Chapter 152 : Chapter 152
Chapter : 152
The little black cat rested its head on its paws and slowly closed its eyes. The light stroking on its back, one touch after another, was soporific.
At this moment, it was so quiet that only two sets of breathing could be heard.
The little black cat flicked its tail unnaturally, which was gently held by that cool hand. Following the tip of the tail all the way down, the hand touched the position of his spine.
The black tail stiffened into a straight line, unable to move in the other's hand.
Yan Yunqing: ...
Sylph let out a soft laugh and released the restraint on the little black cat's tail, instead kneading his ears that were constantly twitching on his head.
The cool pads of his fingers pressed against the fluff on his ears. Yan Yunqing didn't know if other cats' ears were sensitive, but he knew his own ears were incredibly sensitive.
Especially when the other's finger pads brushed past the tuft of clever fur at the tip of his ear, he would always feel a shiver run through his body.
Was this a side effect of turning into a cat?
Yan Yunqing closed his eyes, not wanting to think about this question.
Mainly because one question had already occupied his entire mind: What was going on with this suddenly appearing Sylph?
Whether it was Lilian or Legolas, or even Merlin, Isabel, and Divic, they had all clearly stated: Sylph had returned to the Elven Mother Tree hundreds of years ago, which meant that Sylph was indeed dead.
But who was this Sylph?
Yan Yunqing felt that he absolutely could not mistake Sylph's voice. His voice was very special, like the sound of a spring flowing through a tranquil forest, crisp and ethereal. One could tell from his voice that he came from the forest.
Especially the way the other person called him "King," with the end of the word slightly rising, was also Sylph's unique trademark.
No one could imitate it so similarly.
Let alone imitating Sylph in Sylval.
And what did Sylph's phrase 'My time is short' mean?
Yan Yunqing's mind was in a mess right now, to the point where he momentarily ignored the hand that was 'taking liberties' with him.
"So in the time I was away, the King could also take good care of himself." Sylph finally stopped his hands and sighed longly, "No injuries, it seems I can be at ease."
Yan Yunqing felt the restraint disappear, and it dawned on him: so all that groping just now was Sylph just checking him for wounds?
Yan Yunqing was speechless for a moment. He stood up nimbly, shaking out his ruffled fur at the same time, jumped down from Sylph's lap, and turned around.
The face of the visitor was truly reflected in his red pupils.
Dressed in a plain white robe, even his hair was white. Sylph gave him a faint smile. In that instant, Yan Yunqing found it hard to describe; even he was dazed by the beauty of this scene for a moment.
Elves truly were creatures renowned for their beauty. Perhaps only the appearances of angels and merfolk could compare to elves.
Yan Yunqing was stunned for a moment, then unnaturally lowered his head, his gaze wandering for a moment to cover his momentary lapse of concentration, "You... what happened to your hair?"
Sylph's hair had turned white.
He once had beautiful golden hair, soft and smooth, like golden satin.
"...Does it not look good?"
Sylph tilted his head slightly, and his soft white hair scattered, falling on his shoulders and onto the ground where he knelt, spreading out like a silver-white lake.
From golden satin to a silver-white waterfall, it wasn't that it didn't look good, it was just that Yan Yunqing was a little unused to it.
"Just a little curious," Yan Yunqing said, "Have you been reincarnated?"
This was the only possibility Yan Yunqing could think of. Perhaps Sylph had already been reincarnated and had also accepted the baptism of his past memories, which was why he appeared here again after returning to the Mother Tree.
Sylph's fingertips lifted a strand of white hair. "I used a bit too much of my origin power back then, so my hair faded."
Elves could be considered a kind of elemental life. Although they had physical bodies, could be injured, and would bleed, they were essentially life forms constructed from elements. Origin power naturally referred to the elemental power that constituted the elf itself.
Frequent use would harm an elf's soul... and could even lead to losing the chance of reincarnation, completely annihilating them in the mortal world.
Unless absolutely necessary, elves would not use this power. After all, their death was merely a return to the Mother Tree to await reincarnation, whereas overusing origin power would lead to 'death' in the true sense.
Yan Yunqing was startled. He hadn't expected to receive such an answer. Even during the most intense period of the thousand-year divine war, Sylph rarely used his origin power.
How could he have frequently used his origin power after everything had settled down, to the point where even his hair had faded?
"Don't worry, it's not a serious problem." Sylph sighed softly, "It's been a long time."
Yan Yunqing: ...
Yan Yunqing hesitated. He seemed to have a faint guess as to why Sylph frequently used his origin power... but he didn't quite dare to confirm it.
"Then what did you mean by what you just said? What do you mean by 'time is short'? Have you been reincarnated?"
