The Strongest Beast-Tamer (Transmigration)(GL) - Chapter 31

Duanmu Ya clutched Yi Xian’s injured arm with trembling hands. His eyes were wide, and his body shook from exertion. He was so caught up in what was happening with the little yellow creature that he failed to notice how forcefully he was grabbing her. He held tightly onto the red string in one hand, his entire focus fixed on the odd-looking creature.

The ten-centimeter-tall yellow figure looked like a crooked ginger root. Its body was oddly proportioned, hopping around like a little zombie as it approached the trap Duanmu Ya had set. Its head poked about curiously, giving off an innocent, almost foolish air. The red string was buried deep and hidden beneath soil, so the creature likely could not see it. Even so, both of them felt anxious watching it. Just a little more. Just two more steps.

But just as it came within a step of the red string, the creature suddenly froze. It tilted its head as if it had heard something, then looked in their direction with a blank expression. Yi Xian and Duanmu Ya quickly ducked into the tall grass.

The creature stared as if it had seen a ghost, then darted away without a second glance.

The two of them looked at each other, completely baffled.

Duanmu Ya was the first to react. “Don’t let it get away. Hurry!”

Just as they leapt to their feet to chase it, a strong gust of wind blew behind them. In the very spot where they had just crouched, a massive wolf beast lunged down with razor-sharp claws that dug deep into the dirt. Its icy blue eyes locked onto them, devoid of emotion just like a predator eyeing two corpses.

A dozen more wolves, varying in size, emerged silently from the woods.

Yi Xian’s scalp tingled. If we hadn’t moved, we’d be dead by now. Fighting off one of these wolves would already be a life-or-death struggle. With this many, there was no hope. She realized then that she had truly stirred up a hornet’s nest.

Beside her, Duanmu Ya gaped at the slowly advancing wolves with their gaping jaws. “Don’t come any closer. I… I’m warning you—”

Yi Xian yelled at him. “Stop talking and run!”

Yi Xian moved faster than Duanmu Ya. All the desperate running of the past days had trained her well in escaping danger. Her explosive speed left Duanmu Ya far behind.

She shot forward, while he fell behind and was quickly surrounded by several wolves. In an instant, he became a helpless lamb awaiting slaughter.

“I am an alchemist! If you dare touch a single hair on me, the Duanmu family will hunt you down to the ends of the world—Ahhh! Yi Xian, help me!”

“Shut up! Use your fireballs! They’re afraid of your fire!”

Yi Xian nearly swore in frustration as she threw her dagger to block a blow aimed at Duanmu Ya. That meant sacrificing her best weapon.

Fortunately, the wooden block finally reacted in time. In a panic, he summoned several fireballs that drove the wolves back one by one.

One spark accidentally landed on the grass, and the flames quickly spread. A few trees caught the fireballs and let out agonized screams.

“Fire is forbidden in Elfa Forest, you damned human! You will face the wrath of the Elves. Ow! It burns!”

The sudden scolding left Duanmu Ya completely stunned. “Ah! What do we do now? What do we do?”

But the fire was out of control. Flames surged high, lighting up the entire forest in red. Duanmu Ya could only stand there helplessly.

One of the wolves transformed into a beastman. He pulled the dagger from another wolf’s paw. Bl00d sprayed across the ground. He sniffed the weapon and recognized the scent of wolf bl00d. His eyes turned crimson with rage.

“It was you, wretched slave, who killed our wolf prince. I will tear you to pieces.”

Oh great.

Duanmu Ya blinked. “Wait, the one we killed was a prince?”

Yi Xian felt her stomach twist. Just my luck. The wolf cub who killed so many was royalty. No wonder they’re so relentless.

“If you hunt others, you must be ready to be hunted in return. What gives beastmen the right to kill defenseless humans without consequence? Are we not allowed to fight back? That is the height of arrogance.”

Duanmu Ya clapped and fumed with righteous indignation. “Exactly! You’re absolutely right!”

