Bearing the blue sky

Chapter 332 Rooting and Establishing a Foothold

That interface, thinner than any barrier before, lay across his roots.

Zhu Ge felt its texture.

The surface has a fine texture, as if it has been repeatedly rubbed by countless tiny particles, and there are several obvious cracks at the edge, wide enough to allow a lateral root to pass through.

He let the roots extend along one of the fissures, which was not straight but slightly curved, as if it were following some old path.

After his roots had advanced about the length of a palm, the width of the fissure began to narrow, and then closed completely, with no further channels to extend.

He retreated and turned to another crevice.

This crack is wider than the first one, and the initial section runs straighter.

His roots advanced a longer distance along it, nearly a foot, and at the bottom of the fissure, a fork appeared, one extending to the left and the other to the right.

He directed the roots to explore to the left first, but the crack on the left side reached a dead end after advancing a very short distance.

He retreated to the fork in the road and turned to the right. The gap on the right was longer than the one on the left, but it eventually narrowed after a fairly limited distance, making it impossible to continue.

He carefully examined the edge of the interface and found a crack that was deeper than the others near the right edge of the interface.

The crack started narrow, like a mark left by a sharp object, but its width was slowly increasing as it deepened.

His roots traveled a considerable distance along the crack, and at the end of the crack, he sensed a barrier that was thinner than he had expected.

The thickness of that barrier was significantly lower than that of other areas of the interface, as if it were a weak point formed after repeated wear and tear.

He concentrated some of his roots at the end of the crack and began to apply sustained pressure.

[On the 307th day, you found a clear weak point at the end of the deep crack on the right edge of the interface. The thickness of that weak point is only one-third of that of the rest of the interface, and fine cracks have already appeared on its surface.]

You apply sustained pressure to that weak point. The crack slowly widens under the pressure, like a layer of old paint being stretched open.

His roots slowly advanced along the edges of the cracks, allowing moisture to seep into the expanding fissures.

The edges of the crack became softer as they were soaked in moisture.

The cracks are spreading outwards at an increasingly rapid pace, as if an invisible net is being slowly stretched open.

A very fine crack began to appear at the center of the weak point, and air seeped in from the other side of the crack, carrying an aura different from any of the previous spaces.

The air was drier, carrying a warmth like sun-baked soil, mixed with a very faint scent of grass and trees.

As the tips of his roots pierced through the fissure, light from the other side of the fissure flooded his senses, not intensely, but continuously and evenly.

[On the 314th day, your roots successfully penetrated the weak point of the interface and entered a space filled with light.]

The space was more open than the previous cavity and passageway; the ceiling was open, and light streamed in from above, creating a warm and bright atmosphere.

You have finally reached the surface of the earth.

Zhu Ge's roots continued to extend upwards a short distance, reaching a layer of softer soil.

After its roots penetrated the soil, it sensed what it had been searching for—air, light, and the flow of wind.

The tips of his roots have reached the edge of the interface.

He continued to extend his roots, allowing them to spread out along the edge of that weak spot, reaching even denser sunlight and drier air.

On the 321st day, your main root has completely penetrated that interface, and part of the root system is exposed to the air.

]

Your canopy has grown to nearly four feet in height, and the branches and leaves cover a small area, allowing it to receive more sunlight. The new leaves are growing much faster, as if they've finally found a suitable spot.

You have successfully overcome the numerous underground barriers and established yourself in this new space.

[Gained Trait: Rooted.]

The simulation continues.

His root system continued to expand in this new space, coming into contact with richer nutrients and a more stable water supply than underground.

The canopy continued to expand, gradually increasing in height from four feet to six feet, and the branches also increased, as if it was adapting to the new growing environment.

He sensed that his surroundings were very different from before.

This is no longer a woodland shaded by large trees, but a more open area with more sunlight and more room to grow, but it is also more exposed.

He sensed the presence of other trees nearby, which maintained a certain distance from him, as if they had already formed their own growth boundaries.

[On the 360th day, you have reached a height of seven feet. Your trunk is thick, and your branches and leaves are dense enough to shade a small patch of ground below.]

You are gradually settling into your new environment and beginning to expand the canopy's range.

[Gained Trait: Stand Still.]

Zhu Ge sensed the environment of this new space.

He noticed something.

The sunlight in this space is directed differently from the previous woodland; it's more angled eastward, as if it's located in the middle of a slope.

He extended his perception in that direction.

At the top of that slope, he sensed the presence of a very faint barrier, the texture of which was different from any of the barriers he had crossed before.

It is neither solid nor thin film, but more like a layer of continuous pressure, carrying a uniform and undeniable weight.

His roots extended a distance in the direction of the pressure before the root tips touched a more solid layer of soil.

Then, he suddenly realized something.

He was inside a plant. And this plant was approaching a location he had never anticipated.

[On the 420th day, your canopy has covered a fairly large area.]

Your root system has established a stable support network in this new space.

You try to extend your perception to the location of that pressure, and discover that its extent extends far beyond the reach of your roots.

You realize you're on a slope near the summit of a much larger terrain, and that pressure is likely coming from some kind of presence emanating from further away.

Your choice is—

[First, continue to grow upwards, expanding the canopy to gain more sunlight.]

Second, further deepen the roots, expand the reach of the root system, and establish a more stable support.

Third, focus your perception on the mountaintop and try to pinpoint the source of the pressure.

Zhu Ge sensed the direction and intensity of that pressure; its presence was clear and continuous.

He considered it for a moment and then made his choice.

You choose to focus your perception towards the mountaintop.

Your senses extend upwards along the slope, through several layers of sparse vegetation, over a few exposed rocks, until at the top of the slope you touch the source of that pressure—a banyan tree taller than all the surrounding trees.

