chapter 20:Revelations by the Tree

Chapter 20: Revelations by the Tree

Li Wei and Lin Yue stood silently before the magnificent Tree of Life. Its massive trunk seemed to shimmer faintly under the golden sunlight within the space. Its leaves glowed with a soft green hue, and a faint hum of energy pulsed around it, a serene yet powerful presence that seemed to breathe life into the space.

The pond nearby sparkled, and fish swam gracefully in its crystal-clear waters. Birds chirped melodiously from the surrounding trees, their sounds blending into a peaceful symphony. The farm behind them was lush and vibrant, with crops taller and more plentiful than before. It was as if the entire space had awakened, thriving in a way Lin Yue had only dreamed of.

For a long moment, neither spoke, lost in the overwhelming beauty around them. Finally, Li Wei broke the silence. "I… I don't remember much after the sandstorm. But I do remember the fire lion and a strange fight in a barren land." He turned to Lin Yue, his brow furrowed. "What happened while I was in the coma?"

Lin Yue hesitated, searching for the right words. "You were… struggling. You were sweating and trembling, like you were fighting something in your dreams." She bit her lip. "It was terrifying to watch. I didn't know how to help."

Li Wei nodded slowly, piecing together fragments of his memory. "In my dream, I was fighting monsters. Then the fire lion appeared, and I realized it was connected to me somehow. When I stopped fighting it, a fire ember entered my forehead. It said something about a contract and… the Tree of Life." He looked at the tree, his gaze intense. "What does it mean?"

Lin Yue exhaled deeply. "The jade," she said, her voice steady but thoughtful. "It's connected to all of this."

Li Wei frowned. "The jade?"

"The green jade I found before the sandstorm," Lin Yue explained. "It was identical to a picture I saw in the space book. I didn't realize its significance until later. The jade was a shard, Li Wei. She gestured to the Tree of Life. "I think it was the key to awakening this."

Li Wei's eyes widened as the realization sank in. "So, the jade wasn't an artifact—it was a fragment of power."

Lin Yue nodded. "And now, it's part of you." She gestured toward his forehead, where a faint mark in the shape of a blooming flame had appeared, barely visible unless you looked closely. "You're connected to the Tree of Life.

Li Wei reached up, touching his forehead. The mark tingled faintly under his fingers, a reminder of the bond he had unknowingly forged. "But why me? What does it mean for us?"

Lin Yue shook her head. "I don't know yet. But I think this space, the tree, even the jade… they're all part of something bigger. Something that chose you."

Li Wei's gaze lingered on the tree, its towering branches swaying gently in an unseen breeze. "Then we'll figure it out together," he said firmly. He looked at Lin Yue, his expression softening. "Thank you.

Lin Yue smiled faintly. "You would've done the same for me."

As they stood there, the space seemed to hum with life, its newfound vitality a testament to their journey. Yet, in the back of their minds, questions lingered about the jade, the Tree of Life, and what it all meant for their future.

_____

Far from the serene space where Lin Yue and Li Wei stood in quiet awe before the Tree , a far darker scene unfolded in a shadowed chamber carved from stone. The air was thick with tension, the faint flicker of a single flame casting long, eerie shadows across the room.

A man knelt before an imposing elderly figure seated on a high-backed stone chair. The old man's thin fingers rested on his lap, deceptively calm, though his piercing gaze betrayed the storm of fury beneath his composed exterior.

"You failed," the old man hissed, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "You were tasked with retrieving the Yin Jade—both halves. Yet you bring me only fragments, as worthless as you have proven yourself to be."

The kneeling man's head bowed lower, his hands trembling as they pressed against the cold stone floor. "Master, I—I searched everywhere. I followed every lead, every whisper. But the other half... it vanished. I couldn't find it."

The elder's lips curled into a disdainful sneer. "Vanished? Nothing vanishes. You were either careless or outwitted. Which is it?"

"I don't know," the man stammered, desperation creeping into his voice. "The half I retrieved was hidden deep within the mountains, just as you said. But the other half... it's as if it disappeared into thin air. I swear, Master, I will—"

"Silence."

The single word echoed through the chamber, its weight forcing the man to lower himself further.

"For six months, I awaited your success. Six months, while my balance of power hung by a thread. And now you come to me with excuses," the elder said coldly, his eyes narrowing. "Do you know the price of failure?"

The kneeling man's breath hitched, sweat trickling down his temple. "Master, please... I will find it. I will not fail again."

The old man's expression shifted to one of chilling indifference. "Oh, you will try again. But not before you pay for your incompetence."

With a flick of his hand, dark energy rippled through the room. The man screamed as shadowy tendrils erupted from the floor, binding his limbs and pulling him taut. Pain coursed through his body as the elder watched without a flicker of emotion.

"This is but a fraction of the suffering your failure has brought upon us," the elder intoned. "You will leave at once. Find the other half of the jade, no matter where it hides. And know this—if you fail again, there will be no punishment, only oblivion."

The shadows released the man, who collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. He nodded weakly, unable to speak, before staggering to his feet and vanishing into the darkness.

The elder leaned back, his fingers steepled as he muttered, "The balance must not tip. The jade is the key, and I will see it in my hands, no matter the cost."

Far away, beneath the boughs of the radiant Tree of Life, Lin Yue and Li Wei remained unaware of the shadowed storm brewing beyond their haven. Their peace was fragile, the calm before a tempest they could not yet see.