Chapter 73: Wildwood (1)

In the shadowy depths of a mountain valley, an unnamed seed sprouted. The sprout slowly grew in the chill of the soil. The sprout became a sapling, and the sapling grew into a young tree. After centuries of silent accumulation, it finally became a towering giant of the forest. But this was unnatural. It grew in a place steeped in gloom and bitter cold, where water was scarce and only low shrubs dotted the land. And yet, it stood tall—alone and unmatched. Even it did not understand why it…