Chapter 161: A Fleeting Peace (Part 3)

  On Luya's originally pure and exquisitely beautiful face, such a complex expression suddenly emerged. This strong contrast was enough for anyone who saw it to remember for a lifetime. Besides, it had only happened yesterday. As soon as Ethan recalled it, that face, twisted by doubt, anger, and disappointment, immediately appeared in his mind.

  "You personally and publicly asked Gru to spare that Drow. That not only admitted your relationship with that Drow, but more importantly, it implied that you believe a lewd and evil Drow is more important than the friendship and acceptance of all the elves of Tulalion. It's only natural that Elder Luya is angry and disappointed with you. In fact, it's not just her; I'm a little disappointed too. And probably Mr. Sedros as well."

  "You too?" Ethan looked at the wrinkled face of the elven elder, stunned.

  "Of course. The existence of that Drow will somewhat hinder the alliance between Tulalion and Oufu, especially since our alliance can only be maintained as a very subtle, secret connection and cannot be officially announced." Elder Lloyd sighed. "The other elves won't think about the pros and cons; their intuitive likes and dislikes are more likely to sway them. A Drow, plus the magic you use yourself, is enough to make them wary."

  Ethan nodded. "No wonder. I also found it strange at the time why Gru had to insist that Jessica die."

  "In fact, Gru could have easily not said it so definitively in front of so many people." Elder Lloyd frowned and gave a wry smile. "Wouldn't it be better to solve these problems privately through other indirect methods? Why let so many elves know that you have an illicit relationship with a lewd and evil Drow."

  Ethan thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "He did it on purpose."

  "Why?"

  "He wanted me to make a direct choice. To choose Jessica's life, or the acceptance of the elves. He didn't want to leave me any room to maneuver with other methods." Ethan said with a wry smile and a shake of his head. "He's just that direct a person."

  "But in the end, why are you protecting that Drow? Do you like her very much?"

  "It's not a matter of liking or not." Ethan shook his head, revealing a strange wry smile, helplessness mixed with a bit of stubbornness. "She was just doing her own thing. There's no reason to sacrifice her for things that have nothing to do with her."

  "Is this your belief?" Elder Lloyd looked at him, his eyes, completely different from those of other elves, with the cloudiness of a human elder, not blinking.

  "What belief? It's not that great." Ethan smiled, paused, and said, "I just feel that way..."

  "Good." Elder Lloyd smiled faintly, for a reason that was unclear. "Elder Luya and the other four elders will secretly take the Leaves of the World Tree to Oufu tomorrow. With the power of the Leaves of the World Tree and Elder Luya's nature magic, the barren land on the Barbarian Highlands will soon grow enough food for the orcs to eat and use for grazing."

  Ethan nodded secretly. No matter what mistakes occurred in the process, the final result was ultimately achieved. He had not participated in the meeting between Sedros and the elven elders, and afterwards, he didn't even see Sedros.

  According to the arrangement at the time, he led Hilton, the druid, and Jessica to hunt down the thieves who had left the forest. Under the pursuit and ambush of the four, the once-famous Shamushi Thieves' Guild in Erathia was finally completely wiped out. But tracking the thieves for dozens of miles, waiting for them to leave the forest before killing them all cleanly, was not an easy or quick task. By the time they returned to Tulalion, it was already night. Sedros and Gru had already left.

  Elder Lloyd continued to say faintly, "Mr. Sedros also asked you to lead people to find the elven maidens who were captured by the thieves and sold in Erathia. After all, they fell into danger because of your plan, and you have the responsibility to rescue them."

  Ethan was taken aback for a moment, then nodded. He couldn't believe that Sedros would actually admit to the elven elders that he was the one behind the thieves. This was truly surprising to him.

  But he immediately realized something was wrong. A light suddenly flashed in Elder Lloyd's eyes, and he asked in a deep voice, "So it really was Sedros and you who were behind this?"

  Ethan was stunned again, and sighed a long, helpless sigh. He once again realized his own naivety and superficiality in front of these wily old men. To be tricked so casually and have his tail exposed.

  Immediately after the sigh, he took a big gulp of cool air, and his heart leaped into his throat. The consequences of this mistake of his were so severe that after all the hardships to get to this point, all his previous efforts might be wasted because of this rash nod of his.

