do you truly believe that the ‘all-knowing and omnipotent Source of Light’ exists? If it exists, how can it be all-knowing and omnipotent? This has always been a paradox.”

Just as Miss White Fox felt triumphant, thinking she had struck a chord with him and planned to insistently roast this mysteriously developed and haphazardly glorified church, Aland unexpectedly shook his head, his expression solemn and sincere.

“You are correct, Miss Xī, but you are still mistaken. The Source of Light does indeed exist and is indeed all-knowing and omnipotent, because it exists and does not exist. Its presence transcends every corner of the river of time, even space cannot contain the outline of its figure.”

“Comparing it with tangible things is in itself a misunderstanding of it. It is so exalted that its existence cannot be defined by mortal understanding; hence, it appears elusive.”

“…?”

Caught off guard by the missionary’s dodgy, mystifying statements, Vilyric hesitated for a moment but ultimately couldn’t suppress her desire to comment.

“Uh… are you serious?”

However, Aland maintained a serious demeanor and nodded earnestly.

“I am certainly serious, for our very existence is the best proof of the Source of Light’s existence.”

“We, the Light Tribe, are the children born from the brilliance of the Source of Light.”

   

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