Wizard: I'm leveling up by AFK in another world

"Quiet!"

The wise man slammed his staff into the ground, calming the panicked crowd.

He paced back and forth, then began to chant a spell in a low voice.

"

A moment later, a light-colored halo radiated outwards from his staff.

Having learned from the young monk's mistake, he explored the forest in a different way.

The crowd watched the wise man with his eyes slightly closed with tension, awaiting their final fate.

Another gentle breeze blew by, disappearing into the forest in silence.

The wise man opened his eyes.

"The Silvermoon Tree did not answer my prayers," he said with deep sorrow.

Although everyone had expected it, they were still deeply saddened when they actually heard those words.

"This forest is not a sanctuary for the silver tree spirits; we must go somewhere else."

"But... His Highness Elion is right here! It's said that he saved tens of thousands of his people here!" The female elf still couldn't quite believe it.

"Rumors also say that His Highness Elion died in battle at the royal court," the wise man interrupted her. "In this day and age, rumors are simply not to be trusted!"

"Furthermore, if this place truly is an elven sanctuary, why aren't there any patrolling rangers around it?"

"We're so close, yet no one has contacted us!"

The wise man's words silenced everyone.

Indeed, this is highly unusual.

If this place truly is a gathering place for tens of thousands of people, it would be impossible for it not to have sentries and guards stationed there, constantly on guard against the invasion of wizards.

But there was nothing in the forest; it seemed to be quietly waiting for them to walk in.

Thinking about this, many people felt a chill run down their spines.

What exactly is inside this Silver Moon Tree Forest?

Why would such a strange place have rumors of a shelter?

"What should we do then?" someone asked, more concerned about the immediate problem. "We can't keep wandering like this. Even without the wizard, we're starving!"

The wise man turned his head and looked towards the distant East.

"I've also heard another rumor," he said slowly. "Further east, around the Bridge of Sighs, there's an elven settlement that's even larger than this one."

"Their leader appears to be Kellan, the vice-commander of the Silvermoon Knights."

Most people have heard of this name, and their faces light up with hope.

"But... it's still hundreds of miles to the Bridge of Sighs, and there might be chaotic Ironblood Continent regions along the way." The female elf hesitated. "If we go like this, many people will probably die on the way."

"But we have no other choice." The wise man had clearly made up his mind.

He waved his staff, and a emerald green light fell upon the crowd, making them feel refreshed.

"Let's go! We've come together to survive and have overcome countless difficulties."

"We will continue on this path, and we will never abandon any of our compatriots until we are reborn!"

……

……

Silvermoon Tree Forest.

Ella put down her longbow and leaned limply against the tree trunk.

She was standing high enough to see clearly everything happening on the outskirts of the forest.

She watched as the group of elves approached with hope, only to leave in terror.

Ella watched the last figure disappear from sight and let out a long sigh.

Is this a regret or a relief?

She was starting to misunderstand her own feelings.

From the moment Elian resolved to rebuild the Elven Kingdom here, she should have hoped that all her compatriots who had been scattered abroad could return to this place and strengthen its power.

However, for the past year, every time a new elf joins her, she suffers an unspeakable torment.

As Ella turned around, the Silvermoon Tree immediately reacted, extending its vines to bind her body and pull her deeper into the forest.

This experience made Ella restless for the first few months, but now she's become numb to it.

The vines moved very quickly through the forest.

As wisps of tree shadows swept through the mist, a magnificent scene gradually came into Ella's view:

The overlapping canopies block out the sun, and rows of exquisitely designed treehouses are scattered among the tree roots below.

The large, glowing mushrooms replaced sunlight, providing a constant source of light for the area.

This place bears a striking resemblance to the former Elven royal court.

Ella walked through a bustling street, where elves on both sides were busy with various tasks.

Under the settlement management policy established by Elian, all the silver tree elves here were assigned different jobs according to their age and physical condition.

Everyone worked tirelessly every day to achieve the goals set by Elian.

Ella had never seen so many silver tree elves before, and they seemed to be busy with important matters all day long.

Occasionally, you can see a few children chasing and playing, holding a translucent red fruit in their hands.

This fruit is a unique product of the Silvermoon Tree. Two fruits can satisfy the daily needs of an adult elf, easily solving the food problem for tens of thousands of people.

Further in, you'll find the sacred pool.

It expanded rapidly during that year, transforming from a small pond into a large lake.

The lake water was a tranquil, deep blue, without even a ripple on its surface.

Many elven soldiers were gathered on the shore, lining up to carry their wounded comrades into the lake.

As soon as the injured man's body was immersed in the lake, the water quickly seeped into his body through his wounds.

In just a dozen or so breaths, the fist-sized hole in his thigh healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The newly formed granulation tissue wriggled wildly, quickly formed a scab, fell off, and grew healthy skin.

The soldier stood up from the lake, stretched his arms, and a look of ecstatic joy appeared on his face.

The surrounding elves erupted in enthusiastic cheers, praising the Father God's blessings.

Everything looks fine.

Ella, however, was preoccupied with something on her mind.

"You're sighing again, Ella."

She turned around stiffly and knelt on one knee.

"Your Highness Elion."

Ellian stood behind her, his figure even taller than a year ago, his skin as pale as paper, and his long hair as dark as the purest night, gleaming with a mysterious luster.

He quickly stepped forward and helped Ella up.

"I also saw that group of elves leave," he said. "Are you disappointed because of that?"

Ella lowered her eyes: "Yes, Your Highness."

"They...they went through so much suffering, and even though they had reached a safe place, they gave up their chance to survive because of some unfounded suspicions."

"Unfounded suspicion, Ella, you're quite right." Elian was clearly satisfied with this answer. "Fear stems from the unknown. They're used to the Elven past and therefore still can't understand what changes we must make to survive in this cruel world."

"Look around, Ella. For the past six months, we have had no hunger, no plague, and no witch invasions."

"The wounded soldiers rose again, and the orphaned children grew up in peace. This forest has given us everything."

He turned his head and stared into Ella's eyes.

"Change is a good thing, don't you think?"