Reborn as a Demonic Tree

Chapter 379: Twisted Kindness

In the darkest depths of the Duskwalker residence, Elysia Mystshroud was sitting cross-legged in a viscous pool of blood before a tiny red-leafed sapling growing out of a stone altar. A purple-tinted aura wreathed her body, making her appear ghostly to her family members kneeling in rows behind her, their reverence focused on the tiny tree.

Stella Crestfallen, the Grand Priestess of the All-Seeing Eye, had gifted Elysia a fruit that contained a divine seed of their god when Elysia had begged for a holy object to be the subject of her worship. Planting the seed, a small demonic sapling had sprouted. Since its birth, the whole Mystshroud family had carefully tended the tree, and Elysia had ensured it understood the greatness of the All-Seeing Eye through dreams via mystic Qi.

"Mytherion," Elysia said as she caressed the tree gently like a mother with her mystic Qi, "Do you understand yet? The greatness of your father?" The tree did not answer, but Elysia could tell it did not yet understand—for if it truly did, it would join them in prayer and sing praises to the high heavens. "Perhaps you need more blood. A child needs to eat." Elysia pricked her finger with the tip of a ceremonial dagger and dripped blood over the tree's leaves. The droplets of blood rolled off its small leaves and trickled down its rock altar into the pool of blood Elysia was bathing in below.

A few of the demonic sapling's roots had burrowed through the altar and extended into this blood pool, so Elysia used it as a place to leave corpses, her own blood, and some Mystic Qi. It was important that this child of her god was well-fed and taken care of.

Elysia let her Qi pour into the pool as she lounged back and lazily opened her mind to the demonic sapling to show it the wonders of the All-Seeing Eye. Her long silver-tinted black hair that ran down her back was sprawled out floating in the blood pool and got dirtied by the bits of half-decayed animals floating around, but she didn't care.

"Little Mytherion, when you grow up, you will finally understand that there's far more to the All-Seeing Eye than anyone thinks possible. I've seen it." Her voice dropped to a whisper, "He is not from this world. I need to raise you in case—"

Her eyes suddenly widened as she felt a domineering presence overwhelm her consciousness. Instead of resisting or even protecting herself, she let it flow in and dominate every part of her body and soul.

"Elysia Mystshroud, as the Vice Cult Leader, I require your assistance with something."

"Anything!" Elysia screamed in ecstasy as her god's words thundered in her mind like a chorus of the dead, and her body trembled, "My body and soul are yours to command. Just tell me what your heavenly gaze desires!"

"Uhm..." Her god sounded uncomfortable. Perhaps she hadn't shown her devotion enough?!

"I apologize for my lack of manners. I'll..." she glanced around desperately and laid eyes on the altar, which gave her the perfect idea, "I'll show my devotion by opening my mind to you more!" she stood quickly—blood and bits of animal from the pool trailed down her body as she gripped the altar before her and, without hesitation, slammed her forehead on the sharpest corner. Along with the crunch of her skull, pain shot through her body, causing her to collapse backward. Her vision was blurred slightly as she squinted up at the demonic sapling on the altar she had been taking care of, and to her bewilderment, she could see the illusion of her god overlaying it.

"Elysia, what are you doing?" The Grand Elder of her family had gotten up from his kneeled position and walked beside her with a look of concern.

"Father, be quiet. I'm receiving a divine message from the All-Seeing Eye," Elysia scowled at the blurred man as blood trickled down her face and into the pool below. "Do not interrupt me."

The Grand Elder seemed shocked as he knelt and bowed his head, "I apologize. What does our god desire from my humble family."

Elysia reached out to the presence in her mind, "Speak through me. Whatever your desire is, have it be known to your humble servants."

"Very well..." Her god sighed. He seemed tired. Yet the sudden presence that took hold of her was anything but.

Elysia felt her body turn to face her still-kneeling family. Her mouth opened, yet what came out was not her usual voice but a hundred voices at once.

