Reborn as a Demonic Tree-Novel

Ashlock and the others waited awhile, but Demetrios Skyrend never returned. The violent storm system dominated the distant horizon, and Ashlock suspected that Demetrios was giving a piece of his mind to the Voidmind family.

He would go and look, but his roots didn't extend far enough west to reach Slymere yet, and his {Eye of the Tree God} also didn't reach the city.

Ashlock almost felt like chuckling as he was reminded about the inheritance battle between the heirs of the Silverspire family.

"The poor Patriarch. He took his eyes off his Blood Lotus Sect for a few years to cultivate, and when he emerges, he will find all three of the most prominent families at war. Two against one another and the last having an internal fight between the heirs," Ashlock sneered, "That's what he deserves for saving Stella as a pill furnace. In fact, the more the Blood Lotus Sect is in flames, the better. It will help camouflage our activities."

Sebastian and the Grand Elder exchanged a surprised look.

Ashlock didn't want them to walk all the way back, so he created a portal for them to the White Stone Palace's courtyard. The two Silverspires departed, and the Grand Elder was also about to leave when someone unexpectedly approached them.

Kane Azurecrest floated through the air with a violent gale surrounding him.

The Grand Elder withdrew his fire Qi and faced the approaching teen.

Ashlock searched the colosseum stands and couldn't see Celeste Starweaver anywhere. Only the Grand Elder and Kane were left in the half-destroyed colosseum covered in shattered glass, ash, and rubble.

***

After the two left through the portal to the White Stone Palace, total silence overtook the colosseum. A place that had once been alive with the cheers of a thousand mortals was now dead silent.

Ashlock opened a portal and slowly dragged the Voidmind Elder's corpse back to Red Vine Peak via a black vine.

He also retracted his view from his Progenyand returned to his mountain because he wanted one of the girls to act as his spokesperson in the upcoming meeting between the Grand Elder and Kane Azurecrest.

He hadn't spoken to the Grand Elder through {Abyssal Whispers} before, and the man didn't have a Mind Fortress pill, so Ashlock needed someone to speak for him.

Stella was lying on the bench, passed out. A troubled expression was on her sleeping face as her chest peacefully rose and fell. Maple was sprawled out on her stomach and enjoying the late afternoon sun.

"She must be exhausted. When did she last have a moment where she wasn't learning alchemy or causing drama?" Ashlock laughed as he left her to sleep, and his gaze drifted a few meters away where a few corpses were lined up.

He closed the portal as quietly as possible to not awaken Stella, dragged the Voidmind Elder's corpse, and dumped it alongside the others.

Theron's body was in bad condition, with around half missing due to the void tendrils devouring him. Meanwhile, Kassandra's corpse was in much better shape as she had died from a dagger through the heart.

Ashlock was tempted to turn them into Ents or devour them for credits, but that could wait until later as he needed everyone's opinions. These were incredibly valuable corpses and weren't to be wasted.

"Mhm, I feel like I am missing one... oh yeah." Ashlock realized that Roderick Terraforge was still trapped in Titus's hand prison, "I'll wait until Stella is awake to deal with that one. He can wait."

Ashlock looked around the peaceful courtyard and felt a sense of relief wash over him as the reality of the situation set in.

So much had occurred in just a few hours. It was hard to believe it was finally over. After months of planning and plenty of schemes, the Ashfallen sect had come out unscathed while simultaneously gaining so much.

The tournament had concluded, and it was time to set his sights on bigger and better things. The Ashfallen sect was about to welcome many new alchemists, and war may break out between the Skyrend and Voidmind families. A war Ashlock planned to profit off as much as possible.

But that wasn't all. A partnership had been formed with the infamous Silverspire family, and the merchants would soon come knocking to speak with Roselyn. Also, the Redclaws were now seen in higher regard by the other families, and Darklight City saw a significant influx of tourists due to the tournament.

So long as the plan had worked and Demetrios Skyrend didn't turn around and blast them with heavenly lightning, things looked up for Ashlock and the sect.

"Just a few more rounds in the Mystic Realm, and I should have a group of mid to late-stage Star Core cultivators," Ashlock mused, "And if I can also get in there with my {Progeny Dominion} skill, then I might even reach the Nascent Soul Realm before the Patriarch comes out of seclusion."

Realizing he was getting distracted, Ashlock glanced around the mountain peak and spotted Diana relaxing under the shade of a demonic tree and embraced by the mist. She appeared much less exhausted than Stella and more just enjoying the sun.

"Hey Diana," Ashlock spoke into her mind, and the woman was shocked out of her daze.

"Shhh, it's me. Stop shouting. Stella's asleep," Ashlock answered, "I need you to head over to the White Stone Palace and sit in on a conversation and act as my spokesperson."

Diana massaged her temples while standing up and then sighed.

"Fine, let's go," she said while popping a Mind Fortress pill.

***

Ashlock watched Kane and the Grand Elder sit opposite one another in the reception room of the White Stone Palace. The walls had arrays built-in to stop other cultivators from eavesdropping, but the Grand Elder also used his own Qi to secure the area.

They were solid measures but not enough to stop Ashlock from listening in through a root under the floorboards. Not that the Grand Elder was in any position to have a conversation he was unaware of, but if he had no need to ask, that was for the best.

Ashlock effortlessly tore through the Grand Elder's Qi and produced a portal through which a white wooden masked Diana emerged. She said nothing as she strode over, perched herself on an armchair, and glanced between the two other people in the room.

"Venik... isn't that the one you killed, Diana?" Ashlock asked through telepathy.

"That's right," Diana replied.

Ashlock did not like where this story was going one bit. Why did he have to be constantly reminded that he was surrounded by savages wearing human skin?

Ashlock had never considered that there would be ways to become a dual affinity after birth. "I wonder if there's a way I could use my skills to help my sect members unlock new affinities?"

"Diana, I need time to decide if taking him on would be worth the risk." Ashlock told Diana, "Tell him we will consider his request to be hired over the next few days and for him to either wait here in the White Stone Palace or stay in the city."

Diana relayed his message, and Kane gave a grateful nod.

Although many significant threats were on the horizon, this conversation helped Ashlock refocus on things he had been putting off that needed to be resolved now that the Ashfallen sect was more out in the open and time wasn't on their side.

"With the Redclaws more established now, I need them to focus on mass recruitment of cultivators, alchemists, and even mortals," Ashlock explained to Diana, "The White Stone Palace was able to hold two families and their servants in the past. There is plenty of room to be utilized here, and we can always dig down and create more space within the mountain."

Diana relayed the information.

"Yes," Ashlock said, and Diana nodded. It was time to start separating the two peaks. One was for his core sect members, while the White Stone Palace would be home for everyone else.

During the next few months, he planned for the Ashfallen sect to rapidly expand in both size and power. His time lurking in the shadows was coming to a close, and the Blood Lotus Sect would soon learn their folly for allowing him to take root on their soil.