The beastman threw the dagger into a tree trunk with a loud thud and howled at the sky. His voice echoed far and wide. The other wolves began closing in again, leaping over flames and glaring at them with murderous eyes.

Duanmu Ya whispered, “They really do look like they want to kill us.”

Yi Xian corrected him. “Not ‘look like.’ They do. But I’m their real target. I’ll draw them away. Use your fire to protect yourself. Take care.”

Without waiting for his response, she turned and ran down another path. Several gusts of wind followed closely. One in particular stayed right behind her.

The sense of death crept closer. Yi Xian rolled, but a wolf claw slashed across her back, leaving a fresh wound. Bl00d quickly filled the air.

Within moments, she was surrounded by ten wolves.

She kept chanting the Phantom Beast Art, flapping her wings at the last second to escape dismemberment. The wolves clawed at the ground, confused when they found no body. After exchanging puzzled glances, they began to scatter.

Yi Xian did not dare stay. Just as she turned, a gust of wind slammed into her. One paw struck her squarely, sending her tumbling. The spell failed, and she hit the ground hard, exposed before the wolves.

The madwoman inside her mind warned, “Your bl00d.”

The scent gave her away. Beastmen noses are the worst. She stepped back slowly, muttering the incantation again. But just like Duanmu Ya’s fireballs, the Phantom Beast Art often failed when most needed.

The lead wolf beast crept closer with its lips curled back, ready to devour her whole.
Yi Xian gave a grim smile.

“If I had another chance, I’d still kill him.”

The wolf howled in fury and raised his claws.

Just then, a soft force yanked her backward. She looked down and found a crowd of mouse minions carrying her away at high speed.

As for the wolf, its raised claw was suddenly wrapped in writhing mice. It flailed, trying to shake them off. The entire swarm had arrived, dark and overwhelming.

“Lord Yin Bao to the rescue!” Yi Xian thought.

The mice could only buy time. She asked quickly, “Have you seen Duanmu Ya?”

He was hanging from a tree, wrapped in vines like a cocoon, swinging like a trapped cicada. Somehow, he had angered the trees. The wolves trying to attack him had also been tightly bound and were unable to move.

Yi Xian moved to free him when he cried out, “No! Yi Xian, don’t touch me! If you do, they’ll get angry and whip me again.”

She blinked. “Whip you?”

Duanmu Ya’s face scrunched up. “Yes! It hurts like crazy. These damned trees.”

As soon as he spoke, several vines whipped across his body with loud cracks. His cries for mercy followed.

Yi Xian could already feel how painful it must be just by watching. For a pampered young master like him, it must be unbearable.

Then Lord Yin Bao snapped, “Why are you just standing there? We can’t hold them off much longer. Run!”

Yi Xian grabbed her dagger from a tree trunk. “Stay here. If I survive, I’ll come back for you.”

Duanmu Ya called out, “Yi Xian! You must come back! I don’t want to stay in this terrifying forest!”

His voice echoed behind her. I will survive. I must.

For nearly a month, she had been fleeing to escape the Beast Tribe and return to the human world. She could not die in Elfa Forest.

The madwoman warned, “You’ll die from bl00d loss. Stop the bleeding.”

Yi Xian shook her head. “If I stop now, they’ll catch me. Then I’ll die for sure.”

The Phantom Beast Art still failed. All she had left was a dagger.

She stopped running.

Lord Yin Bao had been urging her to move faster, but it froze at the sight of what stood before them, a golden lion beast shining with radiant light.

“Oh no. Wolves behind, lion ahead. We’re done for.”

The madwoman snapped, “Shut up. One less word and no one would miss you.”

Yi Xian said nothing.

She actually found me, she thought. I deliberately chose a time when Lan Tong wasn’t around. I should thank the city lord for helping me back then. Otherwise, this beast would’ve caught me within a day.

“Do you remember what I said?”

“You said you’d break my legs.”

