The Handbook for Completing Demi-Human Girls

Chapter 700: Main Story Side Story • Main Storyline • Peach Blossoms Beneath the Tree

"Tao! Tao, look quickly, what did I find?"

On an expanse of verdant green grass, the petite-figured Tao, her body wrapped in a garment of leaves, was still busy with the woodwork in her hands. Only yesterday had she snapped a tree tens of meters high outside their home in half and carried it back, chopping the trunk into pieces to make a place that could shelter them from wind and rain.

Tao turned her head and looked outside the cave, only to see a small child, similarly covering his body with leaves, also running back eagerly following eagerly. That child had a slender red mark on his forehead, possessed an adorable appearance, and carried a fluffy little beast on his back. That little beast's head was tilted; evidently, it had been dead for a long time.

The small child who ran back threw the animal corpse on his back in front of Tao with a face full of showing off. A pair of long ears by his ears also wagged up and down, making him appear exceptionally excited.

"Look quickly, I've never seen such a good-looking animal! It must be a new creation of the Chief God, I just saw it fall out from the 【Great Hollow】 not long ago!"

Hearing this, Tao let out a sigh, but still cast a glance at the little beast her younger brother carried back. Looking it up and down, this animal neither possessed any weird stench nor any extra tentacles or twisted limbs. Compared to those dangerous monsters that fell from the Great Hollow in the past, it was actually quite decent.

It seemed the creations of the Chief God would soon include other things besides those trees.

Tao cast a glance outside the cave, only to see a massive hollow growing out of thin air above the expanse of azure firmament. From within that hollow, floods poured down endlessly like a waterfall, filling the area outside the bare continent into a shallow expanse of water. Creations frequently fell out from that hole, but most things were twisted monsters.

"It is good-looking, but... Bing, Mother told us not to go over there. If you run towards the Great Hollow again, don't blame me for grounding you."

"That's not fair... Gui also goes out often. Why do you only talk about me and not her? That's not fair!""Because she doesn't cause trouble. She knows where she should go and where she shouldn't. Unlike you, running around blindly every time. And when you encounter trouble, you expect me to go save you. Moreover, these are Mother's words. Mother said we are not allowed to go near there!"

"Mother, mother, mother... Hmph! You always say you've seen Mother. You're clearly lying! None of us have ever seen her, we can't even frequently hear her speak. On what basis do you say you've seen her? If you ask me, you're definitely lying to us! Mother never said these words at all!"

"What did you say?!"

Tao turned her head indignantly. She even set down the woodwork her small hands were focused on earlier. Looking at her younger brother Bing before her, who was already slightly taller than her, Tao's imposing manner wasn't weak in the slightest.

As the first-born Elf, the eldest sister designated by their Mother, Bing was frightened by Tao's serious face into taking several steps back. Yet he wasn't convinced like in the past. Instead, he stubbornly craned his neck, blushing red and with a thick neck as he shouted loudly,

"I said, you are lying! You haven't seen Mother at all! I'm already taller than you, yet you still control me all day! I don't want you to control me!"

Tao said nothing, but the expression on her face grew increasingly ugly. She raised her small fist, making the Bing before her tremble in fright. However, unwilling to concede defeat, he delivered a kick to the animal corpse set down nearby. That immense strength innate to Mystical Species instantly kicked the corpse of the little beast right into the wall.

"Boom!"

That innocent animal corpse instantly burst open. Not only did the entire cave emit a huge explosive sound, but crucially, the blood and flesh within the corpse instantly splattered out, completely covering the beddings and tabletop where they usually rested nearby.

"You guy!"

The veins on Tao's forehead bulged. Yet her stinky younger brother Bing before her, stubbornly craning his neck with tears beginning to form at the corners of his eyes, utterly refused to submit. It wasn't just a day or two that they had been arguing. As Bing grew older day by day, he became increasingly curious about the outside world. He was unwilling to spend his days in this mountain range where they were born, let alone listen to the words of Tao, who resolutely executed their Mother's orders.

To put it in human terms, it was a minor rebellious conflict.

