Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

The forest fell silent in response to Irason's words.

Isn't this extremely dangerous? In her mind, Ete labeled Lyle with a new tag, and she absolutely did not want to come into contact with such a dangerous person.

"I've made up my mind. I'm going to ask Lyle for help and ask him to help me solve the problems in the Dream Forest!"

In an instant, a strange wind seemed to blow, and the leaves trembled, making a sound like howling. The sudden change startled Irason, who squinted at the tall tree-man, Aite.

"Was that... a prank?" The surrounding scenery suddenly changed, and the only thing that could cause these strange phenomena was the treant druid Aite beside him. As an embodiment of nature, it had a certain ability to regulate its environment. Therefore, when its emotions fluctuated violently, the surrounding natural environment would also react accordingly, just like now.

Aite stared at the stone slab before him. The dragon language symbol, so similar in appearance to himself, no longer held the initial warmth. Its constant repetition filled Aite with unease, as if the slender, ghostly figure representing Lyle had already appeared around him, replacing the forest and completely surrounding him. Even without knowing Lyle's identity, Aite already sensed a false malice.

"Your Majesty Irason, we should solve our own problems; it's wrong to trouble our friends!"

The green dragon priest tilted his head, looking at Aite with a strange expression as he suddenly became serious.

“Lyle is very good at handling these kinds of troubles, and as the Dragon King Priest, he is someone we rely on in his role. It’s no problem for him to consult his superiors when he encounters a difficult problem.”

“But…we have the Governor, right…though her methods are a bit direct. By doing this, you are essentially expressing distrust in the Governor’s abilities, which will hurt her. Before asking for help, madam, shouldn’t you consult with the Governor for a moment, think it over carefully, and act thrice before you do it?”

"Hmm... Aite makes sense, then I'll..."

"I agree." A cool voice came from behind Aite, and the familiar stinging sensation made Aite realize who was behind her. The Dream Elf Governor parted the grass and walked over.

Aite put Irason down from his hands, moved his roots to the side, and a feeling of sadness welled up inside him, but he still held onto his last hope.

"Your Excellency, could you please explain what you mean? Is there some new policy that needs to be implemented? We will follow your lead and obey your orders. After all, there's no problem in the Dream Forest that you can't solve!"

Susanna moved to the stone slab, and the smile peeking out from inside her helmet was exactly the same as Irason's; she also seemed to be able to recognize dragon language.

“Aite, the Dream Elves haven’t greeted guests in a long time. We need to brush up on our skills so that they don’t become impolite and be labeled as a rude race. Irason, go ask for help. There’s a little problem with Claudia. I’d like to consult the reliable Mr. Lyle.”

Having received a reply, Irason left with a smile, leaving Treeman Aite and Susanna standing there.

"My lord, that Lyle is no gentle being."

"Lyle is the embryonic form of an evil god."

"What?! Then why are you letting it encroach on our forest?"

Susanna looked at the darkness deep in the forest, where light could not penetrate, and turned to leave.

"It's just fighting fire with fire. Even if we fail, the Emerald Dream is vast, locking up two won't make a difference."

Chapter 648 Hidden Talent

"What! The Plague Doctor is going to some elven kingdom to cultivate a relationship? Why not come to our Purgatory Fortress? We Black Abyss Demons are definitely more enthusiastic than those bean sprout elves!"

In the Dark Second District Exchange of the Wandering City, Prince Gao Jialan of the Abyss is test-driving his 123rd Spine Wheel. More than a hundred traffic accidents have not dampened the demon prince's enthusiasm for creating skeletons, and his upright posture as he crawls out of car accident scenes has become a habit.

Today, this big spender from the Necromancer's Figurine Company learned that Lyle was going to visit the Dream Forest, and began to complain to the remaining three.

"I've traded with you so many times, and I've barely even met the Plague Doctor a few times. Where's the privilege of being the biggest spender?!" He casually removed the speed-limiting bone nail from the Spinal Wheel, as skillfully as opening a champagne bottle. Gao Jialan pointed at the three sellers who were adjusting the speed threshold of the Spinal Wheel using necromancy, his eyes filled with scrutiny.

