The voice echoed within his mind, deep and ancient, carrying with it the weight of time itself.
Lin Mu's eyes widened slightly as the Litany of Verdant Forests activated within his soul, resonating with the presence that had just spoken.
There was no confusion.
No doubt.
"Are you the tree?" Lin Mu asked.
A moment passed.
Then the answer came.
"Indeed… I am… the Heart Tree."
The voice was slow, deliberate, as if each word carried effort, yet its clarity was undeniable.
Lin Mu steadied himself quickly.
He had interacted with many powerful beings before, but this was different. This was not a beast, nor a cultivator, nor even a spirit in the conventional sense. This was the very entity that sustained the entire sanctuary.
Its awareness extended through every branch, every root, every leaf.
It was the forest.
Lin Mu did not waste the opportunity.
"Do you know what I wish to do here?" he asked.
The response came without hesitation.
"Yes… Help… My children…"
