Chapter 2261 Lush <TOC> Chapter 2263 Poison Mist Enshrouded
Translator: SumTLMan
Beyond the demeanor of Lush Groot, Dangros attempted to shift the conversation towards Nemeti while chatting with Dadi.
However, Dadi, with a smile, deflected the topic: “The matters concerning Highness Verdant should be discussed by Highness Lush and yourselves. I dare not overstep my bounds. Moreover, I truly do not know.”
From Dadi’s response, it was evident that it recognized Dangros’ intent to probe for information. It was willing to respond to inquiries that did not touch upon secrets. However, once the conversation veered into areas it could not discuss, Dadi’s refusal was unmistakably clear.
In just a short ten minutes of interaction, it was apparent that Dadi was an exceptionally intelligent elemental creature. It demonstrated propriety, awareness of affairs, and restraint, which explained why Lush Groot had sent it to greet Angel and his companions.
After a while, the Gondola glided through a thin mist, revealing a mountain peak surrounded by clouds at its summit.
This mountain was uniquely shaped, resembling a cone with its top truncated, similar to a volcano’s crater. It bore a resemblance to Mount Fuji as seen by Angel on the holographic tablet, albeit without snow at its peak.
Guided by Dadi, the Gondola ascended towards the summit of this mountain.
Upon reaching the top, Angel discovered that the summit indeed dipped inward, not forming a volcanic crater as imagined, but a vast lake instead.
With clear skies above and clouds swirling around the summit without obscuring the sunlight, the lake shimmered under the sun’s rays, its surface glittering as if dusted with gold, creating a dreamlike vista.
“This lake is known as the Sunlight Lake,” Dadi paused before pointing towards one side of the lake, “Over there is where Highness resides.”
Following Dadi’s direction, Angel saw a towering tree standing by the golden lakeshore, its trunk bearing human-like features, albeit aged under layers of bark.
“Is that… Highness Lush?” Angel inquired softly.
Dadi nodded, “Yes, Highness has been awaiting you.”
…
Angel had surmised that Lush Groot’s task would be straightforward, and indeed it was.
Upon his arrival at the Sunlight Lake, he was greeted with a warm and enthusiastic welcome. Not only were leaves and flowers dancing in the air, but vines from beneath the earth also wove together to form seating. Lush Groot even summoned a heavy rain, rich with the aura of nature…
Fortunately, Angel activated a barrier upon sensing the increase in humidity, preventing himself from getting drenched.
After the unique and warm welcome ceremony, the conversation between Lush Groot and Angel proceeded smoothly.
Angel handed over the Drama Shadow Box to Lush Groot, and they watched the trilogy together.
After viewing, Lush Groot, while marveling at human ingenuity, also expressed willingness to accept Mr. Magu’s invitation to travel to the Fire Domain. However, being a tree elemental creature, Lush Groot found it challenging to travel long distances and decided to send Sage Merio in his stead.
Lush Groot’s prompt decision spared Angel much persuasion.
It could be said that Lush Groot was the most relaxed conversation Angel had had on his journey. Although not as directly supportive as Frost Iseth, Lush Groot showed considerable goodwill.
Angel speculated that the prior visit of the sage from the Stone Forest Canyon had given Lush Groot ample time to ponder. By the time of Angel’s visit, Lush Groot had already weighed his options, allowing for a swift decision.
However, more than the task of “delivering the Drama Shadow Box,” Angel was interested in meeting with Nemeti.
However, when Angel mentioned Nemeti, Lush Groot, who had always been forthcoming, hesitated for the first time.
After a long silence, Lush Groot finally said, “Do you really have to see her?”
Angel nodded without hesitation: “I must see her, I want to know more about Mr. Feng.”
Seeing Angel so determined, Lush Groot pondered for a moment before speaking: “Actually, it has been a long time since I last saw Mentor Nemeti.”
“Mentor Nemeti?” It was the first time Angel had heard that Lush Groot was Nemeti’s student.
