Chapter Seventy-Six: Guards with Clubs

Lei Xiang’s eyes flickered, a trace of an almost imperceptible smile flashed across his face, then vanished, and his expression became unusually calm. At this moment, the Queen of the Azure Elves turned over the large peanut, snapping the two halves of the shell together so tightly it was as if they had been forged as one. With a casual flick, she tossed the peanut shell into her storage pouch. Though her face was veiled in black cloth, her cheerful mood was evident in the tone of her voice.

“Haha, Lei Xiang, you don’t know what this is, do you? It’s called a Communication Dewdrop, a rare spiritual artifact of our elven race. Legend has it that it lies hidden beneath the sand, taking a thousand years to mature, and only the dewdrops of early spring can nourish its growth. Up till now, our ancestors have unearthed only a few dozen of these dews. After a complex refining process, only six Communication Dewdrops were successfully created. They allow communication over vast distances, though each requires a unique incantation. Different incantations activate different communication channels, allowing connection with specific individuals…”

Lei Xiang thought to himself, “In my previous life, we all had cell phones—how could I not understand this so-called Communication Dewdrop?” Out loud, he replied indifferently, “Why is Her Majesty suddenly introducing this artifact? Have you changed your mind? It seems I still have my uses, as long as I’m not to be used as the main ingredient for some elixir of immortality. If that’s the case, I’ll take my own life early, let my flesh rot, and you’ll have nothing fit for your alchemy, ha!”

The Queen was clearly taken aback, not expecting such words from Lei Xiang. She chuckled, “Little brother, you truly are shrewd. I enjoy conversing with clever people. So, let’s make a deal: help me with something, and I’ll send you back to your world. You needn’t be a stud for us, nor my slave. What say you?”

“Oh?” Lei Xiang’s expression remained unchanged, as if he had long since seen through her intentions. “You don’t want me as breeding stock but want me to do something for you instead. So what exactly am I to be? Perhaps a guest elder of your Azure Elf clan?”

The Queen shook her head. “Our nation has no such position. What I want is for you to become a Staff-Bearing Guardian—my personal protector, second only to me, above all others. What do you think? Is there any need to hesitate?”

“Staff-Bearing Guardian?” Lei Xiang nearly laughed aloud. What a ridiculous title. After a moment of thought, he spoke. “I have two questions. First: what exactly is a Staff-Bearing Guardian? Second: what is it you need me to do, and how long before I can return to my own continent?”

The Queen seemed unsurprised by his questions and explained slowly, “The Staff-Bearing Guardian is an official position. Once your abilities have improved, I’ll bring you to claim the staff. As for the timeframe, I guarantee it will be very short—about three months. In that period, you must learn a cultivation technique, one of the highest of our clan. If you reach basic mastery, you can carry out the task. If you fail, you’ll be nothing more than a breeding stud for me. Understand?”

“But I still want to know, just what is it you want me to do? Surely it’s not truly about the elixir of immortality?”

A hint of displeasure crept into the Queen’s voice. “Lei Xiang, I’ve already answered your questions patiently. In the Azure Elf clan, no one dares speak to me this way. You’d best figure out if you have any bargaining chips. If you anger me, I’ll take your vital essence now, drain you dry, and toss your body into the street well to let my people ravage you to death.”

Unfazed by the Queen’s threat, Lei Xiang replied with utter nonchalance, “I believe you, but I believe even more that you won’t do that to me—because I’m useful, very useful! Haha. Now, give me that staff, and I’ll get right to work.”

The Queen was nearly beside herself with rage, her veil fluttering with her heavy breathing. Yet she truly had no recourse; this outsider was indeed valuable. If she missed this chance, it might be centuries before such a prodigy appeared again. Though elves live far longer than humans, even the Queen could not guarantee her own longevity, and above all, her plan could not proceed without him.

Stifling her anger, she summoned a plantain leaf treasure, grabbed Lei Xiang, and leapt onto it. With a thought, the plantain leaf soared off.

The plantain leaf glided above the endless forest. Lei Xiang’s eyes flashed with blue light, allowing him to see the many azure elves dwelling among the trees. No wonder the Queen’s palace was built atop a towering tree—living in the treetops was their custom.

