I Became a Cub in the Elven Kingdom - Chapter 86

Chapter 86 – Ruins of the Ancient Battlefield

Dore bristled again.

Though only a Fourth-Tier Demonic Bird, its presence was formidable. It snatched Shu Li’s small cloak in its beak, tossed it onto its back, and prepared to flee at any moment.

“Ah, Dore, wait—”

Shu Li tumbled into the soft feathers, struggled to climb out, spread his wings, and flew to Dore’s head.

“I want to greet it first…”

High-level magical beasts possessed intelligence and could communicate in Elven, like Mr. Big Snake.

When he first encountered Mr. Big Snake, Shu Li had been terrified by its ferocious appearance. But when he mustered the courage to speak to it, not only was he spared from attack, but he even received assistance.

A fearsome appearance didn’t necessarily mean evil.

The higher the magical beast’s tier, the more terrifying its appearance.

“Goo~” Trusting Shu Li, Dore retracted its puffed-up feathers, its sharp bird eyes fixed on the hideous magical beast drawing closer.

The Giant Lizard spotted the Sekern Bird, its cold pupils narrowing into vertical slits—the excited gaze of a predator spotting its prey.

However, when it noticed a winged Little Fairy hovering above the Sekern Bird’s head, it hesitated and slowed its pace.

Shu Li flew forward half a meter, executed a graceful greeting, and spoke in flawless Elven, “Greetings. I am Sperien of the Faerie Forest, and this is my companion, Dore. We are currently guests at Crystal Castle.”

By introducing themselves and mentioning the Crystal Castle of the Elven Kingdom, they hoped to deter any magical beast from attacking them.

As expected, the Giant Lizard halted about four or five meters away, its ferocious gaze softening slightly.

“Sperien of the Faerie Forest,” a cold, elegant female voice echoed. “I am Orsop. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

To their surprise, the imposing Giant Lizard turned out to be a female magical beast.

Her willingness to respond indicated a willingness to communicate.

“The pleasure is mine,” Shu Li replied, adopting a familiar tone. “We apologize for trespassing on your territory. Please forgive our intrusion.”

The Giant Lizard shifted its gaze from Dore, a hint of regret flickering across its grotesque face.

Sekern Birds had a delightful flavor, and this one was a newly matured Fourth-Tier Demonic Bird, its flesh undoubtedly tender and succulent.

But since it was a companion of the Little Fairy, it would be unwise to devour it.

Orsop, a magical beast who had lived in the Elven Kingdom for nearly a thousand years, knew precisely what was safe to eat and what wasn’t.

“Sperien of the Faerie Forest, why have you come alone to this desolate place?”

Shu Li replied candidly, “I’m here to find the Wood Spirit.”

“The Wood Spirit?” The Giant Lizard paused, clearly taken aback by the Little Fairy’s bizarre answer.

“Yes,” Shu Li nodded his small head. “At noon, I read a book called War of the Gods. It described how, ten thousand years ago, the Wood Spirit and the noble Elven King fought a great battle against the Death God right here. I wanted to explore the ancient battlefield relics.”

The Giant Lizard tilted its bumpy head, its bulging eyes scrutinizing the Little Fairy from head to toe.

Shu Li stood tall, chest puffed out, meeting its gaze without flinching, allowing himself to be examined with dignified composure.

Seeing the Little Fairy’s earnest expression and realizing he wasn’t joking, the Giant Lizard raised its forelimbs, suddenly towering five or six meters taller. Dore trembled, its feathers ruffling in alarm, and its red beak once again clamped down on Shu Li’s small cloak.

Ignoring the Sekern Bird’s vigilance, the Giant Lizard pointed with its massive forelimb. “If you don’t mind, I can take you to the center of the Ancient Battlefield ruins.”

Shu Li’s eyes lit up with delight. “Really? Thank you so much!”

The Giant Lizard lowered its forelimbs and settled back onto the ground. “However, I must warn you beforehand: there’s no trace of any Wood Spirit ever having been there.”

“That’s okay!” Shu Li grinned cheerfully. “I just want to go there and try my luck.”

Even the Elven King hadn’t seen an Elemental Spirit in ten thousand years. How could a ten-year-old Little Fairy expect to find one on his first try?

His main purpose in coming here was to gather clues.

“Then… please follow me.” Without hesitation, the Giant Lizard turned and began walking.

“Ah, wait a moment!” Shu Li called out, turning to Dore. “You go back first. I’ll go with Orsop myself.”

“Chirp!” Dore chirped sharply. How could it let the Little Fairy go off with a strange high-level magical beast?

Shu Li patted its red beak. “I haven’t reported to the King yet. You’re a fast flier—could you tell him for me?”

