Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

Chapter 149 Baptism by the Moon Well

Just then, a commotion arose on the outskirts of the crowd. One of the chief priest's confidants—a young light elf guard with a cold face and sharp, eagle-like eyes—suddenly strode through the crowd and came straight to them.

He first nodded slightly towards the High Priest of the Deadwood, then turned to face Elder Greenleaf and Kate, and in a deliberately raised tone that all the elves around could hear, loudly proclaimed: "The High Priest commands!" His voice was sharp and carried an unquestionable authority: "According to the ancient rules, any outsider who wishes to act within the area of ​​our sacred Eternal Song Tree must first undergo the baptism of the Moon Well to cleanse their body and prove the purity of their soul, untouched by the defilement of the outside world!"

This is an ancestral rule, and it cannot be disobeyed!

The command was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples among the onlookers.

Whispers and discussions arose, and many elves showed expressions of understanding or worry.

Moon well baptism is no ordinary ceremony.

This is clearly a carefully designed challenge.

The Moonwell, as the core sacred object inherited by the Light Elf race, contains the purest and most domineering primal natural energy in its baptismal ceremony. It has always been used only for the enlightenment and bloodline awakening of young elves of the race, thereby guiding them to perceive and connect with the life source of the forest.

Although the process is gentle, the nature of the power is extremely exclusive. For those who are not of the Light Fairy bloodline, especially those whose energy attributes are contradictory, it is nothing short of torture.

Kate, a human wizard, possesses a death-related power that is the exact opposite of life energy.

Once he reaches into the Moon Well, the immense life force within will instinctively regard this "alien" and "decay" as an intruder that must be thoroughly purified, and a violent conflict between the two is almost a foreseeable outcome.

At best, it could cause an energy backlash, resulting in severe injury; at worst, it could trigger an explosion at the level of rules, or even damage the very source of the Moon Well.

Elder Qingye's face instantly darkened, his white eyebrows furrowed tightly, and a hint of anger flashed in his eyes.

He was well aware of Kumu's intentions. Kumu was clearly trying to use the ancestral rules as a pretext to either force Kate to back down or to embarrass or even injure her in front of everyone, thereby completely negating the legitimacy of his involvement.

The elder took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling slightly, and slammed his ancient wooden staff on the ground, ready to sternly refute this outdated and malicious "tradition".

However, just as the elder was about to speak, Kate preemptively raised her right hand, a gentle yet unusually firm gesture of dissuasion.

His gaze calmly swept over the trusted messenger, finally settling on the direction of the withered tree priest. Far from showing fear, his eyes flashed with a barely perceptible sharp light, as if a hunter had seen his long-awaited prey finally step into his trap.

"It's alright." Kate's voice was as calm as a deep pool, clearly reaching the ears of every elf present. "Since this tradition exists, I will go to the Moon Well to receive baptism."

"7

He sneered inwardly; this sudden difficulty was exactly what he wanted.

As a sacred object of the Light Fairy, the Moon Well must have a very deep connection with this forest and the so-called "Ancient Path of Life" and "Amber River of Time".

Getting up close and even experiencing its power firsthand is the perfect opportunity to verify his conjecture about the connection between the "core of dreams" and this place, far more direct than observing and speculating from the outside.

As for the energy conflict? This is precisely the touchstone for testing his control over the cycle of reincarnation!

Balance and transformation are the core essence of his path.

Under the mixed gazes of surprise, doubt, worry, and a few gloating, Kate calmly followed her stern-faced trusted guard through the automatically parting crowd, heading deep into the roots of the Eversong Tree.

The closer you get to the trunk of the giant tree, the more concentrated and pure the life energy in the air becomes, almost turning into a tangible mist, making you feel refreshed with every breath.

Finally, they arrived at a tranquil space naturally formed by the giant, gnarled roots.

The light here is soft, the ground is covered with smooth moss, and in the center, a crystal-clear spring lies quietly—that is the Moon Well.

The well water was not just ordinary clear; it shimmered with a restrained, liquid moonlight-like luster. Countless tiny, silvery specks, like stardust, floated naturally and drifted slowly on the surface. They collided with each other, emitting a faint, almost inaudible murmur, weaving an eternal hymn of life.

