459: Chapter 442 Training Pilots

Clan Grounds.

Zhang Mu stepped out of the Portal, looked up at the dimming sky, and walked toward his room.

The sufficient fertilizer and dispersal tools Neo had gathered were all stored in his inventory, ready for the treatment to begin at any time, but Zhang Mu planned to head back to his temporary residence first.

It wasn't because he had left any personal belongings in the room, but...

Zhang Mu stopped in the corridor and looked ahead.

In front of a room about a hundred meters away, Frederica was pacing back and forth with her hands behind her back, muttering to herself from time to time.

As expected.

Zhang Mu walked over, feeling somewhat amused. "Why don't you just knock?"

Frederica looked up, surprised. "You're up this early?"

"I... more or less."

"What do you mean 'more or less'?"

"Nothing. Come on, let's head out for a bit."

After saying that, he turned and walked toward the entrance of the clan grounds, and Frederica jogged a few steps to catch up.

As they walked side by side, she asked curiously, "Where are we going?"

"The Forest of Spirits. I've prepared everything needed to save the life tree. I just need to survey the environment one more time before we can start."

Despite it being a matter of her own life and death, Frederica didn't seem to care much. She simply nodded in response and then excitedly began talking about the "travel plan" she had stayed up all night to create.

Zhang Mu listened for a while and couldn't help but chuckle.

This wasn't a journey of exploration; it was clearly a vacation.

The first stop Frederica envisioned was "Zitan City," which wasn't very far from the clan grounds.

It was a city located at the edge of a mountain range, with crisscrossing river channels outside the city walls.

By some coincidence, the mountains behind the city were not inhabited by magical beasts or monsters. Its geographical location was far from precious resources, which made it difficult for the city's economy to develop, but it also ensured that no one coveted it.

According to the Kingdom's records, Zitan City had maintained its peaceful daily life for eight hundred years.

A combination of factors gave Zitan City the initial conditions to transform itself into a "tourist city." Later, pushed by a visionary city lord, it successfully became a tourist destination, famous for its picturesque scenery.

Such a city was clearly not suitable for Professionals to adventure or explore; no dungeons had appeared there, and there were no magical beasts worth hunting in the surroundings.

What would they go there for? To retire?

Unfortunately, the concept of "retirement" did not exist among the Professional community.

The next few stops Frederica had planned were roughly the same as Zitan City—all cities suitable for sightseeing.

While talking and listening, the two of them walked out of the Magic Array.

Zhang Mu picked a direction at random and said to Frederica beside him, "Sorry, but your travel plan, I temporarily..."

"How could we go now? Lake is still in a state of war."

"Uh, I saw that the cities you mentioned were all along the way back to Lake, so I thought..."

"Yeah, I plan to play... I mean, explore all the way back, but you misunderstood the direction."

"Hmm?"

"Once Lake is safe, the fruit I brought will probably be finished, so I'll have to return to the clan grounds to pick more. There's no rush anyway, so of course I'll explore all the way back."

"Good idea." Zhang Mu smiled, his attention spreading out as he observed the surrounding scenery.

Frederica, worried about interfering with his work, stopped talking. The two of them walked quietly over a thick layer of fallen leaves.

After walking for about ten minutes, Zhang Mu narrowed his eyes.

The situation was worse than he had anticipated.

The process of the life tree plundering the vitality of the flora and fauna within the Forest of Spirits had lasted at least a year.

All the trees and plants encountered during the ten-minute walk showed varying degrees of withering, and not a single magical beast was seen. This meant that the ecological environment of the Forest of Spirits had already suffered severe damage.

If it were to fully recover, Zhang Mu estimated that a month would be far from enough.

He couldn't stay with the Elf Clan for too long; the threat from the Lagu Kingdom had not yet been eliminated, and Lake needed him to be present.

Solving the problem wasn't troublesome; Zhang Mu could simply explain the use of fertilizer to the Elf Clan, demonstrate how to use it, and then leave enough fertilizer for the Elf Clan to spread it themselves.

However, the current situation was complex.

The one Zhang Mu was on good terms with was Frederica, not the entire Elf Clan.

Before witnessing the actual therapeutic effects of the fertilizer, the Elf Clan would never allow him to leave.

Of course, Zhang Mu had ways to escape. The problem was that Frederica couldn't—she was an elf.

If the life tree withered and died, the fruit trees in the orchard would wither with it. The fruits the elves used to maintain their bodies would vanish, and her life would also come to an end.

Zhang Mu pondered; spreading fertilizer by himself was too inefficient. Fortunately, he had come prepared, but he would need the Elf King to provide assistance.

"Come on, let's go see your father."

Returning to the palace within the clan grounds, they were told by a Guard that the King was out.

