Chapter 375- Pure-Hearted Prince vs. Giant Dragon Boss (14)
Norris looked curiously at the surrounding elves. Normally, elves were even more reclusive than goblins. They lived deep in the Elven Forest and rarely ventured out. In fact, Norris had never seen an elf in person before; he had only heard stories about them.
However, upon seeing the elves’ faces, he felt somewhat disappointed.
The legends always described elves as exceptionally beautiful, saying they were the gift of nature to the forest. Elves protect the forest, guard nature, and are said to be extraordinarily enchanting.
But today, after seeing these elves, Norris quickly lost interest. He thought the descriptions had been exaggerated. These elves didn’t even compare to his own little Jin in terms of beauty.
In fact, his own little Jin seemed more like an elf than these elves did. With his silver hair, translucent pale skin, and those water-like cat eyes, even the green color of his pupils was much clearer than the green eyes of the elves. All in all, his partner was a thousand times more beautiful than these elves.
While he was observing the elves, they were also staring at them intently. The Elven Forest wasn’t a place that just anyone could enter, but compared to their curiosity, the elves harbored more hostility toward Mu Jin and Norris.
Previously, a powerful figure had entered the Elven Forest. Not only had that person killed their treeman friends, but he had also seized much of their treasure. Even their queen had been forced to bow to him.
Having felt the immense power of that individual, the elves, though they despised outsiders like Norris and Mu Jin, didn’t dare approach or provoke them easily. They feared that these two might also possess powerful magic, and if they couldn’t resist, they might end up sacrificing their lives in vain.
After a short wait, the Elven Queen arrived swiftly. Her attire and appearance were more ethereal and regal than those of the other elves, but in Norris’s eyes, she was just average. As expected, no one could compare to his Little Jin. To him, his partner was the most beautiful person in the entire world!
Norris’s thoughts wandered far at that moment. He couldn’t help but think: ‘My partner is not only immensely powerful but also extraordinarily captivating, with not a single flaw on him. Yet, someone as perfect as him chose me. I must be the luckiest person in the world!’
As Norris dwelled on these thoughts, he couldn’t help but glance at Mu Jin and nod happily.
Mu Jin noticed Norris looking at him with a slightly dazed and smitten expression and twitched his lips in mild exasperation. He had no idea what his man was imagining again.
It always felt like his lover’s imagination veered off in strange directions, but to Mu Jin, it was also endearing in its own way.
One had to admit, this couple’s way of thinking was remarkably in sync no matter the situation. Their mutual possessiveness and affection for each other never diminished even a fraction.
While Mu Jin and Norris were busy exchanging affectionate glances, the Elven Queen had run out of patience. After all, she was the revered ruler of the elves—someone whose presence usually left others awestruck and speechless. Yet here she was, standing before these two humans who claimed to seek her out, only to be utterly ignored.
As the leader of her people, the Elven Queen had her own sense of dignity. She promptly tapped her staff against the ground, drawing their attention back to her.
She addressed Mu Jin and Norris with an air of authority: “So, it’s the two of you who claim to have a way to revive the treants? If you’re lying to me, you should be well aware of the consequences!”
Hearing the Elven Queen’s words, Mu Jin finally snapped out of his daze. Realizing he had been distracted for too long, he gave a small, awkward cough. However, when he turned to the Queen, his expression instantly became cold and detached.
He gave her a curt nod and replied, “Yes, I do have a way to revive the treants. But given your attitude, it seems you’re not particularly interested in their revival. If that’s the case, then never mind.”
With that, Mu Jin casually grabbed Norris’s arm and made a motion as if to leave.
After Mu Jin finished speaking, there was no way the Elven Queen would simply let him leave. She raised her staff and summoned vines from the surrounding area, intending to bind Mu Jin and Norris to prevent their departure.
The vines shot out swiftly, surging toward Mu Jin. Interestingly, they only targeted Mu Jin. Even the vines meant to restrain Norris shifted course mid-air and charged straight at Mu Jin instead.
However, when the vines reached him, they didn’t bind him as the Queen had intended. Instead, they twisted themselves in a strange manner and began rubbing affectionately against Mu Jin’s robes.
It was as though they were puppies eagerly seeking their owner’s affection. The sheer number of vines surging forward from all directions to “seek favor” became overwhelming. Eventually, they tangled themselves up in their competition for attention, almost appearing to fight among themselves.
The surrounding elves were left utterly dumbfounded by this scene. They, who were known as the closest beings to nature, had never witnessed anything like this. Even as beings beloved by plants and trees, they could never command such adoration from nature.
