Chapter 28: Herding the Stars 7000
Along the coast and docks, all the busy elven fishermen raised their heads, gazing up at the darkening sky that was growing deeper and deeper.
High above, the orange sun that had only just risen was already obscured by converging streams of clouds. Countless vapors and storm clouds gathered from all directions toward the place where shadows emerged. A deep, grand rumbling could be heard echoing across the entire world.
"What... is this thing?"
But faced with the sudden pressure descending from the sky, although the Stag-Crowned Elf's expression showed shock, his tone remained calm. He frowned and muttered quietly, "It looks a bit like... a really big crab..."
Compared to the Stag-Crowned Elf, who seemed merely surprised and puzzled, apparently not fully understanding the significance behind this scene—likely treating it as a celestial phenomenon similar to a 'solar eclipse'—Priest's heart was shouting in alarm.
—This, this is clearly that group of octopod fungi coming for us!
How are they so fast?! Damn it, if they break through the world barrier, we have no way to find a place to hide... Should we go seek refuge at the Aklafa Hub?!
Continuous thunderous pounding echoed at the top of the high sky. At first, Priest was extremely nervous, his mind frantically searching for countermeasures. But soon, he realized that no matter how forcefully that crab claw struck, the firmament showed not a single trace of change or bending—it remained as stable as ever.
The giant claw's pounding was all thunder and no rain, not even a drop falling... After some time, as if realizing that this world's barrier was utterly unbreakable, the crab claw simply left.
"Ah, this kind of thing happens often. Don't be too surprised. You humans have short lifespans, so you might have lost this knowledge."
The Stag-Crowned Elf noticed Priest's expression and spoke to comfort him: "Similar events have happened twice in my lifetime. Once was over a hundred and twenty years ago, when a whale-like phantom appeared in the sky, frantically ramming the dome. The second was over fifty years ago, when a group of tiny fish-like phantoms rammed it. They all rammed for a long time, but none succeeded."
Noticing Priest's wide eyes staring at him in utter astonishment, the Stag-Crowned Elf adjusted his stag crown with some confusion and said, "That's just my memory. In the Mother Tree's memory, there are many more similar events, so I'm not very surprised. I'm just puzzled why it's turned into a crab claw this time... Could it really be, as the ancestors said, that beyond the sky lies a boundless 'Sea of Void'? The seafood there sure is abundant."
The surrounding elven fishermen also noticed the anomaly in the sky, but most of them, after pointing and discussing it for a while, went back to work. Just as the Stag-Crowned Elf had said, this scene was nothing new to them.
"Misstep. We don't understand this world's ecology at all, nor do we know what kind of environment these elves have survived in... And this world's shell is way too tough! According to what this elf said, those were clearly several attempts by Void Behemoths to invade, all ending in failure!"
Priest now realized that he and his teammates might have made a grave mistake.
They had projected their impression of Mycroft elves onto these elves of the 'Unknown World.'
Although the two looked very similar, in essence, they were no longer the same race—whether in customs, worldview, or the nature of their lives. After who knows how long of divergent evolution, they had long since parted ways.
Thinking this, Priest immediately made up his mind to take this opportunity to ask the Stag-Crowned Elf about some common customs.
"You're asking about our past? To be honest, if I don't connect to the Mother Tree, I don't remember much either."
Hearing Priest's question, the Stag-Crowned Elf led him along the coconut grove by the coast, walking slowly while speaking in a slightly hoarse tone: "There's not much to say, really. After the first ancestors planted the Mother Tree of Life at the very center of our homeland, they died from Otherworldly Sickness. Relying on the Mother Tree's protection and our united hearts, we multiplied on this land generation after generation, until now."
"This is truly a good place. There are coconuts by the sea, many berry bushes and fruit trees in the forest, and quite a few herds of animals. Apart from Otherworldly Sickness and the occasional Otherworldly Monsters, we have almost no enemies."
Saying this, the Stag-Crowned Elf picked up two coconuts, each about the size of three fists, from the sandy shore and handed one to Priest. He said softly, "And so, generation after generation multiplied, living peacefully here, until now... That is our history."