"I'm never coming back. You just stay here!"

His eyes red, Bing pouted his small face, turned his head, and left. The small fist Tao raised never fell the entire time. She merely watched as Bing turned his head, walked out of the cave, and then vanished with an explosive sound.

Tao resentfully turned her head to cast a glance at the complete mess inside the cave. Yet without saying a word, she turned back and continued the woodwork at hand.

"Clack..."

However, after assembling for half a day, the two pieces of wood just couldn't fit together. Only then did Tao finally couldn't resist heaving a sigh and look toward the sky outside the cave. Over there, the Great Hollow transmitted rumbling sounds once again; presumably, creations were still falling continuously.

In the past few days, the creations dropped by Lord Chief God were far more numerous than usual. Moreover, the fluctuations of the Crevice above the Great Hollow were also very strange. For a guy like Bing to still throw a tantrum and run around everywhere... truly...

Tao thought for several seconds, then tossed aside the few pieces of wood in her hands. Temporarily ignoring the bloodstains behind her, she simply walked out of the cave, sizing up the situation outside.

At the doorway, a little girl with black hair and a pair of long ears, possessing the aura of a beautiful rogue, was lying comfortably on the grass not far from the cave, resting with her eyes closed. Seeing Tao walk out of the cave, she opened a pair of scattered blue-gold pupils, and bored to death, looked at Tao, greeting her,

"Big sister~"

This was their younger sister, Gui.

Tao furrowed her brows, acting like a little adult, and merely asked,

"Where is that guy Bing?"

"Ah, I don't know. Probably ran outside again, right? Perhaps he went towards the Great Hollow..."

"Great Hollow..."

There was truly no other way. In this vast forest, only the three of them, beings sent down by their Mother, could speak. The rest were either plants or various bizarre monsters that fell from the Great Hollow.

The offensive desires of those monsters were very strong, and they were ugly as well. Hearing from Mother, they were "failures" created by Lord Chief God, and were extremely dangerous. This was also the reason why Tao obeyed Mother's order to not let Bing run over there.

But having had a bout of argument just now, it seemed Tao now had to go there and take a look.

"You stay here, I... I will go look for Bing."

"Okay~"

Gui remained motionless, indifferently and comfortably lying back down. This younger sister certainly saved Tao a lot of worry; it was just that she seemed a little too worry-free.

The entire world wasn't exactly quiet. Above the dense jungle, the chirping sounds of quite a few bizarre insects could already be heard, along with birds perched on branches curiously sizing up Tao on the hillside. All of these were creations that successfully managed to stay behind. Those dangerous "failed" creations, conversely, would disappear bafflingly and unaccountably not long after. Tao also didn't know what was going on.

However, that animal her stinky younger brother brought back just now should also be considered a success, to think he actually killed it...

Tao stomped the ground fiercely and instantly shot up into the sky, charging in the direction of the Great Hollow in the distance.

The future Tree Continent had yet to fully form. Right now, it was merely an embryonic form. Rather than a continent, it actually looked more like a somewhat larger island. Placed upon it were all kinds of successful creations. And beyond the island was the fresh water continuously seeping and falling from the Great Hollow.

The three siblings—Tao, Bing, and Gui—were the only three intelligent living beings on this island. It had been over a dozen years since they were born here.

The young Tao believed that the only things in this world were them, and outside was entirely barren. Bing, however, didn't think this way. Having stayed on the island for a long time, he always felt that beyond the island lay an even broader heaven and earth, and above the Great Hollow perhaps also held unknown secrets waiting to be discovered, wanting to go investigate and find out the truth.

In some regards, Bing was right, because in other parts of the world outside the island, there were even more "Great Hollows". Yet what he didn't know was that the Great Hollows connected to the Spirit World beyond the Crevice, and that was where Lamastia constructed his creations before subsequently dropping them into the world inside.

Outside the Great Hollow lay the Spirit World. For these little guys, Mythical Species who were only born a dozen years ago, it was indeed relatively dangerous.