The high-ranking demon's oppressive gaze earned him a glare. Initially, the lich was wary of the sugar daddy, but after so many transactions, he had grown accustomed to Gagaran's incessant chatter.

"No special privileges, do you want a broken bone?"

While working tirelessly, he said, "Although we're not as good as the boss, the three of us were the original members of the Necromancer Figurine Club. Don't think we're cheap; we've already given you a lot of face. We're the unofficial lackeys of the Plague Doctor boss."

Gao Jialan considered whether to take advantage of the situation to start a fight, but after hesitating, he decided against it, as there wasn't enough room to maneuver here.

"So what's so great about that elven kingdom? Is it more majestic and magnificent than our demon castle? Or are the elves there capable of fighting a hundred enemies single-handedly? Or are their lava volcanoes hotter than hell itself?"

Gao Jialan's question prompted deep thought. As liches, the three members of the Necromancer Society could not understand why the Plague Doctor would abandon his academic research to go to the Dream Forest.

"He said that there was some problem with the jade dragon he had raised, and he was a little worried, so he went there."

He nodded in agreement. "If anything goes wrong with the carefully cultivated experimental subjects, I will also recycle them to prevent waste of materials."

“Maybe it’s an environmental issue,” Manipulator spread his hands. “Elves like to live in forests. Although there are some unsightly plants in the forest environment, it’s still better than the wasteland of Hell, which is nothing but lava and sulfur. Besides, the demons’ style of fighting at the drop of a hat can’t be called hospitality. At least for peace and quiet, I prefer to go to the elven settlement to enjoy the tranquility.”

The argument for manipulation was well-founded, and the fervor in Gao Jialan's eyes seemed to dim slightly.

"That's true. Liches, these undead creatures, prefer solitude. It's really frustrating to be outdone by elves..."

“My foolish little brother…” Mr. Flexibility crossed his arms, raised his head in a pretentious manner, and looked down at the tip of his nose, “If you think that the Plague Doctor is just a lazy bum like you, you are very wrong.”

He curled the corners of his mouth into a smile, his face displaying the expression of a wise man who had already grasped everything.

"I am the lich who knows the Plague Doctor best, Andrei!" he said with an arrogant expression.

Manipulation wanted to refute his self-righteous brother, but the reputation the Plague Doctor had built up in Andre was wrestling with the rationality in his mind, and ultimately, his trust in the man destroyed the sum of his intuition, reason, and thought.

What are you trying to say?

"Don't be deceived by appearances. We should ignore the doctor's benevolent facade and see through his hidden inner self."

Guided by flexible words, Shining and Manipulation began to think in reverse. Looking at the three quiet people in front of him, Gao Jialan's demonic nature made him skip the thought process.

"So what's the truth?" Gao Jialan clenched his fists so hard they cracked, showing off his bulging deltoid muscles to Bian Tong.

Under pressure, they reluctantly released the answer.

“Elves are a long-lived species, and their territory has many tree-like shelters. The Plague Doctor is Andrei’s best necromancer of the new generation… These seemingly unrelated clues actually point to the only truth.”

"Why did the Plague Doctor go to the Elf Kingdom instead of the Hell Realm...?"

"That's because what he wants is there."

What does it take to become a great necromancer?

“A powerful and unique skeleton.”

"The elves' homeland has many jungles, which are suitable for burying corpses."

"An elf's long lifespan represents the accumulation of powerful life force, and this powerful life force will transform into a dense death force after death."

"A long-lived race with a long history that has never migrated, whose land is buried with countless bones from the past."

"The Plague Doctor, in reality... was using the pretense of exchanging feelings to dig up the elves' ancestral graves."

Hissing sounds filled the air among the liches and demons. The overwhelming reality made everyone feel absurd for a moment, and they instinctively rejected this bizarre viewpoint.