"Vincent Nightrose, leader of the Blood Lotus Sect, desires something that is mine. Something so close to me that losing it would cause me to war with the nine realms until its destruction or my own.

Elysia watched as her family slowly stood up in unison. Mystic Qi flickered across their skin, pulsing red with rage. The All-Seeing Eye had opened their minds to a new height of power—they owed their everything to him.

"Vincent Nightrose has been marked for death by me for this transgression, as has the Nightrose family. By sundown, the Nightrose family will be no more, and Nightrose City will fall under my domain. However, while running away, Vincent Nightrose activated a grand array and set the city to explode, threatening to kill everyone. People who are unaware of my greatness. New potential worshipers."

Elysia felt her body tremble. Such an outcome was inconceivable. Not only did this bastard cause trouble for her god by desiring something that was his, but he even dared to deny people from learning about the All-Seeing Eye's greatness before their demise. Inconceivable! What a tragic fate to perish before learning of the All-Seeing Eye? Without him, their souls will wander in the afterlife without knowing of his love.

"We need to save them." The Grand Elder said seriously.

"Agreed. I will teleport you all over to Nightrose City. Save the city and its people with everything you have, all while spreading my name. That is my decree."

Elysia fell to the pool like a puppet cut from its strings as the All-Seeing Eye withdrew his intense presence from her body. Her Qi exploded out, sending waves through the pool. Her mind was left even more broken, her soul fractured and drifting. Yet she felt her strength reach a new height... her cultivation had actually gone up to the 7th stage of the Star Core Realm. It seemed the experience of becoming her god's voice had enlightened her.

A face-splitting grin spread across her face as she stepped out of the pool, drenched in blood. "Mistress Elysia, please clean yourself and get dressed..." A nearby maid hesitantly handed her cult cloak, which she grabbed and absentmindedly put on. Her thoughts were elsewhere.

My cultivation increasing means the heavens recognize and have rewarded my devotion to the All-Seeing Eye. I must show even more vigor and worship next time!

Elysia balled her fists before she decided to address her family again. This time with her own voice. She was... enraged. What the All-Seeing Eye had told her made her blood boil.

"The All-Seeing Eye has blessed us with his divine words. We will hunt and kill Vincent Nightrose till our last breath. We will wipe out all nine generations of his bloodline and feast on their corpses," Elysia spread out her arms as she looked to the ceiling and shouted, "But first, we will spread the name of our god!" She licked her lips as blood continued to trickle down her face from the wound on her head. "This is a decree, and it's our job as his faithful servants to carry out his will."

"All hail the All-Seeing Eye. May his gaze be forever eternal." The Grand Elder's voice boomed through the room, and the dozen other members of the Mystshroud family echoed the words with equal vigor.

Elysia turned and caressed the leaves of the demonic sapling one last time. "Mytherion, do you feel our love and devotion to your father? Can you feel his greatness flow through you? His profound words and teachings?"

Once again, the tree didn't reply, but the tree's father sure did.

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Spatial Qi, along with the All-Seeing Eye's presence, flooded the room, and reality was torn asunder as a rift manifested. Elysia narrowed her eyes at the rift that had appeared before her. So this is a gateway to the land my god desires dominion over. Whether it be hell, heaven, or somewhere in between. I will go where he wishes and conquer it all the same.

Withdrawing and stepping on a sword, she flew through the portal with mystic Qi wreathing her form and ready to manifest whatever she could imagine. As her ears popped from the pressure change, the intense smell of iron assaulted her nose alongside the sound of a gong and screams.

She seemed to have been directed to the center of a city so large she could hardly make out the towering black walls in the distance. Below her was the courtyard of a comically large castle built on a mountain that lorded over the city.

How could someone even live in a castle like this? It has to have thousands of rooms. Walking from one end to the other must take at least an hour.

The castle's size made what Elysia was seeing even more unbelievable. The entire structure was covered in a layer of thick blood that pulsed as if it were a heart. The power radiating off it was immense, and it looked like it would explode at any moment as Qi leaked out of random holes.

