Chapter 2806: Re-visiting the Ash Valley

Iruna only appeared after the people in the hotel had finished breakfast. It had rained heavily yesterday, and the temperature today was indeed colder. When Iruna trotted into the hotel, she was wearing a white scarf; at first glance, Xia De thought she had a white fox draped around her neck.

"Let's go, Xia De!"

Iruna looked exceptionally happy; after all, this was the first time in history that someone had been able to actively accompany Xia De to the past era.

And although it was two people using the key this time, for the "present," it was still only three seconds in the past. The young ladies all came to see them off, or rather, to watch the excitement.

Because he had promised Little Mia last time that he would bring it along as long as there was no major environmental danger on the other side, Xia De also turned the cat into a toy and put it away.

He prepared to leave in Miss Danister's room. At this time, Luweiya was still talking to Emilia about "the risks of time adventures," "experience," and the like:

"You don't need to gather together; there's nothing interesting about this. Then, see you in three seconds... May the World Tree protect me in infinite time."

With a click, he turned the key inserted into the bathroom door. After pushing the door open, there was thick white fog drifting about. Xia De squeezed Iruna's hand, and after her excited response, the two stepped into the fog ahead together.

【Outsider, you have stepped into the "Time Corridor."】

【Message from the Ancient God "Father of the Infinite Tree":】

【Winter, 3733 of the Fifth Era, Southern Continent, Ash Valley.】

【Event: The Last Lesson of the "Strange Tree Academy."】

【Duration: Forty minutes (2/3).】

【You have obtained additional information.】

【The figure of the Father of the Infinite Tree watches you.】

【The Ancient God of Time gives you a test.】

【Assist the "Lord of the Black Robe" in completing the final lesson.】

【The Father of the Infinite Tree will give you a reward: a piece of real information—an additional Core Spiritual Rune.】

"Ten minutes more than last time."

Thinking this in his heart, Xia De stood in the white fog and looked to his left. Iruna had already disappeared, which meant that at the moment of passing through the fog door, although Xia De successfully entered the 【Time Corridor】, Iruna did not.

He also had a guess about this situation. According to what that God said last time, Iruna would probably return directly to the side of the campfire, and the time point would be the moment the two left last time.

So he continued to step forward, and then fell into the cold water body. After the small boat lifted him up, he didn't even look at the white ash flying all over the sky above the valley, but stood at the stern and quickly steered the small boat forward.

Probably because Xia De's reaction speed was too fast this time, by the time he had almost reached the "waterfall" at the end of the valley bottom, the thing under the water had not yet appeared.

But it not appearing didn't mean it hadn't discovered Xia De. Just as Xia De was preparing to leave the small boat, the unknown existence under the water violently bumped the boat, sending Xia De and the boat flying out together.

But Xia De still ignored what exactly had bumped him flying. After landing on the stone steps beside the waterfall, he ran straight up. Before long, he had already reached the dilapidated castle building complex on the edge of the cliff above the valley.

That shouldn't have been Xia De's illusion; at this time, the water falling from the sky had submerged more areas here. Many buildings where roofs could still be seen last time had now completely disappeared without a trace.

But fortunately, the fourth-floor camp chosen by the young ladies was still above the water surface. However, when Xia De rowed the small boat closer, he discovered that the third floor, which hadn't been flooded before, was now also a vast expanse of water.

The firelight from the breach in the wall guided his direction. After Xia De turned into red butterflies and flew up, he saw that the four figures by the fire included Iruna, and he breathed a small sigh of relief. To be honest, seeing that Iruna was missing just now, he was still a bit worried.

Miss Ross Metz, the human young lady with glasses, Miss Elfina Vilde, the Green Dragon young lady who was good at making tea and snacks, and Miss Sibel Bister, the Grey Wolf young lady who pursued the wild path of the moon, were all by the fire. And although they looked a bit listless, at least none of them were injured.

When that group of red butterflies landed on the ground, Iruna clearly felt as if the solidified time and space around her were flowing again at this moment, or as if the chaotic time and space were re-sorted and linearly moving forward at this moment.

The crackling sound of the campfire became much more vivid than the previous second, and she, who hadn't eaten for a long time, suddenly felt hungry:

"Xia De!"

Iruna stood up and walked toward him, then hugged him tightly:

"You finally came. I really waited here for a long, long time."

Xia De touched his chest, and Little Mia, who had been changed back, squeezed out from between Xia De and Iruna, then meowed in protest that Iruna had squeezed it. Iruna burst into tears and laughter. For Xia De, the separation was only a few minutes ago, but for her, it was a long time ago.

