c112: The Spiritual Fruit Tree
In the vast expanse of the universe, countless stars twinkled like scattered diamonds, illuminating the black canvas of space.
Li Xu's figure, minuscule compared to the celestial bodies around him, floated quietly in the vacuum of space. He held in his hand a shimmering seed, the seed of the Spiritual Fruit Tree, a product of ki manipulation and ancient Namekian energy grafting.
"Buzz..."
Green energy flowed from Li Xu's palms this was life energy, carefully refined through divine ki circulation. As the seed absorbed the energy, it pulsed with light and rapidly germinated. Within moments, it took root in the void, sprouting and growing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Soon, a massive tree stood suspended in space, rooted in ki rather than soil.
"Let it flourish."
As the Spiritual Tree grew, Li Xu's Super Saiyan IV energy began to drain rapidly. The transformation was powerful but energy-intensive; despite his mastery, sustaining it while growing the tree pushed him to his limit. Anticipating this, he chewed on Senzu Beans, though they couldn't fully restore the colossal energy demands of Super Saiyan IV. Still, they allowed him to stabilize and replenish just enough to maintain the process.
Time passed slowly.
The spiritual tree transformed into a vast colossus, its bark gnarled and ancient-looking, and its branches like serpentine dragons winding through the void. The roots wove through space like celestial vines, pulsing with raw energy.
Eventually, the branches bore Spirit Tree Fruits glowing crimson, like molten rubies. These fruits shimmered with dense energy, radiating a pressure similar to the Fruit of the Tree of Might from ancient Saiyan legends, though refined and purified.
"Buzz!"
"They're ripe!"
With practiced care, Li Xu plucked each fruit from the tree. In total, he gathered thirty-three glowing fruits. As expected, the tree, having poured all its energy into its produce, began to wither. Its bark dulled, its branches cracked, and it shrank until all that remained was a single dormant seed.
Li Xu gently retrieved the seed for reuse. His eyes scanned the fruits in his arms, smiling with satisfaction.
"I wonder how much combat power these will boost this time…"
He knew these wouldn't significantly impact his own power at over 40 trillion battle power in his Super Saiyan IV state, Li Xu had far surpassed the point where such enhancements would be efficient. Still, the fruits had immense value for others.
With a burst of ki, he vanished from space and reappeared at Capsule Corporation.
"Bulma! Kids! Come here!" he called out as he stepped through the door, holding the glowing fruits.
"Husband! Did you grow Spirit Tree Fruits again?" Bulma gasped, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the shimmering red fruit.
"Try one," Li Xu said, tossing her a fruit.
Crunch!
Bulma bit into it with curiosity. In seconds, her aura exploded—raw energy surged through her body like a storm. Her hair fluttered, and the pressure knocked over nearby objects.
"Whoa! That's strong!" exclaimed Li Yi and Bulla, their eyes wide.
"Each one boosts combat power by 100 million," Li Xu confirmed, nodding with satisfaction. "Not bad at all for a secondary harvest."
"100 million in one bite?" Bulma said, both excited and overwhelmed. "Looks like I'll have to train a bit to stabilize this power..."
"You should be grateful. Do you know how hard it is for a regular Earthling to gain even a single million in combat power?" Li Xu said with a half-teasing glare. "Krillin has trained his entire life and still didn't break 100 million. You're taking shortcuts most people can't dream of."
Bulma blushed. "I know, I know... but still!"
"Dad! We want one too!" Li Yi and Bulla chimed in eagerly.
"You can, but don't rely on them too much," Li Xu said, handing each child a fruit. "You both have Saiyan blood, and with proper training, your potential is immense. Overusing external power sources could damage your growth."
Li Xu was firm in his belief: Bulma, lacking a warrior's constitution and distasteful of hard combat training, needed help to raise her power artificially. But for hybrid Saiyan children, shortcuts could cripple their long-term development. Saiyans thrived on battle, and only through intense personal growth could they unlock transformations like Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan God, or even Ultra Instinct down the line.