At this moment, the closer the small Tao got to that massive, unparalleled Great Hollow above the firmament, the more her heart palpitated. It wasn't that she hadn't come here before. She frequently came here to catch her younger brother who ran all over the place, yet she had never felt something amiss quite like today.

Tch, that guy Bing!

"Bing?!"

Having no other choice, Tao came to a halt on the trunk of a large tree. Looking around, she was forced to call out her younger brother's name.

But after calling out a sentence or two, Tao suddenly recalled the words Bing had spoken just now, feeling it wasn't worth it. Those words stung her, causing a hint of grievance and anger to surface in her still tender heart.

Because Bing was right; in truth, Tao hadn't seen what their Mother looked like at all.

They had only been born a dozen years ago and knew nothing about their Mother or this world. Ever since she was born, she could only live here based on the guidance of a few isolated words and phrases from her Mother.

She believed Mother wouldn't harm them. Furthermore, Mother had told Tao privately that because she was the eldest sister, she hoped she could protect her younger brother and sister well... Precisely because of this, Tao poked her nose into other people's business every day, caring about the safety of Bing and Gui.

She was clearly doing it for their own good, yet this guy Bing still opposed her all day...

Never mind! Let him wait for death outside alone! She couldn't be bothered to care about him anymore!

The more Tao thought about it, the angrier she got. Having only walked halfway, she prepared to turn her head and leave. Yet at this moment, a blurry cry suddenly traveled to her ears.

"Ahhh!"

It was exactly Bing's voice.

The steps Tao was about to take stopped in place. She hesitated again and again, yet still let out a sigh and turned her head. With a stinky face, the tips of her toes nonetheless tapped fiercely against the branch, charging toward the place where the cry originated.

"Ahhhhh!"

"Boom!"

At this moment, on the edge of the island, Bing, wrapped in leaves, violently threw a punch in front of a twisted-figured, bizarre creation. That bizarre creation carried a dense aura of Authority. While its strength was formidable, every time it moved, it would bring about anomalous changes to the surrounding world.

But Bing, full of youthful vigor and enthusiasm, remained calm and composed. Sub Rosa, he frequently ran over here to the Great Hollow. What kind of failed creation hadn't he seen? He had long been addicted to this kind of battle, only feeling sheer delight from it!

"Gurgle!"

Countless mouthparts all over the twisted creation before his eyes—which seemed to have just charged out of the fresh water outside the island—opened up. From within, slender tentacles akin to tongues stretched out. As Bing looked on, his scalp tingled, while his battle intent also soared higher.

Clenching his fists, he seemed to view this annoying guy in front of his eyes as that fellow Tao. The black hair on his head turned white bit by bit; that was the power bestowed upon him by Mother activating.

"Now..."

Bing smiled mischievously. Watching that twisted creation crashing over like a mountain peak, he violently splayed his fingers. That creation, as well as the space and time around him, began to congeal bizarrely, as if frozen in that exact moment, unable to advance nor retreat.

"Cackle..."

However, the abilities of that creation were truly too powerful, while Bing's methods were far too tender. Seeing it subdued, Bing boldly and without worry clenched his fist, preparing to deal it a fatal blow. He never expected that in the next second, the space around that creation would violently shatter. Countless tentacles shot out from its mouthparts, charging toward him.

"Ahhhh!"

Bing cried out in alarm, but the fist on his arm was one step faster, violently smashing into the face of that creation.

"Boom!"

That immense strength directly sent it flying. Just as the panting Bing was about to continue his attack, from the sky above, Tao plummeted down violently, directly smashing through that creation and landing on the ground.

Bing paused slightly. Looking at the elder sister before him who was already shorter than him, he spoke indignantly,

"What are you doing? I was already about to beat it to death!"

"Hehe, I only saw you almost fail... These failed creations would have disappeared on their own after a while anyway. Why do you constantly go looking for them? Just because you're bored to death, you put yourself in danger?"

"I... they definitely won't disappear on their own! I researched it previously. If I beat them to death and secretly brought the corpses back near our cave, they wouldn't disappear even after several months! Then, after bringing them back to the edge of the island and throwing them away, they would disappear without a trace overnight!"

