Chapter 521: Wings in Unison, Flourishing Growth

After checking Yujiatexila’s changes, Gao De immediately opened his personal pack to verify whether the Yili egg had been brought back to the Northlands.

Starrealm teleportation has always been usable only by him, the bondholder.

No other creature can pass through the Starrealm portal.

The Yili egg can be considered both a living being and an object.

Even Gao De could not be certain whether it could follow him back to the Northlands.

The result? It could.

Seeing the Yili egg intact within his pack lifted Gao De’s spirits considerably.

He immediately activated the Mandora Demon Eye to observe.

Within the Mandora Demon Eye’s vision, Gao De clearly saw silver-white ice elements surging in like iron filings drawn by a magnet, converging from the howling blizzards of the Northlands.

These crystalline streams of energy continuously flowed into the Yili egg.

This was entirely expected.

In the Northlands, ice element concentration utterly dominates all other elements.

Gao De’s original plan was to use the Northlands’ environment to reverse the egg’s tendency to become a Water Yili, transforming it instead into an Ice Yili.

He was about to retrieve the Yili egg and take it back to Phoenix to place it in an ice cave.

But the next moment, Gao De froze in place.

Because he saw something extraordinarily strange.

Alongside the silver-white ice element energy, multicolored energy was also being absorbed by the Yili egg.

Each elemental energy has its own color.

Fire element is molten crimson, wind element is clear azure, earth element is solid amber.

Multicolored energy? Most people had never seen it.

But to Gao De, it was not unfamiliar.

He instinctively looked up at the multicolored radiance swirling around Yujiatexila’s branches, then down at the Yili egg.

“Is this… Starrealm energy?”

Can the Yili egg absorb Starrealm energy?

He had read the detailed description of Yili in the Sea Sentinels; so far, eight forms had been discovered: Thunder Yili, Fire Yili, Wind Yili, Poison Yili, Wood Yili, Water Yili, Ice Yili, Moonlight Yili—all formed by absorbing corresponding elemental energies.

If it absorbed Starrealm energy, would this egg develop a ninth form: Starrealm Yili?

Gao De stood motionless, pondering for a long time.

Finally, he lifted his head and made his decision.

The plan had changed.

Though he did not know whether Starrealm Yili existed or what abilities it might possess,

Gao De was certain that if it did exist, Starrealm Yili would be far stronger than any of the other eight forms.

Because Starrealm teleportation itself is an extremely overpowered ability, involving space.

If this possibility exists, why bother with Ice Yili?

Have some ambition.

Go all-in—bet everything on Starrealm Yili.

Gao De no longer hesitated. He cast Mage Hand and transported the Yili egg, still faintly rising and falling as if breathing, into the forked branches of Yujiatexila.

Then he placed his palm against Yujiatexila’s trunk and communicated telepathically, conveying his intent.

Gao De hoped Yujiatexila would nurture and assist the Yili egg in absorbing Starrealm energy.

Ding ling ling~

The leaves trembled, producing a crisp, melodious sound like wind chimes.

This was Yujiatexila’s reply—understanding Gao De’s request.

After securing the Yili egg, Gao De immediately dismissed the spell and cast it again.

After performing the familiar sequence, he brought Florala back to the Northlands.

Upon returning to the Northlands, Florala joyfully flapped her tiny wings and dove into Yujiatexila’s branches, darting up and down.

Yujiatexila shook its leaves, producing a continuous chorus of wind chimes, while its foliage surged like a waterfall, clearing a path for Florala.

Gao De and Yujiatexila shared a bond, already a close connection—but Yujiatexila and Florala were symbiotic; their bond was far deeper than anything Gao De could ever achieve.

After flapping about, Florala regained her composure and immediately sought praise.

She pulled Gao De to a clear patch of ground near Yujiatexila.

Because it was close to Yujiatexila, the magic concentration here was extremely high.

And there, several saplings stood upright and elegant.

Only as tall as a child’s forearm, yet already radiating an extraordinary aura—the trunks translucent pink crystal, crowns composed of layered rhombus-shaped leaves.

Without Florala speaking, Gao De already guessed their origin.

“These are Gemberry saplings?”

Florala nodded vigorously. “During the seedling stage, they need ample Gem Powder and dew, so no Natural Art is needed yet—but later, it will be.”