"Yes, Dad!" the two little ones nodded seriously, understanding the responsibility that came with their heritage.
As the family marveled over the power of the Spiritual Tree Fruits, Li Xu stood back with a thoughtful look.
Even now, he was planning the next step who he would test this power against, and which universe might contain the rival he was searching for.
They had received structured training under Whis, the angel attendant of Beerus, so they understood these principles quite well.
"There are thirty fruits total five for each of you two kids. The remaining twenty are for Bulma," Li Xu explained. "But remember: you must fully master the power increase from one before eating the next."
"We will!" Bulla said cheerfully, grabbing five Spirit Tree Fruits from Li Xu's hand with bright eyes.
After receiving their fruits, Li Yi and Bulla immediately flew off to train on their own, eager to push their hybrid Saiyan potential to the next level.
"Bulma, come train with me," Li Xu said. "If you don't, you'll end up tearing down half the house again."
Every time Bulma's power increased drastically, she lost temporary control over her ki. Without proper combat conditioning, even basic motor function like walking or lifting a cup could cause damage due to energy mismanagement.
"Alright…" Bulma sighed, her voice half-resigned, half-frustrated.
Above Capsule Corporation's private island, the crack and bang of energy blasts echoed across the sky as two elegant figures clashed in midair.
These two were Bulma and Android 18 or Lazuli, as she was once known.
Whenever Bulma consumed a Spirit Tree Fruit, her combat power would rise exponentially. Curious at first, Android 18 came to observe the results. After assessing the situation, she offered to help Bulma train to handle the sudden strength influx.
Since both were women and old acquaintances at that Bulma agreed. From then on, Android 18 took over Bulma's training regimen, freeing Li Xu from the job. He didn't complain.teaching a reluctant Earthling with little combat interest was no easy task.
Now, the two sparred regularly. But 18 always suppressed her power significantly. Without that handicap, Bulma wouldn't stand a chance. In both battle power and combat experience, Bulma couldn't compare to a former Red Ribbon bio-android with power rivaling Super Saiyan Blue.
"Whew…"
Bulma finally had enough and descended to the ground.
"Bulma, weren't you the one who used to hate training?" Li Xu asked, half-amused. He used to practically force her into practice, and she'd always resist.
"Honey, you're the one who said that actual combat is the fastest way to control one's power," Bulma said with a cheeky grin. "So if I fight more, I can train less."
"It seems… you haven't changed at all," Li Xu said with a dark line forming on his forehead. For a moment, he thought she was finally embracing training seriously.
"Only Saiyans train day in and day out," Android 18 chimed in as she floated down, brushing her hair back. "Shopping, fashion those are fun. You don't see me wasting days in a gravity chamber."
"Lazuli is totally right! He practices every day. That kind of life? Boring," Bulma added with a smirk.
"Bulma, you've been corrupted by 18," Li Xu muttered, half-joking, feigning a pout.
"Aww, don't cry, honey," Bulma teased, playfully rubbing his arm.
"Tch… this is boring. I'm going back to training," Li Xu said and took off into the sky. He didn't quite know how to act around Android 18. She claimed to help train Bulma but Li Xu sensed her real motives lay elsewhere.
And Bulma wasn't clueless either. From her nonchalant attitude, it seemed she had already guessed Android 18's intentions and wasn't planning to stop her. If anything, she appeared to tacitly approve.
Li Xu, however, felt conflicted.
Sure, what man didn't fantasize about having a beauty on each side? And no one could deny that 18's beauty and physique rivaled Bulma's maybe even surpassed her in certain aspects. But Li Xu wasn't someone who acted on impulse. For him, real affection was a prerequisite.
Yes, he found Android 18 attractive anyone would. But to say he loved her? That wasn't true. Not yet.
So instead of confronting his feelings, he chose the safer path retreat.
"What an idiot..." Android 18 muttered, watching him fly off. She stamped her foot in mild frustration, feeling a rare moment of doubt in her appearance. She had made her interest unmistakably clear and yet, Li Xu remained unshaken.
Was she losing her charm?
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