Priest silently poked two holes in the coconut with his finger and took a drink.
The coconut juice was mild in flavor, but very fragrant and refreshing—pure, unpolluted, and of high quality.
He could see many elven fishermen, tired from fishing, casually pick up a couple of coconuts from the beach, drink, rest for a while, and then start working again.
The elven boats could only hold two or three people and were at most about ten meters long. Such boats would normally only be suitable for rivers and lakes; even near the coast they were dangerous and completely unsuitable for fishing. But most elves possessed some Transcendent power. With the stability of magic, they could not only move freely along the coast but even occasionally venture into deep-sea areas to lure fish schools.
Since fish and seafood weren't their staple food, the consumption of two to three thousand elves didn't even outpace the natural recovery rate of this sea area. Many fishermen only worked for an hour or two before catching enough food for their whole family for the next week or two—most of which would be made into dried fish as winter reserves.
Some fishermen had already begun leisurely sunbathing.
"...How long have you been living like this?"
Setting the coconut shell aside under a tree, Priest asked softly, "A few hundred years, or..."
"At least a thousand or two thousand years. Maybe longer."
The Stag-Crowned Elf seemed unconcerned and answered casually, "The five chieftains before me all did very well. The only thing I'm slightly better at than them is probably living longer."
"No, I mean... haven't you ever thought about changing?"
Priest stopped walking. He looked up at the sky where the clouds hadn't fully dispersed, then lowered his head to survey this peaceful, silent sea area. He thought of many things... his hometown in the southern fortress during the Mad Dragon Plague, his home trampled by dragon beasts, his relatives and neighbors devoured by dragons, and so much more—the ordinary people of Mycroft World still struggling to survive.
The young warrior once again saw the Chaos Erosion marks on the Stag-Crowned Elf's arm. He remembered the long shadow on Su Er's back. Priest clenched his fists and said in a somewhat suppressed voice, "You've encountered so many sudden anomalies, and Chaos... Otherworldly Sickness and Otherworldly Monsters. Haven't you ever thought about developing technology to solve these problems?"
"You have such a bountiful homeland! Such a peaceful environment! Even if this world... is a bit strange, this is a span of one to two thousand years! How can you still be like this? Aren't you afraid of death? Don't you want to live longer?"
The Stag-Crowned Elf didn't understand why Priest had become so agitated.
He simply, as always, said plainly and calmly, "Technology? What's that? If you mean craftsmanship like your armor, we do want it very much. That's why we're willing to pay a price to trade for it."
"As for other problems, we just follow the steps passed down by the ancestors."
The Stag-Crowned Elf slowly buried his coconut shell in the sand, then stood up and said, "The Mother Tree stores all the knowledge we need. After you teach us how to forge iron tools, we'll store that knowledge in the Mother Tree. And death isn't scary—it's just becoming a new branch of the Mother Tree, sheltering those still living from wind and rain."
The Stag-Crowned Elf turned his head and met Priest's gaze.
This was the first time Priest had seriously, comprehensively, and carefully observed the face of the de facto leader of the 'Watcher Tribe.'
It was a somewhat aged face, not like that of a young elf of one or two hundred years. His features were as regular and androgynous as all elves', but the roots of his long, dark green hair were beginning to blacken and yellow, proving that this elf's life was nearing its end. His eyes were somewhat cloudy, his mouth tightly pursed, giving him a rather stern look.
Most striking was the Stag-Crowned Elf's gaze. He was now meeting Priest's eyes, but his gaze was unfocused, his two eyes even turning slightly in different directions. His pupils were white, with magical light flickering, making his eyes not only lifeless but also eerily strange.
"Perhaps we forgot to tell you."
Facing Priest, who showed clear wariness and seemed ready to leave at any moment, the Stag-Crowned Elf smiled gently, without hostility, tolerantly, and carelessly: "The spirit of our Watcher Tribe is linked through the Mother Tree. We clearly know every move you make. We also know your attitude toward our people. You are gentle, your interactions are kind, you act with propriety and rules, and you know good from evil. So the Watchers believe you are indeed trustworthy humans, not Otherworldly Monsters."
