Chapter 554 ·Oak Seed

Listening ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍to Janna’s words, the Thornflower Sprite, whose mind could only handle so much, merely nodded with a half-understanding expression.

“Therefore, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍during this period, I’ll need you to watch over these saplings to make sure they don’t get contaminated again. Once any sign of contamination appears, you must immediately use mental communication to inform me. Is there anything you still don’t understand?”

“No, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Master. Laura understood everything.”

Although ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Thornflower Sprite couldn’t comprehend the meanings of things like 【Fallen Star】 or 【Law】 that Janna mentioned, it was quite clear about what “contamination” meant.

Whether ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it was the 【Thorny Plane】 where it currently resided or the 【Material World】 it often visited after signing a contract with Janna, both had shown instances where native lifeforms became corrupted.

Of ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍course, the 【Thorny Plane】, being a much smaller sub-plane than the 【Material World】 and not yet targeted by any Outer Gods, only experienced minor and localized “contamination.” Most of the time, such corruption would be purified by the 【Plane Will】 of the 【Thorny Plane】.

Hence, while in the 【Thorny Plane】, the Thornflower Sprite had never taken those cases of “contamination” too seriously.

It wasn’t until it was summoned by Janna into the 【Material Plane】 that it truly sensed the severity of such pollution.

Even though the Thornflower Sprite wasn’t a native creature of the 【Material World】, as a plant-elemental lifeform, it instinctively rejected “contamination,” which spread like radiation through magnetic fields—

“Very good. From now on, you may freely enter and leave 【Zoe Star】. When you need to return to the 【Thorny Plane】 to feed, just inform me in advance and you may go.”

“Yes, Master. Laura remembers it all.”

Seeing the Thornflower Sprite’s earnest expression, Janna, who had finished giving all instructions, finally felt a bit at ease.

Whether Janna’s 【Main Quest】 could be completed depended entirely on whether the saplings on 【Zoe Star】 could grow smoothly.

Now that her 【Natural Magic】 had become increasingly proficient, the saplings on 【Zoe Star】 were thriving healthily.

Still, if any of them became contaminated, all of Janna’s past investment and sunk costs would be wasted.

Therefore, during this critical period before the saplings reached maturity, Janna needed to ensure their uninterrupted, unpolluted growth.

“Crk—mip——”

After giving all her instructions, Janna prepared to re-enter the 【Law Consciousness Cluster】 to check on the condensation state of the 【Purification Will】.

However, before she could exit her spiritual form, a crisp sound of a seed breaking through the soil immediately caught her attention.

“This is—”

Crk—crk-mip—

As the sound grew more frequent, Janna, sensing something, swiftly flew toward its source.

“The seed actually sprouted!”

At the center of the grove surrounded by saplings, a tiny, emerald-green sprout barely half the length of a finger emerged. Janna’s face lit up with irrepressible excitement.

This little sprout, which had just broken through the earth, was the very seed of the 【Oak Giant】 that Janna had already deemed “dead.”

Janna had long given up hope—but now, against all odds, the seed had “revived.”

“Could it be because of the birth of the 【Purification Will】?”

Estimating the timing of the 【Oak Giant】 seed’s “revival,” Janna couldn’t help but connect the two events. Yet, she soon denied that possibility.

“If it wasn’t the 【Purification Will】, then it must be the 【Law of Resurrection】 Professor Eunice-Gale mentioned.”

When Janna had used 【Spiritual Light Points】 to connect with the 【Will of Nature】, she had sensed a kind, gentle power.

Under the influence of that power, the 【Natural Magic】 she cast carried an intense aura of life—so much so that even dying trees could regain vitality.

When Janna told Professor Eunice-Gale about this phenomenon, the professor explained that the source of that power was one of the 【Secondary Laws】 beneath the 【Law of Nature and Life】—the 【Law of Resurrection】.

However, Janna still hadn’t found a clear method to comprehend this 【Law of Resurrection】.

Aside from channeling that benevolent force through 【Spiritual Light Points】, she had no other way to sense it deeply. Thus, her understanding of the 【Law of Resurrection】 hadn’t advanced much recently.

Still, even with only this level of control, she had managed to revive the 【Oak Giant】’s seed—a result that truly surprised her.

“If the 【Oak Giant】 can successfully revive, I’ll gain another helper with official wizard-level strength. Moreover, it can guard 【Zoe Star】 while I’m away—”

With the birth of the 【Purification Will】, the evolution of the Celestial Sparrow, and now the successful revival of the 【Oak Giant】’s seed—three blessings arriving together—Janna felt a surge of unparalleled joy.

“Laura, I’ll be going now. If anything happens, contact me at once.”

“Yes, Master.”

After bidding farewell to the Thornflower Sprite, Janna took another moment to enter the 【Law Consciousness Cluster】 and check on the still “newborn” state of the 【Purification Will】.

Only after completing her inspections did Janna finally leave 【Zoe Star】 and return her consciousness to her physical body.

“Has that much time already passed?”

Glancing at the mechanical clock on the dormitory wall pointing close to ten o’clock, Janna realized she no longer had time to review. She closed the 《Otherworldly Biology》 textbook, took out the 《Advanced Mutation Studies》 volume from the shelf, and prepared for her second entry into the 【World Inside the Book】 today.

“It’s about time.”

When the clock’s hands reached exactly ten, Janna deftly lit the Spiritual Candle and finished reciting the incantation.

“After finishing the morning’s lesson, I’ll continue reviewing the previous material this afternoon.”

Swish—

As the pages fluttered open, Janna—having already planned her afternoon schedule—immersed her consciousness back into the 【World Inside the Book】, beginning her second class of the day—

Three days later, at midnight.

Beneath the quiet moonlight streaming through her window, Janna, who had prepared all ritual materials, carefully placed the round mirror atop her workbench.

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