Chapter 40: The peculiar Elf Mother Tree, the Elf King’s blessing is the Ever-Changing Flower...

A tiny Fairy cub hovered before the enormous, nearly bald tree whose crown spread like an umbrella. A faint glow shimmered across the cub's wings, blinking on and off like a lost firefly.

"Good child... come a little closer... come to me..."

The ethereal voice continued echoing in Shu Li's ears, as gentle and affectionate as his mother's murmurs. He involuntarily flew forward, but just as he was about to touch the bark, he abruptly stopped.

A foul odor invaded his nostrils. Shu Li shuddered, his awareness returning, and his eyes snapped open.

"Huh?"

Shu Li stared blankly at the dark brown bark mere inches from his face. Startled, he hurriedly retreated. As he moved away, the nauseating, fishy stench faded.

He rubbed his poor little nose and looked around in confusion. To his shock, he discovered that he was in the middle of the courtyard, alone with the ugly Elven mother tree that was on the verge of going bald.

Everything around him was silent. There wasn't a sound, and not even an insect could be seen. The entire courtyard was deathly still.

Shu Li felt a little cold and wrapped his arms around himself.

Strange. How had he ended up here?

Had he been sleepwalking?

He vaguely remembered a peculiar voice urging him to come, calling "Come here, come here" over and over like it was summoning his soul. And then... he had appeared in the courtyard, facing the bald Elven mother tree.

The moment he woke up, the voice had vanished.

Shu Li was bewildered.

Who had played this prank on him, lured him outside, and then refused to show themselves? What were they mysteriously plotting to do with him?

He wasn't afraid.

This was the Crystal Castle in the Elven Kingdom. It ought to be the safest place in the world.

The only thing he couldn't understand was this: if someone needed his help, couldn't they have asked him in a more normal way?

"Hello? Is anyone there?" he called.

Silence answered him.

"Who are you? Why were you looking for me?" he asked again.

There was still no response.

With no other choice, Shu Li flapped his wings and flew around the courtyard.

He had to admit that a courtyard capable of accommodating the enormous Elven mother tree was far from small. It was about half the size of a sports field. Apart from the ground around the roots, the entire courtyard was paved with smooth stone slabs. The slabs came in different colors and formed an intricate pattern. Viewed from above, it seemed to be a symmetrical magical array.

The whole courtyard was visible at a glance, leaving nowhere for anyone to hide. Shu Li couldn't spot anything unusual.

He flew back to the Elven mother tree and looked up, wondering whether the prankster might be hiding among the branches.

Unfortunately, the mother tree's branches were clearly exposed and its leaves sparse enough that he could see straight through them. Forget hiding a person—there wasn't even a bird's nest up there!

Viewed at close range, the Elven mother tree looked even more miserable. A vast stretch of branches in its center was completely bare, while the few that still had leaves weren't much better, hovering somewhere between bald and not quite bald. The bark resembled earth cracked by a long drought, patchy and uneven, as though it had endured countless years of hardship.

As Shu Li drew closer, a rotten stench assaulted his nose.

He quickly covered his nose to keep himself from being knocked unconscious by the smell.

He could hardly believe it.

If Aisha hadn't told him that this was the mother tree that gave birth to Elves, he would have assumed it was a diseased tree on the verge of death.

Back in his hometown, a diseased tree that couldn't be saved would be uprooted and put to one final use. Its thick trunk and branches might be cut down and carved into all kinds of wooden objects.

The Elven mother tree, however, was the Elven race's only hope. They could never dispose of it that way. Saving it was their only option.

Shu Li felt even sorrier for it. Enduring the stench, he slowly flew closer and reached out to touch its dry bark with one small hand.

"You have to get better soon!" he said earnestly.

Naturally, the Elven mother tree didn't respond.

Unable to withstand the stench any longer, Shu Li prepared to return to his room and continue sleeping. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced his finger.

"Ouch!" He snatched his hand back and glared at the Elven mother tree with a frown.

Was its bark really that rough?

He had only pressed his hand against it, yet it had actually broken his skin.

Shu Li looked down at the bead of blood welling from his finger, his heart aching over the loss.

A drop of blood was precious!

How much food would he have to eat to replenish it?

Besides, the broken skin really hurt.

A cub's skin was delicate. Even an ordinary fall could bring tears to his eyes, let alone an injury that drew blood.

Shu Li tried his hardest to control his tear ducts and keep himself from crying, but his tears seemed to have ideas of their own. They kept circling stubbornly in his eyes.

When he couldn't hold them back any longer, Shu Li grabbed the cape behind him without thinking and scrubbed his face vigorously. He rubbed his eyes and nose bright red, looking utterly pitiful.

"Sperien, why are you here?"

A voice as beautiful as heavenly music sounded behind him. Shu Li stiffened, and even his pointed ears stood straight up.

It was the Elven King!

He had just been congratulating himself that no one was in the courtyard, so shedding a few tears wouldn't be embarrassing. Less than a second later, reality had slapped him in the face.

Seeing the little cub hunch his shoulders as though frightened, the Elven King frowned slightly and stepped forward to examine him.

