I Became a Cub in the Elven Kingdom - Chapter 82

Chapter 82 – Sharing the Spoils with Mr. Big Snake

Years ago, Shu Li had asked Mr. Big Snake why he didn’t move his lair, given the constant danger from intruders along the Faerie Forest’s edge. Mr. Big Snake’s reply had been simple: “I’m used to it here.”

Later, after witnessing Mr. Big Snake’s scavenging, Shu Li finally understood.

As the saying goes, “Live off the mountain if you live by the mountain, live off the water if you live by the water, and live off the forest… if you live by the forest.”

These “supplies” that came knocking on their door were too good to pass up.

Staring at the pile of loot “acquired” from the intruders, Shu Li scratched the back of his head and accepted Mr. Big Snake’s invitation.

He had no use for the equipment, and the contents of the storage pouches were a mixed bag, with gold coins making up two-thirds of the haul.

The Demonic Serpent had no need for gold coins, so he tossed them all to Shu Li.

Shu Li reluctantly accepted.

Dragon King Hammon had already gifted him mountains of gold coins, all stored in his storage ring. A few more coins wouldn’t make much difference.

Besides the gold, Shu Li also took potions and magic scrolls for study and research.

The Adventurer’s Guild had provided each member with a map, which piqued Shu Li’s interest, so he claimed one.

As times changed, so did geography. The rise and fall of great and small nations were all marked on the map, helping him understand the outside world.

One of the storage pouches contained a thick notebook, meticulously documenting the customs and traditions of various nations and the living habits of major races in the Continental Common Language. It was practically an encyclopedia of the Continent, and Shu Li couldn’t put it down.

The Faerie Forest was wonderful, but its only drawback was its isolation and lack of information. Even when fairies went out on trials, they rarely returned quickly. For instance, Chris, who had left the forest ten years ago, had never returned, leaving no trace behind.

After distributing the items, Shu Li looked down at the three corpses beneath the tree. “What… should we do with them?”

Though they were invaders who deserved their fate, having taken their belongings, Shu Li felt a humanitarian obligation to help bury the bodies.

“Don’t bother,” the Demonic Serpent said lazily. “The Forest Patrol Elves will handle it.”

“Uh—” Shu Li paused, surprised.

As if to confirm the Demonic Serpent’s words, the sound of flapping wings echoed overhead. Moments later, a familiar silver-haired elf riding a unicorn landed gracefully on the grass.

Seeing the corpses on the ground, he didn’t immediately act. Instead, he looked up at the Demonic Serpent coiled around the Giant Tree, and… the Little Fairy perched on the serpent’s head.

“Garrot!” Shu Li’s eyes lit up. Spreading his wings, he swiftly flew down from the Demonic Serpent’s head and landed before the silver-haired elf.

A flicker of surprise flashed in Garrot’s golden eyes as he asked, “Little Sperien, what are you doing here?”

He glanced at the Demonic Serpent coiled around the Giant Tree.

The Demonic Serpent raised its head, flicked its tongue, and offered a lukewarm greeting.

“I came to give Bazne a gift,” Shu Li said with a bright smile. “Are you patrolling the forest today?”

“Incorrect,” Garrot corrected. “Starting today, I’ll be patrolling the forest for the next month.”

“Oh, oh—that—” Shu Li pointed to the three corpses on the ground. “What should we do with them?”

Garrot examined the bodies, noticing some items were missing. He raised an eyebrow but didn’t press the matter. “Toss them outside the forest.”

Shu Li was surprised. “Aren’t we going to bury them?”

“No need,” Garrot replied. “They’d rather be buried in human territory than in the forest.”

Over millennia, countless Adventurer’s Guild teams had trespassed into the Faerie Forest. If they buried every Over Ninth-Tier member who succumbed to the mist and turned on each other, the forest floor would be nothing but corpses.

The proper course of action was to toss the bodies outside the forest and let professional “corpse-collecting” Mercenary Groups take them away.

As for where they ended up, that was beyond their concern.

Hearing this, Shu Li didn’t press further. He watched as Garrot recited a brief magic spell, skillfully waved his magic wand, and enveloped the three corpses in a whirlwind, sending them hurtling away.

Garrot chanted another spell, and a small waterfall materialized out of thin air, washing away the bloodstains on the grass. Within moments, the blood had seeped into the soil, vanishing without a trace.

How… how convenient, Shu Li marveled.

Having finished his task, Garrot waved cheerfully at the Little Fairy, mounted his Unicorn, and flew off to patrol elsewhere.

Watching him depart, Shu Li bid farewell to Mr. Big Snake as well.

It was nearly noon, and he needed to set off for the Elven Kingdom. If he hurried, he might still make it in time for lunch.

