The scale of the World Tree was beyond mortal comprehension. Its trunk was so dense and expansive that the natural ridges in the bark formed roadways wide enough for carriages, and its total diameter spanned nearly half the width of Liyue Harbor. As Su Han and his group ascended, the incline was surprisingly gentle, leading them into a verdant paradise that smelled of ancient ozone and fresh sap.
"I never imagined a single seed could rewrite the map of Liyue like this," Mona whispered, running her hand along the pulsating bark.
Ganyu looked around with a sense of peace. "It feels... right. I could see myself living among these branches. It's a city born of nature itself."
Ningguang, ever the strategist, was already calculating the economic shift. "If this tree continues to grow at this rate, it won't just rival Liyue Harbor—it will surpass it. This is a new continent."
[The Scholar's Desperation]
While the group climbed, the world watched through the broadcasting snails. Scholars from Sumeru were in a state of near-riot. They flooded the Yujing Terrace with applications, begging to study the tree, only to be met with a stern rejection.
"Approaching the World Tree without a direct permit is a capital offense," the receptionist explained calmly. "The protection order is signed by the Rock King Emperor, three Adepti, and two Yakshas. If you step foot on those roots, you won't be questioned—you'll be executed."
"I'll renounce my citizenship!" one researcher shrieked. "I'll become a Liyue citizen right now! Just let me see the Ley Line integration!"
The receptionist sighed. "Liyue citizenship is currently the most difficult status to obtain in Teyvat. Unless you have a recommendation from the Sovereign himself, you'll have to pass a decade of trials."
[The Bard's Greed]
Halfway up the trunk, a playful breeze swirled around the group. Venti materialized out of thin air, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Hehe! You didn't tell me the house-warming party was today, Su Han!"
"I would have, if you weren't passed out in a wine cellar or hanging off a Den Den Mushi somewhere," Su Han retorted.
The Wind God laughed it off, looking up at the towering canopy. "What a magnificent thing. It's far more imposing than the Windrise tree. How about I move in? I can help you 'protect' the place."
Ningguang nodded immediately. Having an Archon as a resident security guard was a dream come true for Liyue's defense.
"Sure," Su Han agreed, but his eyes narrowed. "But don't you dare start drilling holes in the trunk to hide your dandelion wine. This tree isn't your personal cellar."
Venti scratched his head awkwardly. Darn, he read my mind.
[The Forbidden Canopy]
As they reached the upper layers, a shimmering emerald barrier blocked their path. Raiden Ei frowned, her hand instinctively moving to the hilt of her blade. "It won't let us pass. The energy in this barrier is... absolute."
"It's a nesting instinct," Hanachirusato observed. "The tree is nurturing life within. Like a mother protecting her unborn, it won't allow outsiders to disturb the gestation."
Su Han stepped forward tentatively. To his surprise, the barrier didn't resist him; it felt like a warm summer breeze as he walked right through. He turned back, seeing the others still stuck outside.
"Can you let them in? They're with me," Su Han addressed the tree.
The World Tree pulsed, sending a firm "No" through the Ley Lines. However, as certain members of the group approached, the barrier flickered. Ganyu walked through easily. Then Jean, Shenhe, Ayaka, and Ei.Yae Miko stood outside, pounding her fist against the green wall. "Why?! Why am I excluded?!"
Klee was flattened against the barrier, her face squished against the energy. "It hurts! Klee wants to go in!"
Hanachirusato chuckled. "Don't you see? The tree only recognizes those who share a deep, intimate bond with its Master. It's a filter for... the inner circle." She then walked through without a hitch.
The women left outside, like Eula, flushed a deep red. The tree's "logic" was as embarrassing as it was effective.
[The Amber Fruits]
At the very peak of the canopy stood a natural palace made of interwoven boughs. Inside, floating in a sea of pure life energy, were thirty massive orbs of amber.
Three of these "fruits" were different. They pulsed with a power so immense it rivaled the Yakshas, Xiao and Bosacius.
"These energy signatures..." Hanachirusato whispered. "Zhongli mentioned the suppressed demon gods earlier: the Shattered Wind, the Deep Sea God... and look at these fruits. They share those exact attributes. Is this a coincidence?"
Su Han realized the truth. The World Tree wasn't just growing; it was recycling. It had devoured the "husks" of the suppressed demon gods, stripped away their malice and broken memories, and was now reforming their vast elemental power into new lives.
"It isn't a resurrection," Raiden Ei clarified. "The old gods are gone. Their souls were worn away by the seal long ago. This is a plant's instinct—repurposing the nutrients it absorbed to create something new. These spirits will have no memory of their past lives."
"When will they hatch?" Ganyu asked.
"About a week," Su Han estimated. "The tree is devouring the remains of the three demon gods at a terrifying speed. Once the nutrients are fully absorbed, Liyue will have three new protectors—born of the World Tree and cleansed of the old world's sins."
The group stood in the silence of the palace, watching the amber glow. A ten-million-point investment was finally bearing fruit, and Teyvat would never be the same.
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