Chapter 142: Spring Comes Upon A Withered Tree (IX)

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Chapter 142: Spring Comes Upon A Withered Tree (IX)

“What’s wrong?” Tomo could not help asking when he noticed Yao’s strange expression.

“N-Nothing.” Yao discreetly hid his trembling fingers behind his back. That brief contact had filled him with alarm. A terrifying power existed within this human’s body, like an impenetrable fortress. Yao had barely probed it before nearly suffering a backlash.

Ivan looked darkly at Yao, suspicious of what he had just done.

Yao felt chilled beneath his stare. After offering a few perfunctory remarks, he left the tent. Seeing this, Tomo excused himself and followed him out.

“What was that about?” Ivan frowned suspiciously.

Shang Ke did not answer. Ever since the aura of the Fountain of Life leaked out, he had expected someone to come investigate. He simply had not expected them to move this quickly.

The Wraith Jade’s location probably could not remain hidden much longer.

Over the next several days, mixed-blood elves frequently wandered near Ivan’s tent. Tomo also visited often, primarily to ask about the Oxygen Sigil. An artifact capable of instantly sealing a Forge Wraith had already caused quite a stir among those who knew about it.

Ivan did not keep anything to himself. He directly handed over his final Oxygen Sigil along with the method for refining it. Tomo treated them like priceless treasures and disappeared for several days afterward. It took no imagination to guess that he had gathered alchemists to experiment with the formula. Unfortunately, he had underestimated how difficult the sigil was to refine. They consumed large quantities of rare materials without succeeding even once.

But that was not what concerned Shang Ke. Five or six days had passed, and Ivan’s antidote still had not been prepared.

Shang Ke went to the medical tent and found the doctor who had originally examined Ivan, then explained why he had come.

“Uh… sorry. It still isn’t ready.”

Shang Ke frowned. “It’s been this long. Why isn’t it ready yet?”

“We’re missing several medicinal herbs.” The doctor’s gaze shifted evasively.

“Which ones? I’ll find them.” A cold gleam flashed through Shang Ke’s eyes as a suspicion began forming in his mind.

The doctor turned away and awkwardly listed several herbs.

Shang Ke stared at him for a long moment, then left without saying another word.

Before he even reached the tent, Shang Ke felt an enormous surge of elemental energy rush toward him. His expression changed, and he shot forward like the wind.

Outside Ivan’s tent, five mixed-blood elves were casting magic. Streams of green light gathered in the air, forming a barrier resembling a mirror made of water.

As the elemental power intensified, a pained groan came from inside the tent. Fury filled Shang Ke’s eyes. He was about to rush inside when a large hand grabbed him.

“You can’t go over there,” Tomo said.

“Let go,” Shang Ke said coldly.

“The Wraith Jade is inside Ivan,” Tomo tried to persuade him. “As an elf, you should want the seal broken even more than we do.”

“Did any of you ask Ivan what he wanted?”

“I believe he would willingly sacrifice himself for the continent,” Tomo replied with righteous conviction.

“So you didn’t even ask before acting?” Shang Ke had known that once the Wraith Jade was discovered, Ivan would face an agonizing choice. But he had never imagined these people would refuse to give him even the right to make that choice himself.

Tomo fell silent for a moment before explaining, “We investigated Ivan’s background and traced his family history back more than a century. Among the puppets controlled by the Forge Wraiths back then was a powerful human who had some connection to Ivan’s family. He was also one of the main culprits behind the destruction of the elven race. Not long afterward, that man died at the hands of the Forge Wraiths—and Ivan was born that same year. We suspect the Wraith Jade was originally sealed inside that man’s body, then, for some unknown reason, he secretly transferred it into Ivan. From that point on, the Forge Wraiths lost track of the Wraith Jade. All these years, not only have we been searching for it, but so have they. To prevent them from interfering, we have to break the seal as quickly as possible.”

Shang Ke stared ahead and said indifferently, “What you’re doing won’t break the seal.”

“What?” Before Tomo could question him further, several cries of alarm rang out nearby. The condensed elemental barrier suddenly shattered, and the chaotic backlash knocked all five mixed-blood elves to the ground.

