Chapter 162: The Birth of an Elf Cubs.

“Your Majesty!”

Shu Li bowed respectfully to the Elven King.

After another three years of growth, he had shot up quite a bit.

In their smaller forms, young Fairies were now about the size of a palm and nearly as tall as adult Fairies. In another two years, when they turned twenty, their growth would more or less stabilize. Once they officially reached adulthood at one hundred, they would undergo another transformation, revealing their most perfect forms and reaching the peak of their beauty.

In his enlarged form, Shu Li had finally grown taller than the Elven King’s shoulder and now reached his nose.

To be honest, Shu Li wasn’t particularly satisfied with his growth.

The quiet top student had shot up to six feet at fifteen before finally stopping at six foot one when he turned twenty. Among Shu Li’s other companions, Dicio had grown the fastest and was already six feet tall. Angel was five foot ten, while Budno was just under five foot eleven. Shu Li was the shortest of them all, standing at only five foot seven.

They all ate the same food, so why was he growing the slowest?

After giving it a great deal of thought, Shu Li could only blame his late nights. He often went to Vanaku at midnight to purify the Mother Tree and its fruits, returning only in the early hours of the morning. Was his lack of sleep stunting his growth?

The Elven King inclined his head. Seeing the fine sweat covering Shu Li’s face, he took out a pure white handkerchief and handed it to him.

“Wipe your face.”

“Oh! Right. Thank you, Your Majesty!” Shu Li accepted the handkerchief and wiped away his sweat.

The moment Sayah told him that Number Three was about to be born, he had rushed over in a panic. He had completely forgotten that he had just spent more than an hour fighting Ilio and was drenched in sweat.

He really should have returned to his room, taken a bath, and changed into formal clothing to welcome the newborn Elf cub.

After wiping his face, he thought for a moment and quickly cast a cleansing spell on himself, restoring his fresh, clean appearance.

As for the handkerchief, he naturally tucked it into his storage ring. He planned to wash it once he returned to his room and then give it back to the Elven King.

Kumandi and the other young Fairies who had come with him were more reserved. Too embarrassed to land beside the Elven King, they shrank to their smaller forms and sat on the branches with the other young Fairies, observing Number Three at close range.

“Your Majesty, how much longer until Isral emerges from the fruit?” Shu Li asked.

Although Number Three was about to be born, no one knew the precise time. It might happen in ten minutes, or it might take another hour.

Honestly, if Shu Li were Number Three and discovered so many Elves and Fairies gathered to watch him, he would be too embarrassed to come out.

After all, newborn Elf cubs arrived completely naked!

While carrying out his purification work in Vanaku, Shu Li had witnessed the birth of Dark Elf cubs.

Unlike the joyous celebration held by the white Elves, the Dark Elf courtyard had been cold and deserted. Only Efit and several other Dark Elves responsible for the cubs had stood beneath the Mother Tree’s branch, waiting for the birth.

After the Dark Elf cubs landed, the adults inspected them critically, sorted them into ranks according to their initial intelligence, and took them away in separate groups. The entire process was cold and utterly devoid of warmth. Hidden among the branches, Shu Li had watched with an aching heart.

He could only resent how slowly he purified the fruits. Otherwise, he would have packed every last one of them up and carried them away.

Over the past three years, he had secretly taken ten fruits in total: five small fruits and five larger fruits of varying ages.

After Number Three, Number Five and Number Ten would also be born within the next year or two.

Shu Li could hardly wait. His heart swelled with accomplishment.

“It won’t be long,” the Elven King said. “The fruit’s skin has begun to crack.”

Shu Li immediately examined Number Three’s skin closely.

Just as the Elven King had said, two cracks had appeared on the surface of Number Three, running downward from its crown. It was a sign that the fruit had matured.

Shu Li could barely contain his excitement.

To welcome the newborn cub, the Elves had spread a layer of soft cushions beneath the Mother Tree. Two female Elves had taken their places there early, ready to care for the cub as soon as he landed.

The young Fairies perched among the branches chattered among themselves.

“Will the newborn Elf cub remember us?”

“He should, right? We talked to him all the time.”

“But I don’t remember anything from when I was still inside my flower bud.”

“Me neither! All I remember is sleeping every day.”

“I’m different. I remember Sayah’s voice. She spoke to me gently every day.”

“I asked Sayah about it before. She said Elf cubs retain memories from inside their fruits!”

“Really? Then Isral will remember everyone who spoke to him, won’t he?”

“Oh no! I accidentally told him about something really embarrassing. He’s going to laugh at me when he comes out!”

“Hahahaha! Jonah, you’re hilarious!”

Hearing the laughter around him, Jonah flushed with embarrassment.

“Shh! Quiet!” Lois warned them. “If you make so much noise, what if Isral gets shy and refuses to come out?”

The laughter stopped instantly.

The young Fairies hurriedly covered their mouths.

Jonah gave Lois a grateful look.

Crack, crack, crack—

The cracks across Number Three’s surface abruptly multiplied and widened. Every Elf and Fairy held their breath.

Shu Li clasped his hands together as though praying and stared nervously at Number Three.

Please let him be born safely!

In truth, Shu Li was a little frightened. What if his purification hadn’t been thorough enough and the newborn cub emerged with the grayish-blue skin of a Dark Elf?

Although the Mother Tree had firmly assured him that the cub would be a white Elf, Shu Li lacked confidence.

If this were Number One, he wouldn’t have been worried at all. He had hidden Number One and begun purifying it as soon as it first appeared, so it had never suffered the slightest contamination from darkness. After being moved to the Mother Tree’s main trunk and nurtured for another forty or fifty years, its chances of producing a white Elf cub would be one hundred percent.

