We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 242 The Ruins of the Elven Temple
In this situation, even if Hunter had never been in contact with him, he would still be accused of harboring outsiders.

Not to mention, he did indeed protect Xia En, which cannot withstand scrutiny!

Xia En's mind raced, and he asked Mu Mu.

Where will the executioner take old Hunter?

In any case, Old Hunter's unexpected misfortune is inextricably linked to Shane.

He couldn't just leave old Hunter to be executed.

Upon hearing this, Mu Mu asked in surprise, "What...what do you want to do?"

"Of course we're going to save old Hunter, otherwise, are we just going to watch him die?"

Xia En replied matter-of-factly, "By the way, do you know any other elders among the tree people? Preferably those with higher status."

"I'm serious about getting to know you, but..."

Mu Mu looked bitter: "I don't know who is trustworthy and who is not."

“Yesterday, Grandpa Hunter told me that my uncles and elders might side with the [Giant Tree God] at any moment…”

"Grandpa said that the only person I can trust is myself..."

Despite being betrayed by both her best friend and childhood sweetheart yesterday, and nearly having the "seed of corruption" planted in her, Mumu is still managing to remain calm.

But now, even its only support, Old Hunter, has been taken away, and Mumu finally couldn't help but panic, as if it had lost its backbone.

Ultimately, considering the lifespan of a tree-person, Mumu is still just a naive and inexperienced teenager.

Its current performance is already quite resilient.

Xia En had already made up his mind and acted swiftly.

"In that case, let's go find any elder that you feel is relatively trustworthy."

Mumu murmured, "The most reliable one should be Elder Iris, who is Grandpa Hunter's closest friend."

Xia En decisively said, "Then let's find it."

Mumu was still somewhat apprehensive: "But what if Elder Iris also..."

This series of tragic experiences has made the young tree-man somewhat paranoid, fearing that he might be betrayed again.

At this moment, Xia En said firmly.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

Confused, Mu Mu lowered her head, looking at his tall and upright figure and listening to his calm and composed tone. Her heart calmed down for no reason, and a sense of confidence arose within her.

"If it's him, maybe he really can help my grandfather and me get through this crisis..."

With that thought in mind, Mu Mu no longer hesitated and decisively said, "Please come with me."

"I'll show you the way."

……

……

As a native of the City of Giant Trees, Mumu is far more familiar with the city than Xia En and the other two.

Therefore, they knew a few hidden routes forward, and since Xia En and the other person were disguised, they were able to get through the journey without any major incidents.

Led by Mumu, the group soon arrived at a particularly special forest.

Here, the surrounding woods present a different appearance.

The tree trunk and leaves are grayish-black, and the bark, like the tree-man Mumu, is withered and shriveled, looking particularly dull and lifeless.

It stands out starkly from the nearby forest, which is an exceptionally vibrant, even somewhat glaring, green.

What surprised Xia En the most was...

Upon arriving in this area, the malice in the forest seemed to lessen, no longer giving one the feeling of being constantly threatened.

After witnessing firsthand the true nature of the Seed of Corruption and the City of Giant Trees.

Xia En already knew that in this city, one should never use the appearance of things as a standard of measurement.

The area that appears to be full of life is actually a rotting, decaying carpet of flesh.

Perhaps this seemingly eerie and secluded forest is actually a rare haven of peace in the City of Giant Trees?
Seemingly noticing Xia En's curious gaze, Mu Mu explained in a low voice.

"We call this place the Black Forest, and it seems to have looked like this for many years."

"The reformers have always claimed that this forest is a cursed land, a territory rejected by the [Giant Tree God]."

"Therefore, they rarely venture deep into the forest, and their control over it is very limited."

"Elder Iris and his people live deep within this forest."

On the way here, Shane had already learned a little about Elder Iris from Mumu.

Strictly speaking.

Iris was neither a conservative nor a reformer.

Using the terminology used by the Tree People, they should be classified as belonging to the reclusive faction.

In short, it means neither supporting the old gods nor turning to worship new ones.

They sought to transcend the two major factions and simply wanted to live a life of peace and tranquility.

