Chapter 154
Xie Juanhan said to Telingewei, "I didn't expect that after so much time, the humans still haven't found the troublesome spirit. Their efficiency is really low."
"Shall we look for it?" Telingewei asked.
"Let's look for it," Xie Juanhan asked Mao Rongrong for her opinion. "We've lived here for a long time, and it's not good if there are any dangerous factors nearby."
The furry creatures responded loudly, "Awooo!"
They have no problem as long as they can go out and play.
So, Xie Juanhan and Telingewei took the furry creatures for a walk around the Star Market.
They had been to the Star Market many times.
Ultimately, this is just a rural market on the outskirts of a small town.
The market was small, and the goods sold there were of little value.
They searched the area but found no clues.
Xie Juanhan handed the branch that Orfrey had been leaning on to Moli, who smelled it, trying to find Orfrey and his group's movements in the market.
Moli accurately detected every spot where Orfrey's scent lingered.
They walked around these areas but still found no clues.
"Awoo." Moli looked up at Xie Juanhan, waiting for his next instructions.
Xie Juanhan stroked the wolf's head and fell into deep thought.
Perhaps that unfamiliar spirit was too wary and had already hidden itself.
It's also possible that it left the Star Market and isn't even nearby.
"How about we come back and look again tonight?" Telingewei said.
Xie Juanhan: "Going out tonight—no, I'm too tired. Let's look for it now."
Xie Juanhan said, directing the furry creatures, "You all go to the side."
The furry creatures took two steps back, making way for Xie Juanhan's actions.
Xie Juanhan waved his hand. "Back up, back under the eaves."
The furry creatures obeyed and retreated further.
Harper and the others rushed up and grabbed Telingewei's pants, forcing Telingewei to back away with them.
Xie Juanhan snapped his fingers at them, indicating that they had done well.
Xie Juanhan looked up at the sky, and the Dragon Power spread out in all directions.
A light rain began to fall without warning, enveloping the entire Star Market.
Today isn't market day, but there are still some people setting up stalls at the market regularly.
The drizzle was as fine as cow's hair.
It took many people a while to realize that it was raining.
Some people felt that this rain was different from ordinary rain and took a second look.
They couldn't find any specific differences, so after looking at it a couple more times, they had to look away.
A light rain enveloped every corner of the market.
Xie Juanhan tilted his head back, sensing the activity in the market.
"Found it," Xie Juanhan said.
Before long, Xie Juanhan led Telingewei and the furry creatures to the rooftop of a simple house.
In the cracks of the rocks, a thin, weak Little Tree was being enveloped by the rain.
"Tree Spirit?" Telingewei's hesitant voice rang out.
Xie Juanhan could sense that this sapling was different from all the living and non-living things around it, but he didn't know its origin.
Upon hearing Telingewei's words, he asked, "What is Tree Spirit? A special kind of tree?"
No, it's a type of Forest Elf.
Telingewei lifted the leaf and examined it. "Tree Spirit, the creatures of the forest also call them Forest Shepherd; they are able to look after and manage the forest."
Xie Juanhan's first reaction upon hearing this was, "Are there Tree Spirit in the Magic Forest? I don't think I've ever seen one before?"
Telingewei: "They used to be there, but then they left."
Xie Juanhan: "Before?"
Telingewei: "When I first hatched, we spent some time together, and then they all moved away."
Xie Juanhan was taken aback by this past event and paused for a moment before saying, "That was a long time ago. It seems these Nature Elf really don't like Dragon Flame."
Telingewei touched his nose and didn't say anything.
Telingewei wasn't exactly gentle, but he deftly released the Tree Spirit's leaf. "That's strange. All the Tree Spirit I've seen before are towering Tree Spirit; I've never seen one this small."
Xie Juanhan touched the leaf. "Is it conscious?"
"Yes, they're mostly pretending to be stupid."
Telingewei looked at the Tree Spirit: "The Tree Spirit possesses unique Forest Magic, capable of confusing other creatures and causing them to lose their way in the forest, thus preventing them from destroying it."
"So it's almost certain that Orfrey and his group fell for the Tree Spirit's trick?"
Telingewei nodded. "Let's take it back and see what happens. I'll ask the Adventurers' Association later."
The Little Tree growing on the roof of a house had very fine roots, so it was easy to pull it up.
With a few lifts, Telingewei carried the guy back.
"This guy's aura is very pure, and he doesn't seem to have any malicious intent. Let's take him back and check on him first," Telingewei said.
They brought the Tree Spirit home.
Xie Juanhan took out the sturdy flowerpot that the Magic Wand Tree had used before and planted the Tree Spirit in it.
This Tree Spirit looks so weak, as if it might wither at any moment.
