The Witcher: Start with the Lord Marrying a Wife.

Chapter 574 Awakening of Life
He knew that this path would not be easy. Synchronizing with the will of the World Tree meant taking on more responsibility and facing more unknown challenges. But only in this way could they reverse the destruction agreement and bring true dawn to the elemental world.

The profound illusions gradually consumed David's consciousness, and the tragic scene of Frostwolf Keep was like a cold, sharp blade, repeatedly cutting into his heart.

Bloodshed, smoke, and his parents' heart-wrenching cries intertwined to create a haunting nightmare that he could hardly escape.

The spiritual bridge was crumbling, and he was almost torn to pieces by revenge and sorrow.

Just then, a faint yet clear green aura, like spring water, quietly emanated from the life-giving roots surrounding Liliana.

The air is filled with the fresh scent of earth and moss, and a touch of moisture drifts through the gaps in the leaves, as gentle and refreshing as morning dew.

The greenery is silent, yet it is like an invisible hand soothing this barren wasteland of the soul, long closed off by pain.

Liliana remained standing quietly, her eyes serene and focused, her face glowing with a faint light, as if she were completely immersed in the earth's mysteries flowing deep within this labyrinth of roots.

She inadvertently brought her palm close to a thick aerial root, and the emerald green veins seemed to awaken and pulsate, causing the pure elemental essence flowing within to vibrate slightly.

This breath of life slowly seeped into the ocean of illusion that enveloped David, allowing him to grasp a long-lost and precious glimmer of fresh inspiration amidst the turbulent waves of emotion.

"Don't resist it..." These seemingly insignificant words resonated on the edge of my mind, yet remained elusive and difficult to grasp. It was the most essential and purest rhythm of information from nature, as natural as the rustling of leaves in the wind.
"Acknowledge your pain, and acknowledge that it is part of your power cycle."

Tears welled up in David's eyes, tears he hadn't noticed for a long time. He didn't struggle or resist the surging emotions in his mind. Instead, he tried to accept the brokenness and burning of his heart as he would accept a leaf falling in the wind.

He slowly reached out and touched the void, and the illusions began to change gently: the bloodstains dimmed slightly, and the smoke carried a damp, earthy smell, like spring rain nourishing the earth.

"Inclusion and circulation..." he murmured to himself, "Perhaps... this is the true gateway to the depths of power."

The green gradually transformed into warm ripples, spreading out at the edge of his consciousness, like ripples spreading across a silent river surface stirred by a gentle breeze.

This subtle yet powerful sensation dispels some of the shadows, allowing the negative emotions that have accumulated deep in the soul for years and refused to disappear, like vicious shackles, to crack, like cracks appearing in dry land. But it is in these cracks that new shoots can peek out and embrace the sunlight.

"You must understand"—that invisible and vast flow of information descended upon my mind once more, devoid of any emotional coloring: "Life is by no means isolated or detached, but rather continues and sublimates in constant cycles of change."

Your anger and sorrow are not enemies, but rather an important part of the power that drives your awakening. Once you learn to integrate them into natural resonance, they will become an aid rather than a shackle.

David's eyes were half-closed, and he felt a tiny, exquisite, and complex crack, unlike anything he had ever seen before, spreading from the inside out across his mental barrier.

This crack is not a collapse, but a reshaping, a necessary process before the old self is broken and reborn.

He absorbed that refreshing greenery, gradually transforming his inner struggles into a new source of strength that is both harmonious and resilient.

Just as the World Tree is intertwined yet interdependent, he began to learn to accept all the pain from his past and prepared to use this tolerance to drive changes in his future destiny.

Liliana, standing beside him, remained silent, offering her gaze in quiet companionship. This companionship was like a warm ray of dawn, illuminating every thorny step on David's path to a new life.

You could see relief on her face, but even more so caution, because everyone knew that this was just the beginning of a long trial, and even more difficult challenges awaited them as they faced each other together.

The air returned to stillness, but now every breath was full of rhythm.
The small branches surrounding the area no longer swayed; they gently swayed as if in resonance and praise.

The elemental spirits also ceased their defensive actions and began to surround and protect the area in a gentler and more humble manner.

The cold wind gradually subsided, and the air was filled with the fragrance of earth and leaves, an ancient and profound life force that lingered around the core area of ​​the projection.