Lan Tong’s eyes gleamed coldly as she looked Yi Xian over. Seeing no missing limbs, her expression softened slightly.

“Come back with me.”

Yi Xian shook her head and stepped back several times. That movement pushed Lan Tong past her limit. She began striding forward with a dark expression.

Yi Xian raised the dagger Lan Tong had once given her. “Lan Tong, I don’t want to hurt you. Don’t come any closer. Otherwise, today… one of us dies.”

Lan Tong seemed completely unfazed by the threat. To her, Yi Xian was just playing games. She was no threat at all.

And right then, the wolves arrived.

Yi Xian laughed bitterly. Everyone who has haunted my dreams is finally here.

“See? It’s not just you who wants to catch me. They want me dead. Today, I want to know which of you will succeed.”

The wolves hesitated when Lan Tong suddenly appeared, but their bloodlust did not fade. One of them lunged straight at Yi Xian. She gripped her dagger and instinctively shifted position. Deep down, she still felt this beast was safer than the wolves.

Lan Tong let out a fierce roar and transformed into a massive golden-maned lion. With a violent charge, she rammed the lead wolf attacking Yi Xian, sending it flying. She then pounced, locking her jaws around the wolf’s neck and viciously shaking it before tossing it aside like trash. The other wolves, startled, immediately turned to surround the golden lion.

Only two or three remained to attack Yi Xian. With Lan Tong bearing the brunt of the battle, Yi Xian felt a slight relief. But even facing two or three wolves was a deadly challenge.

Compared to escaping Lan Tong again, Yi Xian saw no sliver of hope.

The claws of the wolves tore her skin, leaving gashes that bled freely. She could not dodge in time, her movements sluggish. Shadows danced before her eyes.

The madwoman warned, “You have lost too much bl00d.”

Yi Xian knew. But knowing changed nothing. Am I really going to die here?

Lan Tong was beset by five or six wolves. When she saw Yi Xian suddenly collapse, she roared. Her powerful roar shook the air. She hurled the wolves off her and turned, her claws tearing one wolf open from behind. She swung the carcass into the others, flinging them aside.

Yi Xian was covered in bl00d and wounded all over. As she hovered near death, she felt only pain, sharp and constant, as if someone were treating her injuries.

Tsk. I’ve told her so many times it’s unhygienic. She just never listens.

Her companion cleaned every wound meticulously in the way she preferred. Then, for reasons unknown, she began moving toward Yi Xian’s face, conquering inch by inch. Yi Xian nearly exploded with rage. She opened her eyes to see those blue eyes brimming with worry and frustration.

Yi Xian wanted to scream. She reached out to push away that oversized head, but it would not budge. She had no choice but to let the beast take full advantage of her.

Ten wolves had charged in. After clashing once with Lan Tong, one was dead and most were injured. Even the lead wolf clutched its neck wound and transformed into a beastman. Supported by the others, he approached them.

“My Lord, have we wolves ever offended you?”

Lan Tong shot him a cold glance. She seemed reluctant to even acknowledge them, as if their mere presence was annoying. She easily picked Yi Xian up and said in a clear, warning tone, “She is mine.”

Yi Xian almost hit her.

The lead wolf looked confused, but one of the others whispered in his ear. He finally understood the connection between Yi Xian and Lan Tong, only to look even more bewildered.

“She is just a lowly human slave. With someone of your status, My Lord, why bother offending our wolf tribe for her? Hand her over, and we will present the Flower of the Wolf Tribe to you.”

The Flower of the Wolf Tribe was their most beautiful female beastwoman. Such unions within the tribe often resulted in pure-blooded offspring. Clearly, they meant this as a sincere offer.

Giving up the Flower of the Tribe for Yi Xian made no sense.

Yi Xian shut her eyes, trying to recover her strength. She could not be bothered with the disrespect these beasts showed to humans. She would deal with them once she had her strength back.

Lan Tong frowned with distaste. “No. Too ugly.”

