Although Li Ziran felt his abilities were limited and that he could never personally rush into the Elven Tide to catch a High Wind Elf, he still wanted to do his small part for Nicole.
But he understood Survival Law very well.
After the Elven Tide came the inevitable mad scramble to divide the spoils.
The Elves were powerful, but the Wasteland had its own Survival Law. When two forces collided, there would inevitably be victims.
In the future, Elves would surely flood the slave markets in terrifying numbers, and among those slaves, there would certainly be High Elves of exceptional quality.
Several of Li Ziran's friends dealt in the slave trade. He should be able to secure a few slots.
The price to pay would be nothing more than gold coins, and that was what Nicole lacked least.
Nicole gave Li Ziran a strange look, then quietly leaned closer and smiled. "I knew you had the kindest heart. But after two years apart, your sights have gotten so low!"
"What?" Li Ziran did not understand. This girl was not mocking him, was she?
"An Ancient Wind Elf!" Nicole spoke very softly, her eyes darting about as though afraid someone might overhear. "How could you think I only deserved a High Elf? That's way too low-class."
Li Ziran did not understand. If he had heard correctly, Nicole currently had an Ancient Wind Elf in her possession.
Within the Elven hierarchy, Ancient Elf bloodlines were the purest and were known as bloodlines of the gods.
Of course, that did not mean they worshipped gods. Rather, in their eyes, such bloodlines seemed almost as though they had been created by gods, perfectly flawless in their compatibility with elements.
That extraordinary compatibility allowed Ancient Elves to nurture the most supreme Magic Organs.
The Archmages of the Elven Race today basically all possessed some Ancient Elf bloodline. The most renowned Neon Title Magister, Jon, was the one with the purest Ancient bloodline alive.
His Magic Organs could refine seventeen kinds of elements from the Elemental Tide, and he could use his organs to stack and reorganize them, forming the unique Neon Element.
It was said that this spell could completely transform a living creature's flesh-and-blood body into a pure form of luminous Neon.
Because Ancient bloodlines were so special, the Elves protected them with exceptional severity. To this day, there had been no sign of Ancient bloodlines leaking outside.
In the vast tropical rainforest, even Upper Elves were pitifully scarce, much less Ancient Elves.
"Don't tell me you captured Jon?" Li Ziran smiled oddly. This girl always loved making jokes at the wrong time.
Nicole shook her head without the slightest trace of jest. "Not Jon. Jon's wife."
Wife?
Jon had a wife?
At any rate, Li Ziran did not know. He had never paid attention to that sort of gossip. The only reason he knew of Jon was because of the man's peerless magical ability.
"You're not joking?"
Nicole lightly pulled open the leather skirt over her chest and pressed herself closer to Li Ziran.
This time, Li Ziran did not avoid her. Looking down through her collar, he saw an emerald-green leaf resting against her swollen chest. The leaf radiated a jade-green milky glow and gave off a sweet, cloying breath of life.
Li Ziran merely sniffed a little, yet felt as though he had slept for an entire day, refreshed beyond measure.
A Life Tree Leaf, from the Life Ancient Tree at the heart of Despair Forest.
Legend had it that once the Dream Ancient Tree's rings reached five hundred circles, it could be called a Life Ancient Tree. The leaves of such a tree could refine elements and transform them into rare Life Force.
Life Tree Leaves were the finest organ-preserving items. A single small leaf could preserve a Great Dragon's heart for a hundred years without decay.
Li Ziran had once considered getting a few himself, but the steep price of three gold coins per leaf was enough to scare off every living thing.
Anything preserved with a Life Tree Leaf was absolutely no ordinary object.
Could it really be an Ancient Elf? That would be too absurd.
If it was, the Elven Race would not merely spit blood.
He subconsciously glanced at the Horse Dwarf. This third wheel had appeared at a very inopportune time.
Nicole casually tossed a glittering gold coin over and ordered, "Wait for me at the Mill. Reserve a private room on the third floor for us, then buy a bottle of the strongest rum and prepare some fruit or something. The rest is yours."
The Horse Dwarf was not familiar with this girl at all, but the instant he saw the gleaming thing in his hand, he went blank.
It was not the copper gleam he knew, nor the silver he craved, but gold—the color that did not dare appear even in his dreams.
A gold coin!
Money he could never earn in a lifetime as a guide was now clasped in his hand.
He was rich!
He was truly rich!
Not only had he encountered a fine client like Li Ziran, he had also met a wealthy patron like the curly-haired girl.
He understood that he had finally stumbled upon the sort of big deal people bragged about, one that casually involved hundreds of copper coins.
