I Became a Cub in the Elven Kingdom - Chapter 84

Chapter 84 – Purifying the Mother Tree

“Good evening, Onomisys,” Shu Li greeted the Elven Mother Tree.

Good evening, Sperien of the Faerie Forest, a gentle voice echoed in Shu Li’s mind. Immediately, the tree trunk glowed with a soft light, and a pale green phantom materialized.

Shu Li gazed at the phantom before him, his heart swelling with emotion.

After resolving to help the Mother Tree, he had returned to the Elven Kingdom, braving the night wind to find her. When he agreed to accompany her to the Dark Elf lands to purify the Branches, the Mother Tree’s trunk suddenly lit up, and this pale green phantom emerged.

To be honest, he had been terrified at the time.

It was like seeing a ghost at midnight.

The phantom from that night was utterly different from the one before him now.

Its hair was sparse and withered, half its face was shattered beyond recognition, and black tendrils coiled around its body, resembling a vengeful spirit from a horror film.

Shu Li had nearly screamed, his wings frozen in place. Only the Mother Tree’s gentle voice had calmed him.

He never imagined that his first purification of the Mother Tree’s Branch would pull her consciousness from the abyss of darkness, restoring her true awareness.

The ethereal voice that had often disturbed him in the middle of the night was actually the remnant consciousness of the Mother Tree, which had lost its sentience.

In other words, if the Mother Tree wasn’t purified soon, its remaining consciousness would vanish completely, transforming it into a truly malevolent dark tree, a tool of evil.

Its branches and roots had spread wildly across the Austyn Continent. After millennia of growth, they had infiltrated the Faerie Forest and the Elven Kingdom’s underground realms. If left unchecked, the God of Darkness would seize this opportunity to return to the Human Realm, unleashing a terrifying storm of blood and carnage.

The passage to the Celestial Realm had been severed, leaving the Elven King to face this crisis alone, without the aid of the Celestial Beings.

In that moment, Shu Li truly grasped the gravity of the Otherworld’s peril.

Beneath the calm surface, turbulent undercurrents were already surging.

[ Little Sperien, I’ve been waiting for you for so long… ]

The Mother Tree gazed at him with gentle warmth, igniting a fierce fire in Shu Li’s heart.

This reinforced his conviction that he was the chosen Hero, summoned to resolve the Otherworld’s crisis.

Once the crisis was resolved, his return home would be within reach.

Thus, he ventured fearlessly into Dark Elf territory to purify the Mother Tree’s branches.

So far, everything had proceeded remarkably smoothly.

After five years, the Mother Tree’s main trunk had finally grown one-third of its leaves, creating favorable conditions for stealing fruit… oh, for welcoming the new fruit.

Gazing at the Mother Tree’s no longer fractured face, Shu Li felt a deep sense of accomplishment.

“Onomisys, I’m counting on you again tonight.”

“Very well,” the Mother Tree replied, nodding and extending her hand to the Little Fairy.

Without hesitation, Shu Li flew toward her. As his fingers touched hers, he was enveloped in a green light and instantly burrowed into the thick trunk.

The ethereal projection glanced at a spot in the courtyard before gradually fading away.

In the cub’s room across from the Mother Tree, the Elven King and Ilio stood by the window, silently watching the Little Fairy cheerily enter the trunk.

After a long moment, Ilio sighed, “The little one is working so diligently!”

Sperien believed he was purifying the Mother Tree undetected, unaware that every time she sent him to Dark Elf territory, the King stood in this room, waiting for his safe return.

The Elven King didn’t respond, his eyes half-closed as he let the moonlight streaming through the window bathe his body.

Seeing this, Ilio bowed respectfully and quietly withdrew from the room.

Every time Shu Li passed through the Mother Tree’s Space Tunnel, he marveled at its wonders.

During his first teleportation, Shu Li was completely disoriented. But as the number of trips increased, his senses sharpened, and he could clearly “see” countless beams of light crisscrossing and interweaving to form a complex, dense “transportation network.”

Without the Mother Tree’s guidance, he would likely have become lost in the labyrinthine space tunnels.

Night in the Elven Kingdom was daytime in Vanaku.

Shu Li materialized on a branch of the Mother Tree, his eyes immediately adjusting to the searing sunlight.

It had to be said, the Dark Elves’ living environment was truly harsh.

