Chapter 228: The Reason for Little Ai’s Flat Chest is Found? (Three in One)
First Era, Abyss.
Gray Elf Liliana sat atop the marble-paved city walls.
Her feet dangled, listlessly swaying in mid-air, her gaze fixed on the scenery beyond Snow City.
Outside the city, the seemingly eternal blizzard had, at some point, dispersed.
What greeted her eyes was a world of light, under the brilliant sunlight, the distant snow-capped mountains appeared sacred and majestic.
The gentle sound of flowing water reached her ears. Not far away were a lake and a grassland, and further in the distance, a forest.
The fragrance of flowers wafted through the air. Liliana turned her head and saw a sea of pure white flowers by the lake, swaying in the wind.
These were plants Liliana had never seen before in the Abyss.
The bottom of the Abyss was desolate and barren, with no native life present, except for this island that had fallen from the Prime Material Plane.
Yet, these white flowers had appeared without warning, swaying in the wind, emitting a brilliant fragrance.
“All these changes…”
“Are all because of him?”
Looking at the refreshed landscape outside Snow City, Liliana’s mind involuntarily recalled the fleeting glimpse of the human youth sleeping on the ice-bound throne.
According to their leader, the world surrounding Snow City was a subconscious projection and manifestation of the human youth’s mental imagery in reality during his deep sleep.
Then, at this very moment.
The landscape projected by his mental imagery had transformed from an endless blizzard into a warm spring day.
Did this also mean—
That the mental imagery of the youth on the ice-bound throne had also undergone a change?
He—
Had finally awakened?
Such a guess, uncontrollably, took root in Liliana’s heart.
However, since that day, the Palace of Night, located at the center of Snow City where their leader resided, had been perpetually veiled by darkness.
Even though Liliana was consumed by the speculation in her heart, she had never entered to confirm her suspicions.
“Sister Liliana, this bunch of flowers is for you. We picked them from the sea of flowers outside the city.”
Suddenly, a group of Gray Elf children came romping towards the city walls. They saw Elder Liliana sitting on the wall in a daze. One of the Gray Elf little girls, with a grin, held up a bouquet of flowers and offered it to Liliana.
Because Liliana’s personality was quite approachable, the Gray Elf children did not feel the same awe and reverence towards their elders as the commoners of other Elf tribes. Instead, they could interact freely with Elder Liliana.
“Thank you, Little Tiya.”
Liliana’s hand moved nimbly, taking the bunch of unknown white flowers from the Gray Elf little girl named Tiya.
She was about to habitually reach out and pat Little Tiya’s head when she saw the Gray Elf little girl take a step back and make a funny face at her. “No way, Sister Liliana.”
“Mom said if you keep getting your head patted, you won’t grow tall… If you’re short in the future, you won’t be able to get married.”
As she spoke, she giggled and ran into the city with the other Gray Elf children.
It was mealtime in Snow City, with wisps of cooking smoke rising from within. The Gray Elf children were also heading home for their meals.
Liliana sat on the city wall, looking at the white flowers in her hand, and unconsciously touched her forehead.
Not growing tall from being patted on the head… Is there such a saying?
She suddenly recalled that when she was young, she seemed to have been patted on the head by that human.
Of course, the main culprits who patted her head were Sister Heiser, who patted it every day.
According to Sister Heiser, that human youth, who was also her teacher, particularly enjoyed patting her head… but since she couldn’t defeat him, she took her frustration out on Liliana.
Ultimately, a complete food chain was formed.
In that case—
Her height, among the female Gray Elves, was indeed not particularly tall.
The thought that surfaced in her mind made Liliana smile.
With the control over their bodies that Legendary Experts possessed, their physical forms could already be adjusted at will.
Let alone growing a little taller, even turning into a giant five meters tall might not be impossible for a Legendary being.
However, for the vast majority of Legends, they preferred to retain their original appearance.
After all, the solidification and identification of one’s image and concept was also one of the methods to resist the residual pollution and madness in the Prime Material Plane.
Thinking this, Liliana brought the flowers to her face.
The petals were delicate and pure white, and their fresh scent instantly filled her nostrils. Even with Liliana’s legendary mental power, she felt a sense of exhilaration.