"Hah?"

Tao was slightly taken aback. Looking down at the dead failed creation, which equally possessed Mythical Rank, she kicked the corpse aside and said to Bing,

"So what? Is there any meaning in constantly researching these things? I just want you to pay attention to your own safety, is it really that hard?"

"I don't need you to control me! I'm already taller than you! Just now I could also very easily resolve—ah..."

As Bing's rebellious, unreasonable little face spoke on, he suddenly froze when looking at Tao's expression. He hurriedly reached out a hand, pointing behind Tao.

"Tao... Tao... b-b-behind you..."

"My..."

Tao froze for a moment, suddenly realizing the area beneath her had already been obscured by a massive shadow. She turned her head and looked behind, only to horrifically discover a massive, red dragon head hovering by the shore. A pair of gigantic dragon eyes were looking at the two little brats by the shore without a single ripple.

Wh-what exactly is this...

This existence before their eyes... s-so powerful!

"Of course, of course they would disappear without a trace, because I am responsible for cleaning them up... I was wondering why the whereabouts of one of Mother's failed creations couldn't be found several months ago. So it was secretly taken away by you little things. There's the scent of the World Tree on you. When did she create you? How come I didn't know?"

"Ah... Ah..."

Tao was so frightened she couldn't speak. Their meager level of cultivation was simply like little beans in front of this incomparably powerful giant dragon before their eyes. Just his breath when speaking had already rendered Tao and Bing speechless. Bing, even more pathetically, instantly softened and fell to the ground, unable to even stand up.

"Wh-what... thing are you?"

Yet at the critical moment, Tao still forced herself to open her mouth and asked the giant dragon before her eyes thus.

The giant dragon chuckled, raising his claw that was even larger than a mountain peak. The moment that claw flicked slightly, the failed creation on the ground instantly turned into flying ash and disappeared without a trace.

"Me? I am Fafnir, the compatriot sibling of the World Tree, the progeny of the Chief God..."

Tao nervously gulped down a mouthful of saliva. Watching the progeny created by the World Tree shivering in fear in front of him, Fafnir felt amused in his heart, and once again recalled the stifling matters from previously.

As mentioned earlier, the three Demigods each had their respective duties.

Fafnir was responsible for guarding the Crevice, whereas the Chain of Heaven was responsible for guarding the world's boundaries. The World Tree, conversely, was rooted in the deep layer of the world and was responsible for guarding reality.

So, according to the original division, those failed creations that might threaten the world and carried a dense aura of Authority (Chaos) were reasonably supposed to be cleaned up by the World Tree after falling down. Yet the World Tree argued that the Great Hollow creating the creations passed through the Crevice first before entering the world. According to reason, the failed creations should have been vetted, detained, and eliminated in the Crevice first. Their falling into the world was all because of Fafnir, so naturally, cleaning them up was his job too.

The personalities of Fafnir were understood by the other two Demigods. The days he scrupulously guarded his post within the Crevice were simply numbered on one's fingers. He ran all over the world day in and day out like a street loiterer. Thus, Lamastia agreed with the World Tree's reasoning and let him handle the leftover failed creations...

The Dragon God, who originally could have slept peacefully and roamed about everywhere, suddenly had more work. It was all to blame on that nonsensically rambling (telling the truth) World Tree.

Therefore, at this moment, looking at the two progeny secretly created by the World Tree, the wicked sense of humor of an Uncle Demigod instantly arose.

Fafnir's dragon face suddenly pulled down. Looking at the shivering Bing, he extended his dragon claw in a threatening manner and said to him,

"Hehe. Previously, you secretly took away that failed creation. This is a capital crime. Tell me, how should I punish you?"

"Ah? Punish me?"

Bing turned pale with fright and spoke in disbelief.

"That's right... Should I eat you? Or, lock you in the water where you can never move again? Oh right, how about finding a place to bury you, then lifting a large mountain and placing it on top of you, leaving only your head exposed, and locking you up for a few hundred years. How about that?"

