Chapter 401 - 17: Lord in Charge
After a moment of excitement, Lin Yu directly used his authority to build the Reincarnation Hall at the base of the World Tree, in the deepest part of the territory.
Inside the territory’s warehouse, a multitude of World Tree Roots extended from all around, seizing the necessary materials, absorbing them, and transporting them underground.
Hearing the commotion from within the warehouse, the managers opened the door and stared in astonishment at the half-empty space.
"Weren’t all the materials for today’s requests already dispatched? How could so many more be taken without any report being filed?"
"Even if you have the authority, you can’t just do things this way! What’s the point of us warehouse managers otherwise?"
Fuming and feeling wronged, the warehouse managers filed a flurry of reports up the chain of command.
The City Planning Bureau soon received the reports from the warehouse managers.
"I don’t recall any additional construction projects scheduled for today!"
"I’ve checked. The construction plans posted for today are already complete, and there were no additional resource requisitions."
"As long as it’s not our mistake, that’s all that matters. Pass it up the chain. People at our level definitely don’t have this kind of authority anyway."
The report quickly made its way up the levels and into Xia Luo’s hands.
’The warehouse resources were moved by the World Tree?’
’Let me see if anyone moved the resources without authorization...’
’Oh, it was the Lord! In that case, there’s nothing to worry about.’
"Philir, once the resources in the warehouse stop decreasing, have them revise tomorrow’s construction schedule based on what’s left."
Philir walked out of the office to convey the orders, and a wave of groans immediately arose from outside.
This meant it wasn’t just tomorrow’s plan that needed adjusting; all subsequent, already-finalized plans would have to be revised. Furthermore, they didn’t know what the diverted resources were being used for, and they would have to investigate to ensure the intended construction site hadn’t been taken over.
...
While the territory’s employees in the City Planning Bureau were swamped with work due to Lin Yu’s sudden construction of the Reincarnation Hall, Lin Yu himself had focused all his attention on the deepest part of his domain.
Through layers of earth, at the very base of the World Tree’s roots, in the deepest recesses of the continent near the spatial barrier, countless World Tree Roots were engaged in ceaseless construction.
As the World Tree Roots transported various stones and ores, the materials were processed and transformed by the World Tree’s power before being deposited by the roots into their designated positions.
The whole process was like a 3D printer at work, or perhaps like the World Tree Roots assembling building blocks.
Through the combined efforts of innumerable roots, a magnificent and solemn structure rapidly began to take shape, piece by piece.
Time ticked by. A day later, the Reincarnation Hall was officially complete.
The moment it was finished, Lin Yu, who was merged with the World Tree, felt the laws governing the territory become more complete.
At the same time, a small river formed of Soul Power appeared within the Vein of Life.
The small river floated in mid-air, originating from the Life and Death Spring, flowing past the Soul Hall, passing through the floor of the Vein of Life, and disappearing into the void.
The sudden appearance of this small River of Energy attracted the Death Devourers within the Vein of Life, who gathered around to observe it.
They curiously extended their branch-like hands to touch the River of Energy, but just as one might expect, their hands passed right through it, feeling nothing.
"What is this river?"
"It’s a River of Energy, you idiot. Can’t you tell?"
"What kind of energy is in this river? I’ve never seen it before!"
"No idea. It’s not death energy, and it’s not life energy. It’s not elemental energy or Spiritual Energy, either..."
"What does it do?"
"Can’t tell. Maybe the Lord thought our place was too dull and got it as a decoration!"
...
Of course, it wasn’t a decoration. Above them, Lin Yu’s consciousness had followed the changes and arrived at this very spot.
The moment he saw the River of Energy, he knew it was the River of Souls, a part of the Reincarnation Hall—a Level 1 subsidiary structure.
Because the Vein of Life was the gathering place for the territory’s departed souls, a portion of the river manifested directly here. The river terminated inside the Reincarnation Hall; any souls in the Vein of Life wishing to reincarnate could leap into it and follow its current to the Hall.
The river also served as the Reincarnation Hall’s method for collecting souls. Whenever an unattached soul that didn’t belong to the territory appeared within its borders, a projection of the river would materialize and sweep it away.
’A useful function!’
’Automatically collecting souls within the territory will save a lot of effort.’
His consciousness followed the River of Souls toward the Soul Hall in the Vein of Life, where the souls of many of his subjects resided.
More than four, nearly five years had passed since the Vein of Life was established.
During this period, many of the territory’s ordinary-grade subjects had lost their lives, and all of their souls were collected here after they died.
These were primarily the souls of various animals, a handful of the Insect Race, and a small number of soldiers who had died in battle.
(The Soul Power of an ordinary member of the Insect Race is too weak; even within the protective confines of the Soul Hall, their souls would dissipate on their own after some time.)
Moreover, the souls of these ordinary-grade subjects were all muddled and confused, unable to maintain any lucidity.
The souls of the soldiers were in a slightly better state, showing some instinctual responses, but they had lost the unique spiritual spark inherent in living beings.
Watching the souls of his subjects, Lin Yu couldn’t help but lament, ’How pitiful. Their grades are too low. Even with their souls under protection, they can’t last for long. They can’t even hold on until I’ve built the necessary soul-related structures.’