He used teleportation to reach the center of the Yin-Yang Garden, where he discovered a colossal tree—resembling the Sacred Tree of Existence, though millions of times smaller.
He made his way through its roots, following a trail of light—a blend of shimmering golden-white and deep, violet-black—that emanated from his own back, specifically from an opening located at the very top of the tree.
Though his expression remained calm, he felt an intense, inexplicable surge of excitement; his very body seemed to crave something hidden within.
Determined to press on, he knew that whatever lay at the heart of the tree was essential—it would not only grant him greater strength but also help him recover fragments of his lost memories.
At the apex of the tree growing from his back, there had once rested one of the Twelve Seeds; however, it had been lost during the recurring conflicts between the Sacred Yang and the Sacred Yin.
These battles had erupted every thousand years since the two forces first forged the world—a cycle that persisted even after they took on human form.
After navigating the tangled roots for thirty minutes—a task made arduous by the obstructive roots themselves, as well as various spells, runes, and inscriptions designed to bar intruders—he finally arrived before a massive gateway.
Adorning the gate was an illustration of the Sacred Tree of Existence, surrounded by the twelve guardians of the tree. Yet, it was impossible to discern their true identities—whether they were male or female—nor could their facial features be made out, as the depictions were intentionally vague. The same applied to the "Gateway of the Angel's Tears" dungeon; in that instance, Alessandra was male—despite appearing female—and her daughter had gray hair and lead-colored eyes, rather than white hair and violet eyes.
Tom didn't dwell on it much, though he knew Zao Li never liked to reveal the whole truth. He would always conceal parts of it, knowing that clear, unambiguous prophecies made it all too easy for the subjects—the "heroes" of those prophecies—to be killed. Consequently, he made it difficult to identify the true individuals involved, or obscured the facts to prevent others from easily uncovering the reality.
He opened the gateway leading into the interior of the tree. Due to the way it had been planted, the tree was naturally hollow, forming a chamber spacious enough to comfortably accommodate 400 people, with plenty of room left to move around with ease.
Moreover, it was noticeably warmer inside than it was outside, and the energy was a million times purer. The profound sense of familiarity he felt also intensified, doubling in strength.
"This tree has been here for a very long time, yet Alessandra and Zao Li never speak to me. Is something wrong?"
"Even though she went to meet that girl—the one she was always reincarnated alongside—not long ago, she still hasn't said a word to me. Perhaps she's just too grief-stricken; she loved that daughter of hers dearly. But who on earth is that girl? Could it be Beatrice? It's possible. Ever since I merged with Alessandra, I don't feel any romantic love or friendship toward her—it's more like a maternal bond. How strange."
Tom remarked, sounding annoyed as he glanced around. He discovered a seed, golden-white in color, resting in the center of the chamber. It emitted waves of pure, sacred energy—the very force preventing the chamber from collapsing and crushing him to pieces.
Without a word, he moved straight toward it. A marvelous sensation washed over his entire body—a profound sense of warmth and comfort. He felt the laws of the Dao—Time, Probability, Causality, Luck, Fate, and Life—manifesting with such intensity and focus that his understanding of them deepened rapidly. For several minutes, system notifications poured in, one after another, without pause.
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Time has increased by 1 point.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Time has increased by 2 points.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Time has increased by 6 points.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Fate has increased by 1 point.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Fate has increased by 1 point.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Life has increased by 1 point.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Probability has increased by 1 point.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Causality has increased by 1 point.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Luck has increased by 1 point.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Fate has increased by 3 points.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Fate has increased by 7 points.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Life has increased by 4 points.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Probability has increased by 4 points.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Causality has increased by 8 points.]
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Luck has increased by 9 points.]
......
...... ....…
[Your comprehension of the Dao of Time, Probability, Causality, Luck, Fate, and Life has advanced to the intermediate level (Yin) 1/2]
A faint smile appeared on Tom's face as he gazed at the system interface; he had achieved this using the aura of only a single seed. Nevertheless, he still needed to grasp the "Yang" aspect of these concepts to complete his understanding and ascend to the advanced level.
Beyond that, he couldn't help but wonder: what would happen if he were to obtain all eleven seeds? Though he knew full well that leaving this fantasy realm at his current level was impossible.
This was due to a barrier that prevented any entity—unless they had reached the ORR-05 rank or higher and fulfilled the necessary conditions—from exiting.
It was a threshold that even Reinhardt—and those entities known as the Rulers of the Six Provinces—had failed to reach.
This rendered the prospect of collecting all the seeds within three years—or even after a million years spent within this fantasy realm—utterly impossible.
With a broader smile, he turned his attention back to the object, activating his "Yin and Yang Eyes."