Its presence is strong and stable, its branches and leaves covering a large area of ​​the mountaintop, and its root system extending deep into the mountainside.

You are approaching a core area dominated by a single, ancient banyan tree.

Does this also include the World Tree and the Tree of Life?

Zhu Ge continued to sense the direction and extent of the ancient banyan tree.

He could feel the roots of the ancient banyan tree extending in all directions, covering a large area of ​​the mountaintop.

Its canopy blocked most of the sunlight, keeping the area below cool. When the wind blew from the mountaintop, his senses would briefly become blurred, as if something had obstructed them.

He hesitated for a moment, then instead of approaching the ancient banyan tree, he stayed in the middle of the slope and extended his roots horizontally along the edge of the slope, looking for a space where he could grow stably.

Day 970.

Your canopy has grown to a height similar to that of the surrounding trees.

Over the years, your root system has expanded, covering a considerable area and making varying degrees of contact with the roots of other surrounding plants. You have gradually found your place in this region.

As the canopy expands and the root system deepens, you sense that the presence of the ancient banyan tree is gradually diminishing.

It's not that its power is waning, but rather that the pressure you perceive is decreasing, as if you've become accustomed to its presence, or that it's gradually accepting your presence.

You've taken root in this area and are gradually becoming a part of this hillside.

The simulation slowed down here.

In the days that followed, his growth rate gradually entered a steady rhythm, as if he had found his place in this area.

His canopy covers a stable area, and his root system has established a mutually adaptive relationship with the surrounding trees.

You reached your limit, your branches were lush and verdant, and then you fell and turned into humus.

[Simulation ended.]

[Acquired traits: Deep Cultivation, Absorption, Deep Dive, Branching Out, Rooting, Standing Firm.]

Please select one trait, or proceed to the next simulation. If you proceed to the next simulation, this trait will be retained for the next simulation.

It was over as expected—Zhu Ge's senses slowly withdrew from the roots of the banyan tree, and the feeling of being enveloped by the soil was fading away layer by layer.

When he opened his eyes, the morning light was just seeping in from the edge of the clouds, spreading a pale golden light across the terrace.

He sat on the edge of the bed, looked down at his hands, as if to confirm that they were indeed human hands, and not roots.

He spent some time organizing the information about those traits, observing their effects and possible uses.

[Deep Cultivation: Increases the range of spiritual consciousness, and enhances physical stability and support.]

[Absorption: The body's efficiency in obtaining nutrients from the surrounding environment is improved, and energy utilization is more efficient.]

Deep-sea diving: enables access to more concealed energy sources.

[Branching: When the body expands its range of motion, resistance decreases, and adaptability increases.]

[Establishing a foothold: Accelerating the process of building a solid foundation in a new environment.]

[Standing still: Continuously accumulating stability and strength in a long-term, fixed position.]

These traits are mostly geared towards slow accumulation and long-term development. If used to change survival strategies in simulations, they may be more suitable than to be used directly in combat.

However, for now, he has decided to reserve these traits for the next simulation before making a selection.

However, he needs to think about it some more before starting the new simulation.

What is "transcending tribulation"?

In this simulation, what kind of tribulation is it? How is it overcome?

Zhu Ge sat by the bed for a while, watching the morning light outside the window slowly change from pale gold to a brighter, warmer white.

The clouds at the edge of the terrace shimmered with a damp sheen in the morning light, and a few wisps of cloud were swept up by the wind and drifted toward the distant horizon.

He looked down at his hands, moved his fingers, and confirmed that the tactile sensation of each finger had returned to the normal range of perception.

"Transcending tribulation."

He repeated the word again, making sure its outline remained clear in his mind.

What tribulation did he overcome in this simulation?

He recalled the entire process of the roots traveling underground: the thin film, the depression, the crack, the barrier, the thinner interface, the fissure leading to the surface.

Each layer is like an obstacle that needs to be overcome, but those obstacles are not insurmountable.

What they need is time, patience, and sustained pressure.

"Is this a tribulation?" Zhu Ge asked, somewhat uncertain.

He recalled the tribulation described in the novel.

When a cultivator breaks through a key realm, they need to withstand the test of heavenly lightning or mental tribulation.

Such tribulations are often intense, brief, and require the full force to be unleashed in a very short time to resist them.

The analogy of the banyan tree is completely different; it is slow, continuous, and requires perseverance rather than explosive growth.

"Perhaps the tribulation is not just intense?" Zhu Ge frowned in thought.

Some tribulations are intense, while others are gradual.

Some challenges require you to break through your limits in a short period of time, while others require you to do the same thing continuously, day after day, until it is completed.

Is this line of thinking correct?

He recalled the membrane, the helplessness he felt when he first tried to force his way through it, and the process of finding the crack by extending his roots laterally while maintaining pressure.

"When you force your way through it, the power is dispersed, and you may run out of strength at any time."

"But when choosing to find weaknesses, the strength is concentrated, and it can be continuously accumulated on those weaknesses —"

He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the sea of ​​clouds outside the window that was gradually brightening in the morning light, his mind racing with thoughts.

Not far away, most of the monsters on the terrace were still lying or squatting quietly, while the snow wolf and black bear leaned against the railing.

A golden giant eagle perched on the roof, while the second-realm demonic beasts crowded around the edge of the terrace, as if they had not yet fully woken up from their nighttime slumber.

Liu Jianjian hadn't gotten up yet, but through the wall, you could hear her steady breathing.

"Fine, let's try one more time" — Zhu Ge stood by the window for a while, feeling the damp coolness brought by the morning breeze blowing through the clouds.

He closed his eyes and focused his mind on his body.

The advantage of conducting multiple simulations is that it allows for trial and error, and then the accumulation of experience.

"Let's start the second simulation!"

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