Chapter 18: The Forest’s Song and a New Encounter

“I truly hope your words hold true.” Elder Sylph remarked slowly, her gaze fixed on Qi Lin.

Having spoken, Elder Sylph turned and departed from the treehouse.

Only Manrot and Qi Lin remained, the others having already left.

“Town Chief…”

“You needn’t say another word,” Manrot stated, his expression complex as he regarded Qi Lin. “Whether your intentions are good or ill, we will discern it for ourselves. As for Aali, I entrust her to you. I sincerely hope your desire to find her is genuine.” Had it not been for the weight of his responsibilities, he would have already sprinted off to search for Aali the moment he learned she had gone to find her brother at such a critical juncture.

Sighing softly, Manrot, too, strolled away.

Watching the two figures recede into the distance, Qi Lin hesitated for a moment. The crimson glow in his eyes began to recede, and after retracting his scythe, he swiftly followed them.

Back at the town’s entrance, silence fell between the three, their expressions grave.

“Elder, what—” a Youthful-looking elf began to inquire upon seeing Elder Sylph.

Yet, before they could complete their sentence, they were cut off.

“The ritual is about to commence; I ask for your silence!” Elder Sylph declared, facing the town as she addressed the elf.

Hearing Elder Sylph’s words, the elf immediately fell silent, their gaze fixed upon the town, a place where they had lived in peace for over a year.

The other elves, upon hearing Elder Sylph’s pronouncements, followed suit.

Elder Sylph drew a deep breath and raised her staff.

Verdant light swirled forth from the fluorescent green crystal embedded at the tip of her staff, and a colossal, glowing green hexagram array slowly materialized beneath the elves’ feet.

“Time of Forest Song! (Elvish)” Elder Sylph chanted softly.

As soon as Elder Sylph finished speaking, the elves immediately joined in the chant. Meanwhile, the dozens of humans who lived among the elves merely watched them in silent observation.

Under Qi Lin’s watchful gaze, one by one, the wooden houses standing within Manda Town began to tremble.

The seemingly decorative vines adorning the exteriors of the houses began to writhe, intertwining with the vines from adjacent dwellings.

Swiftly, all the vines completed their intricate embrace.

A series of resounding thuds echoed through the air as the vines pulled the houses together, causing them to collide.

Once the collisions ceased, the houses, along with Elder Sylph’s treehouse, interlocked and assembled into a colossal cube.

Abruptly, the earth began to quake, and fissures snaked across the ground beneath the colossal cube.

With a thunderous rumble, the cube began its descent, slowly sinking into the gaping chasm below.

The staff’s glow faded, and the hexagram array gradually dissolved.

Elder Sylph lowered the hand that held her staff, her gaze fixed silently upon the now empty ground for a long moment.

“Alas, a new migration is upon us once more,” Elder Sylph murmured, turning to face the elves with a gentle sigh.

A pall of solemnity hung over the elves as they gazed at their former home. Though it had only sheltered them for a little over a year, their attachment to it was undeniably profound.

“Everyone, let us depart!” Manrot urged, tearing his gaze from the scene to address the dazed elves beside him.

Stirred by Manrot’s words, the company roused themselves, retrieving the magically crafted leaf backpacks they had placed on the ground.

Manrot led the way, heading northwest, with elves and humans following in small, scattered groups behind him.

“Are you not departing yet?” Qi Lin inquired, glancing at Elder Sylph, who stood beside him.

“I must remain behind to guard against the Imperial army,” Elder Sylph replied, her eyes silently following the departing procession.

Qi Lin merely nodded, offering no further words.

“Regardless of your true intentions, the staff has revealed to me that you are a kind child,” Elder Sylph began again after a brief pause. “As an Elder, it is my duty to ensure the survival of our people. Therefore, Aali is entrusted to your care.”

“These two items will aid you in your search for Aali.”

Qi Lin looked at Elder Sylph, who was offering him the items, a flicker of astonishment crossing his face. ‘He had expected them to harbor resentment upon discovering his deception, not to offer assistance.’

Accepting the two items, Qi Lin then examined them closely.

The items were, respectively, a strand of white fur and a vibrant green leaf that faintly pulsed with a fluorescent green glow.