  "I was always wondering. If it were really the Necromancer Guild who knew the Leaves of the World Tree were here, how could they only send these petty thieves? Even that Paladin and Cardinal could only break through our barrier by force. Without someone who had a sufficient understanding of our magical barrier, how could they create a scroll that could silently and secretly break it? And that speech from the Cardinal, with a person's mind and judgment, how could it be without purpose..." The light in Elder Lloyd's eyes flickered uncertainly. "It seems that the Cardinal and Paladin's group probably wasn't intentionally led by you. Your original plan was just to have that group of thieves capture some elves, and through their mouths, let us know that Diya Valley already knew the Leaves of the World Tree were with us, and then you could use that as a threat to make us help you, right?"

  Ethan didn't speak. He only now realized that this elven elder was completely different from the elves he had known before. The other elves, who looked incomparably ethereal, were each as stubborn and dull as a block of elm wood. But this old-looking elder's mind was as agile and his thoughts as comprehensive as those of the most seasoned masters of intrigue and politicians, not in the least inferior. Although this plan had a flaw because of his own mistake, to be able to deduce the entire plan from these scattered clues was truly astounding to him.

  But the elven elder then sighed again and nodded helplessly, saying, "But I also know that Oufu is Sedros's life's work, and he did this out of necessity. The key thing is that it has already come to this point and cannot be undone. Now we have no choice but to help him."

  "You... knowing all this, you still intend to help Sedros?" Ethan asked cautiously.

  "Help, how can we not help." The elven elder gave a wry smile. "We must help. He gave me a condition that I absolutely cannot refuse. If the Necromancer Guild or the Church really comes to forcibly seize the Leaves of the World Tree, he and General Gru will arrive immediately at the first moment. Although this situation was largely orchestrated by him, we simply cannot refuse. If the news of the Leaves of the World Tree really leaks to Diya Valley, we dare not risk facing the methods of those Necromancers alone. Although relying on this War Ancient Tree, we have the confidence to face any opponent, those Necromancers are just too dangerous. Whispering Woods is the best example."

  "I'm sorry." Ethan sighed gloomily.

  Elder Lloyd sighed, then smiled again and said, "You don't need to feel guilty. In fact, we also have our reasons for helping Oufu. If Oufu is truly wiped out and leveled by the Church, the next target might very well be Tulalion."

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  "Why?" Ethan frowned. Tulalion Forest and Celeste had coexisted for not just a few decades. It seemed the Church had no reason to suddenly make a move against the elves.

  "In the twenty years since the current Pope ascended the throne, the influence of the Church of Light has developed on the continent at an unprecedented speed. In the largest country on the Eastern Continent, the Ainfast Empire, and in many countries on the Western Continent, the Church's power has begun to take deep root. In recent years, the battle against Nighon has progressed smoothly, and His Majesty the Pope has naturally focused his energy on how to unify the spiritual faith of the continent. The crusade and conquest of heretics has been gradually strengthened." Lloyd glanced at Ethan. "Especially the news that Cardinal Ronis of Ainfast was suddenly assassinated by you has further strengthened Magnus's determination to unify the continent."

  "Although Cardinal Ronis was nominally a Cardinal under Celeste, his status in the Church was revered. Especially his prestige and influence on the Eastern Continent were no less than the Pope's, and because he was blocked by the Barbarian Highlands, many people on the Eastern Continent only knew of Cardinal Ronis, not of the Pope. Ronis and Magnus happened to be at odds with each other, with considerable friction. So he invisibly restrained Celeste. And Ronis also publicly declared his support for the establishment of Oufu. Now that Cardinal Ronis is dead, the Magic Academy will sooner or later fall back into the hands of the Pope, and the entire continent is almost already in his grasp." Elder Lloyd sighed and said, "Almost within his grasp, but not actually in reality. The gap in between is the most tempting driving force."

  "The establishment of Oufu is actually beneficial and harmless to almost all countries, and Sedros's plan and arrangements were impeccable. In the end, it still ended up in a desperate situation. Although there were those from the Necromancer Guild secretly sabotaging things, in fact, they only catalyzed this effect. The intention of Pope Magnus is the real reason. If he is allowed to easily take Oufu, the next to suffer will definitely be other places that do not accept the holy radiance of The Radiant Citadel. Tulalion Forest is the largest and most obvious of these. So we must help Oufu."

  Ethan took a deep breath. He had the illusion that he was not talking to an elven elder, but listening to the profound discourse of a highly skilled politician and strategist. Only after a long while did he react. He asked, "Since you also know that you must unite with Oufu, why not just openly form an alliance with Oufu?"

