The black mist continued to condense.
It grew darker and more concentrated until it formed a small, dense sphere of negative emotions, swirling with malevolent energy.
Aksai’s conduct inside the Everwood Farm had been relatively modest. It wasn’t like the corrupted druid inside his Devil’s Den, where despair was a daily occurrence for those trapped.
However, Aksai had conducted many human experiments inside the farm over the years. After the creation of the Sentient Scarecrows, the production of negative emotions increased significantly. This was because his AI-enhanced Smart Puppets had fragmented consciousnesses inside them.
A part of these fragmented souls was completely loyal to Aksai. However, they were still fragmented consciousnesses. The ones not tamed by Aksai’s subroutine neural link fabric produced abundant negative emotions—so much so that the combination of Everwood Farm and the Demon Tree started acting like the Devil’s Den on their own.
Who wouldn’t feel despair after being employed by someone after death? Who wouldn’t curse their fate when they found out there was nothing they could do to end their misery? Who wouldn’t feel resentful when they realized there was no way to escape their eternal slavery?
The Demon Tree hadn’t developed a sentient consciousness yet. It didn’t truly know what its master wanted. Plus, Aksai hadn’t given the tree any preventive suggestions either.
As a result, the Demon Tree acted on instinct and started cultivating negative emotions for Aksai. However, since Aksai didn’t use these negative emotions to aid his cultivation, the tree could only continue accumulating them without any suitable channel to vent those emotions.
Even after becoming aware of these negative emotions, Aksai treated them like a powder keg that could explode at any moment. He had no intention of carelessly implementing something without knowing the whole truth.
So, Aksai watched silently as Yelia extracted the ball of negative emotions from the Demon Tree. He didn’t want to come anywhere near it, fearing that the Demon Tree’s connection with him might cause the ball of negative emotions to be drawn toward him—a suspicion he had correctly guessed even without Yelia’s preemptive warnings.
Aksai could feel the weight of it, the sheer intensity of the hatred, fear, and despair trapped within. It was as if all the darkness the Demon Tree had absorbed over the years was now gathered in this single, seething mass.
With a final, decisive motion, Yelia sealed the sphere within a glowing rune that materialized in the air before her. The rune shimmered with a soft, golden light, its edges pulsing gently as it contained the dark energy within.
The moment the seal was complete, the shaking of the Demon Tree ceased, and the oppressive atmosphere lifted, leaving behind a sense of calm and quiet.
Yelia opened her eyes and lowered her hand, the rune still hovering in the air before her. She turned to Aksai, her expression serious but with a hint of satisfaction. “It’s done,” she said simply. “The negative emotions are sealed away, and the Demon Tree will no longer pose a threat to you, my lord.”
Aksai let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. The tension drained from his body, replaced by a deep sense of relief. “Thank you,” he said, his voice filled with gratitude. “I had no idea… I don’t know what I would have done without your help.”
With Yelia’s help, Aksai carefully stored the rune containing the condensed negative emotions in a special talisman. He then placed the talisman inside a wooden case, its surface engraved with intricate Essence Equation patterns for added protection.
He sealed the case with a practiced hand, applying multiple sealing-type talismans over it, each one glowing briefly before dimming, locking the dark energy inside.
It was just that these Essence Equation runes weren’t capable enough to isolate something on the level of negative emotions. Yelia’s sealing techniques were much stronger and more effective.
In short, Aksai didn’t need to take extra precaution. However, the paranoid Spirit farmer in him took every safe step he could think of to avoid accidentally triggering a grenade he was carrying.
“There,” Aksai said, stepping back and observing his work. “I’ll keep this for later, when I’m more prepared and have a better understanding of how to handle it.”
Yelia nodded approvingly, watching as he stowed the sealed case away. “A wise decision. It’s better to deal with these things when you’re ready.”
Aksai sighed, a hint of regret in his voice. “I just wish I could use that intent-based cultivation technique to speed up my progress. But the risks… they’re too high, especially now that I know more about what’s involved.”
Yelia gave him a thoughtful look and then patted the trunk of the Demon Tree in a suggestive way. “Who says you can’t, my lord?”
Aksai raised an eyebrow, intrigued but cautious. “I’m not keen on becoming a demonic cultivator, Yelia.”