So this is the power of someone that can anger a god—my god.

Yet despite the imminent danger, the All-Seeing Eye simply watched through a massive rift in the sky. He did not show signs of intending to act, which contradicted what he had told her at the Duskwalker residence.

Elysia realized the hidden meaning. If the All-Seeing Eye has entrusted me to deal with this, that means it's not worth his involvement. Elysia raised her hand above her head, and her mystic Qi began to condense. Which has to mean that he trusts me enough to deal with it myself. Ah! I can feel his love.

Mystic Qi worked off belief from both the wielder and the opponent. As a higher form of illusion Qi, she could bring things into reality so long as she could visualize them. If she believed strongly enough, almost anything was possible.

I must liberate the city of this blood fog first so they can see the castle and the All-Seeing Eye in the sky. Otherwise, how else will the mortals experience his gaze invading their body and soul, bringing them to new heights?

Elysia raised her other arm and showed both palms to the sky.

Her broken soul hummed in her chest as she began to feed a small ritual circle between her fingers with power. It spun upwards and grew bigger and bigger. Her eyes glowed with a violet hue as the ritual circle expanded, covering the entire city and grinding away at the blood-red dome. It also began to suck up the bloody fog that was blanketing the city. As it absorbed more of this strange blood mist, the ritual circle actually grew in power rather than weakening.

Elysia was in awe.

The All-Seeing Eye must have foreseen this and given me a blessing!

Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense for this technique to grow in power. That only happened when it encountered illusions, but her god wouldn't send her in to save the people from something that wasn't real. This city needed saving, and she was here to do it in the name of the All-Seeing Eye, even if it resulted in her soul's death from using up all her Qi.

"Mystshroud family! Believe in the All-Seeing Eye, and he shall grant you a blessing. Your powers will grow tenfold as we rid the world of this filth that threatens to deprive millions of feeling the warmth of his eternal gaze!"

"Praise the eternal gaze!" They all chanted, raising their hands to the sky and following her lead. Dozens of ritual circles expanded through the sky like ripples on a lake. They all spun at different speeds as the blood fog flowed toward them. Once all the blood fog had been lifted from the city, the rings began to spin in reverse, and mystic Qi cascaded down, flooding the streets at no cost to Elysia's Star Core.

No wonder the All-Seeing Eye saw no need to intervene. Just how far ahead into the future can he see? Elysia was in awe once again. Whenever she thought she understood the situation, more was revealed to her. I need to let the people know. They need to understand who saved them.

The city was now saturated with mystic Qi, giving Elysia near unlimited control via the ritual circles overhead.

Since the blood fog had been dealt with, the mortals could now look up at the All-Seeing Eye in the sky. As gongs continued to echo through the city, people stood staring at the crack in reality. Their eyes were wide, and they seemed afraid despite gazing upon their savior. Elysia grinned.

They are clearly all experiencing the joy of the All-Seeing Eye's gaze. How marvelous! The more their minds break and accept his grace, the more devoted they will be.

Mirroring her thoughts, the ritual circles in the sky began to spin aggressively. All at once, the mortals throughout the city collapsed to their knees. Howls and pained screams of celebration resonated through the city as Elysia flooded their minds so they would understand. They had to understand. They did not need to live if their puny little minds couldn't understand the All-Seeing Eye's grace—

"Elysia."

Her own name thundered in her mind, spoken by her god. Looking toward the rift, she saw the eye of her god glaring at her.

"We are a peaceful cult that accepts people into our ranks without breaking their minds... you and your family were a unique case. It's better to win mortals over with goodwill and demonstrations. They become more loyal that way."

Elysia felt like she had been struck by a lightning bolt of enlightenment. Only the All-Seeing Eye, an evil god, could develop such a profound kind of mind control.

Goodwill? Of course... how hadn't I thought of that before? Twisted kindness is a perfect way to worm into the hearts of others and make them believe they owe you something. I can't force the All-Seeing Eye's greatness upon people. They need to experience it for themselves. That is the ultimate kindness I could give anyone.