Shang Ke shook off Tomo’s hand and strode directly into the turbulent elemental flow. The raging elements quieted one after another as he approached, docile as children returning to a parent. By the time Shang Ke disappeared inside the tent, everything around them had returned to normal. Only the shattered traces on the ground and the groaning elves bore witness to what had just happened.

Everyone nearby stared in astonishment. None of them had imagined that this gentle, harmless-looking elf possessed such overwhelming power.

“What happened?” Tomo walked over to Yao and asked.

Yao’s face was deathly pale. “The Wraith Jade’s seal is too powerful. I’m afraid even combining the strength of every elf might not be enough to break it.”

Tomo’s expression changed. “Then what do we do? Once word that the Wraith Jade has been found reaches the Forge Wraiths, they’ll attack the Alliance at any cost.”

Yao was silent for a moment. “At present, there’s only one way.”

“What?”

“Kill Ivan.”

Inside the tent, Ivan leaned weakly against the head of the bed. Blood-red lines covered his face, fresh blood seeped from his left eye, and his clothes were completely soaked with sweat.

Hearing footsteps, Ivan whipped his head around, his gaze as terrifying as that of a cornered beast. Only after seeing Shang Ke did the wariness in his eyes gradually recede.

Shang Ke strode to the bedside and supported him.

Ivan leaned against his shoulder and asked quietly, “The Wraith Jade is inside me?”

“Mm.” Shang Ke raised a hand and gently covered Ivan’s left eye. “Right here.”

“When did you realize?”

“The first time we had sex.”

At that answer, cracks appeared in Ivan’s previously taut expression. He wanted to maintain a fierce look, yet could not stop himself from remembering that passionate night.

He wrapped his arms tightly around Shang Ke’s waist and buried his face in the crook of his neck without speaking. In the past, Ivan would have made his choice without hesitation. But now he had Shang Ke. He had someone tying him to this world, and death had become the thing he least wanted to face.

He did not blame the Alliance for acting ruthlessly. He simply did not want to leave this elf.

Sensing his despondence, Shang Ke comforted him softly. “It’s all right. I’ll find a way to save both sides.”

The fact that the Wraith Jade could seal the Fountain of Life proved just how immense its power was. And as its vessel, Ivan’s constitution and potential had to be equally extraordinary. If the mixed-blood elves outside wanted to break the seal, they would have to kill Ivan. As long as Ivan remained alive, his own power would continuously nourish and reinforce the seal.

Ivan had sustained the Wraith Jade for more than thirty years. An ordinary person would probably have died long ago after having their power drained dry. Without the Wraith Jade consuming him, Ivan would undoubtedly have possessed the potential to become the strongest person on the continent, rather than merely an alchemist whom others could sacrifice whenever necessary.

“I’m afraid we don’t have much time.” Ivan’s voice was low. “There are definitely Forge Wraith spies inside the Alliance. In two or three days at most, they’ll receive the news.”

Shang Ke was silent for a moment before suddenly asking, “Ivan, do you trust me?”

“Of course.” Even if this elf asked him to die, Ivan would not hesitate.

“Good.” Shang Ke smiled. “Then let’s run away together.”

Whether out of guilt or caution, Tomo and the others did not come to confront Ivan. They merely stationed people around his tent to keep watch.

That night, under the cover of illusion magic, Shang Ke quietly slipped out of the camp with Ivan.

Halfway out, however, they unfortunately ran into Cassia and several others on night patrol.

Cassia pointed at Ivan and demanded in disbelief, “Shang Ke, the Wraith Jade is inside him! How can you disregard the future of the elven race and simply run away with him?”

Shang Ke replied calmly, “That’s my business.”

“This isn’t only your business! It concerns every race on the continent!” Cassia then shouted angrily at Ivan, “Ivan, I thought you were a responsible man. I never imagined you’d be this afraid of death.”

Ivan remained expressionless, not the slightest ripple of emotion appearing in his eyes.

Shang Ke took his hand and smiled. “Let’s go.”

Ivan nodded.

Cassia stared at their intertwined hands and stammered, “Shang Ke, you… you two…?”

“It’s exactly what you think.” Shang Ke had no interest in arguing any longer. Magic flashed around him, and the two disappeared from sight in an instant.

