Reborn as a Demonic Tree

As Stella crossed the central courtyard and approached the doorway that led into the neighboring training courtyard, the spring in her step slowly died, and the bubbling feeling in her chest transitioned into dread.

Why did her happy reunion with Tree have to be tainted by the presence of a Ravenborne?

Stella let out a long breath to calm her nerves.

Diana Ravenborne was far stronger than her—that much was clear.

The gap in their upbringing was too vast to overcome with pure cultivation.

Why was life so unfair? Why did Diana get all the love and attention in the world while she was left alone in a desolate courtyard for so many years?

Stella clenched her fists as the distant memory of her father patiently teaching her the only techniques she knew to this day slowly replayed in her mind.

He would still be alive if not for the pressure upon her old man's shoulders to rush his cultivation due to families like the Ravenborne that set their eyes on his family's peak.

His kind smile and energetic blonde hair that had waved and glowed in the sunshine were all she remembered of him.

Stella closed her eyes for a brief moment to hold back the tears, she was a big girl now, and she had Tree to look out for her.

Now wasn't the time to show weakness.

Her father had always chuckled warmly and told her to be stronger than he ever was as he pattered her small head and told her stories of his younger days.

A breeze blew as Stella stood rooted before the ajar wooden door separating the courtyards.

How was she supposed to face the daughter of the man that orchestrated her father's death with anything but wrathful fury and a venomous sneer?

"You are better than that, Stella." She whispered to herself as she played with the earrings that Tree had gifted her as a child to calm herself. "Don't be like them, have an open but guarded heart."

Taking a final deep breath, Stella pushed past the door, crossed the corridor, and entered the training courtyard.

It was as she remembered it, apart from the destroyed far wall overgrown with red vines and the deep gashes left everywhere, likely from Diana's training.

In the center, standing before a badly beaten-up training dummy, was Diana.

Noticing Stella's presence, Diana looked over he shoulder, "Finished talking to the tree?"

Her voice was dull but not cold. Nevertheless, it lacked that sharpness Stella had expected. She knew how she interacted with Tree was abnormal, but she cared little for it.

"I have." Stella stayed where she was standing with her arms crossed. "I see you have made a wreck of my training courtyard?"

Diana turned to face her. A sword lazily hung in her hand with the tip just above the ground. "I admit the gashes in the floor were me, and I apologize for that... but the rest of the damage was from my father, not me."

Stella raised a brow, "Your father was here? Grand Elder Ravenborne? Was he looking for me?"

Shaking her head, Diana smiled, "Nah, the old bastard went supernova. The Winterwrath and Evergreen families have taken over my peak and slaughtered everyone."

Diana gestured to the hole in the wall, "Want to take a look?"

Stella found her words unbelievable. It was hard to imagine such a titanic family falling to lower-tier ones like the Winterwrath and Evergreen families.

Although she had heard the Ravenborne family had been in decline for a long time, it was still weird to hear that the family that had plagued her mind for so long was just... gone.

"Sure." Stella walked over, and Diana led the girl across the training courtyard, kicking up sand as they went.

Stella looked to the side and noticed Diana was a bit shorter than her and had a rather odd dressing style—the blood that stained the shirt wasn't helping the look—but it suited her. 'Maybe I should look into some new clothes.' Stella thought as she glanced down at the ordinary black cloak she had worn for years that was tattered and needed a good wash.

Diana flicked her finger as the two approached the hole overgrown with red vines, and a burst of blue flames shot out, incinerating the red vines in seconds.

Once the smoke cleared, Stella was confused.

Ravenborne peak was still there, but the pavilion had been replaced with a grand palace of white stone.

Even from so far away, Stella could feel hundreds of cultivators mingling around the palace.

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