Chapter 78. World Tree’s Thoughts. More knowledge!
Liu Shu thought she could start building all ten houses since she had the materials. To make sure, she checked her inventory and the materials needed to build a house.
Inventory: Budbark x11 (F+), Gustbark x11 (F+), Mistbark x10 (F+), Blazebark x10 (F+), Sprout Heart x152 (F), Earthspire x151 (F), Yellow Cotton Thread x152 (F), Dustheart x151 (F), Saplingwood x1014 (F-), Yellow Cotton x1210 (F-), Earthmud x1177 (F-), Pebbleheart x1001 (F-).
<Basic House>: Budbark x1 (F+), Sprout Heart x10 (F), Saplingwood x 100 (F-), Pebbleheart x100 (F-), Earthmud x100 (F-), Yellow Cotton (F-) x10.
'I really can build all ten, wow!' Liu Shu pondered. 'Or, I can build the largest building...'
<Basic Town Hall>: Budbark x10 (F+), Earthspire x100 (F), Sprout Heart x100 (F), Yellow Cotton Thread (F) x15, Saplingwood x 1000 (F-), Pebbleheart x1000 (F-), Earthmud x500 (F-), Yellow Cotton (F-) x100.
Liu Shu continued looking through her buildings and thought about all the options in her mind. 'Isn't it better to start from the largest buildings first?'
In Liu Shu's opinion, accumulating large stacks of materials was much harder than spending what she had. For example, she could fill the material requirements for one house at a time easily and build them slowly, but gathering all the materials needed for the Town Hall was more complicated.
Moreover, since materials occupy much more space once you stockpile them, other issues would affect her, like a lack of space, which requires extra planning.
Thinking of that, Liu Shu decided to build the Town Hall. 'I'll get the complicated buildings out of the way first and then focus on the smaller ones.'
So, when Flor approached, she commented on her intention of first building everything she could before Leveling Up.
Flor looked confused, and Liu Shu rationalized about the rewards she received previously. Then, she listened to Ignatia's and Flor's conversation, feeling that while they were right, she was not that hasty to Level Up.ented. "While doing things early is better, wouldn't you have much less difficulty if you build after you Leveled Up? Your ternary essences and stats would be much higher, and you would also earn quite a few more daily Experience Points."
Liu Shu agreed with that thinking as well. However, Liu Shu asked. 'What if there are rewards of different levels depending on when I build it? The system seems to like it a lot when I do things that go against the norm. For example, I got that <Defender> title because I was the lowest level and managed to contribute a lot in a war. If I was the strongest, that title would've never been given to me.'
Flor couldn't reason against that.
In Flor's opinion, Leveling Up fast was the best. You would gain strength, intelligence, and many more advantages. However, Liu Shu didn't mind about Levels. What Liu Shu wanted was to get stronger at a natural pace.
Some might argue that Leveling Up when you can would be the most natural thing, but in the World Tree's opinion, Leveling Up when you reached the limits of what you could do at that Level was the most natural way of doing so.
Why would you want to become stronger when you haven't explored your strength at the previous level? It was like learning about advanced woodworking after skimming through basic woodworking!
Liu Shu reasoned all of this to Flor, leaving the Rose Fairy Queen somewhat speechless.
Because of Flor's limited lifespan, and most creatures as well, the urge to Level Up and escape from the fearful thing called "aging" was always poking them from behind and pushing them forward.
Only ageless creatures like World Trees would look at life with such a relaxed viewpoint. Now, there were advantages and disadvantages for both. In truth, there was not a "single correct way" to Level Up.
Still, each race taught and thought about it differently.
Ignatia heard Flor speak about Liu Shu's reasoning and couldn't help but stop to think. 'No wonder World Trees are usually much stronger at the same level. If all World Trees have the same outlook as this little one, things get a bit more clear.'
Ignatia reasoned. "Flor, how about letting her do as she pleases?"
Liu Shu's branch danced happily. 'So many new things!' She really liked learning about anything and everything. 'I need to learn at least <City Structuring> before I continue building, hm.'
Liu Shu giggled. 'Well, I'll learn all of them. Hehehe.'
Flor saw four of the branches extending toward her very slowly. Ignatia raised her eyebrows when she saw that. "What is she going to do?"
Flor looked at her and realized. "Ah, right. You don't know this but-."
Before she could finish her sentence, the four branches sped forward and entangled the four books. Ignatia saw the books start to disintegrate into particles, leaving her speechless. "What is she doing?"
Flor's lips twitched, still not accustomed to this situation. "Hm. Well, she is eating the books?"
Ignatia looked at Flor, stupefied. "What?"
Flor smiled wryly. "You heard me correctly."
Meanwhile, Liu Shu was accepting the messages one after another.
[Do you want to Absorb the contents of <City Structuring>? Yes or No?]
Liu Shu happily accepted. 'Yes! I want to!'
[<World Tree Wisdom (SSS Rank)>, activates. <City Structuring> has been found to not fit with World Tree's knowledge. Modifying to fit <World Tree City Structuring>.]
Liu Shu exclaimed in surprise. 'Ohh! The skill can do that? Nice!'
[Do you want to Absorb the contents of <How to Manage Economy>? Yes or No?]
Liu Shu accepted again, and this time, there were no extra messages other than a congratulatory message for it being successful.
[Congratulations! You've absorbed <How to Manage Economy>.]
[Do you want to Absorb the contents of <The Art of System Handling>? Yes or No?]
'Yes, yes! I want to absoooooooorb, don't ask so much!'
[<World Tree Wisdom (SSS Rank)>, activates. <The Art of System Handling> has been found to be faulty and full of gibberish. Absorbing only truthful information and adding context.]
Liu Shu laughed in her mind. 'Stupid people~. Heh.'
[Do you want to Absorb the contents of <Advanced Flora and Fauna Encyclopedia>? Yes or No?]
'YES! ABSORB IT ALREADY!'
[Congratulations! You've absorbed <Advanced Flora and Fauna Encyclopedia>.]
Once all of the messages were accepted, Liu Shu felt as if someone had hit her soul and mind with a hammer, and her <World Tree Eye> disconnected. Her last thoughts were those of lamentation. 'Ah, I forgot about this QAQ.'