Emperor's Reckoning

After beating Jinu, Falcon of Mount Her. There was not much left to do for Lyon except wandering around the place. Sometimes he whistled a tune out of boredom, but he found nothing similarly exciting so far as long as he walked. 

"Well... partly, it was my fault, to begin with. Sometimes I really need a plan before going in wildly. Then again, there is no fun in doing what exactly to do and getting the result I would always expect."

Lyon shook his head as he quickly contradicted himself without hesitation. 

"Huh?"

His footsteps were paused before he let go of his arms that were supporting his head. His eyebrows slightly creased before his mouth pointed upward to one side.

In the empty meadow of green stood a lone giant tree that provided shades almost half of it by its own. The branches were a healthy brown and flowing against the air as it subjected to the mercy of the wind. However, what fascinated Lyon the most was that the leaves were golden shine. 

"This looks pretty fishy and beautiful at the same time."

Even though Lyon muttered such words, his feet began to move forward, unwavering the danger or tricks the giant golden tree was preparing for him. The moment his foot entered the huge shades a voice rang inside his mind with a gentle tone.

"Who are you..??"

Lyon was a bit surprised to hear an unfamiliar hoarse voice entered his mind without a warning. Nonetheless, he put the other foot inside the shade before he crossed his arms. Nevertheless, his confidence was unfazed as he crossed his arms against that giant thick tree trunk and smirked. 

"Golden tree, are you talking to me?"

Lyon couldn't sense anyone nor anything else in his surrounding, the only conclusion was that the golden tree itself was talking to him. Though it sounded quite unreal and crazy, had he not been sent into these multi-worlds of cultivation and magic, he would think that he was dreaming. 

"Yes, I am."

The voice once again spoke directly into his mind.

"This is the first time I've ever talked to a tree. Back in my world, I would be called crazy for sure."

"Be not afraid, no one will call you crazy here."

"Yeah well, of course no one will! There is no one else here besides me and you."

"The real crazy thing is you, son of man. You, are special!"

A gale suddenly hit Lyon's face out of nowhere but no matter how strong the wind was the mountain could never yield. 

"What a time! What a generation! Not only did I meet one special person, but I also meet you."

Lyon chuckled before he asked.

"What special about me? There is nothing special about me."

"Ohhh, this old tree has been around you know. I've seen things unbelievable even for the oldest mortal to believe."

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"The oldest mortal?"

"Yes, you might meet him in person one day. However, he preferred to detach himself from mortal affairs."

"En, that's what old people like to do."

"Hahahaha."

Lyon also chuckled with the ancient tree. It was quite amazing for someone to hit off with a tree in the first place, to be honest.

"Hahaha... hah..." The tree sounded like it took a long breath before it continued.

"Did you know that your presence was being foreshadowed by the person before you?"

"Oh? And who could that be?"

"I bet you would be delighted that the person is a woman."

"First you got my interest now, you got my attention, who is the woman??"

Lyon's grin made the branches of the golden tree swayed as if it were laughing at his antics. 

"Hahaha... you are a lively young man, after all, it's good to be mortal and bound to desire, else what life is for."

Lyon nodded, "Yup, there is no point in living if you never got any desire to have or to do!"

"Yes! yes! Hahaha!"

"So... who is the woman? Is she beautiful? I bet she is beautiful huh!"

"Hmm... according to human standard then she is devastatingly beautiful. Kingdom toppling as they would like to say it."

"Ho~ Kingdom toppling you say? Not bad! Not bad!"

"Beauty is only second though, her strength does not justify that beautiful face. She is, and I admit this over my uncountable age, a powerful lass."

"Beauty and Powerful? That's the perfect combo!"

"Young man, are you not in the slightest intimidated by those facts?"

"Intimidated? For what? This is a challenge!!"

"A challenge? Hahaha, that is a very good attitude! But be careful tho, she might kill you if you approached her too hastily, after all, she was born with a unique physique"

Lyon creased his chin with his fingers before he muttered, "Unique physique? Hmm... I think my grandpas did talk about it."

"Oh? Your grandfathers know something like this? They must have been really ancient then."

"Ancient, maybe, both of them had already forgotten their age nor do they want to be reminded anymore."

"Hmm.. I see."

Lyon immediately changed the course of the conversation back to its track. Else, the ancient being would talk about personal stuff like Sun and Shen's name. It would not be wise to speak about them considering their condition that could be killed easily.

"So, Golden Tree, what is so special about me?"

"Hmmm... the beautiful woman had the strongest physique in the world, but you, you are different. You have a mortal physique as plain as it could be."

Lyon had blacklines over his head before his mouth twitched, "Is that it?"

"Hahaha, of course not! Currently, you have within you two unique scents. One came from a primordial being that resided in Heaven, True Dragon! The other came from a primordial being that resided in Hell, Devil Ape!"

"Hm... for a plant without nose, you are quite sharp huh."

"Hahahaha, that is the first time a mortal or any had ever said that to me. However, what I want to know is how, how is it that you, a young boy, possessed those two scents at the same time? She did say that you are more unique than her, but I never thought that this would be the case."

"That is an answer you should find out on your own, however, what I know from your words is that she knew I will meet you."

"Ah, sharp... though I did tell you that before."

"The foreshadowing, yes, however, me meeting you was pure coincidence."

"Is it now? Hahaha."

"It's true, I just saw you standing alone in this vast meadow and how beautiful you are, I was thinking of taking a nap here."

"So you don't know what I am?"

"A tree?"

"Hahaha!"

"For something without a mouth, you really like to laugh a lot. So what are you then? I take it that your size and color are not the only thing special about you?"

"They call me the Golden Wise Tree, for my age is uncountable and my knowledge is vast because of it. You might not know this, but every young person that came here is seeking the wisdom out of me. They all need guidance, understanding their talents, and how to live. Some seek knowledge, some seek answers. I'm here to give them all."

"Give them all? Really?"

"Hahaha, I do choose who I want to speak with. If I deemed you unworthy then you might not even know that I could talk in the first place."

"So it's all subjective huh?"

"Hahaha, indeed so."

"Then, can I ask you one thing?"

"Yes you can, it is your right in the first place to ask about anything you want."

"Then, can I take a nap here?"

The Golden Wise Tree didn't respond. It was obvious that the ancient being itself was stupefied by the question. It wasn't even a question but more like a request. Yet the question mark was there at the end nonetheless. 

Every youth was seeking an answer, like how to break through their bottleneck or how to cultivate based on their talents. Some daring would even ask how to ascend to Heaven. Almost every mortal's dream that followed the path of cultivation dreamed of ascending to Heaven. Yet, the young man under its shade requested to take a nap.

"Sure, you can. By all means, you can rest on my tree trunks."

"Alright old man, errr, I mean old tree, you don't have to say it that way."

Lyon yawned before he sat and leaned his back against the giant trunk and closed his eyes. The gentle wind everlastingly kissed his figure as his hair fluttered against it. Filling the void of the empty meadow, the giant tree was accompanied by a young man.

(What a peculiar fellow indeed. He acted as if he had no desire like most mortals do, yet, women... is that really the only thing that drives him to live? Hm.... I wonder).

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