After the group bid a fond farewell to Lian, Xia Duo, who was sitting at the front in control, gave the reins a light tug. The Split-Toothed Beast beneath her let out a low grumble and slowly turned around, heading toward their treehouse.
“Phew~ I can finally go home and rest,” Xia Duo said, sitting sideways in the saddle. Her long brown hair swayed gently with the beast’s rhythmic steps. “I’ve missed my little sofa so much! Just thinking about curling up on it makes me happy~”
As the surrounding scenery became increasingly familiar, the tension she had carried throughout the journey finally began to melt away. She let out a long, lazy yawn and stretched her arms.
Watching her sister’s antics, Moen couldn't help but smile.
She gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her eyes and spoke in a soft, reminding tone. “The scenery of Night Lotus Valley was indeed unforgettable, but home really is the most relaxing place. Still, Sister, don’t you dare just lie around once we’re back. We still have a lot of information to confirm.”
“I know, I know!” Xia Duo waved her arm dismissively. “Just one day of rest! I’ll pull myself together and get to work tomorrow, okay?”
Po Kong let out a soft chuckle at their exchange. He looked up at the towering tree in the distance that pierced the clouds and said thoughtfully, “Speaking of which, we’ve been away for so long. I wonder if the elves have lifted the blockade yet?”
“Oh right, I forgot to ask earlier, but it’s no big deal~ We’ll find out the result soon enough once we’re back,” Xia Duo replied.
Just as Starlight and the others reached the relay station near their home to drop off the Split-Toothed Beasts and conclude their journey, a white figure suddenly streaked across the sky. Accompanied by the whistling of the wind, it landed steadily before them.
The large white silhouette was none other than Flora, whom they had met once before. At this moment, she was gracefully riding atop her contracted beast, the Snow-Winged Eagle.
“Eh? It’s Moen and Xia Duo!” Flora called out in surprise, her bell-like voice echoing through the woods. “And the two human guests! What a coincidence! It seems we’re quite fated~”
Moen immediately stepped forward, a brilliant smile blossoming on her face. “We just got back from our journey. How did you spot us?”
Flora chuckled and lightly patted the Snow-Winged Eagle beside her. “It’s all thanks to Da Bai. It sensed your presence from far away.”
Hearing this, Da Bai affectionately lowered its head and rubbed its beak against its master’s arm, letting out a soft cooing sound.
Xia Duo finally realized what was happening. She tilted her head curiously and asked, “Is your border duty over? How’s the situation over there?”
At the mention of this, Flora’s face immediately fell, and she shrugged helplessly.
“Ugh, don’t even mention that annoying duty. I stayed near that entrance for almost a month and only ran into your group of visitors. There wasn't any danger at all! But there’s no choice. As long as the ban isn't lifted, I have to go back there for rotation every once in a while.”
Faced with Flora’s complaints, Starlight and the others could only offer understanding smiles and words of comfort. However, from this conversation, they also keenly captured a key piece of information.
The elves’ blockade of Star-Song Forest still hadn't been lifted. The scope and impact of this incident were clearly far beyond their expectations.
Starlight thought to himself that if they planned to head to the Crimson City-State, they would likely need to plan very carefully.
However, they had gained a small blessing in disguise; Flora warmly invited them to ride the Snow-Winged Eagle. Her treehouse was only a few hundred meters away from Moen’s, so she could drop them off on the way.
For her, giving Starlight and the others a ride home was a simple favor, but it saved them a significant amount of time.
“See you another day then!” After delivering the four safely, Flora let out a massive yawn. “I need to hurry back and catch up on sleep. This month has been exhausting.”
With that, she patted the Snow-Winged Eagle’s neck. The giant white eagle immediately spread its wings and carried its master into the sky, soon disappearing into the twilight.
The moment Starlight and the group stepped through their front door, they were greeted by a warm scent mixed with the fragrance of herbs. Immediately after, Wuka’s sharp and joy-filled voice rang out from the direction of the dining room, instantly filling the space.
“Master Moen! Master Xia Duo! You’re finally back!”
Wuka’s voice was full of excitement. It seemed it had been busy tending to the precious plants on Moen’s windowsill, but the moment it heard them, it dropped the soil and compost and rushed over like a small brown cannonball.
Seeing the dirt-covered little brown figure about to dive into her arms, Xia Duo acted quickly and grabbed it mid-air, passing it off to Po Kong. She had no desire to be covered in mud the moment she got home.
“So you’re finally awake? I understand how you feel, but can you not do this every single time?”
Po Kong caught Wuka steadily, unbothered by the moss and dirt on its body, and gently placed it on a nearby wooden table.
The little Wood Spirit hopped around on the tabletop, puffing out its chest proudly. “Of course! The recovery of us Wood Spirits isn't something you short-lived ones can compare to! Oh, right, right! I have something for the Master!”
As if suddenly remembering something, it began gesticulating wildly. “Lord Angela sent a letter! Should I show it to you now?”
Toward Starlight and Po Kong, the two newly arrived “outsiders,” Wuka clearly maintained its usual caution and defensiveness.
Its small amber eyes scanned the two humans warily. Although it was no longer as hostile as when they first met, its round little face was still written with distrust.
Starlight noticed that when the little Wood Spirit spoke, it always intentionally avoided eye contact with them, and its body instinctively leaned toward Moen.
“Hmph!” Wuka suddenly let out a small snort from its nose, hands on its hips, and spoke in a drawn-out tone. “Lord Angela also specifically instructed—that these two humans must come along too!”
Starlight remembered clearly that before they left, they had mentioned wanting to find the strongest of the elves, the one Moen and Xia Duo called Aunt Angela.
At the time, Moen had stated clearly that Angela, as the guardian of the World Tree, had entered a deep slumber and wouldn't wake up for quite some time.
Now that they had just returned home and heard such news, they didn't know whether to take it as good or bad.
“Eh? Aunt Angela is awake? Sister, didn't you say she was in a deep slumber? I remember it’s only been a few months since we last saw her. Is her slumber so short this time?”
Xia Duo’s question carried a hint of urgency. She looked at Moen, hoping to find a clue in her expression.
But Moen was equally shocked by the sudden news. She knit her brows slightly, her eyes flickering with confusion. Clearly, this news was a far cry from her previous understanding.
“It really is unusual... Aunt Angela’s last slumber lasted for three whole years.” Moen suddenly looked up and reached out toward Wuka. “Bring me the transmission leaf.”
Moen was also at a loss regarding the matter, so she could only have Wuka bring the message first and draw a conclusion after reading it.
Upon hearing the command, Wuka scurried into the room and returned a moment later holding a leaf that shimmered with an emerald luster.
This leaf was somewhat similar to the World Tree sub-links they had seen in the archives, but it was much more vivid. It was clearly a type of information carrier unique to the elves.
Moen took the leaf from Wuka and read it quickly. As time passed, her expression gradually shifted.
Starlight and Xia Duo watched Moen tensely, waiting for her explanation. Finally, Moen lowered the leaf and looked up at them, her eyes shining with a complex light.
“It seems Aunt Angela’s slumber really has ended early,” Moen said, her voice unusually solemn.
“However, the leaf doesn't explain the specific reason in detail. We might need to go see her in person to understand the truth. Oh, and Angela’s message specifically mentioned Starlight and Po Kong, instructing them to come along as well...”
Rate on N.U.