Gemberry is a magical fruit artificially created by spellcraft—a variety never before existing in the world.

Without Florala, who could have cultivated these divine trees so effortlessly?

At minimum, it would have taken hundreds or thousands of failures, decades of trial and error, to finally discover the correct cultivation method.

“Thanks to Florala’s efforts—truly remarkable!” Gao De praised again.

He loved praising Florala.

First, Florala enjoyed being praised; second, Florala truly deserved it.

To exaggerate slightly, the Northlands might not collapse without him—but without Florala, it would truly crumble.

This little one is the true foundation of the Northlands.

Florala’s expression was solemn, as if Gao De’s praise meant nothing to her.

As Minister of the Nongye Force, Lady Florala could not show emotion at work.

This was the conclusion drawn by the studious and clever Florala, observing other “adults.”

The logic was sound—but her tiny wings, fluttering involuntarily behind her, betrayed her true mood.

Gao De pretended not to notice.

He took out the forty-odd new tree species he had brought back from the Jin Quehua Dynasty and handed them to Florala.

To ensure survival rates, these all required Florala’s personal planting.

Only trees planted by her could guarantee one hundred percent survival.

Of course, she only directed.

Long ago, Gao De had established a Forestry Office under the Nongye Force, specifically tasked with planting trees, especially tending the forest Yujiatexila had cultivated.

So much time had passed that the Forestry Office was no longer just a lone commander.

After successive expansions, including both “officials” and “staff,” its numbers had surpassed thirty—and continued to grow.

Planting and caring for ordinary trees was relatively simple, but as the number of magic trees increased, complexity rose exponentially.

Magic trees were generally troublesome, requiring meticulous care during growth—like Gemberry trees, which needed daily doses of Gem Powder and dew as special nutrients.

Someone had to handle these tasks.

As the Forestry Office established its headquarters at Wala Bay and the Tree Guard expanded, camp facilities became increasingly refined.

Watchtowers at key points, rows of standalone stone cottages, expanded fencing, and a two-story “office building.”

Beyond improved facilities, more people now moved through the woods.

One group: the Tree Guard’s daily patrols; the other: Forestry Office staff.

This place now bore no trace of a temporary camp—it was a rapidly developing forest plantation.

Florala, now thoroughly accustomed, swiftly gathered a group of Forestry Office staff and headed toward the designated planting zones.

While Florala and the Forestry Office staff busied themselves planting trees, Gao De entered the newly built office building and summoned Elder Gaien.

“From barren wasteland to this nascent forest plantation, Elder Gaien, you’ve worked hard.”

“Your Majesty overstates it—guarding the Sacred Tree is my honor,” Elder Gaien rose immediately, bowing slightly.

Gao De nodded slightly; the elder’s dedication was unquestionable. When Yujiatexila was first planted, he had promptly left the “prosperous” Phoenix to endure hardship here without complaint.

“You’ve also studied the Greenwood Longevity Scripture, haven’t you?” Gao De asked after a moment.

“Naturally,” Elder Gaien nodded.

Gao De and Su Nai had vigorously promoted the Greenwood Longevity Scripture among the Zhenbing Clan; as a “loyal minister” under them, how could he not have studied it?

“Have you bonded with a sacred object yet?”

“Not yet.”

Since Yujiatexila was planted, he had remained stationed here, immersed in duties—never left, let alone had time to find a suitable magic tree sapling.

“I have a fourth-rank magic tree seed here. I’d like to offer it to you as your bonded creature—what do you think?” Gao De smiled, finally revealing his intent, and briefly described the properties and abilities of the Spirit Spring Dew Tree.

When acquiring the Spirit Spring Dew Tree seed, Gao De had already decided who it would go to.

Elder Gaien was loyal, and had earned both merit and hardship—emotionally and rationally, he was the perfect recipient.

Moreover, humans make mistakes—but if his bonded creature was planted within Yujiatexila’s sacred land, intrinsically tied to his own fate, he would naturally care even more.

“Fourth-rank magic tree seed?” Elder Gaien first froze, then his face flushed with excitement.

“Your Majesty—this precious seed… for me?” He still sounded uncertain, almost disbelieving.

“Yes. I believe it’s fitting,” Gao De nodded.