David stood beneath the dome of intertwined roots, his fingertips gently guiding the flow of the breeze, his palms gathering crystal-clear dew, as if everything was merging with the purest rhythm of nature.

However, this calm lasted only a moment.

Deep within the projection's core, a low, resonant vibration suddenly emanated from the roots, as slow yet intense as that of an ancient behemoth awakening.

The vibration spread outwards, filling the surrounding air with unease and tension.

David frowned. He sensed that the power came not only from biological instinct, but also from the awakening of an ancient trial will.

He slowly turned his head to look at the center of the projection core, where he saw a faint green light flickering among the dense roots, gradually condensing into shape.

“This…is a new ‘response’ from the World Tree’s will?” he murmured to himself.

As the green light gradually brightened, a giant emerald vine python slowly leaped out from between its roots.

This snake was tens of feet long, and its body was covered with countless fine vines, with every inch of its skin radiating a vibrant green glow.

It is not a physical entity, but a semi-transparent energy body constructed from pure wood-elemental energy and intense life force. Its form hovers in the air, majestic and mysterious like a living embodiment of the earth.

The vine python's pupils were as bright and cold as flowing emeralds, its gaze seemingly able to pierce through the void and look straight into the depths of the soul, sending chills down one's spine.

It moved silently and meandered forward, each sway of its tail creating gusts of wind that made the surrounding branches and leaves crackle.

The atmosphere in the space suddenly became stagnant and oppressive. Even the damp earthy scent in the air was masked by a cold, deadly poison, making it difficult to breathe.

David's expression was grave; he knew this was no ordinary trial, but a true survival challenge.

The World Tree's will, in the form of a physical guardian, warns him: communication is only the beginning; the more rigorous tests are yet to come!

"I must remain calm..." he murmured, while slightly opening his palms to hold the dewdrops tightly in his hands, to defend against any attacks that might come next. He felt the elemental spirits around him becoming increasingly alert; their light, fluttering figures coalesced into a protective barrier, weaving a faintly glowing protective net around him.

The Emerald Vine Python suddenly raised its head, and a thick, corrosive, green, highly toxic mist spewed from its mouth.

The poisonous gas spread rapidly, engulfing everything in its path like a fog, while simultaneously corroding all life force and spiritual power it touched, plunging the space into a suffocating and oppressive atmosphere.

“This deadly poison…is not an ordinary element!” Liliana frowned. She quickly used the ancient incantation on the rune scroll, placing her palm close to her chest to activate a protective barrier to shield David from the harmful attack.

Her eyes were firm yet tinged with worry. "This guardian is not only powerful, but it also possesses extremely strong regenerative capabilities and environmental transformation power."

The emerald green serpent coiled and slithered in the projection area, its winding and intertwined body occasionally extending slender vines. These vines were as agile and swift as living creatures, and each swing seemed to contain a deadly trap.

Once it touches its prey, it quickly tightens its grip, binding the target tightly like an iron chain, while simultaneously injecting a potent poison to paralyze its ability to move, plunging the enemy into an abyss of no return.

David's eyes were sharp. He kept adjusting his breathing, focusing all his attention on controlling the elemental spirits to fight back.

He guided the gentle breeze with his fingertips, allowing it to glide silently across the snake's surface. The dewdrops gathered into crystalline ice beads, which he then shot towards the jade snake, hoping to disrupt its regeneration rhythm.

However, this energy body guard reacted extremely quickly, constantly changing its posture to move and evade, making attacks difficult to achieve.

As the battle progressed, the massive energy body exhibited an astonishing rate of regeneration—

Almost any part that is attacked or damaged is instantly healed and restored, as if it possesses the most essential and tenacious immortality of nature's vitality.

This led to a stalemate in the battle, and completely transformed what was originally a trial that only required communication and exchange into a fierce struggle for survival!
The plants in the illusion also responded to the will of the Emerald Python, with countless new shoots suddenly bursting out from the cracks. They were as sharp as needles and attacked David from all directions.

These plants possess a weak but rapid damaging ability, forming a sinister synergy with the menacing serpent, together constructing layers of encirclement, making escape from the battlefield almost a pipe dream.