"A few hundred years?!"

Heavens pity him, Bing had only lived for a dozen years! If he had to stay in one place unable to move for a few hundred years, he would rather die!

But how could a small child distinguish the truth or falsehood of a Demigod's words? Both Tao and Bing felt that what Fafnir said was true. And adults who frightened children were indeed hateful. Harboring revenge towards the World Tree, the current him also utterly unrestrainedly reached out a claw, further frightening Bing, moving to hoist him up.

"That's right. Since you bumped into me today, then come with me and accept your punishment."

"N-no!!"

Bing trembled in both legs from fright. Just as that dragon claw, blotting out the sky and covering the sun, was about to fall, Tao shouted loudly with a pale little face,

"Stop!!"

Fafnir paused slightly, only to see another Elf—who wasn't even as tall as this little boy—suddenly block in front of him. Opening her arms and raising her head, she shouted loudly at him.

"He is my younger brother! I forbid you from taking him away!!"

"Oh? On what basis?"

Fafnir sneered. That massive claw overturned downwards in an instant. Tao's expression changed. She hurriedly sprang backwards violently, taking along her disappointing younger brother whose body had long ago gone soft from fright to run together.

"Go!"

"Rumble!"

Following a loud boom that shook the earth and mountains—which was actually all thunder and no rain; if Fafnir truly wanted to strike, these two little guys would be flattened instantly.

But even this intimidating attack caused large swathes of trees on the island to topple over entirely. Tao was also sent flying by that massive shockwave. While hugging her younger brother, she spun several circles in mid-air and rolled several times on the ground. Though her body was filthy, she still desperately ran towards the direction of the cave carrying her younger brother.

Tao was also horribly frightened. Even every muscle in her body was trembling uncontrollably, and even tears from her eye sockets were flowing down.

But even so, she still carried her younger brother and sprinted forward wildly, unwilling to stop.

"Oh..."

Fafnir was somewhat surprised. He didn't expect this little girl created by his older sister to be so strong. His massive dragon body climbed onto the island, moving his body forward aggressively. It was just like bullying an infant chick as he chased after them forward.

From time to time, he would casually spew terrifying beams of light and walls of fire from his mouth, blocking the direction of their escape, causing the entire island to begin vibrating.

Tao, hugging Bing, didn't even dare look backward. She merely hugged the Bing in her arms tightly and sprinted forward wildly.

At this moment, her mind was completely blank. Or perhaps, when a still-tender soul encounters such a situation, only instinct remains. She didn't know if running back to the cave was of any use, or if it could stop the progeny of the Chief God behind her. All she could do was run, she could only run...

The only thing she thought of was simply escaping with her younger brother.

"Haha..."

Tao was so afraid that her tears flowed down uncontrollably. Behind her, Fafnir's joyous voice, accompanied by the gradual falling of giant claws, caused Tao's body to tremble even more.

"Hehe. Where do you want to run to?"

"Wu!"

"Sister... Wuwu..."

In her arms, Bing's whimpering caused Tao, who originally couldn't run anymore, to speed up her pace once again. She stomped fiercely on the ground. Not daring to take to the air, using the cover of the trees behind her, she fiercely sprinted out once again.

She was unaware of how incredibly slow their speed was in Fafnir's eyes. It was just that when Fafnir wanted to raise his claw again to frighten these two pitiful children, above the firmament, a beam of golden light suddenly plummeted down from the void, instantly smashing onto his head.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz..."

"Roar!!"

Fafnir's entire person was smashed to the ground by the massive force of that light beam. In anger, he raised his dragon head and roared furiously, only to be met head-on with even more golden beams of light.

He hurriedly flapped his wings and took flight, struggling to dodge in mid-air. However, due to the Loom of Fate, no matter how he dodged, those light beams could steadily strike his body, making him turn his head in a sorry state and fly away.

"Roar!!"

