39: Chapter 39 The Elf Gets Lost and Approaches the Border

Early the next morning, just as Luofeng Village was beginning to stir with activity, a faint golden light flickered deep within Lin Zhe's eyes.

Rule Perception, stirred.

It wasn't a player.

Nor was it a human NPC.

Beyond the western boundary of the Novice Area, several unfamiliar auras were slowly approaching.

Those auras were light, gentle, completely different from the chaotic fluctuations radiating from human players. They carried a faint trace of Natural Divine Power, clean and pure like the morning mist in a forest.

Lin Zhe looked up, gazing westward.

"Something has crossed the boundary."

Xing Jianwan, who was holding Lin Chen nearby, immediately looked over upon hearing this. "Enemies?"

Lin Zhe shook his head.

"Doesn't seem like it, for now."

"Take two people, go check it out."

Xing Jianwan nodded without another word, turned, and pointed at two core members of Lingxiao Pavilion.

"Follow me."

The three of them moved swiftly, heading straight for the western main road.

Lin Chen, perched on Xing Jianwan's shoulder, his little face serious, added in his childish voice, "If they're bad people, tie them up and bring them back."

The two Lingxiao Pavilion players twitched at the corners of their mouths but quickly responded, "Understood!"

In the forest west of Luofeng Village, near the boundary, five slender figures huddled together, their expressions clearly flustered.

They had pointed ears, hair of light green or silvery white, wore lightweight short robes of the Elf Race for herb gathering, and each carried a medicine basket on their back.

They were clearly not human.

The leader was a young elf girl with delicate features and skin so fair it seemed to glow. Her pale golden hair was braided into thin plaits, and a small moonleaf pendant hung from her forehead.

She gripped a slender wooden staff, frowning as she looked around.

"Sister Qing Luo, have we circled back again?"

An Elf Maidservant beside her looked pained. "It seems... we have."

The girl called Qing Luo pressed her lips together, also feeling a headache coming on.

They had originally come out to gather herbs but ended up chasing a running wind chime flower, straying further and further off course until they had accidentally crossed into the boundary of the human Novice Area.

Everything here felt unfamiliar, even the wind was wrong.

Just then, the grass ahead rustled.

Xing Jianwan emerged, followed by the two Lingxiao Pavilion players.

The five elves immediately stepped back in unison, raising their staffs and short bows.

Qing Luo's eyes were wary. "Who are you?"

Xing Jianwan stopped, not advancing, her voice flat.

"People of Luofeng Village."

"You have entered the Novice Area boundary."

"State your origins."

Qing Luo stared at her for a few seconds, her gaze sweeping over the two beside her before finally settling on the faint aura of rules swirling around Xing Jianwan's shoulder. A clear flicker of surprise passed through her eyes.

This aura was not something an ordinary human player could possess.

After a moment's hesitation, she spoke. "We are an herb-gathering team from the Elf Race."

"We lost our way on the road, trespassed here by mistake, with no ill intent."

As if afraid they wouldn't believe her, she immediately took a wooden token from her waist.

On the token was carved an intricate moonleaf mark.

Xing Jianwan recognized at a glance that this was not something an ordinary elf could possess.

"And this?"

Qing Luo straightened slightly, speaking softly. "A token from the princess."

"I am a personal maidservant to Her Highness Ling Xi."

As soon as the words left her mouth, the two Lingxiao Pavilion players behind Xing Jianwan were stunned.

Someone from the Elf Princess's side?

That was no lowly status.

Xing Jianwan's expression remained unchanged. She merely glanced at Qing Luo twice, confirming the other party truly harbored no hostility, then turned directly.

"Follow me back to the village."

Qing Luo was taken aback. "Back to the village?"

"If you wander around the boundary, you'll run into trouble sooner or later."

"The village is safe."

Qing Luo exchanged looks with the other elves, clearly still hesitant.

But they were in an unfamiliar place; wandering further would only cause more trouble.

Moreover, the aura around Xing Jianwan gave her a strange sense of reassurance.

Finally, she nodded lightly.

"Then we'll trouble you."

The group soon returned to Luofeng Village.

As soon as they entered the village entrance, the Elf Maidservants stared, dumbfounded.

Players were everywhere.

Yet there was no chaos.

Some queued in lines, others fought monsters, others delivered gifts.

Right in the center stood a figure dressed in coarse linen. He looked utterly ordinary, yet a faint layer of golden rule patterns seemed to coil around him, and even the air appeared to flow around him.

The moment Qing Luo saw Lin Zhe, her eyes lit up.

She was most sensitive to nature and auras.

This human before her—no, this being—was too special.

It wasn't a matter of strength.

It was that feeling of even the rules flowing calmly around him. It was far too rare.

Xing Jianwan walked up to Lin Zhe and spoke simply. "Found them at the western boundary. An Elf Race herb-gathering team, lost."

"The leader is a personal maidservant of Princess Ling Xi."

Lin Zhe looked at Qing Luo.

Qing Luo immediately stepped forward, placed her hands crossed over her chest, and performed an elven bow.

"Elf Maidservant Qing Luo, greets you, sir."

"We trespassed here by mistake. Thank you for taking us in."

Lin Zhe nodded.

"Stay for now."

"There are vacant rooms at the inn by the village entrance."

Understanding his meaning, Xing Jianwan immediately had a nearby player make the arrangements.

Qing Luo, however, did not leave immediately. She couldn't help but glance at Lin Zhe once more.

That aura of rules was even clearer up close.

The astonishment in her eyes was impossible to suppress.

"Sir..."

"I would like to borrow a quiet place to send a message to my clan."

"To report our safety, and to thank you for your hospitality."

Lin Zhe said flatly, "That is acceptable."

Qing Luo visibly relaxed and bowed again.

"Thank you."

After she left with the four Elf Maidservants, a system prompt suddenly popped up before Lin Zhe's eyes.

[Ding! High-grade female NPC-associated aura detected]

[Associated Target: Core Figure of Elf Faction]

[Second Bond Trigger Condition Progress Increased]

[Current Progress: 5%]

A flicker of movement passed through Lin Zhe's gaze.

The thread connected to the Elf Race was finally beginning to move.

Although the main person hadn't arrived yet, the connection had been established.

Xing Jianwan stood beside him, asking quietly, "Are they a problem?"

Lin Zhe closed the panel, his expression calm.

"No."

"However, things might get a bit interesting later."

By the window of the village inn, Qing Luo had already unfurled a scattering of fine natural light particles, preparing to send a message to the Elf Race.

And Lin Zhe stood on the earthen slope, watching the direction where that faint green divine power dispersed, a flash of golden patterns passing through the depths of his eyes.