Earth Tree Race

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Earth Tree Race (地树族)
Species/Race	Tree-based sapient race
Affiliation	One of the Three Hegemon Races of the Supercluster 685
Occupation/Role	Supercluster hegemon that governs vassal races, conducts interstellar expansion, and manages external affairs through specialized departments 245 767
Status	Active; its leadership remains engaged in negotiations and conflict following the capture of numerous elders 803 815
First Appearance	Mentioned in Chapter 187 187

Background and History

The Earth Tree Race originates from the Earth Tree Star Cluster. It rules hundreds of millions of Life Planets and commands thousands of subordinate races, placing it far beyond the Human Race in resources and influence. Its External Affairs Department regarded the Human Federation's large-scale, ultra-long-distance troop transport capability as the Federation's principal value. 245 259

The Human Federation sought attachment to the Earth Tree Race roughly twenty years before its formal intervention in the Local Galaxy Cluster. The Earth Tree Race initially showed little interest in either humanity or the cluster's resources, but Yi Chen's exceptional potential increased the Human Race's value as a prospective vassal. 187 252

Its first envoys to the Local Galaxy Cluster suffered repeated setbacks. The First Envoy's body was taken by the Soul Race; the Second Envoy died; and the Third Envoy's subordinates were eliminated and used as Soul Race hosts. These failures strengthened the Soul Race while making the Earth Tree Race regard the cluster as unusually incompatible with its members. 418 421 657

The External Affairs Department eventually escalated its commitment, sending Level 220 experts, large quantities of resources, and troops to support the Human Federation. The Earth Tree Race helped suppress the Soul Race and supplied materials worth more than thirty trillion Low-Grade Immortal Stones, but its forces continued to sustain losses from Yi Chen, the Shadow Emperor, and rival hegemon races. 657 658 671

During its Supercluster expansions, the Earth Tree Race used Human Federation Large Warships and vassal armies to rapidly conquer other races. Its campaigns against the Thousand Tail Race and in the Hai Ling Galaxy Cluster demonstrated its ability to combine overwhelming force, intelligence work, and surrender contracts. 767 769 776

Its position changed sharply after Yi Chen trapped and captured the Grand Elder, Third Elder, and their accompanying elder team in the Golden Cloud Interstellar Era. After learning that thirty-one elders had been captured, the Clan Leader considered ransom, alliance, and joint suppression of Yi Chen rather than direct confrontation. 800 803 804

Society and Organization

Leadership

• Clan Leader — directs the race's strategic response, expansion plans, and diplomacy with the other Hegemon Races. 781 803
• Elders — the top thirty elders constitute the highest echelon of the race's leadership; individual elders oversee major departments and military operations. 781
• Eighth Elder — oversees the External Affairs Department and reviews high-priority matters concerning other races and star fields. 245 309
• Grand Elder and Third Elder — led an elder team sent to seize control of the Great Flame Empire before being captured by Yi Chen. 800
• Sixteenth Elder — commanded the operation to force the Thousand Tail Race into surrender. 767 769

Departments

Department	Known responsibilities
External Affairs Department	Exploration, communication, contact with outside races, vassal management, and dispatching envoys or expert teams. 245 309
Intelligence Department	Conducts infiltration and intelligence operations; its agents used shapeshifting treasures to infiltrate the Time Race. 685
War Affairs Department	Conducts frequent military operations and appears to organize major campaigns and deployments. 745

Policy Toward Vassals and Conquered Races

The Earth Tree Race bases its conduct on karma: it creates favorable karma with a target race over a long period, severs that race's fortune, and only then begins conquest. 187

• It is considered comparatively restrained among major races, usually leaving conquered races a path to survival rather than exterminating them outright. 187 770
• Races that accept dependence and can benefit the Earth Tree Race receive support and resources in return. 187
• Conquered races nevertheless lose their territories, resources, and treasures to the Earth Tree Race. 770
• When core interests are threatened, the race is willing to use vassals as leverage, as seen when it treated the Human Federation as effective hostages to pressure Yi Chen into an alliance. 804

Appearance

Earth Tree Race members possess enormous tree-like bodies centered on a main trunk and extensive root system. Their natural weapons are branches and leaves, while an Energy Shield protects the vulnerable area around their roots. 245 417

• Typical members are around one hundred meters tall; even Level 220 experts such as Bunier and Blake are only slightly over 130 meters tall. 659
• Kotes's main trunk exceeded 130 meters, while his roots extended for hundreds of meters. 245
• Leaves can hold objects such as Communication Stones or gems containing storage spaces. 417 745
• Their blood is green. 688
• Using conventional weapons is unusual among their race, as most members prioritize branch- and leaf-based combat. 594