With a slight smirk, he said, "If you don't believe my deduction, you can refer to the long history of the Plague Doctor. Established reality never lies."

Gao Jialan's inner voice grew fainter and fainter.

"On his first visit, he blew up a hellish plane, though it was just a massive illusion. But my sister Ferma told me that not long ago, he turned the Mechanical City into a sea of ​​flesh and blood..."

The manipulation also seemed to lack confidence.

"The Plague Doctor has made a forbidden modification to his mentor, the master of Bone Spirit Conjuring, turning him into a giant dragon, even though he himself is quite happy about it..."

The transaction for the Wheel of the Spine was completed in silence between the two parties, while the jubilant sounds emanating from the nearby Black Abyss Arena made the place seem even more deathly quiet.

Their thoughts had already left this place, flying to the Elf District of the Fifth Light Zone along with the magical light projected by the Eye of the Wandering City.

This place connects to the portal to the Dream Forest. Ever since the Green Dragon returned and Irason led his army back home, this portal has been maintained under the protection of the elves.

Not all elves chose to return home; some chose to remain in the City of Wanderers. Decades of contact with various races had ingrained ingrained habits that weren't easily changed. The Fifth District of Light still needed to function normally, so sufficient personnel remained. Hines had long anticipated the factional conflict in the Dream Forest, and this portal was the escape route for the Withered Ones.

However, it has also played a role in other ways, such as allowing a young person to enter the land of elves with the blessings of their companions and friends.

Chapter 649 One region's water and soil nurture its people

Lyle was slightly surprised by the strange sensation of his leather boots crunching on the soft earth. It was a softness he had never experienced before; the earth seemed alive, and as his shoes sank into the soil, a gentle force supported him. The wonderful sensation continued as he moved forward, the dust particles in the soil only lingering on his shoes for a moment, like a playful child returning to the earth.

Nature has a spirit.

A cool breeze, like cotton wool, brushed against his face, quickly soothing the turbulence in his mind caused by the long-distance transmission. Sunlight baked the air beneath the leaves, making the dense forest before him appear radiant to Lyle. A sense of contentment, of oneness with nature, welled up within him, especially with the alluring sight of the beautiful elven maiden standing before him.

An unfamiliar elf.

“I am Ivy, Mr. Lyle, welcome to the Dream Forest.” The silver-haired girl bowed respectfully, and after the formal greeting, a sweet smile appeared on her face. She was wearing a casual outfit from the popular aquamarine silk series in the City of Wanderings, with a small paper flower pinned to her chest. “Lord Hines instructed me to greet Mr. Lyle. The Withered Ones are busy with official duties, and Lord Hines was unable to come. He apologizes for the rudeness of not being able to greet you in person.”

Lyle quickly waved his hand, "No need for that. I contacted Mr. Hines only to borrow your portal at Ms. Irason's suggestion. Rather, I'm just overjoyed to be greeted by such a lovely girl as Miss Ivy."

The polite words made Ivy cover her mouth and chuckle. "Please come with me, Mr. Lyle. Before Lord Irason arrives, let me show you around here as your guide, in my private capacity."

"Respect is not as good as obedience."

Following the elf Ivy through the forest, Lyle's eyes took in the treehouses where the elves dwelled. If it weren't for the flowing golden and silver hair, it would be difficult for an outsider to distinguish the treehouses from ordinary giant trees. And the subtly changing plants—this forest truly moved slowly. According to Ivy, the plants and soil of the Dream Forest, nurtured by druidic magic over a long period, exhibited a more spiritual expression of life. She also mentioned that in the central area of ​​the Dream Forest, these moving plants were even more active, and from them, some forest spirits and tree fairies had been born.

The portal was located at the very edge of the forest. As Lyle ventured deeper, the number of elves before him gradually increased. Some lay sprawled in the treetops, while others slept soundly, their heads resting on bare tree roots. As Lyle approached, some opened their drowsy eyes, while others completely ignored him, showing no sign of wariness.

