On the high platform, the Chief and the Elders clutched their chests.
They looked deeply stricken and heartbroken.
“What! How could you... how could you make such a sacrifice?!”
“To think you would give your true name to an outsider and submit yourself as a servant just to find the legendary spirit! Sob, oh, great Yinzhi!”
Looking at these high-ranking Wood Elves who had spiraled into their own wild imaginations and started wiping away tears on the spot, Qimeng's facial muscles couldn't help but twitch.
No.
These people had completely misunderstood.
The little one on the stage had simply found herself a long-term meal ticket.
And she had used a high-sounding excuse just to quit her job within the clan's system.
Yinzhi ignored the Elders' over-dramatics.
With a calm expression, she looked at Eve.
“Eve, until I find the legendary Great Spirit, the position of Spirit Maiden is yours.”
“Shut up! I don't want your charity!”
Eve turned her head away petulantly.
“Fine, suit yourself. However, if you don't appease this newly brought-back six-layer Spirit of Nature, it will soon run wild and lose control. You had better deal with it yourself.”
“I—I am not a self-indulgent person like you!”
Eve gritted her teeth, refusing to look at her.
“I plan to sacrifice everything for the clan! Of course I will take proper care of this Sacred Spirit, you don't need to worry about it!”
“Good, then I will leave this place to you.”
Yinzhi bowed.
Then, she turned her head to look at the high platform.
“Please, Elders, activate the Hidden Gate spell and send us on our way.”
Hearing this, the Chief quickly tried to dissuade her.
“Are you leaving tonight? It won't be too late to leave after resting for the night! It's so late now, and there might still be earth spiders searching for you outside. How can you travel in the dead of night?”
Hearing this, Qimeng, who was below the platform, stood up lazily.
She patted the dust off her bottom.
Then, she casually pulled over Xiaomi, who had just finished detoxifying in the woods and was walking back with a dazed look on her face.
“Alright, too many things happened today, and my head hurts.”
“Traveling in the middle of the night is the most troublesome thing. We'll leave tomorrow morning. You can arrange the rest of the matters yourselves.”
After saying that, this black-haired monster—who appeared unfathomable to the Wood Elves and was seen as bearing the weight of Yinzhi's great sacrifice—swished her skirt under the adoring, sorrowful, and complex gazes of the entire clan. She casually walked toward the guest rooms with her pet.
As soon as they entered the guest room, Qimeng locked the wooden door behind her.
“Master, those long-eared folks were crying so loudly just now. The noise made my tummy hurt again.”
Xiaomi rubbed her round belly and collapsed onto the floor mat, looking completely exhausted.
“Serves you right. Who told you to eat random things?”
Qimeng flicked her forehead and grabbed a thin blanket, wrapping the dummy tightly from head to toe.
“Alright, close your eyes and go to sleep. I exhausted all my backup magic reserves just to bail you out today. Be good and don't disturb my recovery.”
“Sniffle, Master is the best. Xiaomi is going to sleep now...”
Xiaomi was deeply moved. Having been thoroughly exhausted during the day, she fell fast asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.
Qimeng lay back on the bed, crossing her hands over her stomach. She closed her eyes, putting on the facade of being in a deep meditation.
Any Wood Elf who came to investigate would only think that this mysterious, black-haired monster was recovering.
However, this perfect disguise only lasted until midnight.
Late at night.
The chirping of insects outside came in waves.
Inside the guest room,
“Zzz... zzz...”
Xiaomi, sleeping nearby, was snoring like a log.
In stark contrast, Qimeng suddenly opened her emerald eyes on the bed.
It was about time.
The 【Devour All Things】 trait inside her body was like a kitten clawing frantically at her heart, refusing to quiet down.
And the source of this agitation was a strange fragrance drifting from the high platform in the center of the tribe, a scent that only she could smell.
That was a six-layer leaf vein Sacred Spirit.
Oh, she really couldn't wait another moment.
Qimeng got up quietly.
