Chapter 246: Twisted Wood Spirit

The deep, profound darkness gradually swallowed the tipsy sunset above the firmament, as the brilliant light of the stars began to stud the velvet black curtain of the sky.

The moon of magic rose slowly from the edge of the horizon, casting moonlight that shifted colors with the seasons onto the outer mystery-lock of Liahim, the elven capital. It pierced the barrier that concealed the city’s existence, bathing the elven sanctuary in its glow.

The nights in the elven capital differed greatly from those in Alastor. The soft, amber luminescence emitted by the glimmering flora that coexisted with the elves bathed the entire city in a gentle, tranquil light that was never harsh to the eyes.

This city, symbiotic with nature, possessed a unique sense of serenity, much like the peaceful and indifferent disposition of the elves themselves—a sanctuary far removed from the clamor and chaos of human kingdoms.

Wang Yu and Avia walked the path back from Elder Moira’s home. The girl carried a cloth bag in her hand, filled with small wooden boxes that rattled with a soft, rhythmic clatter as she moved.

"Twin-flowers, blue-glow moss, ball-flute mushrooms... and a few other magical plants. They are all quite easy to cultivate; Teacher Moira didn't make things difficult for us two inexperienced novices."

The girl recited the names of the plants as they walked, each corresponding to the specimens Moira had entrusted to them for cultivation.

"Ms. Moira is truly a fine teacher. Her instruction is concise, focusing primarily on practical techniques, with occasional insights into advanced alchemy. It’s very easy to grasp. Though, that saying—'every good alchemist is a good cultivator of magical plants'—it feels a bit like something your aunt would say..."

Wang Yu marveled at Moira’s pedagogical prowess. In roughly six hours of lessons, he hadn't learned everything, but his perspective on alchemy had expanded significantly, and he had found the direction in which he needed to specialize.

For some reason, he was reminded of his university days, when he would hunt for "guaranteed pass" tutors online after slacking off for an entire semester. He had to admit, those tutors were skilled, but Moira went beyond that, offering a wealth of additional knowledge.

"Haha, it is true. I also think it sounds a bit like Aunt Lilia. Perhaps all masters have their own peculiar habits."

Avia covered her mouth and chuckled. Wang Yu’s mention of Aunt Lilia reminded her of the time they spent studying in the cabin in the woods—a truly beautiful memory.

"Sigh, there is still so much alchemical knowledge to memorize. But I have some free time now; I must find a way to digest all of this."

Wang Yu patted the stack of books piled high on his back as he spoke. These were the materials Moira required him to master. Although he possessed a natural advantage in concocting potions, his lack of theoretical knowledge compared to the girl remained his greatest weakness.

"Good luck, I believe in you!"

Seeing Wang Yu’s pained expression, the girl patted his shoulder gently in encouragement.

"Come to think of it, things went unexpectedly smoothly... despite a few minor setbacks, the results are exceptionally good. Including this fragment of a stele made of unknown material—once I use the power of the chariot to forge and modify it, it will be the most terrifyingly durable weapon I have ever owned."

Wang Yu nodded, then, as if remembering something, he took the stone fragment out of his pocket. Moira had given it to him quite casually, as payment for helping her process materials for a month.

"So, what kind of person is this Mr. Aslan, really..."

The girl knew what Wang Yu was implying. Their meeting with Moira had come about solely through the help of that impossibly handsome bard.

The information provided by the stranger not only perfectly met Wang Yu’s requirements but yielded perfect results, leading the girl to ponder his true identity.

At the very least, he was far more than a mere bard.

"Forget it. Since he bears no malice, there is no need to speculate aimlessly. We will have a chance to meet again. As for the story we promised, we will still have to rely on him to spread it."

Wang Yu stopped dwelling on Aslan’s identity. The man hadn't harmed them, so why bother? Who knew how many powerful figures were hiding in this world? One couldn't possibly uncover the background of every person they encountered.

"Mm, you're right."

The girl nodded, and together they walked back to the residence arranged for them by the elves. They showed the token from Elder Gawain to the guards, who, having been notified by the professor in advance, let them pass without question.

They were assigned a wooden house with a small courtyard, somewhat similar to the "home" Wang Yu had on Red Maple Street, though slightly smaller, with a much larger yard.

The girl channeled her magic, and under her control, the earth element turned the soil of the courtyard, burying the existing weeds and low-level magical plants into the ground.

Wang Yu followed behind her, burying the seeds at the depths required for each specific plant.

"Phew, not bad. If we irrigate them daily with magic-infused water, they should sprout in about a month."

