Honkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 89

Chapter 89: Xiangling: This is Simply Paradise!

Inside the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor in Liyue.

Hu Tao was currently leading her employees, carefully preparing the necessary items for the evening’s solemn affairs.

“Old Li, are the Calming Talismans ready? When we head up to Wuwang Hill tonight, everyone must carry one on their person. Otherwise, it’s far too easy for wandering ghosts to cloud your mind.”

Old Li respectfully cupped his hands. “Hall Master, they have long been prepared. We have more than enough to go around.”

Hu Tao nodded in satisfaction, her twin tails bobbing slightly.

At that moment, the young Ferrylady walked over with light steps. “Hall Master, your friend Xiangling is looking for you at the entrance.”

Hearing this, Hu Tao immediately clapped her hands to get her staff’s attention. “All of you, double-check everything. Don’t let there be a single oversight. This Hall Master is going to see Xiangling.”

The several staff members scheduled to brave the dark woods of Wuwang Hill that night responded in unison. Leaving them to their tasks, Hu Tao skipped toward the main entrance.

As soon as she stepped outside, she spotted the familiar figure of the Wanmin Restaurant’s head chef.

“Xiangling! How do you have the free time to visit my Wangsheng Funeral Parlor today? Are you here to play with This Hall Master? Because I’m afraid I don’t have a spare moment. Tonight, This Hall Master has to go to Wuwang Hill to send off a client, so my schedule is completely booked.”

Xiangling quickly shook her head. “No, no, I’m actually here to ask you where you found those giant vegetables you brought me last time!” Her eyes practically sparkled with culinary passion. “I’ve already used up the ones you gave me. Those giant vegetables are absolutely incredible in both flavor and quality, so I want to go and gather some more myself!”

Hu Tao blinked, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “Ah, those. Well, that stuff wasn’t found anywhere in Liyue.”

Xiangling looked a bit surprised. “Not in Liyue? Is it in neighboring Mondstadt? Or Sumeru? It has to be Sumeru, right? The rainforests there grow all sorts of huge things! It’s fine, just tell me the location, and I’ll take Guoba to pick them.”

Hu Tao glanced around the busy street, then turned to the young Ferrylady standing nearby. “Little sister, go and see how Old Li and the others are preparing. This Hall Master has something private to discuss with Xiangling.”

The young Ferrylady understood immediately and stepped back into the parlor. It was clearly a personal matter for the Hall Master, and it was inconvenient for her to eavesdrop.

Once the Ferrylady had withdrawn, Hu Tao checked their surroundings one more time. Confirming no one was within earshot, she pulled Xiangling close and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.

“Those giant vegetables aren’t from Teyvat at all. This Hall Master brought them back from a place entirely outside this world.”

Xiangling’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “Outside the world?!”

Hearing Xiangling shout so loudly, Hu Tao hurriedly slapped a hand over the chef’s mouth. “Keep your voice down! This matter absolutely cannot be known by others!”

Xiangling nodded frantically, her muffled voice trapped behind Hu Tao’s palm. Only then did the Hall Master slowly let go.

Xiangling’s face was a portrait of pure disbelief. “For real? Hu Tao, you aren’t just fooling with me, are you?”

Hu Tao placed a hand on her hip, feigning offense. “Aiya~ Would This Hall Master ever fool you?”

Xiangling nodded with absolute deadpan seriousness. “You would. You tease me all the time!”

Hu Tao choked on her words, completely unable to refute the accusation.

“Oh, fine, but how could I possibly fool you about this? Those giant vegetables really were picked by me in another world. Come with This Hall Master. This Hall Master will take you there right now.”

Without waiting for a response, Hu Tao grabbed Xiangling by the wrist and dragged her deep into the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, marching all the way to Zhongli’s private quarters.

As soon as Xiangling stumbled into the room, she was greeted by a miraculous sight. Hovering right there in the middle of the consultant’s room was a swirling portal, its center revealing the slow, captivating rotation of a distant starry sky.

“Hu Tao! What in the world is this thing?”

Hu Tao casually patted Xiangling’s shoulder. “Take a seat first. This Hall Master will go find someone to grant you the permission to enter the teleportation gate.”

With that, Hu Tao casually strolled into the starry portal without looking back, leaving a bewildered Xiangling behind.

Stepping onto the Source Continent, Hu Tao immediately spotted Furina and the members of the Gardes, who had just returned from an expedition.

“Furina! Furina! Do me a huge favor!”

Hearing her name, Furina turned to see the energetic funeral director sprinting toward her. “Hu Tao? What’s wrong?”