Lyle noticed that most of them had blond or silver-white hair, and their clothing was prevalent in the City of Wanderers, subtly different from the dream elves that Irason had described. [The Children of Nature possess an appearance similar to nature itself.]

"Of course Lord Lyle will find it familiar, because most of the ones you see now are actually the Wither Elves who originally lived in the Fifth District of Light. Our hair color changed because of our study of Withering spells. Most Dream Elves still have dark blue or azure hair, and only those with bloodlines or close kinship with royalty have golden-white hair, a noble color symbolizing the sun."

Ivy clasped her hands together apologetically, "If Lord Lyle wishes to see what the Dream Elves who reside here permanently look like, Ivy is powerless to help. Due to some internal conflicts, we Withered Ones who have returned actually live separately from the other Dream Elves. This is merely a temporary residence for the Withered Ones. If you wish to explore the depths of the forest, please ask Lord Irason to show you around."

“I see.” Lyle stroked his chin. So all immortal beings are petty? “But Ivy, your family should still be waiting to reunite with you. You’ve only been gone for a few decades. For immortal beings, it’s just a long trip.”

Ivy's smile became forced, and she walked slowly with her hands behind her back, looking somewhat forlorn.

"For an immortal being, a complete inner transformation can happen in an instant. When we first returned, we did have a brief reunion with our families, but seeing my mother's unconsciously choked-up expression as she looked at me, her desperate attempt to hide her unease, made me... very irritated. The changes in the Withered Ones are truly significant; the discomfort of being forced to live together makes me feel that keeping a distance is much better. And gossip is spreading among her friends... Returning to the stronghold established by Lord Hines actually brought me a sense of relief; only the Withered Ones can accept the Withered Ones. Ahaha, I've accidentally rambled on too much. Lord Lyle, let's hurry to the Deep Sleep Chamber; it's the central stronghold of the Withered Druids, and Lord Irason will be waiting for us there."

Ivy continued her active guiding work, her smile exactly the same as before, as if her previous dejection was just Lyle's delusion.

It seemed there was nothing he could do to help; this was an internal affair of the elves, a consequence of their differing beliefs and morals. Lyle sighed helplessly, looking at the meadow Ivy had left behind. The undulating grass sprouts seemed to want to touch her heels, but the pale, withering magic made these spirits of nature retreat.

Between the deep slumber stands a tall, ancient tree, its semi-abandoned state resembling a dilapidated building on the verge of collapse. The top of the tree bears charred marks from a lightning strike, and the withered bark is riddled with holes of varying sizes, left by insects in the upper half. The internal structure has been cleaned and renovated by the elves, so the interior is far more intact than its dilapidated exterior suggests; or perhaps the withered appearance was intentionally preserved, making the deep slumber stand out conspicuously in the forest.

As its name suggests, what Lyle sees most often in the Deep Sleep Chamber are sleeping elves. They lie in specially divided wooden compartments, each with a different sleeping posture, but most of them have furrowed brows and pale faces, as if they are experiencing a nightmare. Sometimes they let out a soft groan, looking like they are in indescribable pain.

Lyle saw an elf scream, opened his eyes, wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, looked tired, and turned over to continue sleeping.

Dream Elf… Lyle murmured the name of their race to himself as he looked at Ivy’s normal profile.

Are they all having nightmares?

“They are at work, Lord Lyle.”

Following the spiral passage underground, Lyle saw Hines. He was sleeping soundly in a large compartment, just like the others, with several elves keeping him company. The caregivers stood by, their fists clenched, silently worrying as they watched their sleeping companion.

Hines's expression was the most terrifying. Though his eyes were tightly closed, he was still clenching his teeth, his lips trembling as if from the cold, and sweat was forming puddles on his forehead. His mind was undergoing violent fluctuations, and ominous signs whispered in Lyle's ear about the intense negative emotions he was experiencing in this space.

Lyle turned his head and met Ivy's gaze.

He didn't speak.