This is one of the reasons why Mumu didn't dare to come to Iris at first.

After all, it couldn't be sure what Iris's attitude would be towards this matter, or whether she would stand idly by.

However, although Iris advocated maintaining neutrality and wanted to live in seclusion in the Black Forest.

However, as the conflict between the two factions intensifies, it is difficult to avoid involving members of the reclusive faction in their clashes.

It's very simple.

Tree people who live in seclusion will always have relatives and friends who are either conservatives or reformers.

For example, Iris herself was a close friend of Hunter.

If these close associates are affected in the clash between the two factions, can the reclusive faction still remain aloof from the world?
Ultimately, the more intense the struggle, the less room there is for neutral parties.

Things have developed to this point.

As the leader of the reclusive faction, Aerys had to make the final decision.

After learning these inside details, Shane became even more confident about the operation.

Not long after the group entered the Black Forest.

In a corner of the forest, the branches and leaves of the trees suddenly swayed, and an undercurrent of tension surged within them.

Mumu was startled and immediately looked in that direction warily.

Xia En stepped forward, blocking Mu Mu's path, and said, "Senior, why hide your true colors?"

"Why not come forward and have a frank discussion?"

“…Human?”

A slightly surprised voice came from the dark forest.

But soon, a hint of fear crept into that voice.

"No... what exactly are you...?"

Clearly, the one lurking in the shadows was trying to see through the true nature of Shane's [Projected Body], and thus saw something he shouldn't have seen, which caused him some fear.

By this time, Xia En had already realized it—

It seems that the more powerful and inspired a being is, the more terrified they become when facing a [projected body].

On the contrary, Mu Mu, a young man who knows nothing, doesn't seem to notice anything unusual.

At this point, Shane frankly said, "Who I am is not important."

"The important thing is that your [City of Giant Trees] is about to face annihilation!"

"All the tree people in this city will face destruction."

Upon hearing this, the other party immediately retorted, "Nonsense!"

"The City of Giant Trees was perfectly peaceful, so where did this catastrophic disaster come from? Where did this devastating end come from?"

Xia En couldn't help but glance at the direction from which the sound came with a look of pity.

"It seems you really don't know anything..."

That pitying gaze only fueled the anger of the rebuttal. As the sea surged, a gigantic tree-man, seven or eight meters tall, emerged from the dark forest.

The rough, withered tree face was filled with anger, and its voice boomed like a bell.

What do you mean?

"I know nothing? Then what do you know?"

Upon seeing the tree-man, Xia En couldn't help but breathe a slight sigh of relief.

Although this tree-man was taller and had slightly darker bark, overall, it still looked dry and ugly, just like Mumu.

Clearly, they have not yet accepted the Seed of Corruption.

If even the treants of the Black Forest become believers of the Giant Tree God, then the City of Giant Trees will probably truly have no pure land left.

Facing the menacing tree-man, Xia En remained calm and said indifferently.

"Take us to Elder Iris quickly."

"Big guy, you don't want the City of Giant Trees to perish because of your negligence, do you?"

"……Um?"

The giant tree-man was stunned.

It always felt that what the other person said sounded fine, but upon closer inspection, it felt that something was off.

Isn't it here to give these people a warning?

How did it become about guiding people?

Below, Mumu looked up anxiously and said, "Uncle Wendt, please, we really have something very important to report to Elder Iris."

Mumu had visited the Black Forest several times and naturally became acquainted with some of the hermit tree people.

Seeing Mumu's anxious expression, the big tree man was also a little embarrassed and muttered something.

"But Lady Iris said that no one else is allowed to enter the Black Forest..."

Just as it was still hesitating.

A faint sigh echoed from the depths of the Black Forest.

"Alright, Wendt, let them in."

Upon hearing this voice, the giant tree-man immediately adopted a respectful expression.

"Yes, Lady Iris."

Then, the treant Wendt glanced at Shane and the others with a complicated expression: "Although I still think you're exaggerating, since Lord Iris has spoken..."

"You guys, come with me."

With Wendt leading the way, Shane and his group encountered no further obstacles and successfully entered the depths of the Black Forest.