The plantain leaf landed atop a massive tree, its trunk thick and metallically gleaming, though it bore only a few leaves. Twenty fathoms above the ground, nestled in the crook of a huge branch, was a giant bird’s nest. Lei Xiang entered, surprised not at the lack of birds, but at the absence of any foul smell.

The Queen, leading the way, suddenly stopped and turned to Lei Xiang. “This is the place. The staff you must claim is sealed here, but you lack the strength to wield it now. Once you master our clan’s divine art, you’ll be able to control it. That will be the staff’s true awakening. For now, return to your cultivation. Bathe in the Royal Pool tonight. Time is precious—train without delay.”

Lei Xiang listened in silence, eyeing the lever before him. Suddenly, he dashed forward, reaching for the handle. The Queen cried out and struck with her jade palm, sending him crashing into the side of the nest, black wood chips flying. “Lei Xiang, are you trying to get yourself killed? I told you you’re not strong enough! If you release it now, even I may not be able to control it. Let me tell you the truth: this staff is a sentient artifact, sealed here by our ancestors. No one has ever mastered it.”

Lei Xiang thought a moment before speaking. “What kind of cultivation technique does your clan have that can control such a spiritual staff? If that’s the case, why hasn’t anyone in your tribe learned it and claimed the staff?”

The Queen shook her head and smiled bitterly. “This staff is a relic from ten thousand years ago, a treasure from another world, not something we can master at will. Our ancestors sealed it here. Three centuries ago, a stranger broke in, attempted to steal the staff, and almost succeeded. Only the combined efforts of our four elders defeated him and resealed the staff, though two elders perished and the other two were grievously wounded, unable to advance further and soon died as well. Luckily, we have devised a technique that can control the staff, but our people are unsuited to it.”

Her voice fell to a near-whisper. Lei Xiang did not interrupt, waiting patiently until she composed herself and waved a hand. “This technique is called Azure-Gold Convergence. Go rest now. Tomorrow I’ll arrange for someone to instruct you. Within three months you must reach the third layer of mastery to control the staff. Only then can you serve me; otherwise, your fate is to be breeding stock. Go.”

Lei Xiang slowly got to his feet, circled the lever twice without a word, and quietly left the great nest.

Lei Xiang wandered through the forest at a languid pace, yet in that unhurried manner, he had covered twenty miles. No one could have guessed what he was thinking. In truth, he was communicating via spiritual sense with Zhu Chi, the spirit residing in his mind-sea. “Master, you’ve been silent ever since we arrived in the elven lands. At least share an opinion?”

A sigh echoed from his mind-sea. “Lei Xiang, I’ve never been to this elven realm. I know nothing about it. What could I say? Besides, you’ve lost all your spiritual power. Frankly, it’s already fortunate not to have become that old witch’s stud. Your only hope is to find a way out quickly. I warned you—the spatial rift is extremely unstable. Even if you shatter space with the Palm-Launcher Immortal Gun, you may not emerge in your own world. I know you’re resourceful. What trick do you have this time?”

Lei Xiang smiled wryly. “Resourcefulness is useless here. No magic or spiritual arts will work, only my single remaining Celestial Crystal round for the Palm-Launcher Immortal Gun. Still, I’m confident the Queen won’t dare harm me for now—she must need me for something crucial. Once I master the Azure-Gold Convergence and claim the staff, I’ll have the power to seek escape. Only a fool would believe she truly means to send me home. I’ll have to rely on myself.”

Zhu Chi’s reply came as a mind-thought. “You must have a plan already, don’t you?”

Lei Xiang grinned. “Heh, of course I do, but I’ll need strength first. Still, Master, I sensed the staff really is extraordinary and seems somehow fated for me. Even the Greedy Mouth, who’s lain dormant in my pouch for days, became agitated near the staff, crawling restlessly about until it finally settled down just now.”

“Greedy Mouth? That glutton sensed something?” Zhu Chi’s tone grew solemn. “Lei Xiang, I agree with your assessment. That ironwood staff is not ordinary. If I’m not mistaken, it too is a relic of the Ten-Thousand-Year Meteor Shower.”

Lei Xiang halted. “Meteor Shower? Could it be another fragment of a spirit treasure from the ancient war between immortals and demons?”