Dore, a highly intelligent Magic Fowl, immediately understood Shu Li’s intention.

It chirped a few times, then reluctantly spread its wings and took flight.

After watching Dore disappear into the distance, Shu Li followed the Giant Lizard’s footsteps.

Though the Giant Lizard showed no malice, it was always wise to be cautious when traveling abroad.

By sending Dore away, Shu Li was subtly reminding the Giant Lizard that he had the Elven King’s backing. If it planned any harm, it should first consider the consequences.

Moreover, the Sekern Bird was known as the “Wind’s Messenger,” an excellent messenger bird. If Shu Li didn’t return soon, the Elven King would undoubtedly come looking for him.

Whether the Giant Lizard understood his unspoken warning or not, it remained well-behaved throughout the journey. After walking for over twenty minutes, they reached a basin.

Standing at the edge of the basin, the Giant Lizard pointed to the scorched earth below. “This is the heart of the Ancient Battlefield.”

Shu Li covered his nose, staring in astonishment at the basin.

What a stench!

The air reeked of a pungent, corrosive odor. A few deep breaths left him dizzy and lightheaded.

He quickly rummaged through his Storage Ring, pulling out a small handkerchief. He fashioned it into a makeshift mask, covering his nose and mouth.

The stench lessened slightly, allowing him to breathe with difficulty.

The Giant Lizard, seemingly accustomed to the stench, remained unfazed.

“Thank you, Orsop,” Shu Li said, his voice muffled. To express his gratitude, he retrieved a seed from his Storage Ring and offered it to the Giant Lizard.

“What’s this?” The Giant Lizard stared at the small red crystal in the Little Fairy’s palm, its eyes nearly crossing.

“A Red Crystal Flower seed,” Shu Li replied with a smile. “This is my token of thanks.”

As a high-level magical beast with millennia of experience, the Giant Lizard was well-acquainted with the Red Crystal Flower, renowned for its ability to enhance magic power.

“Are you sure you want to give this to me?” the Giant Lizard asked in disbelief.

“Yes,” Shu Li nodded.

The Giant Lizard’s pupils narrowed. It lowered its bumpy head, flicked out its tongue, and instantly snatched the crystal from Shu Li’s palm.

“Is there anything else you need my help with?”

Just for guiding me, I received such a precious seed? That seems too easy.

Shu Li shook his head. “No, thank you.”

The Giant Lizard paused, then spat out a round metal disc from its space pouch. “I found this Emblem near here when I was young. Perhaps it will be useful to you.”

Surprised, Shu Li flapped his wings lightly and approached the object lying on the yellow sand. It was dark and unrecognizable, resembling a charred lump of iron.

Still, if the Giant Lizard said it was an Emblem, then it must be an Emblem.

“Thank you,” Shu Li said, tapping his toes against the sand as he tried to lift the Iron Clump.

Ugh—

I can’t move it?

He glanced awkwardly at the Giant Lizard and tried again.

Good heavens!

Despite its moderate size, the Iron Clump was incredibly dense. Even with all his strength, he couldn’t budge it an inch.

He had hoped to examine the back for any markings, but since he couldn’t lift it, he had to give up.

Shu Li stored the Iron Clump in his Storage Ring and thanked the Giant Lizard again.

Before leaving, the Giant Lizard warned him to leave the Basin before nightfall, as it was dangerous after dark. As an ancient battlefield, the Basin was haunted by countless unpurified vengeful spirits that roamed the area every night.

Shu Li felt a chill run down his spine.

The Elven Kingdom has such a terrifying place?

Even the Elven King can’t purify it?

“Alright… I’ll be careful,” Shu Li nodded solemnly.

The Giant Lizard lumbered away with heavy steps.

After watching it depart, Shu Li stood alone before the foul-smelling basin.

The basin wasn’t large, about two hundred meters in diameter and thirty meters deep. To be precise, it resembled a massive crater formed by a meteorite impact.

Inside, there was nothing—not even a single stone.

Shu Li flew into the air, pondered for a moment, then drew his magic wand and silently chanted the Purification Spell.

“Great Light God Laient Freis, I beseech you to command the Light Element to gather around me, bringing the purifying power to cleanse this defilement, banish the Darkness, and combat the forces of evil with your divine Light—”

The Sunstone at the tip of his magic wand blazed with blinding radiance. Light Element surged from all directions, coalescing into a Light Orb. With a graceful wave of his wand, Shu Li sent the orb streaking toward the center of the basin like lightning.

Sizzle—

The football-sized Light Orb vanished without a trace, as if swallowed by something.

Shu Li stared in disbelief.

When purifying the Mother Tree, he always carefully controlled the size and power of the Light Orb to avoid attracting the attention of the Dark Elves.