The terrifying roars from the firmament behind them made Tao not dare look back at all. She merely hugged Bing and dashed forward with all her might. Very quickly, they ran back near the cave they resided in. Inside, Gui was smilingly cleaning up the animal corpse Bing kicked earlier. Seeing them return, she even walked out with a smile and said,

"You guys are back..."

"Haha... ha..."

But Tao, her face full of tears and sweat, set down her terrifyingly limp-bodied younger brother onto the ground. Subsequently, she carefully ran to the doorway and looked outside the cave, afraid that the terrifying giant dragon would catch up.

"What's wrong, Big Sister?"

"Don't come out. Stay inside the cave and don't say a single word!"

Tao nervously looked outside the cave, her small body trembling with terror. Gui had no choice but to nod her head. Turning around, she looked at Bing, who was hugging his body on the ground, crying with a face full of tears.

"Wuaahhh, Sister... I was wrong... Wuwu..."

Her face pale, Tao glanced back at Bing, but she didn't fuss about anything with him anymore. She merely pinched her small hands, looking at the approaching darkness of the sky outside, and said in a low voice,

"It seems to have quieted down... We'll all sleep early... Do not go out. Did you hear me..."

"Mhm, wuwuwu..."

That night, both Bing and Gui had already fallen asleep. Entering the night, Bing was so frightened he couldn't fall asleep no matter what. But he had just experienced battles and frights today. Still young, how could he withstand staying up late like this? Not much later, while having nightmares, he fell asleep on the nearby bed.

The cave was pitch black. Tao didn't even dare light a fire. She merely leaned against the entrance to the cave. As the eldest sister, she still felt uneasy. And so, she stubbornly stayed by the cave entrance keeping watch all night, afraid the giant dragon would catch up again.

Half the night had already passed. Even the slightest rustle of leaves in the wind made Tao, whose mind had already been scarred by shadows, afraid.

Those terrifying roars and breath attacks added a touch of terror amidst her sleepiness and exhaustion.

"Wuwu... I was wrong... Wu..."

She turned her head to look at her younger brother and sister who had already fallen asleep inside the cave. Finally, that trace of strength also faded away a bit.

Her arms trembling, Tao hugged her petite, ice-cold body. Even though her eyelids were fatigued beyond belief, she still refused to close her eyes.

What if...

What if that giant dragon came back later? If they all fell asleep, they would definitely be eaten together...

Thinking this, the trembling of her body, formed by fright, fear, and the cold, became increasingly severe.

Keeping her head lowered, she ultimately became more and more sleepy. Even the strongest will—the desire to protect her younger brother and sister—was still no match against her currently young body.

Silently, she went limp by the doorway of the cave, finally reverting back to a young child. Her eyelids struggled and trembled, wanting to open, but she was already increasingly sleepy.

"..."

Tao suddenly recalled the words Bing said this morning...

Actually, she had never seen Mother's true appearance either. Even as the eldest sister, she would feel dread and fear. Yet she had never spoken of this feeling with Bing and Gui.

Only in the deep of the night at this moment, Tao still uncontrollably closed her eyes. Her small body curled up together, shrinking back fragilely as she leaned against the hard floor at the doorway of the cave entrance.

And exactly at this moment, outside the cave, flowing specks of light resembling fireflies suddenly flew in from some unknown place outside. First, they flew past Tao, then past Bing's struggling face trapped in a nightmare, and past Gui's face that maintained a smile even in her sleep...

Afterwards, they ultimately enveloped entirely around Tao, the only one not sleeping on the bed but stubbornly leaning on the hard floor of the cave.

Those specks of golden light surrounded her side. Growing more numerous, warmer, and brighter...

"Wu..."

Tao hazily opened her eyes. That sleepiness and haziness made her temporarily unable to distinguish reality from dream. She could only moan with a pitiful, milky voice.

And right before her eyes, those firefly-like golden lights had already converged into a bright figure—a loving long-eared woman whose face couldn't be clearly seen.

That figure gently extended her warm pair of hands, pulling the little Elf sleeping curled up on the hard floor into her embrace, letting her lean within that soft embrace formed from fluorescence.

"Wu..."