A hint of embarrassment appeared on Lush Groot’s aged face: “Actually, I was not formally accepted as a student by Mentor Nemeti, but I learned a lot from her, so I took the initiative to call her my Mentor. However, she does not acknowledge this status.”
Angel, coming to a realization, did not delve further into the title and gestured for Lush Groot to continue.
“The last time I saw the Mentor was three hundred years ago… Actually, I didn’t really see her, I just heard her voice.”
Lush Groot’s eyes gradually became misty, lost in memories.
In fact, when he first took over as the monarch of the Green Forest Domain, Lush Groot’s strength had not truly reached the level of an Elemental Monarch. It was only because the previous monarch, Star Wood, died too hastily, and Nemeti was unwilling to take on the responsibility of monarch, that Lush Groot was pushed forward.
After a long time, Lush Groot’s essence, having undergone several elemental tides, finally advanced to a true Elemental Monarch three hundred years ago.
When Lush Groot became a monarch, he made a trip to the Lost Forest.
——The Lost Forest is where Nemeti has always resided.
Lush Groot hoped to invite Nemeti to participate in the celebration.
Standing outside the Lost Forest, Lush Groot did not wait for Nemeti to appear, but he heard a simple blessing from Nemeti’s voice transmission.
Since then, Lush Groot had not received any news from Nemeti.
After listening to Lush Groot’s recollection, before Angel could say anything, Dangros was the first to ask, “Haven’t you seen Highness Nemeti for so long, aren’t you worried?”
“It’s not so much worry, because the Lost Forest has always been enveloped by the Mentor’s aura. Over the years, the strength of the aura has not weakened but has become stronger, indicating that the Mentor has not had any accidents and her strength has become even more profound,” Lush Groot said, sighing, “However, because the aura of the Lost Forest has become more terrifying, no elemental creature can enter it. Even I can’t.”
Any creature that tries to enter the Lost Forest is repelled by the terrifying aura, unable to enter.
Thus, the Lost Forest has become a forbidden area in the Green Forest Domain. No one wishes to go there, nor does anyone wish to speak of it.
As time passes, over the years, many of the new elemental creatures in the Green Forest Domain don’t even know who Nemeti is. The various deeds of Nemeti seem to have become legend.
Lush Groot looked at Angel: “So, even if I agree, you might not be able to see Mentor.”
Lush Groot’s jurisdiction is incredibly vast, except for the Lost Forest. Even if he tells Angel that you can go see Nemeti, it’s an empty promise without any effect.
“This is indeed a bit troublesome,” Angel muttered softly, pondering, “I wonder, has Highness Nemeti explicitly stated that she will not see any visitors?”
After understanding that Nemeti’s strength might far exceed Lush Groot’s, Angel was also embarrassed to call her by name directly, adding a prefix of respect.
Lush Groot thought for a moment: “It seems not, but the aura enveloping the outside of the Lost Forest is actually a statement in itself.”
“It’s not necessarily the case,” Angel said. “Perhaps, this is a test left for you by Highness Nemeti?”
A test? Lush Groot was taken aback.
Angel elaborated, “What I mean is, Highness Nemeti set up the aura not to prevent others from entering the Lost Forest. Instead, she hopes someone can enter, but the premise is, if you can avoid or ignore the aura, then you can meet it.”
“Is that so?” Lush Groot felt this logic was somewhat peculiar.
Angel continued, “I don’t know, but since Highness Nemeti has not explicitly stated she refuses to see visitors, then Highness cannot deny the possibility, can you?”
After thinking it over, Lush Groot slowly nodded.
Angel added, “So, I hope to try and enter the Lost Forest. If I can’t enter, then I’ll accept it.”
Lush Groot carefully considered Angel’s proposal and felt it was worth a try.
Over the years, several elemental creatures have accidentally wandered into the Lost Forest and were eventually driven away by Nemeti’s aura, without actually being harmed. Moreover, Nemeti has not truly been angry at these intruders; otherwise, she wouldn’t have let them return alive.