Yi Xian lifted her eyelids and glanced at her. That serious expression and those deadly words made the surrounding wolves glare at Lan Tong with red faces. They had already been beaten soundly, so they dared not fight, but they were seething.

The lead wolf growled, “Which lord do you serve under? Our Wolf King has ties with Lord Huang. Perhaps we should—”

Trying to pressure her through connections now?

Yi Xian’s heart sank. They must suspect Lan Tong’s identity is fake and are testing her. If that fails, they’ll try brute force. They really won’t let this go.

Serve under? She’s just a wild lion hunting in the mountains. She barely eats once a day and scrapes by.

Honestly, Yi Xian would not mind if the wolves exposed Lan Tong’s identity. That would give her a chance to escape. But Lan Tong had just saved her life. If she ended up offending the entire wolf tribe because of her… that would be bad.

Lan Tong said simply, “Leave.”

The lead wolf trembled with fury. He pointed at her, his hand shaking.

“My Lord, this slave killed our wolf prince. No matter what, we must take her. You can protect her now, but not forever. Will you wait until our Wolf King personally demands her?”

Lan Tong radiated a terrifying presence. She replied coldly, “Then let him come.”

Yi Xian, “…”

The lead wolf nearly collapsed from rage. After a long silence, he led the others away.

Lan Tong let out a contemptuous snort. “Prince? Useless.”

Yi Xian was speechless. She really is shameless. There’s no peeling that thick skin. She pretended to sleep, letting the beast carry her swiftly through the forest. Her nerves, stretched thin for days, finally relaxed. Drowsiness crept in.

But she snapped awake. If I go back with her, whether or not she breaks my legs, she will definitely watch me like a hawk. Escape will become impossible.

Besides the wolves, the city lord still had eyes on her. That woman would not let her go so easily.

“Wait.”

“Trying to run again? Do you want me to break your legs?”

“I’m scared.”

Yi Xian softened her tone. “But did you forget about Little Lan?”

Lan Tong grunted. “Lead the way.”

Yi Xian directed her toward the trees. When they arrived, she struggled to get down, but Lan Tong held her tightly. Her arms clamped painfully around her.

“Little Lan won’t come out without seeing me.”

But the beast was unmoved. “Where?”

Yi Xian grew anxious. If Lan Tong takes me out of Elfa Forest, I’ll miss the chance to return to the human world with Duanmu Ya.

She subtly reached for her dagger.

Lan Tong grabbed her wrist, lifted her arm, and stared at her darkly. “Running again? That’s not enough.”

Of course, she had to run.

Yi Xian’s wrist felt like it was about to snap. She breathed deeply.

“No. I just wanted to get the dagger. If not for my friend, I would’ve been devoured by those wolves.”

Lan Tong narrowed her eyes. “Friend?”

Yi Xian pointed at Duanmu Ya, who still dangled from the tree like a forgotten ornament. Oddly, he had not reacted at all. Did he… die?

The other wolves were wrapped up like dumplings, also unresponsive. Strangely, the wolves that left had not retrieved their own kin.

Lan Tong eyed her suspiciously. “You’re not lying?”

Yi Xian nodded rapidly. This beast is getting harder to fool.

“If you don’t believe me, save him yourself. I’ll wait under the tree. I’m injured. I can’t outrun you anyway.”

Lan Tong replied with a grunt.

She really set Yi Xian down and took the dagger. With ease, she leapt into the tree. Yi Xian watched nervously from below, hoping the vines would trap Lan Tong like they had Duanmu Ya. But Lan Tong did nothing. She simply stared at him for a moment, then jumped down, tossed the dagger back to Yi Xian, and said, “Not saving him.”

Yi Xian blinked. “Why not?”

Lan Tong gave her a cold side glance. “I don’t feel like it.”

Yi Xian, “…”

Is this really the time to be moody?

She swallowed her frustration. Only one method remained.

She reached for Lan Tong’s hand, her fingers tracing lightly like a melody on piano keys.