"Yes, miss. I'll go at once." The Horse Dwarf gave a respectful bow, then turned and ran into the Windmill.
The street quieted down. Li Ziran pulled Nicole directly into a corner, tugged open her high-collared leather jacket, and prepared to take a good look at what was hidden inside the Life Tree Leaf.
He carefully reached toward it, only to yank his hand back abruptly.
He could not touch a Life Tree Leaf so recklessly.
He took out a pair of leather gloves from his pocket, then produced a bottle of Transpiration Potion and applied it to the gloves drop by drop.
Life Tree Leaves were extraordinarily delicate. Any external force could disrupt the elemental balance within.
The Transpiration Potion could make the gloves as clean as possible, yet even then, it would still damage the Life Tree Leaf.
Only after completing the protection did Li Ziran reach inside again.
Nicole did not stop him. On the contrary, she thrust herself upward slightly so Li Ziran could see more clearly.
The leaf was thin as paper. Li Ziran gently caught its edge with his fingernail and slowly peeled it open.
The leaf was folded into four layers, with a sheet of Mithril Paper placed between every layer. This was an extremely professional method of sealing magical power. In the slave trade, people generally liked using Mithril's elemental conductivity to seal magical creatures.
At this moment, Li Ziran basically believed Nicole's words.
This was an Ancient Elf.
Because a Common Elf was simply not worth such rigorous sealing standards.
"Will it be all right?" Li Ziran asked. He feared that once he touched the Mithril, the thing inside would trigger some unusual phenomenon. On this street beside the market, it would certainly cause a huge stir.
"Mm, it'll be fine." Nicole nodded obediently and pressed even closer to Li Ziran.
Night had completely fallen. Only a few Moonlight Stones provided dim, hazy light along the street.
People hurried past continuously. Occasionally, drunken men staggered out of the Windmill, swaying east and west, while vulgar songs drifted over from the various mills in the distance.
It was noisy, the best time for the ladies' business, yet also especially quiet. In this corner, everyone had enough sense not to disturb a couple's pleasure.
Li Ziran's hand was gentle. He carefully pried open another layer with his nail and pressed the Mithril Paper against Nicole's chest.
This was already the third layer. A trace of azure could faintly be seen now, and even the surrounding elements were turning without pattern.
This was the power of a Wind Elf. They spent their lives refining Wind Element. Their bodies instinctively influenced the flow of the Elemental Tide. Even without deliberately casting a spell, the Elemental Tide would move with the operation of their Magic Organs, forming a faint, imperceptible breeze.
Huff!
Li Ziran let out a long breath. He swore this was the heaviest cargo he had ever seen in his life.
The oil-green leaf was gently pulled aside, and a streak of blue light reflected into Li Ziran's eyes.
Azure, pure, like a gemstone.
Yet at the center of the leaf was an Elf, eyes narrowed, curled up within sapphire-blue radiance.
Her skin was sapphire-blue, thin as a layer of jelly. Through that jelly-like skin, her internal organs could be seen clearly.
A peach-shaped heart, tender curving intestines, a tiny kidney glowing bright red, and a stomach giving off an enchanting sheen.
Every organ seemed as if it had been carved by the hand of a master craftsman.
With a faint inhale from the Elf, Li Ziran could see airflow enter her nostrils, pass through her throat, and enter her stomach. After briefly swirling inside the stomach, it entered her blood.
The blood entered the heart, and when it flowed back out, it had become entirely sapphire-blue.
The blood flowed through every organ, and each time it passed through one, its color began to fade.
Li Ziran watched the Elf. At the instant the blood flowed through, tiny blue specks were secreted and settled along the surface, forming a membrane.
The blue specks were tiny, but they could be seen clearly.
They were long and narrow, thin as ice shards, with obvious blade edges—clearly Wind Blades shrunk countless times over.
Apparently, in that brief instant, this child had refined Wind Element from the Elemental Tide and compressed it into the most basic wind magic power.
Perfect!
Li Ziran could not help but marvel. Both the refining speed and precision had reached the absolute pinnacle.
That kidney was unquestionably a top-tier organ for refining wind magic power.
As expected of an Ancient Elf.
"This isn't his wife." Li Ziran looked at Nicole.
Nicole stuck out her tongue. "I was lying just now. How could I possibly capture his wife? But this is a Primordial Elf. So, what do you think? Are you confident?"
"What?"
"His Magic Organs. Give me that little blue, shining one. That's a top-grade wind attribute. And I want his blood replaced too. You know my heart needs Elf blood to match it, right?"
Before you continue