Those large, warm hands patted her back, allowing the comfortable Tao to stretch her body in her embrace. And those large hands just like that stroked onto her head, stroked onto her long ears and black hair, making Tao relax even more.

This unprecedentedly warm feeling, this unprecedented feeling of peace of mind made Tao forget to return, as light and comfortable as floating in the clouds.

She was so sleepy, increasingly sleepy...

If she slept now, it would definitely be the most comfortable sleep, right?

She thought so, but couldn't think of a single word to describe the feeling at this moment.

Her blank, sluggish brain found it difficult to operate. Tao had no choice but to mutter hazily,

"Mo... Mother..."

That glowing figure paused slightly. Afterwards, with a slight smile, she held the tiny Tao in her embrace, holding her even tighter.

The moment right before she was about to fall asleep, a loving female voice suddenly rang lightly by her ear.

"Tao... You did very well..."

"Lord Tao?"

"Lord Tao?"

Valentina somewhat anxiously called out to Lord Tao within her mind. Because usually, the moment she got up, Lord Tao would have long since been wide awake. But today, several hours had passed since she got up. No matter how Valentina called out, she didn't reply. This made Valentina very worried.

Could it be something happened?

"Wu..."

But just when Valentina was very worried, within her mind, the sound of a small child's whimper suddenly rang out, causing Valentina to heave a sigh of relief while also becoming unable to help laughing.

"Awooo... What time is it now, small fry?"

After a moment of silence in her mind and a long yawn, Lord Tao's weak and feeble voice resounded once again.

"It's ten o'clock, Lord Tao. You just acted like a little child, you actually stayed in bed... Eh? And your voice is so cute too..."

"Heh, small fry."

Lord Tao's voice instantly became wide awake. Although it was still a small child's vocal cords, the feeling she gave Valentina was fundamentally different.

It was as if one moment she was still a child hiding in her mother's swaddling clothes, and the next moment she was an old monster who had lived for heaven knows how many thousands or tens of thousands of years...

Recalling this feeling, Valentina also felt somewhat curious. And so she asked Lord Tao,

"Oh right, Lord Tao, your appearance as a small child previously actually wasn't your original appearance, right?"

"Mhm..."

Lord Tao had always maintained the appearance of a small child. However, Valentina remembered seeing an illusion of her figure in the True Ice's dreamscape back then; her true appearance wasn't a small child, but an adult.

"Then why are you always in the image of a small child?"

"I like it, isn't that fine?"

"How should I say it... I feel a bit of a contrast. You're clearly the eldest sister of the entire Elf-kin, yet your true appearance is as small as a mother's child. Or could it be that because you, Lord Tao, are nostalgic for old times, you've always maintained your 'past' appearance?"

"Aiya, you are so annoying! Small fry, asking all sorts of questions! I was already annoyed being woken up by you from a dream, and you still keep talking."

"My apologies, Lord Tao..." Valentina smiled slightly, apologizing without the slightest bit of sincerity. Yet she was still a bit curious, and couldn't help asking, "Does Lord Tao also dream?"

"I am an Elf, not a monster. Is it strange to dream?"

"I was merely curious. If it was Lord Tao, what kind of dream would you have? Since you forgot to return, it should be a sweet dream, right?"

"Mhm... Just a little bit. About matters of the past, that's all."

"You really like the past, Lord Tao."

"Mhm... Alright, what's the matter with waking me up, small fry?"

This time, Lord Tao didn't avoid the issue. She merely gave a casual reply and straightforwardly asked Valentina what was going on.

"The method you taught me previously was very effective, Lord Tao. Right now, the Wutong Tree has also gotten on track. I wonder if Princess Moon was still here, what she would think upon seeing the current Wutong Tree, would it satisfy her..."

"Hehe. Could the method I taught you be wrong? As for what she would say, she would say..."

Lord Tao chuckled. But at the end of her words, that smile along with the sentence suddenly tangled in her mouth. She was silent for a good while before continuing with a smile,

"You did very well, Valentina."

(End of Chapter)