She shook her head, a slight smile playing on her lips. “You don’t have to. There’s another way you can use the Demon Tree without falling into the pitfalls of demonic cultivation.”
Aksai’s curiosity was piqued, but he still harbored doubts. “You’re not saying I have to use that corrupted druid’s cultivation technique, are you? I’m not interested in risking my soul like that.”
“No, not at all,” Yelia replied, her tone reassuring. “You can harness emotions to enhance your cultivation without relying on that technique. It’s possible to do so while continuing with your existing cultivation method.”
Aksai was surprised and a little skeptical. “And there wouldn’t be any dangers? No hidden costs?”
Aksai didn’t understand intent-based cultivation much. However, he was aware of the fundamental principle that the world runs on– equivalent exchange. There would be no success without an equal amount of hard work and risk. This rule hardly had any exceptions.
Yelia shook her head again. “There’s no danger in this method. However, you should know that it won’t be as effective as the corrupted druid’s intent-based cultivation technique, given your current situation.”
Aksai thought for a moment, weighing his options. He actually felt relieved that the way Yelia proposed was less effective than the corrupted druid’s technique. That way, he could feel safe that there were no hidden dangers.
He wasn’t looking for shortcuts that might compromise his future, but if there was a safer way to speed up his progress, he was interested. “I don’t mind that. Now quickly tell me… How do I do it?”
Yelia explained. “I can alter the Demon Tree’s behavior. Instead of harvesting negative emotions, I can have it focus on positive ones.
These would include the feelings of growth, nourishment, satiation, and other emotions linked to farming and cultivation. What’s more, the sources of these emotions wouldn’t be living beings or creatures, but rather the trees, plants, and fauna within the Everwood Farm.”
Aksai’s eyes widened in surprise. He had heard that plants had emotions even though they didn’t have the capabilities to overtly express them.
He had first thought of harvesting the emotions of other rental farmers on Emerald Cove. However, he had really forgotten about the plants.
“You can really do that? Shift the focus from negative to positive emotions?”
Yelia nodded confidently. “Yes. By doing this, the Demon Tree would still aid your cultivation, but in a way that would be compatible with your druid bloodline. There would be no risk of negative emotions creating a Demon Seed within your soul.”
Aksai was silent for a moment, contemplating the possibilities. The idea of using the Demon Tree in a more harmonious way, one that resonated with the natural life around him rather than feeding off despair and fear, appealed to him greatly. It felt right, like a path he could walk without compromising who he was.
“Let’s do it,” he said finally, determination in his voice. “I’m ready.”
Yelia smiled, sensing his resolve. “Very well. I’ll begin the adjustments. It will take some time, but once it’s done, the Demon Tree will become a powerful ally in your cultivation.”
Aksai watched as Yelia placed her hand on the trunk of the Demon Tree again, her expression serene as she closed her eyes. A faint, golden glow began to emanate from her hand, spreading slowly over the tree’s bark. As the glow intensified, Aksai could feel a shift in the air around him, as if the very essence of the Demon Tree was being rewritten.
Minutes passed, and Aksai waited patiently.
When Yelia finally opened her eyes, the golden glow faded. She turned to Aksai, her expression calm but satisfied.
“It’s done,” she said softly. “The Demon Tree will now cultivate the positive emotions of the plants and trees within the farm. You’ll be able to harness these emotions to enhance your cultivation. Now I just need to alter your bond with the Demon Tree.”
Yelia had made changes in the Demon Tree to harvest the emotions it received from the plants and trees inside the Everwood farm. However, she still needed to make Aksai capable enough to receive them.
“My lord, ordinary people aren’t capable of using the intent-based cultivation techniques. One needs special cultivation techniques or special Physiques to walk on this path. However, there’s a shortcut,” Yelia smiled knowingly as she looked at Aksai.
“What is it?” Aksai asked, not sure what Yelia was hinting at.
“A divine artifact containing God Spark,” she said plainly.
It took a while for Aksai to understand what she was talking about.
“Divine artifact? God Spark? Don’t tell me… Myriad Worlds Painting is a divine artifact?”
Aksai felt like a bomb had been detonated inside his mind.