"We must not let it sever our connection!" David reminded himself silently, focusing intently on directing the elemental spirits to form a water curtain covering his entire body, thereby diluting the corrosive poison, and using the breeze to control the flow of the mist to create cover.

But every move he makes carries extremely high risks; the slightest mistake could result in him being entangled and killed or becoming paralyzed by a deadly toxin!
Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but he gritted his teeth and persevered, striking the ground with his staff to summon a larger fluctuation of wood elemental energy, hoping to use the power contained within his roots to help fight the enemy.

Green patterns instantly flashed and circled the staff, resonating with the lush vegetation sleeping underground and creating an even stronger ripple effect, providing additional support and enhancing its recovery speed to resist the opponent's attacks.

Faced with the opponent's fierce offensive and the astonishingly vibrant resurgence of threat, his face showed no fear, only determination, composure, and a growing respect and awe for the laws of nature that stemmed from his increasingly profound understanding of them.

This enormous jade vine python is no simple adversary, but rather a part of the World Tree's own rigorous test of the warrior's mind and endurance. It is a trial and advancement form, an indispensable hurdle on the path to a higher realm!

As time passed, each clash was accompanied by earth-shaking tremors, atmospheric surges, and rustling of leaves. Within this vast green projection space, a magnificent picture unfolded, a fusion and resonance of primal life conflicts and intellectual contests, leaving every viewer in awe of the infinite wonders of nature!

Despite the immense pressure, he felt an extraordinary sense of peace, for those painful illusions had already forged his resilience.

The torrent of information from the World Tree also made him realize that only by following the cycle and respecting the coexistence of all things can the true source of power be found!
That is why, even when facing such a formidable enemy, he was still able to maintain clear thinking and unwavering determination to forge ahead!

Suddenly, a slender, emerald-green vine shot out, like a predator's blade slicing through the air, aiming straight for the vital spot!
At the critical moment, David swiftly flashed and released the clear spring water droplets that had been accumulating in his palm. The clear droplets instantly transformed into a transparent barrier, blocking the fierce attack.

In an instant, two elements of completely different natures collided violently, bursting out dazzling sparks, but thanks to continuous adjustments and precise timing, they successfully avoided a devastating blow!
"It's not over yet..." he growled, his muscles tensing as he prepared for the next charge.

Meanwhile, the enormous dragon-shaped creature, dimly glowing yet ethereal and undeniably real, continued to coil, leap, and embrace this challenging and magnificent natural stage, never faltering in the slightest...

Inside the projection core, the air was still shrouded in a layer of eerie green light, and the scent of earth was gradually being permeated by a corrosive, sour stench.

David felt the surrounding environment suddenly turn cold, and the wind carried the smell of decaying leaves, making it sting to breathe.

He gripped his staff tightly, his eyes deep and unfathomable, showing no fear whatsoever, yet the heaviness between his brows was undeniable.

The Emerald Vine Python coiled like a ghost in the forest, its massive energy body radiating a suffocating pressure.

Suddenly, it abruptly contracted its neck and sprayed out several jets of gleaming, emerald-green, highly toxic liquid at an extremely rapid speed.

The venom triggered a violent reaction the moment it hit the ground—the corroded soil suddenly billowed up thick smoke, which had a strong acidic smell and spread like a dense fog.

David frowned; he could almost feel each breath like a sharp blade slicing through his throat.

He could no longer ignore the immense physical and mental strain this harsh environment placed on him.

The corrosive fumes in the air were like an invisible poison net, constantly eroding his nerves and will.

To make matters worse, the enormous emerald vine python took the opportunity to spew out several emerald green seeds.

These seeds swelled and grew rapidly after landing, bursting out of the grayish-brown soil in an instant. Thorns covered with sharp points, dense and intricate branches quickly grew, instantly enveloping David in a large, rapidly spreading, exceptionally tough, and highly poisonous thorn cage.

His chest heaved violently, his heart pounding like a drum. In this cramped space, every movement felt exceptionally heavy and anxious.

However, he did not back down; instead, his gaze sharpened, and a calm and resolute spirit coalesced into an iron will deep within his pupils.

"I can't let it control the rhythm," he reminded himself silently, while slightly raising his left hand to summon the ice elemental spirit.

The cold moisture condensed into thin ice that wrapped around the wrist, and with the help of a gentle breeze, slowly formed several sharp ice blades.

(End of this chapter)