Chapter 369: Birthday Gift
Ashlock was actually quite nervous as he held out the cup of spirit wine for the Redclaw Grand Elder to toast. Would they still take him seriously now they knew he was a tree? This concern had festered at the back of his mind for a while, but he felt he had shown enough competency for them to overlook his race as a spirit tree and still see him as their leader.
"Come on... please," Ashlock muttered as he watched the Redclaw Grand Elder's soul through his Evil Eye—the man's Qi had grown turbulent since Ashlock's declaration of being a tree.
"Is he going to get angry with me because I have lied to the Redclaws this whole time?" Ashlock felt saddened at the thought. He liked the Redclaws a lot, so if they were to reject him, it would be quite the blow. "Maybe if I told them I was a human in my past life, they might be more accepting? But honestly, I feel very detached from my past self. My life as a human feels like a fleeting dream at this point. Sometimes, I wonder if I was even human at all..."
The Redclaw Grand Elder's Qi calmed down as if he were overcome with relief, and he looked directly into Ashlock's Evil Eye with a grin. "To think I was worried all this time for your health and swift recovery! If I had known you were the tree all along, I could have rested easy. Of course, I accept you as our leader." He clinked his cup against Ashlock's and promptly downed it in one gulp. He then set the cup down and let off a satisfied sigh.
"Well said, Grand Elder. Though I never had any concerns as I always thought he was the tree!" Elder Mo laughed and offered a toast of his own.
Ashlock accepted the toast from Elder Mo. Elder Brent, Margret, and Sebastian Silverspire soon followed, clinking his cup before downing their spirit wine. With everyone toasted, Ashlock crushed the cup with his root and absorbed the spirit wine. A brief burning sensation quickly faded as his {Superior Poison Resistance}quietly activated in the background.
"Really? I didn't see this coming at all." Elder Margret grumbled, and Elder Brent nodded in agreement.
"I was told he was the tree but still held some doubts. It's nice to have it confirmed." Douglas added.
Elder Mo raised a hand in surrender, "Okay, unlike Douglas, I may not have always thought he was a tree. But I was pretty sure of it after making a whip for Jasmine and Stella. When using my spirit fire, I become one with the weapon I'm trying to make and have to form a close bond with the materials."