By the time Ji Chi returned to the Elven Mother Tree, the sun had already completely set. Only a crescent moon hung in the sky, obscured by thin black fog, and the originally brilliant starry river had been reduced to mere grayish-white dots.
The rescued unicorns had endured the black fog for an entire night, surviving only thanks to their innate species advantage. However, according to Evan, by the time they found them, the unicorns were barely clinging to life.
The rescued unicorns were extraordinarily excited. Despite barely being able to stand, they insisted on carrying them back. When they refused, the unicorns made all sorts of fuss, their unpleasant cries leaving Ji Chi looking utterly despairing.
How could such sacred creatures make such SAN-value-dropping sounds?
Ji Chi couldn’t understand it.
In the end, there was no choice but to give in to the unicorns. He fed them some recovery potions, and they slowly trotted back to the elven settlement.
Before they even entered the village, they saw a graceful, slender figure standing at the entrance to the settlement.
Beatrice heard the unicorns’ hoofsteps on the fallen leaves. She turned her face slightly, her bright, clear emerald eyes looking straight at them. The wings on her back shimmered with tiny points of light, like many little spirits dancing upon them.
Dominic dismounted and rushed to her, his hands trembling slightly as he held her face. “How are you feeling now… Beatrice?”
Beatrice smiled with pursed lips as she gazed at him, standing on tiptoe to pluck a fallen leaf from atop Dominic’s head. “Big brother still doesn’t care about his appearance at all. Can you really find a life partner like this?”
Beatrice looked worried.
Dominic, expressionless, grabbed her cheeks with both hands and pulled them to the sides. “You talk too much.”
Beatrice struggled to break free from his grasp, rubbing her reddened face. She glared at him, but soon stopped fussing and said as they walked back. “Don’t be startled in a bit—our elven race has finally reunited once again.”
As they walked along the forest path leading to the Elven Mother Tree, various sprites they had never seen before flew out from the branches and flower buds, curiously hiding behind leaves to watch them.
Occasionally, a light spirit’s figure would flash past in the distance, always followed by a cursing dark spirit. The two spirits would shoot arrows at each other with crackling sounds—it looked quite dramatic, yet didn’t damage a single delicate petal.
This was what ordinary people saw. But in Ji Chi’s eyes, he saw an even more lively scene—
Wind spirits dragged their long tails through the treetops, flirting with a water spirit that lay on a leaf surface refusing to move. Fire spirits danced enthusiastically above campfires, while ice spirits watched quietly from afar…
All the elemental spirits gathered around the Elven Mother Tree, peaceful and happy.
Dominic could also vaguely see these elemental sprites. He realized something, his breathing quickening. By the end, he was practically running toward the Elven Mother Tree—
He pushed aside a cluster of shrubs blocking his view, and the full vista of the Elven Mother Tree burst into sight.
Dominic held his breath, his eyes gradually moistening—
Beatrice caught up to him, gently grasping his trembling hand, her eyes crinkling with a smile. “Beautiful, isn’t it? This is the home we guard with our lives.”
The Elven Mother Tree had regained its original lush appearance, but with a difference—its branches and leaves were now filled with countless flowers of brilliant colors—blue symbolizing water element, red for fire element, white for light element… Various colors dotted throughout. Even in the dim moonlit night, one could see a scene of thriving prosperity.
What Dominic noticed wasn’t just the dramatically changed Mother Tree, but also the glowing butterflies fluttering beneath it.
He murmured in a daze. “Those are…?”
“Moonlight Phoenix-tail Butterflies.” Beatrice said softly. “When moonlight falls on bright, pure water surfaces, it transforms into fragile, exquisitely beautiful butterflies. They dance in the moonlit night, fluttering through the forest.”
Dominic had encountered the academy task objective right at his home—for a moment, he didn’t know whether to be surprised or delighted.
“How did they appear here? We’ve never seen them before?” Dominic murmured in confusion.
Beatrice smiled and pointed at the spring beneath the tree canopy. “Because normally the moonlight can’t reach the spring water, and today’s phoenix-tail butterflies were born from the light of the flowers.”
She looked up tenderly at the Mother Tree, its light reflected in her eyes, brilliant as stars. “These phoenix-tail butterflies are even more precious than Moonlight Phoenix-tail Butterflies.”
“Oh, really…” Dominic breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. Looks like I don’t need to make another trip for the task.”
Beatrice instantly looked at him speechlessly. Is that all you feel and all you’re moved by, big brother?