  "I've said it before. I help Oufu to make it our shield, not for us to be Oufu's shield." The elven elder gave a very sly smile. "We can only help Oufu in secret, at least on the surface. We need to maintain an attitude of not being hostile to Celeste. Sedros is using us, so why can't we use him? He should be perfectly aware of that too."

  "Are you really an elf?" Ethan looked carefully at the old man in front of him who was smiling like a fox, suspecting he was a human with fake ears, or the kind of wily old man you'd find at a counter or in an exchange.

  "You think elves are all idiots?" The elven elder looked at Ethan askance.

  "At least most are." Ethan nodded honestly, then immediately added, "That's just my opinion."

  "If all elves were like you, Tulalion wouldn't need to find Oufu to be its shield." Ethan sighed, feeling it was a pity. With the elves' much longer lifespans than humans, if even just one-tenth of them had the mind of this old elf, dedicated to development, research, and the practice of magic, perhaps this continent wouldn't be left to the wanton rampaging of Diya Valley and the Church.

  Elder Lloyd smiled lightly, pointed at himself, and asked Ethan a baffling question: "How old do you think I am?"

  Ethan frowned and carefully examined this elf who really didn't seem like an elf, the wrinkles on his face, the slightly clouded eyeballs. The lifespan of most elves is over several hundred years, and they almost always maintain that beautiful and elegant appearance. For Elder Lloyd to have lived to show such signs of aging, and with a mind as sharp as his and thoughts that cannot be compared to those of an ordinary elf, he must belong to the category of a monster-level old man. Ethan estimated and said, "Probably... over a thousand, maybe two thousand years old."

  "Hahaha..." Lloyd laughed, first a big laugh, then a wry smile. He looked at Ethan, shook his head, and said, "I'm only one hundred and twenty-five this year. By our elven standards, I'm actually just a young man. Or rather, a teenager."

  "A young man? A teenager?" Ethan found it very difficult to connect this vibrant term with the old man in front of him, who was full of wrinkles and didn't have a single bit of the ethereal beauty an elf should have.

  "You must be very strange, why I am different from other elven kin, appearing so old at this age. Let me tell you. This is because I think too much, consider too much. Whether it's weighing pros and cons or contemplating strategies, this all violates the teachings of the great Mafa. My heart has already lost its connection with nature, and my life force has already begun to wither."

  Ethan frowned and didn't speak. He didn't quite believe it. In fact, it would be difficult for anyone to believe such a seemingly absurd thing.

  "Come here, let me show you something." Elder Lloyd walked to a wall of the treehouse, chanted a spell, and gently caressed the wooden wall. The wooden wall, which was originally the trunk of the ancient tree, actually melted to both sides like it was alive with the incantation, revealing a passage.

  Following the passage all the way down, the end of the passage was a secret chamber. Ethan estimated the distance. They were probably in the middle of the giant ancient tree. A rich aura of nature magic permeated the surroundings. This aura didn't make people tense like other magical fluctuations; on the contrary, it made people feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze, as warm and safe as if soaking in amniotic fluid full of life.

  The secret chamber wasn't too large, and there wasn't too much in it. The ceiling of the chamber emitted a soft, gentle light. Ethan focused his gaze and saw that it was actually a small piece of wood integrated with the ceiling. But he wasn't attracted to this piece of wood that could glow. Instead, he stared intently at a map on the floor.

  This was undoubtedly a huge magical map, but Ethan really couldn't imagine what kind of person could create such a fine, such a lifelike map. The illusion formed by magic was as detailed as a real object, and he could even seem to see the faint, shimmering light of the waves on the rivers within it. He couldn't help but lean down and bring his eyes close to the map. But no matter how he looked, he couldn't see the traces of a model's creation. It was like the feeling of overlooking the earth from an altitude of 10,000 meters. Even if he couldn't see every single detail, he could clearly feel the endless truth hidden in the haze.

  Elder Lloyd pointed with his finger at the spot Ethan was carefully observing, and the entire magical map immediately fluctuated, changing into a magnified view of the area Ethan was staring at. Ethan could even see some dust-sized animals walking slowly on the map.

  Ethan was completely stunned. His time at the Magic Academy was not short, and Sedros's understanding and use of magic could be called the best in the world. But compared to this magical map, their magic was simply the trick of a country bumpkin.

  "This is a magical map left behind by the elven empire of ancient times. It can overlook the entire continent, and it can also clearly show how many trees are on a single mountain." Elder Lloyd sighed. "It's a pity that this is probably also the last thing they left behind on the continent."