Elysia's eyes flickered to the castle that was still a beacon of leaking power, about to explode. Relaxing her arms, Elysia used the mystic Qi that had already invaded everyone's minds to spread the word of her god.

"The Nightrose family has forsaken you all, lost and confused in a fog of your own blood—your death draws near. But fear not, citizens of Nightrose City, not all is lost. Accept the gaze of the All-Seeing Eye, and feel it down to your soul. The pain you feel now is not an attack; it is the cleansing of your body and soul from the control the Nightrose family once held over you."

Elysia utilized the mystic Qi to relax everyone's mind and make a calming feeling flow through them, along with her words. She then made the sky crackle with lightning between the spinning rings. With the All-Seeing Eye to her back, she drew attraction to herself. It was time to show them the power of a mere follower.

"With the fog lifted, do you see it now? The castle that once served as the home for the ruling Nightrose family, cultivators that promised to protect you from the beast tide—they are gone. In their place, they set it to explode and kill you all."

Mystic Qi warped around the castle, making it look even worse than it really was.

Elysia grinned as she heard shouts of outrage from the streets below. The mortals gathered in the streets at the foot of the mountain were little black dots, almost like ants. Not that she saw them as ants... assuming they became worshipers. Mortal or cultivator, she respected anyone who revered the eternal gaze.

***

A young teen stood with his five siblings outside his mother's bakery shop. Tears streamed down his face as he tightly gripped his mother's hand. Their shop's glass front had been smashed in during the chaos earlier. Everyone had gone mad as their faces were eaten by blood, but some had used the opportunity to loot. Nearly every store on the street had been hit.

He knew his mother had already been struggling to pay the high taxes and rent to the Nightrose family. He had overheard her soft cries as she sat alone at the dinner table while he stayed hidden on the stairs after putting his brothers and sisters to bed.

Now, with all their bread gone, he knew his mother was on the edge of a mental breakdown.

But none of that would matter if they all died in an explosion orchestrated by the very people who promised to use those funds to further their cultivation and protect them.

He stared up at the sky with a clear mind due to the apparent cleansing of the control the Nightrose family had on his mind.

Those cultivators... it's so clear now. They robbed us. Used us as nothing more than cattle. We work ourselves to death while they enjoy the fruits of our labor.

"Fear not, with the power vested in me as the Vice Cult Leader for the All-Seeing Eye, I will annihilate this transgression against you."

It was strange. He shouldn't be able to see the woman from so far away or hear her words. Yet they reached him as if she were right before him.

The crazed woman in the sky threw her head back and began chanting. "O herald of the gaze, devourer of worlds and all who dare to oppose you. Hear this servant call and lend me your strength to bring these hard-working people salvation from this accursed fate."

Hard-working people? He looked at his tired mother standing at his side. Had they ever once been acknowledged as hard-working by a cultivator?

The bizarre circles in the sky that had freed the land of the blood fog stacked up into a tunnel that seemed to give focus to the godly eye staring down at them through a rift in the sky. From the moment he had laid eyes on it, his brain had broken. Yet now it seemed peaceful as if it was here to help. Which was a stark contrast to how evil it looked.

So that eye is the All-Seeing Eye? Some kind of god? Is it really going to save us? He squeezed his mother's hand with a grim expression. The god looked evil, and the crazed woman said she was part of a cult worshiping them. But maybe they really can?

Rifts opened up around the eye, and he felt a chill down to his bones as tendrils of otherworldly darkness snaked through the cracks in reality. At first, it was just a few, but as if the sky was barely holding back a withering mass of tentacles, they just kept pouring out until the entire sky was like a waterfall of slithering darkness. Soon, the castle was utterly drowned in darkness.

"How can we ever hope to fight something like that?" His mother muttered, her face pale with fear.

"Hopefully, we don't have to," he hissed back so his younger siblings didn't hear. But he wasn't so sure himself. To him, it looked like a tyrant had been squashed to make way for an evil god.