He returned to the Giant Tree, where the Demonic Serpent carried him to the canopy. Shu Li put his fingers to his lips and whistled, summoning Dore.

Dore, having eaten and drunk his fill, swooped in like lightning from nearby, avoiding the Demonic Serpent and landing on another branch, instinctively remaining vigilant.

Shu Li transferred from the Demonic Serpent’s head to Dore’s back, waved goodbye once more, and nestled into Dore’s feathers, casting a protective shield around himself.

Once Shu Li was secure, Dore eagerly spread his wings and soared skyward, shooting into the clouds like a cannonball.

The journey from the eastern edge of the Faerie Forest to the Elven Kingdom was exceedingly long. Even the Sekern Bird, known for its swiftness, required two hours of flight.

After more than an hour, they left the Faerie Forest and entered the Yarg Forest of the Elven Kingdom. Shu Li instructed Dore to land for a brief rest.

Dore perched on a branch of a towering tree, while Shu Li flapped his tiny wings and landed on the grassy ground. He pulled out a miniature shovel and began digging up a patch of purple grass.

This was his mission item.

As a ten-year-old young fairy, he was already a seasoned mission-taker.

Regularly accepting simple gathering tasks helped broaden his knowledge and experience.

The purple grass, known as Thunderflame Grass, was a primary ingredient in antidotal potions and grew exclusively in the Yarg Forest of the Elven Kingdom.

Since Shu Li passed through Yarg Forest every month, he had conveniently accepted this gathering mission.

Thunderflame Grass grew quite large, reaching up to forty centimeters tall with extensive root systems, making it strenuous for the Little Fairy to dig up.

During his first attempt, it took him two hours to unearth just three plants, a disturbingly low efficiency.

As he grew older and accumulated more gathering experience, he finally mastered the technique through practice.

First, he drove the shovel into the soil, then stomped on it with his bare foot to sink it deeper. Next, he pressed down hard on the handle, exposing part of the Thunderflame Grass’s root system. He then retrieved his magic wand and chanted an earth-element spell.

As the spell concluded, the soil around the Thunderflame Grass churned, and the entire root system was pushed upward from below.

A complete blade of grass was successfully harvested.

Shu Li grabbed the grass, vigorously shook off the clinging soil, and stored it in his Storage Ring.

After digging up one blade, he moved on to the next, eventually collecting twenty blades. He then put away his magic wand and shovel, clapped his hands, and declared the work done.

Climbing back onto Dore’s back, Shu Li resumed his journey.

Refreshed from the rest, Dore soared to Crystal Castle in one breath.

The Elves recognized the black Sekern Bird and knew their beloved Little Fairy had returned.

“Sperien, you’re a bit late today!”

“Lucky timing! Just in time for lunch.”

“Hungry? Hurry to the dining hall!”

“Ah, our little Mage is back! Another batch of fruit has ripened in the Orchard. Want to help harvest them this afternoon?”

Responding calmly to the enthusiastic Elves, Shu Li flew to the dining hall with practiced ease.

The dining hall was filled with Elves eating. Seeing him, they waved him over.

Shu Li politely declined each invitation until he spotted Sayah. He landed decisively at her table.

As if! Most of the Elves who called him over had ulterior motives. If he foolishly went, he’d just be asking for a cuddle!

“Good afternoon, Little Sperien. Are you hungry?” Sayah considerately arranged his lunch.

“Thank you,” Shu Li replied with a bright smile.

Sayah suppressed the urge to touch the Little Fairy, picked up a piece of bread, and took a fierce bite.

Little Sperien had grown increasingly refined, looking particularly adorable today. His ponytail swung back and forth, full of lively energy.

Oblivious to Sayah’s restless heart, Shu Li washed his hands in the bowl, picked up a fruit, and began to nibble.

He now ate much more politely, chewing slowly and deliberately even when ravenous.

Having spent so long in the Otherworld, he had unconsciously adopted the manners of the Elves and Fairies, shedding some of his old habits and moving with newfound grace.

After finishing his meal, he wiped his mouth contentedly and left the dining hall, heading for the orchard outside the city.

Now, he didn’t need the Elven King’s orders to find things to do.

Arriving at the orchard plots he was responsible for harvesting, he retrieved his magic wand and basket and began practicing magic.

His Silent Magic had only succeeded with the Purification Spell, advancing it from Low-Level to Intermediate. All other spells failed.

Yet he remained undeterred.

Failure is the mother of success. With persistent effort, he would eventually succeed.

Moreover, Silent Magic was a special skill reserved for Saint Mages and Mage Sovereigns. For someone at his current rank to have mastered even one spell was already a remarkable feat.