For the residents of the Western Continent, even the most ordinary farmers and commoners, seeing beautiful flowers in the fields was a simple and common occurrence.
However, for the Elves who had fallen into the abyss along with the Lost Island, and who had never experienced the world outside the Abyss in their entire lives, even the most ordinary flowers were a brand-new experience for Liliana, a Legendary Expert.
Speaking of which… since the surrounding scenery was a manifestation of that human youth’s mental imagery.
Then that means, in his hometown, there must really be such a pure white flower.
What was its name?
And… what kind of place would a hometown that could nurture such pure flowers be?
As soon as this thought arose.
The next moment, a calm voice suddenly interrupted Liliana’s reverie.
“It’s called Frostbloom.”
“It’s a flower unique to the snowfields of my homeland, the Far North.”
“The cultivation environment for Frostbloom is extremely demanding, and it can only grow in the frozen, snow-covered Northern Territory.”
“After leaving my homeland, I tried many times to cultivate Frostbloom elsewhere, but the results were not very satisfactory, and I eventually gave up.”
“Thinking back now, I still feel a little regretful…”
“Perhaps it is this regret that has made Frostbloom a symbol of the snowfields of Ceylon, my homeland, and also the homeland of Xiao Ai and me.”
“Therefore, it was manifested in reality as part of the scenery in my mental world.”
The indifferent voice sounded in Liliana’s ears, carrying a faint sense of familiarity.
Liliana turned her head back in a daze.
Then—
She saw the young man sitting on the city wall beside her.
Black hair, black eyes, his ears were not slender and pointed like the elves in Snow City, but had soft curves.
This was the mark of a human.
He gazed at the snow-covered land outside the city, where the ice and snow had melted, and spring had arrived, his dark eyes filled with a faint nostalgia.
At this moment, Liliana felt her heart skip a beat.
She recognized the human before her.
Although it was only a fleeting glimpse of the sleeping figure on the throne when she was young and during a few rare visits to that palace.
However, with the memory of a Legendary rank, Liliana would never mistake him.
This snowfield where all things were reborn, and even this city—
All originated from him.
“You are… the little girl from the Gray Elf tribe on the Lost Island who used to follow Heiser around? I have some impression of you.”
“If I remember correctly, your name is Liliana?”
He turned to look at Liliana and spoke calmly.
“I sensed a familiar aura in this city, so I came to take a look.”
“I originally thought it was a descendant of that little girl from back then, and I was going to lament the damn lifespan issue… I didn’t expect to see an Elf I met once on the Lost Island five hundred years later.”
His words and expression were peaceful, without any malice or hostility.
However, the moment his dark eyes met hers, even with her Legendary mental power, Liliana felt a premonition that all her secrets were being completely seen through by him.
She had never felt this way before, not even when facing their leader.
“I didn’t expect that five hundred years would pass, and the little girl who used to toddle behind Heiser would now be a genuine Legend.”
“Is this what they call the vicissitudes of life?”
Looking at the Gray Elf before him, the human youth’s words carried a hint of emotion.
“After traveling through time so much, it always feels like only a few decades or centuries have passed.”
“Only now can I faintly feel the weight of these five hundred years.”
He leaned back on the city wall, almost lying down.
“The elemental particles at the bottom of the Abyss are thin, not very suitable for cultivation.”
“Of course, far from the madness and pollution remaining in the Prime Material Plane, one doesn’t have to worry about losing control as their status increases. It has its pros and cons.”
“But, regardless—”
“Heiser and I, apart from teaching you for a while, did not leave you any substantial help or extraordinary materials.”
As he spoke, his gaze towards Liliana held a peculiar expression.
“Your talent was not particularly outstanding among High Elves.”
“To reach this point, the limit of Legend, even with the help of opportunities, what you can truly rely on is your own effort.”
“Five hundred years, day and night, never slackening, enduring hardships, overcoming obstacles, treading new paths… this effort has finally paid off.”
“This is a remarkable achievement.”
“Liliana, you have every reason to be proud of it.”
As he spoke.
The black-haired youth before her almost instinctively reached out his hand, as if intending to pat the Gray Elf girl’s head as he had done before.
However, as if recalling Liliana’s current status, he ultimately suppressed the impulse.
“If Heiser saw your achievements now, she would surely be proud of you.”