"...What?!"
This time, Priest was genuinely shocked from the bottom of his heart. He exclaimed, "You... your spirits are linked?!"
To be honest, he had heard that elves in the distant past indeed had this ability, but after the Father of Nature ascended to godhood—meaning after the true Elven God was born—this most ancient power of spiritual interconnection disappeared into history.
These Otherworldly elves... how could they still possess this power?!
Facing Priest, who seemed lost in thought, the Stag-Crowned Elf showed his teeth in a smile and said nothing.
After calming down, Priest immediately thought of one thing. He frowned and said, "So, Su Er... was she also part of testing my attitude?"
"No."
At this point, the Stag-Crowned Elf's voice suddenly became somewhat cold. His eyes narrowed slightly as he continued, "Su Er is my daughter... She was born with a defect. Her conversation with you, I didn't know about. It wasn't part of testing your attitude."
The Stag-Crowned Elf's originally fluent speech suddenly became somewhat awkward and stuttering, and his gaze became indifferent. After a long while, his tone returned to normal: "Through the Mother Tree, we can perceive every tribesman's thoughts. Our emotions are transmitted and linked to each other. So there are no conflicts in our tribe. We are essentially one family, sharing all joys, angers, sorrows, and happiness. Even Otherworldly Sickness is the same."
"But Su Er is different. She was born isolated from the Mother Tree, unable to link to the knowledge stored within. So it takes a long time for us to teach her bit by bit before she can learn the tribe's common knowledge. And because of this, she always runs outside, going to places the ancestors have already visited—meaningless places. She always inexplicably wants to go to faraway places, to see things that have no meaning. She's completely an oddball in the tribe."
"And also because of this, without everyone sharing the burden, Su Er is severely eroded by Otherworldly Sickness."
Saying this, the Stag-Crowned Elf looked at Priest and said calmly, "Just like those humans who disappeared hundreds of years ago. Beings not linked to the spirit can never resist Otherworldly Sickness with their own will—our ancestors once invited humans to join our spirit, but they absolutely refused, saying there would be no future that way. But they have disappeared, while we are still alive in the 'future.'"
"Son of the Plains①, if you are willing to link your spirit with us, you will be our tribesmen, not just collaborators as you are now. We will do our utmost to help you."
"No thanks. Goodbye."
Priest quickly waved his hand and shook his head to reject the proposal. This didn't seem to surprise the Stag-Crowned Elf, who simply nodded and moved on from the topic.
The two had already left the coast and were walking back along the forest path.
"...Phew."
Having learned too many unexpected pieces of information in such a short time, Priest couldn't help rubbing his temples. After calming down for a moment, he said, "Otherworldly Sickness—let's call it that for now. As far as I know, although Otherworldly Sickness can temporarily be resisted through the spirit of many people, this erosion is ultimately irreversible. Over time, the accumulated sickness in the entire tribe's spirit will cause a more severe outbreak—how do you solve this problem?"
In fact, this kind of collective linked will among elves still had quite a few users in Mycroft Continent not long ago. The Psionic users of the Western Mountain were the most famous of this type.
When the Great Magic Tide descended and Transcendent power and technology advanced by leaps and bounds across the world, the Psionic users of the Western Mountain also developed a peculiar spiritual linking ability. Through some Psionic technique or a special magical hub, they could link the spirits of several or even dozens of people together for combat.
This technique was very effective. With the linked spirit, everyone's spellcasting speed and combat endurance increased by thirty percent. Their resistance to Chaos Erosion was also strong, and they even had a certain self-purification ability. If the Chaos Erosion or mental pollution was mild, it would be quickly and thoroughly purified.
But as Priest said, this linking only slowed down the speed of Chaos Erosion. Except for the top-tier Holy Light held by the high-ranking members of the Church of the Seven Gods, the unique methods of various Legendary experts, and the Order Force held by the inheritors of the Sage, basically no power could resist Chaos Erosion. It might not be noticeable at first, but gradually, the entire Psionic union would be corrupted and fall, becoming a vessel of Chaos.
