Mythical Creatures Strategy Guide

Chapter 35 Something's Wrong in the Sacred Tree Forest

Dinner was a stew cooked by the hotel owner himself. Potatoes, carrots, onions, and beef were stewed into a thick, mushy pot, which was served steaming hot in earthenware bowls.

It's served with freshly baked rye bread, the crust of which is baked to a crispy brown, making a "crunch" sound when broken open, while the inside is as soft as a cloud.

Arthur ate three bowls, Silver Leaf ate two bowls, and Ella ate five and a half bowls. Chu Sheng only ate half a bowl and hadn't even tasted anything yet.

He was thinking about something.

Yinye noticed his absent-mindedness and tapped the rim of his bowl with the handle of her spoon: "What are you thinking about? You're not even eating properly."

"Thinking about tomorrow's path," Chu Sheng casually made up a reason.

"Liar." Silver Leaf's pointed ears twitched.

Arthur glanced up at him, then looked down and continued drinking his soup.

As night fell, Chu Sheng lay on his bed in the inn's room, staring blankly at the ceiling.

There was a water stain on the ceiling, shaped like a crouching cat. He stared at the cat for a long time, looking from its ears to its tail, and then back from its tail to its ears.

Next door was Arthur's room. The wooden walls were thin, and he could vaguely hear sounds from the other side: footsteps, the sound of water, a creaking bed, and then silence.

He rolled over and faced the wall.

Since things have come to this, let's go to sleep!

The carriage continued south the next morning.

The next few days were calm and peaceful. The woods grew denser and the air became more humid, and more and more wildflowers of unknown names bloomed along the roadside.

Yinye's emotions changed little by little. When she first set off, she was in an excited state of "I'm so happy to finally leave home." After passing the Cat Territory, she became in a relaxed state of "The journey is tiring but quite interesting."

Now, as she draws ever closer to the Sacred Tree Forest, she begins to fall silent.

She would sit by the car window for hours on end, her pointed ears slightly bent, her eyes gazing at the slowly receding woods outside. Occasionally, when she spotted a strangely shaped tree or a clearing in the woods full of wildflowers, her pointed ears would twitch slightly, as if she recognized something.

But she didn't say anything.

Ella noticed Silverleaf's emotional change, and her solution was to bring Silverleaf all the things she thought were delicious: roasted fish bones, wild berries, rye bread crusts she had taken from the inn, and a jumping bug she had caught herself.

Yinye stared at the jumping bug in front of her, which was still kicking its legs desperately, and remained silent for a long time.

"Ella, you can eat this yourself."

"Don't you like it? It's delicious! Crunchy!"

"...I'm not hungry right now."

Ella's dog ears twitched in confusion. She didn't understand why anyone would refuse a crunchy jumping worm when they weren't hungry, but she chose to respect Silverleaf's choice.

Seventh day.

The trees on both sides of the road have changed from ordinary broad-leaved forests to ancient trees that block out the sky. The canopy of the trees intertwines to form a green dome at high altitudes, and sunlight leaks through the gaps in the branches and leaves, turning into countless tiny beams of light.

A faint fragrance permeated the air, the scent emanating from the trees, carrying a hint of coolness, which invigorated the spirit when inhaled.

"We've arrived at the Sacred Tree Forest," Arthur's voice came from outside the carriage.

Chu Sheng leaned out of the car window. The road ahead stretched into a deeper and denser forest, where the trees grew thicker and thicker, some trunks so thick that a dozen people holding hands couldn't encircle them. The bark was covered with moss and ferns, and some even had tiny white flowers the size of grains of rice.

At the end of the road, a wide open space could be vaguely seen, and people were standing in the open space.

Many people!

Chu Sheng narrowed his eyes.

It was a neatly arranged line, with several tall women at the front wearing matching white robes and silver ribbons tied around their waists.

They were all estimated to be over 1.9 meters tall, and the hems of their robes fluttered gently in the wind, revealing a section of their smooth and slender calves.

They are elves!

Not a grey elf, but a true elf! Skin so fair it was almost transparent, long golden or silver hair, and features so exquisite they looked as if they had been sculpted by the god of craftsmanship.

They were generally tall with slender waists, but their chests and hips were surprisingly full, which was outlined in detail by their white robes.

The leader was an elf with long silver hair that reached her waist and shimmered with a faint iridescent light in the sunlight.

Her face was the kind of beauty that you couldn't forget after just one look. The curve of her brow bone, the height of her nose bridge, and the thickness of her lips were all just right. Together, they created a perfect face that you couldn't bear to look away from.

Her figure was taller and more voluptuous than the elves behind her. Her robe was stretched draped exaggeratedly at the chest, and the silver ribbon around her waist was tied tightly, binding her waist into a belt before suddenly opening at the hem, outlining the full curve of her hips.

She saw the carriage approaching and a faint smile appeared on her face.

"Welcome, hero of Cat Territory." Her voice was melodious, with the characteristic lilting of Elvish. "Aesta has been waiting here for a long time on the Queen's orders."

The hero of Cat Territory?

The group exchanged bewildered glances. The news had spread so quickly? But wasn't this news supposed to be known only to Audrey?

When the carriage came to a stop, Chu Sheng jumped off, with Yin Ye following behind him.

Arthur tightened the reins and leaped lightly from the front of the carriage. Ella was the last to emerge, her dog ears perked up, warily eyeing the group of elven beauties who were about her height.

The silver-haired elf stepped forward, placing her right hand on her left chest, and performed an elegant elven greeting.

"I am Estelle, the Queen's chief attendant. Her Majesty Audrey of Cat Territory's carrier pigeon arrived in the Sacred Tree Forest five days ago, and the Queen was deeply moved after reading the letter. You not only saved Cat Territory, but also eradicated the undead creatures that were plaguing the region. The Sacred Tree Forest will forever remember this kindness."

Arthur nodded secretly, indicating that the reason was acceptable.

Undead creatures and elves have been mortal enemies for tens of thousands of years, and they already disliked each other even before humans appeared.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Ella curiously circled around the elves, and even Silverleaf became a little more cheerful, chatting with several elves about the current situation in the Gray Domain.

Although Estelle's voice was calm, it was still warm, her smile was sincere, and her eyes were full of admiration and gratitude.

But Chu Sheng noticed a detail.

From the moment Estella got out of the car, her eyes kept involuntarily glancing at Chu Sheng.

Not only her, but also the rows of elves behind her.

Chu Sheng's gaze swept across Estella's face, then naturally shifted away, a flattered smile appearing on his face.

"That Audrey didn't even tell us she was writing a letter. Making such a big fuss, it's so embarrassing."

Esta covered her mouth and smiled: "You have all had a long journey. The Queen has prepared a banquet in the palace. Please follow me."

She turned and led the way, her long silver hair swaying gently behind her, her waist twisting with just the right amount of movement, the hem of her white robe billowing in a beautiful arc.