“After five hundred years of wandering and drifting, to look back and still see some familiar faces and unchanged things… it’s always a good thing, it can bring her some comfort.”
“So, keep moving forward, Liliana.”
“Perhaps one day, you can truly become an aid to Heiser.”
“Of course, if you want to take a break, that’s also fine.”
“After all—”
His words paused slightly.
“My Shī Jiang, like me…”
“Is also someone who likes to shoulder all responsibilities and risks alone, a proud and arrogant fellow.”
The youth’s final words dissipated with the gentle breeze on the city wall.
When Liliana recovered from the shock of seeing someone from her memories in reality, and wanted to find him again.
She found that the black-haired, black-eyed human youth was no longer by her side.
“Shaya Egut.”
She silently repeated the name in her heart.
The name that had built everything in Snow City and also changed the future of the entire Elf Race.
He brought hope to the Lost Island.
And he, along with the Elf Royal Court, had also fallen into the Abyss.
Similarly, at this moment, it was his awakening that brought the Elves the opportunity to leave the Abyss and return to the sunlight.
Liliana did not know how to face him.
However, at this moment, in Liliana’s heart, there was only gratitude towards the human named Shaya.
Just then, her heart stirred slightly.
Then, to Liliana’s shocked gaze.
Illusory points of light transformed into books, manifesting in Liliana’s spiritual world.
Incredibly profound and deep knowledge transformed into characters, condensing on the pages.
Liliana’s grayish-black eyes widened.
Back on the Lost Island, Sister Heiser had once explained arcane arts and magic to her, imparting knowledge at an introductory level.
But later, when the catastrophe occurred and the Lost Island fell into the Abyss, the subsequent arcane knowledge could no longer be imparted, and Liliana’s path as a witch had to end prematurely.
However, Liliana had never forgotten the introductory arcane knowledge personally taught by Sister Heiser.
And at this moment.
The human youth, at some unknown time, had stored all the subsequent forbidden knowledge in the form of books within his spiritual world.
The broken inheritance was now continued.
This was the path to a higher realm, beyond Legend.
“Since that’s the case…”
“Sister Heiser, Leader, and Shaya, please watch.”
“When I break through the limits of Legend and reach a higher level.”
“I will become a force by your side.”
…
Shaya leaped down from the city wall and mingled with the elves of Snow City.
He walked and observed the city as if on a leisurely stroll after a meal.
However, neither the common elves nor the Legendary Liliana paid any attention to this human who looked so different from the elves.
“What’s with that look in your eyes, Shaya?”
“Don’t tell me you’re going to make a move on this little girl who admires you and your Shī Jiang?”
“If that’s the case, then I might have to question Shaya’s taste.”
A clear and cold voice sounded in Shaya’s ears.
Aerora, with her flawless, ice-like face, appeared behind Shaya at some point, her arms crossed.
Her expression was unreadable, but based on Shaya’s familiarity with Aerora, he could detect a hint of dissatisfaction in her words.
“That’s definitely not the case. Girls who are much younger than me, like juniors and underclassmen, are never within my hunting range.”
“I just saw an elf I met once, and I felt a little nostalgic.”
Shaya was not surprised by Aerora’s appearance and replied softly.
Aerora pouted. “Girls who are much younger than you are not within your hunting range.”
“So, women who are several hundred or even thousands of years older than you are within your hunting range, right?”
“That’s not the point.”
Shaya calmly changed the subject.
“And, most importantly—”
“Xiao Ai, I see your shadow in Liliana.”
He smiled and took the blonde girl’s hand.
“Don’t you think she resembles you?”
“With her talent, Titled level should have been her limit.”
“But through her own effort, driven by some obsession, she entered a higher realm that she shouldn’t have touched.”
“Thinking about it, it does feel familiar.”
Aerora’s gaze turned towards the city wall.
She was well aware of her own talent.
She was unlike Shaya, whose talent and ability would undoubtedly shine brightly regardless of the circumstances… but she was different.
The contractor of the Holy Spear, a supreme expert at the Throne level… these identities shouldn’t have belonged to her.
It was through her almost obsessive persistence that she found the only variable, the only possibility, amidst her own faint and distant future.
The possibility of keeping pace with Shaya and becoming his support.
