CHAPTER 50: CHAPTER50-THE INJURED SPRITE PRINCE

"The emerald sprite’s body is like a tattered sack now, any life force poured into it just dissipates out..." Owen explained patiently.

Finn became anxious:

"What do we do now? Should we just put it back and pretend we never saw it?"

Owen looked incredulous:

"After all this effort to save it, it would be too disgraceful to just put it back."

Finn sighed:

"Sir, you don’t understand. The ancient lands of the emerald sprites are here in Dreamscape Valley, their home turf. If a sprite dies at our hands, they will definitely not let it go."

"We’re clean, that’s all that matters," Owen was unconcerned.

Finn scoffed:

"Clean, sure. But we can’t afford to have conflicts with the emerald sprites. We will have to cooperate with their investigations, which will undoubtedly delay our mission."

Owen suddenly looked into the distance, a mysterious smile playing on his lips:

"If you’re thinking of putting it back, it’s already too late."

"Eh?"

At the guardian team’s camp, Charlie was wiping his long sword, casually flipping it to create sword flowers.

Suddenly, a loud buzzing sound, like a swarm of flies, filled his ears.

Charlie quickly stood up and looked towards the sky.

He gasped in shock:

"So many emerald sprites?"

Countless emerald sprites from the horizon swarmed around Finn’s guardian team.

Their figures, like green lightning, darted swiftly and nimbly among the trees, a natural gift bestowed upon them.

In the forest, the sprites are the masters.

The leader of the guardian team, seeing this, bellowed:

"Form up!"

The members of the guardian team tensed, gripping their weapons tightly, their bodies coiled, ready for any imminent danger.

The leader, facing the oncoming tide of emerald sprites, shouted:

"Halt! This is the temporary camp of Prince Laine’s second son’s guardian team. You are invading our territory."

The emerald sprites didn’t respond, fearlessly diving towards the leader.

Charlie relaxed his grip on the sword slightly; he couldn’t afford to have his sword hand cramp up before the fight even started.

"Boss, what do we do now?"

"Retreat."

"Retreat?"

"What else? These are emerald sprites, the overlords of Dreamscape Valley."

As the sprites drew closer, the guardian team began to slowly back away.

Their steps were heavy, yet there was no hint of panic.

Finn, watching his guardian team retreat like lunatics, swords in hand and backs to him, couldn’t help but curse:

"You guys..."

His words of rebuke were cut short as he too saw the sky filled with emerald sprites.

In the air, the emerald sprites shimmered like green jade stones, so conspicuous that it was impossible to ignore.

"How did they arrive so quickly?" Finn was stunned.

Owen, with senses sharper than anyone present, anticipated their arrival and wasn’t overly panicked.

"Is this the time to wonder that? Think about how to make amends first, so as not to be misunderstood," Owen advised.

Finn quickly came to his senses, waving his hands and saying:

"Emerald sprites, I am Finn, the Second Prince of Laine Kingdom. We come in peace. Please, no rash actions!"

"The Second Prince, what an intimidating title." The voice came before the sprite appeared.

The myriad of emerald sprites parted, making way for one that was distinctly different from the others.

It was a larger version of an emerald sprite, about the size of a fist.

Its color was deeper and more pure.

But its eyes were particularly distinctive.

Platinum halos around its eyes made it stand out remarkably.

"Royalty, emerald sprite royalty... How did we manage to attract such a creature?" Finn, frustrated, felt like letting the injured sprite fend for itself.

"Royalty? Are they strong?" Owen was clueless about these matters.

"Strong? Extremely strong. The emerald sprite royal lineage is unique, capable of reaching sage-tier. The current emerald sprite royalty is at grandmaster-tier," Finn explained with a grimace.

Owen’s pupils constricted, slightly shocked.

In this world, physical size didn’t represent strength; realm was the true measure of power.

The term ’grandmaster-tier’ signified absolute martial prowess.

Regardless of the race, grandmasters were among the top echelons of warriors, wielding unimaginable power.

Eldrich, a grandmaster-tier magus, is respected by all races. Even Barlo, also a grandmaster-tier but arrogant and domineering, is left untroubled by others.