The weather remained scorching year-round, the sun’s rays were venomous, and the air constantly carried a putrid stench.

Perhaps this was the result of the Dark Force’s corruption.

Shu Li skillfully hid behind a massive leaf, drew his magic wand, and began casting Silent Magic with every second counting.

He had agreed with the Mother Tree to perform fifteen Purifications each time, hoping to return to sleep as soon as possible.

The young man’s body was still developing, and he needed plenty of rest to grow taller.

Now an Intermediate Mage, his casting speed had doubled, and his accuracy was flawless, with no more failures recorded.

It was precisely because of this that he had discovered the wonders of Silent Magic.

To illustrate, casting a spell aloud might take five seconds, but casting it silently in his mind required only two.

A three-second speed increase.

Though three seconds may seem insignificant, it could be the key to victory in real combat.

By the time his opponent, a Mage, was still chanting the spell, his Silent Magic would already have struck first.

As the ancestors wisely said, “Of all martial arts, none are unbreakable; only speed can overcome all.”

Therefore, speed was the decisive factor in determining victory or defeat.

One, two, three… fourteen, fifteen…

Mission accomplished!

In just half a minute, he had successfully completed today’s task.

Of course, the physical and magic power expenditure had been considerable.

As the Purification Spell’s level increased, so did its demand for Light Element. Summoning large quantities of Light Element from the air might attract the Dark Elves’ attention.

Left with no choice, he had to meditate beforehand, storing the elements within his body and converting them into magic power.

After casting fifteen Purification Spells, Shu Li didn’t immediately return.

At the end of the previous month, he and the Mother Tree had discussed how to transfer the Fruits.

The Dark Elves were an exceptionally cautious race.

They regularly came beneath the tree to count the Fruits. Stealing Fruits under their watchful eyes would be no easy task.

Since the existing Fruits were off-limits, they could only steal the newly formed Little Fruits before the Dark Elves discovered them.

Stealing a Fruit wasn’t as simple as snatching it. Meticulous preparation was essential.

First, the Mother Tree’s Main Trunk needed to recover its Vital Energy, making it capable of nurturing a Fruit.

Second, the stolen Fruit had to be purified for ten to fifteen days to cleanse it of the Dark Aura clinging to it.

Finally, when the time, place, and circumstances aligned, the Mother Tree would use its own power to perform a Heaven and Earth Shift, successfully stealing the Fruit.

Fortunately, three new Fruits had grown last month. One small Fruit, located in a secluded spot, had been layered with protective leaves by the Mother Tree, causing the Dark Elves to overlook it during their counts.

Shu Li secretly began purifying it.

After three days of purification, he had to return to the Faerie Forest, forcing him to pause.

This time, with ample time in the Elven Kingdom, he resumed purifying the Fruit.

He flew up the Main Trunk, dodging branches and leaves, until he found the Little Fruit wrapped in leaves.

The Little Fruit was still only the size of an apricot. Unlike the other gray-green Fruits, it was a vibrant, round, and plump tender green, brimming with vitality.

After half a month without purification, black tendrils had appeared near its stem.

Shu Li swiftly cast a Purification Spell to cleanse the tendrils.

After three casts, the black tendrils vanished, and even the stem turned a lush green.

Excellent!

Shu Li patted the Little Fruit with satisfaction, whispering against it, “Grow well. In just a few days, you’ll be going home.”

Yes, home.

The Elven Kingdom was the true home of the Elves.

This soil, saturated with dark energy, was unsuitable for Elven growth.

Shu Li wondered if the tiny fruit had already developed consciousness. He concealed it behind a leaf, intending to return later.

Suddenly, he heard movement beneath the tree.

Calmly, Shu Li shielded himself with leaves and cautiously peeked down to observe the situation.

A Dark Elf had come to count the fruits.

Five years ago, Shu Li had seen this Dark Elf before.

Back then, he and another Dark Elf had come to count the fruits together. During their conversation, they mentioned Roald—the Necromancer who had invaded the Faerie Forest.

This Dark Elf, named Ephit, had been swindled out of his money by Roald and had never recovered it.

He remained unaware that Roald had died five years ago.

His money was like throwing meat buns to a dog—gone without a trace.

After five years of observation, Shu Li had noticed that Ephit was different from other Dark Elves.

He lacked the strong, bloody scent typical of his kind, possessed a gentle temperament, and spoke at a measured pace. Even when other Dark Elves openly mocked or subtly taunted him, he remained calm and unperturbed.