“I’m going back with you. He and I will part ways. If you let him die, I’ll always remember that. If you save him, I’ll… do whatever you say.”

Lan Tong’s eyes lit up. She grabbed Yi Xian’s chin. “Swear it to the Beast God.”

Yi Xian’s face darkened. The Beast God? Really? Is he that bored?

She slapped Lan Tong’s hand away and glared. “Forget it. I’ll just owe him my life.”

Lan Tong grabbed her waist and bit her earlobe. Yi Xian yelped, about to elbow her, but the beast slipped away.

“I’ll deal with you later.”

She took the dagger and climbed the tree again. This time, she slashed the vines decisively. Duanmu Ya fell with a thud right at Yi Xian’s feet.

Yi Xian winced. If he wasn’t dead, that fall might’ve finished him.

Lan Tong’s pleased expression made it clear. She did that on purpose.

As she prepared to jump down, dozens of vines lashed out like a net. They wrapped around her arms, legs, waist, and throat. She snapped one, but more tangled her limbs. Her hands were pulled wide, her legs forced apart. Her dagger slipped and almost stabbed Duanmu Ya.

Yi Xian gasped at the sight. She checked his pulse and found that he was still alive, only unconscious.

She shook him hard.

“Wake up! Come on!”

She slapped him and pinched his face. Luckily, he groaned and stirred.

She exhaled in relief. “Get up. We have to go.”

Duanmu Ya’s face stung.

Lan Tong watched Yi Xian flee with reddening eyes. She howled.

“You lied to me. You dared to lie to me. Yi Xian! I will catch you! I will break your legs so you can never run from me again!”

Yi Xian shivered and did not look back. She dragged Duanmu Ya into the depths of the forest.

He followed blankly, still dazed. Whatever Yi Xian said, he did. They soon arrived at a blazing part of the forest, the same area they had accidentally set on fire earlier.

The heat jolted Duanmu Ya fully awake. “Ahhh! I started this! These trees are alive!”

Yi Xian nodded. Yes, alive. This whole forest seems sentient. She slumped to the ground, Lan Tong’s furious roar echoing in her mind. She really has gone mad.

Duanmu Ya panicked. “What do we do? Is there any way to put this out?”

Yi Xian did not know. But the madwoman spoke.

“The fire is too great. It has drawn the elves. They can extinguish it. But… you two—”

Before she finished, a familiar roar filled the air. It was powerful enough to shake Yi Xian’s heart.

“Was that Lan Tong breaking free?”

The madwoman replied, “Those vines could never hold her. You underestimate beastman strength.”

Yi Xian’s nerves were frayed. She could not sit still. Duanmu Ya was still fretting about the fire. They were like two desperate grasshoppers.

Then salvation descended from the sky.

They looked like angels. Each had striking features, male or female, with wings of various hues. They appeared like divine beings who had accidentally fallen to the mortal world.

“They’re high elves. You’re doomed.”

“Two humans.”

“What luck. Allies perhaps? Detain them. Let the elders question them later.” One elf ordered while the others set to work.

Ten elves formed a circle and chanted. Soon, although the sky was clear, torrential rain poured down. The fire was extinguished within moments.

It was as magical as Duanmu Ya’s fireballs.

Yi Xian and Duanmu Ya were taken into custody by two elves.

They did not resist.

“Take them.”

Duanmu Ya only behaved himself for a short while. On the way to being escorted into the High Elf territory, he suddenly came to his senses again, his mind clearing up.

“Yi Xian, who was that female beastman yelling at you just now?”

He really knew how to poke the sore spots.

Yi Xian did not want to answer, so she pretended not to hear him.

Duanmu Ya continued talking to himself. “She looked furious, like she was about to eat someone. Just thinking about it is terrifying. Oh, by the way, why does my face hurt so much? It feels like it’s burning. Was I scorched by fire or something?”

Yi Xian glanced at his face, which was swollen like a pig’s head. She hesitated over whether to tell him the truth that she had hit him. Surely men wouldn’t care about their appearance, right?

