The Martial Unity

How did the Elder Tree detect various creatures and lifeforms that were not just important to its survival in some way or another but also experiencing deep fear when it was almost completely spatially isolated from the rest of the world?

The answer was that its roots were connected to the roots of other surrounding flora, which in turn were in networks of flora spreading across enormous portions of the Beast Domain. It received a massive flood of sensory data pertaining to light, sound, odor, the chemical composition of the air, and several other parameters.

Of course, plants were far from the best sensors. They weren't able to convey detailed information about the outside world such that the Elder Tree could be able to accurately get a view of the Beast Domain like it was there itself. It was why it needed to rely on lopsided ways, such as fear, of evaluating the necessity of saving a creature or not. Fear that plants could detect based on the changes in odor and other chemical substances that left a distinct signature.

"It's far from perfect," the Divine Doctor clinically remarked. "But it's still vastly better than any other known source of intelligence within the Beast Domain. In comparison to you, the Adventurer's Guild is incompetent. You're almost like a Beast Domain version of the Beggar's Sect!"

The what?

"That is the aid I require from you." The Divine Doctor's smile remained frozen and dispassionate as he ignored the Elder Tree's question. "Information. I need access to the vast intelligence that you have by virtue of being connected to the largest intelligence network of the Beast Domain. Perhaps then I can learn more about the illness that ails my latest patient."

Your rationales are incoherent to me, but if you are able to prove the skill and knowledge that you claim to have in medicine, then I am open to sharing my information with you.

Of course, the Divine Doctor, to a certain extent, had already proven that he was far from normal. However, the Elder Tree was far from a fool; it would not budge on a deal until it had seen proof.

This was the difference between its then agreement with the Divine Doctor and its current agreement with Rui.

Rui was unable to hide his mind from the Elder Tree. Thus, the tree knew that Rui was extremely sincere about his offer and intentions. As such, it was willing to be more liberal with its conditions.

The Divine Doctor, on the other hand, was able to protect his mind and consequently was unable to earn the trust of the Elder Tree as easily.

other surrounding conditions as optimally as possible. Third, you will have to ensure that I actually do learn all of it, and only then

not my problem." The Divine Doctor's frozen smile never once flickered. "I'll do my best. If you are still unable to, then that is on you. However, I will get

…Those are acceptable arrangements.

at the Elder Tree with detached eyes.

…

WHOOSH

scene melted away as the world around

was my first meeting

deep in thought. "…He wanted an intelligence network that spread across the entire

emerged

to the Beast Domain. Most of the time, he was able to ignore it completely and not care

wasn't relevant

man to heal

that he had understood what the Divine Doctor wanted from the Garden of Salvation, it just blew

access to information across much of the Beast Domain

It didn't make sense.

an extremely strange and bizarre possibility

Rui to even utter it out loud. Just doing so