“Great Wind God Wendis Inor, command the Wind Element to gather around me, bringing forth a small Wind Blade to sever the fruit stems.”

One benefit of becoming an Intermediate Mage was that he no longer needed to introduce himself to the Celestial Being, allowing him to slightly shorten the spell’s preamble.

As expected, the Wind Attribute Silent Magic failed again.

Shu Li continued chanting silently.

After four consecutive failures, he paused to rest, landing on a curved vine and leaning back against it, using it as a makeshift hammock.

What was he missing?

Was it truly a matter of insufficient rank?

But why had his Purification Spell succeeded even during his Mage Apprentice days?

Now, after honing his proficiency, it was virtually flawless.

If the Purification Spell worked, why not the others?

A gentle breeze swayed the vines like a cradle, lulling Shu Li into a drowsy state. He couldn’t help but yawn, his eyelids growing heavy.

“Oh, Little Sperien, slacking off isn’t good, you know?”

Ilio’s teasing voice instantly banished Shu Li’s drowsiness. With a flap of his wings, he leaped from the vine hammock.

“I wasn’t slacking off! I was thinking,” he insisted, his tone earnest.

“Thinking about Silent Magic?” Ilio asked with a grin, leaning casually against a tree, arms crossed.

“Of course,” Shu Li replied, tilting his chin defiantly. He refused to admit he’d nearly fallen asleep.

Ilio’s azure eyes scrutinized Shu Li intently. “What have you been pondering? Tell me, I’ll help you brainstorm.”

As if he hasn’t “brainstormed” enough already! Shu Li puffed out his cheeks. At least he hasn’t led me astray yet.

“No need,” he said, shaking his head.

Ilio’s lips curved into a smile as he approached Shu Li. Raising his palm toward a fruit tree, he cast a Silent Magic spell. Instantly, countless Wind Blades severed the stems of ripe fruits, which tumbled into a waiting basket.

A vein throbbed on Shu Li’s forehead. “This is my garden!” he said flatly.

Ilio, the youngest Mage Sovereign Elf, naturally excelled at Silent Magic.

Stared down by the adorable Little Fairy, the black-haired elf remained all smiles. “Sometimes, you need to try a different approach.”

Shu Li tilted his head. “A different approach?”

Over the past five years, he had tried countless approaches and scoured the Library for information, but none had worked. What else could he do?

Ilio blinked. “Let me pinch your chubby cheeks, and I’ll tell you the method.”

Shu Li swiftly retreated, covering his still slightly chubby face. “No way!”

As expected, his motives are impure. Hmph, I won’t fall for that.

“Fine then—” Seeing the Little Fairy avoid him like a venomous snake, Ilio spread his hands in mock disappointment.

Shu Li huffed twice, refusing to be swayed by his attempts to elicit sympathy.

You want to cuddle me? Not a chance!

Ilio chuckled, ceasing his teasing. He cleared his throat and asked, “Have you ever heard of the Elemental Essence?”

“The Elemental Essence?” Shu Li shook his head blankly. “Never heard of it.”

Ilio retrieved a harp from his Storage Ring, sat down on the ground, and beckoned Shu Li over.

After a moment’s hesitation, Shu Li slowly approached and settled on a nearby vine.

Ilio’s slender fingers plucked the strings, playing a melody familiar to Shu Li, who instinctively began to sing along.

“Water Spirit, Fire Spirit, Wood Spirit, Wind Spirit, Earth Spirit…”

“O ancient Elemental Spirits,

Open the Gate of Time and Space,

Lead us to the glorious era when the Gods gathered.

Goddess of Creation, Isfë Haya,

God of Light, Laient Freis,

God of Fire, Aphama Chepus,

Goddess of Water, Hildani Gerti,

God of Wind, Wendis Inor,

God of Wood, Oroman Pass,

God of Earth, Hedefis Lovne,

Goddess of Moon, Moterre Laina,

God of Sun, Assad Migat,

We sing and dance, praising the Gods…”

After finishing the song, he asked, puzzled, “What’s the connection between the Elemental Essence you mentioned and the Song of Creation?”

Ilio set down his harp and smiled. “Sing the first line again.”

“The first line… Water Spirit, Fire Spirit, Wood Spirit, Wind Spirit, Earth Spirit, O ancient Elemental Spirits…” Shu Li hadn’t finished singing when Ilio interrupted him.

“The answer lies in that very first line.”

Shu Li’s eyes widened in realization. “You mean the Water Spirit, Fire Spirit, and the rest in the song are the essences of the Five Great Elements?”

“Exactly,” Ilio confirmed. “Obtaining the Elemental Essence will compensate for your insufficient level.”

Shu Li stared at his handsome face in astonishment. After a long moment, his tender green eyes sparkled. “Where are they?”