Chapter 2200 Nature's Heart Crystal
[Hint: Through advanced alchemy, the player discerns the disrupted magic array.]
"Interesting..."
Fang Heng quickly realized that the inscriptions on the stone wall were actually part of a large-scale magic array.
The magic array had been divided into several hundred movable small stone slabs.
These slabs had been randomly rearranged, resulting in the overall pattern appearing extremely chaotic.
So, to restore it to its original state...
A rapidly rotating magic array appeared in Fang Heng's right eye.
It wasn't difficult!
While Ana and the others were still examining the patterns on the stone slabs, they saw Fang Heng walk up to them and begin to manipulate the slabs with his hands.
Ten minutes later, a completely restored magic array pattern appeared before them.
Ana and the others couldn't help but turn their heads to look at Fang Heng.
And then?
No movement?
Where did they go wrong?
Fang Heng rubbed his chin.
The magic array had no issues.
It seemed to lack input energy.
In the past, the magic array could be activated autonomously by the tree spirit tribe's sacred tree.
With the fall of the sacred tree, the magic array lost its source of energy, so it naturally couldn't operate.
Fang Heng turned back to look at Ana and the others, asking, "Did the tree spirit tribe mention anything to you before we came? Like items that can trigger energy?"
Ana hesitated for a moment, then realized, "Oh, right, the Leaf of Life. They said if we encounter mechanisms that require energy activation, we can use the Leaf of Life to briefly energize them."
Fang Heng's eyes lit up, and he reached out to Ana, saying, "The Leaf of Life? How many do you have?"
"In my backpack," Ana replied, opening the backpack she carried behind her and searching for the Leaves of Life inside.
Whoosh!
Ana heard a sound of rushing wind and looked up to see Fang Heng appearing in front of her.
Oh, surprise?
Fang Heng's eyes lit up when he saw Ana holding five Leaves of Life in her hands.
"Give them all to me," Fang Heng said, reaching out to take the Leaves of Life from Ana's hands. Then, he glanced at the others. "What about you guys? Do you have any on you? Give them to me too."
The two people beside Ana looked at each other and started searching their backpacks.
Fang Heng inwardly criticized the tree spirit tribe, thinking they were quite unfair. Why did they give Leaves of Life to everyone else on the mission but not to him?
After collecting the Leaves of Life from the members of the Tree Whisperers Alliance, Fang Heng walked back to the stone door.
The power of the Leaves of Life transformed into faint green energy spots, gradually merging into the stone slabs.
"Ka, ka, ka, ka..."
The magic array on the stone slab gradually began to flow.
Until three Leaves of Life were consumed, a faint greenish teleportation passage appeared in front of the magic array on the stone slab.
"Let's go!" Fang Heng said, stepping into the teleportation passage.
Instantly, a pale cyan light enveloped everything in sight.
...
When Fang Heng regained his vision, he found himself outside the roots of the sacred tree.
The Altar of the Wood God?
Fang Heng scanned his surroundings.
A faint mist enveloped the area, with patches of withered trees and vines around.
It seemed like he had been transported to the outside world.
The ground was covered in a layer of dry leaves, soft underfoot.
Looking up, he saw a simple wooden altar before him.
Fang Heng's heart stirred.
Behind the altar stood an ordinary withered tree.
About five meters tall.
Its height was even less than that of the ordinary trees seen outside.
As Osman had said, the Altar of the Wood God was established at the main body location of the sacred tree.
So, was this withered tree before him the main body of the sacred tree?
"Look! There! The boxes!"
Beside him, Ana and the others followed Fang Heng through the teleportation passage and gradually regained their sight.
Their gaze quickly focused on several boxes in front of the Altar of the Wood God.
The boxes needed by the Great Elder Senzo!
Ana and the others were visibly excited.
From here on, all they needed to do was take the boxes and return along the original path to deliver them to the Leaf tribe to complete the mission!
Fang Heng also noticed and glanced at Ana and the others before walking toward the wooden boxes.
In front of the Altar of the Wood God, four boxes were arranged in sequence.
The boxes were wrapped in vines on the outside, seemingly for protection.
However, with the complete death of the sacred tree, the vines had withered as well.
"We only need to retrieve two to complete the mission," Fang Heng whispered, reaching out to touch one of the boxes and picking it up to inspect it.
[Hint: The player obtains an item-a priest's box.]
Description: This is a mission item. The player can submit this item to the Leaf tribe in exchange for mission completion points. Opening the box without authorization may decrease the mission completion rate.
The withered vines on the outside of the box were originally meant for protection, but with the complete dispersal of the sacred tree's power, this layer of protection became completely ineffective.
So, what could be inside the box?
Fang Heng couldn't help but feel curious. Perhaps he would hesitate if it were a mission from another faction. But when it came to the tree spirit tribe...
Fang Heng felt no psychological burden. He reached out and pressed his hand against the box, pushing aside the layer of withered vines covering it.
Ana and the others were startled by Fang Heng's actions.
What was he trying to do?
Before entering the Ring of the Ages, Elder Osman had repeatedly instructed them not to open the boxes.
But did Fang Heng just open it like that?
Ana and the others were alarmed, but they didn't have the courage to stop Fang Heng.
They watched Fang Heng's every move closely.
"Click..."
A soft sound.
The box opened in Fang Heng's hand.
Seemingly without danger.
Inside the box lay a blue crystal, resting quietly.
"This..."
[Item: Nature's Heart Crystal (energy crystal).]
Type: Special item, mission item, consumable.
Description: A special type of energy crystal that can be used in rituals to convert different types of energy into a form absorbable by the sacred tree of the tree spirit tribe.
Description: The player lacks the necessary skills to obtain further information.
Description: Special items cannot be placed in the backpack and will always be dropped upon the player's death.
Special description: This item is classified as a special item. Choosing to place it in the backpack will result in a decrease in mission completion rate."
"An object with unclear information..."
Muttering to himself, Fang Heng carefully examined the blue crystal in his hand, as if trying to recall something. Suddenly, it seemed like a memory flashed through his mind.
The shape of this object felt familiar.
Yes!
Fang Heng suddenly remembered.
Earlier, in the Prayer Temple.
Inside the Elders Council, he saw similar indentations in the large combined ritual magic array!
Fang Heng couldn't help but lower his head in thought.
Previously, he had found numerous books and miscellaneous items inside the altar, which he had packed together and transported back using the zombie clone, handing them over to Sandy for research.
It had been over a day since then, and Sandy should have gone through everything by now.
It might be a good idea to hear Sandy's thoughts first.
Who knows what discoveries he might have made?
With that in mind, Fang Heng glanced at Ana and the others behind him, then closed his eyes.