Utsava Festival (Please Keep Reading)

At the end of their conversation, while Nahida was not paying attention, Lin Feng scooped up the Lesser Lord Kusanali beside him and casually placed her on his lap.

For some reason, Nahida was always unexpectedly slow to react whenever she was around Lin Feng.

Each time, she would widen those clear eyes of hers and curiously watch what Lin Feng intended to do. Only after realizing it was some strange action would she blankly begin to react.

—Perhaps it was because she lacked the relevant experience, or perhaps her curiosity was simply too strong. Lin Feng had once tried to analyze it.

This time was no different. Nahida, whom he had lifted by the armpits, did not realize what had happened until Lin Feng placed her on his lap.

A rare trace of panic and helplessness seemed to appear on her usually unflappable little face.

As usual, Lin Feng was in quite a good mood after being kicked out of the dream.

After getting up, the still-groggy Lin Feng noticed that there seemed to be something outside the elemental barrier.

Rubbing his eyes, Lin Feng discovered that it was a green Aranara.

Judging by the color of its body and the flower atop its head, Lin Feng recognized the little fellow before him as Laramoth, whom he had encountered in the forest.

"Nara Lin Feng!"

"Come help Laramoth! Bad barrier is blocking the way. Laramoth cannot get in."

Hearing Laramoth's words, Lin Feng casually dispelled the protective barrier around him and asked, "Is the Utsava Festival ready?"

Seeing the barrier vanish, Laramoth approached Lin Feng, hopped once, and said, "Mm! The Utsava Festival is ready. Everyone is waiting for Nara Lin Feng and Xiao Xiaobai to go together!"

"Then wait a moment. We'll leave together soon," Lin Feng said to Laramoth.

"Mm. Go back together, Utsava Festival!" Laramoth was clearly excited about the upcoming festival.

After washing up briefly, Lin Feng picked up Laramoth and traveled through the forest at top speed. Taking the straightest route possible, he nimbly used vines to weave between the trees like a bird flying through the woods.

Recalling the process of the Utsava Festival, Lin Feng was somewhat worried about whether he could earn the approval of every Aranara.

After all, compared to the seven-hour-long sequence in the game, the tasks he had completed probably amounted to no more than five minutes.

The essence of the Utsava Festival was for the Aranara to condense their happy memories into tangible form. In the end, they would offer three Vanarana Fruits, formed from those powerful memories together with the Shalan Tree, to make the Awakened King Tree—the king within the Shalan Tree and the "mother" of all Aranara—bear fruit.

In the original story, the Awakened King Tree had been corrupted by the Withering, so Laramoth absorbed the power of the Vanarana Fruits. In the end, through Aranana's memories, a new Awakened King Tree bore fruit.

However, Lin Feng had previously asked the Lesser Lord Kusanali and confirmed that if there were a few more Vanarana Fruits, no Aranara would need to sacrifice its memories.

With the Lesser Lord Kusanali's help, the Aranara had obtained a total of five Vanarana Fruits.

The only issue now was the Awakened King Tree, whose exact condition remained uncertain. He could only hope that, because events had happened earlier, its corruption was not yet too severe.

Suppressing his worries, Lin Feng raced at the speed of light and returned to Vanarana in less than half a day.

Perhaps because the Lesser Lord Kusanali's ability to rally others was too strong, the dream realm was livelier than ever. Aranara ran all over the ground in such numbers that it even seemed crowded.

Lin Feng's scalp went numb.

—Playing games and guessing riddles with those few Aranara in the original story had already been exhausting. With this many Aranara, how long would this take?

Although Lin Feng had the urge to flee before the battle began, he looked at the expectant expressions on the faces of the Aranara before him.

Lin Feng, who had always liked skipping stages, ultimately obediently went to play games with the little fellows.

After suffering through races, riddles, hide-and-seek, high jumps, Cooking contests, and other events, Lin Feng arrived atop a giant lotus leaf during the intermission.

Though he kept saying he disliked it, playing games with these sincere Aranara was not actually boring.

The Aranara were all very innocent. They would be happy when they won, but they would not be upset when they lost. Instead, they would sincerely praise the other side's strength.

After noticing that Lin Feng was somewhat tired, even if they desperately wanted to play with him, they would thoughtfully stop, unwilling to cause him trouble.

—Lin Feng simply could not bring himself to dislike such pure little lives.

Lying on the lotus leaf, Lin Feng noticed a dark-brown Aranara suddenly appear beside him.

Knowing that Rana's Memory had teleported here, Lin Feng sat up and looked at the oldest elder among the Aranara.

The brown Aranara shuffled over to Lin Feng's side and said somewhat sadly:

"I truly miss it. It has been several centuries since I last saw such a scene, has it not? To see Vanarana's dream once more with these eyes is also thanks to you all."

Lin Feng noticed that unlike the childlike Aranara, Rana's Memory's grammar, vocabulary, and sense of time were almost identical to those of an ordinary human.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Rana's Memory," Lin Feng greeted him kindly.

"Just as Aranakin said, you know many things. You are an extraordinary person."

Rana's Memory said this with some surprise.

"Since we are holding the Utsava Festival, the Vijnana Fruit should bear fruit as well, correct?"

Having recovered from his surprise, Rana's Memory sounded somewhat emotional.

Facing the oldest Aranara, Lin Feng did not want to miss this living dictionary. He asked:

"I know that the Vijnana Fruit is the fruit of hope. So long as a wish involves helping others, the Vijnana Fruit can grant it."

"But I want the Vijnana Fruit only to gain the power to defeat the Withering. Would the Vijnana Fruit accept such a selfish wish?" Lin Feng asked worriedly.

Hearing this, Rana's Memory said somewhat strangely:

"There is no need to worry. The Vijnana Fruit is the wish of the Aranara. We have gathered together in unprecedented numbers precisely because we heard that a hero was willing to defeat Marana's incarnation."

"To drive away the power of 'death' for all life—how could such a selfless wish fail to earn our approval?"

Lin Feng felt much more at ease after hearing this, and he also understood why there were so many more Aranara this time than in the game.

—After all, in the game, it had only been about saving one person. Everything afterward had merely dragged him in by force.

"Thank you for your approval. I feel much more at ease now," Lin Feng said sincerely.

"Since you truly intend to defeat Marana's incarnation, then please accept this."

Rana's Memory offered his own flower.

"Accept it, our 'hero,' the 'hero' of all life."

"Thank you. I will keep it safe." Lin Feng carefully accepted the gift and placed it together with the dozens of flowers already in his hands.

"There is no need for thanks. I have heard many stories of Nara Lin Feng. To me, you are also a friend I cherish. Your willingness to accept my flower is an honor to me. Thank you."

"We will certainly meet again. When that time comes, Nara Lin Feng, Xiao Xiaobai, I hope you will visit my home."

After saying that, Rana's Memory left.

Feeling the Aranara's trust in him and noticing that Rana's Memory had silently dispelled his fatigue, Lin Feng took a deep breath, jumped down from the lotus leaf, and continued his journey of games.