“Sorry. You were unconscious for a long time and I couldn’t wake you no matter what I tried. Maybe I used a bit too much force.”

Once he heard the explanation, Duanmu Ya waved his hand generously, indicating he didn’t mind at all.

But once they were locked up, there happened to be a small pond nearby. The water was clear enough to see the bottom. When Duanmu Ya saw his swollen, pig-like face, he screamed loudly, startling the elf guard on duty.

Yi Xian was speechless.

They had escaped the wolf tribe’s pursuit and also shaken off Lan Tong. Even though they were now imprisoned in a cramped space, Yi Xian felt rather relaxed. She leaned against a tree root and fell asleep. It wasn’t until someone shook her awake that she realized she had slept for a full three days.

Three days had passed, and much had happened.

Yi Xian learned everything from Duanmu Ya. Apparently, during those days, Lan Tong had fought several battles against the elves. She even took on ten elves by herself. In the end, only the intervention of an elf elder drove her out of Elfa Forest.

“Was she injured?”

“That part isn’t clear. But it’s said even the elder had to step in, so that lunatic must be incredibly strong. Yi Xian, was she the one you had to use the breath-concealing pill for?”

Yi Xian frowned ever so slightly. She did not like Duanmu Ya calling that beastwoman a lunatic. That one was far from stupid. Yi Xian also suspected that Lan Tong had not given up.

Duanmu Ya was a restless type. While Yi Xian slept through the past three days, he had already uncovered all sorts of gossip from within the elf tribe.

Even when she ignored him, he would keep going. “Apparently, something major happened among the elves recently. Something important was stolen, and even the Elf Queen got involved. Plus, there’s the forest fire we caused. Yi Xian, what do you think they’ll do to us?”

Yi Xian replied, “I don’t know.”

Soon after, the two of them were taken away separately for questioning. It turned out they were not being interrogated about the fire, but were instead suspected of being accomplices to the thief. This made both Yi Xian and Duanmu Ya completely confused.

“Why are they separating us? We’re clearly together.”

“Do not raise your voice.”

Yi Xian did not resist this arrangement. Compared to the beastmen, who often enslaved humans, the elves treated them quite well.

She was brought into a wooden house. Everything inside was crafted from wood. The most striking feature was a crystal ball the size of a human head placed at the center of the table. It emitted a green glow. Unlike the cheap crystal balls sold in markets, this one looked much more refined, and fleeting images seemed to flicker across its surface. But when she looked closer, they vanished.

Soon, an elf appeared. She wore a cloak and had long, snow-white hair, her face ageless and kindly. Yi Xian could not guess her exact age. According to Lord Yin Bao, High Elves were a long-lived race. Their average age ranged from three to five hundred years. Her shoulders were slightly elevated, which Yi Xian suspected marked the presence of elf wings.

“Human, sit.”

Yi Xian obeyed and sat down. “Elder, may I ask why you called me?”

The elder smiled kindly while observing her. “Place your hands on the crystal ball and focus on the thing you most desire. This crystal ball can reveal your future.”

The atmosphere shifted dramatically. It suddenly felt like she was dealing with a back-alley fortune teller. Or perhaps something closer to a seer.

Yi Xian was not someone who believed in fate. Rather than entrust her future to others, she would rather grasp it herself. However, a refusal now might seem suspicious.

So she willingly placed her hands on the crystal ball and stared into her reflection. Her face was still filthy, but her eyes gleamed with clarity. She suddenly remembered she had used this very face to seduce that beastwoman, Lan Tong.

That beastwoman really has strange tastes.

Yi Xian almost laughed aloud, but when she saw the elder still smiling kindly at her, she quickly composed herself and looked solemn.

A long moment passed, but nothing happened in the crystal ball. The elder waved her hand.

“That will do. Go back and wait for the results.”