The Otherworldly elves had been enduring Chaos Erosion for a long time. This linked spirit should have long since been corrupted and fallen, yet they still existed, living well and harmoniously. This was a very incredible thing, so Priest wanted to know the reason behind it.
"Very simple. Rely on sacrifice."
Contrary to Priest's expectations, the Stag-Crowned Elf unhesitatingly revealed the secret behind it: "Rely on sacrifice, and on the Sacred Mountain of Sacrifice. We can greatly alleviate the erosion of Otherworldly Sickness."
Then, the Stag-Crowned Elf revealed the secret of how their clan had managed to survive safely under Chaos Erosion for so long.
"Otherworldly Sickness is a peculiar disease that spreads both physically and mentally. Every elf has more or less some roots of the disease. It's something that can't be expelled. But with the power of the Mother Tree, we can transfer the excess sickness from most people onto certain powerful individuals who can bear enough of it."
Saying this, the Stag-Crowned Elf smiled carelessly and said, "For example, someone like me can bear the sickness of hundreds of people without immediately turning into an Otherworldly Monster."
"And then?"
Priest couldn't help pressing further.
"Then, we go to the Sacred Mountain of Sacrifice."
The Stag-Crowned Elf lifted his head, indicating for Priest to look in the direction of the Aklafa Space-Time Hub. He said calmly, "The Sacred Mountain of Sacrifice possesses a power that can completely and thoroughly purify all Otherworldly Sickness, preventing this excess sickness from flowing back into the Mother Tree after the bearer dies. Every one or two hundred years, we select ten strong individuals who can bear the sickness to go to the Sacred Mountain and pray to the ancestors."
No, wait, no. This isn't sacrifice at all!
This isn't purification at all... This is sending people to their deaths.
Letting out a breath, Priest looked at this Stag-Crowned Elf with a complex expression. How could he, who had almost been burned to ashes by the Aklafa Hub, not understand?
What so-called purification was nothing more than using an extremely powerful Mana Light Stream to utterly shatter both body and soul into nothingness?! What return to the Mother Tree? Impossible! Being hit by that level of Mana Light Stream, even an Ultimate-rank expert would be severely wounded and near death!
But these elves did it without any fear—every one or two hundred years, they sent their most elite and strongest batch to be purified. The remaining ones continued living their peaceful, leisurely lives without any progress or change.
They linked their spirits with each other. Everyone could perceive each other's emotions and thoughts. There was no suspicion, no jealousy, no quarrels, no competition. The elves only needed to work for one day to rest for a week. They lived in a suitable tropical region, in caves that were warm in winter and cool in summer—too perfect. For a civilization just beginning to develop, this was too perfect, too flawless. It was a realm that even the elves of Mycroft had not reached.
Even upon seeing the metal armor of the Elite Squad, they didn't think of 'researching it themselves.' Instead, they preferred to trade for it and then store it in the Mother Tree, like squirrels collecting food.
They shared joys, sorrows, and knowledge. The techniques left by the ancestors allowed them to live happily and safely, to the point where these elves had no motivation to progress, no reason to explore the distance.
So enviable.
So pitiful.
And while Priest was conversing with the Stag-Crowned Elf.
Outside the world, in the endless Void.
A giant hermit crab-shaped Void Behemoth, carrying a semicircular star world, slowly roamed through the Void.
"Great Khan, the Fourth Behemoth discovered a strange world in the Dark Star Domain. It originally wanted to pry open a dead world to replenish some matter, but found that world's barrier was unimaginably firm and solid. It used all its strength and couldn't leave a single mark."
At the very bottom of the Hive City, a black-shelled octopod fungus respectfully reported to a twisted spiritual void: "What are your instructions on this?"
"...Stay away from that world. Next time you encounter such special worlds, don't touch any of them."
After a long pause, the spiritual void slowly transmitted some information: "This is the Lost Star River. That firm and solid world you mentioned might be some sealed world containing an ancient demon. It's fortunate it didn't break through. If it had, what awaits us would certainly not be something good."
"But the subjects need food... We have crossed a long material vacuum layer. Both the Behemoths and the subjects are already starving..."
