Bai Yi was mildly astonished. "A subsidiary tree of the World Tree possesses such wondrous effects?"
"It does." Yang Kai sighed with emotion. "Back when I planted that root, I only wanted to preserve my homeland. I never imagined it would lead to this — in fact, it nearly sparked an entire upheaval."
The subsidiary tree of the World Tree provided a nourishing force to its host Great World far beyond what anyone could have imagined, benefiting all the living beings within it. That was precisely why the Star Boundary had produced such a flood of talent in recent years — prodigies who might appear only once in a century or even a millennium in other worlds were now a common sight here.
If a subsidiary tree could benefit a Great World so enormously, what would happen if one were planted inside a cultivator's Small Universe? After all, a cultivator's Small Universe was fundamentally a world in its own right.
Many had speculated that doing so would yield tremendous rewards.
The foreign envoys stationed in the Star Boundary on behalf of the various Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands had attempted exactly that — using their techniques to sever a segment of root from the Star Boundary's subsidiary tree and plant it within their own Small Universes.
Without exception, every root they planted failed to survive.
From this, those envoys had deduced that only a root taken directly from the Mother Tree could grow into a subsidiary tree. A root taken from a subsidiary tree, however, could not take root and live.
The subsidiary tree before them now had clearly grown to maturity, which meant without a doubt that the former owner of this Secret Realm had, just as Yang Kai had done, severed a root from the Mother Tree of the World Tree.
The difference was that Yang Kai had planted his root in the Star Boundary, while this person had planted theirs inside their own Small Universe.
Bai Yi lifted her gaze upward and murmured, "If this is truly a subsidiary tree of the World Tree, then the fruit growing on it — wouldn't that be World Fruit?"
This subsidiary tree had been alive for so long that its true age was beyond verification. Spiritual fruits hung from every branch in such profusion that the sight was dazzling — a dazzling array as far as the eye could see, too many to count.
It was much the same as the scene Yang Kai had witnessed before the Mother Tree of the World Tree in the Void Great Ruins.
Whether a subsidiary tree could actually bear World Fruit had long been a question that troubled the Open Heaven realm masters of the various Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands. Many believed it could, but when it might actually produce fruit remained unknown.
Yang Kai had harbored similar hopes for the Star Boundary's own World Tree, but unfortunately it had been planted too recently — there had been no signs of fruiting whatsoever.
Now, within this Secret Realm, that question had at last been answered.
A subsidiary tree could indeed bear World Fruit, and in considerable quantities at that.
"It is World Fruit!" Yang Kai nodded. "However… it seems somewhat different from ordinary World Fruit."
Bai Yi asked curiously, "Different how?"
Yang Kai shook his head. He couldn't quite articulate it, but under his careful observation, the World Fruit on this tree did appear distinct from what he had seen in the Void Great Ruins. The most obvious difference was that they were somewhat smaller in size.
"This discovery is far too important, Junior Sister. Stay here while I go out and report to Garrison Commander Zha. I'll have him send additional manpower." Yang Kai gave his instructions.
"Understood." Bai Yi nodded.
Yang Kai's figure flickered, and under the command of the Space Laws, he vanished in an instant.
A few spatial leaps carried him to the entrance of the Secret Realm, and he burst through alone.
Aboard the Dawn, Zha Hu stood at the bow, keeping watch in all directions against any potential Ink Clan assault. Fortunately, after the decisive battle that had taken place in this region, the Ink Clan seemed to have abandoned it entirely — not a single Ink creature had been spotted since.
The moment Yang Kai appeared, Zha Hu turned his head sharply toward him.
As Yang Kai drew near, Zha Hu frowned. "What happened?"
Seeing Yang Kai return alone with no sign of Bai Yi, he had assumed the two had encountered some danger inside.
"Sir, this Disciple and Junior Sister Bai discovered something within the Secret Realm." Yang Kai cupped his fists and related all of his findings.
Zha Hu's expression brightened at the news. "A subsidiary tree of the World Tree? You're certain?"
Yang Kai replied, "My homeland has one such subsidiary tree, so I can recognize it. In addition, the herb garden contains a vast number of medicinal plants — many of them extraordinarily rare. There are numerous species I cannot even identify, and I didn't dare harvest any recklessly. It will require your personal judgment, sir."
Zha Hu nodded. "In that case, I should indeed make the trip."
As he spoke, he also selected two exploration squads that had just returned to accompany them. With so many herbs in the garden and a World Tree to boot, a small group would take far too long to harvest everything — more hands could only be a benefit.
A large party filed through the portal and poured into the Secret Realm.
There was no need to explore along the way — they headed straight for the herb garden, arriving in roughly the time it took to finish a cup of tea.
Bai Yi stepped forward to greet them, but Zha Hu waved her off, his gaze immediately drawn to the subsidiary tree of the World Tree.
The two squads that had followed let out a string of astonished cries. They had each explored their own Secret Realms and obtained some findings of their own, but never had they witnessed anything as breathtaking as this.