141 A Chance Encounter Beneath the City Trees

The little imps and little foxes had no concern for how “grand” they had become in Flora and Habata’s eyes. At that moment, the two small creatures were circling the bud-shaped object again and again, so frantic that they were practically tearing their ears and scratching their heads.

“Theresa, what is that?” Flora asked curiously, jerking her chin toward the two little demon foxes.

“Their tonic,” Theresa replied lightly. She stepped forward, seized one little creature by each ear, and scolded them fiercely. “You two have caused a catastrophe, and you still have the nerve to demand supplements? Dream on!”

After finishing her reprimand, she casually tossed the two little demon foxes backward. They spun twice in midair, and by the time they turned around again, Theresa had already bent down and was using a glass rod to guide the bud-shaped object into a specially made container. The “bud” was so hot that even the glass rod could barely withstand it, showing faint signs of melting. This alone was enough to demonstrate how terrifying its power was.

Of course, it also demonstrated just how formidable the two little demon foxes’ lips and tongues were...

Once Theresa had begun working, the little foxes naturally did not dare make any trouble. They could only circle her anxiously, their four tiny paws restlessly scratching first here, then there, yet utterly unable to move her.

“How are you two? Can you still walk?” Theresa asked Flora and Habata.

Habata hesitated briefly before nodding, but Flora gave a wry smile and shook her head. “No way. I’m completely drained.”

Theresa thought for a moment, then pulled a small boat from her spatial ring—the same boat that had rendered outstanding service in the Void Realm. Naturally, it had long since been modified to suit its new environment. She said to the two of them, “If you can’t walk, climb aboard. This thing isn’t very fast, but at least it doesn’t require any effort.”

Flora clapped her hands and cheered. “Traveling with an alchemist really is the happiest thing in the world!”

As she spoke, she eagerly climbed into the boat and sprawled flat on the soft matting.

...

☆☆☆

By late autumn, heavy snow had already begun falling throughout the northwestern ice plains. Even the Xigong District, whose climate was generally warmer than the rest of the region, was no exception. Snowflakes drifted down from the heavens, quickly covering the earth in a mantle of silver.

Yet in the northern mountains of the Xigong District, the world was not white at all. Instead, it was a place of blazing heat and fiery red. Wild mountain fires raged across the slopes, burning recklessly and savagely. The sparse woods atop the mountains had become perfect fuel, allowing the fires to burn with extraordinary persistence.

Within the flames, countless magical beasts struggled and howled in agony. Yet they could not escape the encirclement of the fire. Whenever one strayed even slightly beyond the flames, someone would emerge from the surrounding darkness and drive it back into the inferno, forcing it to endure the agony of being burned alive.

In the face of such a scene, not one person felt the slightest trace of pity. On the contrary, the eyes of every onlooker were filled with hatred and savage satisfaction. They had waited far too long for this moment—so long that their hearts had nearly grown as cold as the weather.

Pedia stood on a high point of the northern mountain with several Snow Wolf Knights, silently watching everything below. After a long while, he tilted his head and asked Tatu beside him, “What are your plans now?”

“Go home,” Tatu replied, equally expressionless.

Pedia turned his gaze toward him and said indifferently, “Very well. I’ll report your accomplishments. You may return at any time to claim the reward that belongs to you.”

“No need.”

Upon hearing that Pedia was finally willing to let him go, Tatu was eager to leave at once. Why would he want to continue entangling himself with the man? After taking one last look at the results of the work to which he had devoted more than half a month, he turned resolutely and departed along the mountain road.

Pedia watched him go and quietly exhaled—not quite a sigh. One of his guards, seeing this, cautiously said, “My lord, the Lone Wolf has already located the target. Shall we strike first?”

“No.” Pedia smiled faintly. His smile was handsome, yet cold and sharp. “Have the Lone Wolf draw them together. Tatu is thick as a block of wood. Without a sufficiently powerful stimulus, he’ll never turn back.”

The guard shivered faintly and said no more. In his heart, however, he silently mourned for Tatu. At the same time, he could not help wondering: Tatu Jones had actually made Pedia go to such lengths. Was that his good fortune—or his misfortune?

☆☆☆

The magical transit network in the Nature Kingdom was far more developed than that of the human empire. Here, it was the second most common means of transportation after horned-horse carriages. Although the cost was high, it was still within the means of ordinary people. In other words, as long as common folk were willing to spend the money, they could enjoy this swift and comfortable form of “transportation.”

Of course, from an economic perspective, only those traveling long distances would be willing to spend more than half a month’s income in exchange for a moment of convenience.

Still, there were always people in this world who enjoyed certain “privileges.” For anyone capable of using magic, the cost of magical transit could be reduced to almost nothing as long as they supplied the necessary mana themselves. Thus, mages and alchemists were frequent users of the magical transit network.