He sat on the ground in a lotus position and removed his shirt, revealing a massive Yin-Yang symbol emblazoned across his torso. Interwoven within it was the image of the Sacred Tree of Existence, featuring twelve small, toe-sized indentations scattered across the tree's main trunk and its eleven primary branches.
One of these eleven indentations—located at the very apex of the tree—was glowing with an intense, whitish-gold radiance, so powerful and searing that it defied description. The seed shot toward him at the speed of light, lodging itself into a cavity the size of a big toe.
A massive surge of power—accompanied by a flood of memories—poured into Tom's body with terrifying intensity.
The system interface reappeared before his eyes.
[Restoring the memories and power of the host, Ji Yao Li.]
[Memory span: From the 5th Era of the 15th Primordial Epoch to the 15th Era of the 15th Primordial Epoch—covering a total of 10 full eras. Host, please brace yourself for the pain.]
The memories were overwhelming in their sheer volume. Had he been of any rank lower than that of a Supreme Sacred Ruler, he would have perished instantly—despite his infinite power and his transcendence of human potential and limitations, which placed him on par with the Rulers themselves.
Yet, the agony was unbearable. Blood gushed profusely from every orifice on his face. He experienced the sensation of death countless times—far more than any ordinary creature could ever endure—while his body was incessantly torn apart, only to regenerate just as rapidly.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Tom's scream was deafening, yet no one heard it; he was within a zone concealed from all eyes by ancient, obscure spells—the likes of which had never been witnessed by any creature in this fantasy world, or indeed any other.
He vomited blood ceaselessly, his body regenerating at the same relentless pace. The ordeal was nearly impossible to withstand, for these memories did not span a mere year or two; they encompassed an expanse of time that defied human comprehension—stretching across ages and eras.
He collapsed to the ground as the blood he had lost flowed back into his body. A faint smile graced his face; he had successfully reclaimed a portion of his memories and power—one-twelfth of the whole. A system window appeared before his eyes as he tended to his injuries—a process aided by his "Yin-Yang Body," which possesses innate regenerative capabilities.
[Main Quest: Collect the 12 Seeds of Origin
Seeds Collected: 01/12
Quest Duration: Permanent
Failure Penalty: None]
[Processing information extracted from the seed...
Estimated Time: 3 years, 6 months, and 23 days]
He opened his status window, filled with elation; he had managed to recover a fragment of his former power, triggering a breakthrough—though he hadn't even realized it. This came as a relief, as he had feared that, much like in previous instances, nothing would happen at all.
[Name: Ji Yao Li / Zhao Li / Alessandra... / Tom
Alias: Currently "Fragelsen"
Physical Age: 15
Spiritual Age: Incalculable
Titles: Currently Sealed
Race: Primordial Entity (First-Generation)
Gender: Transcendent (Beyond Gender)
Occupation: Former Guardian of the Sacred Tree of Existence
Student at Versalkin Academy
Talent: ????] Incarnation: Sacred Yang-Yin Body (Extremely Rare), Sacred Yang-Yin Bones (Rare), Sacred Yang-Yin Eyes (Rare), Body of the Sacred Tree of Existence (?????), Offspring of the Sacred Tree of Existence (????)
Primary Branch: Yang-Yin Tree Branch: The Unified Tree [Locked]
Branch Type: Main Branch
Primary Branch: Yang-Yin Tree Branch: Sacred Yang [Locked]
Branch Type: Main Branch
Primary Branch: Yang-Yin Tree Branch: Sacred Yin [Locked]
Sub-branches: None
Base Power Level: Sovereign Master / High-1
Sub-Power Level:
Mental Power Level: ∞MA
Physical Power Level: High-1
Spiritual Power Level (Dantian): Absolute Transcendent
Spiritual Power Level (Primordial Sea): Level 9
Wall Points: 000
Contribution Points: 000
Tom stared at the system interface with annoyance; despite all the agony he had endured, he remained at the same level—Sovereign Master.
Trying to keep his composure, he asked:
"Will I gain this power gradually, or only after this period ends?"
Several seconds passed as he gazed into the void—his frustration mounting after the previous two system windows vanished—only for them to reappear, bringing news that left him simultaneously overjoyed and deeply annoyed. [Yes, you will gradually gain the power of the Seed until the end of the specified duration. You will not be able to leave this fantasy world until you reach the rank of ORR-05, complete all sub-quests, and fulfill the required conditions.]
Tom rose from his spot and dismissed the system window; all his injuries had been healed—the fact that the attack hadn't fully penetrated his defenses kept the damage from being critical.
He left immediately, without wasting a single second, as the chamber began to shrink rapidly.
"It seems the Seed's effect has worn off, causing the tree to repair its own damage at an accelerated rate."
