An ordinary enemy, faced with such an attack, would have long since lost their composure and begun to eradicate the seeds that had begun to sprout within them.
Even someone who can fight while suffering from the debuffs of life force loss and slowness still needs to remove the seeds that are obstructing their vision.
But the enemy before me stood there, completely still, as if waiting for the seeds to drain him dry.
The next instant, Nuolun's prepared, fatal blow vanished without a trace.
Because her numerous seeds are sending her very complex messages, which can be roughly interpreted as follows...
"The life force here is strong, and the Psionic Energy is pure. We love it here."
Goodbye, Mom. Don't save me dinner tonight.
"We're really not close, let's not contact each other again."
ah?
Nuolun felt as if the world was crumbling before her eyes. She couldn't understand why her symbiotic plant, which was as ruthless as a bandit and adept at plundering life, would bring her such a message...
The essence of all this information is that they have successfully parasitized the other party and begun to extract its life force, which is certainly true.
The problem lies in the tone and emotion used when conveying the message, or rather, the attitude exhibited by these seeds collectively.
If the Blood-Seeking Pampas Grass were a band of bandits, then Nuolun was their leader. They'd always rob someone and run, so why were they acting like they'd been granted amnesty without even consulting him? And it sounded like they weren't planning on coming back...
The reeds on the ground, which compete with the Boston Ivy for living space and nutrients, are still as rampant as ever, but the reed flowers that have not yet sprouted or have just sprouted a small bud on their enemy have already changed into a small, docile "grass".
So, could it be... that he stole my symbiotic plant?!?!?!
Even the most steadfast believers in the Tree God can only enter a brief state of mental blankness when faced with a scene that could Shattered their worldview.
Ed did not take this opportunity to attack; instead, he slowly turned his body around.
Under his guidance, all the reed seeds on his body slowly moved towards his right hand. Even those that had already taken root in his flesh pulled out their roots and limped toward Ed's right hand.
Soon, he had the entire grayish-white seed cluster in his hand, which was then swallowed by the writhing flesh.
The man in front of Nuolun raised his hand, removed his hood, and said with a smile:
"Oh dear, it seems your symbiotic plant likes me a little more."
But at this moment, Nuolun's attention was completely off what Ed was saying. She stared blankly at the boy in front of her, almost completely ignoring his very handsome face.
She stared intently into the other person's emerald green eyes and the Vitality plant in the other eye socket, and suddenly felt a stirring within her.
Although the plant appeared to be severely malnourished, its noble shape resembling a half- Crown and the abundant vitality flowing within it stirred Nuolun's heart.
Facing the boy who was about the same height as him, Nuolun felt his legs go weak and felt a slight urge to bow and pray before a holy icon.
But what stood before her was not a statue of a god, but rather...
In that instant, Nuolun understood who he was truly facing.
Why would a symbiotic plant leave itself without hesitation? Because it is the ancestor of all plants.
The ironclad rules of the Tree Worship Church apply to everyone, but they have no effect on that Supreme being.
Just as Yiden and Motley first met Ed, some great beings do not need to be, and cannot be, described by language and words.
Such a being, merely by appearing here and displaying a corner of its great power, is enough to make all the believers of the Tree Worship Church bow down in worship.
Whether Stained Ones or Pure Ones, all would feel a sense of awe upon first encountering Ed, who displayed his dignity.
However, this is the difference between the Pure Ones and the Stained Ones. Even someone as frail and old as Yiden, after realizing who Ed, or rather Little Green, really is, will have the urge to control him.
All those Stained Ones did indeed fall into depravity in order to resurrect the Tree God, but weren't they also driven by the elusive royal Crown and the desire to become the Tree God's Incarnation on earth?
If everyone truly hoped for the Tree God's resurrection, Ed would have already walked to the Holy City to perform the Loaves and Fish for everyone.
The reason they didn't do so is because whether it's Yiden or Motley, or even Antiya Lisi in Fir City or some being in the Holy City, as long as they realize that Ed is currently a weak vessel for the Tree God, they will never give up the idea of taking control of him.
This is the problem of the Stained Ones: they combine their faith with their desires, making both impure, and finding the perfect excuse for their lusts, yet they are unaware of this, instead believing themselves to be the most devout.
Driven by desire, the Stained Ones act cruelly, radically, cowardly, and recklessly. Ed has no intention of letting any of these Tree God believers go unpunished.
However, killing them directly would be too easy; Ed had already prepared life sentences for the Stained Ones, just like Yiden and Motley.
They believed that the Tree God had given them another chance, but in reality, they were only spared execution because they still had some use to them.
Ed will allow them to atone for their mistakes in a state of self-deception, akin to being "wet," and their fate may be either madness due to the collapse of their faith or suicide due to unbearable torment.
But none of that matters, because Ed thinks that by then he should be able to do something similar to resurrection to the locals, thus making them work for him for all eternity.
As his gaze gradually cleared, Nuolun recovered from his daze.
She stared blankly at the boy in front of her, remembering something Luxiusi had said to her before she came.
When Lucius asked the cardinal what he needed to do after arriving in Aduolin, Luxiusi replied:
"Someone will tell you when the time comes."
Nuolun even made a point of observing the cardinal's micro-expressions, and even noticed a barely perceptible hint of envy on the cardinal's face...
Before this moment, Nuolun had not fully understood those words and that expression, because after arriving in Aduolin, in principle, no one except Antiya Lisi could give him orders, and Antiya Lisi himself was one of the targets of this operation, and there was nothing to envy about this kind of hard work.
But now she understands, there really is someone here who can make her willingly obey orders, even...
If possible, she believed Cardinal Luxiusi would like to do this himself.