Chapter 206: Rua Elf Cubs.

The moment Shu Li breathed in the fresh air, he couldn't resist taking a deep breath, purging the dark energy he'd absorbed in Wanaku.

The Elven Kingdom really was the best. Pure power of light permeated everything here, leaving him refreshed and at ease.

Shu Li emerged from the Mother Tree's main trunk, fluttered his wings, and happily circled the green fruits hanging from the branches.

"Little fruits, I'm back! Did you miss me?"

He hugged one, nuzzled another, keeping himself thoroughly busy. Only after greeting every single fruit did he finally fly away from the Mother Tree's branches, completely satisfied.

There was a time difference between the Elven Kingdom and Wanaku. It was morning here, with clear skies and brilliant sunshine. Ever since the first Elf cub had been born, this courtyard had become much livelier.

Shu Li fluttered the wings on his back and headed for the courtyard gate, intending to find the Elven King, when several Elves approached from the opposite direction.

"Huh? Sperien?" Sayah exclaimed. "Why are you back?"

"Sperien!"

The Elf cub immediately tipped up his little head, his clear blue eyes fixed intently on the Little Fairy hovering in midair.

"Hi, Islar. Good morning." Shu Li flew over to him and waved brightly.

Islar froze.

His tense little face suddenly crumpled with grievance, tears welling in his eyes.

Afraid he was about to cry, Shu Li flew half a meter backward and released his innate power. His tiny body immediately grew to its larger form. He pointed his toes downward and landed lightly on the ground.

He'd come back in such a hurry that he'd even forgotten to put on shoes. Now he was standing barefoot on the ground.

"Islar, did you miss me?" Shu Li bent down and held out both arms to the Elf cub.

Unable to hold back any longer, the little cub launched himself into Shu Li's embrace like a cannonball.

"I missed you so much, Sperien! I waited so many days, so many days, and you never came back!"

Shu Li held the cub's soft little body as Islar buried himself against his chest, nuzzling him while voicing his grievances.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to come back sooner too, but the magic academy was so far away. It took us a long time to get there." Listening to the Elf cub's soft, childish voice, Shu Li gently stroked his back.

Islar lifted his fair, round little face. With tears still shimmering in his eyes, he gazed intently at Shu Li.

"Then have you reached the magic academy now?"

"Of course." Shu Li lightly pinched his cheek. "That's why I kept my promise and came back to the Elven Kingdom at the first opportunity."

Islar sniffled and finally smiled.

Helene and Sayah quietly breathed sighs of relief.

The little fellow was smiling. At last, the storm had passed.

Ever since the day they'd seen Sperien off, Islar had gone around with his adorable little face perpetually tense. The first thing he did every morning after waking was ask whether Sperien had returned. Whenever they told him no, his little lips immediately pursed.

As the Elf cub's instructor, Helene patiently guided him and used his studies to cultivate his temperament.

Fortunately, Islar was very obedient. His attitude toward studying was excellent, and he never complained. The only exception was during his free time, when he would pester her to tell him stories about Sperien's adventures.

Naturally, Helene never refused.

Over the course of a month, she'd repeated the stories more than a dozen times, yet the Elf cub never tired of them. He listened with complete attention every single time.

Now that Sperien had finally returned, the little fellow who had spent so long wearing a solemn expression at last revealed his childish side again.

Shu Li released the Elf cub and ruffled his hair. After greeting Helene and Sayah, he asked curiously, "Don't you study in the morning?"

The morning was the most important part of the day.

Usually, mornings were the best time for studying, so why had Helene and Sayah brought the Elf cub into the courtyard?

"Islar insisted on coming here to pull weeds," Helene said helplessly.

"And to talk to the fruits while he was at it," Sayah added with a smile.

"Huh?" Shu Li looked down at the Elf cub.

Islar held on to one of his fingers, his little face flushing.

"I... I heard Helene say that whenever you and the Little Fairies came to the Elven Kingdom, you'd help clear the weeds around the Mother Tree and talk to the fruits. Since you weren't here, I..."

His voice grew quieter and quieter, his delicate pointed ears drooping.

Shu Li crouched down again until they were eye to eye. Seeing how shy Islar was, he hugged him and affectionately rubbed his cheek against the cub's.

"You did a wonderful job, Islar."

With his cheek being nuzzled, the Elf cub looked both embarrassed and delighted.

After nuzzling him, Shu Li gave the little cub another affectionate squeeze, then took his hand.

"Come on. Let's help the Mother Tree pull weeds together."

"Mm!" Islar nodded vigorously.

Before long, Shu Li and the Elf cub were crouching near the Mother Tree's roots, pulling weeds.

The area surrounding the Mother Tree overflowed with vitality, and the weeds benefited from it as well, growing incredibly quickly. They could be pulled out one day and already be sprouting again the next.

Most were useless weeds, but occasionally, precious medicinal herbs appeared among them.

The weeds were sent to the pasture as snacks for the deer and cattle, while the medicinal herbs were carefully collected and stored in the medicine repository.

Working alongside Shu Li, the Elf cub threw himself enthusiastically into the task. In just one short month, he'd already learned how to identify medicinal herbs.

Elves truly were children of the Light God, blessed with extraordinary talent.

Once they finished clearing the weeds, Shu Li took Islar up onto the Mother Tree's branches to chat with the fruits and strengthen their bond.

An hour later, it was time for the Elf cub to attend his lessons.

He hugged Shu Li reluctantly, his pointed ears twitching.

"How long are you staying today?"

Shu Li kissed his forehead. "I'll go back after I see the King."

The Elf cub's eyes grew moist again.

"Can't you stay a little longer?"

Shu Li sighed. "I need to go back and sleep!"

