CHAPTER 154: I DID

Ye Qingxue nearly choked. "If this is what old age looks like for elves, sign me up!"

Ling Yu almost smiled but held herself back. The elves’ grace wasn’t unfamiliar to her, but the aura these three carried went beyond mere beauty; it was divinity born of nature’s blessing itself.

The head elder approached her slowly, his eyes calm but penetrating. The closer he came, the more the other elves lowered their heads in respect.

When he finally stood before Ling Yu, the air grew thick with energy. He studied her for a long, silent moment. Then, unexpectedly, he smiled.

"Dragon Slayer," he said softly, his voice like wind through the leaves. "You carry the scent of destruction and creation both. It has been centuries since such a presence stepped upon our soil."

Ling Yu bowed her head slightly in greeting. "Elder."

To her surprise, the man reached forward, gently taking her right hand in both of his. His touch was warm, soothing, and yet it sent an odd tingling sensation up her arm. Before she could react, he leaned down and pressed a light kiss to the back of her hand.

Ling Yu froze.

The world seemed to pause for a heartbeat. The air shimmered faintly, and a circle of glowing symbols appeared around their hands, intricate runes weaving in and out like dancing lights.

"What happened just now..." Nie Ziyu breathed, astonished.

Ye Qingxue’s eyes widened. "He just formed a pact with her?!"

The elder’s lips curved faintly as the glowing circle dissolved into the air, leaving a faint golden mark on the back of Ling Yu’s hand, a sigil shaped like a leaf entwined with flame.

Ling Yu exhaled softly, feeling the mark’s warmth fade into her skin. She understood immediately. It was a bond, a symbolic connection of trust and recognition. By doing this, the elder had acknowledged her not as a threat but as an ally.

Still...

Why did it have to involve him kissing her hand?

The faintest blush touched her cheeks as she realized the act’s intimacy. Even though she knew it was likely an elven tradition, she couldn’t help but feel a flicker of embarrassment.

The elder looked up, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Forgive the gesture. Among elves, a kiss of mana upon the hand signifies both welcome and contract. You are now under our forest’s blessing... and we under your protection, should fate will it."

"I see," Ling Yu replied, forcing her voice to remain steady, though her face still felt a little too warm.

Nie Ziyu, of course, couldn’t resist. She leaned toward Ye Qingxue and whispered, "Look at her blushing! I didn’t know our cold master could look this cute."

Ye Qingxue bit back a laugh. "Shut up before she hears you."

Unfortunately, Ling Yu did

hear them. Her crimson eyes flicked toward them for a split second, and both Nie Ziyu and Ye Qingxue immediately pretended to be deeply fascinated by a passing butterfly.

The elder chuckled lightly, clearly amused by the group’s dynamic. "Come. Let us talk properly. There is much to discuss, and I sense your time in this world is not without purpose."

He gestured for them to follow. The other elves relaxed their stance, though their gazes still lingered curiously on Ling Yu as the group walked deeper into the heart of the forest.

The path wound through glittering streams and flower fields that seemed to hum softly with mana. The trees parted as if by will, revealing a vast, radiant village built upon ancient roots and branches. Houses of carved wood and crystal rested among the treetops, connected by bridges of light. Children laughed, their silver hair catching sunlight like strands of spun glass. It was breathtaking, a world untouched by decay or time.

As they crossed into the village, Ling Yu noticed how the barrier of divine energy that separated this place from the outside world pulsed faintly when she passed through it, rippling as if disturbed by her presence. The elder noticed too but said nothing.

They arrived at a circular clearing where a massive tree stood, its trunk so wide that ten men could not encircle it. Its roots formed natural steps, and at its center was a crystal spring that glowed with soft light. The elders sat in a half-circle around the spring, motioning for Ling Yu and her companions to do the same.

The head elder’s expression turned thoughtful. "The air around you... carries the echo of something broken. Tell me, child, did you perhaps shatter some special object, like a Divine Anchor, recently?"

Ling Yu didn’t flinch as she replied. "I did."

The elder nodded slowly, as if confirming what he already knew. "Then you must understand that the balance of realms is not so easily restored. The divine and mortal threads are interwoven. When you cut one, others strain to mend themselves. That is why your aura disturbs the forest."

Nie Ziyu frowned. "But she did it to save people. The tomb was eating humans alive."

The elder smiled faintly. "And that is why she carries both destruction and salvation within her."

For a long while, silence stretched between them, soft, heavy, filled with the rustling of leaves and the gentle bubbling of the spring.

Then, the golden-haired elder spoke. "There is a reason the dungeon allowed you entry, Dragon Slayer. Our realm has been sealed in this illusion for centuries, waiting for the destined one who would carry both divine and mortal energy within them."

Ling Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly. "You mean... me?"

"Yes," the dark-haired elder replied, his voice calm. "And perhaps, by clearing this dungeon, you will not only free us, but also purify the remnants of the curse within your soul."

At that, Ling Yu’s expression shifted, her heart tightening in her chest.

Actually, she felt a bit guilty towards the Elf Elder after he mentioned her curse. In fact, she could’ve gotten rid of this flimsy curse using her special skill, Nullifier.