Beneath the Thorin Tree

The entire Cecil Empire had been shrouded in winter. Cold winds swept from the northern mountains across the central plains and southern wilderness. From Winterkeep Castle to Cecil, from Shilin City to Longwind Fortress, winter could be felt everywhere, and half the empire had already seen at least one snowfall.

Yet in the east of the Holy Spirit Plain, where the Thorin Giant Tree stood, spring and vitality still flourished.

The immense Thorin Giant Tree stood proudly upon the earth, its canopy vast enough to cover an entire town spreading past Thorinburg's central axis and the valley lands farther west.

After its recent period of growth, this astonishing plant had now reached its maximum size. Her roots and canopy no longer expanded wildly, but her branches and leaves continued to mature, while her roots kept plunging deeper into the earth.

Within the giant tree's coverage, the once-abandoned Thorinburg had undergone repairs and reconstruction. Some of the castle's and town's functions had been restored, and it had become a base for the local garrison and research teams. Part of the giant tree's roots had grown through cracks in Thorinburg's collapsed walls, helping people stabilize those crumbling stone barricades, while several research facilities had been built against the ancient walls and winding roots—

In this wondrous place, Cecil Empire researchers and a giant plant seemed to have formed a remarkable symbiotic relationship. The Thorin Giant Tree not only provided valuable samples for the druids' research institute, but also cooperated with local production and construction.

Tree trunk level, southeastern sector. A large transport vehicle was parked in an open area beside the trunk. A group of magic industrial technicians and workers bustled around it, opening the side panels of the cargo compartment and undoing the ropes and hooks securing the freight pallets. A