Chapter 761: Cocoon of the Sacred Tree

After crossing the Sea of Soul Bell Trees, they officially entered the range of the Elven Sacred Tree.

This giant tree, hundreds of meters tall, had developed roots and sturdy branches. Its entangled roots stretched for over ten kilometers, drawing all energy from the Elven Forest to sustain the forest’s entire ecosystem.

Every Silvermoon Elf, after death, would be buried beside the Sacred Tree’s roots, returning their body to nature, becoming part of the forest’s cycle of life.

Rhea walked at the front, gazing into the distance, and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, ahead is the barrier of the Sacred Tree."

A semi-transparent light film appeared before the coalition forces, radiating strong magical fluctuations.

The Sacred Tree barrier, centered on the Sacred Tree and extending for several miles, was a magical shield that could twist space and block unauthorized intruders.

Trespassers would fall into a cycle of illusions; only those with elven blood could pass normally.

"Let’s go."

Catherine nodded, extended her scepter, and silver light spread out, instantly opening the light curtain before them.

The dense Sacred Tree roots on the ground retreated to both sides at a visible speed, creating a wide road, as if welcoming the queen’s return.

However, at that moment, accompanied by tremors in the ground, roots burst from the earth like long whips, lashing toward Catherine.

"Your Majesty, look out!"

Rhea stepped forward, silver sword in hand, blocking Catherine.

Several dazzling lights flashed, and the roots were instantly severed, red blood flowing from the cuts like the limbs of a living creature.

The severed branches writhed and struggled like giant snakes whose bodies had been chopped off, splattering blood everywhere.

"Those are the roots of the Sacred Tree?"

"By the Mother Goddess."

"How is this possible? The Sacred Tree is supposed to be the purest and kindest life in the world. How could it attack us!"

The Silvermoon Elves were shocked and began to chatter in panic.

The Elven Sacred Tree was the birthplace of Serenia, a holy site they considered inviolable. How could such strange things appear?

Catherine, however, remained calm. Ignoring the guards’ obstruction, she stepped forward to examine closely and muttered, "These roots have been tainted by some chaotic, evil power. I didn’t expect... they wouldn’t even spare the Sacred Tree."

Rhea also frowned, her expression grave. "If even the outer areas of the root zone have this, then the corruption in the spirit vein core must be far worse."

She looked at Catherine seriously. "Your Majesty, it’s too dangerous ahead. Please stay here for now. I will lead an elite force to scout ahead, clear the way for you, and ensure it’s safe—"

"No, Rhea."

Catherine shook her head, speaking firmly. "I will go with you. No matter what danger lies ahead, I will not fear it."

"I was born in the Crown of the Sky, baptized in the Sacred Tree’s Spirit Pool. The blood of the King of Serenia runs through my veins. Protecting the Sacred Tree is my life’s duty. I am willing to give my life for it."

"Your Majesty Catherine—"

"I will follow you to the royal court and save the Sacred Tree!"

Tears shimmered in the eyes of the Silvermoon Elves.

At that moment, the ancient gold dragon Titus stepped forward, standing beside the Elven Queen, and said loudly, "Your Majesty Catherine, you are not only backed by the Silvermoon Elves."

"Humans, dwarves, angels, metallic dragons—every being who seeks kindness and justice will stand behind you, forming an unstoppable, mighty force."

The gold dragon raised his head high, his whiskers drifting gently, and his broad wings suddenly spread wide, shining in the sunlight with a metallic luster.

"Justice forever!"

Instantly, soldiers of many races present were moved, raising their arms and shouting, their morale soaring.

"My thanks again, Lord Titus." Looking at the high-spirited coalition, Catherine nodded slightly, feeling even more confident.

The ancient gold dragon smiled warmly and wisely. "General Rhea has long told me you are a noble and just ruler with great vision. Now I see she was right. You have not disappointed me."

"I will spare no effort to help and support you until Serenia drives away the darkness and returns to the light."

Nearby, the half-elf paladin also bowed to the ancient gold dragon, gratitude on her beautiful face.

Even Rhea hadn’t expected the ancient gold dragon to go this far, even bringing a large force of reinforcements.

Gold dragons and angels flew in the sky, while a mixed army of elves, dwarves, and humans advanced on land, following the path Catherine had opened, moving ever closer to the Sacred Tree’s core.

In the distance, the Sacred Tree appeared slightly blurred, as though covered in a hazy, mottled halo.

Just then, the elf scout at the front cried out in shock, "Look! What’s hanging from the Sacred Tree!"

Everyone looked toward the Sacred Tree, only to see shadowy shapes beneath the canopy, as if suspended from the branches by some kind of thread.

"What is that?"

Catherine frowned, a sense of unease rising in her heart.

"This feeling..."

Rhea began to suspect something bad. She caught the faint scent of blood in the air—its source was the distant Sacred Tree.

The mages from the City of Ten Thousand Spells raised their staves, chanting spells, and a clear magical image appeared before everyone.

Cocoons.

Each shadow was a huge cocoon wrapped in spider silk, countless in number—over a thousand—hanging upside down.

All were torn open, stained red with blood, each holding the corpse of an elf inside.

Their deaths were horrific, faces twisted in pain, mouths and noses violently torn open, with small blood-covered spiders crawling out of their remains.

The crowd gasped sharply; even the battle-hardened Rhea’s face changed, her pupils dilating.

"Gods!"

"By Sha’hani!"

"What kind of fiend could do this! To commit such slaughter in this sacred place!"