Just before they vanished completely, they heard Cassia shout, “Shang Ke, you’re an elf! Why would you be with such an ugly man?!”

“What’s wrong?” Shang Ke held Ivan’s hand as they walked through the forest. Dark silhouettes of trees swayed in the wind, while scattered points of glowing light flickered in the distance, adding a touch of liveliness to the night.

Ivan’s low voice broke the forest’s silence. “Keke, why are you with me? Is it because… I was your first man?”

Shang Ke was speechless. “Why would you think that?”

“Other than that,” Ivan muttered gloomily, “I honestly can’t think of another reason.”

“The answer is actually very simple.”

Ivan immediately listened attentively.

“Because you’re exceptionally gifted, and having sex with you feels really good.”

Ivan: “…” Something about that answer seemed vaguely wrong, yet he still felt inexplicably proud of himself…

Without realizing it, the two arrived in the heartland of the elven territory, where the Sacred Tree and the Fountain of Life had once been located.

“Ivan, let’s have sex.” Shang Ke turned to face him, his clear green eyes shimmering like a moonlit lake.

While Ivan was still stunned by the invitation, Shang Ke had already wrapped his arms around his neck and raised his face to offer him a kiss.

How could Ivan possibly refuse such an enticing invitation? He tightened his arms around the elf and responded passionately…

Meanwhile, their disappearance had thrown the camp into chaos. Several teams quickly set out in pursuit based on the clues Cassia provided.

“He actually ran away. What a coward!”

“He’s unbelievably selfish. He doesn’t care about the bigger picture at all.”

“There’s no need to capture him alive. Once we find him, just kill him.”

“Agreed!”

A group of powerful warriors and mages, filled with righteous indignation and murderous intent, pushed deeper into the forest.

The forest was dark and thick with vegetation. Aside from the mixed-blood elves, who possessed night vision, everyone else could only advance slowly beneath the illumination of magical light spheres.

As the group searched in every direction, a pale-green ring of light suddenly appeared at the center of the forest, illuminating the night in an instant. At the same time, every mixed-blood elf felt a tremor deep within their heart. As though responding to a summons, the elements inside their bodies began surging excitedly.

“What’s happening?” a human warrior asked in alarm.

“Over there.” Yao was the first to rush toward the source of the light.

The others quickly followed.

When Yao pushed aside the tangled branches, the scene that appeared before him made him hold his breath.

“Great, they’re right—” The pursuer behind him abruptly fell silent as well.

The previously noisy voices gradually died away until the entire forest fell silent.

Within the glowing ring, two figures sat joined together on the ground, the black-haired elf above and the human man beneath him. Their clothing hung loose around their bodies, the trailing fabric concealing everything below their waists.

Ivan braced both hands beside himself and gazed lovingly at the elf before him.

Shang Ke sat astride Ivan’s waist, his long black hair concealing most of his bare skin. Tenderness softened his exquisite profile. One hand lightly gripped Ivan’s clothes while the other was raised before Ivan’s left eye, pale-green light glowing from his palm as active elemental energy circulated between their bodies.

Seeing this, everyone finally understood. Shang Ke was attempting to break the Wraith Jade’s seal. They had not run away to abandon everyone else—they had merely chosen their own way of responding to the others’ suspicion and self-righteous assumptions.

Ivan’s face twisted with excruciating pain. Stimulated by the elemental energy, the markings on the left side of his face split and spread once more, twisting beneath his skin like countless blood-red worms until they covered nearly his entire face. Large amounts of blood seeped from his left eye, dyeing half his face crimson as his golden iris gradually turned blood-red and began glowing eerily. Yet despite the unbearable agony, Ivan’s unwavering gaze never left Shang Ke. His eyes held nothing but absolute trust and devotion.

Beneath the intense pain, Ivan’s desire only surged more violently as the power inside him churned. His cock remained hard as a pillar, buried upright inside Shang Ke.

The heat made Shang Ke’s inner walls tighten around him. Ivan was buried all the way to the deepest point, making Shang Ke’s breath catch. A flush spread across his pale cheeks, mist gathering in his half-lidded, elongated eyes and lending them an almost intoxicating sensuality.

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