Water Tower Tree.
If we were to describe the Water Tower Tree in one sentence.
It’s simple: the Inner Sea Desert originally had no people; only with the Water Tower Tree, people came.
Ahem, this...
Let’s speak plainly: if the Water Tower Tree didn’t exist, the Inner Sea Desert would have been a life exclusion zone where people couldn’t possibly live.
Every desert town is established, and can only be established, beside a Water Tower Tree.
It is every town’s "Tree of Life."
"If I recall correctly, the three big issues of the Inner Sea Desert are only somewhat alleviated due to the existence of the Water Tower Tree."
Andrew rushed towards the felled Water Tower Tree of Wildfire Town as quickly as possible.
His mind was flooded with basic information about the Water Tower Tree:
The first feature of the Water Tower Tree: fetching and storing water function combined.
To put it plainly, every Water Tower Tree essentially serves as a well.
It can extract a considerable amount of moisture from the depths of the earth and store it inside a hollow space within the trunk.
Yet it’s not just a well, because besides "extracting water," the Water Tower Tree is still a natural "water storage device," capable of locking the water inside its trunk for town residents to use, even under the scorching sun of the Inner Sea Desert.
— This addresses the first major issue of the Inner Sea Desert: the problem of water scarcity and drought.
The second feature of the Water Tower Tree, or rather an "eccentric trait," is: as long as there’s a Water Tower Tree, Desolate Beasts dare not come too close!
Though during a Desolate Beast Sand Tide, there are still some irrational Desolate Beasts that force their way into towns.
But the presence of the Water Tower Tree is like a fire pit in the dark night, having a natural deterrent effect on beasts hidden in the darkness.
— This addresses the second major issue of the Inner Sea Desert: the "Desolate Beast Sand Tide" problem.
The third feature of the Water Tower Tree: the "Deep Sea Giant Cactus" that can provide a lifeline to those with lung injuries seems to grow only within a certain range around the Water Tower Tree.
— This, of course, addresses the problem of lung injuries, which is the third major issue in the Inner Sea Desert.
In the vast Inner Sea Desert, the density of Water Tower Trees is very low.
But it is precisely the existence of these trees that transforms what should be a desolate no man’s land into numerous large and small towns scattered throughout the desert.
The Water Tower Tree has not "solved" the three major issues of the Inner Sea Desert.
But without a doubt, it has greatly "alleviated" the troubles these three problems bring to people!
Transforming the desert from "uninhabitable" to "barely livable."
As for the Water Tower Tree in Wildfire Town, it is different from the one in Baal Town.
This unique situation of two adjacent twin trees is singular throughout the Inner Sea Desert.
It’s known that other places don’t have a situation where two trees and two towns exist in the same area.
In vast areas, there’s typically only one Water Tower Tree, with a town established beside it.
The town’s size and population are directly determined by the nearby Water Tower Tree’s water storage capacity.
"I was careless."
By now, Andrew could already see the fallen trunk of the Water Tower Tree from afar.
His expression was somewhat grim.
His pace continued to quicken.
"I really was too careless!
Since I opposed the Magic Guild, I should have stationed people to guard the Water Tower Tree!
I should have anticipated that the guys from the Magic Guild would target the Water Tower Tree!"
Indeed, upon hearing that the Water Tower Tree was cut down, Andrew immediately reached a conclusion.
This matter definitely involves the Magic Guild!
The trunk of the Water Tower Tree is extremely thick.
And exceptionally resilient!
This unique Otherworld Tree grows exceedingly slow, yet it’s practically "indestructible"!
In this world, only one tool can cause devastating damage to the Water Tower Tree, effortlessly sawing through the trunk.
It’s a special kind of saw.
Only the Magic Guild can produce it!
"So this is the Magic Guild’s revenge, arriving early?"
Andrew secretly gritted his teeth, "Not after the Desolate Beast Sand Tide, but before the Tide?!"
While rushing to the Water Tower Tree, "Water Spirit Sensing" was fully deployed, extending to its maximum range.
Even now, with the sun high in the sky.
The desert had scarcely any plants, virtually exposing everything under the sun.
Yet under broad daylight, Andrew instead had a terrifying sense of crisis that at any moment, someone from the Magic Guild might suddenly appear from the surrounding desert.
Until an angry voice came from ahead:
"You bastard, have you gone mad? Why destroy the Water Tower Tree that everyone depends on to survive?"
Someone had arrived even before Andrew.
It was Ivan.
As soon as Andrew received the news, he immediately relayed it through the increasingly deep connection between him and Ivan.
And Ivan, being a formidable Desert Hunter whose strength was rapidly recovering after his injuries, was still faster than Andrew’s "Water Soul Constitution." He was, after all, a Warrior. If Andrew, as a Mage, were faster than Ivan, that would be problematic.
In any case, after Ivan received the news, he promptly set off, arriving at the scene even before Andrew, who had set out first.
He saw a sneaky figure just finish sawing through the trunk of the Water Tower Tree, seemingly intent on causing more thorough destruction.
The person was rough in appearance but with keen and capable eyes.
Surprisingly, it was... the Mayor of Wildfire Town!