Hu Tao caught her breath. “I want to bring a friend of mine into the Adventurers Guild. Please come with me and send her an invitation.”

Furina smiled gracefully. “Of course. Let’s go.”

Following Hu Tao through the gate, Furina soon found herself standing in Zhongli’s room back in Liyue.

Xiangling stared at the newcomer, thoroughly confused. “Hu Tao, who is this?”

“She is Furina, a very important person from Fontaine,” Hu Tao introduced quickly. “Don’t speak just yet, I’ll have her send you an invitation.”

With a flick of her wrist, Furina handled her system menu and sent the guild invitation to Xiangling.

Ding!

A glowing virtual interface suddenly popped up directly in front of Xiangling’s face, making her jump back with a yelp. “Oh my god! What is this floating thing?!”

Hu Tao simply grabbed Xiangling’s hand and physically pressed her finger against the glowing [Accept] button. “Don’t worry so much about the details, it’s a good thing and that’s all that matters.”

As soon as her finger made contact, a notification confirmed that Xiangling had successfully joined the Justice Adventure Team.

Hu Tao patted Xiangling’s shoulder once more. “Now, come with This Hall Master. Opposite this teleportation gate is a whole new world. We’ll talk as we walk. In a little while, This Hall Master still has to come back to deal with Wuwang Hill.”

Still entirely in a daze, Xiangling allowed herself to be led through the swirling starry portal.

When they emerged at the Justice Adventure Team Station, Xiangling was in a state of complete sensory overload. The sheer scale of the massive wooden structures and the glowing foliage left her staring blankly into space.

Seeing her friend completely spaced out, Hu Tao reached over, grabbed Xiangling by both shoulders, and shook her vigorously.

“Snap out of it!!! Xiangling!!! We’ve arrived!”

The violent rattling finally brought Xiangling back to reality. “Stop shaking! If you shake me any more I’m really going to throw up!”

Hu Tao finally ceased her assault. “Xiangling, we’ve officially arrived in another world. There are plenty of the giant vegetables you want out here. This Hall Master will take you down to the forest. As for the actual picking, This Hall Master won’t have the time to accompany you.”

Xiangling rubbed her dizzy head and looked around curiously. “Is this really the other world? Why does it look like we are standing inside a giant tree?”

Hu Tao grinned. “Because we really are inside a giant tree. Let’s go, once we get outside, you’ll be able to see it clearly. I’ll explain how things work here on the way. First, I’ll take you to find Samuel to get your class sorted out.”

Turning back, Hu Tao waved to the hydro archon. “Thank you for the trouble, Furina.”

Furina shook her head dismissively. “It’s but a small matter. I’ll go sit over at the Star Adventure Team’s station for a while.”

Taking her leave, Furina strolled away. Hu Tao then led Xiangling toward the Holy City Square to find Samuel.

Just as they arrived at the bustling square, Hu Tao spotted a familiar figure. There, sitting leisurely in front of the General Store with a steaming cup of premium tea, was Zhongli.

“Consultant~” Hu Tao called out, her tone dripping with mock sweetness. “Come with me tonight. I have a client to send off.”

Seeing Zhongli looking so incredibly idle made Hu Tao’s heart instantly flare with imbalance. Why should she, the esteemed Hall Master, have to trudge through the spooky, damp woods of Wuwang Hill while her employee sat here sipping tea? Unfair! I must drag you along to suffer with me!

Zhongli took a calm sip of his tea and nodded in easy agreement. “Alright.”

Setting his cup down, Zhongli noticed the chef standing next to his boss. “Ah, Xiangling. You have come here as well.”

Xiangling smiled brightly and nodded. “Yes! I went to ask Hu Tao about those giant vegetables, and she brought me straight here.”

Zhongli nodded slightly, then shifted his golden gaze to the young man standing nearby. “Samuel, I’ll have to trouble you again to sort out a class for this child, Xiangling.”

Samuel smiled warmly. “Of course. Hello, Xiangling, I am Samuel. Come with me, I’ll help you get your class set up.”

Xiangling nodded eagerly. On the walk over, Hu Tao had already given her a crash course on the Source Continent’s basic rules. She already understood the concept of a ‘class’ and found the whole RPG system incredibly fascinating.

Following Samuel to the glowing roots of Irminsul, Xiangling was presented with her options. For her main class, she didn’t hesitate to choose [Warrior]. She was already a master of the polearm, having inherited her spear techniques directly from Madame Ping.

For her sub-classes, Xiangling selected [Hunter], [Farmer], and [Fisherman].