Thus, letting Angel try was not a loss.
With this thought, Lush Groot nodded, “Alright, when do you plan to go? I can take you there.”
Lush Groot thought, with its company, even if Angel was truly hurt, it could heal him.
Angel replied, “If Highness is available, we can go now.”
Lush Groot responded, “Then let’s go now.”
Lush Groot handed the trilogy shadow box to Sage Merio standing by and slowly transformed from a towering tree into a relatively slender treeman.
As the trunk shrank, the ancient face seemed to become somewhat younger.
After becoming a slender treeman, Lush Groot pulled out roots from the ground, using them as legs, and signaled to Angel that they could leave.
Although Lush Groot had become much slimmer, it was still not “petite,” so it couldn’t ride the Gondola.
However, riding the Gondola to the Lost Forest was just a time-saver. Since Angel was not in a hurry, he put away the Gondola, and they walked to the Lost Forest.
On the way to the Lost Forest, Angel also took the opportunity to ask about Nemeti.
However, what Lush Groot knew wasn’t much more than Frost Iseth, and after listening, Angel didn’t gain much.
Aside from Nemeti’s matters, Angel also asked some other questions.
Among them, what he was most concerned about were the hidden beings he encountered on the way.
“Invisible and intangible, hiding abilities surpassing wind elemental creatures, speed comparable to a lightning monarch?” After listening, Lush Groot pondered for a moment before shaking its head, “I have never heard of such elemental creatures.”
“Could it be a hidden powerhouse?” Dangros, hanging in the Blood Night Sanctuary, asked curiously.
“A hidden powerhouse? No,” Lush Groot answered confidently. “Under the breath of the Voice of the World, no powerhouse can hide. Unless, they do not absorb the scattered elements during the Voice of the World.”
The Voice of the World is a celebration for all elemental creatures. Even elemental sprites would stop other activities at this time and quietly absorb the world’s gift.
For an elemental creature to not absorb during the Voice of the World is like a starving person, facing unclaimed food, yet still remaining indifferent.
Clearly, this is highly unlikely.
Therefore, Lush Groot was very certain that if there were such a powerful being, it would have already noticed.
“If not a hidden powerhouse, what could it be?” Dangros had fully believed that the hidden powerhouse was the answer, but now, with Lush Groot’s denial, it too was plunged into confusion.
After some thought, Lush Groot answered, “In my view, there could be two possibilities.”
Everyone looked over, waiting for its explanation.
“The first possibility is a special talent. There are some elemental creatures that, although not strong in themselves, possess very special talents. These talents, at times, can be even more powerful than those of some elemental monarchs.”
Just like Kolokro, whose talent was elemental self-destruction, and it could reassemble its consciousness after exploding.
Elemental self-destruction is a last resort for all elemental creatures, leading to their complete annihilation. However, Kolokro’s talent allowed it to have a nearly “unlimited self-destruction” capability. Once it evolved beyond the sprite stage, each of its explosions could rival the strike of an elemental monarch.
If it advanced further, it might even surpass the attacks of elemental monarchs.
Thus, the special talent Lush Groot spoke of does exist among elemental creatures.
However, at this point, Lobert raised an objection: “I also considered the possibility of a special talent, but after careful thought, I found it unlikely.”
“Because even special talents need to adhere to basic logic. Just like a pure water elemental creature cannot have a talent for fire.” Lobert said, “And that hidden one, being able to fly, be intangible, and possess extraordinary speed, in my view, only the special talent of a wind elemental creature could achieve this.”
“But if that hidden one were a wind elemental creature, it would definitely not escape my and Speedling’s perception.”
Everyone nodded, finding Lobert’s reasoning sound.
Even the most special talents need the corresponding element for manipulation. If the hidden one were a wind elemental creature, once it used the power of wind, it would surely be detected by Lobert.
Lush Groot then said, “As for my second guess… could it be possible that the hidden one is not an elemental creature?”