She released the pure magic within her black magic stone, channeling it into her magic veins to activate a skill.
Shadow Step, activate.
A faint trace of magic flowed beneath her feet, silencing all her footsteps.
She had thought tonight would be a perfect stealth mission.
However, just as she avoided the patrolling loli guards and slipped to the edge of the central high platform, the sight ahead made her raise an eyebrow.
Not far ahead, a wooden cage had actually been set up.
Locked inside was the little loli assassin who had tried to assassinate Yinzhi.
Not only that, but Yinzhi and the Chief were actually standing guard beside it.
By the firelight, Qimeng saw Yinzhi unlock the wooden cage.
Having regained her freedom, the little loli fell to the ground.
Surprisingly, there was no resentment left in her eyes, only a profound sense of guilt.
“Can you forgive me?”
Yinzhi squatted down, her voice as gentle as ever.
The little loli bit her lip, her eyes instantly turning red.
“I was wrong... Spirit Maiden! Everyone was clearly sacrificing for the clan, but I believed the rumors and thought you had betrayed nature...”
She lowered her head, looking utterly defeated.
“Even if you kill me now, I only have myself to blame.”
“I am no longer the Spirit Maiden. You can just call me Yinzhi.”
Yinzhi smiled and helped the little loli up.
The little loli's eyes were filled with unbelievable emotion.
“Lady Yinzhi... are you really willing to forgive me?”
“Yes, but there must still be a punishment.”
Yinzhi held up three fingers, her gentle voice carrying an unquestionable authority.
“As punishment, for the next three months, you must carry water and fertilize all the newly planted saplings in the tribe. No slacking off.”
“Yes! I will definitely work as hard as I can!”
The little loli nodded repeatedly, her tears falling uncontrollably.
A punishment of this level was practically letting her off scot-free.
Deeply moved, the little loli gritted her teeth, as if she had made a major decision.
“Lady Yinzhi, actually... the assassination at the gathering was instigated by someone! It was the personal attendant next to Lady Eve! She was also the one who secretly gave me the dagger! So, the one who truly wanted to kill you is Lady Eve! Lady Yinzhi, you must be extremely careful!”
Hearing this, the Chief's expression changed dramatically.
However, Yinzhi only shook her head gently.
“It wouldn't be her. I know her very well.”
Yinzhi smiled faintly.
“Since even you think Eve wanted to kill me, then others would definitely suspect her too. Although Eve is a bit proud, she is definitely not that foolish.”
The little loli was taken aback. “Then... then who could it be?”
Yinzhi's gaze darkened.
She already had a faint suspicion in her heart.
Someone was using a clumsy method to target her, while also using Eve as a pawn to cover their tracks.
Behind this seemingly simple internal struggle, there was likely a deeper mastermind controlling everything.
Beside her, the Chief's face was grim.
“In that case, let's start investigating directly with the spirit attendants around Eve. Whether it's her or not, we will know once we ask.”
“Alright.”
Yinzhi nodded.
Then, following the Chief and several trusted confidants, she hurried toward the direction where the spirit attendants resided.
To seal off any news, the Chief casually reassigned a portion of the elite guards stationed in this area before leaving.
Seeing this from the shadows, Qimeng couldn't help but chuckle.
Oh?
Although she didn't know what kind of detective mystery game they were playing,
the Chief had taken away more than half of the guards...
This was practically a god-sent opportunity for a midnight snack—cough, a late-night feast.
“Then, I'll gladly slip right past.”
With a flash of her figure, Qimeng utilized Shadow Step to leap through the shadows, perfectly bypassing the direction Yinzhi and the others had gone, heading straight for the empty center of the high platform.
With her Demon Tree trait that allowed her to blend into nature, coupled with her nighttime skill that masked her body temperature, Qimeng became a breath of void wind under the blessing of this double concealment.
She slipped past the remaining guards seamlessly.
She didn't alert a single soul along the way.
Rate on N.U.