Tom thought to himself as he sprinted, then vanished from the scene via teleportation—the chamber was closing faster than he could run.
He reappeared outside the chamber, which was swallowed up in a fraction of a second. Yet, the pure energy that characterized it remained; the tree was a fragment of the Sacred Tree of Existence, and this energy was self-generating—it did not originate from the Seed. Because the inhabitants of this world were entirely ignorant of other realms—having never ventured beyond their own—the tree had been a subject of study for centuries.
Tom gazed at the tree for a few moments, recalling the Sacred Tree of Existence—which he had once served as the chief guardian—before turning away and departing instantly.
Elsewhere, Beatrice was wandering through the Yin-Yang Garden with Yuta, looking around as if searching for something—though she did not yet know what it was. Suddenly, she felt a sharp, burning ache in her heart, which she promptly suppressed using her own power.
This was, after all, hardly the place for lamentation. They happened to come across the angelic Empress Noriana and the Elven Empress Veronia, who were strolling together through the garden.
The two empresses had not yet departed—unlike Argon and Ectarville, who had left the previous day, or Starfall, who had stayed for only a single day before taking his leave, as he had no interest in such matters.
Noriana let out a light laugh as she looked toward them and remarked:
"Your friendship seems quite strong. Are you a companion of Lord Kamish, Yuta Casiral?"
Yuta offered no comment on her remark. Instead, he glanced toward the tree, a smile forming within him; he could no longer sense the power of the seed, which led him to realize that Tom had either already consumed it or was in the process of doing so.
"Lady Noriana, the weather is perfect for a stroll, isn't it?"
Yuta said, his tone bright and cheerful as he looked at them.
His demeanor took them by surprise. As they gazed at him, they noticed he seemed genuinely elated—as if he had finally achieved something he had long desired to see happen Nevertheless, the two decided to go along with him, strolling through the Yin-Yang Garden while they conversed.
"Next year, you will be heading to the Celestial Academy of the Immortals. Will you be ready? I've heard that *Qi* is the only power system there, and that the atmosphere is completely devoid of anything else."
Noriana's tone carried a hint of concern; the Angels were the most empathetic of all races, often regarded as the embodiment of purity.
Thus, no one was surprised or taken aback by her worry. Furthermore, Yuta had thanked her on the very first day for helping to resolve the conflict between the Orc Emperor, Ectarville, and the Elven Empress, Veronia.
Yuta remained silent for a few seconds before speaking, glancing at her from the corner of his eye:
"I don't know—but when the time comes, we will be ready."
A flicker of surprise crossed her face before she turned her gaze toward the Pond Tree of Versalkin Academy, a faint smile gracing her lips.
"You are right, Master Yuta Caseral. But mark my words: possessing the Kamish Sword is not something to take pride in. It is a blade capable of both extinguishing life and bringing it into existence—yet it requires destruction and a space in which to manifest. Ultimately, it demands life itself, even if the very concept of 'space' ceases to exist."
Beatrice held her gaze for a few moments before shifting her attention to Yuta. To her, the Kamish Sword was like a key piece to a grand, complex puzzle—a puzzle in which Yuta himself played a part. Yet, the time for the full truth to be revealed remained, for her, still a long way off. They decided to head toward Dao Long Lake, where their companions had gathered, intending to relax there until it was time to leave.
"I have a hunch that this vacation will be quite long—and filled with exciting, unforgettable events."
Veronia spoke, looking at him with a gaze full of confidence, which prompted Yuta to offer a faint, mischievous smile.
"You're right, Lady Veronia. It will certainly be unforgettable for the inhabitants of the Five Continents—though, in the end, it all depends on a certain someone."
They continued on their way without much further conversation, taking the time to unwind and admire the park's stunning natural scenery.
Lost to the world around them, they found themselves in a place that blended breathtaking beauty with profound tranquility—a rare location, distinguished by its unique natural environment and singular energy.
Beatrice's gaze remained calm, carrying a strange sense of familiarity with the place—as if she had been here long ago, back when no one lived in this city; indeed, back when it wasn't even a city at all.
Yet, her memories remained hazy, leaving her unable to discern when she might have visited this place, or why she felt such an inexplicable sense of belonging.
They eventually arrived at Dao Long Lake, where their companions were gathered, enjoying the surroundings. The lake itself was shaped like a massive Yin-Yang symbol, and its waters were home to exceptionally rare species of fish—creatures that existed only during that era.
As Beatrice watched them, a gentle, heartwarming feeling stirred within her toward those who had been by her side since childhood: Lucy, Yoruichi, and Grey. She did not quite understand the reason for her happiness, but it was a profoundly beautiful feeling—one she wished, deep in her heart, would never fade away.