Hearing the approaching footsteps, Shu Li hastily wiped his face, released the corner of his cape that was now damp, and tried his best to look normal.

When the Elven King reached him, Shu Li immediately lifted his small face and bowed respectfully.

"Good afternoon, my king."

The Elven King inclined his head and studied the little cub closely.

His golden hair was sticking out in every direction, his eyes were slightly swollen, his lashes were wet, and the tip of his nose was red. There were even a few damp streaks on his cheeks that he hadn't wiped clean. He had clearly been crying.

"Good afternoon." The Elven King did not expose the embarrassment the little cub was trying so hard to conceal. Instead, he asked gently, "Why aren't you taking your afternoon nap?"

Seeing that the Elven King's expression remained perfectly normal, Shu Li secretly breathed a sigh of relief and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Well... Ow... That hurts..."

He had been so nervous that he had forgotten about the injury to his right index finger. When he scratched his head, he bumped the wound, and the pain nearly made his tear ducts overflow again.

"You're injured?" The Elven King frowned. "Let me see."

Shu Li hesitated, then raised his right hand and revealed the tiny wound on his index finger. It was no longer bleeding, but a thin red mark remained.

Sometimes, the smallest wounds hurt the most. Fingertips were especially sensitive, and any injury there seemed to magnify the pain, making it even harder to bear.

The cub's finger was so tiny that the Elven King had to bend down and examine it closely before he could see the injury.

Shu Li hovered in place, held his breath, and didn't dare move. He could only watch as that flawless face drew closer.

Fortunately, he had already overcome his fear of giants. Otherwise, he would have been trembling in terror by now.

The Elven King extended one finger and gently touched Shu Li's injured fingertip. He murmured a brief incantation, and a soft light appeared.

The pain soon vanished, replaced by a tingling numbness.

When the light faded, the wound on Shu Li's fingertip had disappeared. His skin was as flawless as before.

Wow. The Elven King truly lived up to his title. His healing magic was masterful.

"Thank you, my king!" Shu Li said happily, his bright eyes filled with admiration.

"There's no need to thank me." The Elven King straightened and put some distance between himself and the little cub. "Go back to your room and sleep."

"Mm-hmm!" Shu Li agreed repeatedly, making the little tuft of hair sticking up from his head bob along with him.

He was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something. Pointing at the bald giant tree, he hesitantly asked the Elven King, "Um... is it sick?"

Why else would it be bald, ugly, and smelly? Its bark even had tiny thorns that had pierced his finger the moment he touched it.

The Elven King looked up at the Elven mother tree, a trace of sorrow entering his expression.

"Yes. The Elven mother tree is ill."

Shu Li couldn't bear to see such a beautiful person looking sad. He flew closer and comforted him.

"I heard... I heard Dosia say that a plant's growth is mainly affected by water, temperature, light, air, and nutrients. If... if it has parasites or pests, that can also make it sick. As long as you find the source of the illness, I'm sure the mother tree can be cured."

The Elven King turned his head and gazed at the little cub with clear eyes. He smiled.

"You're right."

Shu Li lowered his head bashfully. Of course, Dosia hadn't actually said any of that. It came from his old biology textbook. He was merely reciting what he had memorized and couldn't offer any constructive suggestions.

"My king, I... I'm going back to sleep now." Shu Li respectfully bowed to the Elven King once more.

"Go on," the Elven King replied.

Shu Li flapped his wings and flew toward his room's window.

Although he had been half asleep earlier, he still vaguely remembered flying into the courtyard through a crack in the window. Retracing his original route would be the quickest way back.

He had flown halfway there when he blinked, turned around, and flew back.

The Elven King was still standing where Shu Li had left him. His emerald-green eyes watched the returning cub gently.

"What is it?" he asked softly.

Shu Li stopped half a meter away and twisted one corner of his cape between his hands.

"My king... could you... take back the green... green flower crown on my head?"

Normally, he could put the flower crown on and take it off freely, so it caused no problems. Today, however, it had thrown a tantrum, taken possession of his head, and adamantly refused to come off. Shu Li was afraid he might never be able to remove it again. He wouldn't be able to comb his hair, and it might even interfere with the growth of his head.

What if, as his body grew, the flower crown constricted his head and made it develop into the shape of a gourd?

That would be absolutely, utterly terrifying!

He didn't want to become the ugliest Little Fairy in the entire forest!

The hall had been too crowded and lively earlier, so he had been embarrassed to ask the Elven King for help. Now that no one else was around, he couldn't let this rare opportunity slip away.

The person who had put it on his head should naturally be the one to remove it.

"You don't like it?" the Elven King asked.

Shu Li immediately shook his head. "No, no, I like it. It's just too bossy. It won't let me switch to a circlet, and it won't let me take it off either. It's practically fused to my head."

The flower crown symbolized the Elven King's blessing. Any Elf or Fairy who saw it could recognize Shu Li's identity at a glance. It was like a name card that displayed his status.

Other than being a little too green, it had no flaws.

But now it was clamped tightly around his head and causing him considerable trouble.

If the Elven King took it back and solved his problem, that would be wonderful.