These three classes were entirely dedicated to the procurement of raw ingredients, perfectly capturing the young chef’s heart. To her, these were simply the absolute dream classes!

With her system UI fully configured, Hu Tao led Xiangling along the massive, winding branches of Irminsul, descending toward the forest floor below.

Xiangling looked around in absolute awe. She had never seen such a vibrant, golden ecosystem before. Even in Sumeru, the vegetation wasn’t this exaggerated. In the rainforests, only a few specific ancient trees grew to massive proportions, but here? Every single blade of grass was bursting with primal energy. Even the common weeds by the roadside were taller than she was!

On their way down, Xiangling’s sharp eyes spotted a large, golden mushroom growing directly out of Samuel’s main trunk.

She carefully plucked it. The mushroom was radiant, emitting an incredibly rich, earthy fragrance that made her mouth water instantly. Xiangling held it in her arms like a priceless treasure, constantly muttering about how this trip was already worth it. Just securing this single, perfect mushroom made her feel completely satisfied.

Upon finally reaching the soft soil of the forest floor, Hu Tao stopped.

“Xiangling, This Hall Master has to rush back now. The guest has to set off as soon as it gets dark, so I really can’t accompany you to pick vegetables. Don’t wander too far. If you can’t find your way back, just look up at Samuel—he’s the largest tree in the sky—and walk straight towards him. Understood?”

Xiangling nodded vigorously. “Mhm! Mhm! You go ahead and get busy, Hu Tao. When you come back tomorrow, I’ll cook something amazing for you!”

Hu Tao’s face instantly brightened with joy. “Then it’s a deal~ This Hall Master will be back first thing tomorrow morning. See you!”

With a wave, Hu Tao turned and bounded back up the massive roots toward the Holy City Square.

Watching her friend leave, Xiangling turned her attention to the dense, towering forest before her. It didn’t take long for her to spot her first prize.

Through the thick foliage, Xiangling saw a potato. But this wasn’t just any potato—it was almost as big as her large iron wok back at the Wanmin Restaurant. Her amber eyes instantly lit up like stars, and she jogged over excitedly.

Carefully setting down her golden mushroom, Xiangling leaned over the monolithic spud, her eyes shining with culinary inspiration. She reached out and lovingly stroked its dirt-caked surface.

“Goodness! Such a huge potato! Just how many servings of spicy and sour shredded potatoes can this make?!”

Rolling up her sleeves, Xiangling stood firm, wrapped her arms around the exposed top of the giant potato, and pulled with all her might.

Pop!

The giant potato was yanked out of the ground with surprising force. Because it was so massive, the sudden release of tension threw Xiangling off balance. Still clutching the giant vegetable with both hands, she lost her footing and fell hard onto her rear, the massive potato tumbling directly onto her lap.

Instead of being upset, Xiangling burst into a fit of giggles.

“Hahahaha! What a huge potato! I hit the jackpot! I really hit the jackpot! I have to remember this exact spot. Hu Tao said a new one will respawn here tomorrow, though I don’t know if that’s actually true. If it is, Wanmin Restaurant will never run out of potatoes again!”

Finding some sturdy vines nearby, Xiangling expertly tied up the giant potato. She then wrapped another vine around the large golden mushroom, securing it safely to her waist.

“Heave-ho! Heave-ho!”

With a grin plastered on her face that she simply couldn’t wipe away, Xiangling began the grueling task of dragging the massive potato all the way back up the winding roots toward the Holy City Square.

It took her over half an hour of intense physical labor to drag her prize back to the plaza. By the time she collapsed onto the ground, sweat was streaming down her forehead, and her clothes were completely soaked through.

Samuel and Zhongli noticed the commotion and walked over.

Zhongli looked down at the panting chef and the boulder-sized vegetable beside her. “Xiangling, did you drag this giant potato all the way up here by yourself?”

Xiangling smiled brightly, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. “Yes! I’ve never seen such a huge potato before in my life!”

Zhongli frowned slightly in confusion. “Why didn’t you simply cut it into smaller pieces before bringing it up? Wouldn’t that have been far less strenuous?”

Xiangling gasped, looking at him as if he had suggested a crime. “Mr. Zhongli, it’s to keep the ingredients fresh! Once a potato is cut, the flesh inside is exposed to the air. If too much time passes before it hits the wok, the texture will ruin and it will spoil!”

Zhongli blinked. “Surely such a short trip wouldn’t affect it that drastically?”

