Xiao Chen met Elena's teacher, Saint Dahni, at the corridor in the backyard garden of the Elders' Hall.
The Hall of Elders feels more time-worn than the entire Elf Kingdom. The traces on every brick and stone seem to embody history. Gorgeous flowers flow in from the garden, filling the corridors and stone steps, beautifully blending antiquity and vitality together.
Saint Dahni was wearing the same green robe as Elena, standing in a corner of the corridor. The sunlight shone through the arched doorway onto half of her body, and with the gorgeous flowers behind her, it looked like an oil painting.
Even though Xiao Chen was used to seeing elf beauties like Elena, he still admired her in his heart.
"Saint Dahni, I am very happy to have a private audience with you." Xiao Chen said after performing the wizard's salute.
"Sir Xiao Chen, I watched your performance in the Hall of Illusion. It was very impressive. No one except you defeated the last opponent that day." Dahni sat on a stone bench beside the corridor and asked Xiao Chen to sit opposite her.
"I'm just doing my best." Xiao Chen said modestly.
"Without a doubt, you are the most suitable candidate to join the expedition. Although your partner Roger is not the strongest warrior, he may have better cooperation with you. So the Council of Elders decided to invite both of you to join the expedition. However, before that, I still need to talk to you." Dahni looked at Xiao Chen calmly, but there was something profound in her eyes at this time, which made Xiao Chen feel palpitations. This was an intuition given to him by the Traveler's Heart, which made him know that Dahni's next words would be very, very important.
"Please go ahead." Xiao Chen said calmly.
Dahni stretched out her hand and gently pressed on the stone bench. A ripple spread out from her hand. The surrounding world seemed to be stagnant and turned black and white. Only the small space where she and Xiao Chen were still had vivid colors. "This small garden has now been separated from this world by my domain. So the following words naturally do not exist in this world.
You may wonder why I would do this. If I had to say something, a silent barrier would be enough. But as a saint of the elves and a high priest, this is the only way to temporarily sever my ties with certain beings in the world."
Some existence? Could it be the god of nature? Or something else? Xiao Chen suppressed his curiosity and said, "Okay."
Dahni seemed satisfied with his calmness and nodded approvingly. "Very good. First I want to ask you a question: What do you think God is?"
What is God? Xiao Chen's heart skipped a beat. The last time Roland priest asked him, "What do you think of God?" he was already very surprised. Now an elf high priest asked him this even more outrageous question, and he didn't know how to answer for a moment.
Seeing Xiao Chen finally reveal his nervous expression, Dahni smiled. This elegant smile bloomed like a flower, just right to eliminate Xiao Chen's nervousness. "You can answer this question freely. As an elf who has lived for more than 800 years, I know very well how bad magicians' views on gods are."
Xiao Chen thought about it and did not give the same answer he gave to Roland last time. Instead, he said, "I think gods are just another kind of people. Maybe more powerful, but not out of this category."
Dahni's lips curled up slightly: "Then how should we treat him?"
"It depends on how he treats me. When friends come, I have wine; when enemies come, I have swords and guns. This is the standard by which I, and many other people, behave in the world." Xiao Chen was still a little nervous when he said these words. After all, the God of Nature was the most important existence to the entire elves.
However, Dahni did not directly comment on this answer, but asked again: "Then do you understand what a clan is?"
"The clans are the races favored by the gods. For example, the elves are loved by the god of nature, so you have a long life and the innate qualifications for magic and fighting spirit, and your starting point is much higher than that of humans. Similarly, the war angels, the clan of the god of war, also have longer lives than ordinary people, can practice both magic and martial arts more easily, and can also use inherited artifacts." Xiao Chen said.
"Do you really like it? Would you like something, Mr. Xiao Chen?"
"If it's a tool, then I can't say I love it. At most, it suits my taste."
"That's right. In my opinion, our clan just made a deal with God. Lifespan and power are what we get in exchange. What we pay is obedience and sacrifice. If it were you, would you be willing to become a clan member?"
"Me?" Xiao Chen shook his head firmly, "I only want to be my own master."
"But we have no choice. Our fathers, their fathers' fathers, and our ancestors are all God's followers. Even the elves born from the World Tree are the same. Everyone has a set direction and can only run forward on a narrow road." Dahne's voice was clear, but it was heavy. "Of course, you can regard this as the price of the transaction, but if this price is never-ending and has no bottom line, then how much meaning does the elf race itself have? Is it just an accessory?"
"No one should be an accessory. I think any intelligent life should try to control its own destiny." Xiao Chen said sincerely.
"So. I don't want that..." Dahne's expression was solemn and compassionate at this moment, "I don't want the God of Nature to wake up one day, and with just a glance from him, all the elves will submit to him, and all their emotions and wills will revolve around him. He points to a place, and we become his swords, using the flesh and blood of the elves to fulfill his will. This has happened too many times many years ago, and it's enough."
"You want to..." Xiao Chen swallowed his saliva, he felt his heart beating a little faster.
"Since you're already asleep, why bother waking up?" Dahni said, looking at Xiao Chen.
"Your Excellency the Saint, I don't quite understand why you are saying these words to me now."
Dahni took out two crystal bottles, one filled with red liquid and the other with green liquid. She said, "Although we have not yet concluded what is under the World Tree, that thing directly destroyed a saint and made other elves unable to control their obedience, so it should be something closely related to the God of Nature. It is even directly related to his awakening. This bottle of red liquid is called 'God Corrosion Potion', which was configured by the Spirit Tower in the past for the purpose of killing gods. It can corrode all divine powers. Of course, it will also harm the World Tree, so this bottle of green 'Rebirth Potion' is used to repair the damage to the World Tree."
"You won't give such an important thing to Elena? But to me instead?" Xiao Chen asked puzzled.
Dahni placed the two bottles in Xiao Chen's hands. "It's very simple. In the face of God's power, I think you are the one who may persevere to the end."