Exhaling, Wang Yu looked at the mini "herb garden" they had just carved out, feeling a strange sense of accomplishment—a glimpse into the joy of farming.

"I’m going inside to meditate for a while. Is there anything else you need to do, Wang Yu?"

The girl opened the wooden door of the cabin and turned to ask.

"No, I’ll take this time to read through these books."

Entering the cabin with her, Wang Yu intended to chew through more alchemical knowledge before sleep. It felt just like the days of preparing for the college entrance exams.

The door closed, and the surroundings of the cabin gradually fell silent.

...

"Rustle, rustle..."

It was the sound of something being dragged across the ground. It was faint, almost imperceptible unless one listened intently, and even then, one would likely assume it was just a small animal native to the elven capital.

In the darkness, something floated. Long, dense, and slender roots, much like the aerial roots of a banyan tree, hung from the floating mass, scraping against the ground and making a soft sound as it moved.

In the residential area, the glimmering plants had been dimmed by the elves, and darkness wrapped the various detached cabins in a soft, water-like embrace.

This floating entity drifted quietly into the elven quarter, wandering around their homes. Its roots scraped the ground with a faint rustling, yet no elf noticed its presence.

The elven residential area was protected by arrays designed to sense animals living in the giant trees, as well as the extended roots of the Life Tree.

This was to prevent harmless magical beasts from causing unnecessary trouble; when such creatures were detected, the arrays would activate, using minor spells or special scents to drive them away.

Yet, this floating entity had already passed through several of these arrays, and not a single one reacted, allowing it to wander through the residential area undetected.

It lingered for a time. During this, elven rangers leaped silently over the rooftops—the night watchmen of the elven race. The natural secrets they chanted allowed them to communicate with the giant trees supporting the city for surveillance.

But like the arrays, none of these rangers noticed the entity shrouded in darkness; they merely swept past it, heading toward their next patrol point.

The entity paused slightly as the rangers passed. It wasn't to avoid detection, but rather, its main body tilted upward, as if observing the watchmen above with a sense of curiosity.

Once the rangers were gone, it continued its aimless wandering near the elven dwellings.

Its aimless path stopped at a certain moment. Something had caught its attention. It floated toward a wooden house. The house had no curtains, and inside lay the bedroom of the elf who lived there.

"Tap..."

A faint sound. The thing seemed to want to enter the bedroom directly, but failed; the glass separated it from the room, and it could only bump against the windowpane with little force.

"Tap-rustle, tap-rustle..."

The sound of roots scraping the ground and the soft collision against the glass occurred simultaneously. The entity was rotating its main body, turning a specific side toward the window.

"Drip..."

Inside the house, the elf, who looked like a young girl, slept soundly, her long ears twitching slightly with each breath.

At that moment, a drop of water slid down the side of a small bottle on her bedside table and fell into the water within. The sound was minuscule, enough only to startle the tiny occupant of the bottle—a fluorescent frog.

Startled, the mottled skin of the frog emitted a soft, green, ghostly light, illuminating the face of the elven girl and briefly dragging the entity outside the window out of its shroud of darkness.

A twisted, withered face was revealed by the light, reflected in the glass it pressed against—a sight utterly horrific and grotesque.

The shape was vaguely human, but all the organs were distorted and jumbled together. The nose and mouth seemed to have overdeveloped, crowding out their original positions and sprouting anew, twisted and skewed to one side.

Something was wrong with its eyes; one was merely an empty socket, containing nothing at all. The other was filled with dense, tangled, strange, hair-like filaments spreading from within, making anyone who looked feel as if something disgusting and itchy were growing inside their own eyeballs.

It had no lower body, only a head stitched together from wood, floating in the air—a structure that defied all physiological norms. Beneath the neck, there was nothing but a mass of tangled, ugly, and twisted roots, an sight of extreme discomfort and revulsion.

The withered, distorted head pressed tightly against the glass. Its eyes—if they could even be called that—cast an invisible gaze upon the sleeping elf. A thought, bordering on malice yet not entirely identical, washed over the girl.

"Creak..."

The glass emitted a sharp, grating shriek under the mounting pressure of the twisted wood-spirit, piercing the slumber of the elf within the bedroom.

"Hmm?"

The elven girl rubbed her eyes, rising groggily from her bed to peer toward the source of the sound: the window.

"There is nothing there..."

Still clouded by the haze of interrupted sleep, the elf muttered to herself before sinking back into her pillows.

Yet, beyond the glass, it was exactly as she had said.

There was nothing at all.

The twisted wood-spirit had vanished without a trace.

(Full classes today, so a shorter update; as per the usual rule, tomorrow is Saturday, so I shall post an extra chapter!)