  "Elven empire?" Ethan felt he had a faint impression of this term, but the impression was extremely vague, as if he had only briefly encountered it somewhere.

  "There probably wouldn't be a record in the human texts of only a few thousand years. According to the legends passed down by our elven clan, tens of thousands of years ago, our ancestors once created a miraculous civilization, building huge floating cities and fighting with dragons and giants. But the excessive use of wisdom and power ultimately led to the world losing its balance. For great wisdom produced an overly great power, a power that had already surpassed the limits that living beings could control. So when the power collapsed out of control, endless darkness devoured the civilization of the entire continent. In the end, only a small group of elves under the protection of Mafa survived. And that place is Whispering Woods, the birthplace of all the elves on the entire continent now."

  "From then on, Mafa taught the remaining elves not to be infatuated with wisdom and power, that only nature and peace are the true way of survival, and this is where the life force of all elves lies. I have violated this principle and have already lost the protection of Mafa." Elder Lloyd sighed. This aged elven youth's clouded eyes were filled with a resolute sadness. "But I have no choice but to do this. In the current chaotic environment, a person like me is necessary."

  Elder Lloyd looked at Ethan. He suddenly changed the subject: "Just as in an environment like this, a person like you is also necessary. I am very glad that the person who obtained the Leaves of the World Tree is someone like you. This is also why I brought you here and told you these things."

  Ethan was stunned. For the elves, the fact that he had consumed their sacred object was something that could never be described as "glad." What was even stranger was that he didn't believe Sedros would have told the elves about this. This time, he didn't dare to express his position rashly as before, but just frowned with a look of confusion on his face.

  "It was I who had Elder Luya use a spell to test this out. Don't worry, our—no, at least my—understanding of Mafa's divine prophecy is different from that of our kin in Whispering Woods." But Elder Lloyd still hit the doubt in Ethan's heart at just the right moment, and his next words made Ethan even more lost in a fog. "You are a person who is qualified to use Mafa's sacred object on our behalf."

  At the same time, in the distant Diya Valley. The meditation chamber deep within the belly of the mountain did not seem the least bit dark. On the contrary, the white magic light continuously emitted by five Magical Jades illuminated the entire meditation chamber as if it were exposed to the sun, so that every crack and fissure on the stone walls could be clearly seen.

  The five Magical Jades were arranged in a pentagram, and the ground was also covered with complex magic symbols, which resonated under the guidance of the magical force of the five Magical Jades, forming a strange magic array. In the center of the magic array was a figure. Although it was difficult to see the specific appearance of this figure under the dazzling light of the white magic, the figure was indeed motionless, looking like a stone statue.

  But anyone with a little knowledge of magic basic knowledge who saw this scene could deduce that this figure was definitely not a stone statue, because no stone statue would be worth someone expending five priceless Magical Jades to set up a white magic sealing array.

  But this figure indeed maintained that statue-like stillness, without even the fluctuation or sound of breathing, just standing quietly in the white light.

  No sound, no movement. No change. In this secret chamber, time seemed to stand still. Whether it was a day, a month, a year, or just a second, it was all the same here. Everything here was as still as a two-dimensional portrait.

  Suddenly, a sound broke the absolute stillness of this picture. A distant, faint sound of footsteps came from the end of the long passage. But the figure in the white light still did not move.

  The passage was long, but the footsteps were as precise as a machine, completely identical in size and frequency, incredibly monotonous. In the still picture, this monotonous footsteps felt as if it had taken a century to arrive in the secret chamber.

  The owner of these monotonous footsteps brought the extremely monotonous scene to life as soon as he appeared. This was a handsome and heroic young man, whose vitality and energy could be seen shining in every place on his face and body.

  As soon as the young man entered the secret chamber, he immediately bowed to the figure in the white light and said in a very pleasant voice and a very respectful tone, "Hello, Teacher!"

  The figure in the white light moved. Although there were still no signs of breathing or any other life-like movements, the figure turned around. On a red mage's robe was a face that was somewhere between a zombie and a skeleton. Even the incomparably holy white magic light could not conceal the aura of death and darkness emanating from this face.

  "Teacher, there is news of that person and the Leaves of the World Tree. I saw him with my own eyes yesterday, and that leaf." The young man said very respectfully to the figure in the light.

  The figure did not move or speak, but two green flames suddenly ignited in the dried eye sockets of the skull.