Number Three was different.

It had spent more than forty years on a branch of the Mother Tree, steeped in darkness. Shu Li had purified it for only five years, and it had been back on the main trunk for just three. Its birth now felt somewhat premature.

Shu Li’s emotions were tangled. He was both excited and anxious, his brow tightly furrowed and his expression grave.

A warm hand settled on his shoulder, and the Elven King murmured beside his ear, “Have faith in yourself—and in Isral.”

Soothed by those words, Shu Li unconsciously relaxed his brow.

Crack!

The stem of Number Three snapped, and the entire fruit plummeted from the tree. The Elves waiting below immediately cast wind magic, catching it in midair and lowering it gently onto the cushions.

The fruit rocked several times upon touching the cushions. Another series of cracks sounded as more fissures spread across its skin, and a juice-like liquid began seeping through them.

It was the fruit’s amniotic fluid.

Much like the amniotic fluid inside a pregnant human’s womb, its primary purpose was to provide the developing cub with the nutrients necessary for growth.

When the skin split completely, a large quantity of amniotic fluid spilled out.

Thump, thump, thump!

Something struck the fruit from within. Its upper shell suddenly shattered, and a small, pale foot kicked its way out.

At the sight of the tiny foot that had abruptly appeared, every Elf and Fairy lit up with delight. Some even had tears in their eyes.

Shu Li stared at that exquisite little foot and released a long breath. His heart finally dropped from his throat.

Thank goodness. He was a pure white Elf cub!

“Wow!”

The young Fairies among the branches couldn’t suppress their exclamations.

Thump, thump!

Another little foot kicked through, sending a section of the fruit’s skin flying. Both feet then withdrew, and two small hands emerged instead. They seized the edges of the shell and pushed hard. The already cracked skin broke open, and more amniotic fluid poured out, soaking the cushions beneath it.

A white Elf cub who appeared to be two or three years old emerged before the assembled Elves and Fairies. Faced with so many burning gazes, he hesitated and seemed tempted to retreat into the fruit.

Unfortunately, half the shell was already gone. Even if he wanted to hide again, there was nowhere for him to go.

The cub kept his little face solemn as he slowly crawled out, his small body completely bare.

One of the female Elves waiting nearby gave a gentle laugh. She raised a finger and cast cleansing magic, washing the amniotic fluid from the cub’s body. Then she took out a set of soft white clothes and dressed him.

Once clothed, the Elf cub visibly relaxed. Standing barefoot on the cushions, he lifted his little head and looked around. His bright, sky-blue eyes examined the surrounding Elves.

When he saw the Elven King, his gaze paused. He raised his right hand and clumsily bowed.

Newborn Elf cubs not only retained memories from the time they had spent developing, but also inherited knowledge from the Mother Tree. They instinctively submitted to the noble Elven King.

The Elven King smiled gently at him.

“Welcome into the world, Isral.”

The cub opened his mouth and spoke in a childish voice.

“Thank you... Your Majesty...”

Shu Li stared in disbelief.

This Elf cub had only just been born, yet he could already speak flawless Elven. Wasn’t his talent a little too extraordinary?

The cub tilted his head. His clear sky-blue eyes stared without blinking at the young Fairy beside the Elven King.

Something stirred in Shu Li’s heart. He crouched down and smiled at the cub.

“Hello, Isral. Do you remember me?”

The instant the words left his mouth, the Elf cub sprang into motion. He raced toward Shu Li and threw himself into his arms.

“Huh?”

Caught completely off guard, Shu Li was knocked onto his backside. Suddenly holding a soft, cuddly cub in his arms, he widened his eyes in astonishment.

Still carrying the fresh fragrance of fruit, the Elf cub pressed himself tightly against Shu Li’s chest like a kitten and vigorously rubbed his little head against him.

Shu Li remained stunned for several seconds before finally recovering. His heart melted on the spot.

Cubs were so adorable!

No wonder the Elves loved cuddling Fairy cubs so much.

Gently stroking the Elf cub’s delicate little body, Shu Li asked softly, “What is it?”

The Elf cub raised his round, adorable face and spoke clearly.

“Sperien... Thank you... for choosing me...”

Shu Li was startled. He met the cub’s bright, watery eyes.

Hundreds of fruits grew on the Mother Tree’s branches, all of different ages. Whenever Shu Li purified them, he exercised extreme caution and deliberately chose fruits growing in secluded corners. Only those selected for purification knew he existed.

Number Three had grown high among the branches, with no other fruits nearby. Shu Li had chosen him at first sight.

There was no question that compared with the other fruits of similar age, Number Three had been fortunate.

Shu Li stroked his hair, his heart indescribably tender.

“Isral, you should thank yourself too.”

If Isral hadn’t worked hard to absorb the elements of light, the purification couldn’t have succeeded so quickly.

Cubs truly were kindhearted children.

The cruelty and wickedness of the Dark Elves were entirely cultivated after birth. As they grew older, the power of darkness sank deep into their bones. Once it could no longer be suppressed, it inevitably began affecting their temperament.

The nearby Elves were itching to move. Every one of them wanted to hold the cub, but Isral remained nestled possessively in Sperien’s arms, clinging so tightly that none of them could bring themselves to snatch him away.

Ilio nimbly squeezed through the crowd and crouched beside Shu Li. He poked the cub’s tender cheek with one finger and smiled.

“Well, look at you. You were born with such a solemn little face that you look like an old man. Come on, give us a smile.”

The Elf cub turned his head and glared at Ilio. His mouth puckered, and without the slightest warning, he burst into tears.

“Waaaaah!”

His wail rang out loud and clear.

Ilio froze.

In an instant, countless accusing gazes fell upon him.

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