Sylph looked at Yan Yunqing quietly, as if wanting to completely engrave Yan Yunqing's current little black cat form in the bottom of his eyes, in his heart.
After a long while, he answered softly, "Because the Sylph of this moment is the Sylph from a thousand years ago."
Yan Yunqing's eyes widened slightly.
Sylph slowly bent down, his long hair falling, and gently embraced Yan Yunqing who was sitting there stunned.
The moment their foreheads touched, a panel popped up before Yan Yunqing's eyes.
【'Sylph' is teaching you skills [Fountain of Life] [Whisper of the Forest]...】
【Spend 0 skill points to learn?】
"Please take good care of yourself."
"The next time we meet, Sylph will still offer all his loyalty."
A fleeting kiss quietly landed below the black cat's left eye.
...
Yan Yunqing watched with his own eyes as the Sylph before him turned into specks of light and disappeared on the spot.
Yan Yunqing subconsciously reached out his hand, but it was like touching a bubble that would burst at the slightest touch. With a pop, the fantastical and beautiful scene disappeared completely.
...The Sylph from a thousand years ago?
Yan Yunqing deactivated his persona. He sat on the floor, his fingertips lightly touching his own cheek: Strange... just now, did Sylph kiss him?
"No, no..." Yan Yunqing shook his head, "The question is, what does it mean that the Sylph of this moment is the Sylph from a thousand years ago?"
Sylph also had the ability to travel through time? Wasn't this a bit of a bug? Even gods couldn't travel through time, right?
And how did Sylph give him a bunch of skills... all skills that could be unlocked without skill points!
Oh, to be precise, they were all healing skills that could be unlocked without skill points.
It's just that the number of uses was limited. The most exaggerated one, [Sylval's Blessing], could only be used three times in total, but its effect was astonishing.
[Sylval's Blessing]
Description: This is the blessing from Sylval, as its master says. (All negative statuses of friendly units within ten meters are nullified, all statuses are restored to their original state, and a thirty-second invincibility shield is gained.) 'From now on, all your hardships and pain will be borne by me. May you be safe, happy, and well.'
This skill could only be used three times. Judging from the description, this skill was too outrageous.
Not only could it completely nullify all negative statuses, but it could also fully restore the red and blue bars, and at the same time, provide a thirty-second invincibility shield?
This was practically a big heal with an invincibility cheat! And it was an area-of-effect group heal!
Moreover, there were no debuffs after using it. The only thing to worry about was that this skill could only be used three times.
It was just that this last note made Yan Yunqing a little hesitant.
These skills... couldn't be that Sylph had stored up magic power in advance and then saved it in his body, right?
Otherwise, how could it be possible to learn them without skill points, and also have a limited number of uses...
Just as Yan Yunqing was puzzled, there was a knock on the wooden door of the treehouse. Legolas appeared at the doorway.
He still had that meticulous and serious look, but now that Yan Yunqing knew the other had once been Little Flower, that serious shell no longer held any deterrent effect on Yan Yunqing.
On the contrary, he felt a little like laughing whenever he saw him.
"Your esteemed Excellency." Legolas bowed outside the door.
"Legolas?" Yan Yunqing was surprised, "How did you know... oh right, I forgot. You're in charge of Sylval now, so you probably knew as soon as I came over."
Legolas nodded, "Yes, I sensed it when you appeared last night."
"Then you... um, did you sense that, that guy just now?"
Legolas's eyelids drooped slightly: "Are you referring to His Highness Sylph?"
Yan Yunqing: !
"So what exactly is going on? Is he really from a thousand years ago?" Yan Yunqing couldn't figure out how this was done.
The touch of Sylph's hand on his back was so real that Yan Yunqing didn't think it could be an illusion.
But a thousand years ago was too exaggerated! If such time-traveling magic really existed, Sylph would be more than just the Elf King; he could even obtain a divine spark on the spot and ascend to godhood.
Legolas shook his head, "To be precise, it was over one thousand two hundred years ago, when His Highness Sylph returned to the Elven Mother Tree."
Yan Yunqing was surprised: It was really the Sylph from over a thousand years ago?
"Before His Highness Sylph returned to the Mother Tree, he poured his memories into the Crown, and then used his origin power to condense that gem, which is the one I handed to you that can open the gate to Sylval."
"It is a key in itself, concentrating the power of His Highness Sylph and Sylval... um, and some of the Mother Tree's power."
Legolas also walked in front of Yan Yunqing and knelt properly before him: "Therefore, that gem has a somewhat special ability. When you use it for the first time to enter Sylval, the power of the Mother Tree will briefly open a path connecting the present and the past."
"I think His Highness Sylph came to your side through that passage."
