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Chapter 249 - Old Mystery
🕑 Added 2025-02-24 07:00:09 +0000 UTCMagnus, Vitali, and Tordin led their family representatives to the gathering crowd nearby, but they made sure to stay far away from each other. The lingering embarrassment from President Albert's announcement was still fresh, and none of them wanted to risk another public spectacle.
Leyvi wanted to greet his father-in-law, Magnus, but he hesitated. Given how embarrassed Magnus looked, it probably wasn't the right time. Instead, he turned his attention to the unfamiliar groups he had noticed earlier.
The Eternal Beauty Association. What kind of organization was this? Leyvi observed them carefully. Most of the members were women, and they were all strikingly beautiful. Are they cultivators who pursue beauty as their path? And they're going to the Mystic Realm too?
Leyvi couldn't help but wonder how they distributed their Mystic Realm spots. If the Alchemy Association allocated spots to the top three winners of the Alchemy Competition, did The Eternal Beauty Association hold a beauty pageant for their spots? The thought amused him.
"Leyvi, what are you doing?" Anda asked, her voice breaking his train of thought.
"I'm just looking at that Eternal Beauty group. They have a lot of beautiful ladies over there," Leyvi replied casually.
"No, I'm asking why you're blocking my eyes," Anda clarified, her tone slightly exasperated. She had been looking at The Eternal Beauty group too, but Leyvi's hands had suddenly covered her eyes, and she couldn't pull them down.
"Oh, sorry. It was a reflex. My hands probably tried to save those ladies from a certain panda. Haha," Leyvi chuckled, finally releasing her.
Anda rolled her eyes. "Hmph, you don't have to worry about me recruiting random ladies anymore. I've raised my standards multiplefold. At least to the same level as City Lord Caterina or Fairy Maiden June. Or if they're devoted to you," she said, her tone half-teasing, half-serious.
Leyvi's eyes widened as he processed her words. More like City Lord Caterina? Anda, my wife, are you bringing in monsters instead of ladies?
Lin Wei and his ladies were left speechless as they watched Leyvi and Anda interact. It was clear they didn't care what others thought of them, and their dynamic was both baffling and amusing.
Not wanting to continue the conversation down that terrifying path, Leyvi turned his attention to another group. "Lilian, that botanist group over there—do you know them? Are they popular?" he asked, knowing full well that Lilian was the best person to ask about anything related to plants.
Lilian nodded vigorously, her gardening hat nearly falling off in her excitement. "They’re the organization created to preserve all the plant species discovered on the Cloud Continent. They have the largest Herbarium and Botanical Garden on the continent, as big as a cultivator city!" she explained through sound transmission, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
Lin Wei and his ladies were once again amused by the interaction. They already knew Lilian was mute, but seeing her communicate so vividly with Leyvi—her expressions animated and her gestures full of energy—was something new to them. Usually, sound transmission was reserved for secretive topics and accompanied by stoic expressions, but Lilian's passion for plants clearly broke that norm.
Leyvi smiled. As expected, Lilian would know everything related to plants. "What's a herbarium?" he asked, slightly curious about the term. He was familiar with botanical gardens but not herbariums.
"A herbarium is a collection of preserved plant specimens that are systematically arranged for study and reference," Lilian explained through sound transmission, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. "The preserved plants are labeled with details like their name, collection location, date, habitat, special properties, and other relevant information. Alchemists who specialize in creating new formulas often rely on data from herbariums."
"I see. So, it's kind of like a museum for plants. Hahaha!" Leyvi said, making a rough but accurate connection.
Lilian nodded vigorously, her excitement far from over. She hadn't finished explaining. "This organization was formed thousands of years ago, long before the Cloud Continent Protectors existed. The extinction of an important plant—which caused the end of a golden era—was what prompted botanists from across the continent to gather and investigate the cause."
Leyvi's eyes widened in recognition. "Is this about the Talisman Tree? Didn't it go extinct because of overuse and a plant epidemic?" He remembered this part clearly from one of Lilian's many late-night plant babbling sessions—or rather, more than one session—during their time together.
Lilian's face lit up with pure joy. She was thrilled that Leyvi had actually remembered her long, passionate rants after their nighttime battles. She had always assumed he hadn't been paying attention. Overcome with affection, she suddenly hugged Leyvi's arm tightly, burying it between her melons.