"I... I know him! That was my friend! He was murdered so cruelly!"

Seeing the carnage, the Silvermoon Elves were overcome with grief and rage. Some even vomited on the spot.

To them, the Sacred Tree was a holy place, the cradle of life, the most yearned-for site of all.

They could never reconcile the Sacred Tree with the bloody, nauseating scene before them.

Even the ancient gold dragon lowered his head, silently mourning the dead elves, then sighed. "Truly vile... Even Tiamat, as evil as she is, would not do this to metallic dragons."

"Your Majesty Catherine, your enemies are even more depraved and shameless than I imagined."

Catherine clutched her chest in grief at the slaughter of her people.

But soon, her pupils refocused, and her gaze sharpened. "Unforgivable villains—I will make them pay for their crimes!"

"Wait—look at the surface of the Sacred Tree!"

A sharp-eyed human hunter suddenly shouted.

The Sacred Tree’s surface seemed to ripple, and on closer inspection, it was swarming—covered with spiders like a living tide.

There were so many spiders they almost covered the entire tree trunk, their crimson compound eyes glinting with eerie light.

"Spiders!"

"Gods... vile creatures!"

People cried out in disgust; even the normally hearty, fearless dwarves frowned, showing revulsion and even fear.

"Sacrifices."

Catherine’s voice was cold. "The elders used our people as sacrifices to the abyssal evil god, summoning this horde of revolting monsters."

At that moment, with her extraordinary senses, Rhea detected something. "Your Majesty, the ground is shaking."

In the distance, black tide-like masses emerged from between the roots.

The "tide" spread at visible speed, blocking out the sun and covering the exposed roots—it wasn’t water, it was spiders.

Under countless shocked and terrified gazes, the spiders surged like a massive wave, rushing toward the coalition as if to engulf them all.

Catherine raised her scepter and shouted, "Attack with all your might! Do not fear—they’re nothing but fragile insects!"

The Elven Queen’s scepter burst with countless silver beams, falling like divine judgment into the spider horde, instantly turning swathes of them into black smoke.

"Attack!"

Silvermoon Elves drew longbows, firing oil-tipped arrows like rain, piercing and igniting the spiders.

Mages of the Arcane Hermitage raised their staves, the crystals atop them glowing brightly, releasing a thick pillar of fire.

"Sunburst!"

The pillar swept across the ground, reducing spiders to ash.

Other mages summoned dense black clouds, bringing down lightning bolts that left only arcs of electricity and charred remains.

"Foul creatures, witness the wrath of justice!"

The ancient gold dragon roared to the sky, flapping his wings, soaring up, then diving with a blast of fiery light from his throat.

"Boom—"

With an explosive roar, a blazing sea of fire engulfed countless spiders, reducing them to ash.

Flames shot skyward, reflected in everyone’s eyes.

They exclaimed, "Truly the Wing of Dawn! Truly a mighty ancient gold dragon! Those vile insects are nothing before him!"

Rhea still stood by Catherine, not moving, only keeping watch on the Sacred Tree.

"Your Majesty, these spiders are numerous but weak. They’re just a distraction to draw our attention."

In the next instant, countless animated roots burst from the ground, rushing toward Catherine.

"Quick!"

"Protect Her Majesty!"

Several Silvermoon followers stepped forward, shields raised, forming a wall before Catherine.

Rhea swung her silver sword, sending a light blade dozens of meters long to sever the roots cleanly.

"Careful!"

Melisandre warned.

With a sharp whistle, venomous needles sliced through the air, aimed at the half-elf paladin’s vital points.

Rhea’s eyes sharpened; she spun and swung her sword, the blade flashing, deflecting the needles midair.

She looked toward their source.

From the spider tide emerged a half-man, half-spider creature, its long, sharp legs covered in dense bristles.

The half-spider tilted its head, a cracked face curling into a strange smile, eyes glowing faintly.

"That is..."

Seeing the familiar face, Rhea’s pupils contracted. "Former Captain of the Third Squad of the Holy Court’s Blades, Ophion Hayes?"

"He was turned into a monster!"

The half-spider leapt, spearing several Silvermoon Elves through from head to toe, then spat venom that corroded a dwarf’s armor and head to pulp.

"Damnable beast!"

Rhea’s body shot forward like an arrow toward the half-spider.

The half-spider grinned hideously, its stinger lancing toward Rhea, but she rolled midair, dodging easily.

It stabbed with its sharp legs like a storm, each thrust aimed at vital points, flowing smoothly like a swordmaster.

But Rhea calmly parried with her silver sword, severing its legs.

Then she swung again, sending a dusk-hued blade imbued with holy power.

"Supreme Holy Slash!"

With a swish, the half-spider was cleaved in two, its elf upper body and spider lower body separating, the grin frozen on its face.

"Rhea..."

Ophion Hayes had once been her instructor, from whom she’d learned much of her swordsmanship.

But now, the respected captain had fallen into monstrosity, slaughtering his kin mercilessly.

In his black eyes, she saw a fleeting moment of pain, struggle, and rage.

"Rest now. You shouldn’t remain in this world in such a form," Rhea whispered.

With a decisive stroke, she severed the half-spider’s head. It rolled to the ground, eyes open in death, with what looked like a tear at the corner.

She took one last glance at the fallen figure, then turned away, tightening her grip on the silver sword.

The battle still raged around them, the spider tide showing no sign of stopping.

Rhea stepped back to Catherine’s side, ready for whatever horror would emerge next.