The Growth Rings of the Settlement
When the Cross-Domain Symbiosis Settlement ushered in its first stardust rain season, a "Three-Domain Tree" sprouted in the Symbiosis Square at the settlement's center. The tree's trunk possessed the "metallic texture" of star cluster light blades, its bark was inlaid with "transparent crystals" of Cloud Fluff light points, and its branches Entanglement with "Symbiosis Mark vines" of the Root Network Sea of Stars. Most wondrously, the treetop simultaneously bore the "sharp-edged fruit" of the star cluster, the "light silk flower" of the Cloud Fluff, and the "warm berry" of the root network. When the fruit ripened and fell, it would leave a "three-petaled mark" on the ground.
The transparent tree of the seed absorbed the growth of the Three Three-Domain Tree Three-Domain Tree into the Memory Light Stone. Its trunk and branches "intertwined high in the sky," together providing "vast shade" for the settlement. Within the Memory Light Stone, the first ring of the Three-Domain Tree's life was recorded: embedded within were "the windbreak built for it by the starlight blades," "the morning dew gathered by the Cloud Fluff light spots," and "the nutrients transported to it by the root network Symbiosis Mark," like a "necklace strung with protection." The settlement's growth, like the tree's rings, held the contributions of every being. The transparent tree's roots and the Three-Domain Tree's root system "wove together underground into a sphere," the center of which condensed "energy fragments of all the settlement's existence." As the tree grew, these fragments would "slowly merge," forming a "new symbiotic core."
Luoyu * The Three-Domain Star Chart Chronicle * now includes a "Three-Domain Tree Observation Diary." She records every change in the tree: when the sharp-edged fruit ripens, the star clusters "use specially made soft cloth pads to catch it," to prevent the hard shells of the fruit from damaging the light-silk flowers on the ground; when the light-silk flowers bloom, the light spots of the Cloud Fluff "dance around the flowers for three days," using resonance to make the fragrance "fill the entire settlement"; when the warm berries turn red, the Courage Bud of the root network "climb up the trunk," leaving the sweetest fruit "for the young birds at the top of the Three-Domain Tree." "This tree is like a child, loved by everyone in turn." Next to her diary, she drew a "tree shadow picture": at dusk, the shadow of the Three-Domain Tree and the shadow of the settlement houses "overlap," making it impossible to distinguish "which part is the edge of the light blade, which part is the hazy light spot, which wisp is the curve of the Symbiosis Mark," only knowing that "it is the shape of home."
The Qingxian Three-Domain Zither was moved to the "Three-Domain Tree." She discovered that the tree's rings would vibrate subtly in sync with the "daily rhythm of the settlement": the children's laughter in the morning would cause the rings to "stretch," the afternoon silence would cause them to "contract," and the sounds of the evening feast would cause them to "resonate with a hum." She wove these vibrations into the daily melody, adding the "breath of the tree" to the music: when playing passages about star clusters, she would harmonize with the metallic vibrato of the rings; when playing sections about Cloud Fluff, she would follow the frequency of the blooming of shimmering flowers; and when singing about the root network, she would perfectly synchronize with the rhythm of the ripening of warm berries.
As the melody drifted through the canopy of the Three-Domain Tree, all the fruits suddenly "glow simultaneously," the hard shells of the sharp-edged fruits reflecting "the flow of light spots," the petals of the luminous flowers tinged with "the blush of warm berries," and the juice of the warm berries "revealed the outline of sharp edges"—as if saying, "We are already a part of each other." "The trees are singing for us." Qingxian watched the light of the fruits and the ripples of the music "weave a carpet of light in the air," and suddenly understood that the daily poetry of the settlement was not "isolated sentences," but a chapter "co-written" by all existence and this land.
Yanche's Symbiosis Issue Mediation Station has set up an "open-air teahouse" under the Three-Domain Tree. The stone table of the teahouse is "cut from the crystals of the Energy Island" and can "automatically regulate the temperature," making the beings in the Star Cluster feel "cool" and the beings in the Cloud Fluff Floss feel "warm." The beings who come here are no longer here to "resolve conflicts," but more to "share stories related to the Three-Domain Tree": the young Light Blade of the Star Cluster said that "his hands were shaking when he caught the falling Sharp-Edged Fruit for the first time," the Light Spot Mother of the Cloud Fluff Floss said that "the nectar of the Light Silk Flower can make the child's light silk more resilient," and the elder of the Root Network recalled that "when the Three-Domain Tree first sprouted, everyone took turns guarding it overnight."
"The best way to get along is to have shared concerns." Yanche looked at the "story collection jar" next to the tea table, which was filled with "light sheets of paper with stories written on them," each sheet depicting a different image of the Three-Domain Tree. He had carved a line of words on a pillar of the tea table. "The tree will remember all the tenderness, just as we will remember each other."
