Chapter 97, the prelude to the first visit to the Silver Moon Forest, was still in the air while Lin Yue was...
Just as Lin Yue was secretly delighted to have acquired a cat master and was tirelessly harassing the aloof black furball with his ear-piercing cries of "Little Black, Little Black," Elder Farador, who had been silently leading the way, suddenly stopped.
“…We’ve arrived.” He looked up, gazing at the hazy light ahead.
Lin Yue followed his gaze and saw that the arrangement of the trees ahead had changed significantly. No longer was it the primitive, chaotic, and wild growth of before, but rather a seemingly random yet subtly mysterious arrangement. Sunlight filtered through the layers of canopy, casting golden dust-like dappled patterns that made the entire forest appear dreamlike and unreal. The fresh scent of grass and trees in the air grew even stronger; taking a deep breath, he felt much of his fatigue dissipate.
"This is the entrance to the barrier of Silvermoon Forest," Elder Farador explained. "Further ahead lies the true territory of the elves. We cannot proceed rashly any further."
"Whoosh—! Whoosh—! Whoosh—!"
Three streaks of silver light, like shooting stars, accompanied by a piercing whistling sound, shot towards them from three different directions. Finally, with three muffled thuds, they landed precisely on the ground less than half a meter in front of Lin Yue and his companions.
They were arrows, three arrows crafted entirely from an unknown silver metal, their fletching as white as moonlight, their shafts engraved with intricate runes. The arrows were deeply embedded in the earth, leaving only their trembling, buzzing fletchings, emanating a chillingly sharp aura and a cold, murderous intent.
"Holy crap, this welcome ceremony is way too hardcore!" Lin Yue shuddered in fright, almost falling to the ground. He had no doubt that if those three arrows had been even a tiny bit off-center, he would already be considering whether to be reincarnated as a panda or a salted fish in his next life.
Immediately afterward, the shadows of the surrounding trees swayed. Seven or eight tall, handsome elves, dressed in armor made of green leaf-shaped metal plates similar to Lorian's, emerged from all directions and surrounded them.
They each held a beautifully crafted silver longbow, the bowstrings already drawn taut, the arrowheads gleaming coldly, aimed mercilessly at the vital points of Lin Yue and his companions.
The leader was an elf who looked very young, with dazzling blond hair and eyes as clear as sapphires. Although he was young, his eyes were exceptionally sharp, and he exuded an aura of sharpness and arrogance, like a drawn sword.
“Outsiders,” the golden-haired elf’s gaze swept over Lin Yue, Elder Falador, and the others, her brow furrowing slightly, her tone icy, “How did you get through the outer fog and the warning line? State your identities and purpose, or there will be no warning for the next volley of arrows.”
Upon hearing this, the elves behind him steadied their bows even more, and a chilling atmosphere instantly enveloped the entire area.
"No...don't do it, we're on the same side, we're on the same side." Lin Yue quickly raised his hands, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace.
Elder Farador quickly stepped forward.
"Children of Silvermoon Forest...we mean no harm...we are survivors of the Valley of Tears of Shival...we have come seeking refuge..."
The golden-haired elf was startled when she sensed the familiar whisper, and then a look of surprise appeared on her face.
“Whispers of the Spirit?!” He looked at the seemingly ordinary old human man in surprise. “You are… a Whisperer, you are the tribe that guards the wounds of the earth.”
Having guessed the other party's identity, the golden-haired elf and his subordinates' hostility did not diminish in the slightest; on the contrary, they became even more vigilant. After all, although the Silent Ones shared the same origin as them, they had not had any contact for a long time, and they were accompanied by a human of unknown origin.
"Since you are the Silent Ones, you should know the rules of Silvermoon Forest even better," the golden-haired elf said coldly. "How did you manage to venture so far in without permission?"
Just then, Lin Yue seized the opportunity, quickly stepped forward, and carefully took out a small cloth bag from his pocket. Under the wary gazes of the elves, he poured out several crystal-clear seeds that exuded a rich life force like crystal.
“My fellow elves, please don’t misunderstand.” He held the few Moonbeam seeds in his palm and showed them to them. “*We have an agreement with your Ranger Lord Elendil, and this is a token he personally gave us. You can see for yourselves if you don’t believe me.”
He then pointed to Elder Farador behind him: "Moreover, the reason Elder Farador was able to lead us here is because this path was originally a secret passage that your ancestors personally guided to Elder Silent Whisperer."
