Chapter 373: Exchange

Tonight's wind direction had shifted, and unusually there was no layer of hazy sandstorm.

Beneath the bright, clear moonlight.

Two cool, aloof figures stood quietly in midair above Shi Ying Town.

Zooming in for a closer look.

Long pointed elven ears, expressions utterly disdainful—these were precisely the two elves who had come here from the Emerald Court.

And the direction they faced was the Wind Wall Forest to the west.

Pale-green spiritual essence drifted with the wind like something tangible, yet also blazed upward like a torch.

The forest of this remote little town was by no means ordinary—it already possessed the potential to become a forest on par with those of the Emerald Court.

Both elves revealed looks of surprise.

The Wind Wall Forest's history was not long; building a forest in a mere hundred years or so was not difficult, but reaching the level of the Emerald Court's ten-thousand-year-old trees in just a century was somewhat exaggerated.

"Bernhard, what do you think?"

The female elf spoke.

The male elf named Bernhard raised a hand to smooth his hair, tousled by the night wind, his appearance somewhat androgynous.

"The tree species in this forest are of common stock, originally planted only to block wind and stabilize sand. The spiritual essence they can bear is already quite astonishing. To reach this level of spiritual overflow, someone must be assisting this forest in advancing its tier."

"Advancing its tier?"

The female elf was stunned. "That's the Emerald Court's technique—how could the forest warden inside possibly—?!"

"I didn't say it was the forest warden."

Bernhard shook his head, his eyes calm, and looked at his companion beside him:

"Ashley, why did you suddenly bring up the forest warden?"

Ashley's expression stiffened for a moment, and she forcibly suppressed her expression.

She said, "He's renowned in Shi Ying Town, and the surrounding newspapers all boast that at sixth-tier he could already repel two seventh-tier opponents. Naturally I had to test his mettle."

"And did you?"

The elf girl nodded, then immediately shook her head.

A sound rose from Bernhard's throat: "So is it yes, or no?"

"The tree spirit in the forest drove me away. She's mid-seventh-tier, close to upper-tier strength, while I'm only sixth-tier."

"There's actually a seventh-tier tree spirit in the forest? That's rather surprising."

Ashley was not surprised.

Her companion beside her had a steady temperament, and had once studied in Gemstone City during Elder Elder Manla's tenure as Grand Elder of the Elder Council—rich in experience.

During this period he had been tracking the tasks assigned by the Emerald Court, with no time to attend to surrounding matters.

But the girl was different—she was still young, only 130 years old.

Naturally full of curiosity about the things around her.

Bernhard offered no opinion on her affairs, and instead steered the topic back.

"It's an elf—an elf of the Emerald Court. This elf wishes to use the Wind Wall Forest's tier advancement to break free from the Elder Council's control."

"Break free? Control? I don't understand."

The very young elf girl voiced an innocent question.

When facing outsiders, elves always kept a straight face, but beside their companions they showed a slightly cute, simple side.

Bernhard looked at Ashley, his gaze deep.

After a moment's thought, he asked:

"What do you think we should do, Ashley?"

"According to elven law, this elf's actions amount to betrayal. We should escort her back to the Emerald Court, let the Elder Council strip her of her use of natural magic, and then exile her."

Ashley thought for a moment and recited the elven law as she knew it.

Bernhard did not contradict the words of the daughter of the Elder Council's Third Elder, and nodded: "We'll do as you say."

"But what about that forest warden? Will he let us do this? After all, he's Aethelon's—"

"Aethelon has expended massive troop strength in Dusk City, likely damaging its very foundations. Its control over its territory is severely insufficient; warlord fragmentation is only a matter of time. The so-called forest warden of this remote little town exists in name only. Shi Ying Town's city hall is on very good private terms with that forest warden, and probably shares such thinking. They wouldn't dare offend the Emerald Court right now. We need only carry out our task."

Ashley nodded, somewhat excited: "When do we strike?"

"With spiritual essence dispersing to this extent, the tier-advancement ceremony is likely within the next two days. We'll go and negotiate then."

"Why wait for the tier-advancement ceremony?"

"A forest tier-advancement ceremony is no small matter. That elf will surely be greatly drained, saving us the trouble of resistance."

"The problem still lies with that forest warden. If he's really as formidable as the papers say, I'm sixth-tier and you're seventh-tier—we still can't handle him."

"Why fight? Shi Ying Town lacks money, grain, weapons, resources—and people are a resource too. We'll simply trade resources then. Afterward we'll inform the Elder Council about this forest, let them take advantage of Aethelon's internal chaos to occupy this place—another great merit to our names."

Elves excel at restraint and don't use external objects, but that doesn't mean they won't pocket good things when they see them.

Especially older elves—every single one of them is filthy rich.

Ashley immediately beamed with delight.

She waved her small fist excitedly: "Let's see what Mother says about me being idle after this!"

Bernhard's expression remained flat, showing no change.

Two days later.

At the edge of the forest.

Lady Kali walked over from not far away, scattering bright silver powder as she came.

Today she had combed her golden long hair up into a clean, neat high ponytail.

Even in winter, she still wore that white-and-green magical bodysuit—at most adding a short, fluffy little vest on top, which raised her waistline and showcased her perfect body proportions.

Rat Girl No. 13 followed behind her, holding a jar full of the bright silver powder in Kali's hands as if she hadn't woken up yet, staring blankly.

No. 13 stood over 1.8 meters tall, slightly shorter than the orc Amy in the forest, but half a head taller than the elf.

Her legs were long, plump, and well-proportioned; a stiff steel tail swayed flexibly in the air from time to time, sometimes wrapping around her thighs and leaving faint indentations in the flesh.

According to Kali, this girl seemed unwilling to cut her hair; her bangs hung down, covering half of one eye.

She looked a bit like the non-mainstream types Rod had seen in his past life.

"Done?"

Rod lay on Vivian's soft, fleshy thighs, idly playing with the tree spirit's fingers while asking lazily.

Tally was at his leg side, gently pounding with her small pink fist.

She also asked in a flattering tone whether it felt comfortable.

The meals provided by her master these past few days had been cold and indifferent, conveying no love or emotion at all, and even the process had been rushed and perfunctory.

Afterward, he would directly seek out the tree spirit or the half-deer person Mei for a second round.

When Tally performed the post-act cleanup, she clearly felt that her master's scent was even more delicious when facing the other two girls; the succubus's heart was filled with regret, and she almost burst into tears.

So during this period, she also fawned over him crazily, even changing the lazy nature inherent to succubi, working tirelessly and never refusing.

It was basically a "chasing the husband to the funeral pyre" situation.

"Mm."

Kali glanced at his current extravagant appearance, her face showing slight displeasure.

(End of this chapter)