Shu Li tilted his small face upward and gazed expectantly at the Elven King with his watery eyes.

The Elven King raised his hand and brushed it over the cub's head. In the blink of an eye, the tyrannical flower crown came loose.

Shu Li stared in surprise at the green flower crown floating in midair, then rubbed his head to restore the circulation.

Honestly, after wearing it for most of the day, his entire head had gone numb.

"Thank you, my king!" He was so happy that he nearly danced in midair.

The little green crown hovered restlessly, seemingly eager to return to the cub's head. Unfortunately, the Elven King's power held it firmly in place. Unable to move, it could only tremble incessantly.

Shu Li gave the little green crown an apologetic glance.

It wasn't that he didn't want it. It was simply far too domineering.

An accessory ought to behave like an accessory. What was wrong with obediently letting its owner decide when to wear it?

Watching the little cub practically radiate rainbow-colored bubbles of joy, the Elven King laughed.

"This flower crown contains a trace of my power. At critical moments, it can protect you from magical harm. Do you truly not want it?"

"Squawk!" Shu Li froze.

The flower crown really wasn't an ordinary accessory. It symbolized the Elven King's blessing and was an exceptionally valuable treasure.

This other world was so dangerous that possessing a flower crown imbued with the Elven King's power was equivalent to having an additional layer of protection.

Giving it up would definitely be a loss.

But if he kept it, he was afraid it would throw another tantrum, clamp itself around his head, and refuse to come off.

What a dilemma!

The little cub frowned, sighed, and glanced at the green flower crown several times, unable to decide.

The Elven King opened his right hand and drew the flower crown into his palm. After reciting an incantation, a faint golden light emerged from his palm and enveloped it.

Shu Li had no idea what the Elven King intended to do, so he watched his movements without blinking.

A moment later, the golden light disappeared. The flower crown floating above the Elven King's palm had transformed completely, becoming an exquisite gold circlet set with an emerald.

Shu Li's mouth formed an "O."

The Elven King flicked his finger. The gold circlet moved and eagerly returned to the little cub's head, fitting perfectly against his smooth, pale forehead. It looked beautiful.

"Huh?"

Shu Li reached up and felt the gold circlet, his mind filling with question marks.

This thing could transform?

"I'll teach you an incantation," the Elven King said. "Then you'll be able to change its appearance whenever you wish."

Shu Li grew excited.

A treasure that could change into anything he wanted? He absolutely had to keep it!

"All right!" He nodded emphatically, swiftly pulled his notebook and quill from his storage ring, and looked up with his pale green eyes sparkling.

He was ready to record the Elven King's incantation at any moment so he wouldn't forget it.

The Elven King fell silent.

Shu Li waited for quite a while without hearing him recite anything. Tilting his head, he prompted, "My king?"

"Hmm." The corners of the Elven King's mouth curved upward. With a sweep of his long, pale fingers, a string of complicated Elven script appeared in the air.

Shu Li went rigid, his right hand holding the quill perfectly still.

He couldn't understand any of it!

As a cub less than four months old, he had learned only fifty basic words. This long, twisting incantation might as well have been written in a celestial language.

"My king..." he began pitifully. "I... I don't know how to read it."

"Weren't you going to take notes?" the Elven King asked softly.

"Well, yes..." Shu Li struggled. It wasn't that he didn't want to take notes. He didn't even know how to copy it!

If the basic words were tadpoles with short tails, this incantation was an enormous tadpole dragging an impossibly long tail behind it. Worse still, some of those tails wound around each other, hopelessly intertwined until he couldn't tell where one ended and another began.

Noticing the cub's predicament, the Elven King moved his finger. The next instant, Shu Li's hand began moving on its own.

The complicated incantation appeared in his notebook as though it had been perfectly reproduced.

Shu Li was stunned.

What kind of magic was this?

It was incredible!

Receiving the cub's worshipful gaze, the Elven King smiled.

"I'll recite one line at a time. Repeat after me."

"All right!" Shu Li hugged his notebook and nodded earnestly.

Twenty minutes later, he had learned the incantation. With the Elven King's help, he tried transforming the gold circlet into a silver hair clip, then changed the silver hair clip back into a gold circlet.

The tyrannical green flower crown had become a shape-shifting wonder.

Shu Li put the gold circlet back on, stored his notebook away, and waved to the Elven King. Then he cheerfully flew toward the window, squeezed through the narrow opening, and happily threw himself onto the bed.

Dixio was sleeping with his arms and legs spread wide, having kicked off the blanket.

Shu Li pulled the blanket over Dixio's little belly so he wouldn't catch a chill.

He lay down on the other side. Yawn after yawn escaped him as drowsiness swept over him, and he soon fell asleep.

In the courtyard, the Elven King stood before the mother tree, silently scrutinizing its bare branches.

No one knew how much time passed before the mother tree finally seemed unable to withstand the Elven King's death stare and reacted.

A tiny, tiny pale green leaf sprouted from one of its slender branches.

The Elven King said coolly, "Do not do it again."

The mother tree's branches and leaves trembled, dislodging several withered yellow leaves.