Ephit was meticulous in his work. After counting the fruits, he meticulously recorded the numbers in his notebook before retracing his steps.

Shu Li patiently waited for him to leave before exhaling in relief.

It was precisely Ephit’s meticulousness that had prevented Shu Li and the Mother Tree from secretly hiding fruits for so long.

This particular fruit had grown in an obscure spot, and only by concealing it with leaves beforehand had they managed to avoid detection.

Beneath the tree, all was still. Shu Li slipped into the Mother Tree’s trunk, seizing the opportunity to return.

Having just learned of his Blood Contract with the Mother Tree, its purpose remained a mystery. Now, freely entering and exiting the Space Tunnel formed by the Mother Tree Root System, he finally understood.

It was a Blood Contract, also known as a Blood Alliance.

In essence, it was a blood oath.

He and the Mother Tree had become a community of shared interests, bound to save each other in life-threatening situations, share hardships, and provide mutual aid—a Senior-level, egalitarian pact.

Back in the Nursery Courtyard, Shu Li detached from the Mother Tree, stretched languidly, and yawned as he flew toward his room’s window. He squeezed through the narrow gap, too exhausted to wash up, and collapsed onto the soft bed, falling into a deep slumber.

Standing at the window of another room, the Elven King confirmed Shu Li’s safe return before withdrawing his gaze.

Shu Li slept until dawn.

Eager to find clues about the Elemental Spirits, he hastily ate breakfast and rushed to the Library.

As expected, the Elven King was already seated at his desk, reading.

Shu Li flapped his wings and flew over, greeting him respectfully, “Good morning, Your Majesty.”

“Good morning,” the Elven King replied, setting down his book and revealing his handsome face.

The golden morning light illuminated his face, casting sharp shadows that accentuated his sculpted features and further enhanced his noble aura.

Shu Li found himself utterly captivated by the Elven King’s striking appearance every day. He eagerly anticipated growing up and possessing such perfect features himself.

With a light tap of his toes, he landed on the table and retrieved an exquisite set of desk and chair from his Storage Ring.

This set had been a gift from the Elven King on his first day of lessons, a study set that remained as pristine as the day he received it, even after five years of use.

After pulling out the chair and settling down, Shu Li took out his pen and paper, neatly folded his hands on the table like a well-behaved child, and waited for the Elven King to begin the new lesson.

He was about to begin learning Dark Magic.

Initially, Shu Li had been wary of dark magic, largely due to the negative impressions left by Necromancers and Dark Elves.

However, after the Elven King’s thorough explanations and analysis, his reservations gradually dissolved.

“Magic itself is neither good nor evil,” the Elven King had explained. “It is the mage’s intent that determines its use. A person with malicious intent can use Light Magic to kill and harm, while a virtuous person, even if they master Dark Magic, will use it for righteous purposes.”

Shu Li’s eyes widened in realization.

Dark Magic was like a blade: in the hands of a good person, it could be used to eradicate evil; in the hands of a wicked person, it could be used to trample lives.

One shouldn’t shun Dark Magic like a venomous serpent simply because it carries negative connotations.

Moreover, knowing oneself and one’s enemy is the key to victory in every battle.

To defeat magic, one must learn to use magic.

Without any resistance, Shu Li found learning Dark Magic surprisingly easy.

The Elven King smiled gently at the Little Fairy sitting upright before him and lightly pushed a stack of books resting beside him toward Shu Li.

“These books contain information about the Elemental Essence. You can take them home and study them at your own pace.”

“Huh?”

Shu Li froze, staring in disbelief at the stack of books, which was several times taller than himself.

So many?

Fifteen volumes, each as thick as the Xinhua Dictionary. At this rate, he’d be reading until the end of time!

He swallowed hard and looked up at the Elven King, who nodded reassuringly.

“This is just a small portion. Once you’ve finished these, I’ll find more for you.”

“Th-thank you.”

Tears welled up as Shu Li accepted the massive stack of books.

The King had gone to such lengths to find these resources for him. No matter how many or how thick they were, he would grit his teeth and devour them, lest he betray the King’s kindness.

Shu Li couldn’t help but shed a few self-pitying tears.

The sea of knowledge is boundless, learning never ends, and one must never tire of studying…

For Silent Magic, he would give it his all!