Leyvi was caught off guard by her sudden display of affection. What happened? Does she want something from me again? He knew Lilian only acted like this when she had a specific request. Don't tell me she wants me to rob the herbarium and take all their preserved plants? The thought made him gulp. Please, Lilian, don't ask for something extreme.
"Yes, yes. That's what I told you, and that's what was told to the public. But thanks to Sister Layla's great information-gathering team, I've recently uncovered more information, and it turned out that there was more mystery to it," Lilian replied.
"Mystery? What kind of mystery? Did a Plant Demoness like you steal all the remaining Talisman Tree or something?" Leyvi guessed.
Lilian shook her head vigorously, though all Leyvi felt was the jiggling of her melons. "The past records say that many people preserved Talisman Trees in their secret gardens, including their seeds when the plant epidemic hit. But one night, all of them withered simultaneously across the continent, leaving only dead remains. Later, even the seeds that were stored in space rings disappeared. It became the most haunting mystery of that period."
"That's so weird. Who hated the Talisman Tree that much, to the point of making it extinct? Does nobody know what happened?" Leyvi asked, his curiosity piqued.
Lilian nodded again. "Nobody."
Realizing that an unknown entity or organization had targeted the Talisman Tree, Leyvi grew concerned. He sent a sound transmission to Lilian, his tone serious. "Lilian, don't ever tell anyone that you have many Talisman Trees in your garden. If whoever wanted them gone finds out, they might come after you. Understand?"
He had initially thought finding a Talisman Tree seed was a stroke of luck—that they could mass-produce them using Lilian's magical garden and bring talismans back to the Cloud Continent. But now, he realized how wrong he was. If the mysterious force behind the extinction discovered they had cultivated new Talisman Trees, their family could become a target. Even though this had happened long ago, Leyvi wasn't willing to take any risks.
Lilian nodded, showing she understood. She also realized the implications when she learned about the history. However, as the greatest plant enthusiast, she couldn't help but feel a burning curiosity. She was determined to investigate the truth behind what had happened in the past. And when she succeeded, she would become the greatest plant detective the world had ever seen!
Leyvi noticed Lilian's dreamy expression and sighed inwardly. Why does everyone have that delusional look today? First, it was Valenia, and now it's Lilian.
Soon, President Albert stored away his airship and led everyone into New Fork City. The process took quite a while, as the line was long and the security inspection was thorough. With so many groups from across the continent gathered in one place—an unprecedented event—the city officials had to be extra cautious, meticulously identifying everyone who entered.
When Leyvi finally stepped into the city, he was struck by the sight of forks hanging from almost every building. The quirky decor was both amusing and bewildering. This city really takes its name seriously, he thought.
The group was then escorted to a temporary settlement near the city center, where they would stay for a week in large tents while waiting for the remaining participants to arrive.
A few Envoys from different Cloud Continent Protectors were stationed there to maintain order and prevent conflicts. While they were allowed to explore the city center, any reports of trouble would result in their spot being revoked.
Despite the calm surface, tension simmered beneath. Most groups were quietly gathering information about the other participants, trying to identify who could be easily offended and who should be avoided. Leyvi could feel the weight of the atmosphere even though he couldn't actually detect the spiritual senses of others—no one could. It was more of an instinctual awareness, a sense that everyone was on edge and watching each other closely.
"Sigh, everyone's looking at each other like enemies," Leyvi remarked, feeling the stiffness in the air. His hope for a peaceful and fun exploration of the Mystic Realm seemed increasingly unlikely.
Anda chuckled. "You're too soft. Most people are like this. If it weren't for the strict laws and regulations enforced by the Protectors, there would've been a bloodbath even before we entered the Mystic Realm. I know you don't want to be a Protector, but we should be grateful to them."
"Of course, I'm thankful to them," Leyvi replied with a smile. "That's why I'm going to help them find the best candidate in the future—someone who cares about the well-being of all people, unlike me. Hahaha!"
"There's nothing wrong with caring only for our family," Anda reassured him. In fact, her stance was even more extreme. She didn't care about others as long as Leyvi thrived.