Aerora herself wished to always be by Shaya’s side, to be someone who could walk alongside him.
And in the Gray Elf named Liliana, she felt a similar persistence and desire.
“Speaking of which, Xiao Ai, was that the legendary ‘disdainful tone’ just now?”
Shaya raised an eyebrow.
“I like it.”
“Yui, quickly record this as an alarm. I want to hear Xiao Ai wake me up in a disdainful tone every day.”
“As you command, Master.”
Yui, in the form of a metallic fairy, flapped her wings and replied in a sweet voice.
The stream of information was quickly recorded and synthesized in the AI’s database.
Aerora sighed helplessly as she looked at Shaya. “You’re so glib.”
“So, are you really okay being so leisurely these past few days?”
“I thought the first thing you’d do after arriving in the First Era would be to break through the Abyss and see your childhood Shī Jiang in the Prime Material Plane.”
She looked up at the Abyss’s dome and spoke softly.
Although after sleeping for five hundred years and devouring the legacy of that ancient Sun God… Aerora was unsure of how far Shaya had progressed.
But with her intuition, Aerora could be absolutely sure—
Even without the help of the Holy Spear, the world barrier between the Abyss Plane and the Prime Material Plane could no longer stop Shaya at this moment.
And in Aerora’s understanding, now that everyone was here and the world barrier was broken.
The next step would naturally be to pick up the Holy Spear and fight against those Mythical Creatures roaming the Western Continent.
“My Xiao Ai, my Xiao Ai.”
“You’re already at the Throne level, but you still have the same reckless, no, ‘reckless wife’ mindset as before.”
What a brute, what a brute.
Shaya sighed and reached out to pat the blonde girl’s head again.
He had heard what the Gray Elf children had said earlier, but as a young man of the new era living in the Fourth Era, Shaya naturally didn’t believe in superstitious notions like being patted on the head would stunt growth.
Isn’t his Xiao Ai tall and graceful, with a waist and legs?
Except for being a bit flat, everything else was perfect.
Wait… not growing taller from being patted on the head.
Then, if he patted other areas, would there be a similar effect?
Could Xiao Ai’s flatness be due to him patting her?
Shaya looked at his hands and sank into thought.
However, when the blonde girl beside him looked at him with a suspicious gaze, Shaya quickly composed himself, showing no flaws, and did not let this girl, who had maxed out her “Intuition” skill, detect his abnormality.
Shaya knew very well how much his childhood bride resented her flat chest.
She was someone who drank papaya milk like water every day. Shaya’s Eden had a dedicated papaya farm just for Xiao Ai, achieving complete self-sufficiency.
If Xiao Ai knew that the thing she had always regretted was caused by his daily “benefits”…
She would probably… die?
Even if she didn’t die, losing his daily “benefits” would be unacceptable to Shaya.
“Cough.”
He coughed lightly.
“In short, Xiao Ai, your approach is too reckless.”
“There’s an old saying in my hometown… rash actions lead to hasty progress, better to advance slowly and plan carefully.”
“That’s going against the Mythical Creatures of an entire era. Even though I’m confident in myself, I can’t say I have a guaranteed victory.”
“Even if we win, if any of you get injured in this battle, it would be my failure.”
“Shī Jiang is the same.”
“What I seek is a longer future with her.”
Shaya’s words paused slightly.
“If I meet Shī Jiang for the sake of temporary gain, but cast a shadow over the future, then it would be a case of losing sight of the fundamental in pursuit of the superficial.”
“It’s just loneliness… Five hundred years have passed, and it won’t make much difference to wait a little longer.”
“Besides—”
“I always prefer to do things thoroughly.”
“Beat the small, and the big ones come. Beat the big ones, and the old ones come…”
“Even if we defeat those Mythical Creatures, if we can’t eradicate them completely, and they escape to the depths of the Astral Realm and can’t be found, and after years they heal their wounds and return with their cultists… that’s not my style.”
Shaya’s dark eyes looked up at the Abyss’s dome, a slight smile playing on his lips.
“Since I’m here, I might as well do something big, shouldn’t I?”
“For example—”
“Gather all those Mythical Creatures together…”
“And then, set off a big firework.”
“I’m sure that firework will be beautiful.”