Tonight, the Elven Forest was extraordinarily lively. The restrictions around the Elven Mother Tree had been lifted, and all the elves could embrace the Mother Tree for the first time in ages, feeling every inch of her branches.
Ji Chi and the others enjoyed a delicious, sumptuous dinner in the Elven Royal Palace, then were invited by Beatrice to come beneath the Elven Mother Tree.
She closed her eyes, hands at her chest, saying softly, “Wind spirits, hear my call and come to my side.”
Countless breezes passed through the dense forest and shrubs, gathering at their feet. More and more wind spirits gathered, attaching to their bodies and skin, slowly lifting them up and sending them to the high branches above.
The Elven Mother Tree was immense. Her branches were as wide as the royal city’s roads. Standing on them, one couldn’t feel at all that they were swaying high in the air.
Linton excitedly ran back and forth on the branches, seemingly having gained some new inspiration, muttering about various things under his breath.
Beatrice came forward to take Chloe and Saintess Coralie’s hands, leading them to lie down on the foremost branch tips.
The extending branch tips had no leaves to obstruct the view. Looking down, one could overlook the Elven Forest; looking up, one could admire the open night sky.
Beatrice lay on the branch, reaching out her finger to trace across the sky. “Too bad tonight’s sky is obscured by black fog. Otherwise, during this season, if we’re lucky, we could see a meteor shower.”
“Indeed.” Dominic also sat down beside them, looking up at the sky, squinting as he recalled, “When she was little, she loved lying here most, watching the stars fall. She thought it was a very romantic thing.”
“Of course! Don’t you think so?” Beatrice turned to ask him.
Dominic lazily lowered his eyelids, glanced at her, and snorted softly, “Climbing up here—cold, tiring, and sleepy. What’s romantic about that…”
He said it very quietly. Beatrice didn’t hear clearly, but that didn’t stop her from jumping up alertly and riding on Dominic’s neck, hammering his head and sending stars dancing before his eyes. “Don’t say it! Don’t say it!”
Ji Chi leaned against the trunk watching them scuffle, a faint smile lifting his lips. Soon the smile faded as he went back, and he began recalling the mysterious man he had encountered in the forest.
“So this is what you look like on the outside.” An ethereal voice from behind interrupted his recollection. Ji Chi turned around to see the Elven God sitting on a higher perch.
The Elven God had been looking up at the black fog. He lowered His eyes to glance at Ji Chi, deep amusement in His gaze.
Remembering Yuan Yuan’s strange current appearance, Ji Chi sighed helplessly. He looked at the Elven God. “Weren’t you trapped inside the tree unable to come out? How can you appear outside now?”
The Elven God smiled enigmatically. “Thanks to you, you calmed the elves’ power, and I finally have the ability to resist [Control].”
Ji Chi thought for a moment, frowning slightly. “That doesn’t make sense. If you have the ability to resist, why didn’t you resist from the beginning? Your divine authority was still complete back then.”
The Elven God sighed deeply. “Because back then, I had fantasies but not the courage to struggle. Moreover, [Control]’s power has been growing weaker and weaker. The gods can finally break free from their fixed paths, and all of this is because of you, Ji Chi.”
The Elven God looked at him tenderly.
Ji Chi suddenly realized he was hearing the title “person from another world” less and less now. He was being acknowledged by the gods, acknowledged by this world.
Ji Chi also looked at the Elven God. He noticed again that the Elven God’s body was semi-transparent—through the clothes on His chest, one could even see the phoenix-tail butterflies dancing behind Him.
Ji Chi stepped forward, surprised. “What’s happened to you… What price have you paid?”
The Elven God met his anxious eyes and smiled. “What a gentle boy. But don’t worry, I’m not perishing. I’m just disappearing for a while.”
His hand rested on a nearby branch, lifting His eyes to the tree full of flowers. “Falling leaves, blooming, bearing fruit, withering… and finally—condensing into seeds, forming the cycle of life.”
“I’m too tired. I want to sleep for a while. I hope when I open my eyes to see this world again, it will be brand new, just like me.”
The Elven God smiled at Ji Chi. “Ji Chi, could I ask you to help me with one last favor?”
Ji Chi looked at Him with pursed lips, saying nothing.
The Elven God knew he had agreed, and said softly, “I will disappear for a very long time. What I’ll miss most are those children.”
The Elven God looked at the sprites scurrying all over the tree, and at the elven twin rulers lying on the branch tips, facing the night sky in conversation.