Xiangling patted the giant potato affectionately. “Such a big, high-quality potato—I have to preserve it perfectly! Mr. Zhongli, I’ll stir-fry some spicy and sour shredded potatoes for you tonight. I know you usually like that dish.”

Zhongli’s expression softened into a pleased nod. “Indeed. The spicy and sour shredded potatoes you make are truly unmatched.”

Drawn by the commotion, the four little ones—Anviel, Clara, Bailu, and Hook—ran over to join the fun.

When Anviel’s eyes landed on the large golden mushroom tied to Xiangling’s waist, her jaw dropped in absolute shock.

“That… that’s a Sacred Tree Golden Mushroom!”

Hearing the little elf’s exclamation, Xiangling looked down. “Little sister, do you know about this mushroom?”

Anviel nodded rapidly. “Yes! Hello big sister, my name is Anviel. That is a Sacred Tree Golden Mushroom. This specific type of mushroom only grows directly on the body of the Lord Sacred Tree. They are extremely rare, and every single one is a priceless treasure! If this mushroom is made into a medicinal meal, eating it can directly increase your experience points., you will also gain permanent extra attribute points!”

As soon as Anviel said the words ‘experience points’, Zhongli immediately fixed his piercing golden gaze on the mushroom at Xiangling’s waist.

“Eating this mushroom can increase experience points?” he asked, his tone suddenly very serious.

Anviel nodded again. “Yes! Eating a Sacred Tree Golden Mushroom can increase your experience points by a total of 100,000! Exactly how much you gain depends on how much of it you eat.”

Zhongli’s pupils constricted slightly. One hundred thousand experience points?

He quickly did the mental math. Currently, he needed 2,000 EXP to level up from Level 5 to 6. Level 6 to 7 required 5,000. Level 7 to 8 required 10,000. Level 8 to 9 required 20,000. And Level 9 to 10 required 50,000.

That was a total of 87,000 EXP. Doesn’t that mean if he were to consume this entire Sacred Tree Golden Mushroom himself, he could directly reach Level 10?!

At Level 10, he could perform his first Class Change, and after that, his combat strength on the Source Continent would undergo a massive, qualitative improvement! This ingredient was indeed an extremely precious treasure!

Standing nearby, Samuel had already browsed the deep memories of Irminsul to verify the origin of the mushroom. Anviel was right; this Sacred Tree Golden Mushroom only grew on Irminsul’s main body and was exceedingly rare. One might not even spawn in a full year. It was highly likely that because his own strength had recently recovered, the ambient vitality of Irminsul had become incredibly dense, triggering the birth of this rare treasure.

Xiangling, meanwhile, was completely stunned by Anviel’s explanation.

“Ah? Is this golden mushroom really that powerful? I just thought it smelled really good, so I picked it.”

Anviel smiled brightly. “Anviel ate a tiny piece of one once when I was little! The taste is absolutely delicious; it is the best mushroom Anviel has ever eaten!”

Xiangling’s culinary spirit flared. “Then I’ll definitely cook it into a dish tonight! This mushroom has such a rich aroma, so maybe we should just pan-fry it on a hot stone slab? A sprinkle of coarse sea salt will be enough to bring out the umami. Oh, wait, that won’t work. It has to be tomorrow. Hu Tao is busy tonight, and I promised to cook for her. Let’s do it tomorrow.”

Zhongli nodded in agreement. “Very well. Xiangling, you should place this Sacred Tree Golden Mushroom in the refrigerator first. The refrigerator will keep it perfectly fresh.”

Xiangling tilted her head, curious. “A refrigerator? Is that like a wooden box with ice cubes in it?”

Zhongli shook his head slightly, a faint smile on his lips. “No. I will take you to see it in person, and then you will understand.”

With that, Zhongli led Xiangling toward the Star Adventure Team’s station.

The moment Xiangling laid eyes on the modern, hum-powered refrigerator, she instantly fell in love. This machine was incredible! Her biggest worry as a chef was always the storage of delicate ingredients. Generally, the Wanmin Restaurant kept things in a root cellar. The cellar was cool and damp, sure, but it couldn’t even begin to compare to the crisp, freezing perfection of this refrigerator!

Carefully placing the Sacred Tree Golden Mushroom onto a pristine shelf, Xiangling then dragged her giant potato into the main hall for temporary storage.

Without wasting another second, she sprinted right back out the door to continue her hunt for giant vegetables. She was practically vibrating with energy now, not feeling the slightest bit of fatigue. Giant vegetables! Here I come! Hmph, hmph!

Throughout the entire afternoon, Samuel and Zhongli could only watch in amusement as Xiangling transported massive vegetables up the tree, trip after trip, an endless well of boundless energy.