Xie Juanhan has never grown plants that are growing so poorly since he started planting.
He casually gave the Tree Spirit a little Dragon Power and a pinch of Dragon Power Crystal fertilizer.
Telingewei wrote to various parties, inquiring about the Tree Spirit.
The Tree Spirit remained silent throughout, displaying an uncooperative attitude.
If it hasn't done anything serious, then it's fine if it refuses to speak.
If it has been used for evil purposes, it must be sent away.
Telingewei glanced at it.
He was always tolerant of all kinds of Forest Elf, but he had no intention of protecting them.
They placed the Tree Spirit, potted in its place, in the corridor.
Besides the furry creatures, the Magic Wand Tree can also guard this guy.
The Tree Spirit was very well-behaved and didn't make a sound all day.
It simply stretched its leaves out into the yard, trying to catch more sunlight.
That night, after Xie Juanhan and the others went to sleep, the furry creatures also drifted off to sleep.
The Tree Spirit suddenly shook its slender branches and turned towards the Magic Wand Tree in the yard.
A soft, moonlit patch of light drifted out from its branches and slowly floated toward the Magic Wand Tree.
The Magic Wand Tree has already developed a rudimentary form of consciousness.
Sensing the light spot approaching, it abruptly turned all its branches in one direction, desperately trying to reach the light spot. "Chirp?"
As soon as the light spot gets close, the Magic Wand Tree and swallows the light spot into the branch.
"Chirp!" The Magic Wand Tree let out a joyful, satisfied sound.
The Little Tree in the flowerpot swayed, its branches turning to stare at the Magic Wand Tree, seemingly anticipating the Magic Wand Tree's transformation.
==========Author's Note:=========
See you tomorrow!
Thanks to the grenade for the block chord accompaniment; thanks to the Ancient Spirit little girl (*2), Qianshan Ding, Jingjing, Nanzhi, and Mimi for the landmines!
Chapter 154 [VIP]
Xie Juanhan and the others were awakened by the earthquake.
An earthquake, or a lava eruption, or whatever, the earth trembles.
The golden-white flames illuminated the entire bedroom through the window, and the rich smell of lava and the scorching heat baked the bedroom like an oven.
Telingewei immediately wrapped Xie Juanhan in a blanket, then carried him out in his arms.
Rushing into the corridor, Telingewei looked towards the study next door, preparing to break down the door and scoop up the Companion Beast as well.
It was at this moment that they finally saw clearly what had happened.
--It's not an earthquake, nor a volcanic eruption; it's the Magic Wand Tree in the yard vomiting.
The little Magic Wand Tree, which was originally only a little over a meter tall, has now grown to two meters.
It looked exceptionally robust at that moment, with its thick trunk and roots firmly gripping the earth, as if drawing nourishment from it.
As it inhales, its canopy also exhales.
It was that same projectile vomiting again, with golden-white magma balls spewing out from the tree canopy, covering the entire yard.
Fortunately, it seemed to have managed to maintain its direction, with its canopy pointing outwards from the yard, preventing lava from being spilled into the corridor or house.
The Magic Wand Tree kept frantically vomiting out balls of scorching lava.
Apart from it, all the plants in the yard burned in the lava.
The hedge plants, the flowers and grasses, the transplanted trees—all of them were burning, turning into little fireballs.
There was so much lava that it practically flooded the yard.
The Magic Wand Tree is a solitary tree amidst this vast ocean of lava.
Xie Juanhan, wrapped in a blanket, jumped down from Telingewei's arms, looked at the Magic Wand Tree that was still vomiting violently, and then at the Tree Spirit planted in the corridor.
The Tree Spirit was huddled in a small flowerpot, its thin branches trembling, demonstrating what helplessness truly meant.
Xie Juanhan and Telingewei are both watching it.
Its branches trembled, then trembled again, and a deep, rugged middle-aged male voice emanated from them. "Would you believe me if I said I only gave it one Primordial Spirit?"
Telingewei: "You can talk?"
The Tree Spirit shuddered again. "I've lived so long, I know a little bit."
Telingewei looked at it and said with certainty, "You are the Tree Heart Spirit."
Before Xie Juanhan could ask what Tree Heart Spirit was, Telingewei explained in a low voice, "Tree Spirit are usually tall trees, but a Little Tree grows in their heart. When faced with an insurmountable danger, they will abandon their tall bodies and escape with only the sapling in their heart."
Xie Juanhan looked at the Tree Spirit: "A spirit that is already an adult and has a lot of experience."
Sensing Xie Juanhan's patience dwindling, the Tree Spirit quickly waved its branches in surrender. "I really didn't do anything wrong. Everything I did was to protect myself."
Xie Juanhan squinted. "Those humans who were misled by you and are now wandering the wilderness?"