A grandmaster represents the pinnacle of power in the Novalia continent.

Finn’s face wore a sycophantic smile as he spoke:

"Elder, I assure you, I don’t mention my status as the Second Prince to intimidate you. I just want to make clear that I come with sincerity and goodwill. The injury of the noble sprite has nothing to do with me."

The royal sprite offered no response, merely gazing coldly at Finn:

"Bring it out, I want to see its condition now."

Finn nudged the guardian team member who had reported the situation.

He opened his palm, where the emerald sprite still lay motionless.

"Prince, what happened to you?"

The words called out by the royal sprite resonated in Finn’s mind like a thunderclap.

Only one thought crossed his mind: it was over, the injured one was actually the sprite prince.

Finn knew he had to explain the situation proactively.

He watched as the royal sprite sent four individuals to carry away the injured sprite prince, and began to explain:

"Elder, it was truly one of my subordinates who found, no, encountered, the noble prince under a large tree. We are not the ones who harmed him."

"Hoping for your discerning judgment, elder, we were even preparing to save the prince."

As he spoke, Finn pointed towards the withered plants around Diana:

"Look, that’s the evidence. We used the Life Force Stripping Art, but the prince’s injuries were peculiar, and we couldn’t heal him."

The royal sprite glanced in the direction Finn indicated, his eyes blinking slightly:

"Regardless, you must come with me."

"No, that won’t do," Finn waved his hands frantically, "I have a mission in my hands. I need to find the Dreamscape Stone within fifteen days."

"Hmm?" The royal sprite stared intently at Finn, uttering just a syllable.

"Hehe," Finn’s hand froze mid-air, his expression awkward, "But in cooperating with the emerald sprites to investigate the injury of the sprite prince, my mission seems rather insignificant."

He was almost on the verge of tears.

Insignificant, my foot!

When under someone else’s roof, one must bow their head...

Bitterness filled his heart.

Owen, on the other hand, had no objections.

He had come out for the experience and knowledge.

Besides, the royal sprite was a grandmaster, and even a single finger of a grandmaster could crush Owen.

Naturally, he wouldn’t resist.

The group followed the emerald sprites into their homeland.

The emerald sprites’ territory was a lush green meadow, surrounded by a dense forest.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees, refreshing and pleasing to the soul.

Emerald sprites bustled between the trees, their bodies flickering with green light, blending seamlessly with their environment.

Their faces were lit with joy and contentment, as if this place was their paradise.

Owen watched the sprites play by the clear stream, splashing water that sparkled in the sunlight.

When the sprites saw Owen, they displayed expressions of surprise and fluttered around him:

"An outsider?"

"A human?"

"Not human, his qi and blood are rich, and his aura carries sanctity, he must be from the angel race."

"How could he be an angel, angels have wings like us."

"Idiot, his wings must be retracted."

"..."

They spoke in a common language, which Owen understood.

When the royal sprite arrived, the other sprites shifted their attention from Owen and gathered around their royal member.

Whatever they discussed among themselves, the sprites all covered their mouths in shock.

After speaking a bit more, the royal sprite, along with the injured sprite king’s child, flew away.

Owen and the others were escorted by the emerald sprites to a central area.

A massive emerald tree appeared before Owen.

Its trunk soared high into the clouds, its branches and leaves lush.

The sprites were singing and laughing around this magical tree, moving in and out of small houses, playing and frolicking.

"This tree’s vitality is so intense it’s suffocating," Finn said, looking up at the towering emerald tree.

Owen also felt the overwhelming vitality. The blood in his body began to circulate automatically upon arriving at this blessed place, absorbing the life force here.

"I can’t even imagine how fast wood-based maguses would advance here," Finn murmured again.

Diana, being action-oriented, felt the abundant arcanergy and intense life force, and had already started meditating cross-legged.

Owen, looking at the serene Diana, slightly twitched his mouth:

"You seem quite at ease..."

Diana opened her eyes halfway, casting an ambiguous glance at Owen.

Owen’s eyelids twitched, "Enchantress, she really is an enchantress."