Yi Xian had no idea what their intentions were. When Duanmu Ya returned, his experience was identical. Same crystal ball, same elf elder, same routine, no questions, just a touch on the crystal ball, then dismissed.

Duanmu Ya scratched his head. “When are they letting us out? I still need to catch that Di Huang Jing.”

Yi Xian had been meditating to recover. With the help of Lan Tong’s saliva and Duanmu Ya’s miracle pills, her external and internal injuries healed quickly. The only irritation was the scabbing, which made her itch.

Comparing her current condition with the injuries she had received in her previous fight with the half-beastmen, she suddenly asked, “Why do I feel like my body’s getting stronger?”

They had been constantly on the run before, so she had only done basic bandaging. Now that she had time to reflect, she realized the wounds from the wolf cub’s scratches had also healed within days. And back then, Duanmu Ya had not yet retrieved his storage pouch. All they used were wild herbs, not miracle pills.

The madwoman in her mind replied, “You were never an ordinary person. After so many brushes with death, both your agility and resilience have improved. Your constitution is growing stronger. One day, you will be very powerful.”

Yi Xian accepted this explanation happily. To become stronger, strong enough to easily defeat that beastwoman. Then she would never have to hear those threats again.

The next day, a stunning elf came to the cell and opened the door.

“You, come with me.”

Yi Xian pointed at herself. The little elf nodded sweetly.

“The elder said you are a respected guest of our elf tribe. You don’t need to stay here anymore.”

Duanmu Ya jumped in frustration. “Pretty one, little elf, sweetheart, what about me?”

But the elf only allowed Yi Xian to leave. She closed the cell door behind her and even stuck her tongue out at Duanmu Ya, making a playful face. The adorable gesture eased Yi Xian’s wariness a little.

“Stay here for now. I’ll check things out and tell you everything.”

“Yi Xian, please don’t abandon me. We promised to return to the human world together. You can’t break your word.”

Yi Xian knew what he feared. Although they had endured many hardships together, she realized that Duanmu Ya, despite his carefree appearance, had difficulty trusting others.

Perhaps he had experienced something traumatic before?

She had no time to dwell on it. The little elf led her to a guest room prepared for her. It included elf clothing and even a bath.

“If you need anything, just ring the wind chime. Tian Tian will come right away.”

“Thank you.”

This stark contrast in treatment made Yi Xian suspicious. She examined every corner of the room but found nothing unusual. Instead, she discovered some medicine for treating external injuries neatly placed with the clothes. It was thoughtful.

The madwoman commented, “Elves aren’t good at trickery. If they say you’re a guest, it means there’s something about you they value.”

Hearing that made Yi Xian feel more at ease. At some point, she had come to trust both Lord Yin Bao and the madwoman without hesitation.

With that in mind, Yi Xian enjoyed a long, relaxing bath. She nearly fell asleep in the wooden tub. Afterward, she applied the elf medicine. It had a cool, floral scent and felt soothing on her scars.

She called the elf named Tian Tian to help tidy up and asked a few questions. Tian Tian just shook her head, indicating she did not know. So Yi Xian inquired about the elf elder she had previously met.

Tian Tian beamed. “You’re looking for Granny Zhi?”

Yi Xian asked her to lead the way. She expected the little elf to decline, but Tian Tian agreed cheerfully, looking quite excited.

As they walked, Yi Xian saw many elves flying in midair. There were both males and females. It was a pleasant sight. She looked around curiously while the elves watched her with equal curiosity. These gazes only faded once they reached the elder’s residence.

Granny Zhi, the elf elder, seemed to have been waiting for her. She was smiling, and the tea was already prepared.

Yi Xian got straight to the point. “Elder, can you release my other friend, too?”

Granny Zhi shook her head. “Releasing you was the decision of the entire elf tribe. But your friend did something harmful. He started a fire that killed over ten treefolk. What’s more, he may actually be the thief we’re trying to catch.”

Yi Xian froze.

So the rumor was true. Something important really had gone missing from the elves?