Chapter 61: The Tribulations of the Elf Girls (Part 2)

The young Elf Girl was so terrified by Sa'er's gaze that she trembled, and tears streamed uncontrollably from her clear, big eyes.

The older Elf Girl beside her quickly pulled her into her embrace, comforting her softly, "Don't cry, you'll be fine after some rest. Big sister will protect you."

Sa'er glanced around and waved his hand, signaling a halt: "Rest up ahead; we'll continue our journey in half an hour."

The Elf Girls sat exhaustedly on the ground, huddled together for warmth, while Sa'er walked alone to a dark corner.

He leaned against a thick old tree, took out the ancient bone flute from his怀中, and gently stroked its body with a complicated expression.

"Big sister… as long as I deliver these Elf Girls to the Elder, you'll be free."

His tone was tinged with a hint of struggle and guilt, but more so with cold resolve.

Suddenly, a sound of slipping came from behind him.

"Who is it!" Sa'er spun around abruptly, staring intently in the direction of the sound.

The grass swayed gently, and a thin figure poked its head out.

It was the young Elf Girl, with a pair of large, clear green eyes and pointed ears.

Seeing Sa'er's stern face, she trembled slightly but still mustered the courage to say, "My name is Li Ya, thank you for saving us."

Sa'er's eyes instantly turned cold. He lunged forward, grabbed her slender neck, and lifted her up.

Li Ya's feet dangled in the air, her hands instinctively clutching Sa'er's wrist, her pretty face flushed crimson, and her eyes filled with terror.

"Who sent you?" Sa'er's voice was icy, full of killing intent. "Do you think you Elf Girls are just cargo in my eyes?

If I wanted, I could take your lives at any time! Save you? Do you even deserve to say that word?"

Li Ya was almost suffocating, her voice broken, but she still tried her best to say, "I… I… came… to bring you food…"

Sa'er was slightly stunned and released his hand. Li Ya fell to the ground, gasping for air.

She trembled as she took out something wrapped in leaves from her怀中 and handed it over with both hands:

"These are… fruits I secretly picked along the way… they're edible… thank you…"

Sa'er looked down at the item in her hand. It was a dark red wild fruit, smooth-skinned, emitting a faint, refreshing scent.

This fruit, common in the Chaos Era, was called 'Bitter Spirit Fruit'.

It contained toxins and was bitter to the taste, yet it became the Elf Race's only sustenance in their desperate plight, supporting the entire tribe to continue in hardship.

Sa'er snorted, took the fruit, glanced at it a few times, and casually tucked it into his怀里.

He swept a complex gaze over Li Ya and said coldly, "Get back, don't come near me again!"

Li Ya suppressed the tears in her eyes, nodded, covered her neck, and stumbled back to the girls' resting place.

Sa'er sat down again, muttering, "What a bother…"

He looked down at the Bitter Spirit Fruit in his hand, a cold sneer playing on his lips: "Who would eat this kind of thing?"

With that, he raised his hand, intending to throw the fruit into the distant bushes.

However, just as he was about to let go, a faint, refreshing aroma wafted into his nostrils, causing him to pause slightly.

He frowned and re-examined the fruit in his hand.

Bitter Spirit Fruit was almost considered worthless in the Chaos Era.

It contained toxins, was bitter and acrid to the taste, and even emitted a pungent sulfur-like odor that even wild beasts disdained.

But this particular fruit was different, exuding a refreshing fragrance that invigorated the heart.

Sa'er's heart stirred. As if by a ghost, he brought the fruit to his lips and took a bite.

The moment the pulp entered his mouth, he froze.

The imagined bitterness and acrid sensation did not appear; instead, it was a slightly sweet taste with a hint of coolness that slid down his throat and into his body.

He felt as if his blood had been washed by a clear spring, and the dull, oppressive feeling subtly accumulated in his chest dissipated somewhat.

A trace of surprise flashed in Sa'er's eyes. He looked down at the fruit in his hand, took another bite, and confirmed it was not his imagination.

This fruit was not only non-toxic but also like an extremely rare Spirit Fruit.

He squinted slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips: "These elves are really quite interesting…"

Thirty minutes later, the Elf Girls all got up. After a short rest and tidying themselves, their graceful figures and beautiful faces appeared exceptionally radiant.

Even amidst the cover of night and forest, the unique freshness and agility characteristic of the Elf Race remained hard to conceal.

Their tattered clothes had been repaired, with leaves and vines acting like natural embroidery, perfectly sewn onto the damaged fabric, exuding a captivating natural beauty.

Sa'er sat cross-legged under the shadowy tree, not rushing them to depart.

This might be the last time these Elf Girls would rest.

Just a little further, and he would hand them over to the Elder, completing his mission.

Thinking of this, Sa'er's gaze grew even colder.

A cruel fate awaited these Elf Girls.

What the Elders required was not living beings, but the immensely precious 'Elven Power' within their bodies.

The first fate was to be sent into the 'Regeneration Furnace' to nurture what was called a 'Regeneration Crystal Core' from their bodies.

This crystal core was the supreme resource relied upon by the Insect Race, capable of continuously producing Blood Ants and evolving the Ant Bloodline.

However, it was formed by devouring life.

One crystal core meant the end of one life, and these Elf Girls were undoubtedly the perfect vessels.

The second fate was even more brutal. The Elven Power within them would be forcibly extracted, turning them into ordinary women incapable of Cultivation.

This extracted Elven Power would be used to enhance the quality of the Regeneration Crystal Core.

These Elf Girls, having lost their power, would still be beautiful and captivating in appearance.

They would be treated as playthings by nobles, to be manipulated at will;

Or they would be forced to become rotation service objects for lower-tier races, enduring endless humiliation and torment.

Sa'er's hand unconsciously tightened around the bone flute in his怀中, his gaze slightly lowered, concealing a trace of inner complexity.

He didn't care about the fate of these Elf Girls; they were merely tools.

However, the refreshing scent of the Bitter Spirit Fruit and the renewed vitality of the elves before him left a lingering, unusual emotion in his heart.

He let out a cold breath, forcefully suppressing these thoughts, and turned to the Elf Girls, saying, "You've rested enough, prepare to set off.

This is your last peaceful time, cherish it well."

Upon hearing this, the Elf Girls all lowered their heads, their expressions filled with helplessness and sorrow.

They were not unaware of their predicament; it was simply that in their current state, they were powerless to change anything.

Only the young Li Ya stood in the group, looking at Sa'er's back with a complex gaze, seemingly pondering something.

Sa'er did not look at them again, turned, and waved his hand, signaling the Blood Ants to continue leading the way.