Chapter 459: Apprehension

"Crack, crack—" Under the crushing force of the Gravity Domain, all of Molie's guards were pressed into meat patties on the ground.

The surrounding crowd looked at the pools of blood on the ground, a flicker of shock flashing through their eyes. Yet, in their hearts, there was also a faint sense of gratification. As Molie's subordinates, these guards were considered local tyrants in Norton Imperial City; they had committed no shortage of acts like robbing shops and forcibly seizing young women. Now that they had been wiped out in one fell swoop by Lingyun, it could be considered ridding Norton Imperial City of a scourge.

"Tch, they're running away already?" Watching Molie being dragged away by the old man, Chen Jing curled her lips in disdain.

"What else could they do if they didn't run? That was a Half-step Heaven Realm guard!" Aiweier glanced at the figure shrouded in a black robe behind them. "But who is he? Why haven't I seen him at all along the way?"

"There is no guard; that person's aura is exactly the same as Lingyun's!" Su Wanyue's voice rang out in Aiweier's ear.

Looking at the Lingyun standing behind the four of them, everyone present quietly gasped. A Half-step Heaven Realm guard was truly not something just anyone could afford; such a person was no ordinary existence even among top-tier factions. If one were to provoke such an existence, they would likely die without even knowing how.

The black-robed figure behind the four suddenly distorted and then vanished into the air. However, those prying gazes had already quietly disappeared.

"You said that person's aura just now was exactly the same as Lingyun's?" Aiweier asked softly.

"That's right, that figure's aura was identical to Lingyun's. I think it must be some kind of clone of Lingyun's!" Su Wanyue nodded.

After forcing Molie to retreat, Lingyun and his group returned to the inn.

In the shadows, a person poked their head out, watching the direction in which Lingyun's group had departed, and said to the burly man beside them, "Boss, they're gone. Are we still going for it?"

"Go for it? Go for your head!" The burly man slapped the person's head irritably. "Didn't you see that there was a Half-step Heaven Realm expert behind that person? Facing such an expert, no matter how many of us with our strength go up, it's all in vain!"

"So, we're giving up on this job?" Shouzi asked. "That's a five-thousand-gold-coin job. We just need to get that Flower Crown!"

"It's just a five-thousand-gold-coin job; it's not worth risking our lives for!" The burly man's eyes were full of gravity. "Besides, the opponent's strength does not match the information the employer gave us. We have the right to terminate the contract."

Of course, it was not just one group that had this thought. After the black-robed person with Half-step Heaven Realm strength appeared, most people dismissed the idea of intercepting Lingyun's group. The wrath of a Half-step Heaven Realm expert was not something they could withstand. And Lingyun, having such a powerful guard, made those in the shadows feel somewhat wary.

Once they entered the inn, Aiweier stared at Lingyun with a serious expression: "Lingyun, can you let me see the Eternal Leaf?"

An invisible Array rose within the room, shielding the place from the prying eyes of those in the shadows.

"The Eternal Leaf? Here, it's this!" Lingyun took out the Elf Flower Crown and gave it a light shake.

A cluster of emerald-green light rose from the Elf Flower Crown, and a tiny leaf appeared in Lingyun's hand. As this leaf appeared, the originally exquisite Elf Flower Crown rapidly turned gray, then disintegrated into ashes that scattered in the air.

Lingyun waved his hand casually, and a small whirlwind appeared in the room, gathering the scattered ashes together before tossing them out of the room.

"This is the Eternal Leaf?" Chen Jing looked curiously at the emerald-green leaf hovering in Lingyun's hand.

The leaf in Lingyun's hand did not look like an ordinary leaf; instead, it looked more like a peerless work of art carved from jade. A faint circle of light lingered around the leaf, adding a touch of mystery to it.

The moment she saw this leaf, Aiweier felt the blood in her veins boil instantly, as if she had arrived before the Elf Ancient Tree. No, it should be said that even standing before the Elf Ancient Tree, her blood had never boiled like this. This point alone was enough for her to be certain that even if this leaf was not the true Eternal Leaf, it was at least a Pseudo Eternal Leaf.

Whether it was the true Eternal Leaf or a Pseudo Eternal Leaf, for the current Elf Race, it was a legendary treasure that held immense significance.

"Lingyun, this Eternal Leaf..." Aiweier looked at the Eternal Leaf in Lingyun's hand and spoke with some difficulty.

As a long-lost holy relic of the Elf Race, Aiweier had a hundred desires to bring it back to the Morning Light Forest. But now, this Eternal Leaf was something Lingyun had won at an auction; it was Lingyun's private property. Whether out of friendship or the pride of the Elf Race, she could not allow herself to engage in theft or robbery.

"Don't worry, one of my purposes for wanting this Eternal Leaf is for your Elf Race's Elf Ancient Tree!" Seeming to see through Aiweier's inner hesitation, Lingyun said with a smile.

"For our Elf Race's Elf Ancient Tree? Could it be that you, Lingyun, have some connection with our Elf Race?" Aiweier tilted her head and asked.

"In a sense, I do indeed have a significant connection with your Elf Race, and this also involves a promise." Lingyun said somewhat mysteriously.

"A promise?" A trace of doubt appeared in Aiweier's eyes.

"As for this, you don't need to know for now!" Lingyun said.

Watching Lingyun keep her in suspense, Aiweier bared her fangs, looking very much like she wanted to bite Lingyun to death.

"Looking at the state of the three of you right now, it is the perfect moment to use the Eternal Leaf!" Lingyun sized up the three people present and said seriously.

"Use the Eternal Leaf? Lingyun, didn't you say this Eternal Leaf was to be used on the Elf Ancient Tree?" Chen Jing asked, puzzled.

"The only thing in the Eternal Leaf that is useful to the Elf Ancient Tree is the trace of Eternal Power within it; this trace of Eternal Power is the key for the Elf Ancient Tree to evolve into an Eternal Ancient Tree. As for the power contained in the Eternal Leaf, do you think such a massive Elf Ancient Tree would care about such a small amount of power?" Lingyun waved his hand and said.

"That... seems to be the case!" Recalling the Elf Ancient Tree in the Morning Light Forest that blotted out the sky, Aiweier nodded subconsciously.

"Then don't dawdle, sit down quickly!" Lingyun waved his hand, and an improved Three Talents Array enveloped the three of them.

"Lingyun, aren't you using it?" Su Wanyue looked at Lingyun and asked.

"This kind of thing has no effect on me!" Lingyun waved his hand dismissively. For his current body, the Natural Power in an Eternal Leaf was completely trivial and would not have any effect.

Seeing that the three had entered meditation, Lingyun channeled the Natural Power from the Eternal Leaf, and a emerald-green mist enveloped the three of them.

Presumably, after fully absorbing the Natural Power from the Eternal Leaf, all three would make significant progress. The Wind Holy Sword appeared quietly beside Lingyun; clearly, it had no intention of absorbing the Natural Power.

Lingyun patted the sword body, a smile appearing on his face. The Demon Qi within the Wind Holy Sword had been mostly purged. In just a little more time, the Wind Holy Sword, which had once traversed the Continent, would appear before the eyes of the world once again.