Along the way, Shane also met other hermit tree people.

However, unlike the conservative and reformist tree people, these reclusive tree people are mostly in a strange state of slumber.

Even when approached, they showed no signs of waking up.

It gives one the feeling of becoming one with this dark forest, breathing with the forest.

Xia En silently memorized what she saw and continued forward.

A moment later, they arrived in front of a black tree that was several times larger than Wendt.

This tree is at least forty or fifty meters tall, and its trunk requires dozens of people to wrap their arms around it. You can only see most of its body by looking up.

Seriously speaking, it's even more exaggerated than Shane's size after he transforms into a giant.

Such a massive body is actually quite rare among underwater tree people.

Seemingly due to water pressure and seawater erosion, or perhaps to reduce energy loss, the treants in the City of Giant Trees are generally limited in size, becoming much smaller than those on the island.

Tree-men are generally under ten meters tall; those approaching ten meters are considered large.

Of course, this miniature size is relative to tree people; compared to humans, they still naturally have an advantage in size.

Despite these numerous restrictions, this tree-man still dared to maintain such a large body.

This demonstrates its formidable strength.

Despite facing a tree-man several times his size, Shane remained unfazed and took the initiative to ask.

"You are Iris?"

"it's me."

Iris replied, "If I'm not mistaken, you are the outsider who caused the riot in the City of Giant Trees yesterday, aren't you?"

Shane nodded: "More important than that, I want to ask if you know that Hunter has been taken away by the executioners?"

Upon hearing this, Iris turned her gaze to Mumu beside her and sighed again.

"I'm sorry about what happened with Hunter."

Mumu was stunned.

Iris's words clearly implied that she already knew Hunter had been taken away by the executioners.

So, even it intends to stand by and watch its predicament end?
Iris continued, "It's not that I don't want to, but that I can't."

As they were speaking, a tremor suddenly came from beneath the ground, as if the entire seabed was shaking slightly.

Xia En saw several roots wriggling in the mud and sand, seemingly trying to break through the soil, but it seemed extremely difficult for them.

Iris smiled wryly and said, "As you can see, I have become one with this forest and this seabed."

"My body is still here, but my roots have long since penetrated to an unknown depth underground."

"It's almost impossible for it to spring up from the ground."

Its gaze then fell upon the other tree-people in the Black Forest, and it murmured in a complex tone.

"Actually, it's not just me; most of the hermit tree people have chosen this way of integrating with the Black Forest."

"Although it has fallen into a deep sleep, it can greatly reduce the energy required for survival."

"And the day that deity returns will be the day we awaken."

Upon hearing this, Xia En suddenly understood.

This group of reclusive individuals appears to be a neutral force within the Tree People.

In reality, however, they chose a way of life that differed from both factions.

The conservatives stubbornly clung to their past beliefs, struggling to hold on.

The reformers embraced the [Giant Tree God], thereby gaining a longer lifespan.

The reclusive faction, on the other hand, is like burying dormant embers, hoping that future deities will awaken them.

It's hard for Xia En to judge who is right and who is wrong.

But right now, the idea of ​​borrowing power from Iris seems to have failed.

Shain even suspected that Iris might already know the truth about the Seed of Life and the malice of the Giant Tree God.

They also knew that with the power of the tree people, they simply could not prepare for a counterattack.

That's why they chose such a negative and pessimistic approach, placing their hopes on the future.

In this way, the image stone in Shane's possession that reveals the true nature of the [City of Giant Trees] will be much less effective.

'pity.'

Xia En sighed inwardly, but was not discouraged.

With Iris's help, all the better; without it, nothing can stop his original plan.

However, there was one crucial question he didn't ask.

"Elder Iris, do you know where the Elven Temple in the City of Giant Trees is located?"

Upon hearing this question, Iris paused for a moment, then gave a wry smile.

"Where is there any elven temple left?"

“That place was long ago crushed into ruins by the [Giant Tree God].

"If we have to put it in perspective, the execution grounds of the executioners were the ruins of the Elven Temple."

(End of this chapter)