559: Chapter 559 The Elven People

[You withdraw your gaze and turn toward the distance.]

[An endless mist lies across the Void Realm—the Chaos Sea.]

[Grey and churning, like a pot of boiling thick soup.]

[It swallows all light; even the starlight vanishes upon reaching it.]

[Boundless and endless, like a sleeping giant beast with its mouth wide open, waiting for something.]

[The nine-light-year-tall Ancient Tree of Life is but a speck of dust before the Chaos Sea.]

[You clearly see that the leaves near the edge of the Chaos Sea have already withered—]

[Veins broken, patterns blurred, emerald green fading to withered yellow, as if burned by fire or drained of life.]

[At this rate, within a thousand years, the Chaos Sea will completely swallow the entire Ancient Tree of Life.]

[Looking at that endless Chaos Sea, your heart cannot help but race.]

[This sense of oppression is suffocating.]

["Hahaha..." You point at the endless Chaos Sea and can't help but laugh, "You say I can split that thing open?"]

[You rub your forehead and shake your head helplessly.]

[Yu Tiankuo's expression is grave: "What our Old Ancestor said won't be false."]

[Yu Ji has a serious look on her face: "We believe in the Old Ancestor."]

[Yu Hong also nods solemnly.]

["Fine, I believe you." You wave your hand with a smile, "Let's go, take me to see your Old Ancestor."]

[You follow them, flying for three days and three nights, finally arriving at a simple and ancient courtyard.]

[The courtyard isn't large, with bluestone paving and vines climbing the walls.]

[A few old trees lean in the corners, half their leaves yellowed and scattered on the ground.]

[A dozen or so Elders walk out from the courtyard gate.]

[The leader, at the Early Stage of the Mahayana realm, has a hunched back and a beard trailing to the ground, yet his eyes are bright and piercing, like two eternal lamps.]

[He examines you closely, then suddenly his body trembles and his voice shakes: "You... it's you... the feeling you give me is just like that person..."]

[He pauses, brow furrowing in confusion: "But you... why are you only at the Body Integration cultivation level?"]

[You didn't hide your cultivation, so he could naturally see through it at a glance.]

["Senior, can someone really split this Chaos Sea with a single sword strike?" You hold back a laugh.]

["Yes," the Elf Old Ancestor's gaze is firm, his voice aged yet steady. "It absolutely cannot be wrong. That person was like a banished Immortal descending to the world, splitting the Chaos Sea with one sword strike. The feeling you give me is very similar... yet also different."]

[After saying this, as if having made a decision, he looks at the other dozen or so Elders.]

[Everyone nods and bows down together.]

["We hope Senior will save our race. Our race will surely serve you as master for generations, as slaves and servants, going through fire and water without hesitation."]

[You quickly step forward to help him up: "You mustn't, you mustn't."]

[You pause, your expression becoming serious: "If I truly can do it, I will definitely give my all. It's just that I still have many doubts that need to be resolved."]

["Understood, understood!" The Elf Old Ancestor nods repeatedly, his eyes reddening. "We have already prepared a banquet. Why don't we tell you everything we know in detail?"]

[You nod.]

[He breathes a sigh of relief and immediately arranges for people to prepare the feast, then takes your hand and tells you everything he knows, bit by bit.]

[The more you listen, the more confused you become.]

[The banquet is soon ready.]

[Inside a grand hall built from ancient trees, hundreds of elegant seats are set out, filled with people.]

[The members of the Elf Race seem to have all learned of your arrival and arrive one after another.]

[There are old people, young girls, men, and children.]

[A child whose height only reaches your waist walks up to you, looking up with eyes as clear as mountain stream water.]

["Are you the Immortal the Old Ancestor spoke of?"]

[You look at him: "Who told you I'm an Immortal?"]

["My mother said so." He blinks and thinks seriously for a moment, "She said when the Immortal comes, we won't have to move anymore."]

["Do you like moving?"]

["I don't like it." He shakes his head, his voice dropping, "The last time we moved, the little deer I raised got lost. I cried for three days."]

[Looking at him, your heart suddenly softens.]

[You understand what the child means—]

[The continents near the edge of the Chaos Sea are being swallowed one by one.]

[The Elf Race has to migrate time and again, moving to another location.]

[The Elders lie to the children, saying we are moving to a better place.]

[In truth, it's not moving; it's just waiting for death in a different place.]

[Each move means one less homeland.]

[Each move makes the heart grow a bit colder.]

[Within a thousand years, there will be nowhere left to move.]

[By then, they won't even be able to make up lies for the children.]

["Then we won't move this time." You say with a smile.]

[The child's eyes light up: "Really?"]

["Really." You reach out and rub his head, "But you have to promise me one thing."]

["What thing?"]

["Eat well and grow up well."]

[The child nods vigorously and turns to run back to his mother, shouting as he runs: "Mother! The Immortal says we aren't moving! The Immortal says we aren't moving!"]

[The entire hall falls silent for a moment.]

[Then, some people laugh, some have reddened eyes, and some secretly wipe away tears.]

[The Elf Old Ancestor watches this scene, his lips trembling, unable to speak for a long time.]

[Soon, the banquet ends.]

[You stand outside the hall, gazing at the distant grey mist, silent for a long time.]

[The Elf Old Ancestor walks to your side; he doesn't speak, just stands there quietly.]

["It's time for me to set out." You speak.]

[The Old Ancestor's body trembles slightly; he opens his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, only two words come out: "Benefactor..."]

[He doesn't know what to say.]

[You nod and turn around.]

[Behind you is a dense, dark mass of people.]

[Hundreds of thousands of members of the Elf Race have gathered outside the hall at some point, extending from the steps all the way to the horizon, an endless sight.]

[Old people lean on canes, women hold children, young people stand tall, and children stand on tiptoe.]

[No one speaks.]

[Only the wind blows from the direction of the Chaos Sea, whistling loudly.]

[You are stunned.]

[The Old Ancestor walks to your side and slowly kneels down.]

[It's not the kind of bow from before by a clansman; it's an old man performing the most solemn salute to a young man.]

[His forehead touches the ground, his silver-white beard spread across the bluestone floor, his voice aged and raspy: "I beg of you..."]

[Your nose stings; you quickly step forward to help him up: "Get up quickly."]

[He doesn't move.]

[Behind him, hundreds of thousands of members of the Elf Race kneel down row by row.]

[Old people, women, young people, children—not a single one remains standing.]

[In a uniform motion, a dense mass of people bows down like a receding tide.]

[Foreheads to the ground, silver-white beards, dark hair, and tender faces are all facing the same direction.]

[Facing you.]

["Thank you, Benefactor—"]

[The voice erupts from the throats of hundreds of thousands of people simultaneously, like thunder, like a tsunami, as if the entire world is echoing.]