Village Head's Debauchery

Chapter 963 The Massive Ethereal Tree

Each of them had come to witness Gina's awakening ceremony—not only because she had been passionately anticipating it for the past four days but also because, as Orion's sister and one of the youngest women in the household, she held a special place in all their hearts. Missing such an important and extraordinary event was out of the question.

The Former Village chief and Village Chieftess stood in another position with a few warriors around them.

"I kindly request all those here for their awakening to step forward, while the rest of you, please give them some space by stepping back," Orion added, his voice firm yet welcoming.

Twenty-five young villagers—both boys and girls—stepped forward while the rest of the villagers and attendees stepped back, creating a platform for them.

Orion surveyed their numbers with approval. Due to the village's reproductive culture, their present safe haven, and the cessation of child sacrifices for safety, he anticipated that the number of awakeners would soon double, even quadruple until it exploded.

He eagerly looked forward to that glorious day.

Orion descended from the stage formed around the sundial and walked to stand behind the assembled group.

"Everyone, close your eyes tightly!" Orion instructed. Then, glancing behind him, he added, "Everyone capable of utilizing their gifts, please hold hands and focus your energy towards me." He placed one hand on Gina and the other on a young woman beside her.

The villagers nodded solemnly in response. Those capable of utilizing their gifts held hands, including Reena, Celeste, Greta, Fiona, Fifi, Vivian, Ingrid, and several of Orion's wives. They channelled Primordial energy through their gifts and focused it on Orion.

During his awakening ceremony, Orion had no idea what the former Village Chief or the villagers were doing and merely regarded it as a sacred ritual.

However, after the Aegis of the Arctic Deity's revelation, the discovery of the half-alive manmade god within the sundial, and the realization that they were connected to its existence, he understood why everything was the way it was and how they could activate the manmade god within it.

Soon, Orion felt an influx of Primordial energy surge from his legs up through his body. Just as it was about to gather within him, it surged out of his arms and flowed into Gina's body and the young woman beside her.

Immediately, they began to feel their temperatures rise, growing hotter and hotter, as the strange energy spread through them, flowing from one clasped hand to another. Then, abruptly, the intensity began to lessen. Though they could still feel the heat building within their bodies, it was now much more bearable.

"Open your eyes," Orion instructed, sighing inwardly in relief as everything seemed to work perfectly.

The former Village Chief, Chieftess, and Reena also sighed in relief at the smooth progress. Although they were prepared to intervene if anything went wrong, they preferred not to.

The idea of having to disrupt the village's time-honoured practices, which had continued even after they stepped down and Orion and Reena ascended to leadership, appeared ominous. So, they hoped to avoid any bad omens from such a disruption.

The other key leaders who had come to witness this ceremony anticipated it would be an unforgettable experience. However, they still couldn't help but be amazed by the scene unfolding before them.

They had seen various unusual trees in their lifetimes—those in the Garden and on the farm, including Saria's bizarre tree—but they had never encountered one like this.

Queen Selene, in particular, clenched her fists as she gazed at the crystals adorning the enormous Crystal Tree. It exuded an aura of both oppression and comfort, touching their very beings in a way they had never experienced before.

She realized they were the only ones feeling this, and they quickly understood that the villagers might have a distinct experience compared to them, likely due to their unique connection to the tree.

The young men and women undergoing their awakening ceremony opened their eyes and were left breathless by the sight before them.

A massive, ethereal crystalline tree towered over them, its branches reaching outward. Each branch bore fruit that glimmered like crystallized gems, radiating a pulsing glow in varying colours that shifted from red to yellow to green and through several more rainbow hues.

The sundial from which the tree had sprouted was adorned with flowering patterns and intricate designs. Its base stretched downward like roots, scattering far and wide beneath the ground before them. The tree overshadowed them, and the roots appeared large enough to cover the entire compound.

Orion furrowed his brows at this sight because the appearance of the ethereal tree was even grander than during his awakening ceremony and when the Aegis of the Arctic Deity had triggered its appearance.

Even the Village Chief, Chieftess, and others noticed the ethereal tree's unusual size.

"Hey, isn't the ethereal tree larger than usual?" murmured a young man.

"You're right, it is. But I don't think it's strange. After all, considering everything we've been through, if everything else has changed, it's understandable that the ethereal tree would change too," his father responded.

"Is the change of the ethereal tree a bad thing?" another voice murmured.

"Of course not, it's a good thing. Remember the rule, the bigger, the better," another voice asserted.

"I agree," chimed in another, with several nodding in agreement.

As this conversation took place behind Orion, he quickly commanded, "Each of you should pluck a fruit from the tree!" He then added, "Everyone else should refrain from touching the fruits. If you do so, you'll be severely punished and have to deal with any calamity that befalls you by yourself."

The Villagers beside him all nodded slowly in understanding. They weren't foolish enough to touch the fruits again and risk something terrible happening to them.

Witnessing this, Orion nodded in approval. After all, it would be wrong if someone acted recklessly just to grab a fruit and disrupt the awakening ceremony.

Each undergoing the awakening ceremony, the young men and women stretched their hands and plucked a fruit.