Chapter 179: Corrupted Spirituality

Transformation?

That's not a good word.

Luo De didn't slow his hips, but angrily grabbed it by the neck.

"Tell me everything you know. From now on, if you so much as drop a riddle, I'll twist your head off."

She sensed genuine fury and killing intent.

The giant squirrel dared not hide a single thing, spilling out every detail it knew.

That night, after Vivian brought the demon Artu back to the Tree Realm, she immediately felt the World Tree and its inhabitants welcoming and cheering for her.

Her innate status as a Tree Spirit made her deeply fond of this place.

After dumping the demon into a giant carnivorous flower to be digested, she eagerly wandered and played with Cui Qian—the giant squirrel now before Luo De—who had come to greet her.

But the Tree Realm was not a dimension entirely safe and free of threats.

The World Tree's extraordinary dimensional-travel ability drew the attention of mages from the real world, as well as cosmic beings from other dimensions or alternate spaces.

While Vivian and Cui Qian were lost in play, they inevitably encountered a group of dark elves who had invaded.

Each of them was extremely powerful, at least seventh-rank, and together their combined strength rivaled a ninth-rank spell.

Vivian's power surged within the Tree Realm, and she tried to protect them, but the gap was too great—she was pushed back step by step and forced to flee.

In their panic, they fled to the edge of a World Tree branch.

The enemy had no intention of letting them escape; during the battle, Vivian accidentally touched a lingering aether trap on the branch and was pulled into an alternate dimension, vanishing instantly.

Cui Qian was a Gray Squirrel of the species Lottathosk, born and raised on the World Tree for generations, and thus inherited corresponding abilities.

Fortunately, a guardian of the Tree Realm arrived in time, driving off the dark elves, allowing her to immediately pull Vivian back from the alternate dimension.

Though the interval lasted no more than five seconds, the Tree Spirit had already shown signs of corruption.

The guardian, a kind sheep-woman druid, told Cui Qian that the current alternate dimension was unstable—some once-powerful but mindless cosmic beings had begun developing their own ambitions, seeking to build their own factions and subordinate species.

One of their methods was to transform contaminated targets into "servants."

Vivian, unluckily, had been targeted during her brief journey through the alternate dimension.

After inspection, the source of Vivian's contamination was a cosmic being tied to lust; fortunately, the infection was shallow, and could be lifted by promptly satisfying her inner desires.

Vivian's desires all centered on Luo De, so the giant squirrel Cui Qian rushed without delay to the real dimension.

Luo De: "But her spirituality is still unstable."

"Maybe it's not enough! Go faster!"

Beneath him, Vivian writhed, and black runes began to surface across her snow-white body.

Luo De knew the giant squirrel didn't understand, so he simply ignored her and pressed on.

The 【Elibert's Secret Guide to Pleasure】 was pushed to its limit.

But after a long while, still no effect.

Luo De gritted his teeth and forcibly sucked all the corrupted spirituality into his own body.

Cui Qian gasped: "You're absorbing the aether- and spirit-energy-corrupted spirituality? Huh? It seems to be working… but aren't you getting contaminated too?!"

"Shut up. I can handle it."

As the corrupted spirituality entered his body, Luo De immediately felt a scorching, chaotic force acting upon his mind.

But fortunately, the 【Will of the Azure Sky】 granted him exceptional mental resistance, shielding him from external interference.

After all, Vivian hadn't suffered a direct attack—she likely just appeared in an inappropriate location and accidentally absorbed strange aether and spirit energy.

In the alternate dimension, such unconscious contamination was mostly mental in nature.

Thus, Luo De was confident he could resist the corruption and save the Tree Spirit.

Meanwhile, 【Negative Emotion Absorption】 began to operate furiously.

【Lust +10】

【Lust +10】

【Lust +10】

Lust points surged wildly.

"Oh? The corrupted spirituality is being absorbed by this skill?"

As the corrupted spirituality accumulated, Luo De gradually felt physical discomfort—but 【Negative Emotion Absorption】 steadily alleviated the symptoms.

It seemed the aether and spirit energy Vivian had absorbed belonged to the 【Lust】 category.

Quickly.

The Tree Spirit's condition stabilized.

Luo De didn't bother changing position, working until the sun set.

Even after stopping, he didn't pause—he immediately launched a second, third, and further rounds, his endurance and recovery fully maximized.

Only then did he finally absorb all the corrupted spirituality.

Due to 【Negative Emotion Absorption】, he was barely affected.

And his Lust points skyrocketed to 2700—absurdly high.

As a result, he gained several new applications for the 【Lust】-based 【Mirage Net】.

First, he could force even those normally immune to illusions to succumb by spending additional Lust points.

Second, by spending points, he could weave illusions.

Third, spending at least 1000 Lust points could turn illusions into reality—the exact cost depending on what was manifested.

"Holy hell."

The giant squirrel Cui Qian stared, dumbfounded, at the thoroughly drained and disheveled Tree Spirit: "Are you even human?"

"Many people have asked that."

Luo De held the still trembling Tree Spirit in his arms, gently soothing her.

When she finally calmed, he took her to the bathroom to clean her body.

Half-asleep and half-awake, Vivian felt aching pleasure throughout her body; faintly, she remembered what had happened in the Tree Realm—the unforgettable horror glimpsed in the alternate dimension—filling her with fear.

But when she opened her eyes, it was the handsome face of the forest warden washing her body—and her sense of safety surged instantly.

She lazily but firmly clung to Luo De, refusing to let go.

"I can't reach your chest anymore, Vivian—I splashed a lot there."

"Mmm~"

The Tree Spirit let out a rare, cooing whimper.

【Vivian's obedience toward you +8, current obedience: 94】

【Obedience surpassed 90—Shared Skill unlocked】

【Beginning random draw…】

Countless terms scrolled past.

Some were familiar old skills; others were unfamiliar new ones.

Presumably, these were new skills Vivian had gained upon reaching seventh rank.

Then the pointer stopped on 【????】.

"Huh?"

【Draw successful】

A golden light swept over the question marks, revealing the true name.

【Shared Skill: Daphne's Spirit Seed】

【Details: An unseen being named Daphne left a hidden mark within the Tree Spirit's bloodline. In the vast cosmos, no one knows how she survived the erosion of endless time, sleeping and waiting for the chance to ascend to godhood.

This skill will randomly grant Spirit Seeds. Consuming a Spirit Seed grants growth in Wuxing across spirituality, aether, spirit energy, mind, body, soul, and consciousness—and can be used repeatedly.】

Luo De raised an eyebrow.

Wasn't this the Spirit Seed Vivian had given him as a reward after saving Xiao Ke?

"So it's a hidden mark from a high-rank being… and 'no one knows' about it?"

A bad premonition stirred—he, the only one aware, wasn't sure whether she'd come looking for him.

(End of Chapter)