The energy emanating from the well water is vast and gentle, yet carries an inviolable sacred majesty.

The guard leading the way stopped at the well, made a "please" gesture, and looked at the well with a hint of scrutiny and indifference, as if he was preparing to watch a good show.

Kate stood by the well, her eyes slightly closed, not in prayer, but to quickly adjust her inner energy and bring the Samsara Heart in her spiritual sea to its optimal state.

The Seed of Life, the Core of Death, and the Garden of Space flow with subtle light, achieving a perfect dynamic equilibrium.

Without hesitation, he stretched out his right hand and slowly probed into the moon well.

The moment his fingertips touched the cool yet vibrant well water, "Buzz—!"

'

A deep, soul-stirring hum resounded from the bottom of the well.

The once calm well water suddenly began to boil violently, but instead of bubbling, the entire body of water was glowing and trembling.

An unimaginably vast amount of pure life energy seemed to be activated instantly, finding an unprecedented "heretic" target. Like a flood bursting its banks, or like thousands of invisible needles of light, it surged wildly into Kate's body through his arm.

This force was warm and powerful, carrying the most primal natural will, intent on expelling everything in his body that was non-living and decaying.

The heterogeneous forces were completely washed away, purified, and annihilated.

The Death Core within Kate immediately sensed an unprecedented threat and spontaneously erupted with a strong sense of resistance. The dark, cold death energy surged up like an enraged black dragon, violently clashing with the invading torrent of life.

Two completely opposite and fundamentally opposed forces of law are about to engage in a fierce battle within his meridians.

Just as this internal conflict was about to erupt, Kate suddenly opened her eyes, a sharp glint flashing deep within them.

"Heart of Reincarnation, suppress!"

He silently chanted in his mind, and the complex and profound rune in the center of his spiritual sea began to spin at an unprecedented speed.

It does not simply suppress a certain force, but rather constructs a higher-level force field framework that encompasses life and death.

The vibrant green seed of life shines brightly, not to resist the energy of the well water, but to actively guide and accept the surging torrent of life, transforming it into the purest primal life force and incorporating it into its own cyclical system.

At the same time, the dark and profound core power of death is cleverly restrained and regulated by the Heart of Reincarnation. It is no longer violently resisted, but transformed into an extreme "stillness" and "condensation", forming a strange complement and cycle with the "movement" and "dispersion" of life energy.

Life and death, two inherently opposing forces of law, do not annihilate each other under the absolute rule of the Heart of Reincarnation, but rather form a dynamic and ever-flowing balance.

The life force nourishes the "extinction" state of the death core, while the "end" concept of the death core, in turn, makes the burst of life energy more condensed and controllable.

This balance is not static, but rather a cyclical process containing endless mysteries, like a miniature model of the universe's birth and death.

Kate's arm, which was reaching into the well, became strangely eerie yet harmonious.

The part of the forearm submerged in the well water turned a vibrant green, as if carved from the finest jade, with liquid green light flowing through the veins beneath the skin.

The area above the wrists, however, presents a deep, dark gray tone, with shadows flowing beneath the skin, exuding a cold, deathly aura.

At the junction of the wrists, the two colors are not clearly distinct, but rather intertwine and flow together, forming a small, hazy area of ​​light that is both chaotic and full of vitality, as if the boundary between life and death is blurred and redefined there.

The boiling of the well water gradually subsided, no longer an aggressive repulsion, but rather as if it had accepted this peculiar balance, becoming more docile and even actively encircling his arm, engaging in a gentle energy exchange.

A moment later, Kate felt that not only was her energy not depleted, but it was also more abundant because she had absorbed some of the pure life essence of the Moon Well. The mental exhaustion from crossing Echo Valley was also completely wiped out, and her condition was even better than before.

He slowly pulled his hand out of the well.

Throughout the entire process, the surroundings were deathly silent.

All the light fairies who witnessed this scene, whether ordinary elves, guards, or elders, were dumbfounded, as if they had seen something that violated the basic laws of the world.

They could feel the intense fluctuations and initial repulsion of the Moon Well's energy, and they anticipated all sorts of terrible outcomes, but they never expected it to be like this.