There were more than a dozen teleportation arrays in Valenda City. Several of them had been constructed in particularly bizarre locations: one had been placed over the surface of a canal, another on a branch of the enormous City Tree, and yet another atop the roof of the Administrative Court.

If someone happened to be transported to one of those arrays, they would have to find their own way back to solid ground.

At that moment, Theresa and her two companions had, fortunately—or unfortunately—been transported to a lofty branch of the City Tree.

“Uh... it’s a little high,” Theresa murmured.

She looked down through the tangled leaves and branches and immediately felt dizzy. Her legs even began to weaken beneath her.

“Well, our luck really isn’t much to speak of this time,” Flora said, glancing downward and curling her lips. She pulled a floating board from behind her, stepped onto it, then put an arm around Theresa and giggled. “Come on, I’ll take you down. Habata is an expert tree climber, so we can ignore him. Though, come to think of it, I never expected you to be afraid of heights.”

“I’m not afraid of heights,” Theresa said, her voice slightly unsteady. “I’m just not used to this... ah!”

Before she could finish defending herself, Flora suddenly shot off the branch. After performing a difficult aerial spin high above the ground, she streaked diagonally downward like a falling object.

Theresa had not been prepared for it. Startled, she involuntarily cried out.

The thrill of freefall had been far too intense. Even after landing, Theresa’s legs trembled slightly, and her feet felt weak and insubstantial.

“Uh, Theresa, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you’d be so unaccustomed to it,” Flora hurried over to apologize.

Theresa only shook her head with a bitter smile. Her legs still weak, she sat down on a stone bench beneath the tree and tried to calm herself. Flora stood beside her with an apologetic expression, opening and closing her mouth as though she wanted to say something but could not find the words.

The two of them waited, one sitting and one standing, for Habata to climb down. Feeling guilty, Flora swayed restlessly from side to side, apparently trying to find something that might shift the subject. She wandered around until she had circled nearly half the City Tree. Her gaze happened to pass over the trunk toward the southwestern side of City Tree Square.

Theresa had no idea what Flora saw in that instant. Flora’s expression abruptly changed. She suddenly drew back with astonishing speed, seized Theresa from where she sat resting on the stone bench, and, without even having time to say a word, dragged her into a natural hollow formed by the tangled branches of the City Tree.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves into the hollow, casting mottled patterns across the two of them. Theresa said nothing, merely questioning Flora with her eyes.

Flora gave a wry smile, bowed and gestured repeatedly, then signaled for Theresa to remain quiet.

Theresa shrugged and did not press the matter. Instead, she turned her gaze toward the world outside the hollow. Its position was exceptionally convenient. From within, one could see most of the scenery beyond the tree.

About another minute passed before Habata finally climbed down. He stood beneath the City Tree, looking around in confusion, his honest face troubled. Presumably, he was wondering why he could not see Theresa and Flora. Yet he did not think to search the surroundings. He merely scratched his head and remained where he was, as though waiting for the two of them to reappear from some corner.

The three of them remained in this awkward stalemate, separated by the hollow, for another two or three minutes.

Then the ears of the two little demon foxes twitched faintly. At the same time, a subtle change came over Theresa’s expression.

The little imp and the little fox had “heard” a group of people approaching. Judging from their instincts, these were people of formidable ability, and quite a few of them were elves.

Had Flora dragged her in here to hide from those people?

Theresa could not help wondering.

The noise gradually grew louder. A large group swept through City Tree Square and stopped in front of Habata. There was a clear distinction between the ranks within the crowd.

The outermost layer appeared to consist of guards. Every one of them wore standardized equipment, making it obvious that they belonged to the same faction. Inside the guards stood a group who seemed to be accompanying honored guests. They wore ingratiating smiles; though elegant, they could never quite rid themselves of a certain vulgarity.

The people at the very center were naturally the most distinguished.

Theresa noticed that only about five people stood within the layers of guards and attendants: among the three middle-aged adults, one was a male elf, one a human woman, and one a human man. The two younger people consisted of a human male and a female elf. Judging by their positions, they were probably elders taking their juniors out on a trial journey.

Afraid of arousing their vigilance, Theresa did not dare look too closely. She merely swept her eyes over them once, memorized the general features of their appearances, and then withdrew her gaze, pricking up her ears to follow what was happening outside.

The group remained beneath the City Tree for roughly five or six minutes before gradually dispersing.

Throughout the entire process, Theresa watched Flora’s expression. Perhaps Flora was too nervous about what was happening outside the hollow to conceal her emotions at all.

Flora was tense, but not in the way someone would be upon encountering an enemy. If anything, she looked more like a runaway child who had suddenly encountered the parent sent out to catch her and spank her.

To be continued...