“This is an Elf Leaf and a Spirit Deer’s fur, both enchanted artifacts,” she explained. “The Elf Leaf will guide you to our next dwelling place, while the Spirit Deer’s fur will enable you to track Aali’s location. As for their use… it’s quite simple: merely infuse them with magic energy.”

With that, Elder Sylph placed her thumb to her mouth and blew, producing a sharp whistle.

A whistle, distinct in its pitch, echoed through the air.

A colossal elk, over two meters tall with predominantly white fur, approached Elder Sylph with agile steps.

With a graceful leap, Elder Sylph mounted the elk.

A gentle squeeze of her legs against the elk’s flanks, and with a snort, the creature bolted into a run.

Qi Lin surveyed his surroundings; no other figures remained in sight.

Qi Lin fixed his gaze forward and raised the strand of white fur.

Guiding the magic energy within him to flow into the fur, Qi Lin watched intently.

The white fur shimmered with a faint glow, then floated upwards before slowly pointing towards the Firefly Forest.

Licking his fangs, Qi Lin reached out, gripped the floating fur firmly, and then sprinted in the direction it indicated.

After only a few strides, a crimson streak of light flashed, and Qi Lin transformed into a swarm of fluttering bats.

Soaring through the low sky, Qi Lin delved deeper into the Firefly Forest.

****

Deep within the Firefly Forest,

War Fiends, roaring and spitting flames, encircled a Maiden clad in a blue dress.

“Meow and meow, why are there War Fiends here?” the encircled Maiden exclaimed, her light blue ears perked on her head as she crouched on the ground in a panic.

A swarm of bats, some dozen meters away, heard the commotion. After a brief hesitation, they flapped their wings and flew towards the source of the sound.

Among the War Fiends surrounding the Maiden, one, noticeably darker green than the others, opened its massive maw and spat forth a fireball.

“Meow!”

Seeing the incoming fireball, the Maiden gasped in alarm, then nimbly rolled to the side, evading it.

The spot where she had just been crouching was now nothing but scorched earth.

“That was a close call, meow!” the Maiden exclaimed, patting her chest and catching her breath, relieved to have escaped danger.

The swarm of bats, having just arrived, breathed a collective sigh of relief upon witnessing the Maiden’s escape.

A flash of crimson light, and the bats coalesced, transforming back into a human form.

A pair of wings unfurled from his back, preventing a fall, as Qi Lin peered down briefly before descending.

Halting in a clear space, beyond the reach of the War Fiends yet still within their sight, Qi Lin spoke with an air of commanding authority: “Hey, hey! What’s with all of you ganging up on one person? If you’ve got the guts, come at me!”

At the sound of his voice, both the Maiden and the War Fiends uniformly lifted their heads, gazing skyward.

Upon seeing an unfamiliar girl who appeared even younger than herself, the Maiden’s nascent hope plummeted. “Little sister, quickly leave! These War Fiends are incredibly powerful.”

‘Little… little sister?’ Qi Lin, brimming with youthful vigor, heard the Maiden’s words, and his eyebrows immediately furrowed into a tight knot.

‘Damn it, it must be this outfit I’m wearing! Once I find some proper clothes, I absolutely have to change!’

After a few self-reassuring thoughts, Qi Lin resolved to show the cat-eared Maiden below just how formidable he truly was.

Magic energy surged in his hand, and a crimson luminescence flickered to life in his palm.

“Blood Coagulation! (Bloodline tongue)” Qi Lin chanted the spell, albeit with a hint of unfamiliarity, then hurled the crimson glow from his palm downwards.

The crimson luminescence drifted, swiftly merging with the War Fiends.

With a snap of his fingers, the War Fiends’ eyes bulged one by one, before they slowly toppled backward or forward.

“This…” The Maiden stared, utterly dumbfounded, at the War Fiends sprawled lifelessly on the ground.

“Well? Were these War Fiends really that strong?” Qi Lin asked, landing beside the Maiden and retracting his wings, a triumphant air about him. His triumph, however, was short-lived as he cast a glance and realized the cat-eared Maiden was actually taller than him—at least 1.6 meters!

Hearing his voice, the Maiden tore her gaze from the War Fiends. “Little sis—*cough*—how did you do that? Can you teach me?”

The Maiden felt a sense of bewilderment, looking at the girl who was shorter than her yet demonstrably more powerful.

“Oh, right, my name is Nia. I’m a Catfolk from the Beastkin tribe. You’re so strong, what race are you?”