Chapter 190: World Tree Bloodline
Give up? Give up…?
That thought kept circling at the deepest part of Franklin's consciousness. Yet every time he was about to surrender, he regretted it.
If he gave up now, wouldn't all his earlier endurance be wasted?
Caught in this endless loop of hesitation, Franklin gradually felt his consciousness fading away.
It was a demise that had nothing to do with willpower. If he wished to hasten the process, he only needed to let go.
The moment he gave up, the loneliness would vanish, and he would be completely freed.
Slowly, Franklin's mind emptied, his thoughts blank. Maybe… maybe it really was time to give up.
He had already surpassed the limit of what he could endure; if not for repeatedly breaking the boundaries of his own awareness, he would have collapsed long ago.
Quietly, Franklin stopped thinking. His thoughts froze entirely, and his consciousness began to blur.
"Are you planning to give up?"
A sudden unfamiliar female voice instantly pulled Franklin back from the brink. After such endless solitude, the long-lost sound brought tears streaming down his face.
Finally…
He had finally endured long enough. He had nearly fallen right before the dawn. If not for You Wange's reminder, he would have gone mad long ago—would have already given up.
"Finally… finally there's another voice… Who are you? Why did you trap me here?"
Silence followed. After who knew how long, just as Franklin wondered if he had imagined the voice, it echoed again beside him.
"I didn't trap you. You trapped yourself. The sooner you gave up, the sooner you would've been freed.
But you stayed in this silent darkness for nearly a year. And at only a fourth-stage soul realm at that… I truly admire your persistence. Now tell me, what do you want? Whatever it is, I'll grant it."
Franklin froze, his mind unable to move.
"So you're saying all this time… I've been tormenting myself?"
His trembling voice revealed just how unstable he was—on the verge of madness.
"Not entirely. If you want strength, want growth, want my reward… you must prove yourself. Those who came before you, claiming to be my kin, lasted a few days before going mad. The longest was a month.
But you, my friend… you are a true strong one.
Now comes the reward for your unwavering will. You may choose any of my abilities. Whatever you want, I will give."
Franklin forcibly pressed down the storm of emotions raging inside him. He didn't know whether to laugh or scream… but clearly, choosing a reward and leaving this darkness was the right move.
"Thank you for the praise, senior. I truly didn't expect I could last this long. Now that I've made it through, I'm relieved.
But as for the reward… I don't know what abilities you have, so I'm not sure what to choose."
Silence settled again. After a long time, the slightly hoarse voice returned.
"You are not my descendant and know nothing about me, yet you managed to reach this space and endure for so long.
It seems you and I truly share a bond. Since you don't know my abilities, I'll choose for you. Hopefully, it will help you."
Before Franklin could respond, a tearing sensation ripped through him. Countless pieces of information suddenly appeared in his consciousness, flooding in, then gradually dissolving.
He felt as if his mind would burst before the influx finally weakened.
[World Tree Bloodline acquired]
[Bloodline inheritance techniques acquired: Illusory World Genesis, Rinnegan]
"A bond, plus the strength to earn rewards—you deserve plenty. Your current realm is at the Nascent Soul stage, so I'll grant you two abilities for now.
Each time you break into a new major realm, you'll gain new abilities—one, two, however many.
For now, I've sealed these powers deep in your awareness. They will awaken as your cultivation grows.
Work hard, my friend. Not everyone earns that title.
Consider it the return gift for helping me regain confidence. I look forward to meeting again at the summit—my friend."
The next instant, dizziness overwhelmed him, followed by a burst of light.
Franklin snapped his eyes open. The fresh scent of the air and the soft fragrance of the girls around him jolted his dried, shriveled consciousness back to life.
"Master, you finally woke up!"
"Master, your soul was dissolving just now—what happened?"
"Master…"
Seeing the three angelic girls staring at him with worry, Franklin sat up and pulled them tightly into his arms.
Feeling their soft bodies and smooth skin, he took a deep breath before slowly letting go.
"Sorry for worrying you. Something unexpected happened—I thought I wouldn't make it back. But it all worked out in the end.
Being able to see you again… I'm really happy. Forgive the sudden hug. Tell me—how long was I out? What happened during that time?"
Seeing the lingering fear and relief on his face, Nymph's lingering embarrassment turned immediately into worry.
"Master, only thirty-five minutes passed from the moment you took the Divine Tree Fruit until now.
Your soul strength kept weakening, and after thirty minutes it began slowly dissolving.
We tried to wake you, but nothing worked. Only when you woke on your own did your soul suddenly return to normal."
Hearing her explanation, Franklin was shocked. One minute equaled ten days? That dark place truly was terrifying.
Recovering his composure, he noticed Ikaros leaning forward silently. Smiling softly, he reached out to rub her head.
"No need to worry, Ikaros. I've fully recovered—and even gained several powerful abilities. Danger is unavoidable on this path."
With that, Franklin sat cross-legged again. "Give me a moment. I haven't actually checked the abilities yet. Let me look first."
Just as he was about to close his eyes, Astraea grabbed him and lifted him up.
"Master! You can't close your eyes again! What if you don't wake up this time?"
Nymph flicked a finger against Astraea's forehead.
"Don't talk nonsense. Master is just checking his abilities. Stop imagining things."