Ivan felt incredulous: as Mayor, he personally sawed through the town’s Tree of Life? What kind of operation is this?!
Until he saw the bizarre saw in the Mayor’s hand, emitting a dark red unsettling hue, Ivan understood.
That’s exactly the kind of "Dark Fire Saw" produced by the Magic Guild for the Water Tower Tree!
With a cold snort, Ivan directly struck, fighting with the mayor.
Andrew arrived at this time too: "Stop this guy, don’t let him run away! Capture him alive!"
For a moment, it was unclear why the mayor of Wildfire Town would do such a thing.
Or rather, unclear: The mayor of Wildfire Town is clearly subordinate to the Royal Court, part of the secular power structure of this Flame Realm. When exactly was he bribed by the Magic Guild?
Frankly, ignoring it for now, having Ivan capture the person.
Andrew himself rushed to the Water Tower Tree without delay.
"The decision to pinch the Fire Extinguishing Value point and not easily consuming it seems correct now."
Andrew thought to himself.
As a Water Mage, Andrew did not intend to easily let the Water Tower Tree be completely ruined!
So after stopping in place.
Andrew faced the trunk and stump, broken into two parts, and took a deep breath.
He raised both hands, flicking his ten fingers.
As if playing an invisible piano.
With each flick of his finger, a "Long-range Water Needle" shot out from his fingertips!
He used precise water needles to cleanly remove the lingering power of the "Dark Fire Saw" on the cut surface of the broken tree!
"It can be saved, it definitely can be saved!"
Andrew was anxious inside.
But his actions became more and more methodical.
The "Seed of the Water Spirit" and the "Water God Mark" overlapped at his brow, allowing Andrew to remain calm and focused even in the most critical situations.
"Ah..."
The fastest residents of the Living People Cemetery arrived, panting.
Seeing the broken tree and the water spilled all over, they directly collapsed!
"Water Tower Tree! Our Water Tower Tree!?"
"Shire!" Newest update provided by n̷o̷v̷e̷l̷f̷i̷r̷e̷.net
This was a very normal reaction.
The Water Tower Tree, to every town in the desert, is not just a source of life.
It has even become a kind of spiritual sustenance.
Becoming a totem-like existence.
For example, the Water Tower Tree of Wildfire Town, the townspeople actually gave it a name: Shire.
This tree is called "Shire".
It has silently guarded Wildfire Town from long ago until now.
In the minds of the townspeople, Shire is their god.
The guardian god of Wildfire Town!
"Damn it, is it you? Did you chop down ’Shire’?!"
A resident of the cemetery, eyes red, stared at the mayor who was desperately trying to escape under Ivan’s knife.
About to rush up and fight the mayor.
Another person, however, pulled him back: "Wait, wait a minute! Look!"
These two people, including Ivan and the mayor, saw out of the corner of their eyes—
The originally fallen "Shire" suddenly, under some invisible force, struggled to rise from the ground!
"Water Element Series: Water Demon Puppet."
Andrew silently spoke to himself.
He had already used "Long-range Water Needle" to clean the lingering power of the fire saw from the cut surfaces of the trunk and stump.
Then, a large amount of previously deliberately saved Fire Extinguishing Values were consumed by Andrew at this moment.
He unlocked a magic from the "Water Element Series" called "Water Demon Puppet".
This was precisely what Andrew judged to be the most suitable water magic for the current situation.
"Even though I was holding on to the Fire Extinguishing Values, not spending immediately to unlock new magic."
Andrew thought, "But I also did my homework in advance—examining which water magic series exists, the magic skills within each series, the function and strength of each magic skill, and whether they have synergy with other magic effects—I studied all of it beforehand!"
The Water Element Series, simply put, is magic used to "summon various water element lives".
Similar to the Warm Fire Commerce Association’s "Fire Element Series", one water, one fire, subtly corresponding to each other.
As for this "Water Demon Puppet", it’s one of the water magics in the "Water Element Series" that consumes more Fire Extinguishing Values. It’s not like the Water Ball Technique, an elementary magic. It’s even higher in level than the "Deep Blue Starlight", about the same as "Long-range Water Needle".
Its capabilities are twofold: "Great Strength" and "Slow Speed".
Great Strength is easy to understand, meaning the summoned "Water Demon Puppet" is very strong.
Slow Speed means that the change speed of anything and anyone touched by the "Water Demon Puppet" is slowed down.
"Even the speed of death is a kind of change speed."
Andrew roared in his heart, "Then let’s slow down, slow down, slow down Shire’s speed of death!"
Due to the presence of "Invisible Enchantment", what others couldn’t see was actually already there:
There was an entire water-blue magic life form on site.
About seven or eight meters tall, it had a head, a body, and limbs, but no face.
This was the invisible "Water Demon Puppet", like a reliable water giant, bending down to lift up "Shire".
Then what others saw was:
Shire’s trunk and stump seemed under the command of some invisible hand, with some difficulty but great determination, reconnecting together!
Whoosh!
A large segment of the "Deep Blue Starlight", part of the "Water Priestess Series", prepared long ago by Andrew, was immediately scattered on the newly connected cut surface of the wound!