The golden-haired elf looked at the Moonlight Rice Seeds in Lin Yue's hand, which could only be produced in the Silvermoon Forest, and then at Elder Falador. The doubt in the elf's eyes finally wavered slightly.
At this tense and delicate moment, a clear yet familiar voice came from deep within the woods.
"Kyle, stop. They are guests."
Before the words were even finished, Ilandil and Lorian appeared silently in front of everyone.
"Forest Ranger!" The blond elf named Kyle immediately put away his bow and bowed respectfully upon seeing Elendil.
"Lord Ilandil, Brother Lorian." Lin Yue was relieved to see his savior arrive and quickly waved to greet him.
Looking at Lin Yue's exaggerated expression, Elandil gave a helpless smile. He explained to Kyle, "They are friends of Hope Town and have traded with us before."
He turned to Lin Yue and Elder Farador, his eyes filled with a hint of apology and confusion: "Mayor Lin Yue, Elder Farador, welcome to Silvermoon Forest. But... why did you come here? And... so deep inside? Has something happened in Hope Town?"
Before Lin Yue could speak, Elder Farador preemptively conveyed the crisis facing Hope Town to Ilandil through a mental whisper.
When Elendil heard the elder's account and learned that Duke Kaslan was going to gather an army of three thousand to launch a devastating attack on Hope Town, he also showed a solemn expression.
“Kaslan… their greed is becoming increasingly boundless.” A cold glint flashed in Ilandil’s eyes.
He then asked, "While I was patrolling just now, I seemed to sense a large gathering of human presence at the edge of the forest. Are those people yours too?"
“Yes.” Lin Yue quickly nodded, explaining their predicament of having to evacuate the elderly and children ahead of schedule to seek shelter. “Lord Ilandil, we know this request is presumptuous. But those are unarmed elderly people and children; they can’t withstand any more hardship. We hope to receive the protection of Silvermoon Forest so that they can temporarily enter the forest and find a safe place to stay. Once we have resolved the crisis in Hope Town, we will take them away immediately and will not disturb them any further.”
Ilandil fell silent.
Sheltering a group of dozens of humans is no small matter. It's not just about providing food and shelter; it involves the Silvermoon Forest's long-standing principle of neutrality.
“I cannot make this decision myself.” Ilandil finally shook his head. “I must report this to the Council of Elders and Her Majesty the Queen immediately. Lorian,” he turned to the captain of the guard beside him, “you take Mayor Lin and Elder Farador into the forest and rest at our outpost. Remember, treat them with the highest honors.”
"Kyle, you did a good job. Please continue your patrol."
After speaking, Ilandil bowed solemnly to Lin Yue and Elder Farador, then his figure flickered and disappeared into the depths of the forest.
"Everyone, please follow me." Lorian gestured for Lin Yue and the others to follow.
At this moment, Kyle also put away his arrogance and performed a standard elven greeting to Lin Yue and Elder Falador, with a hint of apology and curiosity in his eyes.
And so, escorted by Lorian and a group of elves, Lin Yue and Elder Farador finally stepped into the legendary elven kingdom.
As they passed through an invisible magical barrier that rippled like water, the scene before Lin Yue made him feel as if he had stepped into another world.
The forest was no longer dark, but filled with soft, bright light. Sunlight filtered through the emerald-green leaves, casting dappled patterns of light. The air was filled with a rich, intoxicating aroma of life and the fresh scent of grass and trees, as intoxicating as fine wine.
A pristine white path paved with glowing moonstone meanders through the forest. Various exotic flowers and plants, emitting a soft, luminous glow, grow along its sides. A clear stream flows gently past their feet, and tiny, almost transparent fish can even be seen playing in its waters.
Treehouses, ingeniously woven from the branches of living giant trees using magic and the power of nature, hang in mid-air and are connected to each other by winding vine suspension bridges.
Everything here is filled with harmony, tranquility, and a transcendent, breathtaking beauty.
Lin Yue gazed at the breathtaking, fairyland-like scene before him, his heart filled with awe. He couldn't help but murmur to himself, "This...this is the real Shangri-La."
Even Elder Farador couldn't help but tremble with excitement when he saw this scene full of pure vitality again.
“Home…the taste of my ancestral homeland…” he murmured to himself.
Little Black, perched on Lin Yue's shoulder, opened its eyes for once, surveying the surrounding environment brimming with life energy. Then, seemingly with some disdain, it scratched Lin Yue's neck with its little paws.
The energy here is...too scarce.
Lin Yue: "..."
Even the magical holy land that the elves are so proud of is too thin in its eyes.
What an ungrateful cat!
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