Their relationship with nature was more like a mutual and equal partnership. Yet, observing the way the vines behaved toward Mu Jin, even without facial expressions or words, the elves could clearly sense their unabashed sycophancy.
As the elves calmed their minds and observed further, they noticed that not just the vines, but the surrounding plants were also expressing joy and excitement at Mu Jin’s presence.
‘Who is this person? Why does he receive such overwhelming favor from nature itself?’
The Elven Queen couldn’t help but reevaluate the two individuals before her. Someone so deeply cherished by nature was unlikely to be their enemy.
Reflecting on her earlier attitude, combined with Mu Jin’s claim that he could help revive the treants, the Queen found herself beginning to believe his words—if only a little.
The Elven Queen quickly adjusted her demeanor, bowing respectfully toward Mu Jin and saying in a courteous tone, “I apologize, honorable mage, for my earlier impatience. I hope you can forgive my rashness.”
Mu Jin nodded in response. Since he had no intention of making enemies, he wasn’t about to dwell on the Queen’s earlier behavior. Seeing her humble herself, he replied in a calm and gentle tone, “You should still have a sapling of the treants in your possession, correct?”
The Elven Queen’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing his words. This was a closely guarded secret of the elves, known only to a handful of her most trusted advisors.
After the treant race had been decimated by Gardener, all the treants had perished, leaving the elves heartbroken.
However, treants were known to be among the most resilient of beings. Suppressing her sorrow, the Queen had painstakingly searched through the remains of the treants. Finally, she had found a small, still-living twig from one of the fallen treants.
She had brought it back and nurtured it with great care. Unfortunately, despite her efforts, it had only sprouted a few leaves and showed no sign of becoming a treant again. Even if it managed to survive, it seemed destined to become an ordinary tree, never regaining its former sentience.
‘How does he know about this?’ The Queen was astonished, but she refrained from asking Mu Jin. She understood that someone who could uncover such a secret was far beyond her control. Instead, she nodded obediently.
Mu Jin, seeing the Queen’s cooperation, felt satisfied and said he wished to see the piece of treant that had been preserved.
The Queen, now completely deferential, dared not refuse. She personally led the way, inviting Mu Jin and Norris deeper into the heart of the Elven Forest.
There, Mu Jin and Norris saw the Elven Mother Tree, the sacred tree responsible for nurturing the elves. As soon as the Mother Tree sensed Mu Jin’s presence, its branches began to sway joyfully, rustling as if expressing its affection for him.
This scene left all the elves utterly stunned. Even the revered Mother Tree showed its fondness for this person! Surely, this meant he was their ally. Perhaps he truly did possess a way to revive the treants.
Filled with renewed hope, the Elven Queen eagerly led Mu Jin to the location where she had planted the small remnant of the treant.
The treant sapling was carefully kept near the Mother Tree, under its protection. The soil there was fertile and ideal for the growth of the sapling.
Mu Jin examined the sapling that the Elven Queen had so diligently nurtured and nodded approvingly. In truth, he had a fondness for the nature-loving elves, given that his true form was also plant-based.
Seeing the sole surviving sapling of the treant race, Mu Jin’s resentment toward the protagonist deepened. Simultaneously, he felt a deep compassion for the fragile little sprout.
Reaching out, Mu Jin gently touched the sapling. Everyone watched in amazement as a green magical aura encircled the tiny plant. Before their very eyes, the small twig began to grow, sprouting vigorously at an incredible speed.
In no time, the twig transformed into a palm-sized treant.
The young treant resembled a blend of tree and human, with facial features but no ability to speak. Its head was adorned with small green leaves. Perhaps due to its infancy, it appeared endearingly tender and innocent.
The newly-formed treant seemed lively. After opening its eyes, it promptly pulled its roots out of the soil. It wiggled its arms and legs, looking around with a slightly dazed and curious expression.
However, as soon as the young treant spotted Mu Jin, it immediately scurried over to his side. Seeing Mu Jin extend his hand toward it, the little treant quickly embraced his hand and affectionately nuzzled against his palm.
The moment the sapling transformed into a young treant, all the elves erupted in cheers. Even the Elven Queen, with tears welling in her eyes, clasped her hands together and wept tears of joy.
Treants are a unique race, inherently possessing complete ancestral memories and the ability to reproduce independently. Now that the sapling had recovered and grown into a young treant, nurturing it to adulthood would allow it to propagate. Once matured, branches from the adult treant could be replanted to grow new treants.
Thus, reviving just one treant was enough to restore the entire species. Although the process might take an incredibly long time, time was the least of concerns for the elves and treants of this forest.