Upon further inquiry, they learned that the Elf King had gone to inspect the blockade line, accompanied by eighteen Elders.

Since not a single elf capable of making decisions was in the clan grounds, Zhang Mu had no choice but to walk out of the Magic Array again with Frederica and head toward the blockade line.

As they approached the edge of the forest, Zhang Mu saw a row of elf Guards on high alert, guarding the front.

Presumably, the news that the "elves have blockaded the Forest of Spirits" had already spread, as no humans could be seen in the wilderness outside the forest.

Zhang Mu knew the Elf King should have sensed his arrival, so he stood where he was and shouted, "Elf King, I have something to discuss with you."

Before his voice had even faded, the Elf King, dressed in magnificent robes, appeared before him.

"Wha—"

"To make a long story short," Zhang Mu interrupted him, speaking very quickly, "I need some manpower. Uh... people who learn techniques quickly. Gender doesn't matter, but their Professional level must be at least High-tier."

To maximize the efficiency of spreading the fertilizer, Zhang Mu had stuffed over twenty planes into his inventory.

The planes needed people to operate them. Zhang Mu counted as one, but he would have to find other pilots for the rest.

Instead of returning to Lake to look for candidates from the First Army, it was better to select some suitable candidates from the Elf Clan nearby and spend a day training a batch of pilots.

The planes he had prepared were small civilian aircraft, which were much easier to fly than a fighter jet. With Zhang Mu's dedicated teaching, given the learning capacity of a High-tier Professional, they would master it in no time.

The requirement of being at least High-tier had another benefit—in case of a crash due to an operational error, the elf could not only fly out of the cockpit to ensure their own safety but also rely on their powerful magic to save the crashing plane.

The Elf King viewed Zhang Mu as the only hope for saving the life tree and complied without hesitation. His figure vanished instantly; he had likely returned to the clan grounds to gather manpower.

The two of them had nothing to do here and also intended to return to the clan grounds.

However, just as they were about to move, they saw the eighteen elf Elders speeding toward them from a distance, looking aggressive.

Looking for me?

Zhang Mu raised an eyebrow.

When the Elders arrived before him, he scanned them one by one.

They were of various ages; the youngest looked similar to a twenty-year-old human, while the oldest had white hair and a beard.

Their expressions and gazes also varied. A few stared at Zhang Mu as if scrutinizing him, while others looked at Frederica, seemingly wondering why she was there.

Only one Elder kept his head slightly bowed, his gaze fixed on the ground as if some extremely precious herb would grow out of the leaf-covered earth at any moment.

The two sides faced each other across the distance, the air stagnant.

Frederica took a step forward. "Elders..."

"Greetings, Your Highness." Before she could finish, the Elders bowed in salutation. Then, one stepped out from the group. "Mr. Zhang Mu, may I ask when you expect to begin the treatment?"

"In the next few days." Zhang Mu had an estimate for the time it would take to train the pilots, but the exact number of days wasn't certain; it depended on how fast the elves absorbed the knowledge.

Hearing this, one Elder frowned deeply. "Mr. Zhang Mu, are you sure you aren't just stalling for time?"

Zhang Mu understood the Elders' purpose. "You think I'm fooling you?"

"Based on your current performance, hah, I conclude—"

"Eighth Elder, have you forgotten the King's admonition?" An Elder, seeing his tone grow increasingly heated, stopped him in a low voice.

The one called Eighth Elder paused, his tone softening. "Mr. Zhang Mu, the King trusts you deeply and has placed almost all his hope in you. I can understand the King; death is already closing in on the Elf Clan."

"The King will try any possibility, no matter how faint."

"So, Mr. Zhang Mu, if you truly have no way to heal the life tree, please speak plainly, so that the King does not continue to busy himself in vain and can look for other reliable methods."

"If you are worried that the King will hold you accountable, there is absolutely no need. The other Elders and I can promise that both you and Her Highness can leave the Forest of Spirits safely, and no elf will pursue you."

After listening, Zhang Mu felt very calm; no anger was born in his heart.

Looking at it from another perspective, back when Zhang Mu had cancer, if someone had told him, "Venmo me 50, and I'll give you a bottle of a miracle drug that cures cancer," Zhang Mu would have likely sent them straight to the police station.

What's more, the current Zhang Mu hadn't even proposed a condition like "Venmo me 50."

Zhang Mu scratched his cheek, thought for a moment, and suddenly asked, "You're an Elder, so you must be a High-tier Professional, right?"

Frederica leaned her lips close to his ear and whispered, "The minimum requirement for the Elf Clan to select an Elder is to reach the Saint-tier."

