Chapter Seventeen: The Wild Elf (Part One)

“Don’t kill them all.” Wei Wuji strolled over slowly, but his words, at least for now, saved these bear sprites from certain death. “I still have questions for them.”

The Hegel couple followed Wei Wuji, trembling. Mrs. Serra shivered, and Hegel held her waist tightly, gently patting her hand in reassurance. He had come to trust Wei Wuji, though he had no idea how Amonge, that half-baked sailor, had come to know such an extraordinary man.

The effects of the True Water Talisman from the Northern Sea had not yet faded. As the Hegel couple walked, the space around them seemed strangely altered, as if liquid flowed nearby, still shielding them. Should any sudden attack occur within a certain time, the talisman’s power would manifest to protect its targets.

“Why not kill them?” Gamio was still somewhat resentful of having been pushed from the tree as bait by Wei Wuji. Yet, after witnessing Wei Wuji dispatch three ogres—each empowered by bloodthirst magic—with a mere gesture, he had to concede. If Gamio himself faced three ogres, he wouldn’t be afraid, but three against one, his strength would be at a disadvantage, and the ogres’ bloodthirst magic greatly increased their power. He could only rely on his speed to delay, waiting for the bloodthirst effect to wane, then use divide-and-conquer tactics to slay them one by one, which would certainly take considerable time. If it were Layard instead, the mage’s attack power surpassed Gamio’s; facing one ogre, even one enhanced by bloodthirst, Layard’s shadow magic—between spell and pseudo-spell—could quickly end the fight, though not as swiftly as Wei Wuji. Against three ogres, if the mage didn’t retreat, he might manage to kill two, but the third would inevitably close in, making the outcome unpredictable. If he fought while retreating, killing all three would still require time.

Yet before them, this man had dispatched all three ogres in a single, clean strike—decisive, efficient. Among those performing special missions for Commineson, even the formidable Leonardo might not be able to do so; perhaps only the Leader, yes, only the Leader could surpass this man.

Gamio and Layard compared their abilities to his, realizing soberly that it was best to heed Wei Wuji’s words, not to defy him, or else they’d pay dearly. Moreover, his intentions seemed not hostile towards Hegel, so their greatest concern could be set aside.

“Don’t you think someone is missing?” Wei Wuji snorted coldly.

“Oh no, Miss Cecily is gone.” Gamio’s face changed slightly.

“This place is too dangerous. We’re still halfway to Commineson’s temporary base—at least several hundred kilometers. Mr. Hegel, for your safety, I believe you should go somewhere secure first. Gamio will escort you two ahead, and this gentleman and I will stay to search for Miss Cecily,” Layard said quickly, glancing anxiously at Wei Wuji, fearing he would refuse.

But it was Mr. Hegel who declined. “Until Cecily is found, I will not take another step forward.”

Layard let out a pained cry. Wei Wuji glanced at him and said, “Where you go is not my concern. But you’d best not use force or coercion in front of me to make Mr. Hegel or the lady do anything—otherwise, you’ll end up like those three brutes.”

Wei Wuji mimed the Seven Fiends Geng Sword Slash—a gesture that failed to intimidate the seasoned Commineson revolutionaries, but terrified the bear sprites lying on the ground.

“We didn’t capture the young lady.” One bear sprite, who spoke the common tongue fairly well, mustered the courage to defend himself.

“That’s not the answer I want.” Wei Wuji’s gaze hardened. “Think carefully before you reply. When I formally ask, if your answer displeases me, those three ogres will be your example. Hmm, they’ve finally stopped breathing.” After a period of agony, the three ogres died; Wei Wuji nodded in satisfaction.

Without waiting for the bear sprites to confer, Wei Wuji barked, “Enough, it’s time for formal questions. Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the young lady, or can provide clues, will live. If you deceive me, I’ll cut you to pieces…”

The bear sprites shivered; those who had considered lying quickly abandoned the idea. Yet silence was also fatal. The same bear sprite braced himself and said, “Sir, forcing us won’t help. We truly did not capture the young lady. If we lie, you’ll kill us. If we say nothing, you’ll also kill us.”

Wei Wuji paused, realizing his methods were indeed too crude; some things could not be resolved by violence alone. Either way, the sprites would not offer anything useful.

“Ahem, then tell me about the surroundings—are there any powerful individuals or forces nearby?” Wei Wuji restrained his murderous aura and questioned gently.

“There, there’s a group of wild spirits nearby,” the sprites replied, showing a look of both hatred and fear when mentioning the wild spirits.

“What are wild spirits?” Wei Wuji immediately turned to Gamio and Layard.

Layard, well-versed in lore, explained at once. “Elves are one of the earliest races on this continent. During the war between dragons and giants, elves had already become a force to be reckoned with. Their fertility is low, but compared to dragons and giants, it’s still higher. Elves possess a unique understanding of magic; they worship their main deity, and maintain good relations with druids, who venerate the god of nature. As individuals in battle, elves are adept in both magic and martial arts; their priests and elders wield divine powers, making them formidable combat units. Yet even so, the Elven Empire inevitably declined.

In ancient times, the elves split: a group broke away from the surface empire and moved underground, forming the current dark elves. From then on, both became mortal enemies, greatly weakening the empire and challenging the social structure where upper elves ruled over lower elves. Objectively, had it not been for this split, the later orc challenge to elven dominance would not have been so successful.

After humans came to rule the continent, elves retreated to the northern forests. Within human territory, no complete elven tribes remain. Yet there are exceptions. Humans have long fought elves in the north, mutual slaughter is common. Humans had an extra option: they captured elves, trained them as slaves, and traded them. Elves are exceedingly beautiful, male or female, making them prized playthings for the nobility.”