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great favor,” Elder Gai En did not engage in false modesty but immediately expressed his gratitude.

First, the people of the Northern Region have a simple and honest nature; second, he was unquestionably part of Gao De’s inner circle—there was no need to pretend humility when receiving benefits; simply accept them.

In response to Elder Gai En’s thanks, Gao De encouraged him further, acknowledging his work over this period.

“Moving forward, this forest will only keep expanding, and the workload will grow ever larger—you’ll only have more hardship ahead.”

“To bear such a heavy responsibility, I am more than willing,” Elder Gai En nodded firmly.

Gao De said no more, took out the Spirit Spring Dew Tree seed stored in a crystal vial, and handed it to Elder Gai En, instructing him to form a bond on the spot.

Elder Gai En was merely a Third-Ring Ice Descendant Mage, and while the Spirit Spring Dew Tree seed was indeed a Fourth-Rank demonic tree seed, it was still only a single seed.

Thus, the bonding process proceeded smoothly, without any complications.

While Elder Gai En was bonding, Gao De’s gaze was drawn to a massive parchment map hanging on the wall at the back of the room.

Upon closer inspection, it was the map of this forest plantation, with information meticulously annotated.

The exact boundaries of the spiritual lands opened by Yujiatexila were outlined in gold, while the magical energy concentration of each zone was indicated by varying shades of blue.

Every planted area recorded the specific tree species, and even the undeveloped vacant plots were planned with orderly precision.

After Elder Gai En completed the bonding, Gao De pointed to the parchment map and asked, “Did you make this yourself?”

Elder Gai En quickly nodded and explained, “After completing this map, it’s easier to schedule patrols and helps the Forestry Office plan tree planting.”

“Well done,” Gao De was highly satisfied.

Obedience and loyalty already met the standard of a “good employee”; to think independently and take initiative—that was the mark of an “excellent employee.”

Elder Gai En was delighted by Gao De’s praise.

They chatted a while longer, and through Elder Gai En’s account, Gao De learned the current situation in Varal Bay.

Under the leadership of the newly formed Jianshe Force, Varal Bay was now developing on two fronts—or rather, flying on two wings—with vigorous momentum.

While the Sacred Site was advancing rapidly, the estuary opposite Yujiatexila—the port area—was also undergoing massive construction.

Shipping routes had been opened; resources from the Northern Region were being transported in small quantities to Lages City for sale, and the profits were immediately reinvested into expanding the shipyard and building new vessels.

While that side was bustling with activity, the infrastructure here had to keep pace.

First, a small port capable of accommodating visiting fleets had to be built—could they really keep foreign sailors confined to their ships indefinitely?

On the other side, warehousing and logistics modules had to be established simultaneously, ensuring that merchant ships could unload and reload swiftly without unnecessary delays.

The number of personnel assigned to the port far exceeded those at Yujiatexila, already surpassing a thousand.

This was largely thanks to the transportation routes and supply lines established earlier to facilitate communication between Varal Bay and Phoenix.

Going from one to ten is far easier than going from zero to one.

Another factor: thanks to the twenty vials of [Rapid Excavation] potion Gao De brought back, the tunnel excavation through Mount Varal was now in full swing, thanks to the twenty mages who had mastered [Rapid Excavation].

But Mount Varal was simply too vast—even with magical assistance, fully tunneling through it remained a monumental project requiring years to complete.

“Too slow,” Gao De frowned. “As long as this tunnel remains unopened, travel between the two regions will be severely hindered.”

“Your Majesty need not worry,” Elder Gai En added quickly. “The War Mother previously compiled a list of raw materials needed for the [Rapid Excavation] potion and instructed returning merchant ships to prioritize procurement. Soon, the number of mages in the clan mastering [Rapid Excavation] will surge.”

Though stationed at Varal Bay, Elder Gai En, as a loyal subordinate of both, still knew some internal details.

Hearing this, Gao De exhaled slowly.

He had entrusted all shipping operations to Su Nai.

Su Nai had always been intelligent, and unlike him, never acted as a hands-off boss—how could he not understand the tunnel’s importance and make the appropriate decisions?

He had worried unnecessarily.

Having learned the general situation, Gao De stood up. “Fu Luo La should be finished by now. Let’s go find her and plant your Spirit Spring Dew Tree seed first.”

(End of Chapter)