Yan Yunqing's CPU was about to burn out, "Are you saying that this [Sylval's Longing] was actually given to you by Sylph to pass on to me?"
The Elven Mother Tree was a very magical existence. The fact that elves could be reincarnated through the Mother Tree was already very magical. Having an extra ability for a brief time travel didn't seem that strange.
Legolas nodded lightly, "This is what His Highness Sylph asked me to accomplish when he returned to the Mother Tree."
Yan Yunqing was puzzled: "...How did he know I would definitely come to Sylval?"
According to Yan Yunqing's initial thoughts, he would definitely avoid these retainers as much as possible.
After learning that Sylph had already returned to the Mother Tree, it was even more unlikely that he would come to Sylval.
After all, Sylval had never welcomed outsiders, a fact Yan Yunqing couldn't possibly not know.
If it weren't for this accident, coupled with the fact that he was indeed a little worried about Lilian's situation, he really wouldn't have appeared here.
Legolas: "...Perhaps Lord Sylph had his own considerations."
Now Yan Yunqing's CPU was really about to burn out. He thought of another problem. The Sylph who gave [Sylval's Longing] to Legolas should not have traveled through time to see him, because he hadn't transmigrated at that time, but now Sylph has traveled through time to the future and seen him...
So confusing. Doesn't this count as the classic chicken-and-egg problem?
It also seems to involve the Grandfather Paradox.
Yan Yunqing felt that he couldn't think about it too much. If he thought too much, his brain might really break down.
For the time being, let's just treat this world as having several parallel universes.
Yan Yunqing rubbed the space between his eyebrows, "So the current you, was also sent by Sylph to explain things to me?"
Legolas lowered his head, tacitly admitting it.
"Before His Highness Sylph returned to the Mother Tree, he received a prophecy. He knew you would descend again and might encounter danger, so he made some preparations."
Yan Yunqing came to a realization. So those healing skills were indeed prepared for him by Sylph, right?
"Did he say anything else? Or is there anything he wanted to tell me?"
Yan Yunqing thought of the previous prophecy of the 'Descender.' Sylph had also received a prophecy, maybe he would leave some clues?
Legolas hesitated for a moment, "Um... His Highness Sylph said he missed you?"
Yan Yunqing: ?
The corner of Yan Yunqing's mouth twitched, "Did Sylph really say that?"
Legolas nodded with some uncertainty, "Before His Highness Sylph returned to the Mother Tree, he did say, 'Five hundred years have passed, and the longing has made me unable to bear this endless silence anymore.'"
Yan Yunqing: .
He felt a little bit guilty.
"Anything else?"
Legolas thought for a moment, "Perhaps, you could try to accept the baptism of His Highness Sylph's memories? Perhaps you will find what you are looking for."
Before returning to the Mother Tree, Sylph extracted all his memories and poured them into the Crown to baptize every newborn elf, allowing them to possess one or more self-protection skills from birth. This was also the method Sylph thought of to preserve the elven race in a chaotic world.
It was just that this baptism was not something that could be chosen. The Crown would select the most suitable memories for the newborn elf during the baptism process and bestow them along with the First Elf King's blessing to the newborn elf.
Legolas considerately concealed this unspoken rule.
Yan Yunqing was a little conflicted.
To be honest, he wasn't very keen on receiving this kind of baptism. It felt like prying into Sylph's memories.
But he really wanted to know the information related to the 'Descender' prophecy.
He couldn't get it from Merlin, and Divic and Isabel didn't know about it either. There weren't many retainers left who had lived through that time and were still alive. The only one who might know about this was Archangel Theodore.
Compared to challenging the possibly rebellious Theodore, Yan Yunqing felt it was better to pry into Sylph's memories.
Because...
The angel race itself were the 'traitors' who had betrayed the God of Light and joined the Demon King's ranks.
And the one who led the angel race in their betrayal... was none other than the current Archangel, Theodore.
This was also why the game had once described Theodore as the 'most loyal dog,' yet Yan Yunqing still dared not confront him for a long time.
He was too powerful, and too uncontrollable.
His past loyalty could very well turn into a sharp blade stabbing at the Demon King in the wake of the Demon King's disappearance.
The premise of the oath of never betraying was that the Demon King would never abandon them.
With this in mind, Yan Yunqing agreed to Legolas's proposal to accept the baptism of the Crown.
As he stood up to follow Legolas, another thought suddenly flashed through Yan Yunqing's mind.
According to Legolas's explanation, after he used [Sylval's Longing], a passage connecting the past and the future would be established, allowing Sylph to enter the present time...
But when he used [Sylval's Longing], it was late at night, right...?
He turned into a cat and fell asleep as soon as he arrived. Had Sylph already arrived at that time?
...Sylph couldn't have been watching him this whole time, could he?