"Great!" Zhang Mu clapped his hands together. "So, Eighth Elder—"

"Mr. Zhang Mu," Eighth Elder interrupted expressionlessly, "we are not yet on such intimate terms."

"Then, Eighth Elder."

"I am the Twelfth Eld—"

"Oh, whatever." Zhang Mu waved his hand and then asked enthusiastically, "Do you have any mandatory tasks you must be responsible for lately?"

Eighth Elder felt slightly confused, clearly not understanding the purpose of the question. "You're asking this... well, no."

"Good then." Zhang Mu turned his head to look at Frederica. "I need to prepare my lesson. After we get back to the Magic Array, tell your father to count him in."

Frederica understood the meaning of his last sentence and nodded with a smile. The Elders were confused, looking at each other, and from the blankness in each other's eyes, they confirmed that no one knew what "count him in" meant.

Zhang Mu was eager to finish quickly and return to Lake to take charge of the situation. He had no interest in continuing to dally with them and walked toward the Magic Array, intending to return to his room to prepare the teaching curriculum.

Frederica glanced at the Elder who had remained silent from start to finish with his head bowed, then hurried after Zhang Mu.

The Elders watched the two of them walk further and further away, soon disappearing among the trees.

"What trick is that heretic playing?"

"Not sure."

"He mentioned the King. The King should know the details. Let's go ask."

"Let's go!"

The Elders made their decision and hurried to the Magic Array together. The Third Elder seemed to have just come to his senses; he sighed and flew up to follow them.

...

When they returned to the clan grounds, the Elf King was gathering the clansmen in the residential area.

Except for the members of the Guard, the other members of the Elf Clan had never received military training; even the most basic "lining up" training had never occurred, so naturally, there was little sense of order.

In the open space, the elves who had arrived first were crowded together, and on the small paths leading to the open space, elves were still arriving one after another.

Once the eligible clansmen had all arrived, the Elf King prepared to announce that he needed to select a batch of people to assist in the treatment of the life tree.

But just as he opened his mouth, a doubt suddenly sprouted in the King's heart—what were the external manifestations of "learning techniques quickly"?

Being faster than others at cultivation?

Being faster than others at learning Magic Arrays?

Or being faster than others at comprehending combat skills?

The Elf King had lived for thousands of years and had seen many clansmen and humans with amazing talent, but among them, there had never been a genius who possessed all three of these advantages at once.

Which of these three abilities did Zhang Mu's "learning techniques quickly" refer to?

While the Elf King was hesitating, the eighteen Elders happened to walk over together.

"You've come at the right time." Seeing them, the King immediately asked, "What are the characteristics of someone who learns techniques quickly?"

The Elders were troubled by the question, but the King's was clearly more important, so they had to answer first.

"Learning Magic Arrays faster than others." The Fifth Elder, whose level was at the bottom and whose magic power was average, but whose skill in constructing Magic Arrays far exceeded other elves, spoke in a firm tone.

"Nonsense!" The Sixth Elder, who had a fiery temper and was famous within the clan for his magical attainments, stood up to refute. "It should be learning magic faster than others!"

"Heh." The First Elder, who was of the highest level, gave a cold laugh and then said, "Magic Arrays? Magic?"

"Once I advance to Gods Blessing, I can pierce your spiritual seas using only Mental Energy. What need will I have for Magic Arrays or magic?"

The two Elders who had been glaring at each other immediately unified their stance and turned their fire toward the First Elder.

"Advancing to Gods Blessing?"

"If the First Elder is looking forward to that, he might as well consider improving his skills in constructing Magic Arrays." The Fifth Elder looked at him sideways.

The Sixth Elder folded his arms. "And while you're at it, delve deeper into how to release magic faster, so your combat strength doesn't always remain stagnant."

The First Elder's face darkened, and he was about to lose his temper on the spot.

The Elf King felt irritable and stirred his magic. A tangible pressure swept toward the surroundings. The Elders trembled and all knelt on one knee.

"King, please forgive us."

Withdrawing his magic, he said, "Rise."

The Elders stood up, and the King continued, "Speak your opinions individually."

The Elders didn't dare to act up anymore. After thinking for a moment, they spoke their thoughts in turn.

Only the Third Elder asked, "King, what exactly does the technique you mentioned refer to?"

The Elf King heard this and was instantly enlightened. Talent was a general term covering a very broad range; being fast at cultivation was a talent, and being fast at learning Magic Arrays was also a talent.

He thought for a moment. "Third Elder."

"Present."

"Go and invite Mr. Zhang Mu here."

The Third Elder instinctively wanted to find an excuse to decline, his mouth opening as if to speak but then hesitating, and in the end, he didn't say it.

He bowed slightly. "Understood."

After saying that, he turned and walked toward Zhang Mu's residence.