The outsider was not only unharmed, but also seemed to have reached some kind of tacit understanding with the Moon Well?

He even made the light from the moon well seem brighter and purer.

This completely overturned their understanding!

The High Priest of the Deadwood, who rushed over upon hearing the news, happened to witness Kate pulling out her arm and also sensed Moonwell's peaceful rather than furious state.

His wrinkled face was filled with disbelief, shock, and incomprehensible confusion, and his finger trembled slightly as he pointed at Kate.

His lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time: "This—this—how is this possible?! Moon Well—Ancestral Spirit—this—"

Kate glanced at him indifferently, her eyes calm and unwavering, as if she had merely done something trivial: "High Priestess of the Deadwood, the Moonwell baptism is complete. Now, may I proceed to investigate 'The Darkness'?"

The chief priest of the withered tree turned pale and then red. He opened his mouth, but found that he had no reason to stop him anymore.

Tsukii's reaction is the best proof; any doubts seem pale and powerless in the face of facts.

He could only let out a heavy snort, turn around, push through the crowd, and leave, his back view appearing particularly stiff and angry.

In contrast to him, Elder Qingye's eyes shone with an irrepressible light of surprise and hope.

He strode forward, excitedly patting Kate on the shoulder, his voice trembling slightly: "Good! Good! Excellent! Your Excellency Kate, you truly—you truly are the variable mentioned in the prophecy! It is the Heart of Nature that has guided you here!"

Kate's actions not only defused the difficult situation but also greatly impressed all the elves, indirectly garnering more possibilities and potential recognition for his actions in the Tranquil Forest.

That night, all was quiet except for the soft glow emanating from the Eternal Song Tree.

In a secluded treehouse at the heart of the giant tree, formed naturally from living branches, Elder Qingye secretly summoned Kate and Amber.

Soft, glowing moss provides illumination, and the air is filled with the comforting scent of ancient wood.

The elder's expression returned to calm, but the solemnity between his brows remained.

"Your Excellency Kate," he began slowly, his voice low and clear, "you've seen the situation. The Drywoods cling to outdated traditions, viewing all calamities as divine punishment, refusing to change, and even more so, refusing outside assistance."

The internal strife and obstacles are extremely serious.

While Chenlu and I support you, we cannot openly mobilize the entire tribe's resources to support your investigation. Furthermore—Kumu and the others might secretly create obstacles during your investigation, or use the rules to make things difficult for you.

"Therefore," Elder Morning Dew interjected, a shrewd and capable female light fairy, "we've decided that we can't pin our hopes on a long process of persuasion and waiting. We must take covert action."

Her sharp gaze swept over Kate and Amber. "I've discussed it with the Elder, and I will personally lead an absolutely loyal, reliable, and powerful Thorn Guard squad to escort you and Amber on our journey tonight."

Head to the source area of ​​Whispering Valley!

We must find the root cause of "Gray" before the likes of Kumu realize what's happening and launch a larger-scale attack, or at least identify its core characteristics, and find ways to deal with or even suppress it!

"Only by speaking with facts and proving that your methods and path are effective can we turn the tide, regain control of the narrative, unite the entire tribe, and truly resolve this crisis!"

Elder Qingye's tone was firm and resolute: "This is risky, but we must try."

Kate listened attentively, then nodded solemnly: "That's exactly what I wanted."

He himself had no interest in the tedious debates and power struggles within the Light Fairy; targeting the core of the problem—the darkness itself—was the most efficient approach.

What he longs for is the truth, a solution, and the opportunity that may be hidden within, one that concerns his own path.

In the dead of night, most areas of the Eversong Giant Tree settlement were either asleep or in quiet meditation.

Under the cover of night and with the help of Elder Morning Dew's superb concealment magic, a skilled squad quietly assembled.

Besides Kate and Amber, there was Elder Morning Dew herself and four carefully selected Thorn Guardians.

These guards had sharp eyes, moved silently, and exuded an aura of competence and seasoned experience.

Like ghosts blending into the night wind, the team silently left the safe zone of the Eversong Tree and plunged back into the perilous forest shrouded in ominous "gloom," heading swiftly towards the "Whispering Valley," which exuded the most intense aura of evil.