She didn't let go of Xia De's arm, pulling him back to the fire:

"Everyone is waiting for you to come back. Sit down quickly, warm yourself by the fire with Little Mia, and then listen to us talk about what happened while you were away."

Xia De was completely unaware of the changes here after his arrival, but in Iruna's eyes, not only herself, but the other three young ladies had also become "normal" because of Xia De's appearance.

Miss Ross Metz had an expression of just waking up from a big dream, the Green Dragon young lady stood up and smiled, saying she was going to make tea, and Miss Bister, who was hugging her own furry tail, first greeted Xia De and then curiously looked at the cat standing on Xia De's shoulder.

Iruna didn't want to recall the time when none of them spoke, just stared blankly at the campfire, and even if they occasionally cooperated to go out for adventures, they would fall back into silence and melancholy after returning.

At this moment, everyone looked very happy. Miss Vilde's busy figure and the sound of Xia De greeting everyone made it seem as if there was no difference from the normal world.

Iruna even noticed that the cat was curiously looking at the surrounding environment at this time. After seeing the werewolf young lady, it also saw her wolf tail. It looked at the werewolf's furry tail, then looked at its own tail, and then seemed to fall into deep thought.

As for Miss Ross Metz, after a moment of trance, she responded to Xia De's greeting generously, and then smiled and said:

"After Iruna disappeared and then came back, we were all guessing how long it would take for you to appear again. I didn't expect to wait so long. But taking advantage of the time you were away, we all learned some skills from Miss Bister."

At this time, everyone could already smell the tea. The Grey Wolf young lady who was mentioned by name immediately put away the tail she was hugging, but didn't notice that this made the cat even more surprised.

"Everyone's talent is quite good. Although they couldn't learn transformation like you, it can be considered a fruitful harvest."

"I learned this."

Miss Metz said, tearing a blank sheet of paper from her notebook. The paper fell into the campfire and burned, and then a flaming wolf walked out of the fire.

This wolf was not an illusion, nor was it simply controlling fire to form a specific shape. Xia De could feel the essence it possessed, which was close to a soul, or in other words, the giant wolf summoned by Miss Metz possessed something close to a soul through spirit and elements.

"Here, your tea and snacks. I brought some tea leaves when I came, but they are almost used up. This is the tea leaves my teacher gave me. You can't find them anywhere else."

The Green Dragon young lady said, distributing the teacups to everyone. Little Mia looked at her big tail again, and then found that it had seen a similar tail, and unlike its own tail, it had no hair, so it didn't care anymore.

"I learned this. I also studied the Moon series of secret arts when I was in the Academy, so I have some foundation."

Miss Vilde said, lightly shaking the wings behind her, and large swaths of moonlight were scattered by the wings. The light formed by the dots of light floated above the fire. Xia De realized that this was an ability to manifest the current star map even indoors or in places where the sky could not be seen.

Werewolves running in the wilderness pursuing the moon, identifying star maps, and performing divination through star maps were also abilities they must possess.

"Actually, the secret arts mastered by Miss Vilde are the most profound. Her teacher must be an amazing person."

The Grey Wolf young lady whispered in praise. Xia De took a sip of tea and then felt that the taste of the black tea was very much like Yorkshire tea, which was the black tea that Detective Sparrow liked most before he died. The black tea he kept at home was still this kind; before, it was Xia De commemorating that detective, and now it was because the maid Miss mistakenly thought Xia De really liked this.

"And me, I learned this."

Next was Iruna. She sat beside Xia De as she did last time, leaning against him, and while talking, she stood up and walked to an empty space on the side.

She clenched her fists and tensed her body. As her body lunged forward like a spring, Iruna's clenched fists swung forward, and two pairs of sharp claws made of golden sun energy tore forward in the air, causing a whistling sound of breaking through the air.

"Iruna really has a talent for fighting. She can simulate the lunge form of a werewolf without claws. This is amazing."

The Grey Wolf young lady praised again, and Iruna sat back beside Xia De very embarrassedly. Her fighting talent was indeed very strong, but because of this, her talent in ancient texts and other aspects was somewhat insufficient.

Iruna drank tea and ate snacks while saying to Xia De:

"I found that traveling through time is not a bad thing. When facing emergency events, I suddenly have so much time to adjust and learn. This is a good thing that others can't encounter."

"It's not that there are no others; five other people have also encountered it."

Xia De reminded, watching the Green Dragon young lady, after finishing boiling tea and heating snacks, actually started preparing meals for everyone again. She wore a white apron over the academy uniform of this academy, holding a spoon and shaking it in the pot, working quite skillfully, looking like a very professional dragon maid. ===== CHAPTER 2807 =====