Abilities and Skills

Radiation Energy Conversion

Earth Tree Race experts can cultivate near stellar cores, using Energy Shields to endure immense heat, electromagnetic radiation, and particle streams before converting them into usable energy. 245

• Kotes cultivated in a star's radiation zone, drawing in energy from temperatures of tens of millions of degrees. 245
• Their root systems are protected by Energy Shields, making direct attacks difficult without specialized methods. 415 417

Branch and Leaf Combat

Branches and leaves are the race's principal means of attack. Members can develop numerous branch-based combat methods and may enhance their natural attacks with attached blades or poisons. 594

• A Level 220 Earth Tree Race expert used a massive branch to break a clan leader's Defense Shield and incapacitate him in a single strike. 793
• Branches can be used defensively to intercept weapons or attacks. 417
• Weapon-focused fighters exist, but they are rare and generally viewed as atypical. 594

Root-System Weakness

The Energy Shield around the root system is a major vulnerability when faced with the Soul Race's mental attacks. 415

• Soul Race mental power can tear open the root-system shield and directly assault the Divine Soul. 417
• The Soul Emperor specifically identified this weakness after obtaining and studying an Earth Tree Race body. 415

Tracking and Search Methods

Specialized Earth Tree Race members can track targets using objects they touched and residual energy auras. 659 664

• Three tracking specialists confirmed the Soul Emperor's location outside the Milky Way. 659
• Tracking specialists accompanied Bunier and Blake while they hunted the Shadow Emperor. 664
• The Grand Elder intended to locate the Great Flame Empire by tracing the collected energy auras of its citizens. 800

Shapeshifting and Infiltration Treasures

Earth Tree Race intelligence operatives use treasures capable of disguising them as members of other races. 685

• Two Level 220 experts infiltrated a Time Race guard rotation while disguised as Time Race members. 685
• The operation was used to retaliate against a Time Race attack on the Earth Tree Race External Affairs Department. 685

Military Strength

Formation / Operation	Documented strength	Notes
Sixth batch sent to the Local Galaxy Cluster	Two Level 220 experts, five Level 210 experts, and supporting personnel 658	Led by Bunier and Blake; deployed to support the Human Federation and eliminate the Soul Race.
Seventh batch reinforcements	20 Level 220 experts, 100 Level 210 experts, 1,000 Level 200 experts, and 50,000 high-end combatants 743	Arrived with top-grade materials intended to improve Human Federation talent and military strength.
Hai Ling Galaxy Cluster command post	Two elders, including a Level 240 elder, plus more than ten Level 230 experts 776	Directed the second expansion against the Mo Xi Race.
Golden Cloud elder team	30 elder-level experts, more than 60 Level 230 experts, and an Elite Army exceeding 20 million 800	Sent to control the Great Flame Empire; trapped and captured by Yi Chen.

Relationships

• Human Federation — sought and accepted Earth Tree Race patronage in exchange for its long-range troop-transport capability; received resources, military support, and eventual relocation to the Earth Tree Star Cluster. 187 657 760
• Yi Chen / Great Flame Empire — originally valued as the source of humanity's potential, Yi Chen later became the race's greatest threat after capturing its elder team and demanding ransom. 252 800 803
• Time Race — rival Hegemon Race; the two sides conducted infiltration and retaliation operations before later discussing cooperation against Yi Chen. 685 815
• Reincarnation Race — rival Hegemon Race that infiltrated Earth Tree Race institutions; later entered talks for joint action against Yi Chen. 745 815
• Shadow Race — hostile race whose destruction was previously assisted by Earth Tree Race forces; the Shadow Emperor later took part in capturing Earth Tree Race elders. 801
• Soul Race — adversary responsible for acquiring Earth Tree Race bodies and turning more than three hundred slain members into hosts. 418 421
• Death Race — vassal race used as the main invasion force during the planned conquest of the Thousand Tail Race. 767
• Thousand Tail Race — target of coercive surrender; the Earth Tree Race presented its leaders with a contract for the Surrender of the Entire Clan. 769

Notable Quotes

“Our Earth Tree Race rules over hundreds of millions of Life Planets.” — Kotes 259

“If not for that, given our Earth Tree Race's belief in cause and effect, and our custom of never mistreating subordinate races, we wouldn't look twice at the Human Race.” — Kotes 259