It was nighttime in Igya City right now. He needed a good night's sleep so he'd have plenty of energy tomorrow when he and his companions went into the city to take assignments and earn money.

Hearing that, Islar released Shu Li's neck and turned to throw himself into Helene's arms.

"I'm going to study now. See you tomorrow, Sperien."

"See you tomorrow, little Islar."

Shu Li waved and watched them leave the courtyard in the direction of the library.

Then he withdrew his innate power, returned to his tiny form, fluttered his wings, and flew toward the Elven King's courtyard.

He had asked Sayah where the King was earlier. She'd told him that the King had recently been spending all his time in his own courtyard researching magic. Even she hadn't run into him for several days.

Shu Li couldn't help feeling impressed.

The King was already immensely powerful, yet he never stopped advancing. A single moment of insight was enough for him to create formidable new magic.

Hopefully, Shu Li wouldn't disturb him by entering his courtyard.

Since he didn't want too many Elves to know he'd returned, Shu Li chose to travel through the air, flying in a straight line toward the Elven King's courtyard.

Five minutes later, he arrived above it.

He partially folded his wings and began descending.

Soon, he saw the Elven King bathed in sunlight.

Golden hair cascaded down his back like a waterfall, gleaming brilliantly beneath the sun. He wore an elegant, magnificent pale-purple robe. His profile was flawless as he stood quietly beneath a tree, green eyes contemplating the flowers on its branches, his entire being radiating an air of sacred nobility.

He was as beautiful as a painting.

Shu Li involuntarily pressed a hand over his pounding heart.

Suddenly, the two dreams he'd had before surfaced in his mind.

In those dreams, he and the Elven King had almost kissed.

Heat rushed into Shu Li's cheeks. Suddenly timid, he didn't dare disturb the Elven King.

He began flying backward half a meter.

The Elven King withdrew his gaze from the flowers and turned toward him, his eyes gentle.

"Sperien."

Shu Li shook his head, throwing those strange images out of his mind. After composing himself, he fluttered his gauzy wings and flew toward the Elven King.

"Your Majesty~"

The Elven King extended a hand and caught the Little Fairy flying toward him.

Shu Li actually wanted very much to throw himself against the Elven King and nuzzle him, but the memory of those dreams held him back. Suppressing the urge, he obediently sat in the Elven King's palm.

Supporting the Little Fairy with one hand, the Elven King reached out with a finger from the other and stroked his little head.

"You've reached the magic academy?" he asked in his deep voice.

"Mm, we arrived today." In front of the Elven King, Shu Li could never help becoming a little spoiled. "Danlov is incredible! He actually created teleportation arrays in only three years. After we reached the Central Court, we'd originally planned to take a boat down the Bakat River to Igya City, but then we found out St. Velia Magic Academy was going to stop accepting new students in three days. We had no choice but to spend money on the teleportation arrays. They're so expensive!"

Once Shu Li started talking, there was no stopping him. His little mouth went on and on as he told the Elven King everything that had happened during their journey.

The Elven King listened patiently without interrupting, occasionally responding with a few words.

Before Shu Li realized it, an hour had passed.

Sleepiness crept over him. He stopped talking and yawned.

His body hadn't adjusted to the time difference and was reminding him that he ought to be in bed.

The Elven King gently touched his cheek with a fingertip.

"Go back and sleep," he said softly.

Shu Li forced himself to perk up and obediently nodded. His gray-green eyes lingered reluctantly on the handsome golden-haired Elf.

"Then... I'll go back now."

"All right."

The Elven King lifted his palm slightly. Shu Li spread his wings and flew into the air, respectfully bowed to him, then turned and flew toward the Mother Tree.

At first, he was still reluctant to leave, but after flying for a while, the wind cleared his head.

Now that they'd settled into the magic academy, he could return to the Elven Kingdom every day to visit everyone.

He accelerated, his body turning into a streak of green light as he shot toward the Mother Tree.

The Elven King remained where he stood, watching the direction in which the Little Fairy had disappeared.

His perception expanded without limit, following alongside Shu Li.

Only when the Little Fairy plunged headfirst into the Mother Tree's trunk did he finally withdraw it.

He spread his fingers and gathered light elements in his palm. Turning his hand toward the ground, he released a sphere of white light.

The white light descended.

A golden magical formation instantly illuminated the ground, with several high-grade magic stones embedded at its key points.

The Elven King raised a foot and stepped into the formation.

After his modifications, the teleportation array had become an exquisite, advanced formation. It caused little disturbance, emitted only a faint glow, and could take him wherever he wished.

Its only drawback was that it could be activated only four times per day.

Shu Li returned to the magic academy.

Everything around him was silent. It was already late at night, and the students in the dormitory were asleep.

He emerged from the Mother Tree's root system and landed on the windowsill, then squeezed through the narrow gap he'd left in the window.

"Phew—finally, I can sleep!"

He stretched.

He had to get up at five tomorrow morning to purify the Mother Tree's offshoot and the fruits, so he'd better wash up and get to bed immediately!

Too lazy to return to his larger form, he flew into the bathroom, washed himself thoroughly, then flew over to the enormous bed. He burrowed beneath the covers, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

Being tiny had its advantages. He could roll around on the bed as much as he wanted without ever falling off.

He slept soundly through the night.

At five in the morning, the Mother Tree woke him right on time.

Shu Li rubbed his eyes and climbed out of bed with a yawn. After washing up quickly, he flew out the window, met up with the Mother Tree, and headed to Wanaku to work.

Everything went smoothly.

With the sunlight concealing the glow of his magic, he cast more than twenty purification spells in one go, driving the dark energy from the Mother Tree's offshoot and the fruits.

When he returned to the dormitory, he couldn't fall back asleep.

There were still two hours until breakfast, so he took out the diary he hadn't written in for ages and launched into a furious bout of writing.