Meanwhile, far away on the Xianzhou Luofu, deep within the complex shipping port of Cloudford.

Stelle, Welt, March 7th, and Tingyun were currently relying on a mechanical “Diting” to track Kafka’s elusive trail.

The Diting was a specialized bionic construct developed by the Luofu specifically for tracking scents and energy signatures. Shaped like a miniature, mechanical lion dance costume, the little device was about the size of a small puppy, sniffing the ground as it trotted forward.

And the one responsible for guiding Stelle, Welt, and March 7th was none other than the Amicassador of the Sky-Faring Commission, Tingyun. Or rather, the Lord Ravager Phantylia wearing her skin.

March 7th watched the Diting sprinting ahead, her camera bouncing against her chest. “This little guy is truly amazing. It can capture even the absolute faintest scent!”

Tingyun smiled, her fox ears twitching gracefully. “Of course. The Diting was designed from the very beginning to find lost people and hidden objects. Let’s catch up quickly so we don’t lose its trail.”

Stelle and the others immediately quickened their pace. The damp, metallic corridors of Cloudford were crawling with danger, and along the way, the group encountered several more Mara-Struck Soldiers. However, with Welt’s gravity manipulation and Stelle’s bat, the corrupted guards were easily dispatched.

After more than half an hour of relentless pursuit, the Diting finally skidded to a halt beside a large loading platform.

Stelle looked up and immediately spotted her target.

Kafka stood elegantly atop a massive shipping container, looking down at the Express crew with a calm, calculating gaze. Flanking her on both sides were several heavily armed Cloud Knights, their eyes glazed over—clearly hypnotized by her Spirit Whisper.

Seeing this, Tingyun, needing to play her part as a loyal Luofu official to the fullest, immediately put on a mask of furious indignation.

“Kafka! What have you done to these honorable Cloud Knights?!”

Kafka looked down at Tingyun, her magenta eyes flashing with a deeply meaningful gaze. “I haven’t done anything. I just asked them to listen to me quietly.”

Stelle gripped her bat, ready to speak, but Kafka cut her off, her voice smooth as velvet.

“This is not the place to talk. I will wait for you up ahead, Stelle.”

With a dismissive wave of her hand, Kafka ordered the hypnotized Cloud Knights to charge forward, intending to use the distraction to slip away.

But just as Kafka turned to make her graceful exit, Stelle suddenly roared.

“March! Ice Arrow!”

March 7th didn’t hesitate for a microsecond. She drew her bow, notched an arrow of pure condensed frost, and unleashed her skill. The Ice Arrow tore through the air with blinding speed. Before Kafka could even process the attack, the freezing energy detonated, encasing her legs in solid ice and rooting her firmly in place.

Simultaneously, Welt adjusted his glasses and lightly waved the Star of Eden in his hand. A crushing wave of synthetic gravity slammed into the charging Cloud Knights, instantly knocking them unconscious before they could take three steps.

With the guards down and the target immobilized, Stelle sprinted forward like a rabid raccoon, vaulted up the shipping container, and violently tackled Kafka to the ground just as the ice began to shatter. She pinned the Stellaron Hunter down, grappling her so tightly she couldn’t move an inch.

Pinned against the cold metal of the container, Kafka’s usual unflappable composure cracked into genuine bewilderment.

Wait… this wasn’t what the script said, was it?

Didn’t Elio’s script explicitly state that she would be able to escape from this platform? She was supposed to lead Stelle on a chase all the way to the docks at the edge of Cloudford. There, they were meant to have a dramatic, drawn-out fight before she was finally ‘captured’ by Master Diviner Fu Xuan of the Divination Commission.

Afterward, she was supposed to be taken to the Matrix of Prescience, where Fu Xuan would use the grand array to interrogate her and learn her true intentions. Through that specific sequence of events, the Luofu would completely believe that the Astral Express was here to help them.

Later, she was supposed to take Blade to intercept another member of the Express, Dan Heng, and force him to awaken his hidden power. Only by following those exact steps would Stelle and her group be strong enough to win the final battle against Phantylia, who had created a physical body using the Ambrosial Arbor and the Stellaron!

But now? She was pinned to the floor in the middle of Cloudford!

Kafka struggled against Stelle’s iron grip, managing to free one arm as they traded a brief, frantic blow, forcing Stelle to pull back just a few inches.

Desperate to regain control of the shattered script, Kafka locked eyes with the Trailblazer, her voice laced with the compelling, absolute power of her Spirit Whisper.

“Listen to me…”