CHAPTER 815: CLINGING SPIRIT

All of them froze as their gazes were directed toward the unknown child who had appeared without any of them knowing. They wondered if it was because they had been too immersed in the music that they did not realize a child had come and even fallen asleep on Aldrian’s thigh.

Empress Vilena looked at Viona and saw that she was also astonished, which showed that she, too, did not know how this child had entered. If even the spirit of the World Tree did not realize it, then there was no way the guards watching the doors to this place would know.

’Did this child appear just like His Majesty Aldrian?’ she thought.

"Who is this child? Look at how cute she is," Sylphia said as she moved closer.

"This... this child is actually the spirit of the Tree of Life," Aldrian said, which made Sylphia and the others freeze before showing shocked expressions.

"What?! The spirit of the Tree of Life? Are you sure, Your Majesty? I have never seen or even read in any record that the Tree of Life has a spirit," Empress Vilena asked in surprise.

"I’m sure of it. This is the newborn spirit of the Tree of Life. It seems something was triggered in the Tree of Life when I played the guqin, and all the requirements were fulfilled for the tree to give birth to its spirit. Her properties, which allow her to truly blend with nature and possess rich life laws, might be the reason she could move undetected," Aldrian replied as he observed the sleeping child.

He could sense rich life laws radiating from her, and the energy itself was so soothing that it relaxed the surroundings. What he sensed from the child was identical to the Tree of Life itself. It was as if he was being embraced by two sources of life laws, which caused all his senses to remain calm and not triggered when this child appeared and fell asleep here.

However, his expression turned into a warm smile. To think that the Tree of Life would give birth to its spirit at this moment, he was glad for this development. At least now, the tree would be much freer than before.

She could express her emotions more clearly and communicate normally with others. She would no longer be left behind, merely watching as everyone moved away from her.

As if hearing the commotion, the child slowly opened her large eyes and blinked a few times. She turned her head and looked toward Aldrian, who was showing a warm smile, a smile that, from her point of view, overlapped with the one she remembered from the great emperor.

The child finally showed a happy smile as she woke from her sleeping position and moved to hug Aldrian.

"Ma... ma... ma... ma," she said, wrapping her small arms around his neck as if trying to circle it. Aldrian could only smile as he hugged her back. He could feel her warmth and the emotions she carried at that moment.

Looking at him and being able to move and hug him made her extremely happy, and it made Aldrian truly want to make up for all those pitiful years she had spent waiting.

He picked her up in his arms as she kept clinging to him. Sylphia approached them and looked at the child’s face, which at that moment seemed content as she held Aldrian tightly. Sylphia was still astonished and couldn’t help but feel fortunate to witness such an extraordinary event.

After all, the birth of a spirit from nature was not something that happened every day, especially from a tree as rare as the Tree of Life.

"How cute, but why did she call you ’Mama’? Shouldn’t it be me?" Sylphia asked jokingly as she gently pinched the child’s cheek.

The spirit looked at Sylphia and showed a smile.

"Se... se... se," she said, which left Sylphia confused. But then realization dawned on her.

"I see, she’s trying to say something, but she still can’t speak properly yet. I think you’ll need some time to learn how to use your tongue," she said as she continued pinching and playing with the child’s cheeks.

Aldrian kept his smile as he held the child safely in his arms. Of course, the spirit must have been trying to call him "Your Majesty" and Sylphia "Seralis," since she thought Sylphia resembled Seralis.

He then turned his head toward Empress Vilena.

"My apologies, Empress Vilena, but I think I will have to stay here for today."

Empress Vilena, who had been speechlessly watching the spirit child, finally came out of her daze.

"Ah, yes, Your Majesty Aldrian. You may stay here as long as you like. It seems that spirit child truly likes Your Majesty. You are truly fortunate to be liked by the spirit of the Tree of Life while she is still a child," she replied.

Aldrian nodded. "Alright, thank you."

He then contacted his family and the elder of the Xin family, who guarded the teleportation formation to his palace, to explain his circumstances. He asked the elder to deny any visitors for the day while he remained in the Verdyn Empire for one night.

After informing them, Aldrian continued conversing normally with the others while the spirit child kept clinging to him. He simply let her do whatever she wanted, as she must have felt safe and relieved now that she could meet him and act freely.

While Aldrian was in the sacred place of the Verdyn Empire, chatting with Sylphia and the others, confusion spread among the people outside. The sound of a guqin suddenly resonating across the world was something that had never happened before. Reports came from every corner of the world describing the same sound of the guqin.

The beautiful melody, which mesmerized everyone who heard it, made people question who was playing it and how such a thing was possible. Even those at peak pseudo immortal stage, whose souls were strong and not easily influenced by sound laws, were affected by the guqin’s music and drawn into its beauty.

At first, the melody stirred memories of their beautiful moments. Then, it shifted into a sorrowful tune filled with loneliness, tightening their hearts and bringing tears to their eyes. Finally, it ended in a beautiful conclusion that left every listener sighing in relief.

The fact that their emotions could be swayed so deeply by the music was terrifying to those who understood its implications. For anyone to be affected by the sound of the guqin meant that the one playing it was a truly powerful cultivator, someone who had mastered sound laws to the level beyond their comprehension. The instrument used must also have been extraordinary, amplifying the music’s effect even further.

Once again, it made many question among themselves, who could possibly achieve such a feat?

For the people of the Aster Empire, however, it was not much of a surprise. They calmly explained to those unaware that it was Aldrian the Great who had played it.

Those hearing this for the first time were completely stunned, amazed to learn of yet another incredible ability of Aldrian the Great. For someone to play music that could be heard across the continent, it was nothing short of magical and mind-blowing.

As people continued talking about what had just happened, the young master of the Valroy family, Randolf, gazed at the Aldrian’s palace from one of the luxury inns in a city located in the central region of the Aster Empire. His eyes narrowed in thought until his butler knocked on the door and entered.

"Is it him?" Randolf asked, still looking at the Aldrian’s palace.

"From what the citizens here are saying, yes. It was Aldrian the Great’s doing," the butler replied.

"From what I understand, he has mastered the sound laws to a level beyond my comprehension. It seems he could influence the entire continent if he wished. I also received reports that the sound of the guqin was heard across the world, so if that is the case..." The butler paused slightly.

"I could safely say that Aldrian the Great’s ability and capability might cover the entire world, which means his true power could be at a level that affects an entire star." As he spoke those words, the butler’s heart trembled.

To possess such power, he thought that Aldrian the Great had already surpassed all the limitations set by the heavens themselves.

Aldrian the Great was too powerful, and he was still only at the low pseudo-immortal establishment stage. If he were to reach the peak pseudo-immortal stage, wouldn’t that mean he could rule over the entire first heaven?

How could the heavens allow such an existence to live without giving him any setback or a tribulation severe enough to end him?

Randolf narrowed his eyes, still processing what he had just experienced. To think that even he could be swayed by the melody of Aldrian the Great’s guqin. He possessed an ability that prevented him from falling into any illusion, hypnotic effect, or mental technique, a reward he had once received from the system. It had always worked flawlessly, proven through several past events.

Yet this was the first time that ability had failed him. His emotions had been moved by the music, leaving him mesmerized.

’Truly a dangerous opponent. His ability can bypass my passive abilities granted by my own system. Does that mean all of his abilities are on a higher level than those given by my system?’ he thought seriously.

Again and again, the more he learned about Aldrian, the more he felt the gap between them growing wider.