The black-shelled octopod fungus remained motionless, maintaining a 'respectful' posture, and said softly, "Great Khan..."
"Hmm."
Another long silence, followed by a nearly dreamlike echo: "Except for those... abnormal... worlds... eat freely. Whether they have life or are dead, eat them all clean... We have endured for too long. We must store as much food as possible before the 'Hunters' arrive..."
"This is far from our final destination. We still have a very long way to go... Go herd, Kumosinda, my First Void King. Go herd the stars, make our world... more... plump..."
The voice faded.
The black octopod fungus did not move.
After tens of minutes, certain that the voice had completely disappeared, it slowly rose and walked out of the white royal court.
"My King."
Outside the royal court, a squad of gray octopod fungus elites was waiting. Upon seeing the black fungus, the leading squad leader immediately approached, bending its joints: "The Great Khan's instructions are..."
Kumosinda was silent for a moment. After a long while, he spoke in a tone that was hard to tell whether it was heavy or pleased: "Eat. Eat freely, my subjects. The supreme Great Khan has permitted it. We can vent to our hearts' content—go find worlds with life, with flesh and blood, and herd them. Let our world feast on flesh and blood!"
"This Star River will be our new pasture."
At the same time, in the Void outside Mycroft World.
Inside a huge silver cocoon.
Joshua's will was falling into distress.
"Add a bit of Arcane Power, a bit of Elemental Force, a bit of Aether... stir, stir... Tsk, burnt."
"Holy Light, Psionic Energy, then smear on a little Order Force... Hmm, a bit loose. Add some Steel Force to bind it together. Make do."
"Ah, added too much Steel Force!"
"Boom!"
Within the brilliant world embryo, the radiance of various Transcendent powers churned. But as a silver light suddenly expanded, a small explosion occurred inside the world embryo.
Joshua, who was learning the world-creation techniques of the Fairy Empresses and had only just managed to restore the world embryo to its original state, now deeply felt how unreliable those little ones were.
"I said, how the hell did those damned little butterflies create the Fairyland?!"
Joshua's main will had been inside the silver cocoon, pondering how to create a brand new world.
He didn't plan to learn from the Void Behemoths, using a grand self-destruction to shape a world—the warrior enjoyed living very much and had no intention of committing suicide. He wanted to learn from the fairies, using various Steel Authority and Elemental Force, starting from a demiplane and gradually perfecting it into a complete world.
Of course, this process was very difficult. Imbalances in power often led to various explosions. Especially since Joshua was determined to create a more perfect world embryo than the Fairy Empresses, he had added more Transcendent power elements than Elemental Force from the start.
This indeed required a lot of hard work.
And at that moment, Joshua sensed that his avatar had arrived at the Myriad Realms Sacrificial Ground.
"Indeed, I need to ask the Dominant Will about Priest and the others."
Joshua looked at the flawless Steel Force crystal before him, a complete world embryo, and then shook his head: "I'll do this later."
Even though he couldn't directly ask about world coordinates or such to avoid crashing the Dominant Will of the Myriad Realms Sacrificial Ground, Joshua, who deeply understood its way of thinking, knew how to communicate with this kind of Artificial Intelligence.
After all, he had an Artificial Intelligence at home. After so many years, he was very familiar with it.
Thus, his vast will detached from the silver cocoon, following the invisible tracks, descending toward the Myriad Realms Sacrificial Ground.
Hum.
In the Myriad Realms Sacrificial Ground, the humanoid Joshua had just condensed a body using Steel Force. Then, his eyes lit up, and his pressure intensified.
"Radcliffe... inheritor of the Sage."
Sensing Joshua's descent, the silver sun of the Myriad Realms Sacrificial Ground flickered slightly. A grand voice could be heard echoing in the warrior's heart: "Do you wish to inquire about the current location of your students? I regret to say I have lost that database."
But Joshua shook his head: "No, that's not what I want to ask."
He spoke loudly in his heart: "Dominant Will, I want you to truthfully tell me, how many years ago is the earliest data your database can currently trace back to?"