“If possible, could you give them one last meteor shower?” The Elven King’s right hand passed through the branch, pulling out a crystal-clear core from deep within the Elven Mother Tree.
He stretched and curved this core segment, forming an illusory, magnificent bow and arrow, and handed it to Ji Chi. “This is the last reward I can give you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and for the elven race.”
Ji Chi accepted it—
Name: [God’s Bow]
Quality: [Legendary]
Weapon Effect: [To Be Determined]
Weapon Description: [A bow and arrow crafted by the Elven God from His gratitude and heart. It is free; its form and abilities all come from your will]
[Congratulations, player has completed hidden quest: Save the Elven Mother Tree]
[Congratulations, player has acquired ranger skills]
[lv.max Where the Bow and Arrow Point]
The Elven God’s body grew increasingly transparent, making Ji Chi recall another figure who had accompanied him for a long time.
In the end, They both dissipated with gentle smiles, holding beautiful hopes for this world.
Ji Chi gripped the bow tightly and tersely dropped a single phrase. “Wait for me.”
He grabbed the branches with both hands and pushed off hard with his feet, arriving at the very top of the Mother Tree.
He stood at the tip of the trunk, gazing at the gloomy night sky. Taking a deep breath, he drew the God’s Bow in his hands.
“Light Spirits—Sky Full of Star Rain.”
The light spirits heard his call and all stopped what they were doing, lifting their heads to gaze in his direction. Then countless points of light dispersed from their bodies, like flowing ribbons, streaming toward Ji Chi’s hands.
The points of light gathered at Ji Chi’s fingertips, condensing into a simple arrow, placed upon the crystalline bow.
As he released the bowstring, Ji Chi quickly blinked, hiding the trace of moisture between his lashes.
“Huh? What’s that?” Having regained her sight, Beatrice found everything novel. Her gaze followed that inconspicuous ray of light, watching with great interest.
Dominic glanced at it, unconcerned. “Maybe a god heard your prayer and is sending you a shooting star to play with.”
Beatrice was disappointed. “Just one? My wish was for a grand meteor shower!”
Beatrice cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted toward that ray of light!
Sitting behind her, the Elven God—whom no one could see—stroked Beatrice’s head and said silently, “We all heard you.”
The next second, the ray of light suddenly burst open! It split from one into two in the sky, two into four… Endless points of light fell from the night sky. As they passed through the thin fog, they dispersed it into the wind. The entire night sky became as clear as washed water, and the magnificent rain of light grew even more dazzling!
The Elven Forest was submerged in the rain of falling stars. The gentle white light illuminated the pitch-black forest like a sea of stars, echoing the night sky from afar, like a water mirror’s reflection.
Beatrice watched this star rain without blinking, too shocked to speak. Dominic beside her was also stunned. He had only been teasing his sister—he hadn’t expected to actually witness an unprecedented spectacle.
The Elven God observed their shocked expressions, smiling happily. He looked up at Ji Chi and said, “Thank you. They really like it.”
Ji Chi lowered his eyes to look at Him, silent for a moment before asking, “But do you like it?”
The Elven God was startled.
Ji Chi smiled faintly at Him. “You can’t bear to leave them, but they feel the same way.”
Ji Chi spread his arms wide. The God’s Bow suddenly dispersed from his palms, transforming into ten different colors of light that scattered in all directions.
All the elves were still immersed in the beautiful scene from moments ago when they suddenly felt a weight on their backs. Puzzled, they took down the bows, discovering a ray of light continuously circling around the bows.
“What is this?” An elf touched the red light on his bowstring in confusion. The red light affectionately wound around his finger, forming a fire-colored arrow.
The elves seemed to understand. They looked at each other, raised their bows, drew the strings, and shot toward the night sky.
The white star rain was like a prelude. The truly intoxicating beauty revealed itself at this moment.
Dominic silently watched the brilliant night sky, removed the bow from his hair, and drew an arrow of rainbow colors. He too shot toward the moon, becoming one among the countless splendid falling stars.
He closed his eyes, hands clasped at his chest. “May the Mother Tree prosper forever, may the elves be forever free and happy.”
The Elven God withdrew His gaze. The brilliant starlight transformed into eyes full of reluctance. He floated up and placed a kiss on Dominic’s forehead.
Before dissipating, He looked at Ji Chi one last time, His smile extremely gentle. “Thank you. I like it very much.”
A flower petal fell from the branch, drifting down onto the Elven Spring. Unfortunately, not a single person noticed.