In the Star Orbit Root Network's logic log, the "Settlement Growth Algorithm" has added "Three-Domain Tree Parameters." The algorithm assesses the "symbiotic health of the settlement" based on the tree's annual ring thickness, fruit yield, and branch and leaf spread: when the yield of sharp-edged fruit decreases, it indicates "insufficient energy input from the star cluster"; when the blooming of light silk flowers is sparse, it suggests that "the light spots of Cloud Fluff should linger more in the tree crown." The most precious record in the log is "the first fruit of the Three-Domain Tree": on that day, all beings "put down what they were doing" and gathered under the tree "waiting for the first fruit to fall." When the sharp-edged fruit hit the soft mat with a "dull thud," everyone's laughter "shaken down half a tree of light silk flowers," and that instantaneous energy fluctuation was "permanently saved by the algorithm" as a "baseline for symbiotic harmony." On the blank page, the new runes drew "a 'symbiotic diagram of the tree and the settlement'": the Three-Domain Tree's roots are embedded in every corner of the settlement, its branches extend to the roof of every household, and its fruit falls into everyone's palm, like a "tree embracing the home."
After the stardust rain stopped that day, a fine crack appeared on the trunk of the Three-Domain Tree. From the crack seeped resin imbued with the energy of the Three Realms. Upon landing, the resin spontaneously shaped itself into miniature Three-Domain Tree models—each model Xiao Gang to fit in the palm of a different being: the sharp edge of the Star Cluster palm could grip the model's metal branches; the light specks of Cloud Fluff could envelop the model's transparent crystals; and the spiraling palm of the Root Network could coil around the model's Symbiosis Mark vines.
"These are 'tokens' given to us by the tree." Luoyu picked up a model and discovered that "hidden within its growth rings were sketches she had drawn"—it turned out that the Three-Domain Tree had already "etched every everyday moment into its life." The elder of the Star Cluster "embedded the model into his light-blade armor," the light-spotted child of Cloud Fluff "hung the model between his light-silk hair," and the Courage Bud of the Root Network "clung to the model and crawled into the Symbiosis Mark vines," as if "exchanging secrets with the tree."
As all beings grasped the model, the canopy of the Three-Domain Tree suddenly "stretched towards the sky," the fruits among the branches "exploded simultaneously," and countless tiny seeds "carrying the Three-Domain Mark" drifted "towards the void" along the trajectory of the stardust rain—some landed in new settlements in the Neutral Realm, some flew towards "the territories of allies on the Covenant Chain," and the farthest seed even "flew towards the direction of the Star Map Stele."
"It is the tree that is saying, 'Let the image of home be taken to a more distant place.'" The transparent tree of the seeds collected the seed's trajectory into the Memory Light Stone, which "overlapped" with the annual rings of the Three-Domain Tree. Inside the Memory Light Stone, each seed's trajectory is marked with "daily fragments of the settlement": the arc of cutting fruit, the cushioning of weaving clothes, the tacit understanding of passing food... like scattering "seeds of daily life" to every corner of the universe.
The Boundless Wind, carrying the seeds of the Three-Domain Tree, pierced through the Covenant Chain in the void, blowing towards "all places where homes can grow." The wind carried the tree's blessings, the warmth of the settlements, and the cosmic Root Language etched into the core of the Three-Domain Tree:
"Eternity is not about remaining unchanged, but about growing like this tree, bearing the marks of all existence; daily life is not about repetitive cycles, but about planting every ordinary moment into the rings of time, growing into the shape of the future. Our home will spread along the trajectory of the seeds, letting every corner know: the true meaning of symbiosis is 'growing together and remembering each other.'"
Meanwhile, the Three-Domain Tree continues to "thicken its annual rings," new fruits "cover its branches," and fallen seeds "sprout into seedlings around the settlement." The beings of the settlement, holding the "tree's tokens," continue their daily lives of "cutting fruit, weaving clothes, and sharing food," only the light in their eyes "grows brighter and brighter"—because they know that every action they take is "adding new rings" to the symbiotic story of the universe.
The symbiotic settlements of the Root Network Sea of Stars "slowly grow" under the protection of the Three-Domain Tree, like the rings of a tree, each ring embracing all differences, and each ring spreading warmth "towards even more distant places".
Just like the painting on the latest page of Luoyu's "Three-Domain Star Chart Chronicle": countless seedlings of the Three-Domain Tree grow in the void, and the shadows of the seedlings "form a huge net". At the center of the net is the "original settlement", and on the leaves of each seedling, there is "the same word" - home.
The wind continues to blow, the trees continue to grow, the seeds continue to drift, and the symbiotic story of the roots, the Root Network Sea of Stars, grows with each passing year, moving towards the most vast and warmest eternity in the universe.