The group soon reached the boundary between the forest and the plains. Before they even drew close, a fresh and rich scent of greenery washed over them, mingled with the fragrance of earth and the sweetness of flowers, instantly refreshing their spirits.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the scenery around them became increasingly colorful, with every corner overflowing with vibrant life.
Stately trees reached upward, flowers and grass flourished, brooks gurgled softly, and fireflies flickered... countless colors intertwined, draping the forest in a layer of fantastical hues.
“I have to say, this forest is quite different from the places we’ve been before... though I can’t quite put my finger on why,” Po Kong remarked, looking around curiously.
Starlight, who had grown up in a valley since childhood, was even more sensitive to the extraordinary nature of this place. The intense vitality here was something he had never experienced anywhere else.
“This is just the edge of the Star-Song Forest. Once you get inside, you’ll find it even more beautiful and enchanting,” Moen said with a smile, noticing their amazement.
While Starlight was still looking around, Xia Duo, who was leading the way, suddenly came to a halt. Her slender ears twitched slightly, as if she had sensed something.
“Wait. There are people nearby, and quite a few of them... What are they doing?”
After a brief moment of discernment, Xia Duo immediately signaled the three to stop. Her brows furrowed as her gaze fixed on the forest ahead.
“What’s wrong, Little Shadow? Did you find something... Whoa!”
Before Po Kong could finish his sentence, he realized that dozens of presences had suddenly appeared in the dense jungle around them.
“Outsiders, stop right there! You have entered the territory of our people!”
A cold female voice rang out, followed by the sudden appearance of several tall figures around the four of them. They cast off their camouflaged cloaks, revealing handsome faces and eyes filled with an unquestionable resolve. They were clearly battle-hardened warriors.
Silently and seamlessly, these people had surrounded the group in a perfect circular formation. Some were hidden among the treetops, while others lurked in the shadows of the massive trees, blending perfectly with the forest.
It went without saying that these newcomers were elves. Only they could approach so silently in the forest, remaining undetected until they were at such close range.
However, the cold glint of the short blades in their hands and the longbows drawn into full moons suggested they were anything but a welcoming committee.
“An organized Divine Concealment Squad? Are you from Glimmering Light... or Leaf-Cutter? Why are you out here on the border?”
Xia Duo quickly sized up the grey-haired elven woman leading them, judging her identity by her attire, and called out in a clear voice.
“Oh? You can actually tell who we are? State your names!”
The grey-haired elf seemed slightly surprised that Xia Duo could identify them so quickly, but she maintained her haughty demeanor and questioned them coldly.
“I am Xia Duo, belonging to the Fourth Ranger Squad. I don’t recall crossing the border requiring such a tedious procedure,” Xia Duo replied with a hint of dissatisfaction.
“Moen, Nature Priest of the Tree King Palace.”
Although Moen was equally displeased at being pointed at with weapons by her own kin, she stated her identity alongside Xia Duo.
“Someone from the Tree King Palace? Go verify this immediately!”
Upon hearing their introductions, the female leader narrowed her long, thin eyes and ordered a nearby squad member to verify their identities.
While the group of elves lowered their weapons during the verification process, they remained highly alert, keeping the four tightly surrounded as if fearing they might do something out of line.
Once she saw Moen and Xia Duo clearly, an elf named Flora greeted them happily. “Moen! Xia Duo! It really is you! We haven’t heard from you in so long; I thought something had happened to you as well.”
“Flora? Why are you at the border too? What exactly happened while we were away!?”
The elf girl called Flora was clearly an acquaintance of theirs. Xia Duo asked her in surprise the moment she saw her.
After Flora confirmed that Moen and Xia Duo’s identities were correct, the fully armed elven squad finally relaxed their formation and retreated to either side of their leader.
The female leader gave the two of them a faint, almost imperceptible smile and spoke.
“It seems there was a misunderstanding. I am Gaila, Deputy Captain of the Leaf-Cutter Squad, currently in charge of patrolling this area. You may pass now. Welcome home.”
However, just as the group breathed a sigh of relief and intended to move forward, Gaila suddenly pointed her short blade at Starlight and Po Kong, who had just taken a step. She looked at them with cold eyes and said indifferently.
“I said they can go. Humans are not included in that.”
Starlight realized then that Gaila had never intended to ask for their identities from the start; she simply had no intention of letting them through.
“Huh? Why can’t we go in? Aren’t elves famous for being kind and hospitable? Is this how you treat guests?”
Having been watched with suspicious eyes this entire time, Po Kong finally couldn't hold back and spoke up, a trace of anger appearing in his eyes.
Seeing Po Kong’s expression, Gaila’s own face grew even colder, and her short blade emitted flashes of chilling light.
“No reason... You either leave immediately, or stay here forever as fertilizer for this forest!” Gaila’s words were filled with an absolute finality.
The members of the Leaf-Cutter Squad waiting nearby reacted instantly when they saw their captain move. They entered a state of high alert, and the atmosphere in the forest became charged with tension in an instant.
“What? You want to pick a fight?”
Po Kong showed no weakness and immediately entered a combat stance. Pale yellow earth-element battle qi surged from his body, and the bracelet on his right hand quickly transformed into a silver longsword, the tip pointed directly at Gaila’s face.
“Po Kong! Don’t be impulsive!”
Seeing this, Starlight hurried forward to stop Po Kong. He knew Po Kong’s temper all too well; it was better not to have a conflict in this situation.
However, just in case, Starlight cautiously gathered the mana within him, placing a nearly imperceptible spatial barrier around them. This way, he could react immediately to any sudden movement.
Seeing that the conflict was about to escalate, Moen and Xia Duo stepped between the two sides simultaneously to stop them.
“Captain Gaila, though I don’t know what has happened recently, Starlight and Po Kong are our friends. I will not allow you to attack them.”
Facing the aura erupting from the Leaf-Cutter Squad, Xia Duo looked at Gaila without a hint of fear, her own presence even slightly overshadowing the other woman’s.
“That’s right. Since when did the Star-Song Forest become a forbidden zone where no one is allowed to set foot? I swear by the Goddess of Nature and the Mother Tree that they are friends of the elves and should not be met with blades.”
Upon hearing Moen’s oath, the expression on Gaila’s face gradually softened. Her outward battle qi slowly retracted, but the look of resentment on her face was still hard to hide.
“These two humans are actually worth you swearing an oath? Hmph... fine, you may enter! But you two listen well: every move you make will not escape my eyes!”
After delivering this threatening remark, Gaila led the Leaf-Cutter Squad as they vanished like ghosts into the depths of the dense forest.
“What is wrong with that woman? We didn’t even do anything!” Po Kong said indignantly, only putting away his weapon once he could no longer sense the other party’s presence.
Rate on N.U.