Now, with no such constraints, he had unleashed the full force of his Intermediate Purification Spell. Yet the Light Orb sank into the basin like a stone into the sea, leaving no ripple or sound.

This is… eerie!

No wonder even the Elven King couldn’t help.

Shu Li puffed out his cheeks, pulled out his notebook, and flipped to the page with the spell recorded. He decided to cast it first and worry about the consequences later.

He had arrived full of hope, but after seeing the barren land, he had already abandoned all expectations.

After memorizing the lengthy spell, he closed his notebook, raised his magic wand, closed his eyes slightly, and mentally rehearsed it twice. Then, with measured cadence, he chanted:

“O ancient Wood Spirit, who aided Mother Goddess Isfë in creating the world, bringing prosperity to the Austyn Continent, and embodying the greatest Elemental Essence! I am Sperien of the Faerie Forest. Hear my prayer and grant me the Wood Spirit’s mighty power—”

Silence.

Shu Li opened his eyes, gazed ahead, and sighed softly.

It’s never that simple, is it?

He lowered his magic wand and looked up at the setting sun, deciding it was time to head back.

As a good boy, I should listen to the elders.

I need to leave before dark.

Just as he turned to leave, he suddenly felt a burning sensation on the finger wearing his Storage Ring.

What’s happening?

Startled, Shu Li quickly investigated. It was the Iron Clump he had just stored in the ring, acting up. Without hesitation, he tossed the Iron Clump out.

The Iron Clump was no longer an Iron Clump; it had transformed into a glowing red ember, burning with fire. Upon landing, it rolled several times before, to Shu Li’s dismay, tumbling into the Basin.

“Ah—!”

Shu Li stretched out his hand, hesitating whether to chase after it.

After all, it was a return gift from a high-level magical beast.

But the ember rolled too quickly, reaching the bottom of the Basin in just a few breaths.

Shu Li flew forward half a meter, then quickly retreated.

It stinks!

The closer he got to the Basin, the worse the air pollution became.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to retrieve the Iron Clump; the stench ahead was simply unbearable. His small frame couldn’t withstand it.

Regretfully watching the Emblem roll to the bottom of the Basin, Shu Li gripped his magic wand tightly and decided to use earth magic to “transport” it back.

Before Shu Li could even begin chanting his spell, a plume of black smoke erupted from the bottom of the basin, spreading with astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, it had enveloped the entire area, leaving Shu Li no time to escape.

The fire-emblazoned Emblem shed its blackened exterior, revealing intricate totems that glowed with an emerald light.

Thinking quickly, Shu Li immediately cast a Wind Magic spell, summoning a Tornado in an attempt to disperse the smoke.

Unfortunately, his efforts backfired. The smoke remained undeterred, and instead, a powerful force sucked him into a black hole.

“Whoa—!”

Dizzy and disoriented, Shu Li dropped the handkerchief he had been holding over his mouth and nose, which shattered into fragments.

He lost track of time. When he finally regained consciousness, the air was filled with the deafening roars of wild beasts.

Shu Li’s eyes snapped open. As he took in the scene before him, his pupils dilated involuntarily.

Hundreds of Giant Dragons of every imaginable color soared through the sky. Each dragon carried dozens of magnificently dressed Elves and Fairies on its back. These valiant warriors wielded magic wands, chanting high-tier spells, while others drew Golden Bows, unleashing volleys of arrows, and still others charged into battle with drawn Swords.

Their enemies were high-level magical beasts corrupted by death aura, Necromancers clad in black robes, Black Knights mounted on warhorses, and the Death God himself, hovering in the rear with his soul-reaping scythe.

Two mighty armies clashed in a fierce battle, each strike devastating the verdant landscape.

Shu Li found himself in an extremely precarious position, right at the heart of the conflict.

When a Fireball hurtled toward him, he was terrified, nearly convinced he was about to die. Yet the Fireball passed right through him, exploding the Dark Faction’s Necromancer behind him.

Clutching his pounding heart, Shu Li felt a surge of relief, as if he had narrowly escaped death.

If he wasn’t mistaken, the scene unfolding before him was none other than the Great Divine War of Ten Thousand Years Ago!

Astonished, Shu Li widened his eyes and quickly scanned the battlefield.

Soon, he spotted an exceptionally large Silver Dragon among the others. Perched on its back was a golden-haired elf wearing a purple robe and a Silver Crown—the Elven King!

Flapping his wings, Shu Li soared through the barrage of magical attacks toward the Silver Dragon.

As he drew closer, he slowed his pace and tilted his head to observe a green, ethereal figure floating beside the dragon.

Willow-like strands of hair, a gown woven from countless leaves, feet resting on a cloud of mist, and a thorny vine clutched in her hand—

It was the Wood Spirit!