It's almost a threat. However, the elf's face did not have the anger or sarcasm that Ed had expected, and he looked at the dark forest, with only a trace of exhaustion and sadness in his eyes.

Then he glanced at him and threw down a faint sentence: "...... Follow me. ”

Ed was stunned for a moment before he reacted, Xiaobai had already pounced briskly, passed Fei Rui in three or two, and disappeared among the dense branches and leaves.

The staircase that spirals over the oak trees is narrow and steep enough to fit only one toe – and there are no handrails next to it. Genie...... or leopards, they may be able to walk on the ground, but Ed, who is a human, walks trembling...... Especially when there was a group of glowing little things buzzing around in front of him, making him dizzy and frightened.

He did not dare to reach out to drive them away. Even though he had healed his hands, they didn't pounce on him again, and he still felt palpitations at the thought of the sharp pain in his fingertips.

Will he be able to control them?...... They seem to be controlled by someone in the first place, so it should be okay?......

As always, Ed was distracted, but he didn't fall headlong under the tree, and it was only after a while that he suddenly realized that something was not quite right.

They have penetrated deep into the canopy. The thick trunks of the oak trees stretched outward, supporting the delicate houses. The meandering passages are intertwined, making this world, hidden in the canopy, feel like a human castle...... It's just that the castle is empty, and it seems that there are no other elves besides them.

The empty court where Payne lived also looked empty - there were many elves hiding in the shadows, but they weren't empty...... It was as if it had been abandoned, silent and desolate.

He looked up at Ferry's silent back, his lips moving slightly, and countless questions were churning in his head, but in the end none of them were asked.

He didn't like Ferry...... But at this moment, that lonely back inexplicably reminded him of Scott.

The oak trees are tall - the road is long. Ed secretly added a spell to himself to climb to the top without blushing and panting...... If it weren't for the damn light mist that swooped down on him like a bee that smelled flowers when he cast his spell, he could have "sneaked around".

They didn't hurt him, they just caused him to almost trip and fall to the ground. Fortunately, Murray was preoccupied, Finway was silent, and Fairy didn't look back at all...... He can just bite the bullet and pretend that nothing happened.

And, he believed that this time it wasn't his delusion - there were really more of them, so many that he was a little creepy.

Feed on magic...... And then multiplies quickly? If so, this thing can be used as a powerful weapon, but it is also extremely dangerous.

Ferry finally stopped.

In front of them was a circular platform, perched on top of the treetops, unpretentious by human standards, and the only decoration was the starlight leaking from the leaves.

In the center of the platform stands a half-human-high altar, just below the newly grown branches at the very top of the trunk. The center of the altar was slightly sunken, and a small puddle of water shimmered in the starlight like a wooden basin. And Xiaobai stood upright and lay on the side of the altar...... Drink.

Fei Rui's body froze visibly. The muscles in the corners of Ed's eyes jumped, and he didn't know whether to use "it's not an ordinary leopard" or "it's just a leopard" to make the scene in front of him understandable.

The perpetrator casually stuck out his pink tongue and licked the tip of his nose, turning his head to look at them innocently, as if he still despised how they could crawl so slowly.

Out of the corner of his eye, Elven Elder's arm trembled distinctly. Ed hurriedly rushed out to stop in front of him before he could control his shot and beat the cat, and shouted: "Xiaobai Xiaobai!"

Xiaobai ignored him.

The white leopard's fleshy claws slapped into the water, and the splash flew high, and the water-stained leaves above the altar swayed and rained droplets.

Ed was dumbfounded.

The white leopard, who had had had enough of playing, licked his paws, and then wandered to Ed's feet, and lay down as if no one was around.

Ed stood on tiptoe, craned his neck to take a look, and smiled back at Fairy: "It's still ...... And the ...... of water."

There was indeed a little water at the bottom of the basin, faintly reflecting the starlight—though he didn't know what it was for.

That's rain, or dew. It's pure, but that's it. There was a lot of life and power here, but that power came from the ancient oak tree itself, not from the seemingly sacred altar...... Or that little bit of water inside.

Fei Rui glared at him, the frozen mask as if it was crumbling in anger.

“...... This is the sacred place of the Silver Leaf Clan. His eyes were gloomy.

"But," Ed scratched his chin, feigning a fool, "the tree isn't angry." ”

It's the truth.

He's not an elf, but he's been flying to Whitestone Island in a gust of wind since he was in a vault beneath Lockburg...... His perception of the world has become unusually acute.

He could even be sure that the tree, instead of being offended and blasphemed, was very happy, and the young leaves above the altar swayed in the breeze, as if beckoning Xiaobai to continue playing.

Xiaobai raised his head and roared lazily, as if in response.

The dense foliage of the old oak rustled around them...... There was a rustle between the whole heaven and earth. Tree shadows swaying in the starlight...... The starlight swayed among the shadows of the trees, cold and gentle.

Anger subsided imperceptibly in this peace. Fieri walked to the altar, hesitated for a moment, and reached out to the trunk.

For a long time, he spent many hours standing here, looking up or down, looking out of reach in the night sky...... Or the ethereal starlight on the water, trying to find a little guidance from it.

They didn't give him an answer.

It was he who forgot that the name "Silver Leaf" came not only from the eternal light sprinkled from the sky, but also from this tree-like tree rooted in the earth...... Even though it had been burned black by the flames of the dragon thousands of years ago, it still sprouted tenaciously from the scorched earth, regrowing into a giant tree that could give them shelter.

"Our souls may one day return to the stars, but this is the ...... Our lives are still based on this earth. ”

Not long ago, Payne Silver Leaf was standing here, calmly telling him.

They never got to know each other...... Nor did he ask him for any help. But that doesn't mean he doesn't know anything and won't do anything.

Under the silver tree, the roots and veins are connected.

“...... Do you want to hear it?" he said suddenly, with a sense of nostalgia and relief in his voice that he hadn't even noticed.

In fact, he has never forgotten the original song dedicated to this world.

.