209 Ardens Puzzle (2/2)

Leon smiled at the fact that a simple tea had won over the elder's favor.

The two began chatting away for a full 6 hours. All the doubts that Leon had were answered one after the other. The reason the treants couldn't return to the surface had to do with the treant's constitution.

While the tree-like body grants high defenses and a long lifespan, it also took away their freedom. They were in a sense, a part of the elder tree. The elder tree provides them with all the nutrients needed to survive, thus they were no longer required to eat crimson leaves other than as a hobby.

Because of that, they are also unable to leave the elder tree. Once they leave the elder tree, their bodies would start wilting and dies.

Leon also learned that the treants had been eating the leaves just fine for thousands of years. The change only occurred in the last 500-odd years. Everyone in the village was over 500 years old, including the 'children'.

'Becoming a treant doesn't increase their lifespan but stretch it from incredibly slow aging. It seems that underground was also affected by the Cataclysm 512 years ago.' Leon concluded.

At least from what he had learned, the insects in the underground only grew bigger in the last 500-odd years. The treants only retreated to the elder tree and became what they are today after that event happened.

But what changed exactly? What exactly was the Cataclysm?

The information Leon had on history was very vague. It was said that one day, the color of the skies changed, and the world was swept in a violent storm. After that, the animals all started to mutate. Although it never stated how quickly the mutation was, Leon believed it was a gradual process.

If the process had been immediate, humanity would have never had the time to rally together and retreat to the Human Domain of today. They would have been wiped out there and then.

As for the Cataclysm, Leon had a faint guess it was just another solar storm like the one that ended the Nova Empire. But how could a solar storm cause such drastic changes to both life and the environment? Something else must be missing from the equation.

The deeper Leon pondered, the crazier his thoughts became. He recalled Arden's diary mentioned that in order to revitalize the dying planet in the past, artificial spirit energy conversion plants were built all over the world, harnessing the power of the sun to produce limitless artificial spirit energy.

What if some of these conversion plants survived the disaster that befell the Nova Empire?

No matter how hard he pondered, everything was just mere speculation. Leon shook his head and asked, \”You mentioned that one of your ancestors built a study room that contained all his knowledge and his life's research from the old world?\”

\”That is correct.\” Elder Evergreen nodded. While Leon had asked him many questions, he had also gotten a clearer picture of the situation on the surface. A rare emotion to see the lands above at least once flickered in his eyes.

\”Can I see it?\” Leon hurriedly requested with a glint of excitement, unaware of the elder's emotion.

Elder Evergreen ruminated for a bit, before giving Leon an inexplicable smile and said, \”Sure, I can bring you there, but whether you can get inside is up to you.\”

Leon was confused by the elder's words, but he still followed the elder.

As Elder Evergreen led the way, he didn't forget to grab the teapot and cups with him under Leon's dumbfounded look. Flashing Leon a nonchalant look, he asks, \”Is there a problem?\”

Leon glanced at the teapot then back at the elder, before he smiled.

\”No problem.\”

The two shortly made a steep turn around the back of the village where a lone building stood proudly in the open. The building was constructed simply in a box-like shape, but the building itself was far from being just simple.

It was made from the same materials as the remnant building ruins Leon had seen and it was also filled with runes. The front entrance was nowhere to be seen.

Upon further investigation, the entrance was located on the top of the building and was sealed tightly. Apparently, the study room was inside, but it seemed impossible to get in at first glance.

Leon also noticed the entrance was designed strangely. However, he soon realized it wasn't that the entrance was designed on top, but the building had been flipped on its sides!

\”…\”

\”I heard from my elders in the past that if you want to get inside, you have to solve the puzzle set by the great ancestor first.\” Elder Evergreen explained.

Leon nodded and continued to study the entrance. Next to the entrance, he found an ancient stone tablet embedded into the building. On it were some texts.

'Beyond these doors, lies the legacy of I, Arden Gilardi. Solve the puzzle and thee shall inherit everything!'