Re: Level 100 Farmer

Chapter 167 - Fortune II

"Great Seer, how be it your condition?" whispered Ivo as he leaned forwards from behind Li.

"I'm fine," said Li. He blinked once, clearing his head and returning to the present, to the new world and his new life. Reaching into his inventory, into the spacial void that, in a way was the strongest connection he had to his past life, had triggered a memory in him. 

A memory he appreciated, and one that solidified his will in what he was to do. 

Li withdrew an Everfortune Blossom seed from his pocket. The very first seed of many he had acquired with his guild. A sign of fortune. A sign of a new beginning. 

A collective gasp ran through the crowd of farmers and beastwomen before it evolved into a wondering silence.

The sun was just setting, the last rays of its dwindling light flickering on the horizon. In the subtle darkness, the Everfortune Blossom seed shone like a miniature star. Its red light spattered with bright, fiery sparks of orange cast a festive shine around 

None in this world had seen anything like it. None had ever even heard of such a seed. 

Li put the seed into both of his hands, and he could feel warmth, like he was carrying a living, breathing thing. He slowly placed the seed into the pit of dirt he had dug up and swept soil back over it, patting the earth down firm as he encased the seed into its new home. 

The light disappeared as the seed was covered by earth, but only for a moment. Li stood up and took a step back, a step that Ivo and Old Thane followed, and the seed immediately sprouted. The earth parted as a trunk of ashen white wood twisted upwards, curling towards the sky.

The trunk stopped growing when it was slightly taller than Li. It tip had split apart into various branches. It looked like a miniature tree, more specifically a bonsai tree with how gnarled its branches were and how they curled ever so slightly down towards Li. 

The tree shone like white snow under a bright sun, but it looked empty, its branches barren.

Li smiled as he gave his own gesture of thanks. He bowed ever so slightly, putting his fist to an open palm and extending it forwards. As the seed's description read, "With thanks it is watered", and with this gesture, the tree would blossom. 

It had taken Li and his two guildmates a while to figure out what that riddle meant, and at first, they had given the tree offerings and items until //BEAST// finally attempted having her avatar play a thankful gesture in front of it.

With a twinkling sound like a dozen small bells were chiming in the wind, the tree's branches exploded into color. Vermilion petals flowered over every inch of its branches, and as they grew, orange light graced their tips before floating into the air like fire flies, gently lightening the darkening sky. 

A single blossom fell from the tree and gracefully floated down, and when Li opened his palm, it was like a magnetic attraction drew the petal to him. As he closed his palm, he nodded at the blossom tree.

It was a humble little looking thing, and it might not have many flashy effects, but to him, it was the largest and greatest seed he had in his possession. 

Li's eyes widened. The tree was glowing again, its ashen trunk and branches shimmering with light. He turned back to see Ivo helping Old Thane into making the very same gesture of thanks that Li had made before making it himself.

Seeing both their Seer, High Priest, and Head Farmer making the same gesture and, knowing at some fundamental level of the gratitude that it meant, the rest of the farmers and beastwomen began making the same gesture.

Two hundred souls in unison, their heads bowed as they pushed forth their thanks. 

The Everfortune Blossom tree shuddered, growing so bright that it was almost like a second sun risen to replace the one that had just set. Then that shudder traveled to the ground, shaking it not violently, but in calm waves that kept everyone on their feet.

Li could sense the explosion of life force within the tree, and he took several steps back, patting Old Thane and Ivo's shoulders to get them to follow him. They went almost as far back as the edge of the field until Li felt that they were out of range.

When the tree sensed that no living beings were in its midst, that even the Myrmeke had traveled away, it answered the thanks given to it. 

In a brilliant burst of ivory white light and fiery red, the earth truly cracked around the tree as its roots became far larger, anchoring into the soil with a firm grip and shaking the earth.

Its trunk expanded several times its original size, the branches coiling together into a single shoot that oncemore struck up to the skies, and this time, it truly did appear to be reaching to the heavens, towering several dozens of meters high. 

A brilliant network of branches uncountable in number sprouted forth. Once more, vermillion petals covered them, a flash of crimson glowing vibrant in the dark. The orange tipped petals made a temporary aura around the tree, a halo of gold that told all that gazed upon it that everlasting fortune had come upon them.

Then, that halo dissipated as the orange lights floated upwards, but this time, they did not gently float like lazy fireflies to the sky. No, they shot upwards like missiles, tails of crackling orange light following them as they whistled like fireworks.

Countless of these firecrackers sailed into the sky, streaking into the air in a lightshow of sparkling gold, and right as they flew out of sight, they exploded with booming crackles, lighting up the vast entirety of the night sky in countless patterns drawn with gold. 

Patterns of flowers, of leaves, of faces, places, and things held dear to each and every one of those who had given thanks to the Everfortune Blossom. 

Briefly, there flashed the wrinkled and worn faces of his parents. A gold-lit flash of Old Thane's smile. Then the watery blob of Oceanmaster's face and the top hat and monocle wearing feli face of //BEAST//. 

The fireworks lasted well over several minutes, and when they were over, the tree's shine shimmered down, though it still remained faintly glowing with otherworldly energy.

Li heard murmurs of awe from people around him as they held out their hands to catch little specks of light – remnants of the fireworks – falling down like snow, dropping not only on the field, but across the entirety of Riviera. 

Red petals then fell from the tree and they floated down with intent, each of them seeking out the one that had granted them thanks, and in the outstretched hands of farmers and beastwomen, singular petals lay in the place of fading gold light.